A draconic shard was a psionic remnant of a powerful gem dragon whose mind had persisted after death.
When a powerful gem dragon died, their essence could live on as a draconic shard through sheer force of will. A shard looked like a shimmering, ghostly echo of the dragon as it was in life, but they rarely appeared as such. Instead, they often concealed themselves within an item, weapon, or treasure by channeling their psychic essence into it.
Draconic shards were incorporeal undead beings, requiring no sustenance or rest and able to freely pass through solid objects.
A shard could possess nearly any object, whether magical or mundane. Upon making an object into their vessel, they effectively enchanted it. The shard could perceive and communicate with the outside world from within their vessel, and could cause the object to move and fly. When an object was possessed by a shard, it became marked by a large cracked gem of the type which the dragon was in life.
Draconic shards could not be destroyed conventionally. Defeating the shard's spectral form, or destroying its vessel, could force them to retreat into the form of a cracked gem of the type which the dragon was in life. In this form, it had to rest and recuperate for up to two tendays before the gem dissolved and the shard could reform. Only by destroying this gem could the shard be slain.
Draconic shards preferred to remain concealed within the object they inhabited. However, from these objects they would continue to pursue the goals they had in life, and would seek out adventurers to assist them in these aims. The draconic shard would often present itself as a sentient magic item in order to accompany these individuals. If the shard inhabited a weapon or piece of equipment, it could grant enhanced power to a wielder's attacks or protection from psychic assaults.
A draconic shard was a powerful and resilient opponent. They could psychically deflect oncoming attacks, and nonmagical weapons did little to harm them. Likewise, fire and acid were inefficient means of harming a draconic shard, and they were completely immune to the cold and impervious to necrotic or psionic energies.
A shard would attack quickly and repeatedly using its potent psionic powers, and would use telekinetic force to rend, crush, stun, and throw their enemies. They could also psychically dominate creatures through their sheer force of will—turning them into little more than puppets—and could freely detect their opponents' thoughts. Draconic shards could turn themselves invisible at will.
In the late 15th century DR, the amethyst dragon Eldenser, known as "the Worm Who Hides in Blades," had become a draconic shard. He used his powers to jump from one bladed weapon to another, continuing to observe the world as he had done in life at the side of famous adventurers.
Source: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Draconic_shard
