#mr. pigman

[pigsongpearls]

Mr. Pig by JohnoftheNorth

[solmniaxtown]

(Old) Craptown Mafia collection!

Here you have got an array of all the biggest criminals in town, as well as some of their descriptions. Keep in mind, that some of the information is a tad outdated as of today! Might be more outdated in the future. The pigeon is no longer part of the mafia.

[cattimeswithjellie]

Stream Recap, TangoTek, 7/02/24

((A redstone-heavy stream from Tango here, technically-minded readers may have to actually watch the VOD to catch the details. Highlights of the stream include a visit from Etho, some excellent heckling from Mrs Tango, and Tango's general extreme embarrassment over the fact that he is building *mumblechunkloadersmumble*))

5:45 Tango opens the stream on game view in his storage area. He wishes Chat a happy Monday and solicits Chat for a little tech support. Chat is supportive. Tango worked on his laundry room all weekend but now he’s at the point where he has to cut the countertop and that is scary because it’s a big long cut to a bit expensive counter. The tech remains unsupported. Chat suggests turning it off and on again. Tango admits it’s been a couple weeks since he restarted the computer. Today’s plan is upgrading the factory, making things faster. He drops his voice confidentially to tell chat that he might be using… the C word. Chat is full of guesses. The word is chunkloaders. Chat is aghast. Tango knows it is against the spirit of Tangoness, but he is tired of the factory breaking if he leaves its loaded chunks. Chat asks if TNT duping is next. Tango vehemently denies this.

10:00 Tango further explains that this is temporary chunkloaders, they will run while the factory is running and go for a minute or so after Tango leaves the area, long enough for all the carts to return to their places and the factory not to break. Chat asks if Tango saw Impulse’s video. Tango laughs and says he did, but he knows Impulse far too well to be even a little bit fooled. He believes Impulse does not have a backup career as an actor. Chat agrees, but thought it was funny anyway. Tango has not watched the court case yet. Chat asks when Tango is actually going to build the outside of the factory. Tango says soon, maybe as early as next week, but he’s hoping to wait for 1.21. He’s also doing the blimp for the copper farm.

12:30 Chat informs Tango that even Etho has a roof on his base by now. Tango absolutely has to see this, and flies to Etho’s base to see where Pearl has completed the unfinished copper roof with purpur bricks. Tango and Chat are very amused. Tango tells Pearl in game chat that she is the best, Impulse agrees. Pearl replies with a :] Tango says it’s about time somebody built something around here! He compliments the perfect choice of color palettes. Tango admits that he’s probably done less building than any hermit on the server, he needs to do some serious building work. He assures Chat that he has received plenty of puns to stock the new Fun Gus shroomlight store, they do NOT need to send him anymore. He goes through his permits and says he’s going to build a shop for sponges and probably one for chiseled bookshelves, but likely not one for glowstone. He realizes he hasn’t placed his shroomlight permit in the shop and is courting a visit from the Poe Poe. Impulse raids into the stream.

15:10 Tango heads for the shopping district. He asks Chat if Impulse finished his rocket factory or if he got distracted. Chat reports 70% distraction levels during Impulse’s stream. Tango heads for Fun Gus to check for sales and says that when he told the other Hermits about his new shop, only Grian responded and it was with a “destroy it” meme. Sales are not great. Chat still loves Fun Gus. Pearl says in chat that she loves the mushie guy. The redstone shop has a few sales. Chat reminds Tango that he still needs to make skulk sensors and calibrated skulk sensors for the shop, and also that he doesn’t have an ender chest in Fun Gus. He corrects the latter and heads home. A chatter asks Tango’s favorite build of the season, he says he doesn’t have enough builds this season to have a favorite. Tango does not know anything about bundles. A pigman dies with the Skizz Scream in the background, Chat likes this but still wants a greater variety of screaming. Tango agrees but hasn’t got a good clean scream for Scar (another excellent screamer) or anyone else. He envies Skizz’s excellent screaming voice.

21:00 Tango thinks about the plan for the day and decides to get right into making the factory faster. He wants the factory to turn on automatically when he arrives, then when he leaves, stay on long enough to return all the minecarts before shutting down. His plan is to make a player detector involving silenced zombies (Zombies won’t wander unless a player is near) and pressure plates. Chat makes an argument for chickens, but Tango’s pretty devoted to the hostile mob idea. He thinks they wander more than passive mobs. Chat suggests the very wandery endermite. Tango begins mocking up a redstone player detection system. He thanks subs and donos and gets a joke from a chatter. Some science is going to be required to get the timing he wants, but he may use another sapling timer in there like he did for Decked Out. Chat worries that someone flying overhead could activate the farm with a switch like this, but Tango says he’s going to locate it low enough that someone would have to pretty much land on the factory to turn it on.

33:00 Redstone theorizing continues! Chat has lots of ideas for pulse extenders to keep the factory on as long as minecarts are in the system. Tango runs a test between the sapling timer and the armor stand timer to see which one pulses more in ten minutes.

37:30 A Tango Family Member appears and asks Tango an inaudible question. Tango has to leave for a minute. Chat debates whether it was Mrs. T or one of the Tangospawn, but apparently it was just a minor issue with the internet and quickly resolved. Jimmy shows up in Twitch Chat to a warm reception from Tango and Chat. Tango starts the timing test even as he admits that a regular hopper clock is probably going to be better for the actual system. Chat has more ideas for him. Chat also thinks that Skizz should be Tango’s lawyer if Tango gets sued. Tango doesn’t think anyone would want to sue him yet, but he’d hire Skizz. Chat points out that Skizz has a 100% win rate so far.

43:00 Tango explores the redstone of the factory to look for locations to put the new system. He tells Chat that the speed bottleneck is not minecarts, it’s the speed of requests from the system. A chatter suggests a physics-based timer based on falling water, Tango thinks that is interesting but he’s probably going to stick with redstone timing. A chatter suggests this would be easier if he just played Create. Tango laughs. A chatter suggests reading the fullness of the minecart hopper to determine when the system stays on. Tango likes that idea but it’s complex enough to not do on stream. He talks about the difficulty of buiding chunk loaders that don’t disrupt the mail system. Chat reminds him it is time to check the test.

49:40 Tango goes and checks his test systems. The redstone ore has ticked 12 times. Chat is _very_ excited to see 12 bamboo in the system because that is very valuable. ((In Season 7, Mumbo made an early season trade with Iskall that rested on the premise that 12 bamboo is about the most valuable thing you can have, and ever since then the two of them continued to act and trade based on this idea. Based on results of the 2024 Hermitcraft Charity Auction, 12 Bamboo is worth $1000 USD.)) The sapling timer has only ticked once, and Tango realized that not lighting the sapling and having much of the test happening at night probably ruined it. He pops a torch down and resets the test.

51:00 Tango goes back to talking about the chunk loader system. He’s thinking of y=90 or so for the system, low enough to not be in the factory and high enough to not mess up the mail. He’s going to have to gather a bunch of coordinates to get things set up. (Another piglin dies with a scream, Chat is happy.) Tango suspects that this is turning into a project more complex than is ideal to do on stream, but he’s already come this far! He works on determining where the chunk loaders should go on the X and Y. One chunk loader loads a 3x3 of chunks, so he can probably get away with four.

59:50 Chat reminds Tango that the test is over. Tango goes and checks the tests again. The redstone ore with armor stand has ticked 18 times in ten minutes, a 50% increase from last test. The sapling has not ticked at all, a 100% decrease from last time. Tango clears his throat while the Chat dissolves into laughter. Tango tries to figure out what is going wrong. Chat suggests that maybe it has gone out of simulation distance, but Tango’s final assessment is that maybe the sapling timer is just much slower than he thought.

1:04:00 Back to the chunk loaders! Tango notes down the coordinates he’s chosen. He finds a chicken and, at chat’s request, releases it from the hole it is stuck in. It floats down a crevasse at the end of the factory. Tango follows it down to see where it goes and is immediately attacked by a mob. He panics and flies away while Chat laughs at him. He boasts that it’s a good thing he didn’t panic, aside from the possible pooping of pants. Back in the safety of the factory, he does coordinate math. A chatter asks about Scar. Tango has not heard anything since Scar’s post-surgery Tweet, but as far as he knows Scar is okay.

1:11:00 Tango embarks on a Nether adventure to find his Nether chunkloading coordinates. A chatter brings up possible changes in 1.21. Mrs. T appears and asks what Tango is doing. “A bunch of boring stuff that no one understands,” Tango admits. “Perfect,” Mrs T says brightly, “I’ll just leave now.” Chat is always happy to hear from Mrs. T. Tango makes an ill-advised jump, Mrs. T observes that it looks like he almost fell to his death. “That’s why we hold shift,” Tango tells her. He looks for his exact coordinate block while Mrs. T attempts to spice up the stream by telling him to stand on a block and dig straight down. Tango refuses to do so, then a moment later digs recklessly into the wall and releases a large flow of lava. He makes cartoon noises and runs away. Mrs T and Chat are pleased with this entertaining content. Tango blocks off the lava and says he’ll just never open that wall again. Mrs T is confident that he’s going to forget and it will be funny. A baby piglin comes along, Mrs. T says that it is the Oompa Loompa who comes to sing the death song after someone does something foolish and dangerous. Tango claims not to remember that part of the movie. Mrs. T asks if he isn’t supposed to be carrying a bucket of water or something. Tango scoffs at the idea of a bucket of water in the Nether and immediately opens up a lava block over his own head. “Oh yeah, do more of that,” Mrs T offers approvingly as he scrambles.

1:16:00 Tango digs himself out from the lava trap and tries to find a way to divert the lava from his work area. Chat thinks Mrs. T should narrate for Tango all the time. He finds the lava flow and blocks it off, much to Mrs. T’s disappointment. She thinks he should set his spawn. A chatter marks themselves as in before Tango reopens the source he blocked off but did not destroy. Tango would never do that. Mrs T tells a story about the UPS driver being sassy about how many packages the Tango family gets. Mrs. T tries to understand what Tango is doing with his giant nether portal, but it’s kind of complicated. She points out that Tango has made portals for her in the past and it didn’t actually go very well. A chatter asks if lighting the portal will break the factory. Tango pauses for a moment to try and see what the chatter is on about, but a convenient ghast lights the portal anyway. Everyone cheers!

1:20:00 Tango basks in the glory of that totally-planned awesome moment while a piglin runs straight through the new portal and into the factory. Chat claims that was a high twag move. Tango agrees and asks if Jimmy was still watching. Jimmy does not appear to still be in chat. Tango has to break the portal anyway to install the redstone components, but it was still cool. A newly arrived chatter asks in disbelief if Tango is actually making chunk loaders. Tango admits that he is, and that he is eating some words and not enjoying it. Etho logs into the game. Chat is very excited. Tango relights the portals and fills his dispensers with items, then heads home to see if the loader will actually work.

1:27:30 Back at the factory, some digging is required. Tango excavates enough space for his portals and loaders, apologizing for the fact that this work is fairly tedious. Chat would like to go and bother Etho, but are also fairly amused just by the novelty of watching Tango building chunk loaders. He tests his portals and finds the math is not mathing quite like it should. Chat thinks the big portal needs to be several small portals. He spends some time sciencing the entry and exit points of the portals, then agrees to try breaking and separating the portals. Breaking up the portals works. It seems that while one can use a big portal to come out to multiple different portals, exiting into a big portal always dumps one out at the edge of the big portal.

1:41:00 Tango digs out the rest of the overworld portals. Etho critiques Tango’s corners, but he is running short on obsidian. Etho points out that Hypno sells it for outrageous prices, Tango muses that he could just steal it from Etho for free. Tango has actually mined 1500 obsidian this season, he basically took down an entire End pillar to have enough for the mail system. He gets the portals all doing what they should, but now he needs to test if the mail system is working. Chat suggests sending mail to Etho to test it. Tango says he sent Etho mail a month ago and never got an answer anyway. Etho says he had more important things to do. Chat says Tango can send mail to himself. He decides that’s a good test and mails himself two pieces of grass. A mail system test can take a couple of minutes. While he waits, Tango sketches out the plan for wiring up his chunk loaders.

