Remember the Sims?
Don't lie and try to be a manly man (or, er, woman), we've all played it at some point.
Well, EA has been releasing spin-offs over the years, such as Castaway Stories (where you befriend monkeys or something), MySims (where you give your Wii an asthma attack), and, more recently, The Sims Medieval.
That is what I'll be playing here. It's a screenshot Let's Play (because no one wants to watch me mill about for hundreds of in game hours trying to get my little man to earn enough money to buy a toilet), and it'll also have audience participation.
Oh and it'll be a "blind run", if it's even possible to have one of those in a game like The Sims.
Anyways, let's get this show on the road!
Spoiler: Prologue
Today, we see the birth of a new kingdom, and the crowning of a new king.
But, like most new nations, it has yet to be given a name.
And the monarch himself is still deciding on his own decor!
Looking into the empty room, the king could only ponder...
Would he tell his craftsmen to leave, and handle decorating by himself?
Or would he take the easy way out and get it made to fit a certain style?
Overall he has four options - nothing at all, the typical king's chamber, the pretty pink princess suite, or a stronghold fit for warriors.
But it was then that the king remembered one craftsman mentioning a "mystery design"... Perhaps that could be his fifth choice.
Either way, he walked up to his mirror, tired and confused from the long walk to the castle, to see a man staring right back at him... Was that really him?
No... Probably not... It was just a tiredness-induced hallucination. He had to remember what type of man he was...
Was he a muscular fighter, who fought his way up the ranks?
Or a genius, with brains unlike any other man in the land?
Perhaps he was even an incompetent loser, who only got the role of king through a technicality...
And not only could he not remember his appearance and his personality, but even his name completely slipped his mind.
This was a strange day indeed...
((Okay, with that out of the way, it's time for your participation.
Suggest names for the kingdom and player character, I'll choose the ones I like most.
And then vote on which throne room (1-5), and which personality our monarch should have.))
Spoiler: Chapter 1 - Logging OnThe king's vision started to clear up, he finally remembered who he was...
King Manek Hickenbee!
As he scanned himself, the memories started flooding back to him.
Coming from a faraway land, Manek's father won a competition to become the ruler of a new kingdom. Unfortunately, whilst traversing the sea, a gigantic whale devoured much of the crew, including Manek's parents. The contract was studied and it turned out that should the winner die by whale, his next of kin should recieve the prize, and that was Manek.
And it was then that he realised it wasn't exhaustion that was causing the hallucinations, it was the lingering effects of that crazy party last night on board the ship.
Coming back to reality, Manek felt a servant tap him on the shoulder.
"Lord Manek, sir, the people wish for you to christen the Kingdom as soon as possible, they are tiring of using the term 'Malek's Hole',"
Manek took the book from the servant, as well as his quill. With his voice deep as can be, he cried out, "From this moment forth, this Kingdom shall be known as..."
The servant scurried away and Manek looked further into the book, to see his first goal, as written by his late father.
Realising he had better things to do, Manek scurried downstairs to be greeted by his new throne room.
"By the watcher himself!" Manek yelled. "What is this sorcery!?"
With that, he stormed into the library, in which the chief builder was resting after a hard day's work.
After a few minutes of trying to get a straight answer, the chief builder managed to convince the rather gullible King that the design was all the rage, and it wasn't at all the result of a dark magic. He also went on to tell the King that he should venture out to get some materials.
Of course, he agreed.
As he approached the woods, however, Manek started thinking of what could possibly kill him, such as the pointy twigs or a stray soggy leaf.
So to kill time, he decided to pick some pretty flowers.
"OI! These're my flowers, they are!"
Manek jumped to his feet to see a peasant! In the wild!
Of course there was nothing else to do but challenge the vermin to a duel!
With a quick change of clothes, the King was ready to fight!
and it didn't go so well.
But eventually the villain was defeated, not dead, but seriously maimed. Manek knew what it was like to feel real power over a populace.
With another quick change of clothes, he knew he could conquer his fears and collect the wood, but he made sure to keep his sword close by at all times in case any branches got particularly grabby.
Mission complete!
Spoiler: Chapter 2 - Meeting RandolphAfter leaving the woods, Manek decided to go visit his parents.
