Ashardalon

Ashardalon was a powerful red dragon who was mentioned in songs throughout the multiverse. He was known for his depredations and unorthodox methods to extend his own life.

Description
An extremely old red dragon, Ashardalon had an appearance that diverged somewhat from usual ancient dragons of his kind. He possessed unusual demonic features and a scar on his chest in the shape of an enormous winged humanoid.

Personality
Ashardalon was regarded as a self-important dragon with an almost desperate attachment to his own life. He was willing to go through whatever means necessary to prevent his own death since his first initial defeat.

History
After suffering a mortal wound from an elven hero, Ashardalon attempted to extend his life by binding a balor called Ammet to his chest in order to function as a second heart. However, his injuries were too extensive for the balor's power to keep Ashardalon alive. He then moved to a domain in the Astral Plane known as the Bastion of Unborn Souls and established his lair there. He was kept alive thanks to the timeless nature of the Astral Plane and the unusual flow of energy that permeated the Bastion, allowing him to feast on unborn souls, an act that eventually brought about his death to a party of heroes, and the release of Ammet, allowing it to return to the service of it's master, Demogorgon.

Since his death, the dragon became a vestige, teetering at the edge of existence where the gods do not even tread.

Ashardalon was known for having an extensive brood, having sired many a half-dragon son and daughter with mutiple creatures and humanoids across the planes, his heart, since replaced with Ammet, became a necrotic aretfact, capable of reanimating even resurrecting undead creatures that were already slain. Through the wyrms discarded heart, one could even create vampiric gibbering mouthers - made by reanimating merged quantities of vampire dust which is an extremely rare creature that only Artor Murlyn, the vampire lord of Waterdeep had the privilge of owning, dubbed the 'Blood of Ghaunadaur'.

Ashardalon's act of binding a Balor to his heart inspired red dragons planeswide to do similar, becoming what are known as Disciple's of Ashardalon. Red dragons would ritually scar their hearts in a ritual to become fiends, the process is painful, exhausting and damaging to the wyrms own health, but this is soon migitated by the transformation into a fiendiish creature.

Rumors & Legends
Ashardalon was rumored to be associated with a stronghold of the Cult of the Dragon located northwest of Thundertree. The structure collapsed in the event of the eruption of Mount Hotenow in 1451 DR.

Much of the dragons treasures after it's death have since been sought or recovered, they are catlogued in the dragon magazine.

Appearances

 * Tales from the Yawning Portal (mentioned only)