1:48:00 Tango tests his regular portal, it still works. The mail arrives, nothing is broken. Tango decides to make each loader a closed system and asks Etho if he recommends the one they used for the mail system. Etho says “noooooooo.” He will come by for a consultation. Tango tries to go to his house instead, but Etho lives at Frogger now. Tango is sympathetic.

1:50:30 Etho arrives! Chat is super excited. It has been a minute since Etho was last involved in one of Tango’s streams, so it’s nice to see him again. Etho explains the problem with the mail system chunk loaders, which is that despite being a theoretically closed system, items keep disappearing from the chunk loaders. Etho’s had to make more chunk loaders for Frogger and learned that the problems he’s been having are not redstone issues, but that a player who dies does not load chunks on the death screen. Good for players who die AFK, bad for Etho’s Frogger game. Etho and Tango work out different ideas for chunk loaders. Tango innocently asks when Frogger will be done. Etho hesitates for a telling moment, then says he’s going back to work. Tango laughs. Etho says that really all the building is done and he’s just bug-squashing at this point. Once the fine-tuning is done, he and Tango can do a Frogger stream.

1:55:30 Tango returns to the factory. He realizes he forgot to congratulate Etho on his excellent roof and hopes Etho is still watching. He brainstorms with Chat on how to incorporate this new chunk loader knowledge into the system he’s creating. It’s going to take a lot of redstone. A chatter asks how bad the Soul Speed underlayer on the factory has been for Tango’s boots, he says it has not been too bad and he’s only had to repair them once. He heads into the chunk loader hole and begins placing redstone.

2:02:00 Brodyman enters the chat, Chat is happy to see him because he has been sick recently. Tango has been thinking of some games to play once he is really better. He tests out the chunk loader but it does not work quite right. Etho burns to death in chat. Tango and Impulse mock him cheerfully. Pearl announces in chat that she has redstoned again and now Dyeduction can handle words with double letters. Etho dies several more times. Going back and forth to the nether has roused the glitch in Tango’s game that makes it lag after too many portal trips, so he shuts it down and reloads. As he is doing this, Mrs. T wanders back in to see what he is doing. Chat is always happy to see Mrs T. Tango says he is reloading the game. Mrs. T is disappoint, she saw the game shut down and thought Tango was going to play a new game. Tango scoffs, he never plays a new game!

2:07:00 The game finally reloads and Tango gets back to work. Mrs. T talks about her breakfast plans. The stream starts lagging for some chatters. Etho dies again. With the chunk loader working in one direction, Tango starts working on the nether side. He and Mrs. T bicker about who is sleeping late and why. Brody is helping from stream chat. The chunk loader is not coming together like he wants. Etho says “Success!” in game chat and immediately logs out. Mrs T does not approve of Tango’s inventory management that includes dropping stacks of gravel down random holes. She stays long enough to watch Tango battle with a piglin and then wanders away again.

2:11:00 Doing chunk loaders is going to require reshaping some of the nether-side portals. Chat helps Tango get the portals linked together correctly. He runs additional tests to figure out where items come out when spit through the portal. With that figured out, he builds a little redstone system to collect and spit blocks in a very chunkloady fashion ((the recapper has only basic knowledge of redstone, but redstone definitely happens.))

2:18:15 The chunk loader works! He repeats the same procedure three more times. Putting redstone on netherrack hurts his soul a little but, but he soldiers through! Mrs T pops in for a little hockey talk. Hockey fans are mildly upset at her news that someone is no longer with their team, but most of Chat is bewildered. Apparently some venerable hockey player didn’t think they were getting enough money for their contract and the team called their bluff. Tango and Chat talk about sportsball salaries.

2:31:30 Tango finishes the overworld side and moves to finish the redstone on the nether side. Every time someone comes in and asks what he is doing, Tango says “chunkloaders” in the fastest, most ashamed voice possible. He doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. Chat talks about the differences between most beloved sports in different countries. Tango does a dramatic reenactment of what it looks like when someone gets touched in a soccer game.

2:39:00 Tango knows why soccer is much more popular than hockey, because the bar to playing is so much lower. All you need is a ball. He tests out all the chunk loaders. Chat points out that field hockey is at least somewhat more accessible than ice hockey. There is disagreement whether field hockey is real hockey. Tango notes that saying hockey often enough makes it not even sound like a real word. Chat knows the term “semantic satiation.” The test does not work, but Tango knows how to fix it. Probably. He does not. Chat tells him to portal harder. He reverses everything. It’s annoying, Chat blames themselves for distracting him during the build process.

2:51:00 Tango did not expect this to take all stream, but is not exactly shocked that it happened this way. He asks Chat if Skizz has published his court episode because he wants to watch it first. Chat says yes, he has. He declares the fix completed! Time to test again. It is still broken, He reverses it again, theorizing that someone in Chat is currently yelling “Finally he saw it!” He is not wrong.

2:57:30 The test works! Tango throws lots of items into all the dispensers to cushion against the item loss Etho was warning about. He loyally defends Skizz against charges of swearing during Pearl’s stream and demands VOD evidence. In theory now, one button should chunkload the whole base. Now he needs to add a clock, but he needs to figure out what his initial plan was hours ago. He builds an Etho clock with the use of his handy skidoodlebox. He reminisces fondly about the time when he and Etho competed to build an Etho hopper clock the fastest and Etho just tried to sabotage Tango’s clock instead of building his own. The clock is finished, the chunk loader is ready!

3:06:00 Tango realizes that he’s basically at the end of the stream and they never got to the fun stuff. Always time to pick that up on Wednesday. Wednesday they can get the endermites to do player detection and get that whole thing hooked up. That’ll be way more fun. Pearl asks in game chat if this means she doesn’t get to show him her new Dyeduction redstone. It will be ready in about five more minutes, but they decided it will be better to do on Wednesday when Tango can actually play. Tango gets mobbed by burning zombies as he tries to take down the test timers from earlier but does not die. He also doesn’t collect all his bits, but discretion is the better part of valor.

3:10:00 Tango winds up his stream and looks for someone to raid. He reminds Chat to come back on Wednesday to finish the project, and he’ll be doing some base building in the meantime. He attempts to raid into Mr Joker, but after several false starts, eventually throws up his hands and releases Chat into the wild as he ends his stream.

[orpheushead]

playing minecraft with ferris is such a different experience than playing with kv because like twenty minutes into playing ferris and i managed to transport a zombie pigman into our basement and name it Mr President

[loiterer87]

And here we go with number two! Primus! These guys are just weird... Okay, Les Claypool is weird and the other two, Larry "Ler" LaLonde and Tim "Herb" Alexander are probably less so....

They've had some really off beat songs out such as 'John The Fisherman', 'My Name Is Mud', and 'Wynona's Big Brown Beaver'... All of which are odd, to say the least. Got a bit of all sorts going on in their sound, including funk, country and some psychedelic stuff. Which all works. 

The figure here is Les in the bizarre pigman costume he wore in the video for Mr. Krinkle. It's on YouTube, go watch it! Some good quality early 90's nightmare fuel! MTV only played it about six times...

[hostdoozy]

A funny detail about Cloak & Swaggart

A common misconception spread around regarding the episode "Cloak & Swaggart" is that Rupert is the theft when in actuality- he's isn't. While Rupert is definitely not above such petty actions like thievery. In this case, he's very much innocent.

-OKAY OKAY PUT YOUR TOMATEOS DOWN! I KNOW HE'S BRITISH! Stop booing at me! BUT YOUR HONOUR! My client is innocent of this specific instance.

(Read more below)

In "Cloak and Swaggart" our favourite Girlboss duo go out partying after Splinter and his boys are off "camping". They are having the time of their lives, simply gals being pals.Yet something disastrous happens on girl's night leading to being the driving force of today's misadventure. Sunita's Brooch is stolen by a mysterious assailant. We know the thief of identity is unknown by judging the shape of their hand.

One could argue that this was an animation decision made by the team to make the twist a little more fun but this makes no sense from a narrative standpoint. Mr Loose Lips can't be the thief because A) look at his hands B) He isn't a Yokai or a mutant- he's never seen dawning a brooch indicating he may have an alternative form. Rupert can't be the thief because The Pigman has an alibi. This alibi is confirmed by Mr loose lips himself.

"Look kid, my clients suspect a certain level of discretion. Yea' think I'm just gonna tell yea that the brooch was bought by some big guy with a thick neck and an upturned nose an' paper hat, on his way to channel 6 ln a late-model charcoal grey stretch limousine?" If Rupert was the theft, then why would he bother showing up to Mr loose lips in the first place? it makes no sense. Even if we were to entertain the idea that this was a commission's work- it still wouldn't make sense. Rupert Swaggert in this regard, is innocent. He had no clue that the brooch belonged to someone else upon buying it. Keep in mind, that the British bastard had never met April or Suntia before this.

This makes the Episode even MORE funnier when you look through his lenses.

He can return to his old career which he suddenly lost due to his mutation. He finally found the means to take back his old life but within ONE DAY- Rupert was harassed by two teenagers, whom he had never met before EVER in his life. (then nearly got eaten by some yanks) From his perspective: He got robbed by some teens- for no reason

Before I close this off. I worry that some folks take away from the post is me shifting the blame onto April and Suntia which... no, I'm not. They're well within their right to take back a family heirloom which belongs to Sunita. besides They're TEENAGERS. Do you think April gonna go over to a known dangerous mutant and be like "Ermm, can we have that brooch back? " OF COURSE NOT. don't be insane. These girls deserve a crown.

What I'm doing is pointing out the hilarity of this scenario. We are all familiar with who Rupert is. He's an oversized porky jackass that has no problem committing extreme acts for his own benefit. We are SO used to his shittiness that putting "stealing from teenage girls" on his list of crimes wouldn't be out of the question. The only thing is... he didn't commit that here. Dude tried to get his old job back only to have some teenager mess with his life again. he never met them and to his knowledge, the Brooch was something he purchased.

So the Verdict?

Rupert is innocent in regards to Suntia's stolen brooch

As for everything else? all his other crimes? Guilty. Put this man away your honour.

case closed

[pigs-in-art]

Miss and Mr Pigman by mj26431

[sketching-shark]

why do you personally like everyone's favorite pigman?

WELL besides the great body horror scenario that is Zhu Bajie's existence (high human immortal warrior gets exiled from heaven and cursed to be a literal pig yaoguai on Earth), I think that everyone's favorite Mr. Pig has some really neat implications going on both in how his development with the other pilgrims goes as well as to how his thoughts about his condition might have changed over the course of the narrative and even afterwards. There's something really interesting about a character who is undoubtedly the designated clown/cringefail loser of the group but who also acts as the voice of the bodily necessities that every living creature needs, and who's desire to go back home at every given opportunity is both infuriating in light of Everything but also really, really understandable. Conclusion: he may be the Idiot, but he's also a lot deeper than he seems <3.

[pigsongpearls]

Pigmen of our time, Pt. 2

(Pt. 1)

Live Action TV

The Chronicle had a heroic hacker pigman. He was the consequence of government genetic manipulation.

In Seinfeld, Kramer theorizes there's a Pig Man inhabiting a hospital, but it's just a man with pig-like features. Jerry specifically mentions the possible Fetish consequences.

Three times for Doctor Who:

"The Talons of Weng-Chiang"

"Aliens of London" — This one was a subversion, since it turned out to be an ordinary pig that was messed with by the real aliens in order to make it walk on two legs.

"Daleks in Manhattan"/"Evolution of the Daleks" — The Daleks turn their captive humans into these and use them for manual labour. One of them is only partially converted and helps the good guys.

Loquasto in Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire is a member of a race called Grobbles and has the nose, ears and tail of a pig. Not evil but terribly dimwitted.

Tellarites in the Star Trek universe. Not evil (in fact, along with the humans, Andorians and Vulcans they founded the Federation), but incredibly arrogant and argumentative. Thanks to their Blue and Orange Morality, they consider insults and blustering arrogance good manners, and find excessively "polite" behaviour somewhat offensive. The Star Trek Novel Verse expands on this to demonstrate that pride is a virtue to them, not a vice. In the Starfleet Corps of Engineers novels, Fabian Stevens insists he finds racist jokes about the Tellarite-pig resemblance tasteless, yet he seems to have an awfully large collection of them stored away in his mind. He would never accuse Tellarite team-member Tev of "hogging the glory", oh no...

