The speech Elissa D'Moriel gave to the party. 21st of Barrakas, 988 YK
"So it has come to pass. It has taken time to bring all of you together, but finally it has happened. And now you will know truth."
She sheds her magical disguise, revealing herself to be an elf of advanced years. She is still beautiful, in a haunting fashion, and full golden brown hair still rolls down her shoulders.
"I am Elissa D'Moriel, high priestess of Shae Mordai, the city of the dead. I apologize for the ruse, but it was necessary for your protection."
You know Shae Mordai as the seat of the Undying Court in Aerenal. The city is made up of temples and homes for the Deathless, a preserved race of undead good aligned elves that pass their knowledge down to the elves of Aerenal. Shock overcomes you as you realize that this elf may be thousands of years old.
"Many thousands of years ago, before the age of men and before the age of monsters, there existed a mighty civilization that spanned across Xen'drik and into Khorvaire. A kingdom of giants. Giants were the first of the mortal races to develop intelligence, and they used their newfound sentience to enslave both elf and drow, building an empire on the backs of our ancestors. The dragons of Argonnessen looked upon the young giants with curiosity, and began to teach them the mysteries of arcane magic. The giants quickly mastered the arcane arts, their ancient ability for surpassing those present in our time."
"Their civilization held for forty thousand years, and would have for longer had the quori, hellish beings of dream and nightmare, not invaded Xen'drik through a planar gate, one of the few remaining that tied Eberron to other worlds. The war was devastating, the lives of thousands changing hands each day, with no end in sight. Finally, the giants were forced to call upon the magic of the dragons to destroy the planar gate, and sever the quori's connection to their home plane: Dal Quor, the plane of dreams. In doing so, they caused a cataclysmic event that tore the foundations of Eberron apart. Xen'drik was sundered into a much smaller continent, the one we stand on now, and thousands of fragments, that drifted up towards Siberys, forming the reefs to the north."
"In the lingering destruction that followed, the giants realized their problems were only just beginning. By enslaving elves and drow, they had made them an integral part of their society, teaching them how to build, cook, and even fight during the Planar Wars. Inadvertently, they had pulled the first of the common races out of their primal state, which would prove to be their downfall."
"Severely crippled from their thousand year wall, the giant kingdoms never recovered from the events of the invasion. As the elves and dark elves rebelled, horrible curses and plagues swept through the land, parting gifts of the quori. In desperation, the giants sought to call upon their dragon magic a second time, but before they can, the dragons of Argonnessen attack; shameful that their children have squandered such power. In the wake of destruction that follows, they grant the elves a pass, allowing them to flee to Aerenal and begin their own civilization. The drow, on the other hand remained here, on Xen'drik, and flourished."
"This is where the story would end, were you to read about it in the Library of Korranberg, but there are still forty thousand years of history left unanswered. It is in this time that many things began to change. Although the giant's empire had collapsed, the remaining tribes were no less a challenge for the drow to combat. Without magic, the drow struggled to retain their control over Xen'drik, as quori curses twisted the landscape into this adventuring hell that surrounds us. It is unclear when they first unearthed arcane magic, but what is clear is that they discovered the same dragon magic that the giants had learned. Armed with this new knowledge, they swept over the land, forcing the giants into the mountains and back to their barbaric roots."
"They became undisputed masters of the arcane craft, matching the magical wonders of the giants and in some respects surpassing them. But it was this lust for power that would doom them in the end. Ten thousand years ago, before the birthing of our current age, the drow constructed a set of artifacts."
She points to the obsidian egg that you recovered, which has since been wrapped securely in a blanket and locked in a steel box.
"This is one of them. They act as a magical catalyst, enhancing the capabilities of the wielder ten fold. But this is not their true power. Each is really a power stone, or as the drow called them: 'il Elamshin — the will of Lolth. The Elamshin served to fuel the greatest drow machinations on the planet: their creation forges. You see, long before the gnomes built their warforged, the drow had already perfected the process. They called these constructs the Fin'darack, the monsters of war. You encountered a primitive model in the belly of that tomb, one that required the stone to remain operational. The later advanced models need only a sliver of the power possessed in each Elamshin to operate, much like you," she gestures to M, "my friend."
"In short time, the drow had erected a massive army with hundreds of thousands semi sentient constructs under their banner. Now, when battles were fought with the giants, there was no contest of skill. The bloodshed was such that for each giant you see today, know that a hundred others died in it's place, their numbers were reduced so much. But this army would prove to be their downfall."
"The Elamshin are tools, with no whim of their own, so the craftiest of the Giant Lords, Loki, set into motion a clever plan with which to steal them. He stole the thirteen artifacts and cursed them to the winds, throwing them with such might that some never hit the ground, and circle Eberron still. Without the Elamshin to power them, the army collapsed on itself. Over time, the metal rusted and turned to earth, the ground growing over all evidence of their existence. The drow took to civil war, and depleted their numbers, and after a few thousand years are the disjointed mess that barely bears mention today."
"The Elamshin are nigh indestructible, so it is said that all thirteen remain existence to this day, although the location of many still remains a mystery. I thought that one would be here, and it seems that I was right. The drow constructed this elaborate tomb as a distraction, to conceal what lay beneath, but it would seem that Vol realized this as well. She uses the Emerald Claw like puppets, the pawns in her game of chess, but her real pieces are the bishops of the Blood of Vol; her twisted disciples. You know them as The Four."
"For what reason she seeks the Elamshin, I do not know, but for whatever purpose it is, I assure you it is diabolical. You have seen some of the power of just one stone, and we know she already possesses one of her own."
"It is written in the prophecy that of the events that have occured, there are more that will pass. For with the rescue of this Elamshin, you have started a chain of events that cannot be undone. I will explain more in due time, but now, you must travel. I have arranged passage back to Khorvaire, where you have a meeting with the King of Breland. In his armory he holds one of the Elamshin, although of its power he knows not. You must go and convince him to give you the stone."
She hands you an envelop, sealed with wax in the symbol of the Undying Court.
"This is a voucher of wealth from Aerenal to Breland, show it to him and purchase the Elamshin. I must return to Shae Mordai and keep this safe, but I will send word before you reach Wroat. If he refuses to sell you the artifact, you must take it by whatever means necessary. Although the object is priceless, I am aware that each of you may require further motivation."
"If you bring me the second Elamshin, I will grant you each access to Shae Mordai's eternal armory, and from it you may each pick one item of magic. So, adventurers, will you accept my offer and deliver our world from the clutches of annihilation?"