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LUNG DRAGONS

In this set of blog entries I aim to convert the original 1e Oriental Adventure monsters to 5e to Monstrous_Manual_2e_-_Gold_Dragon_-_p78provide some extra fodder for an OA campaign. I am using both the original 1e source and the updated 3e source as reference for the build.  Below I give a high level view of each dragon type and in another entry I have provided the statblock of of the most powerful of the Lung Dragons – an ancient Typhoon Dragon.  

Gold dragons are considered to be Oriental dragons but are known as Ti’en Lung or Celestial Dragons.  They retain their pre-3rd edition look in Kara-Tur but are otherwise identical to the Gold Dragon in the MM

Will add individual statblocks if/when I use them in my own campaign.  I have included some example abilities as well in this list.

LUNG DRAGON

Oriental dragons, especially of adult age and older, tend to be solitary creatures. When multiple dragons are encountered, they are usually a mated pair and young. Mated pairs are never found together when older than mature adults, and their offspring are always young adults or younger. To determine the age of the offspring, roll 1d6:

  1.  = egg,
  2. = hatchling,
  3. = very young,
  4. = young,
  5. = juvenile,
  6. = young adult.

The Celestial Bureaucracy.  Most oriental dragons are officials in the Celestial Bureaucracy, a governing body of powerful spirits headed by the Celestial Emperor. Each subspecies of oriental dragon is charged by the Celestial Bureaucracy to direct a particular governmental function; Chiang lung, for instance, are charged with guarding rivers and lakes and dispensing rain.

Every year, the oriental dragon officers journey to the Celestial Palace to file their reports of the previous year’s activities and events. Rewards and punishments are distributed based on the evaluation of the repords. A corrupt or inefficient dragon may be removed and replaced by a new appointee; an industrious dragon may be promoted to a position of higher responsibility.

Dragonkind. Like other dragons, oriental dragons have the normal physical attacks except the wing buffet ability because they lack wings.  This attack is replaced by a constriction attack, which then inflicts automatic damage each round.

All oriental dragon’s have magic resistance as well as resistance to normal attacks and total immunity to normal missile attacks.  Like other dragons, young adult and older oriental dragons radiate an aura that may cause opponents to panic.  This is identical to the frightening presence of other dragons.

Certain subspecies have the ability of scaly command that gives them control over varying numbers of scaly creatures with animal intelligence or less (primarily reptiles and fishes) living in the water within a half-mile radius. This control lasts for 10 minutes and cannot be dispelled.  No saving throws are allowed.  Creatures under the scaly command cannot fall under the control of another. Additionaliy, scaly creatures will never voluntarily attack an oriental dragon with the scaly command ability.

Other subspecies have the ability to surround themselves in an aura of water fire whenever they are under or touching water. Water fire appears as ghostly, flickering multi-colored flames and causes a variable amount of damage to anyone who touches it.  It acts as the spell fire shield but can cause and provide resistence to any energy type determined by the dragon at the time of activaiton.  All oriental dragons are themselves immune to water fire. It may be dispelled by the creator at any time; otherwise, it disappears for 10 minutes if contacted by real or magical fire, and cannot be recreated until the end of that period.

Ryujin’s Gift. Oriental dragons do not have the spellcasting abilities of other dragons, and not all of them have breath weapons. They do, however, have several special abilities of their own.  All, for instance, have a continual detect thought (as the spell) out to double the normal range.  Oriental dragons do not require sleep.  All can become invisible and visible at will, though they always become visible when attacking.  All except yu lung can polymorph into human form and back at will.

Oriental dragons can detect invisible objects and creatures (including those hidden in darkness or fog) within a ten-foot radius per age category granting them truesight.  They also have a natural clairaudience ability with respect to their lairs; the range is 20 feet per age category. The dragon must concentrate on a specific section of its lair or the surrounding area to use this ability.

Most oriental dragons can fly because of the powers of a magical gem or pearl that is imbedded within the brain.  This object functions only for the dragon and cannot be extracted so as to confer flight on any other creature.

Yu Lung (Carp Dragon)

  • Breath weapon: Nonedragocar.gif
  • Terrain: Warm land and underground
  • Alignment: Usually Neutral

Yu lung, also known as carp dragons, live in all types of fresh water rivers and lakes. They have no positions in the Celestial Bureaucracy; instead, they metamorphose into other subspecies upon reaching the age of adult and are then relocated and charged with specific duties as determined by the Celestial Emperor. Many scholars believe the yu lung is the  juvenile form of the Lung Dragon kind. Reclusive and shy, yu lung are the smallest of the oriental dragons and the most docile.

Yu lung have dragons’ heads and the bodies and tails of giant carp. Their scales are blue-gray with variously colored markings. They have two arms, long wispy beards, and bright yellow eyes resembling those of cats. They cannot fly and are able to move on land only by dragging themselves along the ground with their claws.

