Sirce sims ♡

And down near the maypole, between dancing feet and whirling skirts, baby Zaanah thought this happy party was all for her!

I loved figuring out who would be the musicians, and who would be each other's date. All the island's young ones were invited to the dance: six girls and seven boys and a bunch of cheering children. One of the boys was miles away from a dancing mindset, currently so scared of everything, that he didn't mind being the odd one out. He did come over, because it was his best friend playing the lute.

Three couples danced hand in hand the whole party long. Sifvi and Sije, with Sije standing in for his older brother who Sifvi's in love with; Rachel and Aaronne, such dear friends that they might make a great couple too, if Rachel weren't already married; and Notte and Remi, troublesome couple, broken up - or not, or... I haven't got a clue what becomes of them - the dance at least they spent glued together. Save the many times he stood on her foot and apologised.

The other three couples just wouldn't touch, dance together, or even stay in each other's vicinity for long. One boy got so giddy from the prospect of dancing with a girl, that his childish trait flared up. In the first pic you see him make funny faces at her, after wich she just wouldn't look him in the eye any longer. Party destroyed.

One other boy was so overtaken with hay fever, that his partner wisely decided to skip the dance so she wouldn't be sneezed all over. And lastly there was a couple of good friends who did dance and have fun together, but each on their own. Between them, there's a code of honour to not touch. He's a painter and she's his muse, he only ever wants to paint her - but that the case is so severe, is still something so hidden that only Louelle Anna is onto it. To her great vexation.

All in all, most had fun and I did too. It was such fun to see the game worked so well along with what I know my characters to be like. And the best for me was just panning around the dance in tab mode, and to suddenly fly past my favourite girl (shy, socially awkward and a loner) seeing her having the time of her life 💛

Happy Midsommar from Northeney!

☀️

It's been quiet on the blog, but as I didn't manage to make a Christmas AU post for my Northeney people, I at least wanted to make a Midsommar one! For my family this celebration is about as "big" as Christmas is. We're going to stay up late in the garden with food and candles and our very own majstång, until sun's down and the mosquitoes scare us away.

So above are all the young ones currently on the island, invited for a midsummer dance - and as I'm playing through a funeral in the story right now, it was very uplifting to see (most of 😉) them have fun for once! They've never celebrated Midsommar on Northeney before, but with our Danish Svend joining the island recently, I guess he will start traditions 💛

I'm waving hi to all of you too, with this post! Things have been mentally draining these past months, but seem a little brighter, for now. Maybe that'll mean the blog will be a little livelier too. To start: later this week another post on this (mostly) happy summer celebration. I simply enjoyed it too much 😊

🎻

Last January, at last.

Under cover of night, the villains reached Northeney and caused their mayhem. Some of them got united with their sparkling Tiberium...

and one of them found a girl.

Had a first dance, a first fight and a first kiss, all before the sun came up. Only to find himself abandoned by his crew mates. I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet. Right now he's eating grilled cheese at a house where the whole family is up and interrogating him, and he's yet to casually mention he helped steal their gems. But the good thing is, she's there too. And I made him 'check the room' and with all the scores the girls and women present got, he's only interested in her. And her best friend 🫣

Let's see how Svend's love story works out. I'm glad to finally have him on the island.

In other good news, in January I got CAW's Edit In Game working! Finally! First time ever. I just could not believe it at first. But now I've got the green light to make a really solid Northeney base for further generations. And them building their port! I'm really excited about that.

Thank you so much to rekindle this tag game 😊 and for tagging me @cocodotgreen! It is so nice to take some time to look back. Loved seeing yours and all of the others, too!

My 25 are scattered over the pictures from Shipwrecked on Northeney as you've seen, from my current (gen 3) Northeney gameplay save, and also from some things I did on the side.

From the story:

1-7 I guess it's the camaraderie that's visible on all these pictures. Even if it's just the baby enjoying the view of leaves above her and the sun peeping through. I guess this is why coming back to the early days of the story feels like a safe place to me.

From the time I spent building Old Saaqartoq:

8-10 I love being here. This Danish colonial part of the town might still be too sophisticated for the 1780's though, and I may tear everything down again. Love how they used colour codes in Greenland: red is official buildings, yellow service ones, blue merchant ones. It's just so cheerful!

