OOC: This section of the post was written by Infernal. It has been included for context.

In the distance Ohvol could see a town. It was a small place, but he couldn't smell any of those damned vahnatai. He could see plenty of guards around it though, he would need to use another human disguise to get in. Muttering a command word, Ohvol's form changed. His skeleton warping, his skin shifting, in less than ten seconds he looked perfectly human. Around 1.7 meters (5'6") tall and 60 kilograms (132lb.), with long brown hair and beard, wearing torn and poorly mended farmers' clothes, he could be taken for any wandering vagabond.

Walking up to the town, he was stopped by a patrol near the gates. "Sorry sir, we have orders to question all people entering Torfen."

More idiot humans? This gets boring after a while. "Of course, go right ahead."

"Where are you from?"

"Mertis."

"Wasn't the place was overrun by undead?"

"Which is exactly why I'm not there anymore."

"And where are you going to?"

"Torfen."

"For what purpose?"

"To rest for the night before coninuing."

"Where will you be going after that?"

"The Great Cave."

"Where in the Great Cave?"

"Family."

Getting annoyed with his lack of cooperation and getting befuddled for some reason, the guard forgot his line of questioning. "Well then, go on in."

"Thank you sir."

OOC: We now return to Tyran's bad writing.

It was late at night, about 3 candlemarks past midnight. Lartaynior was sitting at his desk, deep in thought. The outriders and scouts from Cressen's army had just returned that day. 40 men out of the 5,000 I sent north. This infestation is quite unnerving. He was still pondering his next moved, when his door slammed open and Thomys rushed in. The mage was in his bedclothes and had that haggered, just-out-of-bed appearance.

"What in the name of the gods...."

"Sire, you must leave! Now! There is no time for argument!"

"Leave? What in the name of the Abyss are you talking about?"

"I have had a premonition. Something terrible is in the city. If you do not leave the city now, you will surely die!"

Thomys had been his friend and advisor as well as his personal mage for many years. He knew better than dismiss this as folly.

"Alright. Let me summon my generals. We need to get my soldiers out of here."

"There is no time for that! They will have to fend for themselves. Most of the army is still camped west of the city. We must go there. Now!"

"Very well, I will go with you."

"Alright. Let's go. Thomys hurried out the door, and Lartaynior followed him quickly. He yelled at his aide to follow. They hurried out of the inn and through the streets. The guard at the western gate took one look at them and started. "Where are you going this late, sire?"

"That is not your concern. Let us pass," he commanded bruskly.

"Yes, your grace," replied the guardsman as he opened the gate for them.

When he reached the army camp, he yelled for his generals. "Petyr, Janos, Balon, Ryman!" Slowly, the sleepy men came out, rubbing their eyes which widened when they sall their king.

"We must leave this place now!" he commanded in a voice tha overrode all objections.

"What of the forces in the city?" asked General Ryman.

"It is too late for them," said Lartaynior, as he heard the clash of steel-on-steel from the city and turned to see flames licking the stalactites. I always knew Thomys would come in handy.

"What in the name of all that is good and holy is going on in there?!" yelled Janos.

"Nothing good and holy, I assure you," said Thomys. A great evil has infiltrated the city turning men against each other. If we do not leave now, it will affect us as well."

"Then we should be off at once!" said Petyr, who went off to find the buglers to wake the men.

It's a good thing my generals are able to keep cool heads during a crisis, but then, that's part of being generals, isn't it?

In 20 minutes (an astonishingly fast time for such a large host) the army was marching west towards Almaria, leaving the burning city of Torfen behind them. Lartaynior fervently thanked the gods for Thomys's premonition.