I am writing this story for the glory of Ty Beirdd. It is a fable meant
to caution about the proper use of power. It is a work of fiction, and
it is not a representation of historic events. Nor is it meant to be a
representation of real persons, either past or present. Comments,
thoughts and feedback are welcome!

In a secret place long ago there stood an enchanted forest. Its entrance
lies somewhere in Sapience, but no one remembers where anymore. No
species but Tsol'aa ever knew of its existence, and all but Tsol'aa were
barred from there. Tsol'aa were not born there, they grew. They began
their long lives as sentient trees, and eventually they transformed to
emerge from their hiding and walk Sapience.

The beauty of this place was beyond the songs of Bards. The forest was
untouched and unspoiled. Ancient moss-covered trees stood over a lovely
rich floor of grass and flowers. The sounds of chirping crickets mixed
with birdsong and the gentle flow of pure water. It might as well have
been paradise, but always there are those who loathe such things.

Two trees in this vast forest were greater than the others. One grew in
the East, and it was strong, and proud and greedy. It believed itself to
be lovelier than everything else. It grew much much taller than the
other trees, and it grew boughs that were so large and thick that they
choked all else from life-giving sunlight. Its roots stole water, and
all around things began to die. Eventually, the tree stood alone, having
conquered all else. It was a tree so great as to be beyond the dreams of
mortals, and it aspired to be larger than the Tree of Life itself. And
so, it awaited its time to turn into a Tsol'aa, so that it might do to
everything as it had already done to its domain.

The other tree grew in the Western reaches of the forest. It was humble
and wise. It did not seem exceptional in any way, but it understood the
flow of life and magic... and had the power to influence it. All around
it, things grew greater than anywhere else, because it used magic to
strengthen them. The grass grew taller there, and the trees were
healthier. The moss there was rich and beautiful: it covered the trees
like silk and velvet cover Kings. The tree was not the greatest or the
most beautiful, but it was loved by all.

A treacherous Tsol'aa sold the location of the forest's entrance to
Mhaldor for his weight in gold. The evil Knights and Occultists
assembled a great host to burn the place down. They entered in the East,
and the colossal tree left its slumber and transformed into a Tsol'aa to
fight them. It was mighty and powerful beyond belief... but it had
killed or banished all else from its domain, so it stood alone. In the
end, despite its power, the giant fell dead, and the evil host marched
on. And all that they came upon, died.

News reached the West, and the enchanted forest rallied together for a
desperate last stand. The humble tree transformed into a tiny but lovely
woman. She closed her eyes and focused her power, and magic began to
spin around her. Power turned to music, and a lovely song began to flow
through the woods. And every creature or thing that heard it became a
Tsol'aa.

For times beyond recorded memory, only trees could become Tsol'aa there,
but now everything did. Every strong blade of grass, every healthy bird,
and every ancient tree transformed, and it was then that the hosts of
Mhaldor knew despair. The dark army was overrun, and not a single one
escaped. All the life in the forest thanked its savior, who was small
and weak and did nothing in the great battle... and yet, she did so
much. In rejecting the allure of power, she instead gave it to the
others, and trusted in the others. Because of that, everything within
her power lived.

The greater tree in the East could have squashed her like a bug... but
though it was greater by far, it died because it took everything in its
unquenchable greed. The humbler tree in the West lived because it gave
of itself to others. It is easy to seek things and grow in power, and it
is harder to give that power to others. But true wisdom is precisely the
clarity to choose the harder path, and in the end better everything by
it.

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Phaestian, in the year 551 AF.