#but he was like 10 so he just ended up falling with Cadfael.

[bitchfitch]

I've decided that Montgomery and Cadfael met when they were young due to a longstanding tradition. Basically instead of just having a guard detail, the royal children would also be assigned a child guard. Partially to ensure the royal kid grew up with peers of their own age who weren't all idle nobility. and to ensure they had someone deeply bonded with them as adults to manage their guard and keep the royal safe.

But more so bc no assassin or kidnapper of a royal brat expects the Other brat in the room to have a knife and extensive training on how to use it.

#tbh the reason im implementing this is more for 1 very cute scene idea #Like this is a tradition right? so the adults involved are all very aware of it #and to make sure the guard is capable they'll set up a 'rescue mission' for the kid. #something that makes sure nothing gets out of hand while still letting the guard be a Hero and the royal be saved. #So the kid is taking this Deadly seriously while all the adults are trying to not laugh at how stinken cute the whole thing is #Montgomery tried to pick up Cadfael and princess cary him because thats what all the knights in the books did when They saved #their damsel in distress #but he was like 10 so he just ended up falling with Cadfael. #and the two have been inseparable best friends ever since

[clouseplayssims]

Sorry ahead for time for all my world building rantings, but research is FUN and EXCITING and JOIN ME.

(Below the cut is 100% me rambling, a lot, so be warned!)

So, currently I’m working on the “main” part of the former kingdom of Ghalyvudd. It has a new name (which will be revealed) to go along with the new dynasty and definitely is getting a new look. The rebellion just ended, with Arndt Blumenthal being crowned as King. He chose a new location to serve as the kingdom’s capital (which I haven’t name yet, I mostly consider it the ‘kingdom proper’) and set to work building a temporary fortified city while masons and stoneworkers simultaneously began work on what will become his primary seat of power. That castle won’t be done for several years. (typical construction time is listed between 2-10 years, so it’ll depend a lot on how big I end up making it - I wanted to give myself time to really put the work in without hindering my ability to play as soon as possible)

As far as design, the capital city is set in a basin valley, surrounded by mountains. Weather-wise, think Montana. Hot summers, gorgeous springs and falls, and a winter made of pure death. But the mountains serve as a natural protective barrier - there won’t be any kind of invading army without some advanced notice. The land itself used to be part of the Kenton families vast holdings though it had remained largely uninhabited for generations.

Because yes I couldn’t just have land appearing from no where.

ANYWAY.

There are actually two quarries within a reasonable distance from the planned site of the castle (tentatively I’m calling it Blumenthal Castle but I don’t really like that name, I feel like Arndt is going full Henry VII on me as far as propaganda and would want something more suitably mythological to appeal to the masses) which means there will be more of a variety when it comes to the colors of the stone but also means that stone buildings will be more predominate in this area because the materials are easier to come by and cheaper then wood which was over-forested - and matters weren’t helped by the temporary buildings that were heavily wood-based.

So I decided on all of this (and a lot of other stuff that probably won’t eve come up - honestly, I’m a whore for research) but my main problem was translating the ideas that I’d built up in to functional sim buildings that weren’t monsters when it came to CC and playability - and that’s key for me. I’ve seen some jaw-droppingly gorgeous lots, but if it takes five hours to send a sim to the bathroom and another five to send them to the kitchen to eat, that’s just not fun for anybody. That’s when I get cheaty and start teleporting and eventually I’m not even playing.

My solution might seem a little odd, but honestly my biggest inspiration source in terms of photos? Dollhouses! (Doll castles?) The majority of them are very compact while still managing to convey the fact that they are not just houses. They’re also really, really compatible with sims gameplay in general.

So, I picked out a nice, temporary home for Arndt.

I liked the different textures and variations in fencing, as well as how many levels there were to this particular ‘building’ without it looking out of hand or crazy. Nice, simple, looks like it could have gone up in the span of six months or so - or less.

Translating the basic shape was super easy. Even guessing where things should go inside was relatively easy, just lots of mashing sims practicality with how I know historical sites like this were set up.

I changed a few things - the gate isn’t diagonal, the roof/stable part is longer, the tower is chunkier, etc. but overall I’m happy with my result structurally.

Design-wise, it did take me longer to pick out materials - especially fences - because I didn’t have what I wanted but I don’t want to add more stuff to my poor downloads folder if it can be helped. The tower portion is meant to resemble part of the original Kenton lot. I never showed that one because it was a massive beast that was a nightmare to play and only lasted two rounds, but there was a lot of red stone/brick and those brownstone type fences.

In my mind, the old Kenton palace was mostly destroyed and in the area where the capital is now situated. A fire would make sense, and because it would have been around the time when Cyneric just took the throne and the future king Cadfael hadn’t even been born, it fits the timeline I have of the land the capital now sits on being abandoned/unused.

The rough stone wall surrounding this lot is meant to be a last defense. Ideally I’d have had one of those fences with the spiky looking tops, but the only ones I had like that were short and again, trying to limit my CC. But I like the fence I chose. It’s stone, which I’ve established is common in the area, and was probably constructed during the rebellion. This structure could definitely be something that started out a small fortification but was built up quickly once Arndt rose to power.

The main building is entirely wood. I probably didn’t have to go for the aged, grey-looking paneling I chose... but that was a style preference and it works.

I’m very happy with the Takemizu gate. It has the little roof just like the picture and I’ve always liked it but not had an excuse to use it.

I chose to use some basic, rough looking wooden floors because again - the idea is this isn’t meant to be a permanent structure for the royal family in any way. It was built to protect Arndt during the rebellion, to serve as a base of operations, and now it’s home base until his suitably elegant palace is complete. Downstairs you have the main lviing/kitchen quarters, a small room for the tub, the dark room which is going to serve as the throne-ish room, and then a small toilet attached to that.

I love these wallpapers so much, I ended up using them in all the rooms because they’re gorgeous but not too fancy for the vibe I was going for. This level has a smaller living area that I’ll probably make in to a bit of a study and the master bedroom. I intentionally used a fancier wallpaper for that because I imagine Arndt is very conscious of his image and wants to project his status and wealth.

The top floor is going to be dedicated to Bernike and Arndt’s initial children. It’s more grand as well, done up in red as that’s one of the official colors Arndt has chosen for himself. Next to the stairs is a long, skinny bathroom because it was just an awkward slice of space. and I wanted another one.

#building my new kingdom! #on t op of the bones of the old one