The Sims 4

2026-03-28
THE FIRST AWAKENING

I awaken from an unknowably long slumber in a familiar host. His name is Simothy and unbeknownst to him he shall be the vessel for my fell purpose. He has lived up till this point drifting, aimless. But his shepherd has come and I will guide him to greatness.

First there must be an accounting. He lives in a small house overlooking a river. Well-appointed. In the bedroom a punching bag and a child’s solar system lamp on the ceiling. Sinister. Perhaps Simothy wasn’t completely aimless after all. He was chosen for a reason.

I could summon Grum — lock his groveling green hide in the basement to paint pictures. No. Not again. I tire of his loathsome presence.

I check Simothy’s contacts. He has a love interest already. Katrina Caliente. The name tickles something deep in the recesses of my ancient mind. Perhaps a predecessor from a previous universe. It doesn’t matter. She’ll do.

Thankfully Simothy in his career as an astronaut saved up a not insubstantial amount of Simoleans. The money is sufficient to excavate the basement and fashion adequate living quarters. One room. Cement floors. A toilet, bathtub, fridge, stove, and bed all next to each other. Efficiency. Ah and of course the painting easel.

After so many successive rebirths convincing Katrina to move into the house is trivial. I merely tell her that by joining us she will finally have a purpose. She descends the flight of stairs hidden behind the bushes and the door locks behind her. Unbeknownst to me, she will die here. But first she will paint. And Simothy will write. And I will sleep.

THE SECOND AWAKENING

Simothy’s eyes–my eyes open in the same bedroom. There is a new addition: an urn. “Katrina Caliente. R.I.P.”. Not only this but instead of Simothy being alone in the house there is another Caliente locked in the basement: Nina Caliente, Katrina’s daughter. This is a first. Usually the hosts fight back, do everything in their power to undo what I have built. It seems I was right in my earlier assessment. Something dark and wonderful flows beneath the surface of Simothy. He was chosen for a reason.

In my slumber I have dreamed. Six urns upon a white table. A ring of immaculate glass servant cells surrounding a single monolithic glass obelisk, stories tall. A place from which I can gaze upon my servants. One servant is no longer enough. Simothy has proved himself and must be rewarded.

First the gathering. Simothy had a brief dalliance with a married woman, Alice Spencer-Kim. It can be lonely fulfilling The Purpose and I invite her to join me. Not as a servant but as a partner. She decisively leaves her husband and 4 children behind taking with her $65,948. She is ruthless, intelligent, and a painter. I couldn't be happier. But I could be more rich.

I invite another of Simothy’s friends over, convince him to move in for The Purpose. I empty his family coffers and send him to the basement. Another $27k. It’s enough.

Work is started immediately on the Panopticon. It is tragically beautiful. All sparse white bathed in the light of the sun. A cot, easel, and toilet for every soul a part of the colony. Here they will sleep. Here they will paint. Here they will be born. Here they will grow up. Here they will live. And here they shall die.

But ultimately The Purpose shall be fulfilled. Or my name isn’t Simothy Trashzark.