Listen now, to one of Erathia's greatest love stories. Once upon a time there was a young elf named Tallow who fell in love with a beautiful centaur girl named Sherinda. But as is often the case with love that blossoms between different races, their union was forbidden. Elves and centaurs at this time were at loggerheads over many issues, not the least of which was who had to shovel out the unicorn pens and dragons caves. For many months the young lovers hid their desires from their people, meeting only in secret or in the dead of night. But as their passions grew, so did their restlessness, until finally they could stand it no longer, and they revealed their true feelings to their families. They had hoped for understanding, but instead were met with shock and despair. The fighting between the elves and centaurs was getting worse, and their romance was seen by both families as a betrayal.

When he refused to renounce his love for Sherinda, Tallow was cast out of his clan and forced to leave the rampart until such time as he would abide by the rule of the elves. Before he left, he got word to Sherinda to never give up hope--somehow he would find a way for them to be together and he would return for her.

Although Sherinda wasn't an outcast like Tallow, the centaurs watched her carefully and tried to find her a suitable male centaur instead. They tried all manner of suitors--manly, athletic centaurs and bookish, wise centaurs versed in the magical arts. But nobody could replace Sherinda's beloved Tallow in her heart, so it was a fruitless search.

For months, Tallow wandered the lands, unable to forget about his precious Sherinda, until one day he came upon a horrible scene--a terrified old woman tied to a stake, about to be burned alive by a small mob of villagers carrying pitchforks and lit torches. Tallow approached the villagers and demanded to know what crime the woman had committed to receive such a terrible punishment. They told him that she was a witch, that she had poisoned the village's well, and for that she must be burned, "because all witches are evil". The woman called out to Tallow, pleading for help and proclaiming her innocence. Elves seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing who's good and who's not, and Tallow could tell at once that the woman bore no evil in her heart.

Knowing from personal experience what it was like to be persecuted, Tallow made a decision. He quickly unslung his cherrywood bow, and in the blink of an eye, his arrow had pierced the hat of the apparent ringleader of the mob. From the steely look in the elf's eyes it was clear that he meant business. When Tallow demanded the woman's freedom and challenged the villagers to fight, the cowards quickly turned and ran for the safety of their village.

After freeing the old woman, Tallow discovered that she was in fact a witch, but a good one, and she was grateful for being rescued. They traveled together for awhile, and when the witch heard of Tallow and Sherinda's plight, she offered a magical solution. It was a drastic one, however, for she described a spell that could put two creatures into one body if they had strong enough feelings for each other. Although it had never been tried with two different species, Tallow was willing to try anything for the woman he loved. So when the old witch and the young elf reached a village where the witch could make herself a new home without fear of persecution, she taught Tallow the proper incantation for the spell. After gathering the herbs he would need to accompany the spell, the elf departed on his journey back home--back to Sherinda.

Sadly, when Tallow arrived back at the rampart, he found that the elves and centaurs had declared war. The dwarves and dendroids tried to maintain order, but things were rapidly getting out of hand. If something wasn't done soon it would tear the once tight-knit community apart.

Stealthily making his way to Sherinda's stable, Tallow woke her, and she greeted him with amazement, joy, and quite a remarkable kiss, but also with concern. Quickly, he told her about the enchantment and asked if she was willing to join with him forever. Without hesitating for a moment, she agreed. Filled with nervous excitement, they performed the ritual together, and as the magic power suffused their spirits, they became one, unified in body, mind and soul. They were a new race, a sylvan centaur. And their name was Talinda.

When they emerged into the streets, everyone stopped and stared. Nobody had ever seen the likes of this creature before--part elf, part centaur, with the strengths of both and the weaknesses of neither. The news quickly spread and everyone came to see Talinda. Perhaps it was a side effect of the enchantment, or perhaps it was the incredible joy that radiated from Talinda, but instead of being cast out as an abomination, the sylvan centaur was revered by both the elves and the centaurs alike. Both races soon stopped fighting and they appointed Talinda as their spokesperson, a diplomat to both people.

In the following months and years, the enchantment was used numerous times, for it seemed that the races of elves and centaurs had more in common than they thought. Before long there were many sylvan centaurs in the town, and they were always very happy, for each one was a union of pure love.