Unexpected reunion

At the slightest change in the air, his hand went to the hilt of his blade. At this subtle movement, his men stopped. They all become immobile, stones statues amongs the trees, listening. Waiting.

Galarnok motioned to one of his men to start forward. Nouraha Awkeye did so without a sound and vanished amongs the trees like a shadow.

Minutes went on and the rogue came back with good news: Goblins. The Blood Raven nodded and they went on, cutting after Nouraha, to ambush the little rascals. They killed countless varmints in this forest hoping for a few clues concerning a strange Hobgoblin clan, with very little results. But his real trip in the Trollbark Woods was to meet with a clan of shaman he had met before. Nevertheless, splilling goblin blood would be a welcome pause during their tedious walk.

They slowed down. The goblins were in sight. Galarnok unhook his disproportionate blade from its back hilt, holding it beside him and readying his charge... but the sun glinting off an armor off to his right, between the trees, alerted him that the goblins were not the only opponents. 

This new opponent was coming at them, silent even in platemail. Not liking a surprise, the Blood Raven welcomed the challenge and ran straight at the new comer. Coming into full few, Galarnok could see the man better; white steel full plate armor with purple filigrees, full face helmet shaped as the head of a dragon, and brandishing two-handed sword. The BloodRaven could have stayed his blade, but decided otherwise, as the memories of his opponent swam back from a time long pass. He could not quite recognize him, but knew this armor was familiar.

The enormous blade sliced through air and smaller trees to come hit the armored man with full force. A normal blade could not have parried that powerful strike, but this one did, barely avoiding a deadly blow. The force of Galarnok's charge sent the man backward, but he kept his balance. The Blood Raven lunged forward for another assault, but his opponent had other plans for him.

The man came forward switfly and swung an angled strike at Galarnok. A bright flash of light blinded him and he couldn't avoid the blade completely, his armor deflecting a heavy blow and numbing his side. As it struck, strands of energy erupted from the weapon wrapping themselves around him, rooting him to the ground. 

Unable to move, Galarnok took his last chance to catch the man within reach. He angled his blade and struck as fast as his athletic arms could, pushing his weapon deeper than he normally would. The man could'nt move out of reach fast enough and the mighty blade struck him, and through him, riping a legplate right off and digging into his flesh, pinning the man to the ground. 

Both opponent were now face to face, barely inches apart, immobilized, as Galarnok's friends catched up.

"Hey Galarnok. Age clouds your memory. Don't you recognize your foe" , came the voice of Nouraha behind him.

The flash of light, the purple filigree... Yes. He knew that man.

"Galarnok Partack. The BloodRaven himself, is that really you?", asked his foe, almost painlessly. Taking his helmet off, spilling his brownish blood hair, framing the face of...

"Stuh Ryback, Paladin of Torm".

The white tendrils holding on Galarnok vanished. The mercenary let his weapon go and the paladin ripped his leg free of it with not so much as a groan. He reached into his satchel and quaffed the content of a small vial. Immediately, the open wound, bleeding freely, started to close magically, leaving not so much as a scar.

" I dare say I am not surprised to see the Blood Raven walk these lands at such a dark hour. But what brings your to Toril, Galarnok.", inquired the paladin.

" Pay attention to the symbol on my chest and you will notice that these lands have been my home for quite some time already, old friend. ", responded Galarnok.

" I see. And if I am to indeed believe your decorations, you are force commander of Baldur's Gate. Is that so? " , asked Stuh suspiciously. 

" Yes, Paladin. Very true indeed. And what a Paladin of Torm, also a purple dragon commander, is doing in Trollbark Woods, hunting goblins ? ", replied Galarnok.

" If I am to believe the signs I have seen... probably the same you were doing ", suggested Stuh.

" Trying to figure out why clans of lizardfolks and hobgoblins would war under a similar banner, miles apart from each other, and how ... ", Galarnok let his voice trail...

" ... how this would be connected to strange necrotic contagions along the sword coast. ", finished the paladin.

The two men looked at each other a moment longer, coming to an understanding. Reunited after what felt, and could probably be, centuries, the old friend let the unease slowly fade. They might have been adventurers long ago, but Paladins and Mercenaries often have different opinions concerning most things. Thus Galarnok and Stuh met anew, in the Trollbark Woods, along the sword coast of Faerun.

For Stuh Ryback, that such powerful individuals as the Blood Raven took interest in this matter was very bad news. For nothing short of world shattering cataclysms ever brought The Blood Raven out of his lair.