And from Svend's little side story:

11 This introduction picture of him was one of the first I made and I immediately got excited for his presence and storyline on Northeney!

Next the screenshots from my current gameplay. Scroll past this if you don't want any spoilers! I tried my best with faces and places, to not spoil too much, though.

First a bunch of cute cats and kittens I was graced with in 2025:

12-15 There was gorgeous Hylmafar, who's permanently looking as if she's got a little bit of harmless wickedness on her mind; Boula, happily napping in the coolest cat-bed ever; we had Kraaltje, who attacked his uncle first minute after being born; and Sippan, growing utterly tired of keeping watch over Fallonfish, the most boring anchovies ever!

In 2025 my little baby finally grew up to be a teen:

16 The first thing she did after transitioning, while she still wore her childhood rags, was planting the life fruit seed she had carefully stored for the day she would come of age to take care of it. She wants to grow life fruits to give to her papa and maman, to keep them with her a little longer, a day at a time.

I'd been so reluctant to leave her childhood days behind in gameplay, but, as a teen she quickly stole my heart again.

2025 was the year some Northeney people prepared to leave the island, and then finally left. Yet life didn't stop for the ones staying behind, and some big formative things happened for most of them.

17-19 The island's writer had an epiphany about the glorious ending of her Gothic novel "The Scary Man" (based on real life events); a sick little boy waited for his mommy to come back home; but that mommy had to take some time for herself, to scour the ocean's horizon, because her person was with the travel party that left.

20 My favourite Northeney picture ever! Two best friends were sent to pick every white and yellow flower on the island, in a dramatic gesture to help two parents reconcile. The girl in the back, by the way, is the one I intend for Svend. She's still an unassuming teen here, though!

21-25 First the best working marriage on the island this year. Despite himself, this man's patience is endless, and somehow the woman starts to blossom. Then, there's someone who who's utterly alone... I have put him through so much this year and next year will probably not bring relief. Next, a home, that however impractical it is, always gives me Carl Larsson vibes and I love to play there! And lastly a girl, doing her passionate utmost to mock the criminal who's locked behind the attic door. Which he deserved, for insulting her little sister when she had it in her good heart to bring him pancakes. I had so much fun with their scenes!

And I have to end with a bonus photo... This is where I am now, last December's gameplay. And one reason why I don't mind having progressed the story so little this year, because of all the game trouble I had.

26 A mother and her baby, carefully connecting on the sickbed. The mother barely survived childbirth, but she managed to hold on to see the baby become a toddler. Sadly, I don't expect them to have a lot more time still.

Onto 2026, with it's hard story decisions...

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Extra. previous

So, oi...

I planned it's only going to be Svend to stay on Northeney, but I got a little attached to our other villains! Wouldn't it be fun to have them return, after the robbery? You know, have them shipwreck and be brought back to the island by ocean current, just like our founders...

What do you think? Should their story continue on the island? I'm curious to know! Here's a poll.

They won't come back the same, though! Tiberium does something to a person. There's a reason why my Northeney travel party didn't take this valuable stuff with them as currency when they set out on their journey. You can't keep it in your inventory because it'll make you sick, and you can't keep it next to you because the never-ending tinkling will make you insane. I think these robbers will be half mad within days!

That said, the total Tiberium value on the island right now is 164.642 simoleons. Of that, Tommie and Dago will get their hands on 91.632 plus almost 10.000 worth in other gems, so it'd be really worthwhile for them to just disappear with their bounty!

Regardless...

*) that is, of course, a happy ending after they've been in jail for about a year, for the robbing and stabbing and causing mayhem, at which point in time a real ship might have come for Northeney with the travel party returning, meaning Tommie and Dago are at once free to leave the cursed island forever, which they gladly would?

At least Ensamma Ljusets Ö seems to agree that the villains deserve something good, whether it's in, or away from the story. It's sending them off, hugged by a rainbow in the sky!

Dago: *softly* Ah, he always helps me fall asleep. He is so good at that. He just has such a good voice... For singing lullabies, I mean.

