The Purple Dragon

Hearken now to one of the deepest secrets of the realm . . . aye, lean close and listen low, for some slay to learn this, and others to keep it secret.

You've heard, I doubt not, that somewhere in Cormyr, skulking in the Stonelands or the Storm Horns or the green forest deeps, there's always one Purple Dragon

Aye, a wyrm whose scales are purple, that can hide in the semblance of a human, though its eyes burn like purple flames. None know all the power of the Purple Dragon, but it hates too much tree felling and too many laws and grasping greed and loves things and the beauty of the land. It wants its folk to be free and daring their dreams and deeds.

The Purple Dragon walks alone and stands apart and none know its mind. It can be kind and caring, or fell and deadly, rescuing a lost child one moment and tearing proud and cruel knights out of their armor bone by bloody bone the next.

The purple comes from elven magic that entered the blood of dragons here long ago none know how or dare to ask. It lets the creature take man-shape and do other great and terrible things besides.

It is said that when the last Purple Dragon dies, then so too will Cormyr. Some there are who say that day is not so far off. Others - enemies of the crown - seek the Purple Dragon, meaning to slay it and so bring about the end of the Forest Kingdom. For my own part, I hope they find what they seek. It's a hard thing to kill a dragon, after all, and that would be one less Zhent or Thayan or haughty high lord to worry about.

-An old Cormyrian forester