The plot of Elsweyr, from what I've gathered, is stopping Kaalgrontiid from devouring the Core of Masser. Much of the main quest focuses on fixing that horn that has a similar effect to Dragonrend to harm him. Something called the Shadow Dance is capable of moving the moons, causing a solar eclipse and opening a portal to Massar's core when their souls become attuned to the Lunar Lattice, the Lunar Lattice being how the Khajiit perceive the laws of reality of the Mundus and the Liminal Barriers. Attuning oneself to the Lunar Lattice allows one to move the moons, in a certain place.
"I underwent the process of attunement, the same as Anequina and the Moon-Priests of the temple. The same as Cadwell.\n\nI know how to make the Moons move, provided we find a working Lunar Lattice apparatus."
"The temple, the Lattice. They recognized Anequina's blood and … sang to me.\n\nIt all makes sense now. Anequina moved the Moons so Khunzar-ri could reach Jode's Core. The Betrayer wants to do the same for the Dragons."
"We stopped the Betrayer, but not before he set the Moons in motion. Soon they will align. When the eclipse occurs, the Moon Gate of Anequina will open and grant access to Jode's Core.\n\nWhich is exactly what the Dragons desire."
"Not yet. This apparatus moves the Moons, but the Moon Gate of Anequina creates the portal to Jode's Core. Luckily, I sent forces there to defend it from the Dragons. We will join them.\n\nBut first, the memories tell me we have one more task here."
"The moons have begun to align. When the eclipse occurs, the Moon Gate of Anequina will open and grant access to Jode's Core. We need to try to prevent the Dragons from accessing the portal and attaining the power stored there."
Online:Chronicles of Juhra-ri, Chapter 1 - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Chronicles of Juhra-ri said:
ASSURANCE IS MADE TO CHILDREN OF THE BEYOND, whom the Riddle'thar knew to be coiled in flesh, that in the presence of the holy and triumphant soul will the path to dreaming be known.
CHAPTER 1
A young one came to us and, with due reverence, asked Juha-ri of White Sand if he could learn the Dance of Shadows, for he had heard as many had before of the great dance of Anequina Sharp-Tongue, boon companion to Khunzar-ri. With a tongue full of platitude and supplication, he begged Juha-ri to share his knowledge, for the young one believed a dance capable of moving the Moons must be beautiful to behold.
And Juha-ri gave the youth the smile he always gave to the young, one of sadness and pity. He asked the youth, how does one instruct a serpent to walk? How does one tell an owl to make fire, or an ape to pray? The youth took Juha-ri's meaning. He thanked the great Sage of White Sand for his words and began his long walk home.
Juha-ri called to the young one, and though the Sage of White Sand spoke only the barest whisper the wind carried the voice as though it had descended from Jone and Jode themselves. Juha-ri offered to share with the youth his knowledge of the Dance. The young one was confused. No serpent could be instructed to walk. No owl can make fire. Were these not likened to teaching the Dance of Shadows?
The Sage of White Sand nodded. A serpent will always be a serpent, an owl always an owl. But the soul may become many things, though it may take lifetimes to become them. Many consider such a price too dear to pay, and they will never come to know the Dance of Shadows.
The youth nodded and stood in contemplation. And when Juha-ri returned to the Dancing Shadow temple, the youth followed.
Sir Cadwell, the crazy Soul Shriven with a pot on his head, was originally the Betrayer who killed Khunzar-ri in order to steal the power of the Dragons and Jode's Core for himself and forced the attunement on himself, but the other champions and moon-priests teamed up against him and eventually defeated him and cut his head off, but not before many of them fell. In the current Era, Euraxia Tharn gets Zumog Phoom to gather the Betrayers original body parts to turn Cadwell back into the Betrayer in order to align the moons once more, because the Betrayer was attuned to move the moons. The reason Cadwell can move between portals is implied to be because of this.
Online:Khamira - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: I think the soldiers are also looking for the body parts Zumog Phoom seeks.
Khamira: Zumog Phoom! He wants to resurrect the Betrayer from the ancient tales of Khunzar-ri. Ever since Abnur Tharn made the Moon-Singers recall those legends, we have been haunted by them.
But that is the next problem. First, we must protect Riverhold.
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: That relic, it is connected to the Lunar Lattice. When you touched it, something spoke to me. I am becoming … attuned. Help me find the remaining Lattice relics and complete my attunement. It is the only way to stop the Betrayer and the Dragons.
Vestige: What do you mean, attuned?
Khamira: The Moon-Priests that served this temple, they were attuned to the Lattice and the hidden paths. They could move the Moons and dance through the shadows.