Svend: I guess?

Dago: So what can you do. You take some, you give some. And every once in a while, you just gotta let 'm...

Svend: Step on your tiny toe?

Dago: *sighs*

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part IVS. The End. previous

And with such a valuable life lesson, Svend's education is complete. He will arrive on Northeney lived and experienced, and with a nagging hunch that there is a whole other unsaid dimension of deceit to his partners in crime - and that he probably will never get his share of the bounty anyways.

Which isn't to say Svend's start on Northeney will be a bed of roses!

The community is not going to like the robbery! Tommie will stab someone while getting away, and that someone will go through hell trying to survive (or even perish). So while Svend also brings much appreciated news about the travel party, some will never cease to see him as partly accountable for that attack. It will be instant friends and enemies. Not to mention Svend's own inner demon: his pipe addiction. There's no tobacco on Northeney and after some time he'll have to detox, whether he wants to or not. This sweet boy will have a hard time even recognising himself.

And ah, yes, he stayed for love. Getting the girl, though, is going to be a journey too. Because, in the end, Svend is still modelled after a fairytale companion, and so his princess will send him on a million quests before she finally surrenders her heart 😊

Is he brave to stay? Or foolish? Or might he be just what the island needs?

See you, Svend, Northeney awaits!

Dago? How are you suddenly standing there like a 17th century patrician having his portrait taken?

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part IVS. previous

The knitting! It was the knitting I forgot! Svend is supposed to bring the knitting skill to Northeney!

Resourceful as the people are on Northeney, none of them can knit, not even Leila. Over the years, Louelle Anna has tried, but she's awful at it. What she actually does, I haven't got a clue. But Louelle's loved ones applaud her anyway, and her rare products are being used.

Svend knits, because his mom told him to. It's a useful skill to have when trying to stay awake during night watch. It reminds him of home. And on Northeney, knitting will be the way to at least Louelle's heart.

So there had to be one more day on Ensamma Ljusets Ö, filled with the quiet ticking of needles and lips counting stitches. Two or three skill points at the very least, I was thinking. But, alas, this skill was new to me too, little did I know sims can get dizzy from knitting hours on end!

The "knitting part" of Svend's education took some more days, and of course the other villains got bored.

Tommie: Can't stand it! He's getting on my nerves!

Svend: *counting* Easy, there.

Tommie: Ticking and grinding his teeth ALL DAY!

Svend: Maybe it's the needles you're hearing -

Tommie: HE'S GETTING ON MY NERVES I TELL YOU!

Svend: Whoa, watch it!

Svend: Guys! Sharp needles here!

Svend: *to himself, counting* Pokkers! Can't a man knit in peace, for once?

Dago: Aaooh! You stepped on my TINY TOE!! That hurts!!

Tommie: Serves you right! You bug-infested scarecrow! Now stop grinding like a sawmill! Or more PATHETIC LIMBS are going to get stepped on I TELL YOU!!

Svend: *grins mildly amused*

Dago: Men!

Svend: *counts* Aye, sir.

Dago: Can't live with them - can't live without them! I swear!! He'll be the end of me, if I get hanged for it or not!

Svend: May I suggest some knitting, Captain?

Dago: Perhaps. Yes. Much obliged.

The Education of Svend Valentinius, part IV. previous

After being united with the hot-headed lovebird villains, at last Svend had to befriend his one true bird. That was Wik, the trustworthy shady parrot, fourth and final addition to the party of robbers aiming for Northeney. Because what is a fisherman of questionable caliber, without a parrot?

Yet, it seems something irrevocable happened during their getting acquainted. And after, Svend refused to be on his way to Northeney with the trustworthy shady parrot in tow. (Really, I saved Svend several times to the bin and each time Wik was gone from his inventory.)

So here's a word-for-word transcript of what went on between the two of them. Judge for yourself.

Svend: Hello Wik, wikky-Wik!

Wik: Ello wrik, wrikky-wrik!

Svend: Aw, aren't you a smart bird? Say "I'm happy"!

Wik: *sways left to right* Say am appy!

Svend: I'm soooo happy!

Wik: *flaps wings* Am soooowr appy!

