Peering out from the shelter of the bush sat a strange, bulbous creature with stubby, backwards legs that seemed too short to support its plump frame. Its eyes were wide and unblinking, and its thin, wiry mouth was curled into a permanent frown. The creature hopped down from the stone on which it sat with a wet plop, circling Theodore curiously in short little hops. It had a strange, relaxed manner about it, as if nothing in the world could ever rile it up.

Theo smiled. He had never seen such a creature before and he felt a little bit of admiration. He reached out slowly and carefully and picked up the blob, cradling it in his hands.

"Hello there," he said softly. "What are you?" He wasn't expecting a response, but a screen popped up, the light glowing in the air and reflecting in the blob’s eyes.

Entity: Slick Frog

Type: creature

This green blob shaped frog prefers to make its home in humid and warm climates. Often choosing to spend their days lazing about eating an assortment of plants and herbs.

"You sound peaceful," Theo said to the frog. The frog didn’t say anything. With a thought the screen vanished leaving him and the frog standing in the foliage.

The frog opened its eyes and looked up at him. It blinked slowly and then croaked, "Froag."

Theo smiled again. "Froag," he said. "That's a good name. I think I'll keep you."

"Froag?" the frog croaked, gazing longingly at Theo's head.

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"You want up?" Theo questioned the chubby frog. It wasn’t like it would hurt anything.

Theo carefully cradled the frog in his hands, feeling the softness of its slimy skin before gently lifting it up and placing it on his head. The frog's eyes, although wide, seem gentle and content in its new position. Its small feet curled around Theo's head for support. As he did so, a strange thing happened. A console screen appeared in the air in front of him, with a message that read:

Helmet acquired. "Froag" has been equipped.

Head slot First Equip bonus status applied -- SoulBound.

The words sparkled and glowed in the air. The word “SoulBound” appears in a bright blue hue, giving off a faint hint of exotic energy.

“SoulBound?” Theo mused out loud. Immediately, the screen disappeared and was replaced by a different one.

SoulBound: Items with the SoulBound attribute cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed. They are permanently bound to the soul of the owner. Lost, stolen, or destroyed items consume mana to return to the owner.

That was handy. His trusty dagger and the bracelet he had recently acquired both had the SoulBound attribute as well. Maybe it was a common feature and everything he found would come that way.

Theo smiled at the gentle frog on his head, he had never had a friend before. He reached up and scratched the creature gently on the head.

"Looks like we are stuck together, Froag. I hope you enjoy the ride." Froag croaked happily in response.

Theo trudged forward, the air dense with warm, musty moisture. Small creatures scurried in the shadows as Theo steered through a labyrinthine grove of tightly spaced trees. There was something peaceful about this level.

A loud and menacing growl echoed through the dungeon forest.

Adventurers! thought Theo, turning toward the noise. They were probably ransacking this part of his dungeon right this minute. He could imagine their ugly faces as they stomped through the beautiful foliage of the second floor, crushing the delicate flowers on their way to wreak havoc on his beloved third floor. He had to stop them.