The surgeons in the "Eye of the Beholder" episode of The Twilight Zone.

One of the evil henchmen in Ace Lightning.

Music

One of the title characters in the Tonio K song Willy and the Pig Man: "Champion of the luckless, lunchless, faceless little folk. You and me, know what I mean?"

Paul Gray of Slipknot used this image with his early mask. His nickname was "The Pig".

Music Videos

The Rutles video for "Piggy In the Middle".

Primus' video for "Mr. Krinkle" features frontman Les Claypool playing the cello in a pig mask.

Sculpture

A sculpture by Patricia Piccinini. Snopes has a pic of the sculpture, which is pure Nightmare Fuel. http://www.snopes.com/photos/arts/family.asp

Tabletop Games

Before Orcs were different, the old-school Dungeons and Dragons Orcs had piglike features and tusks.

Wereboars have been part of D&D's monster roster for decades. Devil swine, from CD&D, are more obscure but have almost as long a history.

The Farrow in the Iron Kingdoms setting are boar-men.

GURPS Aliens leads off with the An Phar, who are a Pig Man race with significant quirks (such as the social habit of bathing, individually and in groups, several times a day).

Video Games

Beyond Good and Evil: Jade's "uncle" Pey'j (pictured above) is not only a heroic pigman, but a Large Ham.

Blinx: The Tom-Tom Gang from this series.

Cyberswine: The titular protagonist is a cop who is also a machine-pig-human hybrid. The game is based on a short-lived Australian comic book of the same name.

Dragon Quest series: Akira Toriyama's Orc monster design looks like an anthopomorphic, spear-wielding boar. It also bucks the "lowly minion" convention by usually being first encountered in mid-to-late game Random Encounters, meaning just one could very easily mop the floor with starting or low-level characters.

Duke Nukem: The LAPD is "mutated" into pigmen by the alien invaders, and renamed LARD. Subtle.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: Pigsy is not only fat, but he has a scope with pig-ears and a Grappling Hook arm in the shape of a pig hoof.

Ever Quest 2: The Boarfiends who were a race of pigmen created when the god Brell Serilis got just a little too drunk one night.

Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics a 2: The Seeq.

Ghouls n' Ghosts: The first level has pigmen armed with pitchforks among the various enemies. If you stand directly below them, they will vomit on you.

Manhunt: The final boss is 'Piggsy', a psychopathic killer wearing a severed pig's head. And nothing else.

Minecraft: The Zombie Pigmen who are residents of The Nether (and the result of an ordinary pig being struck by lightning). Unlike regular Zombies, Zombie Pigmen will not attack you without provocation. The game's creator plans to add regular Pigmen in a future update, and actually designed their character model quite a while ago.

Mother 3: The Pigmasks. They even grunt and squeal just like pigs! Used to unnerving effect in the Chimera Lab.

Porky/Pokey in general, though he's a pig boy and is clearly more boy than pig. It's obvious, though, that the developers tried to make him as piggish as possible without making him a full-on Pig Man.

Rocket Knight Adventures: The main enemies from the first game are all pig-people.

Rule of Rose: The Pig-Imps that appear in the later stages. It appears that they are normal Imps that have strapped extra padding over their bodies and wear living pig heads as masks.

The Legend of Zelda: Both Ganon and the Moblins fit this trope; in Ocarina of Time, Ganon first takes on this form by deliberately overdosing on the Triforce of Power, but an anthropomorphic-boar form seems to suit him fairly well. And while we don't see much of the Moblins in the games or their associated literature, when we do see them, they're generally engaged in plundering defenseless villages.

Do you know what it means when you lose your last RUBY? *snort* Now you work for ME!

Vagrant Story: This game has Orcs that are absolutely pigmen, floppy ears and all. See here.

Warcraft: The quillboars are a race of boar men. They also worship a gigantic boar.

Webcomics

In El Goonish Shive, Ellen meets one in her alternate universe dream.

Squigley, a stoner pig, is the only intelligent being so far shown in Sinfest who isn't human, isn't a spiritual being like God or Death, and (so far as we know) didn't become intelligent from being exposed to demonic power. His precise origins are uncertain, but it's worth noting that he becomes a true pig in the "reality zone."

Future Pig: The protagonist is this.

Western Animation

South Park: ManBearPig.

In The Simpsons, Chief Wiggum is pig-like in appearance, and was shown as a pig in two episodes: A Treehouse of Horror and a World of Warcraft parody. He complains that Sideshow Bob actually called him 'Chief Piggum' at one point.

Invader Zim: Pigfoot. And Bloaty the Pizza Hog.

And let's not forget the Shadowhog. Seems Jhonen Vasquez really likes pigs.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop, the half-warthog dimwitted henchman of the old cartoon.

Also, in the first cartoon appearance of Usagi Yojimbo, he is seen fighting off some samurai pigs.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers: Hoggish Greedly has a porcine nose and very sharp fangs, makes loads of pig-related puns, and he even snorts! This is just to make it more obvious that he's a corrupt industrialist, because he's really a normal human.

Porky Pig of Looney Tunes. Notably, Porky is the only long-running Looney Tunes animal character who doesn't ever 'play' an animal — if he's in a barnyard setting, he owns the farm. He often interacts in a world of humans as a peer.

Same with Hamton from Tiny Toon Adventures.

Circe from DuckTales is an evil pig witch, whom, like her Classical Mythology counterpart, likes to turn her enemies into pigs. At the end of the episode she was in, she is tricked into becoming a pig herself.

Archer — Krieger created a pig-man hybrid. We never saw it; just saw Krieger gunning him down.

The Peter Hannan Productions Vanity Plate shows a pig man dressed as a cowboy.

Sometimes appear on Rocko's Modern Life. A recurring character is a pig-woman named Tammy, with a Southern accent.

Another episode featured Rocko complaining about how his house has gotten to Trash of the Titans levels, comparing his house to a pigsty. A blue pig angrily asks (in a New Jersey accent) "You got a problem with that?!" before being kicked out of the house by Rocko.

In the grocery-shopping episode, a pig butcher named Marty is lamenting how lonely he is.

Real Life

There is a place called The Devil's Washbowl in Vermont, that, not only has bizarre weather (it's warm year round), but is also the supposed habitat of the Pig Man.

Tolkien purportedly took the word from one meaning, roughly, "boar monster"

Source: Tropedia

[afikaandthefandoms09]

Monster School (My AU): Cooking

(Warning: This is the ONLY Concept story of my own Minecraft Monster School AU, there's no any connection of the Original Monster School (Willcraft) or any Minecraft Monster School story at Youtube, so yea... that all)

Characters:

- Herobrine [Fallen God, Male, Status: Teacher] - Endo [Enderman, Male, Status: Student] - Zeno [Zombie, Male, Status: Student] - Skerrow [Skeleton, Male, Status: Student] - Crane [Creeper, Female, Status: Student] - Senko [Slime, Male, Status: Student] - Zack [Zombie Pigman, Male, Status: Student] - Winter [Wither Skeleton, Male, Status: Student] - Gina [Ghast, Female, Status: Student] - Entity 303 [Grim Reaper, Male, Status: Student]

(I will tell their bio, info and some... backstory next time, for now let's began the story)

{It is all began at Morning in somewhere else in overworld where The School at Plains Biome that near with Birch biome it seems like a normal school but something different... at inside we see a some hostile and neutral mobs students with their teacher that been knowed as Herobrine, The Fallen God that been knowed as the first Minecraft Creepypasta, see all of the students activity in his class...}

Zack: *Playing Game with his nintendo switch* Hey Zeno, do you remember what this month?

Zeno: um... it's August, right?

Zack: yea... i was just want to say that at saturday, we going to celebrate indonesian independence...

Zeno: What? really?

Zack: that right, You don't check out at the Calender?

Zeno: i did but i forgot... i'm zombie so i could be easily forget something.

Zack: yea, but not really... *continue play his nintendo*

Crane: So uhh... Senko, what races you gotta join at independence in tomorrow??

Senko: Umm... maybe Eating hanging cracker race, and... marble in the spoon race.

Crane: why you didn't choose climbing slippery pole race?

Senko: oh right, i always win at that race.

Endo: Hey Entity, Have you ever thinks about the independence tomorrow?

Entity 303: yea... a fun game with the prize like bicycle, books, and more... i'm always want to get another books and pencils to writes something.

Gina: But why?

Entity 303: Mr. Dark Grim say they out paper to make book at reaper realms, since they almost out of tree in there...

Winter: Why they didn't get one or two tree saplings at overworld?

Entity 303: since the tree saplings in overworld and tree sapling at Darkness realm is had different way to plants and grow, it would impossible for a normal tree at overworld can grow in darkness realm than Soul Oak tree and Black heart Tree in there, so many People try to grew them but alot of them is goes into dying process... beside, to grow Soul Oak Tree and Black heart tree, it need soul sand to plants on it and yet... it hard to get it since nether is dangerous for Grim Reaper.

Gina: i see...

Winter: Don't worry, I can used my hacker power to bring alot soul sands to your home!!

Entity 303: But do you know access how to spawn alot soul sands at Darkness Realm?

Winter: :| . . . Well... i'll be find out it soon... you'll see.

{Suddenly, Herobrine feels his belly rumbling as he feels hungry and it suprised all of his students}

Herobrine: Ahahaha, well... well... well... guess we going to do Cooking lessons, but this time... we're going to make an Indonesian Foods, despite is getting closer with 17 Date at saturday...

{And then, Herobrine snap his finger as Nasi Tumpeng picture appear at whiteboard}

Zeno: Wow, guess it's perfect timing for me to making it now.

Zack: Sweet, now i can make my special food that i love to eat it for breakfast!!

Endo: ...Mantap (...Awesome) guess i had to cook something...

Skerrow: Glad that i learn it from my favorite culinary book, guess i could try now...

Crane: Sweet~

Senko: Totally.

Gina: . . . -v-

Entity 303: welp, i almost forgot to mentions... about Indonesian culinary, maybe i should try to since there alot foods tbh.

Herobrine: alright students, let's prepared now

{And then, Herobrine appears a furnace and some kitchen's item at side of all student's tables with clapping}

Herobrine: The Lesson began...

{And then, All students was using an ingredients they have to make Indonesia foods, Like usual... Winter use his Hacker skill to brings his ingredients, Awhile Skerrow reading a Indonesian's recipe book to find out which food he would cook until he found a perfect food}

Skerrow: Hmm... *close the recipes book* alright, i guess i should try it now...

Senko: *look around and don't what should he cook*

Crane: *making grilled tilapia with her mechanical arms and see Senko was confused* what matters?

Senko: i don't know what should i have to cook for now...

Crane: why don't you make dessert?

Senko: i want to but... i don't know what dessert i should made.

Crane: why don't you made Putu Ayu's Cake?

Senko: Maybe i should try to... *starts to prepares to make Putu Ayu's Cake*

Zack: *mix the porridge with lime's leaf, Chicken's meat & a bit white pepper and salt* They say that lime leaf can make the food become more tastier when it marinated some meat and even a porridge at indonesia ways, i learn it when me and others study tour into Jakarta, of course...

Zeno: *making sambal after making kentucy fried chicken* welp... with these, i'm sure teacher will get spice up hehe...

Gina: *making a Kwetiaw noodles with sweet soy sauce*

Entity 303: *making a indonesian fried rice with a bit spice* since i can't make spicy foods, i would make it with a bit spice... since i couldn't cooking to...

Endo: *see the furnace at down* welp... i guess this time i should make a drink... even as enderman doesn't like to drink cuz our weakness *sitting down and starts to make a Dawet drink*

Winter: *cooking a Rawon with a knowledge he got* (At that time, he's not use his hacker skill, i'm swear! He learn it from his cousin, And yea... he know to use his hacker skill with right way cuz he know he would be cheat if he cook with his hacker skill)

Herobrine: *see his watch and back see his students again* you guys all have one hours to cooking.

[ONE HOURS LATER. . .]

{All students has finish to make their own indonesian food they make, Zack with Indonesia Chicken Porridge, Crane with her Grilled Tilapia with a soy sauce, Gina with her Kwetiaw noodles, Entity 303 with his indonesian fried rice that a bit burned to, Zeno with his Ayam Geprek (Chicken Spicy Smackdown), Winter with his Rawon, Endo his Dawet drink, Senko with Putu Ayu's Cake And last but not least... Skerrow with his Nasi tumpeng (A Yellow Rice that shaped like a big cone with a 7 variants indonesian side dishes). after that, Herobrine was starts to tasting a foods from a Students and here the result...