Svend: Whoa, good bird! Is there something else you can say?

Wik: Gimme.

Svend: Gimme, yeah! Gimme!

Wik: *bounces up and down* Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

Svend: Gimme what?

Wik: Gimme those shiny yummy worms that dangle from your earlobes you bloody numskull!

Svend: *steps away* Eh.

And with that, I thought I had The Education of Svend Valentinius brought to its - not in every way fulfilling - conclusion. He was ready to go. Ready to count down those five gameplay days I still have to play through, and make his smashing appearance on Northeney.

I wrapped him up, to the bin, with his companions. And unwrapped them again, right after. Because there was something I'd forgot. Something essential.

Dago: You sleazy swine! Don't think I don't see through your stinking tactics! All ha-ha and hee-hee, yes? Make us all sickly rosy and blind but in the end, you! You snatch that tiberium and take off on your own!

Svend: *under his breath* Eeh! I'm outta here...

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part IV. previous

There, you see what Svend is like. If the heat is on, he gets out of the kitchen. A fine trait to have on Northeney, where you literally can't escape anything. He will be in for a surprise! But with my fighting villains, I was in for a surprise too. Watching their insults play out to see who'd win, the game had its own solution.

Which makes perfect sense. Doesn't the game always make perfect sense?

Tommie: Damn right I am, you bigoted rotten square-ass!

Dago: *suddenly silenced, gulps loudly*

Svend: *to himself* Whoa, ho... what's with those hearts?

Dago: No, but Tom... Oh, no, Tom, but we agreed to...

Tommie: *aggressive layers melting* Don't you look at me with those eyes!

Dago: Little piglet... Say you don't mean it! Say we... we -

Tommie: *fully weak-kneed* Oh, hon! Oh, of course I don't! Of course - it's us, it's for us... We are gonna be so filthy, mouldy, pissin' rich, Dago Captain, and we, we! gonna be so... so filthy... mouldy... pissin' happy!

Dago: Ohoh!

Tommie: *whispers* You are gonna piss yourself of happiness, my honey spoon -

Dago: Oh! By God, Tom, oh, Tom, you almost had me there, you almost...

Tommie: Got ya! Hon, just teasin'... It's us, over the seas and back! It's just your insults... your damn, rotten insults are to die for - to divinely! die for!

Dago: Really? Say that again, my little piglet... my -

Svend: *snorts, very audibly*

All is well that ends well.

Well, for one night it was. And for only them. Svend himself went inside at that moment and had sort of his own emotional expectations to battle, with someone else.

Svend: Hold up! There they are!

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part IV. previous That night, it was time to unite our hero with the villains he was supposed to rob Northeney with. And, as expected, 't was all hunky-dory from the get go between these three.

Villian nr. 1: Tommie Tomarin, YA, Welsh, copper mine child labourer turned fisherman turned whale harpoonist. He is at Saaqartoq for the lucrative whale hunt, it is his second winter there. And while the adrenaline of the hunt and the prospect of unfathomable riches boosts his hot-headedness in charming ways, he also always dreams of getting to those riches without having to freeze half-dead each winter. Having touched plenty of copper as a child, but never getting to keep any of it, his mind basically is all kleptomania.

Villain nr. 2: Dago Jenssen, A, Danish, neglected tenth son turned seaman/pirate turned whaler Captain.

This man has been at Saaqartoq for many winters. He is a trusted whaler, excellent at not only leading his men to the beasts, but also at leading them to raid the cargo of whalers of other nationalities. A trip with him is never dull. Yet this man is tired. All he wants is to be seen and admired, and loved. He wants to catch the biggest price of all and be done with striving, for the rest of his life. He is the mastermind behind the robbing of Northeney.

To me, here on Ensamma Ljusets Ö, it seemed fun to spice up the dynamics between these two remaining villains. Let's have them insult and fight each other a little. Because obviously, with Svend taken out of the equation for his own stupid reasons, in the end, they too will betray the pact and only one of them gets to take the tiberium home.

Which one will it be? Tommie or Dago?

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part III. previous

A short part, but a heavy one, these days after Arnaaluk moved out.

