…not real eyeballs, but still, ewwww!
The headache that stopped me from posting yesterday is still here, so only one post today. I’m hoping to do two tomorrow.
The Doclopedia #68
Pigs Is Pigs: Pigmaylion
When he was a much younger man (well, he was 68, but he’s a hell of a lot older now) and freshly famous for his near single handed defeat of the Skudoran Hordes in the War of the Four Crystals, the Wizard Dyb VanElp made a very foolish wager.
Fueled by foolish pride, newfound celebrity and liberal consumption of wine, Dyb announced to the King, Queen, assembled Court and especially Wix VanOte, the High Wizard, that he could cast the Resounding Bell of Plenty spell in under 6 months time. Since that had never been done before (it usually took at least 8 months) and since Dyb was being very seriously considered to replace Wix, the older wizard offered a wager: if Dyb could indeed cast the spell in 6 months, Wix would give up his position and his estate to Dyb. If, however, Dyb should fail, then he would accept banishment to the Isle of the Great Statue for a period of 300 years. Wix figured that by then, he’d be dead and Dyb could return to annoy the next High Wizard.
To reduce a long tale to the basics, Dyb failed to cast the spell in the allotted time and was taken the 1,000 miles out to sea to the island. There, after being properly ensorcelled with the spell that would keep him there, he began exploring. He found a modest home, livestock and gardens. The rest of the 5 mile long island was hilly woodlands and meadows. Over it all towered the 500 foot tall statue of some ancient humanoid from which the island got its name.
For the first few years, Dyb spent much of his time tending his gardens & animals, exploring the island and continuing his magical studies. This took his mind off his isolation, but eventually he did yearn for the company of a woman. He was far too distant to teleport one and he figured he was about 1,000 years of sexual deprivation away from making a deal with a demon for one, so he decided he’d have to make one.
He had, years earlier, given most of the animals he was not going to eat (horses, goats, pigs, ducks) the power of speech and human level intelligence. He had noticed that pigs were by far the most human like, so he selected a young sow and began his enchantment.
It took 4 sleepless days and nights of spellcasting and a half dozen potions before he was successful, but there before him finally stood a beautiful young woman, whom he named Pigmaylion.
She stood 5’6” tall and had long black hair. Her eyes were very dark green and she was quite shapely. Her skin was a bit pinker than an ordinary human might have, but it enhanced, rather than detracted, from her beauty. She had a melodious voice and loved to sing and dance. She also enjoyed coking and eating, but did not partake of alcohol.
She was a very fast learner and within a week was the mental equal of any educated woman Dyb had ever met. She was an equally fast learner when it came to the boudoir, much to their mutual pleasure. Eventually, she told Dyb that she would like to study magic, something he was more than glad to hear. She learned the Art as fast as she learned everything else and showed a natural talent for potions and enchantment.
Things went wonderfully for that first year, but on the anniversary of her transformation, Pigmaylion became a pig again. The change, which Dyb had no explanation for, lasted three days, at which point she became human again. This happens every year and the couple has learned to live with it. She was, of course, still able to speak, so she and Dyb could at least have their usual spirited discussions.
After some years, they had children, two boys and two girls. When they grew of age, Dyb created a boat to take them to the mainland for a proper education and the chance to live among human society.
A bit over 200 years later, Dyb was released from his obligation and he and his wife left the island. Wishing to avoid any notoriety, they settled in the small kingdom of East Pidwin, where they lived another 200 years before finally dying on the same day of old age.
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