• Zack: B+ [Goods starts for breakfast in cold morning, but don't give salt too much]

• Entity 303: C [You need a learn about cooking more, but it taste was getting better though]

• Crane: B [Great And Tasty but a bit burned]

• Gina: B [Sweet of the Soy Sauce & Spicy of the Spice was perfectly balance but i can't eat them all cuz i will get fulled in one plate]

• Winter: B [Good improvement, You don't used you Hacker power from make it instant, right?]

• Zeno: D- [Why the heck this chicken spicy smackdown was too SPICY?! HOW MANY SAMBAL YOU USED?!!]

• Endo: A [Thankfully you made a drink, Endo. But don't make it too sweet]

• Senko: C+ [Senko, i know you don't know what you should made, but you must remember that you had to put dough improver to make this dessert]

• Skerrow: A++ [Perfect, The taste is great, got alot variants side dishes, you might can help Enid to learns about cooking too]

Endo: huh, glad that i got A this time...

Zack: It because Zeno's Chicken Spicy Smackdown almost burned teacher inside

Zeno: oh come on, i'm not put it that much!!

Zack: But you know much Sambals you used?

Zeno: uh... i don't know...

Zack: just like what i thought

Crane: Well... i think i should learn to make grilled fish again

Senko: Yea... but, i think i should bring dough improver next time...

Winter: But hey!! Gladly, i don't use my hacking skill at cooking this time

Entity 303: Yes you are... (beside it wasn't a first time, y'know?)

Gina: Guys... we should doesn't need to be fanatic too much, even it was just cooking, we still need learn about it, isn't?

Skerrow: Yea... just like me that used Cooking books to know the recipes that i should try to... even it fails at first time but from time to time, we will already used to it

Entity 303: Yea... i guess you right, anyway, can i borrow you cooking books? To learn how to cook of course...

Skerrow: well sure thing, if you want to

Entity 303: Thanks, Anyway i had a question... where do you get that recipes book and who writes it?

Skerrow: well, you see... i was just get this book when i go into the bookstore, and about the book, well... let's just say it written by Chef Skellington.

All students expect Skerrow: Wait What?!!

•~{THE END}~•

[onenakedfarmer]

Daily Painting

Franz Ackermann UNTITLED (PACIFIC NO. 22 - MR PIGMAN, YOU ARE NOTHING) (1998)

[old-wild-child]

WIP ASK GAME

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs. (Thanks for tagging me @thebreakfastgenie !!)

Most of my WIPs are working titles, so apologies if they sound cringe:

Mash Post War Fanfic (Yes, I still have no idea what to title it)

Where’s Grandma?

The Second Apartment

The Friends of Mrs. Ann Braunstein

Vaudeville Times

The Triumphs and Adversities of Collette Holcomb

Gilligan's Island remake ish

From the Words of Daisy Clover

Untitled original piece inspired by 1930s screwball comedies (Don’t have a name yet)

The Pigman's Foreword

Helen and Bobby in Rising Sun

Tagging: @youngpettyqueen @a-world-in-a-grain-of-sand @hawkp @cleverdistraction @wool-hat7 @beej-machinations or anyone else who wants to do this !!

[cattimeswithjellie]

Livestream Recap, TangoTek, 6-17-24

((In which Tango does redstone, makes a lot of steamy puns, and plays straight man to the comedy stylings of Mrs. T and his own chat. Also there is Twag.))

4:43 Tango opens the stream with a warning for “excessive burping.” He just gulped down a burger as he hit “start stream” with eruptive results. He thanks subs and donos, then asks Chat how they are doing. He decides to chop down a bunch of acacia trees while he talks with Chat about what everyone’s been up to. He did not play much block game last week, but this week? So much. Last week was bad, but this week is going to be better!

6:30 A chatter mentions Jimmy’s current obsession with Tango’s swag (or “Twag”). Tango is aware of it, he is amused and baffled. He says he has very little twag. But Jimmy is great and Tango loves hanging out with him. They need to find a new game to play together.

7:10 Tango starts to talk about the stream and how it’s going to be STEAMY today, gets immediately distracted by a large dono. Another chatter talks about Jimmy and how he is mad at Impulse for calling him 30. Tango thinks that’s funny too. Jimmy’s just a pup, and 30 is not an insult. Mrs. T streamed yesterday, everyone should encourage her! PearlescentMoon raids into the stream. Tango is very proud of Pearl’s new redstone endeavors! In chat, Cleo reminds Pearl that main quests should not be done all at once, it’s time to make room for side quests. They both plan on side-questing with games in the Gaming District.

10:00 Back to the title! Pearl and Impulse have done redstone all day, it’s time to get Redstone in this stream! All the grates are going to have steam coming out from them now! Chat asks about playing Wordle, Tango suspects that the game is currently being messed with and may not be playable. Chat says it’s ready. Tango explains his plan for campfire-fueled steam grates in the factory. Pearl tells Tango he can play if Chat doesn’t spoil him. Chat is sad that “Twag” is not a five-letter word.

13:00 Impulse raids into the chat, so now the Chat is doubly full of all the server’s redstone fans. Chat tells Tango that Impulse did redstone _and_ science today. Tango assembles a box of supplies for today’s job. The factory is not turned on, but it might be good to turn it on since Tango will be hanging around. He’s nervous to turn it on and that’s not good. He talks about Trial Chambers coming up and how he might not actually have needed to make a copper farm. Trial chambers are full of copper and tuff and good things. He talks with Chat about the ins and outs of trial chambers. In the background, a Skizz scream indicates the end of another zombie pigman.

18:15 Tango believes copper needs to become a more integral part of redstone, far beyond copper bulbs. Maybe even plumbing for fluids, though that would be a big step. He heads down into the guts below the factory. Chat thinks Tango is aiming for Create Mod in Vanilla, Tango shushes them and whispers “that’s the goal.” Tango has a new design for steam grates, so he’s going to rip out the one he’s got and dig out a bunch of space for new ones. Chat asks to see “The Hole” (the hole through the bedrock he and Zedaph made). It is now cleaned up and safely behind a door to avoid accidental Void entry. Tango did some off-stream ceiling building, but he needs more decoration on the walls.

20:40 Tango begins deconstructing his old redstone, then immediately stops doing that and goes upstairs to brainstorm steam grate locations with chat. Chat is full of fun and impractical ideas for decorations, and some good ideas as well. He digs some more. He is surprised and pleased to get beacon bonus to his digging.

23:50 Mrs Tango arrives. She made a salad. Chat is happy to see her! Her stream went well yesterday and her TBR (to be read) pile has doubled. Tango doesn’t know what TBR is and gets mocked for it. She force-feeds him some salad. He declares it “Ceasar-y?” It’s good. He would eat it. He will not eat it, because it is hers. Mrs. T asks if Chat wants to know what her favorite game is. Tango says it is so sad and cringe. She says it’s “How to Make My Husband Crazy.” He thought she meant the phone game she plays 50 hours a week, which is called Gossip Harbor. Chat likes both of those games too.

26:00 A little cheatycam action tells Tango that he has less room than he’d hoped without destroying his already-existing redstone. Mrs. T offers helpful commentary as he falls into an underground lake. Tango says someone should open a sponge shop (he has the sponge permit.) Mrs Tango tells him he has “Skibidi Ohio Rizz.” Tango looks like he is forcing himself into an out-of-body experience. Chat is howling. Tango says Mrs. T is highly resistant to the Twag. A chatter asks what Twag means, and Tango says if you know, you know (and if you don’t know, you’re not missing much.) Chat is happy to explain Twag.

29:00 Tango continues excavating and says that anyone who truly wants to understand Twag has to watch Jimmy Jingles’ stream. He doesn’t know why they call him Timmy. Tango doesn’t call him Timmy. Tango finally finds a part of his basement that is not already stuffed with redstone. He is happy. He flexes by throwing all his mined stone right into the guts of the collection system.

31:10 Tango discovers a single lit copper bulb in the floor and can’t remember why it is there. He examines it and says he has to know. He digs up the floor around it. It is just one lit copper bulb in the floor. He is confused, but chat remembers that it was for lighting the water pool, back when this was a water pool. Tango thinks about decorating the area, but admits he will never come down here.

32:30 Time to actually start building some steam machines! Tango gathers up the bits he needs and notices there are lots of people on the server today. It makes him happy. Chat is excited because some of their Tango plushes are starting to arrive. They want to know if Tango will play Wordle. He might, later. Right now it is time to turn on the factory! He does so, while cheering about how copper bulbs are amazing. Another piglin dies with a scream. Tango complains about static electricity in his office. Chat suggests grounding his chair. He asks how to do that, Chat suggests calming words and slow breaths, either that or taking away its electronics and not letting it leave the house.

38:00 After one false start for forgotten campfires, it’s time to head back downstairs! Tango doesn’t know when HC will update to 1.21 but they will probably talk about it at the next meeting. He has a little screenshot of the design he’s working with for the steam grates. He talks with Chat about the problem he’s having with the factory needing 90 seconds to cool down from “on” to “off” without breaking it. He’s going to have to work on that. Tango lost his redstone box.

41:40 Time to find the redstone box! Chat tried to remind him he left it upstairs, but he was oblivious. He collects it and back downstairs! He talks about grate design with chat. He doesn’t like open grates, but both water and magma underneath have their virtues. They both look pretty cool.

45:00 Tango says he’s going to get started doing something. The “Oh my god!” horn plays. Gem must be nearby! Tango calls out for her, but she does not make an appearance. Tango begins laying out the first set of grate redstone. The horns have a radius large enough that Gem could be “oh my god”ing at someone else. But her timing was excellent.

47:00 Tango builds a redstone machine! It looks cool. He promises he will explain it when he is done. Chat asks if this is the new clank module. Tango says last night in bed he was thinking about the Decked Out 2 redstone and how much of it was still in his head. He misses it, and is getting a little itchy for a new redstone project. But there will be NO Decked Out 3 this season.

50:00 Chat asks “Decked Out 3 Season 11 confirmed?” Tango says it’s pretty much already been confirmed, but we’ll see. He goes up top to get buckets and flint and steal, realizes he’s going to need a lot of flint eventually. He checks on the factory minecarts, all is well. Tango loads up the new machine he has made, showing how it will alternately light or extinguish the fire to make randomized bursts of steam through the grate. He makes a much more comprehensive explanation that is beyond the ken of the recapper, but the upshot is that it works and is going to take a ton of flint and steel.

55:30 Chat attempts to help optimize the machine, possibly by replacing flint and steel with fire charges. Each flint will light the fire 64 times, each stack of fire charges will do the same. The big efficiency in this case is that fire charges can be stolen from Impulse, which is much more Tango-efficient than laying down a bunch of gravel and hitting it with a fortune shovel.

58:00 With the visual effect working, it’s time for the audio. Tango has some sound files that sound like hissing steam, so it’s time to add a note block to the machine as well. He attaches it to the side of the new steam machine and considers the best sort of head to pop on it. In game chat, Pearl makes a suggestion about the redstone clock that might extend the time between puffs. Tango is confused for a minute about the complexities of Pearlstone, but they get on the same page and talk more redstone. Chat is a big fan of Pearlstone. Tango decides to use pillager heads. Chat suggests that maybe Pearl will help build Decked Out 3. Tango agrees that at the rate she is picking up redstone, she well might!

1:02:00 Tango and Chat do redstone stuff. Lighting the fire with fire charges is just a bit different than lighting it with flint and steel, but he gets it sorted. He uploads the sound file he wants and puts it on a pillager head, then waits. Chat fondly remembers that time they Rickrolled Tango by getting ahead of him on sound file uploading.

1:05:40 The machine triggers successfully. Tango workshops the sound with chat, then goes to “acquire” some fire charges. Chat reminds him to turn off the factory before he leaves. Tango is definitely going to put in some chunk loaders so he doesn’t have to hang around his factory and not play the game he wants. Chat reminds him that a certain Chat who shall remain nameless may have mentioned chunk loaders quite awhile ago and been ignored. They suggest TNT dupers will be next. Tango is firm in his NOPE.