The Betrayer was attuned in the ancient past. I think that is why Cadwell can use portals.
Vestige: But why are you being attuned?
Khamira: The temple, the Lattice. They recognized Anequina's blood and … sang to me.
It all makes sense now. Anequina moved the Moons so Khunzar-ri could reach Jode's Core. The Betrayer wants to do the same for the Dragons."
Vestige: How can the Betrayer move the Moons?
Khamira: "You must listen more closely, five-claw. The Betrayer is attuned. When he reaches the temple sanctuary, he will activate the Moon Gate Apparatus and put the Moons in motion.
I need to finish my attunement before that happens.
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: The Betrayer attuned himself and hoped to align the Moons as Anequina did, but the Moon-Priests and the remaining champions stopped him. Now I see how he planned to do it. It is so simple!
Hurry, we have one more relic to activate.
Vestige: How do you know all this, Khamira?
Khamira: The attunement process … through it I can hear the Moons sing! And I hear another voice. It feels like a part of me. I hear Anequina, who cries for the innocent blood the Betrayer spilled so long ago.
We cannot let him open the way."
Vestige: Why did the Betrayer turn on Khunzar-ri and the champions?
Khamira: The Betrayer was always more interested in glory and power than being a true hero. The prize waiting in Jode's Core was too much to ignore.
He murdered Khunzar-ri and attuned himself so he could move the Moons and walk the secret paths.
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: Cadwell … faded away. We stopped Zumog Phoom, but not before he reanimated the Betrayer.
Khamira: Hrrm. That does not bode well. The Betrayer of Khunzar-ri was a great hero who became a terrible villain. It took all the remaining champions and the Moon-Priests of Anequina to stop him.
But how does the Betrayer's return help the Dragons?
Vestige: Cadwell began to remember. He said the Betrayer seeks a special place to find Jode's Core.
Khamira: A special place? That does not give us a lot of information to go on, five-claw.
Did Cadwell tell you anything else before he disappeared?
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: Yes. He murdered Khunzar-ri and then came to this temple to gain the power to move the Moons and open the way to Jode's Core.
You see, the path only appears at the Moon Gate of Anequina when the Moons are aligned, as in an eclipse.
Vestige: The moon-priests stopped the Betrayer back then.
Khamira: True, but many died before they lopped off his head. The Betrayer was the greatest warrior of his day. If it comes to a battle, it will not be an easy one.
There is an apparatus in the sanctuary, linked to the larger Moon Gate. That is what we seek.
Online:Cadwell - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Sir Cadwell: Zumog Phoom has been collecting my original body parts. He tried to steal my essence and stick it back in my old noggin. I think … I think he's trying to put me back together!
Well, not me. The other me. The Betrayer.
Vestige: Can you tell me anything about the Betrayer?
Sir Cadwell: Must I? Oh, very well. My memories are rather muddled, but it seems that in life I was rather a distasteful chap. I was a knight! A champion! I helped people, mostly, but mostly I helped myself.
Truth be told, I was a right and utter bastard.
Vestige: But why did they call you the Betrayer?
Sir Cadwell: I had a … a friend, I think. Another hero of the age. One of these lovely cat people. Went by the name of Khunzar-ri.
I helped him do … something or other. Then, when he least expected it, I stabbed him in the back. Literally."
Vestige: Why would you do a thing like that?
Sir Cadwell: That's another of those blank spaces in my memory. I have no idea why the vile person I used to be would commit such a dastardly deed. You know, once we find my head, we need to ask it about that.
Right before we toss it into a roaring fire.
Kaalgrontiid intended to merge the power of himself and his dragons with the power of Jode's Core. When in the moon, someone attuned can see memories of the past. Note also that Jode is refered to as a plane, further backing up the plane(t) cosmology.
Online:Khamira - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: Five-claw, we stand on the sacred Plane of Jode. The Dragons went down into the processional. They seek to breach Jode's Core.
Vestige: What is this place?
Khamira: From the memories I absorbed at the Shadow Dance Temple, Anequina and the Moon-Priests came here to honor the Moons and set them on their way after their sacred joining.
Vestige: This is also where she helped Khunzar-ri hide the Dragons' power.
I don't understand. Why would the Dragons agree to give up a part of their power?
Khamira: Here on the Plane of Jode, the memories become clearer with every passing moment.
Khunzar-ri was able to use Kaalgrontiid's own greed against him. The Dragon sought the power of Jode's Core from the beginning, but Khunzar-ri offered him even more.
