[Full-blooded elves (let alone an entire elven community) changing themselves for anybody is hard to imagine. Mainly because it would have been unheard of in the spaces Vyng grew up around. But this man's elves descended from birds, so...they're clearly dealing with a different animal. Literally.

Still, Vyng can't quite hide the skepticism on his face when Illarion describes their heroic deeds done in the service of mortals.

Not that he doubts Illarion's sincerity. People generally don't charge into conflict and "die in droves" for something unless they whole-heartedly believe in it. But he's seen tapestries depicting the wizards' war, of fragile woodland creatures marching alongside elven armies painted as shining stewards of the earth who save the day when humans, halflings and orcs need their wisdom and skill.

Maybe Vyng wouldn't have grown up in a post-apocalyptic world — where people wage turf wars inside shopping malls because they have nowhere else to go — if elves had truly been the heroes they believed themselves to be.

But...different world, different peoples, different problems. Vyng doesn't voice any of his doubts. They come from a very personal place.

So he sets that aside when trying to understand where Illarion is coming from.]

Okay. How did you change yourselves, then? And why? Besides the fact mortals kept asking you to die, I mean. You must've agreed to all that for a reason.