Battling a monster

The next day, Janno heard a knock on the door. He opened to find yet another female, except this one was different. She had auburn hair, almost brunette for one while all his previous companions he just formed were blond. Also, this one had a sword in one hand, and a book in the other.

"You are Janno the fighter?" She asked, stepping into the room. "My name is Trista. I have come seeking a party to help me."

"You have come to the right place, Trista," Janno said as he closed the door behind them. "I have been forming an adventuring party to go search for....well, adventure, to be honest."

Trista smiled. She was wearing some light armor, studded leather it seemed. That covered much of her bodily features, but she had nice hazel eyes and hair was in a ponytail, with the tail cascading down her back. She sat down on a chair facing the fighter.

"There is monster ravaging a small village near the river marshes," Trista said. "I am the lone adventurer of this village called Creekside. I cannot handle this monster by myself, so I have journeyed seeking help."

"Your plight sounds interesting," Janno said. "My last group dispatched a troublesome group of ogres bothering this town of Woodhaven. I would be happy to help solve other plights." He paused. "However, tell me of your adventuring skills and also of this monster."

"I am both a fighter and a wizard," Trista said. Janno blinked at this. The woman goes on, "I decided to multi-task in my skills to better prepare myself for the adventures awaiting me in my life."

Janno nods at this. The book must be her spellbook, yet she probably was good with the sword too. Janno figured that she had enough sword skill to possibly support her in combat, but she also had some spells to deal with magic too.

But he asked another question, "What sort of monster are we dealing with?"

Trista gazed steadily at the fighter. Her voice was flat as she said, "A troll."

Janno winced at this. A troll? A tall, 10-foot green-skinned monster that had terrible claws, a sharp bite and could regenerate limbs. Battling a monster like that would be a tough task for a brand new group.

Seeing some doubt in the fighter, Trista went on, "I can offer you a reward for your services. Gold and...other help."

Janno gazed at her curiously. Other help? "Anyway, we have another fighter, and two sisters, a cleric and a wizard. Going up against a troll will be a tough encounter for us. It's a dangerous beast. We need some sort of plan to defeat it."

Trista smiled. "Well, I heard that fire and acid can hurt it. Does that give you any ideas?"

Janno considered that piece of information. It did give him ideas. "Very well, we accept the mission. I'll round up the others and we'll leave in the morning after some preparations are made. How far away is your village of Creekside?"

Trista smiled. "Almost a day's journey from here. I will show you the way. Since it is my own town, I will gladly help you battle the monster."

Janno frowned. "Well, I better see to some things right now." He got up and Trista with him. He allowed her out the door. The fighter/wizard female said that she was staying at the inn and told of her room. Janno nodded, then went in search of his new comrades and to tell them of the news.