The Illustrated Adventures of Balduran

The drawings in this book are crude, but enthusiastic. While the ink is faded and the pages ragged, the author's gusto remains.

Properties

• Books
• Rarity: Common
•  Weight: 0.5 kg / 1 lb
• Price: 14 gp

Text

[This book is packed full of tales of adventure. The monsters are ferocious, the men are muscled, the women are buxom and the clothing is easily torn. Something is 'cleft in twain' on every other page, although you do find a passage that's a little less bloody.]

The woman's eyes were dusky, filled with mystery and promise. Balduran was intrigued.

'Anything?' he asked.

'Anything,' she said. 'Just name it, and it can be yours.'

'And what do you want in return?'

'Oh, just a small thing,' she smiled.

Balduran laughed. NOTHING about him was small.

'I want your soul, Balduran,' she sighed. 'Give me your spirit, and whatever you desire shall be yours.'

Balduran considered this for a moment. 'Very well. I want a turnip.'

She hesitated. 'Your soul in exchange for a turnip?'

'A nice turnip,' nodded Balduran.

'Very well,' dark smoke swirled around the woman, whose skin was turning red, 'then you shall-

[The next couple of pages have been torn out. When the story resumes, the woman - now fully revealed as a devil - is kneeling at Balduran's feet.]

'Curse you, Balduran! I am bound to you - yours to call upon when you need me - and your soul is your own once more.'

'Let that be a lesson to you,' laughed Balduran. 'Never underestimate the power of a turnip.'