Azhdaha

the Hidden One

"It's just a campfire tale or a cultists whisper. Every dragon was driven mad, no exceptions. Besides, dracoliches were always a myth." ~ Jarys Saldon, Emberhold curator 3rd class
In Emberhold they say all were caught completely off guard by the Madness, but there are those who dispute this. In hushed tones around campfires, and furtive whispers in back rooms, tales are told of The Hidden One. Compiling a record of such a figure is challenging task for even the most dedicated researcher, and the worlds best-equipped researchers - the archivists at Emberhold - treat these rumors with open disdain. There are those who take a more pragmatic approach among the Knights Mendicant, and their chapterhouse at the archive holds field reports of strange encounters and road-side rumors.
It is claimed that among the dragons there was a master of divination who foresaw the doom coming to their species. What this dragon's name was and their role in the great Istragan Empire changes from teller to teller. Disturbingly consistent, however, is the tale of what they did in response to coming disaster. It is said that this dragon turned to necromancy in an attempt to preserve the greatness and knowledge of the mighty Wyrms in themself, becoming a living archive of draconic knowledge that could survive any cataclysm. Dark rituals and terrible sacrifices were used to create a mighty artifact to serve as the phylactery that would bind this dragon's soul. And finally - not long before the Madness struck - the dragon completed the final ritual, being slain and transfering their soul into the artifact, allowing the creation of new body and the begining of their existance as a dracolich.
Those who tell such tales refer to this dragon as "The Hidden One," but one Knight Mendicant left a report in which a series of terrible deaths in one village were traced to a cult. Under questioning, these cultists spoke of The Hidden One by the name Azhdaha - 'Aschscale.' Whethere this is the original name of the dragon, a name they took after their transformation, or yet another honorific is unknown.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

No one has encountered a dracolich, but much is written about the effects of powerful necromancy on a living body. It is believed that such a creature would appear a ruinous corpse of their original self, with flesh rotting and sluffing off of bones until at long last only a spirit bound to a skeleton would remain. However this runs up against the claim that the ritual of lichdom - if indeed such things are possible - creates a new body for the spirit to inhabit separate from the phylactery that prevents the spirit leaving this world. Each time the lich dies, a new body is created. Is the necromantic nature of the spell so dark that the newly created body is already ruinous? Can necromancy even be a creative energy? As no one has ever seen a lich, let alone a dracolich, such questions must remain unanswered for now.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

According to the tales, Azhdaha's desire is not evil or even dangerous. The terrible things done to become a dracolich were done purely to preserve their mind against the coming disaster, and in their mind to preserve the gathered wisdom of the great dragons of old. There are those who see this as the picture of a noble sacrifice. Others point to the corruptive nature of powerful necromancy to argue that - even if Azhdaha's original intentions were pure - the nature of this magic would push them inevitably toward cruelty. And it is certainly the case that cultists of the Hidden One have often been linked to dreadful acts.

Species

Dragon

Age

Unknown

Current Residence

Unknown

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Ash grey scales with dark red wings