Penelope's Journey

This is my newest sim story and a very slow work-in-progress, but it's a project I'm very excited about.



After waiting months for her family's return after they were scattered during an attack on their home, Penelope decides to take matters into her own hands by searching for her missing family members and bringing them back home again. However, she soon discovers that finding them is no easy task as a deep seeded family feud and an ancient curse threaten to keep her from getting her life back and bringing her family back home.

Em, you're off to a beautiful start with Penelope's Journey.

You have such an eye for detail.
When I look at your screenshots, I feel as though I've truly been taken back to another time and place.
Every costume, floor, piece of pottery, and decorative item has been so carefully chosen.
It's obvious you have put an abundant amount of time and thought into setting the stage perfectly for your Sims tale.

I am currently in the process of re-reading Penelope's Journey.
You write with such intelligence and are so descriptive.
One of your greatest narrative strengths is the ability to create full, rich characters.
After a time, I feel like I truly come to know your story cast members (and that's a GOOD thing).

Keep up the excellent work and thank you for sharing your Sims story updates with us.

Em ! Your attention to detail is just ..WOW ! I read all of it this morning and can't wait til the next one ! Beautifully told and very well written !!

Aw, thank you both for your glowing reviews!

With Arrendale Heights I was starting to have to many "put two sims in a room and make them talk" scenes, so I really wanted to put more effort into my images on this story. I've seen so many amazing screenshots from other simmers that have really inspired me to do all I can with my own stories.

I'm looking forward to the next part myself. I made the set for it a long time ago and I'm really excited to take some screenshots there, but it's going to be a longer installment, and I've got to do some major editing to the part I have written. I've decided to kind of change focus, but just a little bit.

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I really wanted to put more effort into my images on this story.

It shows, Em. It really does.

I look forward to the next segment of Penelope's Journey.
Can't wait to see the new set!

The wait is over! :dancinhamster:

Chapter I-III - "Tavern in the Woods"

Em, I had some time and was going to read Tavern in the Woods, but I believe you didn't post the link, my friend.

Oops, I fixed it. (But in the meantime you could have followed the link on the top post.)

Thanks, Em!

I just finished reading "Tavern in the Woods", Em, and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Your attention to detail in every screenshot ... with every word, is so impressive.
I can't imagine how long it takes to set each shot up.
You've completely taken us back to another time and place.
That one screenshot with the drunk under the table in the tavern was a hoot!

I'm loving the storyline so far, too.
There's already suspense and intrigue as we follow Penelope to Cynara.

Thanks, Sugah! I wanted to make the drunks passed out at the table, but they wouldn't cooperate with me. lol Thanks for taking time to read and comment. I appreciate it.

:mmd:

Drunks aren't terribly cooperative, whether human OR virtual, evidently!
I wanted to let you know...
After I finished reading it this afternoon, I went through again to look once more at the screenshots. I'm just so impressed with them. The pic of Penelope at the bottom of the stairs was a really good one, for example.

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Drunks aren't terribly cooperative, whether human OR virtual, evidently!

Both of them ended up passed out on the floor at one point.



The bartender was pretty worried about them, but the old lady found it hilarious. ;)

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The pic of Penelope at the bottom of the stairs was a really good one, for example.

Thanks, Sugah! That one was pretty easy to do. I had a pose box with different action and falling animations from the game, so I just had to put her in place. I can't remember if I used one looking down from the top level or not, that one was a little tricky to line up. I ended up tearing down a few walls to get it right.

Oh, those screenshots are great, Em! I love 'em!

At long last, an update! This section turned out to be kind of long, with a lot of pictures, so I decided to split it into two. So here are Chapter I-IV and Chapter I-V.

Emily, I finally had an opportunity to reread all of Penelope's Journey and the newest chapter updates (I-IV and I-V).
I am really enjoying your story.



Once again, I am in awe of your screenshots.
I just can't get over how they are able to take me back in time to a whole different world.
I can't imagine how long it must've taken to find all the marvelous decor & objects that bring the scenery together so perfectly.
From your cast members' attire ... the landscaping and buildings ... down to each piece of pottery & every little accessory ... SIMply awesome!

I love the intriguing storyline & mysterious (Onyx & Trevander, eg) characters. And of course, as always, I admire your intelligent, descriptive style of writing.

You have a gift, my friend. I am very much looking forward to the next chapter.
Thank you for sharing your updates here.

Thanks, Sugah, for reading and taking the time to comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I did enjoy it MUCHO, my friend. Keep up the fabulous work, dahling.

I finished this update last August as part of webseries writing month. Then got busy and totally forgot that I never uploaded it. Since Sugah brought this series up again, I decided to go ahead and upload the next part. Unfortunately I can't promise there will be many more updates soon, even though I wish I could make the time to finish at least the first chapter.