It started rather idyllic, with a golden morning, perfect for swimming towards that first athletics point. Followed by some chill stargazing in the nude. Yep, it is raining but you're already soaked from swimming, plus there's no-one in the house to notice, right.

Alas, both enterprises seemed to irk the wrath of the game-gods, or something. Svend swam and swam for hours while never grabbing that athletics point (and you have to have one point before jogging or push-up options show up). So I ended up cheating that with Nraas, to help the poor boy along.

And of course, while this never ever happens on Northeney, Svend's stargazing nibbled a meteor from the infinite skies above. I quickly had to run our hero to safety, otherwise, that would've been an afwul end to a well meant education. But what happens next?

All of Svend's exes stored in another household come running to point and yell at the oncoming meteor! The thing crashes, the telescope is gone, the house and all the women are singed, including pregnant Arnaaluk, who thanks to her pregnancy waddle, arrived at the scene somewhat late.

Of course I had Svend run back to extinguish the flames, but look, the women had already taken care of that for him. He apparently falls for a brave and forgiving type of girl.

But yes, he was standing there all dazed, unable to move or say thanks, unable to even look over his shoulder to see dear, singed Arnaaluk trying to calm the unborn baby he isn't even aware of.

And that same day, part IV of the education was still to come.

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part II. previous

The next few days were a bit more serious. In his life story Svend arrived at Greenland. The long polar winter there would start soon and Svend learned a lot about fishing, astronomics and gardening at high speed. The poor guy often was exhausted.

There was a short fling with this Inuit woman. I'm sorry, I really don't know what happened there... (You may recognize her, here without her Inuit clothes. I had that cc moved to a special Saaqartoq folder, to be used later.)

And then there was this sweet girl, Arnaaluk.

Between him and her there was some serious bonding. Just the proximity of each other, the curiosity. She did not dare say much, but she was always by his side. Watching him read. Fishing together until dawn. I guess she was smitten, and he just liked her silent ways, after all the girl trouble earlier in his life.

But eventually, this too turned into girl trouble. Of the more urgent kind. I think she tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen carefully enough. They argued for the first time and he left, literally. Vanished. That night Svend happened to be at the Roaming Ice Bear Inn, when the robbery of Northeney was plotted.

I moved Arnaaluk out, but for the sake of curiosity I went to see how their baby would turn out. He was adorable, and unmistakably his dad's. In game I named him Suluk, after Suluk in @cocodotgreen's story!

So there it is, Svend has a child in Saaqartoq he doesn't know of. A boy who will come searching for him on Northeney, one day when he's grown up. Or would it be Arnaaluk herself, coming to challenge Svend's happily ever after with my Northeney girl? Life will throw some curveballs yet!

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part II. previous

On the first day of the education, the lovely little cottage was a quiet scene to lots of reading. And woohooing. And reading between woohooing. Svend got a gardening skill point and planted the seeds from his inventory, so he could actually harvest plants later on.

Even though I technically want Svend to be illiterate, he was wholeheartedly okay with these pursuits all day. He is no cook. I made him make one waffle and he burned it. Yet I wanted him to bring a new recipe to Northeney, so he had to at least gain one point. Reading a cooking book in between bed sessions was the ultimate compromise.

Aren't you looking like a super-duper happy Sims 2 sim there, Svend? And yes, he totally is that guy who keeps his socks on in bed. He Loves the Cold, this is his trick to tackle it.

I wanted the "girl part" of his education to be done with quickly, so that went a bit messy. Even though I moved every girl out after her narrative was over, by the end of the day someone got mad just as well. I guess you shouldn't try to kiss a girl's cheek after having been with her.

So on this glorious day, our boy got and ditched Rose, Signe, Astrid and Hede, his Danish and Icelandic sweethearts. By then, in his life, he was well on his way to Greenland, and finding his purpose as a fisherman.

The Education of Svend Valentinius, Part I. previous

Look at him, sporting those mittens his faithful mother knitted him, right before he went out to sea, and out of her life...

Last winter, @threehazelnuts's Fairytale Christmas Special had me fall a little bit in love with one of her Six Companions! And as the story went, each time this guy appeared made me sigh and daydream more and more that he would just be... perfect... for one of my third generation girls. I mean, his personality, that chivalry and willingness to help out

and look at that face -

I couldn't help my mind running away with him!