But he couldn't help but be distracted by the sight of the gravedigger standing next to two writing bodies. Curious, he went up and asked about what happened.
"My lord! Er, this isn't what you-" The gravedigger stammered, "O-Oh! Have you heard? The village shoppe has got whaling equipment!"
Manek's eyes lit up, and he instantly walked in the direction of the settlement.
The grave digger was right! Malek quickly put down his money, begrudgingly so considering he technically owned the shoppe, and got a peasant to carry the boat to the sea.
However, as Malek was leaving the village...
"Why can't I have both?" Malek asked, puffing out his chest.
"It would... Break things,"
Malek mulled it over for a few seconds before finally deciding that he would like to save his own skin, and he couldn't do that fighting at the front lines.
"Safety is my top priority! I love the people, and all that nonsense!"
Manek felt even stronger, and ready to tackle anything, and luckily just at that moment a man ran up asking for help.
Manek felt a kindred spirit in the man named Randolph, he too was pushed into mud on a regular basis.
And soon enough he was standing toe to toe with the Kingdom's worst villain yet.
After a quick scolding, and no apology, he had no choice.
"To the stocks with her!" He yelled.
As he looked into her eyes, he could see tears. Of course, little did he know that they were the result of the pungent odour rising through his armour.
and fun was had by all.
Randolph was quick to thank Manek, and even said he would work for him!
Manek liked Randolph.
The two decided to make their way back to the castle as it was getting dark, but as soon as Manek opened his gates, he saw two people in the room...
((I really didn't see this coming. So yeah, there's no way around it, which of these, er, beautiful people should Manek get together with?))
Spoiler: Chapter 3 - A Flower for a BardManek walked through the hall, and cast a glance at both of his guests. He never had much faith in traders, they always found some way to con him, where as the bard was more likely to be on his wavelength.
After a few minutes of chatting about nothing, Manek had an ace up his sweaty sleeve...
He knew those flowers would come in handy eventually!
Manek was so happy his gift was accepted, he gave Emil quite the hug. Little did he realise the bard was too busy thinking about giant red pigs ((?)) to notice the affection.
As they broke from their embrace, Manek looked over to see the chief builder waiting for the wood he asked for earlier.
Finally his mission was accomplished, and as he handed over the box containing logs, he hoped that being a king wouldn't get any harder than this.
But first...
PARTY LIKE IT'S 1399!
However, the party, it couldn't last forever, and in the dead of night the king was tasked with travelling to the woods yet again.
To fight a bear.
Off screen.
But after several grueling hours of tracking and killing the illusive creature, Manek returned with the spoils of his efforts!
... Pooh?
That night, Manek slept badly, trying to push out the horrors of murdering a childhood icon for no apparent reason. In fact, he woke up even earlier than usual, and made his way to the study.
As there was no efficient way to waste time for hours on end in the early hours of the morning, he decided to write for a royal adviser. After that tiring day yesterday, he needed all the help he could get.
The pigeon took to the skies, letter in tow.
Manek could have wasted time for a few hours if it weren't for the fact the royal adviser immediately arrived as soon as he let go of the pigeon.
Her name was Jeanie, and she had some stern words to say about the King's home.
"B-but it's all the rage!" Manek said, in vain.
Sighing, he sent Randolph to go and buy something classy yet practical.
Close enough.
And now he was settled in nicely to his new abode, the king made his way downstairs to the map of the kingdom, to look over his dominion.
When suddenly, someone burst into the room and slammed their hand down on the table, causing Manek to get a bit of a fright.
((We can build a clinic, barracks or tavern, vote!))
Spoiler: Chapter 4 - Petition Listening"Well, m'lord, we have three things you can build, a clinic, tavern-"
"YES!" Manek yelled, pointing straight at the builder.
"But I didn't even say-"
Manek raised one eyebrow, causing the man to leave the room immediately. Within minutes, the new tavern was built.
And it was glorious.
But just as Manek was about to leave for a few pints of ale, a servant ran up to him carrying yet another book.
"M'lord, the people are growing restless again. They are calling you a drunkard and a waste of space!"
"Pah!" Manek said, taking the book from the servant's hands. "A waste of space! If a competent king is what they want, that's what they'll get! I'll be the best king on this flat rock we call Earth!"
