The Power of Life and Death in Creatures

Hanging around a lot of unhatched eggs seemed to have an effect on some of the Norns: Husby found herself cornered by Innhavet and Kleppstad! No one was more surprised about an impending pregnancy than the culprit, though! Kleppstad should have been accustomed to the consequences of kiss popping, since this was his fifth egg in a row. None of the other males took care of themselves enough to keep their testosterone levels high. It meant a lot of related Norns, although I was quite happy for Kleppstad. He seemed more perplexed than excited, though. A typical male Norn reaction!

Just behind Innhavet, the outline of Halvor can be glimpsed in the above photograph. Little did I know that this would end up being the final picture of my beloved Grendel. Everyone scattered to the wind shortly hereafter, and this left him alone with his hoard of eggs. I was completely unaware of his death until the Observation Kit abruptly closed. I was nowhere near Halvor when he passed away, but he will never be forgotten. He took a particular interest in carrying about a couple of the eggs, and I loved how he attempted to keep watch over them. Forever rest in peace, Halvor.

The gloominess of death was soon put to an end by Glein. He devoured the morning glory and as many carrots as he could possibly stuff inside his mouth. Note how his body is slightly out of proportion: His Forest Norn legs and arms shrunk as soon as he became older, while the rest of his body remained the same size. Mixing these Norn breeds together often creates some comical characters in old age! Glein saw a resurgence of his testosterone, although I was happy with his four unborn children. Hopefully they would be wearing the same smiles as elders!

The sad story of Arnes continued, despite my best efforts to coax him off of the boat. I was happy that his life force had not dipped too low, although it was inevitable that he would perish without a steady source of food. The fact that he had not slept since childhood was also worrisome. In a strange turn of events that I did not capture, Arnes suddenly had the urge to move about on the desert island with a small group! He started walking about and eating for no particular reason, and did not freeze in a certain spot as I expected him to. If only I knew what the trigger for his movement was! Then he might have a better quality of life.

I soon met my first female Grendel in Creatures 1. This adorable little lady is Idonea! Her Norse name means to renew nature, which seemed quite fitting for a Grendel, since they are always renewed by the Grendel Mother. I have a few mysterious sprite issues that have largely gone unnoticed, since any affected photos usually require two or three pixel changes. I noticed some serious problems when poor Idonea started moving about, however. One of her hands turns into a large black square in one position, and her feet are never lined up when she walks. In a way, it looks like she has a serious limp.

There was no way to contain my laughter when Innhavet started dancing under the umbrella! What made it even more hysterical was the fact that his Purple Mountain Norn body was smaller than the rest of him, as is customary with elders. He looked like he was having the time of his life! His fertility had almost always been next to nothing, and it was a shame that he had no youngsters to call his own. Although it was a little late, I hoped that Innhavet would be able to pass along his genes and zest for random dancing! If there was ever something that should be inherited, it was that odd dancing pattern.

Without warning, Glein passed away at just 7 hours and 3 minutes of age. He was in good health and good spirits when I left him to check on the others. It simply was his time. Hidden behind him was little Idonea, who must have been with him at the very end. Hopefully she provided him with some comfort, although I had no idea how she would react to his death. Creatures do not necessarily understand death itself, although there have been strange coincidences that seem to indicate there might be some understanding. Glein was the first second generation Norn to pass away. He will live on through his four children, and in my heart. Goodbye, Glein.

Fortunately, there was a much brighter story developing elsewhere in Albia. The beehives proved to be the backdrop for a budding romance between Kleppstad and Leira. Little Leira was nearing the three hour mark, and she had largely been left out of the breeding game. As the only fertile male, Kleppstad pretty much had the upper hand over everyone! They were very cautious at first, and even took to running away from one another. In the land of Albia, that can sometimes mean the beginning of a close relationship.

I fell in love with this picture the moment I captured it. Leira and Kleppstad framed themselves perfectly inside the lift area which most resembled a house. The contemplative poses they struck were also perfect for the occasion: Leira had just become pregnant less than a minute before. It was interesting how Kleppstad had taken on the role of the dominant male who was the only one able to pass along his genes. Yet with that power, he acted quite gently towards the females. Leira warmed up to him quite quickly, and he followed wherever she ran. A little dramatic, yet Norns can seem like so much more than simple computer characters. This is why I have always loved Creatures, and always will.

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