Aerenal vs Argonessen: why?

[Aaron]

Although the destruction of Xen’drik was monumental, some of the continent’s denizens did survive. While the dragons brooded, elf refugees established the nation of Aerenal. Thousands of years of research into necromancy and the energies of Argonnessen produced The Undying Court, an alliance of deathless elves with a gestalt power that rivaled the Overlords of the first age.
Since that time—nearly twenty-five thousand years before the founding of Galifar—dragons and elves have been at war. The tides of strife ebb and flow, and centuries might pass between battles … but sooner or later the dragons return to fight once more. The basis of this age-old conflict, and its conduct, is another of the mysteries of Argonnessen. [...]
Those who study this puzzling behavior ask: Why not? What motivates this seemingly endless struggle? If the dragons truly wish to eliminate the elves, why don’t they commit their full forces to the task? If they don’t care enough to do so, why do they continue to fight in such piecemeal fashion?

The Dragons of Eberron book provides a bunch of theories about the truth behind the Aerenal - Argonnessen war, but I find none of them quite appealing.

So here I am, asking what's the answer you have found in your campaign for this "puzzling behavior".

 

[Nymrohd]

I like one of the options set forth in the book. The dragons apply constant pressure to Argonessen to keep their military well trained so that they can face a future catastrophe.

 

[Aaron]

I like one of the options set forth in the book. The dragons apply constant pressure to Argonessen to keep their military well trained so that they can face a future catastrophe.

If that's the reason, why they don't warn the elves directly?

 

[Klaus]

If that's the reason, why they don't warn the elves directly?

Because then they wouldn't make a joint effort against a common enemy, and could fracture into myriad elf states.

 

[Aaron]

Because then they wouldn't make a joint effort against a common enemy, and could fracture into myriad elf states.

I can't see why they would act as you describe. They have been a monolithic force for thousands of years, united against the Argonnessen threat: why would they fracture against an even more sinister menace?

 

[MarkB]

How about this:

Elves, especially those of Aerenal with their preserved-through-not-exactly-undeath elders, are one of the few races long-lived and wise enough to be able to gain a true perspective on the long-term plans of the dragons and the prophecy that guides them. The dragons have no particular animosity towards the elves, but they can't have outsiders observing their true plans and intentions too closely.

So periodically, they launch attacks upon the Aereni elves that serve as both a springboard and diversion for their real goal: The disruption of Elven recollections of Draconic activities through the destruction of records and the use of memory-modification magics upon their most senior elders, carried out via commando-style covert raids deep into Aereni territory.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Perhaps the Undying Court is stealing lfe energy (probably unknowingly) from Argonessen; maintaining the Undying Court is slowing down the maturity of dragons, or causing stillborn eggs and such like. A certain innate selfishness amongst dragons means that it is only those with direct ties to such an event causes them to take action, while others don't care yet since it isn't affecting them. Not worth an all out war, because it isn't affecting all of them, but always enough to irritate and cause skirmishes.

 

[Aaron]

How about this:

Elves, especially those of Aerenal with their preserved-through-not-exactly-undeath elders, are one of the few races long-lived and wise enough to be able to gain a true perspective on the long-term plans of the dragons and the prophecy that guides them. The dragons have no particular animosity towards the elves, but they can't have outsiders observing their true plans and intentions too closely.
So periodically, they launch attacks upon the Aereni elves that serve as both a springboard and diversion for their real goal: The disruption of Elven recollections of Draconic activities through the destruction of records and the use of memory-modification magics upon their most senior elders, carried out via commando-style covert raids deep into Aereni territory.

I like this perspective, but wouldn't it push the dragons towards a more "definitive" course of actions?

I mean, the DoE book even suggests that they could opt to eradicate humans in order to prevent the Quori return on Eberron!

Perhaps the Undying Court is stealing lfe energy (probably unknowingly) from Argonessen; maintaining the Undying Court is slowing down the maturity of dragons, or causing stillborn eggs and such like. A certain innate selfishness amongst dragons means that it is only those with direct ties to such an event causes them to take action, while others don't care yet since it isn't affecting them. Not worth an all out war, because it isn't affecting all of them, but always enough to irritate and cause skirmishes.

This is another interesting idea, but how could I justify the "no negotiations" attitude of the dragons?

Couldn't they openly show to the elves the damage they are suffering?


P.S.: I'm not playing the "nay-man" here: I'm just concerned with the internal consistency of my world, playing with very exigent players.

 

[Klaus]

I can't see why they would act as you describe. They have been a monolithic force for thousands of years, united against the Argonnessen threat: why would they fracture against an even more sinister menace?

A sinister menace they hear of only from the same force that wiped out the giants of Xen'drik? There are bound to be disagreements over how to respond to that (as seen in the Valenar/Mark of Death incidents, disagreements aren't unheard of in Aerenal). By presenting a more concrete, tangible threat, the dragons can not only force the elves into preparing, but they can also guide that preparedness.

 

[Nymrohd]

Also the elves are not a monolithic force. The Aereni cohabit with the Tairnadal (and the latter seem to be doing the lion's share of the fighting). Also a society built on houses suggests a level of divisiveness.

Another idea could be that some dragons fear the strengthening of Irian's connection to Eberron. Most are not concerned because Irian is a largely benevolent plane, ascending to Siberys, but a few purists see any extended planar connection as a danger. They have no reason yet to wipe the Aereni, but they attack them periodically to wean the number of deathless.

One thing is for certain. If the council of Argonessen viewed Aerenal as a threat, they would have assaulted and destroyed it.