1:10:06 With the farm fully off, Tango is free to move about the server. Time to steal! He dips into the nether and heads for Impulse’s barter farm. He and Chat continue discussing chunk loaders. Chat asks which will get a roof first, Tango’s factory or Etho’s base. Tango is noncommittal. The barter farm is bursting at the seams with fire charges, so it’s Tango’s lucky day. He fills up his shulkers with stacks of fire charges and realizes he should’ve brought more shulkers. He’ll have to steal more later. Tango heads home.

1:13:20 Back at home, Tango attempts (unsuccessfully) to organize his inventory, then goes back downstairs. He loads his steam machine with fire charges. The machine catches on fire. That could be a problem. Chat notes that fire tick is off, and so the fire charge will not actually light the campfire, it will just set a fire on the hopper. Tango watches the machine for one more go-round, just to make sure. Scar, in Twitch Chat, suggests that they should turn fire tick on. Chat thinks this is a wonderful and horrible idea.

1:20:00 Tango rebuilds the machine, but it doesn’t work. In game chat, Pearl celebrates getting Timed Mode working on Wordle. The redstoners celebrate with her. Tango moves a bunch more stuff around on the machine and makes plans to unsteal the fire charges later.

1:22:00 Tango disassembles the machine and reassembles it into the original flint-and-steel-dispenser configuration, declaring all the previous “a huge waste of time.” Chat maintains that nothing is a waste of time when he’s with Chat. Also there was science. Now Tango needs a lot of flint and steel.

1:25:30 Tango goes back upstairs. He doesn’t have a fortune shovel, so he has to turn off the factory again and go shopping. Chat points out that Scar sells gravel, but Tango needs flint. Nobody sells flint. Tango is getting frustrated, but gets clobbered by a thousand dollar dono and a simultaneous Mythical Sausage raid. Chat is so excited.

1:29:50 Tango reads the very nice message from the dono, while Scar flies around in the background and sprinkles flint all over his factory floor. Tango’s day has really turned around! Scar says “Watch this” in chat, which is possibly the scariest possible thing Scar could say, then does not successfully do whatever he planned to do. He says “ppop” and leaves.

1:32:20 Tango is confused but thanks Scar for the flint. He welcomes the raiders properly, thanks Sausage for the raid and explains that they came at an awkward brain-breaky moment for him. He introduces himself and says he’s getting steamy today. Sausage’s raider tell Tango that Ollie died in 30 Day Hardcore, got creepered only three days in. Tango is sympathetic. Chat finds it hard to believe that Jimmy didn’t die first.

1:35:00 Scar’s gift of flint lets Tango load the machine, now it’s time to watch the grate from above and see what it looks like. While he is waiting, Chat tells him the tragic story of Ollie’s demise, killed by a creeper by building a house for himself and Jimmy. It was so sad. “Noooo!” Tango cries. He thinks Creepers have to be one of the major causes of death in Hardcore, next to lava and falling. The steam effect triggers. The steam goes much longer than the sound, so either more sound or less steam is needed. Longer steam sounds are a project for another day, but this is close enough. It took only ninety minutes to make one, time to make more!

1:37:00 Tango chooses the location for the next steam vent. He then goes back to messing with the first machine. A chatter asks if Tango is family friendly. He says he is. Chat converses among itself about whether all the hermits are family friendly while Tango watches the machine for his timing change. It looks better, he is happy. He assembles another machine.

1:40:00 Tango has lost his armor stands, which makes it hard to assemble the machine. Chat points out that they are in the redstone box. A chatter suggests making one machine play the Skizz Scream instead of the steam noise so the factory seems more dangerous. Assembly of the second machine goes considerably faster than the first. Chat, sensitized by Ollie’s death, keeps getting jumpscared by the hissing steam noises. A chatter asks about capes, a mere 20 days late to the party.

1:44:00 FalseSymmetry enters the server, Cleo “OMG Hiiiii!”s her in chat. Tango finishes the second machine and loads it with flint-steel and water. Chat is laughing because someone got autocorrected to “armpit stand” Tango adds his audio player and uploads the second steam noise. The second machine tests successfully, so it’s time for more!

1:48:00 The crowded substrate of Tango’s basement makes a challenging redstone environment, but he eventually picks out a space for the third machine. He’s getting into a groove now as far as building copies of the machine. He stumbles into a little passageway and is confused for a minute, but it’s nothing he’s using anymore. Chat strongly suspects that Tango’s third machine is going to do some things to the trapdoors it is next to, but they don’t want to spoil the surprise.

1:51:30 Tango finishes the redstone of Machine 3 and adds the finishing touches. He breaks his redstone box and doesn’t successfully pick it up at first, then proclaims that is how one loses a redstone box. He uploads the third steamy sound and puts it on Machine 3. He wants to build three more machines on the other side of the factory floor.

1:53:00 Tango wants to do something different with Machine 4. It is next to another, different redstone device and can be activated by that redstone signal instead. He plays with the positioning of the campfire and the restone signal. He collects up some magma blocks to decorate with and declares his music “very eighties.”

1:58:00 Tango solidifies the location for Machine 4. He assembles Machine 4 partway, then pauses, not sure if it will work with so much other redstone around. Deciding on a strategy of bold adventure, he does it anyway. The resulting trigger mechanism is made mostly of observers and optimism, but Tango is pleased. He does more redstone tinkering, including running some signal through a magma block.

2:03:30 Machine four is done! A chatter asks if Tango got help from Mumbo for this design. Tango confirms that Mumbo actually does all Tango’s redstone for him. He also talks to Mumbo all the time, definitely. Tango admits that he talks directly to Mumbo once or twice a year. They like each other, but their paths simply never cross. Chat would like to see Tango and Mumbo do a big project together.

2:05:00 Tango realizes that Machine 4 takes up a lot of real estate he was going to use for Machine 5, but he thinks he can make it work anyway. He does more redstone! Chat is concerned that he has disconnected a minecart trigger. Chat also wants Tango to visit Big Ron’s. Tango doesn’t know what Big Ron’s is. ((Big Ron’s is one of the pretend shops in Mumbo’s base. It has been temporarily taken over by Grian and Gem’s mischievous snails as a pop-up shop to sell the diamond ore they stole from Scar’s Ore Mountain.)) Chat tries to explain, but they are very confusing. Tango is not caught up on server storylines enough to understand snail adventures.

2:08:00 Redstone work continues. Tango realizes he can’t do the thing with the thing there because of that, which is a verbatim quote for once and not the recapper’s lack of comprehension. Tango mentions placing a torchy down, making Chat nostalgic for Secret Life Torchy. Tango agrees that for one episode, Torchy was a legend. He finesses the design of the machine to make it fit better , then installs the noteblock and Machine 5 is done.

2:11:00 Tango finds a location for the last steam machine. He begin assembling Machine 6 while Chat amuses itself with dispenser puns and by mocking Tango. The last machine gets built very quickly. Tango listens to the steam noteblock sound and comments that when he makes Plate Up in Minecraft, that will be the food burning sound. He confirms that he will be trying to create Plate Up in Minecraft, or something similar at least. Chat thinks this is very twag of him.

2:15:10 Cleo raids into the stream. Tango misses Cleo and says they are the best Cleo ever to Cleo. They need to hang out sometime. Cleo’s chat is full of OMG Hiiii energy. The OMG Hiiii horn starts playing, which means False is probably nearby. Tango is so confused. Chat says it was a False Alarm. Tango sighs but has to admit that was pretty good.

2:18:00 Tango goes upstairs and gets all the last odds and ends he needs to load the farms, including a whole lot of flint and steel and a bunch of water buckets. He loads up the machines and gets them working. Chat asks if the water kittens are asleep, Tango says that the water kittens are stupid. He loads water buckets into the machines, then creates a bunch of flint and steels to load in as well. Chat warns Tango about a impending water leak issue, but Tango is doing math. He finishes doing math and fixes the block three seconds before the bucket deploys. Everything’s fiiiiiine.

2:23:00 Tango continues loading the machines, temporarily foiling himself with a magma block but recovering and stuffing the machine with firestarters. There is room for more flint and steel in the machines, but for now the amount he’s putting in will do. A chatter wishes for magma slabs, Tango agrees that it would be nice if there were slabs for pretty much every block in the game. Chat suggests TNT slabs, then reminds itself that those are called Etho Slabs. ((An actual “canon” block, from a Minecraft April Fool’s joke.))

2:26:30 Time to go look at all the steam! The machines do successfully produce steam. Tango wants more steam! But the radius of the sound is all wrong and he can’t hear steam across the room. He goes back into the machine and fixes all the sound-producing heads so the radius is more sensible.

2:30:00 Steam observation time. Tango and the chat like the new steam effects. He watches the room for awhile to see if one is not smoking and to see how often they smoke. He’d actually like a little more steam, more often. Machines 4 and 2 are being stubborn. Chat points out again that Tango broke the minecart activator on Machine 4 ages ago. 2 is a mystery. Eventually 2 and 4 both do run, drawing a cheer from Tango. He is very happy with the aesthetic of his factory floor.

2:35:00 Tango talks about future plans for decorating the factory. He loves doing redstone décor and ambiance work. Chat also likes the ambiance, though opinions are somewhat divided over all the steam noise. A chatter sends a message talking about their soft robotics project, Tango is curious what that means. Chat has lots of theories.

2:37:50 Tango calls the project done for now, he is happy. Chat is surprised to see Mumbo join the game. Tango teases him about the sign at the gold shop. Mumbo despairs that he is out of stock AGAIN. Grian wants to know who needs that much gold. Tango needs gold for powered rails. Tango’s next episode will be opening the shroomlight shop and building Fun Gus the monster, or building the steampunk blimp that will be the shell around the copper farm. Then there will be factory-building work. The guts of the factory are done, but it needs its building and lots of cool sound art to bring it to life. The factory will be an amazing and noisy place.

2:41:50 Tango decides to wrap up the stream. He is happy with the steam system even if it took longer than planned. No Wordle today, but he has all week to play that. Chat is not allowed to spoil the word! Tango raids into Fwhip and ends his stream.

[legends-of-time]

The Journey of Living at Downton

Chapter 33:Early August 1922

Masterlist

Come early August, Emma is shocked to see how time has flown. Sybbie will be turning two this month and Emma will be heading back to work as the brand new head nurse of the Hospital.

"So, what did Anna say when she saw the dress?" Emma asks.

Emma thinks this is a good opportunity to get all the details of Mary's mud-filled adventure with Charles Blake and the Downton pigs, as she, Mary, Edith and Tom walk the worn path that leads from the house to the end of the estate where the pig stye has been built. Mary hasn't really been too open about the night of the pig incident which seems to have changed Mr Blake's attitude towards her.

"Honestly, she had no words." Mary says. "I don't think I've ever seen her eyes so big in shock. I told her she needn't take the time to clean it as it was obviously ruined beyond repair."

"But a small sacrifice for the sake of the estate." Edith remarks sardonically.

"And what of Mr. Blake?" Emma asks, looking at Mary from the side of her eyes.

"What about him?" Mary asks casually, seemingly ignoring the gentle teasing in Emma's tone.

"Well, you saved the pigs and made him breakfast while all dressed in evening wear, though perhaps a bit mucky." Emma says. "That has definitely thawed him out a bit."

Mary rolls her eyes. "I'm not interested in his... temperature."

Edith and Emma giggle.

"Well, he might be more interested in yours now." Emma remarks. "It never takes them long to decide they like you, Mary. You're not so modest as to deny it."

Mary ignores her teasing. "The true hero of the night is the scullery maid who left the whisk in the sink. Otherwise, I'd never have known where to find it."

"So, you saved her too, then," Emma says, "or she'd have gotten a scolding from Mrs Patmore come morning."

"What did the pig man say after all this?" Edith asks.

"He had the decency to resign the post." Mary explains airily.

"Would you have given him the sack?" Emma asks. "If the pigs knocked over the trough, it was only an accident."

Tom, who is a step ahead of the trio of women, turns as he walks and says, "I think he saw it as a bad omen, and decided to cut his losses."

"Tom disagreed, but I'd have sacked him." Mary says. "But I appreciate his not wanting to go on after an inauspicious start."

"So, you'll have to find someone new?" Edith asks.

Tom looks over his shoulder at Mary.