A whole story grew. About how he would meet and fall for my girl (he happens to see her bathing, of course). How they could meet (yes, he would be with a party of Saaqartoq robbers). And how they would end up happily ever after (he's a fairytale companion, so she will act like a fairytale princess)... And, with what name would he present himself to her? This man, Long Fellow from the Six Companions, told me it was Valentinius.

But slowly, my happy plotting started to feel wrong for the lovely Mr. Long Fellow. Even though I planned to unite him with a princess of his own, how could I burden that gallant soul with everything that came along too? Such a mundane life, and so many flaws, and such very, very questionable "friends"? In the end, it was obvious that my Valentinius had to become a character, all on his own!

And so, Svend Valentinius came to be. The first sim I designed for the story myself, after starting Shipwrecked on Northeney three generations ago. Until now, it's only been children born in game, and their backgrounds evolving with the story. This boy here: finally someone sparkly new!

Reluctant robber: Svend Valentinius, YA, Danish, fisherman.

This man's main trait is Easily Impressed. It led him into messy situations with girls, it led him out to sea, and off to pursue tales of lucrative fishing expeditions. It will lead him too, into doing things that are shady. He is at Saaqartoq for the whale hunt, but essentially after one such expedition, he was left deeply in awe of the big sea creatures and unable to ever assist in a hunt again. Aiding in the robbery of Northeney is just a convenient way to save face.

And I promise, he is flawed, but also the least evil of the three robbers to come. He is (or can be) sweet, and easy-going, the outdoorsy type. He knits, too.

Sparkly new he is, but I wanted him to have had a life before Northeney. Not only as a story background, but also in the in game statistics. I wanted him to actually have caught fish, jogged some miles and been with some girls. So I created him on my test island Ensamma Ljusets Ö, and built him a cottage.

And that is where his education began.

an Intermezzo Story in Four and a Half Parts.

In five gameplay days, Northeney is going to be robbed. Some long time ago, a Northeneian travel party left the island to try to reach back to civilization. During the harshest of winters they landed at Saaqartoq as intended, just fine and in one piece. To the travellers, this was just the first part of their journey, and they went on in their tiny sailboat, after only a couple of days there.

But not before they'd seen another, much more sinister travel party sneak off during the polar night, on course straight back towards Northeney.

At the Roaming Ice Bear Inn, Saaqartoq's only place of leisure, our people may or may not have planted some seeds in the minds of some greedy, questionable, half drunk individuals. Nothing important, just something about the insane amounts of tiberium lying around on the uncharted island Northeney. While they did not exactly intend to do this, they also did not prevent, and maybe even encouraged, those individuals to execute their foul plan of stealing that tiberium. Riches in terms of money never counted on Northeney, and the island getting robbed would by far be the easiest way to send the hidden message, that they, as a travel party, at least had reached Saaqartoq safe and sound. To everyone back home, that would be of tremendous value to know.

So, that was the plan. Honestly, I was just tired of the useless tinkely-tonkely tiberium crystals accumulating in my game and this would be a good reason to get rid of them. And also, a way to finally get some new genes in game. Because one of these questionable individuals would rob the island, and stay. For love!

That would be our guy, Svend Valentinius.

All the best Christmas wishes to you, for the next few cozy days and the year ahead!

I still haven't retrieved access to old saves, so sadly I couldn't make you a Northeney Christmas Special like last year. But the good news is I have got something in store, a little story about my preparation for a Really Big Event in my current save. Something I've been working towards in my mind for almost a year now!

(Would you believe that I, in the whole year of 2025 and because of all the game trouble I had, only managed to play through one Northeney year? I mean, I'm not looking forward to the times that all my founders are going to die, so some delay is fine, but seeing one sim year equal one human year is a little... weird.)

The story is scheduled to start next friday and will run for about 12 days. One post a day, around (European) dinner time. I had a lot of fun making it, I hope you'll enjoy it too. Even if it'll be quite some time before the Really Big Event will finally play out on this simblr 🙃