Thousands of years ago, it was revealed that the elven line of Vol—a house that had long practiced the arts of necromancy, and had recently developed the Mark of Death—was engaged in secret dealings with a clan of dragons. This knowledge triggered an unprecedented alliance between Argonnessen and Aerenal, as dragon and elf worked side by side to wipe out the bloodline of Vol. The sibling kings proclaimed that the house would be exterminated to the last member, because a single drop of its blood could destroy all living things.
The war was bitter, but its result was never in doubt. The line of Vol was exterminated, and its allies from other lines fled to Khorvaire, bringing the beliefs that would form the basis of the Blood of Vol. Most assume that the elves feared the power of the Mark of Death. But a close study of the records challenges this assumption. If the mark was so deadly, how was the house defeated? In fact, elf and dragon didn’t fear what the line of Vol was; they were afraid of what it might become. In the mingling of elf and dragon, there was the potential to create something new—a being who could become the avatar of death itself.
They were right to be afraid. The war began with the birth of just such a being: Erandis, last scion of the line of Vol. Born of elf and dragon, her Mark of Death was unlike any other. In time, it could have been her gateway to immortality. But she was killed long before she could master its power. Her mother Minara refused to let her daughter die forever, and used her powers to raise Erandis as a lich, then sent her to Khorvaire with a handful of trusted allies. As an undead being, Erandis cannot use her mark; thus, the Aerenal diviners reported that the Mark of Death had been successfully destroyed. Erandis has spent thousands of years brooding over her loss, realizing the destiny that should have been hers yet being unable to seize it.
Few followers of the Blood know that Erandis exists, but those who do know revere her as the eldest and wisest of their champions. The Order of the Emerald Claw knows of her, and believes that the Queen of Death could bring glory to Karrnath. Erandis also has her own personal retinue, the elves of Illmarrow, who are fanatically devoted to her. In truth, however, Erandis has little interest in the faith she has helped to spread. It is a tool that helps her manipulate her followers, but her one desire is to achieve her personal apotheosis—to truly become the Queen of the Dead.
In most respects, Erandis appears to be a withered elf, but skeletal wings rise from her shoulders, and long talons speak of her draconic heritage.
Lore of Lady Vol
Secret Knowledge: The war that resulted in the destruction of the Mark of Death wasn’t just about the mark; it began with the revelation that a child had been born of elf and dragon. This was Erandis Vol, who was killed in the war.
The priests of Vol believe that the undead are champions of their faith. It is said that the greatest of these champions is Erandis Vol, who survives as a lich and guides the religion from the shadows.
Using Lady Vol
In many ways, Erandis is a tragic figure. Her birth caused the destruction of her house, and she has been robbed of her destiny: The mark traced across her withered flesh is as dead as she is. The only way she can redeem her family is by becoming the Queen of Death, and she is prepared to sacrifice everything she has built over the centuries to accomplish this—even destroying Eberron, if necessary.
The statistics below represent Lady Vol’s abilities in her current state. Should she succeed in her apotheosis, she will have powers rivaling a god’s. It is up to you to decide what steps are required for her to rise to this level, but it should be a serious challenge; she has been working toward it for thousands of years. She’ll need ancient artifacts, books of forgotten lore, or possibly to make deals with demonic overlords. She might create eldritch machines with the apparent goal of turning everyone in Sharn into a zombie—but the true goal of which is to weaken the borders between Eberron and Dolurrh (a goal she can achieve even in defeat). Her apotheosis should be the culmination of a long story arc. It’s also up to you to decide what happens if Erandis ascends. Will she terrorize the world until she is defeated? Or, with her destiny secured, will she retire to Dolurrh and become a worthy ruler of her new realm of death?