Chapter I-VI - Penelope arrives at her brother's house and Trevander delivers Onyx's letter to the ruler of Cynara.

I found the pictures for this from the last storytelling challenge I participated in (I don't even remember when that was now) and finally got around to putting the words to it.

So I bring you Chapter I-VII -Penelope is alerted as the tyrant orders for all young women in the village to be brought to the fortress while Trevander finds himself in an awkward position.


Read it here.

(P.S. I'm considering moving my updates to blogger to allow for directly commenting, but haven't make up my mind totally yet.)

Em, forgive my delay in catching up with Penelope's Journey.

I re-read I-IV and I-V and read I-VI and I-VII today.

At the risk of sounding incredibly redundant, I remain in awe of your attention to detail.
Every screenshot takes me back into another place in time.
The stuff going on in the background of your snapshots is even something to behold.
Unbelievable how realistic for an ancient-type time period it is!



I also love your bright, descriptive writing style & remain very interested in Penelope's tale & your intriguing cast of characters.

Oh, and is it me or does handsome Stephan have gorgeous legs?



His bride, Deiandra, is a beauty. I like her time period dress in particular.
And it is so cool seeing Sapphira as a member of the cast!
How did you get her to grip that wine glass so tightly?

I don't trust that freakin' tyrant or Onyx as far as I can throw them.

Great update, Em!
I am so enjoying Penelope's Journey.
Her story is such a joy to look at and read.

Thank you for sharing with us here, as always.



PS I know you said it'd be awhile before you could get back to it again, but you know you have a devoted and anxious fan in me!

Thanks, so much for catching up and commenting, Sugah. Between this and Toni's The Harbour you've been busy reading, haven't you?

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The stuff going on in the background of your snapshots is even something to behold.
Unbelievable how realistic for an ancient-type time period it is!

Thanks. I try. In some of the shots I feel like I could have done more with the background, filled in some of the blank areas. I'm very happy with the neighbor interacting with the guard in a couple of the background shots. I didn't even pose them. I caught them doing what they were doing autonomously and moved them around so that it actually looked like what I wanted. I got really lucky there. I think it just happened to work out better than if I had posed them all.

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Oh, and is it me or does handsome Stephan have gorgeous legs?

Ooh, I'll bet you'll look forward to later updates, I expect I'll have many more soldiers running around in that outfit later, with more of the same gorgeous legs.

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How did you get her to grip that wine glass so tightly?

It's a posebox from ModtheSims2. You can add a selection of props, like wine glasses, purses, umbrellas, and pose them so the sims look like they're holding them or using them. Custom Prop Hack

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PS I know you said it'd be awhile before you could get back to it again, but you know you have a devoted and anxious fan in me!

I actually have been thinking a little bit about the next installment. I had to build a lot that I wasn't sure how I was going to build, but I think it turned out well. I'll share some pics in my game thread. I've also reached the end of what I'd previously written on the latest draft/version, so I'm going to have to do work out some details, since there have been a couple of different previous versions.

Thanks so much for all of the wonderful comments. I appreciate them so much.

Oh, by the way, I did copy the story over to blogger too and since I've been fixing up my blogs, I decided to add them to my signature.

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Thanks, so much for catching up and commenting, Sugah. Between this and Toni's The Harbour you've been busy reading, haven't you? ... Thanks so much for all of the wonderful comments. I appreciate them so much.

I've been meaning to and am still so far behind on my friends' Sims tales and challenge stories.
Once I get behind, it seems so overwhelming to try and catch up.
But I am determined to do so, dang it!
Yesterday, I got comfy on the couch, cranked up my laptop and read for two hours!
Made some progress, but still have a way to go...

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I'm very happy with the neighbor interacting with the guard in a couple of the background shots. I didn't even pose them. I caught them doing what they were doing autonomously...

That's actually the shot I was referring to!
The one where the tyrant sends his soldiers out to gather up women of a certain age...
And in the background, you see it occurring at another household, right?
Totally cool capture, Em!

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I expect I'll have many more soldiers running around in that outfit later, with more of the same gorgeous legs.

Yes, please! I'm tellin' you what. I couldn't focus on anything BUT Stephan's legs in that picture.



Thank you for the link to the Custom Prop Hack.
I am SO going to download that. I think it'll come in handy for our Sim Lyrical Challenge, especially.

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I actually have been thinking a little bit about the next installment.

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I did copy the story over to blogger too and since I've been fixing up my blogs, I decided to add them to my signature.

I noticed your new signature.

Keep up the excellent work, Sim Scribe Em!

I took the pictures for this update ages ago, but haven't had the time or the inclination to write the text, so tonight (and I little bit yesterday) I sat down to write it up. So without delay . . . Chapter I-VIII - The One

Oh, I don't know how I missed another Penelope's Journey update, Em!
So sorry!
I promise I will try to catch up with your story SOON.
Hang in there with me!