Vestige: What did Khunzar-ri offer Kaalgrontiid?
Khamira: He offered a way to combine the natural power of Jode's Core with the mystic might of his loyal Dragons. Kaalgrontiid's greed was his undoing.
Now he finally has an opportunity to steal all the stored energy for himself. We must stop him.
Vestige: Then let's get down there.
The quest objective even refers to it as the Plane of Jode.
On top of the above, Kaalgrontiid is noted to have grown stronger and bigger after devouring power from Jode's Core.
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: We did it, five-claw. We put the Moons back in motion and defeated both Mulaamnir and Kaalgrontiid.
I … I want to thank you for everything. Elsweyr is safer today because of you."
Vestige: How did you finally figure out how to move the moons, Khamira?
Khamira: Just being on the Plane of Jode clarified the memories I inherited at the Shadow Dance Temple. I saw the ritual in my mind and performed the actions.
Too bad the Dragonhorn did not survive. At least it lasted long enough to banish Kaalgrontiid."
Vestige: Are we really sure that we defeated Kaalgrontiid? He seemed extremely powerful at the end.
Khamira: He did grow larger with every infusion of power he absorbed. But the horn dislodged him from Jode's Core, which allowed me to finish the ritual and end the eclipse. After that? Hrrm.
A concern for another day, yes?"
Vestige: Why did the Mane send an envoy?
Khamira: I cannot be named queen without the Mane's blessing. That, however, is my worry.
For now, you should rest. We must honor our fallen and learn the fate of our troops at the Moon Gate. And after that, we will celebrate a new dawn for Elsweyr.
On a quick aside, a dragon growing bigger, stronger and more god-like the more they eat.
Now where have we seen this before?
In order to stand a chance against the dragons, they need the Dragonhorn, which is made from the horn of a huge dragon and which can weaken dragons by blowing it.
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: You know how to use the Dragonhorn?
Abnur Tharn: Theoretical knowledge isn't the same as practical experience, but I believe I understand the fundamentals of its operation.
The Dragonguard prepared a horn taken from a massive Dragon and engraved it with arcane runes, giving it astonishing power.
Vestige: The Dragonhorn is actually a Dragon's horn?
Abnur Tharn: Oh yes, I'm fairly certain of that. And I found historical references indicating the Dragonguard gifted such relics to key locations. For their protection, you see.
The one you located was originally in Rimmen before it was moved to the sanctuary."
Vestige: So how do we use it?
Abnur Tharn: We have neither the time nor resources to move the large relic, but the small horn you brought back—it's called a combat horn, by the way—was designed to be carried into battle.
Once charged with energy, its sound weakens Dragons.
Indeed, this is the only way to stand up against Kaalgrontiid or Mulaamnir, or in other cases to take down the dragons at all.
Elsweyr Online said:
Abnur Tharn: My shield won't hold much longer!
Khamira: The Dragonhorn, five-claw! Do you have it? Use it, quick, quick!
Elsweyr Online said:
Khamira: Five-claw, Mulaamnir and Kaalgrontiid approach!
Abnur Tharn: The Dragonhorn! It's our only chance!
Online:Dragonguard Orland - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: Is there really a way to stop the Dragons?
Dragonguard Orland: Take my ring. It will … open the sanctuary.
Find the Dragonhorn. You have to … have to ….
If the above statement of the dragonhorn weakening a dragon isn't enough, then take a look at it in action against Mulaamnir during the final battle. Kaalgrontiid uses the energy of Jode's Core to enpower himself and Mulaamnir, changing their size, power and appearance, and Mulaamnir is covered in glowing blue patterns like his master. However, blowing the Dragonhorn causes these blue patterns to vanish (note also his health bar goes down). This also banishes Kaalgrontiid from the Plane of Jode, to be dealt with another day.
2:46
Another example of the dragonhorn being used is against Bahlokdaan.
31:12, Vestige blows the Dragonhorn, which hurts Bahlokdaan and he smashes into a temple, though this shatters the Dragonhorn.
Note also the size of the Dragonhorn, and think about how big the dragon that it belonged to must have been.
32:00, we see the damage Bahlokdaan did to the temple.
More evidence is present for dragons being bigger in the lore than they are depicted in games. The dragons are shown in game to be more or less the same size, but they're noted as being smaller and bigger than one another. Along with Kaalgrontiid growing in size, this also demonstrates that their size seems to be connected to their power.
