Lost Worlds is the most popular entry in Alfred Leonardi's line of book games, which also includes Ace of Aces. Each player has a character card and a booklet (and sometimes special Tactics, Luck, or Spell cards) for one of about fifty (and growing) medieval-fantasy characters. Characters can range from barbarian warriors to animated skeletons to elven archers to unicorns — even two different dragons. Booklets are traded and, as each player selects a move, a reference grid in the books determine the results (wounds, off-balance maneuvers, and so on). Combat continues until one fighter or the other expires.
An interesting feature of the Lost Worlds system is that, under some versions of the rules, characters may improve their abilities as they gain experience. In theory, you are supposed to keep track of your progress with each character, and if one is utterly killed, it will have to start over without its improved skills.
Part of the Lost Worlds series of books.
From the back of the book:
Azlana is the daughter of a dark elf priestess and her human captive. Although raised by her mothe rin the Underdark, he mixed blood was discovered by another house of drow, and Azlana was made a slave ... . After two years ... Azlana was finally able to escape ... . Azlana had become a highly skilled warrior. She put those skills to use one night fighting a roving thief. The incident was witnessed by a red dragon who saw her value and quickly befriended her... the dragon convinced her to stay with him in order to help guard his treasure... The dragon ... taught her spells for producing fireballs and poisonous smoke ... ."