Ossavitor's Way

Ossavitor's Way was a magical means by which a dragon could attain immortality, a goal vitally important to dragonkind, developed by the ancient great wyrm Ossavitor.

Method
While little was commonly known of Ossavitor's Way, it was known to be a lengthy, difficult, and challenging process. Few dragons actually had the opportunity to attempt it. Volo reported that it required the collection of many dragon-related material components, such as blood of a bronze dragon, a scale of a silver dragon, a talon of a topaz dragon; it's unknown if he was right or not, but Elminster did not correct him on this.

The process created not one but three separate bodies for a dragon's mind to occupy. These bodies were newly formed, vital, and healed swiftly and of chosen age and size. The dragon kept its former magical powers and resistances, but its physical capabilities remained dependent on the body. By some unknown means, the dragon could transfer its mind between the three bodies, easily and often and at will, but could only occupy one at a time. Unused bodies were likely kept in stasis and stored safely somewhere, such as isolated caverns or buried deep under desert sands. Thus, the dragon was effectively immortal.

Scholarship
The full details of Ossavitor's Way were a closely guarded secret known only to a powerful few, mostly dragons pursuing it and archmages like Elminster, Khelben Arunsun, and possibly Laeral Silverhand and other Chosen of Mystra. Meanwhile, great dragons and their minions, as well as members of the Cult of the Dragon, apparently tried to steal or destroy all references to Ossavitor's Way as they could find. The Cult of the Dragon desired to erase all alternatives to dracolichdom for the dragons they dealt with. Thus, researching Ossavitor's Way was incredibly difficult; Volothamp Geddarm tried and failed and discussing it openly, even merely mentioning its name in confidence at place like Candlekeep, could raise unwelcome interest from dragons and dragon cultists alike.

History
Ossavitor reputedly developed the Way some time around. Some time in the following millennia, Ossavitor presumably either moved to another plane or died,  which may cast some doubt on how effective the Way really was.

Strongor Bonebag, a priest of Myrkul associated with a Cult of the Dragon cell in the early 10 century DR, taught an approach to draconic immortality resembling a debased form of Ossavitor's Way together with his own unique combination of the dogmas of Myrkul and Sammaster. He transformed the black dragon Chardansearavitriol, or Ebondeath, into a dracolich in the. Later, in the, Ebondeath's body disintegrated under the Eye of Myrkul, but his spirit lingered, being tethered to his remains. Myrkulytes and Dragon Cultists alike believed this to be the second stage of Ebondeath's divine ascension. Thus, Ebondeath may have achieved some part of Ossavitor's Way.

A noted follower of Ossavitor's Way in the 14 century DR was the amethyst dragon Eldenser. He likely knew the entire process, or at least thought he did, and, while apparently unhurried and leisurely about it, carefully but actively sought the components. He regularly guided wielders of his blades to attack and slay dragons and sever specific body parts and these disappeared on contact with the blade, apparently being teleported to a secret store. Elminster expected that Eldenser would indeed complete Ossavitor's Way, having been so long at it. In fact, by the 1360s DR, he may even have already completed it or was only a final step from completion. If so, then he might be hesitant to give up his current life or was developing his psionics to travel between his three bodies and his target blades.

On learning that Khelben "the Blackstaff" Arunsun possessed full details of Ossavitor's Way, many dragons tried to extract it from him, and failed. They gave up long before the 1360s DR; the many deaths showed the rest that this perhaps wasn't the best path to longevity.