Minara Vol was a powerful elf necromancer of Aerenal and the matriarch of House Vol. Notably, she was the mother of Erandis Vol.[1][3][4][note 1]
History[]
Minara sought to bring an end to the long war between elves and dragons by fusing the blood of both races. Minara had herself impregnated by a green dragon known as the Emerald Claw and gave birth to a girl, whom she called Erandis after her grandmother. But during her pregnancy Minara had fallen in love with the Emerald Claw, a fact she kept secret even from her own house. Minara raised the child in secret while the Emerald Claw and House Vol each worked toward a peaceful resolution.[1]
Yet the world learned of their secret child regardless. It remains a mystery as to how and why; some think Minara and her baby were betrayed by one of the elves of House Vol, though no one can say who or why this was done. A commonly held belief, however, is that the Emerald Claw himself prematurely announced the successful union of dragon and elf in his desperation to stop the fighting.[1] Either way, upon learning of Erandis's existence, dragons and elves finally united, but under the common goal of eradicating House Vol and its half-dragon bloodline. They were outraged and feared what a half-dragon bearer of the Mark of Death could become.[1][3]
In the early stages of this new conflict, the Emerald Claw disappeared; some accounts said he died defending the new race of half-dragons, but others insisted that he went into hiding in shame.[1] Some 2,600 years ago, Erandis herself was slain but with her necromantic powers Minara raised her as a lich.[1][3][4][2] Some accounts had Minara do this on Aerenal and, while she still had the power, had close allies smuggle Erandis to Khorvaire.[1][3] In others, Minara herself took Erandis's body to Farlnen and there performed the ritual. Minara hid Erandis's phylactery and made it so that if she was ever destroyed she would reform in a random safe haven—not even Erandis knows where or what her phylactery is.[4]
Finally, a powerful red dragon named Avothirax arrived at the home of House Vol at the head of an elven army that stood one-thousand strong to annihilate the Vol bloodline and with it the Mark of Death.[1][note 2]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 She is named Minara d'Vol in Faiths of Eberron, suggesting she carried the Mark of Death, but Rising from the Last War changes this to Minara Vol. This article adopts the later version. The lack of a "d'" prefix may be due to her living before that naming convention was established by the Twelve. Thus, the lack of a "d'" in her name does not indicate that she lacked a dragonmarked, but it remains unclear if she did.
- ↑ Minara's fate is unclear, with Rising from the Last War (where she escapes to Farlnen with Erandis) giving a different account to Faiths of Eberron and Eberron Campaign Guide (which she remains to be destroyed by Avothirax. Either way, both Rising and the ECG have diviners declare the end of the Vol bloodline after the conflict, implying Minara died then.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Ari Marmell, & C.A. Suleiman (2006). Faiths of Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 0-7869-3934-6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 224–225. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 249–250. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Keith Baker, Jeremy Crawford, & James Wyatt (2019). Eberron: Rising from the Last War. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 296. ISBN 0786966890.