Meet the Character – Mulaamnir
Meet the Character - Mulaamnir said:
Mulaamnir is a massive creature, surely among the largest of his kind. He refers to the other Dragons that emerged from the Halls at his side as his “brothers,” but I have yet to ascertain if this refers to an actual familial connection or to a sense of companionship created after their long association.
Mulaamnir, a massive Dragon adorned in azure scales, answered Queen Euraxia’s summons and spoke in a commanding tone that indicated he represented all of the newly released Dragons. His rumbling voice sent shivers down my spine, I must admit. I find no shame in this admission. Even Her Majesty seemed ill at ease standing before the huge beast. We honestly had no idea if the Dragons would agree to Queen Euraxia’s offer of an alliance or if Mulaamnir would smite us with fire or swallow us whole into his expansive maw. I almost bolted when he referred to us as “little morsels.” But I held my ground and demonstrated my worth to my queen.
An incredibly powerful khajitt lich called Arum-Khal creates a pocket-plane under his complete control which was a part of his being, which collapses upon his death (similar to Mankar Camoran) where he can steal the souls of the dead. It's also noted how impressive creating a plane is.
Online:Vastarie - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: If Arum-Khal's orbs and the sword are gates between realms, where do they lead?
Vastarie: A good question. The Moonlight Blade clearly ushers Khajiiti souls from one fate to another. The Great Darkness of Namira, or Khajiiti paradise, whatever that might be.
Vestige: Why do you say it like that?
Vastarie: The Riddle'thar cult would have them believe that Khenarthi, the wind god, whisks their souls away to the Sands Behind the Stars—a sugary paradise. I have my doubts.
The Hidden Moon adepts revere Azura. I suspect they send redeemed Khajiit to her.
Vestige: And where do Arum-Khal's orbs lead?
Vastarie: Somewhere else entirely. If my suspicions are correct, they connect to a plane of his own making. A twilight place where only dark spirits can thrive.
To conjure up an entire plane of existence …. It's an ambition that few mages have realized.
Elsweyr Online said:
Vastarie: Azura's will resonates within that Moonlight Blade, but it's so faint. Like a voice at the far end of a darkened hallway … or the other side of a stone door.
That's it! This sword, Arum-Khal's phylacteries—they're not vessels. They're gateways!
Vestige: What do you mean, gateways?
Vastarie: I told you before, Arum-Khal's phylactery felt different, somehow. Cavernous. Now I see, it wasn't a vessel. It was a gate to another realm. A realm of horror that he controls.
This Moonlight Blade serves as a gate, too. A door to the afterlife.
Online:Mazza-Mirri - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: Tell me more about the Moonlight Blade.
Mazza-Mirri: As I said before, it is a gift from our mother, Azurah, and the greatest treasure of our order.
Those who learn the Moonlight Blade's discipline can cut through the boundaries between worlds, and usher souls from one realm to another."
Vestige: Why didn't you use it against Arum-Khal the first time?
Mazza-Mirri: We did. But despite the sword's power, Arum-Khal escaped to a place where we could not follow.
The adepts who survived our war with the lich made great sacrifices to further empower the blade. But by the time we were done, none remained to wield it."
Elswyer Online said:
Mazza-Mirri: You must not, Witch. Arum-Khal was his realm. Now it collapses.
Arum-Kal's plane, which contains floating asteroids and stars.
Online:Arum-Khal's Realm - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
The Khajiiti version of Sheogorath, the Skooma Cat (or Sheggorath), manifests to mess with the priests of the Two Moons Temple to go insane.
The moons being out of alignment messes with the Lunar Lattice, allowing the Skooma Cat to manifest upon Nirn and directly mess with mortal minds.
Online:Priest Haduras - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Priest Haduras: Brr! Khajiit gets all goose-pimply in the hackles just touching it! Haduras fears things are even worse than he imagined. This fork reeks of more than beef, it stinks of Oblivion!
Vestige: I've seen it before. It belongs to Sheogorath.
Priest Haduras: The Skooma Cat! He must be responsible for our Moon-Bishop's strange visions, but how has he spread his madness to the monks …? And you said you saw him? In the flesh?
Vestige: He appeared as a small cat.
Priest Haduras: An Alfiq? The Skooma Cat should not be able to cross the Lunar Lattice. If he walks among us, then Jone and Jode must truly be out of alignment.
We must check on the temple!
Elsweyr Online said:
Vestige: What's the story behind the Skooma Cat?
Priest Haduras: Before there were the moons, or the world, there were Ahnurr and Fadomai. From their union, all the God Cats came, including the one Khajiit known as Sheggorath, the crook-tailed Cat who shares his madness with sugar-tooths through skooma.
