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Irklathagra was a blue great wyrm who had long plagued the lands of Amn, Calimshan, and Tethyr and was the long-standing nemesis of Shoon VII.[4]

Description

Irklathagra was the perfect example of a blue dragon in her prime, sporting impressive frilled ears and an enormous horn typical of her kind. Due to her long absence from desert environs, her azure scales lacked the usual gloss that those of her breed normally had. Her over-sized fangs were perhaps her most prominent feature and were what earned her the moniker "Sharpfangs".[4]

Personality

Iryklathagra's success was mostly due to her cunning and patient nature, eschewing much of the arrogance that is the downfall of younger dragons. Although she was well aware that she was not indestructible, she wound stop at little when it came to revenge. It was this type of disproportionate retaliation to any slight against her that had deterred many from moving against the infamous dragon.[5]

Possessions

Over a millennia of amassing items and wealth for her hoard, Irylathagra grew to possess one of largest dragon hoards in Faerûn. She had looted from numerous organizations and realms, powerful wizards, and other dragons to create her hoard over the years.[4]

Although her monetary wealth fluctuated over the years, her hoard was noted for many precious works of art that were the jewels of her collection, some of these included:[4]

  • Eyes of Nearal
  • Mourning stones of Evrytaan
  • Rysellan's tears
  • Bronze brazier of Memmon
  • Funeral urns of Nykkar
  • Goblet of seven winds
  • Onion dome of Anachtyr
  • Writhing rugs of Alimir

In addition to these prized pieces, Irylathagra had managed to attain some of the most unique magical items and artifacts in the Realms, the most notable of which were:[4]

Irylathagra did not use these powerful magic items; she was a hoarder at heart. However, she hoped that her possession of them might someday gain her entry into the Twisted Rune, the secret society of which the blue dracolich Sapphiraktar was a part. Alternatively, they would provide her with protection, should the red dragons Balagos or Charvekkanathor ever choose to attack her.[6]

Relationships

Irylathagra was the mother of Araugauthos, a dragon once imprisoned by Halaster Blackcloak in the Undermountain. The two dragons get along well with each other.[7]

History

Early Years

Irylathagra was born in 145 DR in the Anauroch Desert.[3] As a wyrmling, she already lusted for riches, and in 150 DR, she looted Halastar's abandoned tower and stole his treasure.[8]

The Sharpfang Battles

May her body rot and her scales crumble as she slumbers atop the fruits of th Imperium! May her fangs grow dull and her wings wither as she drifts on the river of time! Iryklathagra shall rue the day she challenged the almighty Shoon, for I shall personally dine upon her flesh and gnaw upon her bones. My Art will summon her to my throne and force her to bow down before me. I shall fashion her hide into a mantle befitting of the qysar. By all the gods, I swear to bring her only death, for no man or wyrm shall ever challenge the authority of the Shoon in this realm or the next!
— Qysar Shoon VII, from the Collected Ravings of Shoon VII, published 469 DR[4]

Her first interaction with the Shoon Dynasty happened in 236 DR. Irylathagra was then a young adult dragon. Desiring the hoard of a silver dragon in the Marching Mountains named Rhimnasarl, she conspired together with Emperor Shoon IV to kill the good dragon, as Shoon IV desired his death, since the dragon opposed Shoon rule. After the deed was done, Shoon IV seized the loot for himself. Betrayed, Irylathagra battled with and seriously injured him, but he escaped to Shoonach alive. Afterward, Irylathagra remained in the Marching Mountains and built a lair there, biding time for revenge.[9] (Even after she moved on to another lair, she continued to guard the "Yawning Cavern", as it was called, and slew any who tried to enter it.)[10]

By 245 DR, she began a reign of terror in the lands around her lair and built a name for herself in that region.[9]

In 322 DR, Irylathagra first battled with Emperor Shoon VII, a fight which ultimately destroyed four villages. Irylathagra had landed in the middle of Qysar's Square and requested an audience with the emperor. When he appeared, she demanded he return the treasures of the dragon Rhimnasarl that Shoon IV had stolen from her. Shoon VII refused, and this led to their battling in northeastern regions of Tethyr. Shoon VII emerged the victor, having even stolen several magical items from Irylathagra's claws.[11]

After that first fight with the blue dragon, Shoon VII became obsessed with destroying Irylathagra. This desire drove him to create the magical artifacts the Staff of Shoon and the Tome of the Unicorn in addition to several powerful and evil spells.[12]

In 358 DR Irylathagra fought her second major battle with Shoon VII. Having waited patiently for over three decades, Irylathagra was more powerful. This time, despite Shoon VII's powerful new magics, the blue dragon was victorious and even stole Shoon's powerful magic staff.[11]

In 366 DR, her final battle with Shoon VII left 75,000 bystanders dead and destroyed Shoon's right leg and left arm. Her own wings were shredded. She was eventually driven off. Shoon VII, however, used his injuries as a ploy to fake his death and become a lich. His successors, terrified of "Sharpfangs", as they now called her, agreed to pay her tribute for centuries lest she attack again.[11]

When the Shoon Imperium fell in the Year of the Corrie Fist (450 DR), the one-armed, elven prince Strohm I burned Shoonach to the ground. On Alturiak 4,[13], while the fires were still burning, "Sharpfangs" showed herself to the elven conqueror. When he permitted her to loot the city and reclaim the treasures she claimed were hers, she vowed never to use Tethyr as a hunting ground again—a promised she indeed kept.[11]

For his part, Shoon VII, in undeath, bides his time, waiting for when he can kill "Sharpfangs" and retake his magic staff.[6]

Later Years

A rage of dragons occurred in 1018 DR, and Irylathagra was driven to attack he city of Mintar. She battled with its defenders for nearly a month before returning to her lair, leaving the city in ruins.[2]

In 1162 DR,[14] Irylathagra's lair was invaded by members of the Skeletal Finger. They overcame her traps but woke her from a deep sleep and fled. She followed them back to their hideout and slaughtered every last member of that thieves guild. The hideout became her new lair.[15]

In 1271 DR, Irylathagra explored the ocean by means of an ioun stone. She plundered the underwater city of Otanyn and stole Kayas the Krakenscourge.[16]

During another rage of dragons, in 1373 DR, Irylathagra badly damaged the eastern tower of the Twin Towers of the Eternal Eclipse, which were temples to Cyric. She continued on from there to return to Calimshan again. Unable to attack the syl-pasha's palace because of its magical protections, she instead razed the Plaza of Divine Truth, destroying an idol of Bhaelros. This summoned an aspect of Bhaelros, riding a brass dragon. The two dragons fought, bringing further destruction on the Palace Ward of the city, before "Sharpfangs" was driven off.[17]

Appendix

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 23. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 22. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  5. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 20–24. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
  7. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 21. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  8. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  10. Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 85. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 30–31. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  12. Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  13. Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  14. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 123. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  15. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 23–24. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  16. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 128. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  17. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21–22. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
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