"Charming?... Servant, who wrote th-" Manek began to ask, when he realised the servant had already scurried away.
So to his throne he reluctantly went, waiting for his people to approach him.
Soon enough, a man ran up to him, obviously worried about something.
Manek was baffled by the request, but if he were to win the people's favour, he had to work with them, not against them, even if for such a trivial cause.
"Very well, your cabbage trauma shall be compensated!"
The man was overjoyed to recieve recompense, and darted away.
"Maybe this king business won't be so hard after all..."
But then another man came in and kneeled in front of the monarch.
"O-One thousand!?" Manek stuttered. His coffers didn't have that much!
"Can you not just charge admission to this... Kingball?"
It didn't go so well, and Manek slowly began to realise not everything would be as simple as cabbage reimbursement.
Regardless, the final peasant was let into the chamber, and Manek braced himself for what the petition would be...
Of course Manek could not be so cruel to kill a family, as that would practically be the most extreme type of bullying imaginable, so instead he decided to give some wise advice.
Chances are even he would upsticks and build a new castle if stray dogs were eating his food.
And amazingly enough, the peasant agreed.
But all that sitting around doing nothing tired Manek, who decided to go fill his empty stomach.
Bear stew, the food of kings!
Especially more delicious if eaten with your *bare* hands!
"What's this?" Asked Jeanie, who entered the room to see the oddly coloured juice dripping down Manek's goatee. "M'lord, I thought today was the day you'd finally begin your responsibilities?"
"Blut I amf!" Manek managed to say, spluttering goo over the table.
"You angered the Kingball players! As your royal adviser, I advise you go and buy some reading materials so you don't do it again,"
Manek frowned, but had to agree, he could use some educating on ruling an entire land.
But before he could even arrive at the store...
A mugging!
"You are aware I am the Great King, Manek Hickenbee, are you not!?"
"You are but a fool in a crown, we'd do better without you!"
Manek wouldn't have any of that back talk, and drew his sword instantly.
And thus another duel began, but this time Manek had a supporter...
One of Manek's few friends, Randolph, had arrived to cheer him on!
Fueled by the power of friendship, Manek lay down the final blow to the foul robber.
Instead of killing the criminal, Manek instantly made his way over to Randolph to complain about the lowlife.
Unfortunately, it turned out Randolph had only come to find the king to recieve his latest pay package.
Manek still liked him though, and was even considering going for drinks with the loyal servant, but then he realised he had some reading to do!
He picked up the recommended books and walked out of the Village Shoppe...
Manek grinned, finally he could show off what a great king he had become! A valiant warrior for the people!
"TO ARMS!" he cried, sword held aloft.
Oh.
Wounded, Manek could only think of one possible way of remedying it...
A quick prescription known as heavy liquor.
But as Manek swilled his self poured drink, he realised the place could use some entertainment... A bard, perhaps. Emil was already preoccupied doing who knows what, so Manek would place an advertisement for the job at sunrise. But what would said advertisement ask for...
A busty, fiesty lady with a heart of gold?
A handsome, talkative but egotistical man?
Or a heavy built gruff bloke, with a tendancy to throw layabouts out the window?
((That's your choice.
It also turns out the game has quests for several characters, so chances are after this quest with Manek I might go for a quest with the Bard. We'll see though,))
Spoiler: Chapter 5 - Reaching OutManek drank into the night, and as soon as dawn arrived he walked back to his castle to send the advertisement for the new local bard.
"A fiesty lady is just what this town needs!"
After sending the letter off, Manek realised the stench coming from his armpits and, whilst he himself was perfectly fine with it, his servants obviously weren't, so he made a quick dash to the bath to cleanse himself.
Whilst submerged, he could only ponder what to do next...
He realised if he was trying not to be a pitiful loser, he had to build relationships. But he needed practice, so first things first he decided to ask what Randolph thought of him...
Manek smiled, at least he had Randolph at his side through the thick and thin.
"But m'lord, if you wish to win over the people, you must go to where they congregate, the town square,"
Manek just looked in confusion.
"The place where you threw eggs at that bully, m'lord,"
Grinning at the memory, Manek headed off to the town square, to find it silent... Perhaps he was too late?
