BaCC - Meet the Settlers
See? I told you. Something with relevance. :P
Although it's not like the world needs *another* BaCC, I couldn't resist. I follow nepheris' rules, detailed here.
The last vestiges of a grand Victorian resort community are all that remain at Nautilus Cove. This once bustling hub of well-to-do Sims appeared like a blip on the society radar, attracting the wealthy for only a few seasons before a more desirable location to summer was found. The small cottages were left to decay, and what farmland there was went fallow. Gradually, Nautilus Cove was forgotten.
Until recently, that is. Under pressure from Sim Nation to provide a positive example of rural redevelopment, the government began seeking a viable community for rehabilitation, and what better than to resurrect one from the dead? Five adventurous families were sought to revitalize Nautilus Cove. It would be their job to rebuild the infrastructure, construct permanent dwellings, farm the land, raise their own families, and most importantly, not die in the attempt.
Welcome to Nautilus Cove...?
Marinato
Just who is Pandora Marinato? You can't ask her, she's not quite sure herself. First thing she remembers is waking up in the hospital. A rather amusing doctor informed her she'd suffered a nasty head wound in an elevator fall and might have a slight case of amnesia. Slight was an understatement, seeing as she couldn't remember a thing! After she was released from the hospital, Pandora tried going back to her old life, but something never felt quite right. It came as no surprise to those around her when she packed up and left one day, seeking a better future for herself.
Initially she had no idea where she might end up, but after hearing about the redevelopment project for Nautilus Cove, she quickly signed on. Her eagerness to resettle this remote and abandoned area caught notice of the government officials in charge of the project, and Pandora was unanimously appointed as the project's civilian leader, the Founder of the new settlement at Nautilus Cove.
But Pandora isn't sure if she's ready for a leadership position, especially considering her memory problems. How can she be expected to rebuild a community when she's barely begun rebuilding her life?
Finn - Diamond
Lennox and Jaclyn may seem like your ordinary newlywed couple, but what newlyweds do you know who would set out for the wilderness on their honeymoon? Their families think both need a visit from the Sim Shrink, but Lennox and Jaclyn know in their hearts this is what they were meant to do.
What they don't know is what it will be like to live together. Neither elected to move in with the other prior to marriage, so the foundations of their union will have to be forged in the inhospitable conditions of rebuilding a city. Not to mention Jaclyn's latent romantic side, although partially responsible for the spur-of-the-moment decision to move to Nautilus Cove, has caused problems in the past. Will she tire of this new life more quickly than she thinks? Lennox has his own set of problems, often placing friendships over his romantic ventures. His desire to keep his marriage from falling apart, should it happen, might unfortunately come second to his friends.
If that wasn't enough, Jaclyn convinced her lifelong friend, Fiona Diamond, to accompany them on this excursion. Fiona's always harbored a secret crush on Lennox, and Jaclyn's wandering eye may provide just the opportunity Fiona's been looking for. But will she have to resort to using her secret, ah, gift on Lennox in order to catch his eye?
Wynn - Dernberger
What more can be said about Regina and Quentin Wynn that the tabloids haven't already printed? As Sim City's most talked-about power couple, mega-billionaires Regina and Quentin seemed to have it all. Fast cars, expensive clothes, huge mansions. Their names were at the top of every VIP list in the city. What would make them give up this life of luxury?
Regina's sister Rhiannon, that's what. Or rather, who. A result of an accident involving her father and large telescope (don't ask, she'd rather not talk about it), Rhiannon arrived in Regina's life sometime during early childhood, and has thoroughly ruined it ever since. Regina thought she could get away from her lavender-skinned half-sibling when she married Quentin, richest playboy bachelor in town and heir to the Llama & Co. fortune, but their popularity caused paparazzi to dig deeper into her family history. A rather resourceful reporter managed to discover Regina's little secret and proceeded to blackmail the entire Wynn clan. Under pressure from Quentin's parents to silence the issue, and under pressure from her own to bond with her sister, Regina agreed to disappear from the limelight for a while, so long as Quentin accompanied her. After some discussion, the Nautilus Cove expedition was deemed the best place for the three of them to hide out for an extended period of time. After all, how hard could it be?
But Regina isn’t used to the hard times that are coming as the settlement is rebuilt, and Quentin isn’t likely to fare any better. Rhiannon’s bookworm ways might have provided shelter in the past, but she’ll have to shelve her search for her extra-terrestrial relatives until after she’s contributed her fair share to the fledgling community.
Hansen
Garland Hansen has always loved a challenge. Always the first to climb the tree, always the first to try the new cheesy dish his eccentric mother had prepared, the first to graduate with multiple college degrees. His family was not disturbed in the slightest when, after dinner one night, he announced he was joining the Nautilus Cove expedition. He figured this was a rare opportunity, one he might never get to participate in again. His family was proud, knowing their son would become an upstanding citizen of the new community. Garland anticipated no troubles with the expedition, or rather, none he couldn’t overcome. He figured as long as he (and the large family he desired one day) weathered the storm, nothing could get in his way.
What Garland wasn’t expecting was his parents insisting his rather unusual brother Olivier accompany him on his journey. Garland and Olivier never quite saw eye to eye as children, and Olivier, being the youngest of four, was frequently singled out. Olivier didn’t mind, as this gave him plenty of time to explore the world on his own terms, meet the people he wanted to meet and grow into his own, unique person in whatever ways he could… even if that meant giving up his life to get something spectacular in return.
Garland’s hesitation at Olivier’s presence only grew when he factored in Olivier’s recent strange behavior, including his recent attraction to dark spaces and something called ‘Plasma Fruit’. Can he keep his young sibling in line or is his part in the expedition over before it starts?
Azati - Centauri - Leyland
You wouldn’t expect to see Odette, Paxton and Skylar in a room together, let alone the same house. Their personalities are too different, their wants too conflicting. Odette’s always walking around with her nose in a book, Paxton doesn’t walk, he dances, and Skylar is constantly on the verge of playing baby with a flour sack. Yet these three college roomies have stuck together past their educational years, out of friendship, comfort, and necessity - all are flat broke. Lack of jobs and lack of outside relationships put a strain on the friendships, and in an effort to save their good relationships (or perhaps avoid the Repo Man), all three agreed to sign on to the Nautilus Cove expedition.
Odette hopes to study the formation of a community first-hand, something so rarely experienced. Her constant note-taking may annoy the other residents, but she’s willing to face their ostracizing (or so she says) as long as she can still observe and participate. Paxton thinks she’s nuts, but then again, his only concern is founding the first dance club in Nautilus Cove. His passion for all things fun in life made him big man on campus, but both Odette and Skylar think it’s time for Paxton to grow up and find another goal in life besides the next party in line. Speaking of Skylar, this shy, unassuming boy has been on the verge of a breakdown for quite a while now. His diminutive stature made him the ridicule of the dating scene and his desire for more than a one-night-woohoo made it impossible to get past first base. Shortly before graduation, however, Skylar began to change. Odette and Paxton noticed a marked difference in the young man, who was no longer as shy as he once was, less secretive and even seemed less concerned about a perfect family down the line.
But Skylar still kept his secrets, like what happened in the woods three nights before finals. Or the chiseled physique he’s hiding under his thick sweaters, thanks for which do not go to a gym membership. Or the fact his cavalier new attitude has nothing to do with a personal choice and everything to do with unfamiliar hormones.
Can Odette and Paxton finally realize their part in the greater community and learn to put others above themselves? And in a house where his roommates are such open books, how can Skylar expect to keep his secrets?
