Dirk Reacher was a traitorous Araluen soldier who betrayed his King and his country, aligning with Morgarath after escaping pursuit by Halt O'Carrick. He was killed by Wargals whilst seemingly attempting to desert the Army of Rain and Night, being ran through by a metal spear.
History[]
Reacher, at an unclear point in time, joined the Araluen Army as a soldier. A coward and an eventually murderer, however, Dirk deserted from Duncan's forces and fled into the Mountains of Rain and Night somewhere between 639 and 640 to escape Halt O'Carrick, who had been sent after him. There, Dirk sought out sanctuary with Morgarath, finding a place with the ex-Baron and came under his service.
The Burning Bridge[]
Dirk Reacher eventually slipped back into Araluen, pursued by a company of Wargals. The reason for this is unclear, but the two most likely suspicions are that Reacher either had defected from the Black Lord's camp as prospect of war drew closer, not wanting to be could up in what was seemingly a hopeless fight and stole what appeared to be papers detailing Morgarath's battle plans to trade for his freedom (as Halt suspected) or was sent (as Reacher claimed) on a mission for his master, only for Morgarath to ruthlessly turn on him, using Dirk as a scapegoat to seemingly confirm the legitimacy of the false battle plans.
Seemingly ambushed while camping by the Unminded Ones, Reacher was backed against a large fig, keeping the bear-like beings in check for a time with the sword he wielded, repelling their unpredicted feints as he shouted in a voice cracked by fear that the Wargals were to stand back, claiming to be on a mission assigned by their master and demanding they stand down in 'Lord Morgarath’s name. His attention is broken by the sudden appearance of Halt, Will, Abelard and Tug, swinging his gaze up to take in the two Rangers and their steeds, an action that sealed Reacher's doom when one of his assailants took advantage of the criminal swordsman's distraction to leap forwards and run Dirk through with their steel spear, bringing the stricken follower of Morgarath to his knees before slumping to the ground, dead before Halt and Will could make contact with him. The Ranger and his apprentice finished off the Wargals and retrieved the plans, only to later discovering their false nature and foil Morgarath's plan to devastate the Araluan army.