This is a story of how ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

For many years, I walked hidden paths in the N'ndasha Euli (what we humans call the Legasha Forest), learning the ways of the elven people. I was fortunate enough to also meet a sage, kind Marioch, who was equally eager to learn of human culture. One day, we both came to realize a plain truth: both his people, the Tel'Quessir of the Euli, and my people, the humans of Urala Province, would be happier and freer if the oppressive yoke of Imperial rule were to lift. That day, we resolved that our peoples should work together to throw off that yoke.

Convincing our peoples of that was, however, far from easy. The elves did not trust the humans; the humans feared the elves. What was to be done?

We both set about to gather support for this. In the end, the Bailiff of Brodeln and the Council of Houses both agreed that there should be talk of an alliance. It would be held in the human town of Brodeln, since the elves did not want human visitors penetrating into the heart of their last refuge. They sent only two delegates, for only two could be spared from the defense of the homelands from the Imperial armies. My friend Marioch came, jubilant and eager for peace. With him was stern Alani, a brave priestess of the elves' chief god. While she too wished for peace, she was unwilling to agree to a pact which would leave her people weakened. The Council of Houses thought that, when these two could agree on a treaty, it would be a fine one indeed.

Into our talks came a group of wanderers from the north, where things are different. They had among them two elves, both priests, neither of elven gods. There was a human, too, and a smallish giant. The priests, Alyssa of Eilistrae (a goddess of good drow; I had not even known there was such a thing) and Stan of Lli'ira, said they had been sent to see this treaty become reality. It gladdened my heart that Others were watching out for us and thanked my own patrons.

There was a stumbling block, however. Alani granted that we seemed quite sincere in our desire to work together. She was less sure that our grandchildren would be as sincere. Her worry was that, if there were an alliance made and a battle fought, more elves would die. In fifty or seventy years, those elves would barely be replaced while two human generations would have come and be going out, and those generations might take advantage of the elves in their weakened state. This was a hard thing to overcome, for how could I speak for men and women not yet born?

We were pondering this problem when near disaster struck; someone tried to kill Marioch. Alani nearly took him and left, but our visitors pointed out that this pact must be of great importance if someone were trying so hard to disrupt it. Alani saw the wisdom in their words and stayed her hand.

To the surprise of everyone, it was the giant who would solve our problem. As we sat, silently eating breakfast and trying to find a compromise, he offered, "You should make a settlement, with both your people living in it. That way, what happens to the one, happens to the other."

And so we found Hope.

That is far from the end of my story, for our Hope lives on. We called for volunteers, broad-minded humans and elves willing to put aside generations of enmity for this great experiment. With one hundred generous souls, we marched west of Brodeln until we found a beautiful small wood where we settled. Elves built tree-houses; humans built daub and wattle cabins. Some humans chose to live in the trees; a few elves tried ground living. The temple of Lli'ira quickly became a spot where all could linger in friendship, and the clergy of Eilistrae held banquets where all sat down together to eat. Alani came, and she trained both elves and humans to defend our new home from intruders. We worked together, fought together, lived together, laughed together, and loved together.

Today, the first half-elf of Hope is one year old. Congratulations, Smittie, Erin, and little Lasrina. We look at you and see the future of our people.

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