Chartilifax

Chartilifax was a young green dragon from Neverwinter Wood that came to dwell within the dungeons beneath the Cathedral of Helm in Helm's Hold in the late years of the 15 century DR. He was the plaything of the Prophet Rohini and a guardian of the Abolethic Sovereignty, tasked with the protection of a powerful artifact and a relic of the Spellplague.

"The sun is blooming, but the lady hides behind her other face."

- One of Chartilifax's enigmatic observations.

Description
While Chartilifax appeared as a young green dragon, he was tortured and his body modified by the foulspawn sorcerers of the Abolethic Sovereignty. Because of the horrors he faced, Chartilifax could readily change between his draconic form and that of a green-skinned, spellscarred elf.

Due to Rohini's influence, he came to actually believe his elven body was his natural form, and he could transform into a dragon by means of his spellscar. Over time he preferred to remain in the guise of an elf.

Personality
"Down in the depths the choir sings. When the song ends, madness it brings!"

After being charmed by the Prophet Rohini and exposed to the Spellplague, Chartilifax lost his sanity. Whether in his draconic or his elven form, Chartilifax spoke in a strange form of sing-song riddles that obliquely referred to the events around him.

Abilities
As one of the plaguechanged, Chartilifax was more powerful than other green dragons of his age. He had developed a particular taste for devouring arcane fire, which he enjoyed in a way a nobleperson might a finely-cooked meal.

Possessions
Instead of the common draconic hoard composed of gems, riches, and magic items, Chartilifax hoarded spells, magical lore, and the items belonging to people he had consumed.

Activities
Chartilifax's was relegated to living within the subterranean complex beneath the Sanatorium of Helm's Hold that came to be known as the Lair of the Mad Dragon. The halls beneath the Cathedral of Helm gave way underground dungeons, and unnatural yet beautiful caverns that had been been warped by the ever-present Symphony of Madness.

Chartilifax was tasked by Rohini to serve as a guardian beast for the Hex Locus.

Relationships
"Behind the face you think you know, a terrible evil smiles and lies. Be wary, and don't close your eyes."

- More of Chartilifax's "nonsense".

Due to the torture he endured, Chartilifax was entirely subservient to Rohini, who was in fact a succubus from the Nine Hells.

History
Circa the mid–15 century DR, Chartilifax dwelt in Neverwinter Wood, doing whatever it was a green dragon chose to do, well beyond the control of the local law enforcement of Helm's Hold. After the Prophet Rohini took control of the city, she claimed "divine foresight" from Helm empowered her to deal with the threatening dragon. She bestowed upon Chartilifax a single kiss, allowing her to reveal the contents of her mind onto his, and instantly remove the green dragon's hold on his sanity.

By instilling madness in Chartilifax's mind, Rohini's foulspawn minions were to able to corrupt him and transform him into a servant of the Sovereignty. Rohini forced Chartilifax to lair within the dungeons beneath Helm's Hold. She convinced the city' citizens that Chartilifax was in fact a spellscarred elf that held the power to take the form of a dragon, and that she could only contain the threat with their continued faith in her power.

In the, Chartilifax was mentally dominated by the wizard Elden Vargas, when he sought revenge on Rohini and the Ashmadai for taking captive his long-time friend Karis. Vargas took Rohini hostage in the Cathedral of Helm in Helm's Hold and forced a standoff with a group of adventurers. Vargas sicced Chartilifax on the adventurers in his draconic form and they fought in the cathedral for a while, before the green dragon burst through a stained-glass window and flew away. When the hathran Karis inadvertently formed a massive storm above the cathedral, Chartilifax returned to assail the group of adventurers once more, but was rebuffed and barely managed to leave with his life.

Chartilifax was eventually killed some time later following the Siege of Helm's Hold, after the Prophet Rohini was revealed to the people of Helm's Hold as a malevolent succubus. The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge ventured down into the dragon's lair beneath the Cathedral of Helm, defeated the last remnants of the Ashmadai in the city and slain within the caves that opened up into its true home, Neverwinter Wood.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Storm over Neverwinter
 * Video Games
 * &bull; Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter