Head towards the Mythic City

You came here to see this city, no point bothering with some lousy village. You set off with a **** Lenny in tow, heading down the slightly winding dirt road that leads to the gatehouse. The countryside is beautiful, fields of flowers and wild fruit orchards dot the terrain. The sun warms your skin and you see butterflies dancing among the flowers.

After walking about half of the way to the gatehouse you approach the bridge. It is partly shaded by trees and spans a small ravine with a quietly flowing river. The bridge itself is built of age-worn stone, the walls carved with intricate designs meant to resemble leaves and flowers. The boards are newer, made from a dark wood that is worn by wagon wheels and boots.

"It's like something out of a fairytale," you say to Lenny as you start across the bridge. Your hiking boots thump against the wooden boards.

"Most fairy tales are surprisingly dark," says Lenny.

Almost as soon as Lenny speaks those words a huge figure leaps from beneath the bridge and into your path. You reel backwards in surprise. You are looking at a man-like creature almost nine feet tall. He has dark green skin covered in knobs and lumps like the bark of an old tree. His arms and legs are extremely long and thin, but his hands are enormous and end in hands with black fingernails. The face of the creature is hideous, with a long nose that comes to a point, big, black eyes, and a wild mane of black hair. He wears a filthy loincloth around his waist.

"Whose feet dare tread upon my bridge?" asks the creature. Its mouth is wide and thin-lipped, but when it speaks you see that mouth is full of sharp teeth.

"We are just trying to get to the city," you say.

"A human girl? You may pass, but there is a price. You must give me your pig to eat." He says and he looks to Lenny.

"I'm a man!" objects Lenny.

"Oh? Well then, give me your man to eat." The creature reaches towards Lenny. You step into his path.

"No," you say sternly. "You cannot eat him."

"You must pay the toll," insists the creature. He leans his huge face down to you and smiles. "You do not have any animals for me to eat. So come beneath my bridge for a time and pay the toll. Then I will allow you and your friend to pass."

A black tongue, pointed like a snake's, slides across his thin lips as he leers at you. You shudder at the thought of what the creature is suggesting. You look him over and you think you might be able to take him in hand-to-hand combat. He is much larger than you, but he seems very cocky and you have beaten bigger monsters. Rathern than subjecting yourself to this perverted bridge troll, it might be wise to simply defeat him in combat.