"We'll see." Mary replies.

As the group nears the barn, Emma catches the stench of the animals, which makes her picture, once again, Mary neck deep in mud. She chuckles. "Never let it be said, Mary, that you are not willing to fight for Downton."

Mary smiles, then looks to Tom. "I hope Drew knows we're coming."

"Yes." Tom reassures. "I sent a note yesterday."

They walk through the barn, cute little piglets running around their feet, and approach the open pens where the adult pigs are kept.

"Have the pigs recovered, do you think?" Edith questions.

Mr Drewe, in working clothes, comes walking towards them, carrying a pail.

"They look in good shape to me, after the shock of their arrival." Mary observes.

"But why didn't he check to see they all had water before he left for the night?" Mary wonders.

"Maybe he filled the trough and thought that was enough. He wasn't to know they'd kick it over." Mr Drewe defends the poor pigman.

"Mr Branson is right. He should have made sure." Mary says.

Emma turns to Mr Drewe. "I'm sure you would have done."

"Where did you learn about pigs?" Edith asks.

"We've always had pigs at Yew Tree, M'lady." Mr Drewe replies. "Not many, but enough to learn their ways."

"I'm truly seeing what His Lordship saw in you." Emma comments.

"Thank you, Mrs Branson." Mr Drewe puts down his pail. "So, have you found a man to take over?"

"Not yet. First, we'd like to know if you'd want the job." Mary offers.

Mr Drewe looks at them in surprise. "Me? You mean I'm to manage the pigs for the estate, as well as me farm?"

"It's asking a lot." Tom realises.

"I can do it." Mr Drewe reassures him. "If you're sure?"

"Let's give it a try, see how we get on." Mary says.

As Mr Drewe, Tom and Mary discuss the matter for a few minutes, Emma walks around and watches the animals walk around their small space. She now wishes, she'd brought Sybbie and Ivy with them on their walk even though it is likely they'd have ended up covered in mud too.

——

Everyone's gathered in the Library having tea, attended by Mr Carson, Mr Molesley and Jimmy. Violet and Isobel are visiting and Emma is glad to see the Dowager going from strength to strength. Evelyn Napier and Charles Blake are unsurprisingly surrounding Mary though the duo are to be leaving soon.

Cora is at the desk, stressing about the bazaar, a task usually dealt with by Robert but as he's in America (dealing with Cora's brother's involvement in the 'Teapot Dome' scandal. So, the daunting task has been left to his wife and anyone she can drag into it.

Emma and Tom walk over to where Isobel sits reading a newspaper, and sit down next to her.

"Anything interesting?" Tom asks.

"I'm reading about county politics. They're looking for candidates for the local council." Isobel replies. She hands the paper to Tom. Emma leans over his shoulder to have a peak. "Why don't you put yourself forward?"

"Mr Ward has already invited Tom to be a part of the local committee, to help draft the local platform before the coming election." Emma comments, glancing pointedly at her husband, who glances elsewhere in an attempt to avoid her gaze.

"Sounds splendid!" Isobel exclaims with a smile.

"I'm still not sure about it." Tom adds. "But what are my politics these days? I'm not sure."

"You could always read a bit about it." Isobel offers.

"You won't find many books on the Liberal ideals in this room. And nothing at all about socialism." Tom retorts.

"If you're serious about driving me to Thirsk tomorrow, perhaps we might find some then." Isobel says.

Tom smiles, honouring her good intentions, but hands the paper back to her.

"Well, either way it'll be a nice trip. I'd like to come, we could take Ivy and Michael out." Emma says.

"What a lovely idea!" Isobel agrees.

The door opens and Nanny Jean and her companion walk in with Michael and George in their arms and Sybbie and Ivy in tow.

"Are we too early?" Nanny Jean questions.

"Bring them in, Nanny. I don't think anyone will mind." Mary reassures from her seat on the settee next to Mr Blake.

"Your Papa might, but he isn't here to complain." Cora remarks with a pleased smile, visibly happy to see the children.

The Nanny walks Ivy over to Tom, who gets down to take her into his arms and places Michael in Emma's. Her companion brings Sybbie over to her grandmother, who's moved to the settee next to Edith then brings over a loudly crying George towards Mary.

Mary is putting her cup on the side table. "One moment, darling, while Mummy puts away her cup."

"Oh, here, let me." Mr Blake holds out his hands for George and the Nanny puts the crying baby in his arms. Emma watches, while cradling Michael, how Mr Blake handles him quite competently. "Hello, there."

Mary is honestly surprised while Violet is downright shocked. Emma can't help but see, something that has been happening recently, the possibility of Mary and Mr Blake...

"He's turning into quite a bruiser." Mr Blake remarks. George is still crying.

"Yes, and I must go." Violet says as she pulls herself up.

"Stay and have some dinner, Mama. You needn't change." Cora pleads, standing up with Sybbie in her arms.

Those sitting stand in politeness. Mr Blake is still rocking a crying George in his arms, patting him soothingly on the back while Mary takes her son's little hand and makes gentle shushing noises.

"No. Thank you, my dear, but no. You should change and I should go." Violet says. She takes her leave in a hurry.

——

That evening, Emma makes her way down the stairs and when she reaches the bottom, Emma feels someone grab her arm. She startles and turns to find Mary is the one pulling her into a corner.

"Why did you not tell me?" Mary hisses.

Emma frowns. "Tell you what?"

"That it was Lord Gillingham's Valet that attacked Anna."

Emma's eyes widen in panic and glances around them, fearful someone may have heard before turning back to Mary's accusing gaze. "You know why. She's my friend Mary, I don't want to break her trust. She pleaded for me not to say anything, she desperately wants to protect her husband from his own anger."

"We need to do something." Mary insists.

"Like what? We can't say anything."

"Lord Gillingham and his valet are coming tomorrow night. I'm going to try and telephone him tomorrow to either come without Green or to not come at all." Mary says.

Emma nods. "I suppose that's all we can do for now."

——

Isobel, Emma and Tom get out of their parked car along with the children. Tom pulls out the pram for Emma to lie Michael in while Ivy diligently holds onto Isobel's hand.

"Let's meet in the book shop in ten minutes. I've got some letters to post." Isobel shows the letters in her hand. "I can take Ivy with me." She grins cheerfully at Ivy and squeezes her hand. The toddler smiles back.

"If you're sure?" Emma asks. Isobel affirms. Emma turns to Ivy. "Would you like to go with Auntie Isobel?"

Ivy grins at her mother. "Yes!"

Tom chuckles and leans down to stroke his daughter's cheek. "Well, okay then. We'll see you at the bookshop."

They walk away in different directions.

——

Emma and Tom are strolling along, the latter is pushing the pram. They are walking past the windows of the tea room when suddenly Tom pauses and doubles back.

Emma pauses. "Tom? What is it?"

"Just something..." Tom trails off. "Could open the door for me?" He gestures to the door of the tea room.

Emma frowns but does as he asks and holds the door open for him as he pushes Michael inside and follows after.

A lady customer passes them on her way out. The woman behind the till nods her head towards them and Emma and Tom do the same as Tom takes off his hat. Though the former is confused while the latter looks concerned.

"Why are we in here, Tom?" Emma asks.

"That." Tom nods to the window between the front counter and the tea room at the back.

Emma follows his gaze and through it, she can see Rose and Jack Ross, who are just taking their places at a table. They smile happily at each other. Rose reaches out to stroke Jack's cheek but the singer pulls away. Emma doesn't blame him. Even from where she's standing, she can see a waitress is watching from the doorway while a woman is watching from a neighbouring table.

Emma can see that Tom is deeply unsettled and she doesn't want him to do anything she'll hate him for. "Let's go, Tom." She encourages.

Tom nods and they step out of the shop along with Michael and walk off. Emma doesn't have a problem with what's going on between Rose and Mr Ross but knows that this time period does and even her own one does sometimes and because of this, she knows this won't end well, particularly for Mr Ross. Rose is naïve enough to not realise this.

——

Emma and Tom don't really know what to do, both of them agreeing this won't end well. They end up deciding that Mary might be the best one to go to, they trust her.

That evening, after getting ready for dinner, Emma and Tom knock on the eldest Crawley daughter's door. At Mary's call, they enter the room. Emma notes that Anna, who lingers in the room, is looking quite crestfallen.

Emma frowns but gets distracted by Mary's comment to Tom as she stands from her vanity, pulling on some gloves. "No tails? You know Granny's coming."

Tom looks down in his black tie ensemble. "Oh, God, is she? I didn't realise." He turns to run straight back out again.

"No, don't change. It's time she learned about the real world." Mary says.

"Well, that's a phrase with more than one definition."

There's an uncomfortable silence. Emma doesn't really want to talk about this with Anna present. Thankfully she gets it and walks out of the room, closing the door.

"Can we have a word?" Tom starts. "We've seen something, and we're not saying there's anything wrong about it, but we'd feel uncomfortable if we kept it to ourselves."

"We also are not sure how to deal with it so we thought it best to share it with you." Emma adds.

"I'm all ears."

"This morning, in Thirsk, we saw Rose." Tom says.

"Yes, she was shopping." Mary says with a 'duh' like tone.

"No, she was not shopping." Emma disagrees. "She was meeting a man. We saw her as she reached up to stroke his cheek."

Mary sighs in resignation. "Oh, golly. Who is it this time?"

"It was Jack Ross - the singer with the band who came up for your father's party." Emma explains. "Again, nothing wrong, but, well, you know how naïve Rose is with how the world works. I worry that she doesn't realise the implications for him."

"That's it. We've told you and have nothing more to add." Tom declares. Emma can see he didn't take any pleasure in doing this and he walks out without another word.

"Emma." Mary calls before Emma can follow.

"Yes?"

Mary sighs. "It's about lord Gillingham. Apparently, he left the Dalrymples straight after breakfast, so I missed him when I telephoned."

Emma closes her eyes. "I was wondering why Anna looked so sad when we came in. There's nothing more we can do, is there?"

"Except pray that Bates doesn't work it out." Mary says.

"I fear he may have already."

——

Since Robert has been away, the seating layout has changed. Cora sits in Robert's seat while Violet sits in Cora's old seat. Emma, as usual, sits between Rose and Edith while Mary sits next to Billy and Tom at the other end.

Violet is next to Gillingham. "Have you been wandering round Scotland since we saw you?"

"I have." Gillingham replies. "I was on the Spey. I did a tour of the cousinage, then after that a wedding in Ayrshire. I've enjoyed myself. It gave me time to think for once."

"What about?" Billy asks across Tom and Rosamund.

"My life, I suppose."

Emma tenses at that and notes how everyone is listening in as well. Emma already knows this will lead them down an awkward path.

"Everyone should, from time to time." Isobel comments.

"Oh, I can't agree. In my experience it's a dangerous occupation." Violet dismisses.

Emma frowns, curious. "Dangerous?"

"Well, no life appears rewarding if you think too much about it." This is putting rather a damper on the party.

Rosamund, who sits next to Tom, makes a valiant attempt to change the subject. "I gather you've launched into pigs these days."

"Yes." Tom replies. "And their arrival was quite the adventure, in which Mr Blake and Mary were the hero and heroine."

Gillingham turns to Mary, rather miffed. "Is this what you wouldn't tell me when I was last here?"

Mary smiles uncomfortably. "Only because I didn't want to make too much of it."

"Lady Mary was perfectly splendid." Emma glances across rose to Mr Blake, who's really not helping.

"Lady Mary is perfectly splendid. Really, Charles, are you a pig expert as well?" Gillingham snips.

"He was that night, thank heaven." Mary comments.

Now it's Cora's turn to try and make things less awkward. "Rosamund and Edith have some exciting news."

"What's that?" Mr Napier questions.

"We're going on a sabbatical, so that we can really improve our French," Rosamund explains. "The only thing I ever learned from my governess was how to say 'please', 'thank you' and 'I have a temperature.'"

Emma frowns. It seems very sudden and strange but she knows now is not the time to say that. "Seems useful when travelling, but it would be nice to be able to hold an actual conversation.

"Precisely." Rosamund turns to her mother. "Do you remember her, Mama? She was always in tears."

"Oh, poor Mademoiselle. Her life was full of 'complications'." Violet and Rosamund share a little laugh at the memory. "I think she quite enjoyed it, though."

