Explorers in Xen’drik, Q’barra, or Adar might stumble across a weathered statue or faded image scratched into a cavern wall, but the dragons left few traces of their dominion … with one exception. The giants of Xen’drik were the most advanced nondragons of the age, and they had learned much in their interactions with the dragons. Those who worked with Ourelonastrix’s students used draconic magic to carve out empires and dominate their continent. The arcane arts spread, and soon the giants began to explore new approaches to magic. As powerful as they are, the dragons are mired in tradition, and certain paths they refuse to tread. The giants of long-dead empires, such as the Cul’sir Empire and the Group of Eleven, had no such qualms—their exploration of blood magic and other dark arts diverged wildly from the codified teachings of Ourelonastrix.
Nonetheless, the dragons remained uninvolved. The elders of many flights studied the draconic Prophecy, but agreed that it was best not to manipulate its outcome. They simply traced its myriad paths and watched as fate chose its course.
Then the quori came to Xen’drik. The motivation for this extraplanar incursion remains a mystery, but the giant records portray the quori simply as ruthless invaders. Other evidence suggests that the quori merely sought refuge from a disaster on their own plane, or even retaliation against acts of aggression instigated by the lords of Xen’drik. Whatever the root of the war, it was a struggle that lasted for centuries. Powerful mystical and psionic forces were unleashed by both sides, and, in time, nearly all the arcane knowledge the giants possessed was turned to the war effort. In Argonnessen, students of the draconic Prophecy warned that this struggle could shake the planes themselves, but the Conclave insisted that the dragons stand aloof. The outcome is known to any student of history; the giants unleashed forces that tore Dal Quor from its orbit, bringing a sudden and terrible end to the conflict.
The giants’ gambit devastated their continent and shook the foundations of Eberron. Their former slaves, the elves, rose up against their weakened masters. Desperate, the giants began harnessing power once more, preparing to unleash the same forces that had vanquished Dal Quor. Perhaps they thought victory was possible, but many historians believe it was pure nihilism—if the titans couldn’t rule the world, they would destroy it.
The dragons saw the threat traced out in the Prophecy. Shocked and alarmed at the effect of the forces already unleashed by the giants, this time they chose to act. A scaled army poured forth from Argonnessen, with f lights of all colors led by the militant wyrms of the Light of Siberys. The conflict was brutal, and its outcome never in doubt. The dragons had no interest in holding territory. They made no effort to avoid civilian casualties; they brought fire, fang, and epic magic to bear in the most destructive ways imaginable. In the end, nothing was left of the proud nations of Xen’drik. Giant, elf, and all other cultures of the land were laid low by the dragons, and powerful curses ensured that the giants would never again threaten the world. Their mission accomplished, the dragons returned to Argonnessen to brood. All agreed that the people of Xen’drik would never have posed such a threat if the dragons had not shared the secrets of magic. The Conclave called the event kurash Ourelonastrix—Aureon’s Folly—and forbade any flight from sharing the secrets of Argonnessen with lesser beings.
Source: Dragons of Eberron
