Letter from General Hanlock

Valroc,
How is life on the back lines playing nursemaid? I don't know who you bribed but it was money well spent. Not that we are losing, but now that we are closing in on the blasted mage we're paying for every click with blood on both sides.
The Dark One himself graces us two to three times a week at this point. He's mostly been bringing in wyrsa and makaar. But a fortnight ago, he brought two packs of those loup-Garou. I have never seen such insane killing machines. 
We were having difficulty with a fortress built into the face of a cliff and Lord Kelveren appeared with these two floating barges full of caged people, all asleep, with thick metal collars etched with runes that glowed a soft blue. Opening the cages, he touched the collar and runes changed to a blood-red fire. The result was almost instantiations, each of them suddenly awoke and went through a bone-wrenching and sinew snapping transformation. No longer filled with people, each cage now housed a raging monster. Blood red eyes glowed above drooling fangs, huge wolf body and face. 
But that wasn't the strangest part. As each burst from their cage they all went to lunge at Lord Kelveren, but as the beasts got close they seemed to almost lose control of their bodies and could not claw or bite him as they clearly wanted to do. I'm no mage, but I've dealt with it enough to know a thing or two and that is some strong magic.
Set against the stronghold, the huge werewolves just swarmed up the cliffs and into the caves beyond. After about a mark the screaming finally stopped and the Dark One invited me along to see the results. I have seen much, but the sight of that stronghold twisted in my gut. Blood and chucks of people scattered everywhere. It had been an absolute brutal fight, but we did find four of the loup-garou who had survived. Four out of two score! But Lord Kelveren seemed pleased and after putting the survivors to sleep again, he left with orders to continue the push south. 
But I believe the end is in sight. I probably shouldn't be writing this, but I trust both you and the courier. We have a turncoat with access to the White Mage. Better still, he has access to the army and has found a company willing to see the future.  
I do hope that will be the end, but I shall be honest, I do not know if that will be enough for the Dark One. He has already spoken to me of plans to push east, into the forest and Caisia. I've also heard tell of some of his recent experiments. He has always been interested in reshaping flesh, but his methods seem to be become more and more necrotic, if you get my meaning.
I recently heard about one up at the Iron Glacier back home. Apparently the Dark One was trying to create a vampire again. Those might be even worse that the loup-garou. But if he can control those monsters, perhaps he can control a vampire.
Well, have a drink for me. I must turn to reports.
General Hanlock