From the introduction:
Once upon a time the forests were prosperous under the protection of a great hero, who defended the Elflands from evil. But no elf lives forever, no matter how great. Eventually, all become one with the soil. With the hero gone, the forces of darkness and their monster armies retook the land, spreading miasma as they went, forcing the elves back behind the walls of their settlements. Though the plague of miasma robbed the elves of their magic, it did not rob them of their courage or bravery. Now, a new generation of heroes is rising up, organizing themselves into Elflines to fight back the monster hordes and return the Elflands to its Golden Age, each elf hoping in their hearts to become that legendary hero’s successor.