"But why you? You don't want to learn French. Or is this an incognito search for the missing Mr Gregson?" Mary remarks insensitively.

"Don't tease her. It's much more serious than that." Billy says.

"Thank you, Billy. If you must know, I fancy getting away for a bit." Edith says. Emma frowns as she watches the woman next to her look down, fiddling with her fork.

"Oh. Like Lord Gillingham, thinking his way around the Highlands." Violet gives Edith a searching look. Seems she's also sharing Emma's suspicions that this isn't all that it seems.

——

After dinner, Emma is walking along the landing to her and Tom's room after checking in on the children when she finds Anna standing outside Mary's room.

"Anna?" Emma calls to her as she approaches.

"Ssh!" Anna quickly hisses.

Emma is about to ask why when she hears Rose declare, "I love him. And I won't listen to any imperialist nonsense about racial purity and how he should be horsewhipped for daring to dream."

Oh dear, seems Mary is talking to Rose about what Emma and Tom had seen in Ripon.

"Don't you know me better than that?" Mary retorts.

"I'm going to marry him, Mary. And I don't care what it costs and I won't keep it a secret. Not once I've told Mummy. I want to see her face crumble when she finds out." Rose declares fiercely.

Emma is startled when Rose opens the door and charges past her and Anna. Emma and Mary exchange a concerned look.

——

Mr Napier, Gillingham and Mr Blake are making their farewells in the Great Hall in the presence of Tom, Emma, Rose, Cora and Mary.

"I feel we're driving you away." Cora says.

"Oh, hardly. We're in grave danger of outstaying our welcome." Mr Blake remarks.

"If Tony hadn't offered us a lift, we'd probably be here forever." Mr Napier adds. Emma knows that's probably the reason the lift was offered in the first place.

"I hope you'll be back soon." Cora says.

"Good luck with your bazaar." Mr Blake says.

"I think Lady Grantham wants to plead for you to stay and lend her a hand." Emma remarks.

"Don't tempt me." Everyone laughs a bit.

"I'm so grateful for your advice and wisdom." Marry says to Mr Blake. "And not least for the very practical and muddy pig rescue."

"Glad to be of service, M'lady."

They all walk for the door. Emma glances back, seeing they are leaving Mary and Gillingham alone for a moment. Mmm...

"Are you going straight there?" Billy asks.

"We might stop for some lunch." Mr Blake replies.

The party soon comes walking out of the front door, the visitors dressed in their travelling coats and hats. Green stands waiting by the car. Emma sends a glare before turning back to the farewell conversations around her. She doesn't want to give him the time of day.

The final shaking of hands and the three gentlemen walk to the car and get in. Gillingham is driving himself, with Green next to him, and Mr Napier and Mr Blake in the back. They start driving off. They line up to see them off, Rosamund and Edith having joined them.

"I'm sorry to see them go." Cora says mournfully.

"Not as sorry as Mary." Rose remarks. "What's a group noun for suitors?"

"What do you think? A 'desire'?" Cora suggests teasingly.

"'A desire of suitors'. Very good." Rosamund agrees. Emma huffs a laugh along with the others.

Mary remains stone faced. "If you're going to talk nonsense, I have better things to do." Mary leads the way back in. The other ladies are still giggling.

——

The Villagers start setting up the stalls for the bazaar on Saturday. Cora is in the middle of the bazaar preparations as she stands at the writing desk in the Library, holding a letter. Rose is in an armchair, reading a newspaper. Emma comes walking up to them.

"What a nightmare. The man selling ices is ill, so I've got to find another. The grocers from Easingwold and Malton can't be side by side, and I've got to decide the house menus with Mrs Patmore." Cora complains to Rose as Emma walks up to them.

"I'll do that. Tend to the bazaar." Emma offers, feeling sorry for the woman.

"Are you sure? Because if you are..."

"I'm sure. Everyone's got to pull their weight." Emma insists. She glances disapprovingly at Rose, who is clearly not pulling her weight. Cora hands her the paper and gives her a look of gratitude.

Rose calls after Cora, "When's Cousin Robert coming back?"

"I don't know. I wish I did. We've had no word from him in days." Cora laments before leaving.

Rose puts down the newspaper and is about to say something before cutting herself off.

"What is it?" Emma prompts.

"I've got to tell someone, or I'll just explode." Rose says excitedly.

"Tell someone what?"

"Oh, Emma." Rose jumps up and moves towards her. "What do you think? I'm engaged!"

Emma gapes at her. "You what?" She blurts.

——

After hearing Rose boast to Mary about how she wants to see her mother's face 'drop', Emma knows that Rose doesn't truly love Mr Ross as she should and the girl's news just confirms it. To be honest, Emma worries about what everyone will do to Mr Ross because of Rose trying to prove a point.

Emma tells Mary who decides she must go up to London. Emma wishes she could join but she's been tied down with promises to Cora to help with the bazaar. Mary hurries off and Emma moves on to observing and conducting the set up of the stalls for the bazaar on the lawn, bunting and flower garlands used as decorations. Emma walks through them all, directing things with a clipboard in hand and Mr Carson at her shoulder. The servants are out handing drinks and sandwiches to those setting up the stalls.

Emma is conducting Rosamund and Rose setting up a trestle table when Mary, dressed for travelling, and Cora walk up to them with Anna trailing behind.

"But why the urgency?" Emma hears Cora asking.

"I can't explain, but I swear if you knew, you'd approve." Mary replies. She shares a conspiring look with Emma.

"What this? What's happened?" Rose asks.

"Mary has to go to London." Cora tells her, sounding irritated. Rose almost seems to light up at the word 'London'.

"It's no big thing. I'll be back tomorrow night." Mary reassures.

"Can I come?" Rose quickly asks.

"No."

"Well, why not?"

"Because Mama needs you here." Mary says.

"Plus, Tom and Billy have gone off to Skipton so we're low on a couple of hands." Emma adds pointedly.

"What for?" Rosamund asks.

"Tom wants to see some suppliers and compare prices." Emma shrugs.

Mary turns and kisses her mother on the cheek. "Goodbye, then. Bye, Rose." The young girl is sulking.

"Do you want to stay at the house? I'll telephone if you do." Rosamund offers.

"Could you? You're an angel." Mary says.

"I'm afraid I told Mead he could visit his sister in Swindon, but they'll do the best they can." Rosamund tells her.

"Thank you." Mary walks away.

"How mysterious." Rosamund remarks.

You have no idea.

——

The next morning, it's time for the stalls to be decorated for the bazaar tomorrow. Emma is in the Hall with Edith, Rose and Cora at some trestle tables that have been put up and are sorting through tablecloths and decorations for the bazaar. In the background, several members of the staff are busy, too.

Emma and Rose giggle with each other as they put on silly helmets.

Rosamund arrives downstairs. "Goodness, I thought I'd be down before anyone."

Emma scoffs with a smile. "Cora wouldn't let us. An early start helps get the job done."

Tom and Billy walk in from outside with their jackets off and sleeves rolled up. Emma gives her husband an appreciative look. He always looks good with his sleeves rolled up.

"We've got the tent up for the tea, and they're fetching the tables and chairs from the barn." Tom tells them.

"Just don't let them mess up the grass too much when they drive them back." Cora replies.

Rose nearly knocks Tom in the head with something that looks like Neptune's trident. "Rose!" Tom laughs. He turns to Emma and smirks at her headdress. "Very nice."

Emma chuckles and tips her helmet slightly. "Why thank you kind Sir."

Cora and Edith are at either end of a huge linen basket but are quickly relieved of the heavy basket by Billy who carries it outside.

——

Emma is outside, helping set up and directing people when she spots a familiar face setting up some sweet jars on a stall talking to Billy who carries three folding chairs in each hand.

Emma spots her husband nearby and walks over to him. "Oh, that's Sarah Bunting. Didn't know she was local."

Tom turns to her and then glances at Sarah and Billy with a contemplative look. "Yes, she's a school teacher in the Village. Me and Billy saw her yesterday, helped her with her broken down car."

Emma sees Tom looks uncomfortable. "What is it?"

"She's very opinionated." Tom reluctantly admits. "I felt she was attacking mine and Billy's beliefs because we live at Downton. She doesn't like the upper class very much."

Emma smirks at him. "Neither did you I recall."

Tom huffs a laugh. "I know but... have I stepped to far from my socialist beliefs? Am I so different from the man you first met?"

"Mmm... well, you've mellowed out I suppose but no." Emma replies. "You're still a fighter for your beliefs, you just understand the other side a bit more than before."

Cora then appears beside them, carrying a tray laden with flowers in vases. "Are they ready for these?" She asks Tom.

Tom nods. "Give me those." He takes them and hurries off again. Emma frowns as she watches him. She hopes he's alright.

——

It is finally Saturday and the bazaar is in full swing. There's laughter and chatter, people milling around, talking, looking at the stalls, eating and drinking. Children are playing games like sack races and running around excitedly. Men play the ring-the-bell game. There's a hook and duck stand where a tin bath is being used.

Jimmy ladles punch into a cup and then furtively drinks it himself. Anna and Gemma are serving food in the tea tent. Rosamund is temporarily manning a baker's stall, serving a customer with a very upset and grumpy Rose. Mary had told Emma that Mr Ross had called off the engagement and had broken things off with Rose.

Emma has absconded Michael and Ivy from Nanny Jean and her companion. Michael laughs and gurgles at what he can see from his pram while Ivy runs a little unsteadily beside her mother and brother, staring at everything around them with glee. Emma watches softly as she watches Billy holds Sybbie and plays a throwing game by holding onto his daughter's arms and pretending she's the one throwing them.

Suddenly, Emma hears Mr Carson yelling, "It's His Lordship! His Lordship's back! Tell the others! His Lordship's back! James!"

Emma turns to see a couple of cars can be seen moving up the drive, laden with luggage and stares in surprise. It really is Robert, back from America. He stands up as soon as the open car he's riding in has come to a stop and waves his hat cheerily. Thomas jumps out from the front seat to open the car door for him.

Emma hands over the children to the Nanny before hurrying over with the others.

Edith is the first to arrive. She greets her father, laughing. "How can you be here?! Why didn't you send a message?" Robert laughs, too, and kisses her cheek. "We would have made such a fuss! You're a beast!"

"Oh, not quite a beast, I hope. I wanted to surprise you and I think I have." Robert replies joyfully. "Hello Emma."

He surprises her with an embrace but she recovers and beams back. "It's good to see you've survived your voyage."

"Quite."

Meanwhile, Mary has arrived. In the background, the servants all hurry towards them too. Mr Molesley and Jimmy move off to the cars to take care of the luggage. Mr Carson and Mr Bates stand ready, waiting for orders.

"Papa, you should have let us know!" Mary says. Robert kisses his daughter's cheek. "When did you get in?"

"This morning. I'd forgotten about the bazaar. I was right not to distract you all from your labours." Billy and Tom walk up and Robert shakes each of their hands cordially.

"What happened to Uncle Harold?" Mary asks.

"A reprimand, but nothing more." Robert replies with a sigh.

"So, it was worth your going." Tom says.

"I don't think I made a bit of difference, but let's hold on to that fiction."

Emma moves over to Thomas who's unstrapping the cases. "You've returned then?" She remarks with a grin.

Thomas gives her a warm smile. "I have."

"How was it?" Mr Mosesley asks excitedly as he and Jimmy join them.

"Interesting. Very modern, and very interesting." Thomas remarks. "How's it been here?"

"Not very interesting and not very modern." Jimmy replies gloomily. Thomas chuckles and, with a nod to Emma, walks off with Mr Molesley and Jimmy and the luggage.

Emma turns and smiles softly as she watches Robert and Cora exchange a passionate kiss and then hold each other in their arms, looking at each other lovingly.

——

A short while later, Emma is with Edith, Violet, Rosamund and Mary. Emma spots Lord Gillingham walking among the bazaar-goers.

"Isn't that Lord Gillingham?" She points out to the others.

"What? It can't be. Where?" Emma indicates and Mary immediately walks towards him.

"What does Miss Lane Fox think about it? That's what I wonder." Edith remarks.

"I agree. He's the most unconvincing fiancé I've ever come across." Violet adds.

"Perhaps she doesn't know." Rosamund suggests.

