Building a Peaceful Society in Birth

Leaving a war behind does not guarantee a peaceful future in Donna Russo Morin's Birth. Count Witon, his wife Belamay, and Persky want to establish a society for those tired of conflict between the races. Their plan takes them toward an island that appears to offer room for a different kind of life.

Recruiting people who want another future

Witon's group gathers pilgrims from different cities and species. Persky, described as a rare Human and Elf hybrid, is part of the founding effort. The proposed community therefore begins with people whose differences have already mattered in the world they are trying to leave.

Their goal gives the journey a collective purpose. Reaching the island is essential, but the travelers are also attempting to make a home together. A shared wish for peace is the starting point for that undertaking, rather than evidence that all future disagreements have been resolved.

The destination is another challenge

The voyage is dangerous, and an even greater problem awaits the pilgrims at their destination. Their plan depends on reaching a place they have chosen for its promise, but arriving will not remove the need to confront unexpected threats together.

The island concentrates the founders' hopes in one place, but reaching it brings another test of their ability to act together. Witon, Belamay, and Persky have gathered people around a shared wish. They now have to discover what that agreement can sustain when the destination presents dangers of its own.