Vestige: Is that how he's been driving the priests insane?
Priest Haduras: Haduras does not smell the sick sweetness of the drug upon them. Terrible as it is, the fleeting skooma-dreams would be preferable to this all-consuming madness.
On this side of the Lattice, it seems Sheggorath needs no sugar to share his lunacy.
Vestige: The Lattice?
Priest Haduras: The Lunar Lattice formed by Jone and Jode's light separates Nirni from the other God Cats and protects her children from the ones who would do us harm.
Normally, Sheggorath could only send his mad thoughts across through the perverted moon-sugar.
The Skooma Cat has his own realm of Oblivion, the Skooma Cats Coister, filled with the Skooma Cats "toys," creatures that appear small and harmless at first, but upon approaching them reveal themselves to be much larger and more dangerous. The realm is also filled with things that would be of interest to a cat, such as butterflies to chase, yarn to play with and cream to eat. At the end of the quest, the Skooma Cat turns into Sheogorath and reveals it was him all along, to the surprise of no one.
The Skooma Cats Coister.
Jone and Jode being out of alignment has allowed the Skooma Cat to manifest on Nirn, and the Lunar Lattice is said to work in a similar way to the Liminal Barriers (indeed, it may be the Khajiiti way of perceiving the Liminal Barriers).
Online:Priest Haduras - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elswyer Online said:
Priest Haduras: The Skooma Cat! He must be responsible for our Moon-Bishop's strange visions, but how has he spread his madness to the monks …? And you said you saw him? In the flesh?
Vestige: He appeared as a small cat.
Priest Haduras: An Alfiq? The Skooma Cat should not be able to cross the Lunar Lattice. If he walks among us, then Jone and Jode must truly be out of alignment.
We must check on the temple!
Elsweyr Online said:
Priest Haduras: The Lunar Lattice formed by Jone and Jode's light separates Nirni from the other God Cats and protects her children from the ones who would do us harm.
Normally, Sheggorath could only send his mad thoughts across through the perverted moon-sugar.
Online:Moon-Bishop Sizenza - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elsweyr Online said:
Moon-Bishop Sizenza: Sizenza should see where to step, her vision showed it true, but she cannot see it now ….
Vestige: They aren't your visions. The Skooma Cat is playing tricks on you.
Moon-Bishop Sizenza: No, this one sees by the light of the Two Moons. These are not fevered sugar-dreams. She saw the Dragons spring from the mouth of the world and swallow the moon. She saw her temple turned to ash. She must act before it is too late.
Vestige: Maybe some of your visions were real, but all you're doing now is hurting your followers.
Moon-Bishop Sizenza: Sizenza tried to save them!
She sees so much that she is blinded. What is the truth? What are the lies? She can't tell what is real!
Elsweyr Online said:
Skooma Cat: Quit your raveling! I was batting her thoughts into a glorious tangle before you came along! Now I'm going to have to start again!
The Akaviri believe that water ways like rivers and puddles link to the afterlife and connect between the realms of the living and the dead. Remember that the memories of the dead become water and forbidden knowledge of Hermaeus Mora allowed a Nereid to take advantage of this, and the Augur of the Obscure said that the oceans of Nirn exist in more than three dimensions, and seeing them as they truly are would cause your brain to explode.
Online:Domitia Nasica - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)
Elswyer Online said:
Vestige: Tell me more about the Proof of Reverence.
Domitia Nasica: Before we can prove ourselves to our ancestors, we must first get their attention.
The paper lotus acts as a ceremonial letter of sorts. By placing it into the river, we allow it to be carried into the realm of the dead.
Vestige: Is that based on an Akaviri belief?
Domitia Nasica: Yes, it is.
The Akaviri believe that all waterways connect the realms of the living and dead. There are many folk tales about boats being lost in heavy fog, and landing on shores filled with restless spirits.
Vestige: And do you believe that?
Domitia Nasica: I used to, when I was little. Whenever I would go jump in a puddle, my mother would yell, "Stop that! You'll fall right into the afterlife!"
Truthfully though, she just didn't want my dress to get muddy.
Finally, the next cinematic trailer for Elsweyr shown at E3, which is pretty cool. We see the city in ruins and the dragon is much bigger than as depicted in the games and more superhuman showings.
It ends in a to be continued, so we'll see more with the other expansions later this year. Also because people are going to use this cinematic to cherrypick because a dragon got taken down by a balistiae, and ignore that it was weakened by the Dragonhorn, and the importance of the Dragonhorn being able to weaken dragons in the plot of Elsweyr, I'm going to post this again.