Taking out a wooden block, he started to whittle it down to pass the time...
But the king soon realised he couldn't whittle for hours, in fact he only lasted 10 minutes before he got bored and decided to feed the Kingdom's gigantic monstrous beast.
Of course, Manek had better things to do than question why a gigantic tentacle monster lived in a bottomless hole beneath his kingdom, so instead he decided to search for his greatest enemy...
The great murderous whale of the high seas!
But, alas, after hours and hours of sailing the deep blue, the King and his crew found nothing. The whale had outwitted him yet again.
Manek was just about ready to go and drown his sorrows when he saw Randolph coming to greet him from his voyage, at least he now had a drinking buddy!
"M'lord, we have people in the castle awaiting an edict,"
Yet again, Randolph was talking about work... Their night of drinking would come soon enough, Manek promised himself, but not just yet.
"Very well, lead the way,"
Manek didn't want to make an enemy out of any of his loyal supporters, so decided to go with the best option of the two.
But the ambassador from the annexed kingdom of Trebony was still not impressed!
Yet another blow to Manek's confidence, but he soldiered on and called for a vote on all proposed edicts.
His edict failed, but Manek realised the winning edict was benefit him in the long run regardless, so it was a win-win!
"M'lord," Randolph said, tapping on Manek's shoulder, "The townsfolk are finally beginning to congregate, if you wish to win their favour it is best you hurry,"
And hurry he did.
"So many people with problems..." Manek sighed.
He made his way over to one of his subjects and asked what ailed him, hoping it wouldn't be something as silly as cabbage vandalism.
"I-I have fans?" Manek stammered, blushing.
"I-I mean, of course I do, I am the great King Hickenbee! Good sir, I will be happy to!"
He took the cloth and a quill and wrote out his name, in bold, badly formed letters.
Manek was baffled by the word "freak", but he remained in high spirits. If the rest of the populace had nothing but praise for him, it would be a good reign indeed!
"Oh... Oh really?" Manek sighed, his bubble well and truly burst.
"Please, go and peruse their stock, you will soon see what I mean!"
Manek didn't want to argue with the whining man, it would tarnish his reputation, so he hurried along to the village shoppe.
Surprisingly, the peasant was right! Extortionate prices everywhere! The monarch issued a very weakly worded complaint to the shop keeper and stormed out...
"A fool? King Manek Hickenbee is no fool!" he yelled, holding out several coins.
Manek shook the book, causing several pages to fall out and float to the ground. But he wasn't dismayed, in his mind it meant it was well read by scholars all around the world, and not just picked up out of the gutter somewhere.
Putting the tattered book in his pocket, the king returned to the town square to hear the troubles of one more citizen.
"The bandit strikes yet again!?" Manek yelled.
He obviously hadn't learned his lesson, and the King was going to rectify that, so the forest he went.
"Foul cur, stop this villainy!"
The bandit didn't respond, he only grinned smugly. That was enough to cause Manek to challenge him to one more duel...
The villain was defeated, but still breathing... Manek had a choice to make...
Again, he could not kill a man, so he let the robber live another day, hoping things would change for him...
Withdrawing his blade, the victorious monarch looked over his shoulder.
He was accepted by his people at last!
But he still had numerous things to deal with...
Starting a family...
Expanding the kingdom...
And most importantly, destroying the greatest villain in the known world, the great murderous whale of the great seas!
It was then that he felt someone pat his back, "King Hickenbee, sire, would you like to go for drinks?" Asked a peasant. "On the house, of course!"
Manek instantly grabbed the peasants arm and rushed to the tavern. But as he pushed open the doors, he was greeted by the sight of the new bard.
"'Ello m'sir, fancy a song? The name's Victoria Rose, but you c'n call me Rose," she said, winking.
((The next chapter(s) will be a quest involving Rose, then we'll get back to Manek.
And yep I should have said "give them a name too" but oops too late, the next hero we get to make I'll give that option though))
I'd also appreciate comments on stuff like aspect ratio and image size, since I'm using my computer which is very much widescreen, and scaling things down to make it so your computers don't explode. If they need to be made smaller, or bigger, just say so.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by War P. Anda
