Two days ago the second millennium began, the Grand Duchy of Slavizem is still celebrating and having fun, marking a rare, round date. Paladin Alistair is pulled away from a long drinking binge in honor of a significant anniversary and sent to investigate evil rumors about heretics and doomsday harbingers in the south. Along the way, he meets many refugees, all of them unanimously repeating that the southern forest has “come to life” and is moving north hundreds of steps a day, destroying the southern border.