"She better. It'd be worse if she was none the wiser." Emma says. She watches with a frown when she notes how dead serious Gillingham is.

She's even more concerned when Mary pulls her and Anna to the side and tells them the news. Green is dead. He was in Piccadilly when he slipped, or stumbled, and fell into the road.

"You mean... he fell into the road, and... he was hit? Yesterday?" Anna questions as if to be sure. Emma doesn't blame her.

"By a bus or lorry, apparently." Mary adds.

"And someone saw this?"

"The pavement was crowded. Lots of people saw it."

"That's a relief." Anna says. Emma looks at her sharply. She doesn't think...

"What do you mean?" Mary asks.

"Nothing. I don't mean anything." Anna says quickly and walks away.

"You don't think..." Emma murmurs.

"I hope not." Mary replies.

They're interrupted by Charles Blake, who has apparently been magically drawn back to Downton today, too. "Mary! Did your mother warn you I was coming?"

Mary quickly puts on a greeting smile. "She did. Why are you back in Yorkshire so soon?"

"I'd no sooner got back than I was despatched to a tenant farmers' convention in Whitby. But it's over now, so I'll go home from here." Mr Blake replies.

Emma quickly excuses herself and walks over to Tom who holds Ivy next to the hook and duck game.

Tom immediately notices her distressed look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Emma hurriedly changes the topic. "Where's Michael?"

Tom frowns but replies, "With Nanny. Emma? What's going on?"

"It's nothing, really. I'll just go and get him." Emma quickly walks away feeling guilty for lying to him like that.

——

Robert walks across the bazaar with a glass in his hand and joins his mother and Emma, who's cradling Michael, at the table under a canopy.

"God, what a relief to be able to drink in public without a Policeman pouncing." Robert remarks, raising his glass in a toast. "Down with Prohibition."

Emma hums. "Ah, yes prohibition. Caused more problems than solved them."

Violet looks at her son, aghast. "You can't mean you never had a drink all the time you were there."

Robert shrugs. "Harold has his uses."

"I suppose he does." Violet comments with a chuckle. "And let us hope they both leave us in peace."

"A slim hope, I'm afraid. Martha wants to bring him over next summer for Rose's coming-out ball." Robert tells them.

Emma pulls a face. "Why?" She has nothing against the Crawley's American relations, just the coming out into society all high-class girls have to do for some reason.

"She says she wants to see another London Season before she dies."

Violet groans. Emma sniggers to herself and, sensing her laughter, Michael joins in with a giggle of his own.

——

The bazaar is ending. The servants are packing away and the bunting is taken down. Hall boys and estate workers are taking down the stalls and carrying chairs and benches away.

Mr Blake and Mary return to where the family and their guests are assembled under one of the canopies that are still standing.

"Where have you two been hiding?" Gillingham remarks to them.

"In plain view, where all good tricksters hide." Mr Blake replies.

Robert arrives, triumphantly carrying two bottles of champagne. "Look what I've found. Billy, will you see if there are some clean glasses on that table?" He hands both to Billy who happily takes them and turns to Cora. "Well done, my dear. A real triumph." Everyone starts clapping.

"Ah, she did have help you know." Emma huffs jokingly causing the rest of the group to chuckle. She gives Michael to Nanny so she's able to accept the glass that Robert fills for her.

"I hope so. I've told them they can clear up the rest tomorrow." Cora says.

"I thought that was the best bazaar I've known here." Isobel compliments.

"Certainly." Violet agrees before turning to Robert, as he fills a glass for her. "At least since your father and I were running it." Everyone laughs.

"And now, as the Prodigal Husband home from the sea, let me raise a glass to my extraordinary wife," Robert fills his and Cora's glasses too, "who can clearly manage far better in my absence." He raises his glass. "Cora."

Everyone joins in the toast.

"Very well done, Lady Grantham. And now, I'm afraid, I should be going." Mr Blake reluctantly says.

"It was so kind of you to come." Cora says.

"I don't suppose I could ask you for a lift this time?" Gillingham asks. "I came by train, but I'd much rather drive."

"Certainly."

Emma raises an eyebrow at this. Certainly sounds like it could be a bit of an awkward ride.

"I'll see you off."

Robert looks after Mary and the two men bewildered. "What sort of ménage has that turned into while I've been away?"

None of the remaining group is going to answer that as they shrug and smile, but they all watch Mary and her suitors out, very curious to find out the answer.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[kinhluan]

I finished this book recently and it gave me many wonderful experiences and here are my thoughts:

The Pigman is the story that contributes to the maturity and youthfulness of the teenagers that they have been through tragic aftermath consequences, therefore, a memorial epic is written to contribute to the loss of a lonely old man whom they considered as a loving father. Throughout the novel, there were two main characters John Colan and Lorraine Jenson are well-developed personalities over time and show the values of maturity and friendship between them as well as Mr. Pignati, Both are close friends with each other however they have contrasting personalities in their way and for different reasons. John is an intelligent good- looking boy who wants to be an actor despite his father's rejection, he is a troublemaker who causes many problems in school like setting firecrackers in the bathroom, and he also has many different bad habits such as drinking, smoking, and involved in many conflicts with his dad. On the other hand, Lorraine Jenson is a sensitive sophomore girl who considers herself a paranoiac, besides, her dream is to be a writer and she is especially interested in psychology with her sense of observations and predictions usually spot on. In the story of the Pigman, it is obvious that John and Lorraine have experienced a situation where the two main characters have in common about lack of parental irresponsibility towards children as well as upbringing them in the arms of love, therefore these ideas have shaped and influenced John and Lorraine to be more mature and become more assertive in their way toward to an adult world.

[yeonchi]

Sea Princesses: Into the Liamverse Part 7: Swordfish Queen Pietra

Original post

Name: Pietra

Occupation: Swordfish Princess (formerly), Swordfish Queen (currently)

Race: Salacian

Nationality: Spanish

Gender: Female

Date of birth: 25 October 1967 (age 40, Scorpio ♏)

Hair colour: Red

Eye colour: Brown

Skin colour: Peach

Height: 190cm (166?)

Stature: Slim

Sexuality: Bisexual

Family:

Swordfish King Marcos (husband)

Marli (daughter)

Flikin (grandson)

Sailfish King Ferrel (younger brother)

Sailfish Queen Maggie (sister-in-law)

Sailfish Princess Perla (niece)

Myrno (father-in-law)

Mayra (mother-in-law)

Wendy Naral (love interest)

Amanda (adoptive daughter)

Ester (future daughter-in-law)

Starfish Queen Silvana (future in-law)

Starfish King Esteban (future in-law)

Relationships:

Shark Queen Mariana (good friend)

Octopus Queen Vinila (good friend)

Starfish Queen Silvana (more or less)

Whale Queen Baleia (former friend)

Penguin Queen Isandra (good friend)

Crab Queen (good friend)

Turtle Queen Harmony (good friend)

Miss Marla (more or less)

Enemies:

Swordfish King Marcos (after discovering his mistreatment of Marli)

Mr Marshall Hellander (her girlfriend’s stalker)

Guzman Pigman (her daughter’s stalker)

Mr Mortiny (believes that he is a degenerate obsessed with his daughter)

Mr Bernardo (for working with her husband)

Whale King Giddeon/King Thorn (for wanting to kill Namio and take over Salacia)

First appearance: The Doll (mention)/Drawing of her with Lobster Queen Abby and Electric Eel Queen Elena (8 April 2022)

Skills: Swiftness and agility

Likes: helping those in need, spending time with her family, her daughter Marli, cooking, playing with her grandson, helping swordfish

Dislikes: Marcos, Marli being sad or frustrated, her family not being well, injustices, her family being harmed, mistreating relatives behind her back

Pietra is the Swordfish Queen, wife to King Marcos, mother to Marli and grandmother to Flikin.

History

Pietra was born in 1967 as the eldest daughter of the North Sea Swordfish King followed by her younger brother, Ferrel. She was one of the smarter students in Mr Gippson’s class at the Sea School even though she was quite shy. Pietra was friends with Penguin Princess Isandra and Whale Princess Baleia; she met Marcos, the Southern Swordfish Prince who was the teacher’s favourite student, but she was too shy and he was not very sociable with others. Baleia helped Pietra to be more open and she was able to become friends with Marcos, eventually going on to marry him and have a daughter which they named Marli.

When she was born, Marli was a very childish, cuddly, adorable and sociable little girl who loved dolls and dressed in pink. Pietra loved how her daughter was until Marli turned 6 years old and changed completely, showing a more mature attitude and giving her dolls to Pietra to donate to the nursery when she started doing so. Pietra also noticed a change in her husband, becoming more of an erratic perfectionist as he wanted Marli to be perfect, making Marli feel that she wasn’t good enough. She became much more docile and submissive to Marcos because she loved him so much that she was willing to ignore all the bad things about her husband, not realising that her family’s relationship with the other royal families would become more complicated as time went on.

For Marli’s 8th birthday, Pietra planned to organise a performance from the characters of Marli’s favourite marine animal robot TV show but to no success. She then saw a swordfish-themed children’s entertainer, Wendy Naral, and decided to hire her, then when she arrived at the party, Pietra saw that Wendy was quite physically attractive with a somewhat provocative wardrobe. Pietra tried asking Wendy to leave, but Marli liked her and asked Pietra if she could stay, to which Pietra relented.

Later, Marli came back from summer camp feeling sick and tired. Marcos and Pietra took Marli to hospital, where it was discovered that she was pregnant, much to their surprise. Although Marcos was furious about this, Pietra took it more calmly and after an arduous argument, they let Marli have her baby, a son who she named Flikin. Unlike Marcos who was far from interested in the newborn, Pietra helped Marli take care of Flikin when she had to go to school and thus, she currently works as a queen and grandmother.

Personality

Pietra is a kind, optimistic, intelligent and very pretty woman who tries to make her family happy. She can be very closed to other people and docile and submissive to Marcos, who dominates her and her daughter. Pietra adores her daughter and grandson but she feels sad that Marcos is very harsh with them but in general, she is a good queen, a good mother, a friend to other kings and queens and a good person.

Physical appearance

Pietra is a pretty and beautiful woman whose beauty and intelligence was inherited by Marli. She is a tall woman with a slim build and slender body. She has peach-coloured skin, red hair and a short hairstyle that reaches below her shoulders, silver earrings and brown eyes. Her outfit consists of loose purple pants, brown boots, a white shirt, a light purple vest with dark purple edges and golden buttons, a black ribbon with a green pin along with a silver and purple swordfish hooked into her hair.

Relationships 

Marli: Pietra always wants the best for Marli. She doesn’t like Marcos treating Marli badly and she would always protect her if she could.

Marcos: Pietra has loved Marcos since they were children and Marcos loved her back until his personality changed after their marriage. He tends to mistreat both Pietra and Marli, but Pietra tries to justify his attitude by saying that he had a difficult life.

Flikin: Pietra was surprised to learn of her daughter’s pregnancy, but she supported Marli where Marcos wouldn’t and was also willing to help Marli with her baby. Flikin is tender and affectionate with everyone and Pietra is no exception; he loves his grandmother as much as his mother.

Wendy Naral: Wendy was the swordfish-themed entertainer who Pietra almost turned down for Marli’s 8th birthday party but relented on Marli’s request. After that, Pietra would invite Wendy to the palace to speak with Marli and Miss Marla (how she fits into the picture I don’t know) but they wouldn’t speak with each other much. After Pietra discovered how Marcos treated Marli and banished him from the palace, she got closer to Wendy and they both realised that they had a lot in common and that they actually liked each other. They would start a relationship soon afterwards.

Curiosities

- Pietra was first mentioned in the animated series episode The Doll when Marli told Tubarina that her mother collects old toys and gives them to other children.

- Marli’s physical aspects were divided to create Marcos and Pietra; Pietra has Marli’s appearance while Marcos has her dark brown hair with light brown parts and lilac eyes.

- Pietra was originally designed to be blonde with a different outfit but that was given to Maggie, the wife of her younger brother Ferrel (who has the original design for Marcos).

- Pietra’s personality was inspired by Wendy Torrance from The Shining, who is a wife scared by the presence of her abusive husband, Jack, who also treats her son badly

- She is considered a good mother because she never discovered what her husband did to her daughter and would have defended her if she knew beforehand (which she eventually did).