When the giants originally changed the eladrin into elves, they imbued them with arcane energies, and showed them rudimentary magics to perform while enslaved. This sharing of magic was the foundation for many elven magics as we know them, but some of the vital research and experimentation was conducted by a rogue sect of powerful elven renegades.

The qabalrin were the ancient elven sect from which all necromancy is rumored to have come from. These powerful fugitives escaped servitude into the deep jungle of central Xen’drik, gathering in dormant volcano called the Ring of Storms. Over the years, the fertile loam had created a miniature rainforest within the walls of the mountain, and the escaped elves used it as a hiding place from their former masters. The volcano was also important for its location. Near the equator of Eberron, Siberys dragonshards fell regularly in the vicinity. And the volcano’s magma channels lead directly into a mine of Khyber dragonshards. With isolation and a wealth of magical resources, the Qabalrin were able to advance their magical knowledge at a breakneck pace.

They became arguably the most powerful non-draconic masters of conjuration on Eberron. But, perhaps because of the proximity of the Khyber mine or their unsupervised magical ascension, the Qabalrin soon became an amoral, reckless band of elves. They developed some of the first necromantic spells, and all of vampirism is said to have been derived from a series of Qabalrin masters. This power, in combination with their almost siege-proof fortification, kept the giants at bay. But their power soon became so great that the Conclave began investigating. Before the dragons could strike, a great disaster snuffed out the Qabalrin.

About 15,000 years ago, a Siberys dragonshard of enormous size came crashing from space and struck the Ring of Storms dead on. While much of the structures the Qalbarin built survived, the elves themselves died in the magical fallout from the dragonshard’s impact.