Yu lung speak their own language, the languages of all fresh water creatures, and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: The timid yu lung shun combat. If provoked or threatened, yu lung attack with their claws and bite; if their opponents withdraw, yu lung seldom pursue. The yu lung’s tail is too flaccid for tail slap attacks, and they are physically unable to perform kicks or snatches.

When a yu lung reaches the age of young adult, it can unhinge its jaw like a serpent and swallow a victim whole (the victim can be no larger than a small man).  This is part of the dragons bite attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature,it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the dragon.  A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the dragon, and it takes 11 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the dragon’s turns. If the dragon takes 15 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the dragon must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the dragon. If the dragon dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: Unlike other oriental dragons, yu lung are unable to polymorph or turn invisible. They can breathe only water, although they are able to exist on land for up to one hour, after which they have a 5% cumulative chance per round of suffocating. At the age of very young they acquire the ability to cast bless and curse, each once per day. Juvenile and young adult yu lung can exhale a ten-foot-diameter cloud of gas that has the same effect as a mass cure wounds on all those within its area of effect; they can breathe these clouds once per day. When yu lung reach the age of adult, they metamorphose into an adult of another oriental dragon subspecies, determined randomly as follows (roll percentile dice):

Roll Result
01-30 Shen lung
31-50 Pan lung
51-65 Chiang lung
66-80 Li lung
81-90 Lung wang
91-95 Tun mi lung
96-00 T’ien lung

This transformation, which occurs exactly at midnight on the dragon’s 101st birthday, is instantaneous and accompanied by a loud crack of thunder. The newly transformed dragon is then relocated to a new domain and given an assignment by the Celestial Bureaucracy befitting its new status.

Habitat/Society: Yu lung lair in small mansions made of mud and stone located deep in the murkiest waters of the lake or river they inhabit. Though neat and well-built, yu lung mansions are crude by oriental dragon standards. They are also relatively barren, as yu lung do not collect treasure.

Ecology: Yu lung are scavengers, eating the organic and inorganic matter dug from the ooze at the bottom of their lake or river. They peacefully co-exist with all forms of aquatic life. Yu lung occasionally befriend humans, and these friendships are notable for their longevity; a yu lung’s bond with a human persists even after its transformation into another subspecies.

Chiang Lung (River dragon)

  • Breath weapon: Not any knowndragoriv.gif
  • Terrain: Warm aquatic
  • Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral

Chiang lung resemble giant serpents; it is difficult to determine where their bodies end and their tails begin. Though wingless, they are able to fly though the power of magical blue pearls imbedded in their brains.  Their bodies are various shades of blue and green; their bellies are brilliant yellow.  Multi-colored beards sprout beneath the chins of young adult and Chiang lung are often encountered in human form, which they seem to prefer over their natural bodies.

Chiang lung speak their own tongue, the languages of shen lungfishes, and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: Chiang lung prefer to avoid combat, but they fight fiercely to protect their domain. In combat, they charge and attack with their claws and bite, maneuvering into position for a tail slap at the earliest opportunity sweeping enemies before it and stunning them.

If in human form, a chiang lung is automatically armed with a katana +3; this blade is so massive that others must make a successful DC 20 Strength check to use it.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: From birth, chiang lung can breathe both water and air and can polymorph three times per day to any form desired. They can expel storm clouds at will, enabling them to cause rain whenever and wherever they choose. They can also lower water in a one-square-mile radius per age level at will. Any person in physical contact with a chiang can breath and move underwater as if he were on dry land. As they age, chiang lung gain the following additional abilities (older chiang lung have all the abilities listed in the younger categories):

* Only when so ordered by the Celestial Bureaucracy; disobedience is punishable by death.

Habitat/Society: The Celestial Bureaucracy assigns a chiang lung to every river and lake. Their lairs are magical palaces located beneath the water’s surface; regardless of the size of the river or lake, the palace is always opulent and immense. Unless freely given by the chiang lung, items taken from the palace become worthless upon reaching the surface. Chiang lung sometimes entertain virtuous scholars and men of learning and art on lavishly decorated boats, posing as wealthy nobles or government officials.

The daughters of chiang lung are often attracted to handsome human males, occasionally resulting in secret love affairs and marriage. Such liaisons usually end sadly when the daughters return home, never to see their husbands or lovers again. Children born of such a marriage are spirit folk.

Ecology: Chian lung can eat any type of mineral or gem, but they also have a taste for fish and sheep. They are always attended by lesser nature spirits (who also assume human form) in their palaces and have 1d6 shen lung acting as bodyguards and aides. There is a 75% chance of having 2d4 offspring in their palaces. When encountered outside their lair, there is a 75% chance they are accompanied by 1d4 lesser nature spirits (kami) and a 40% chance that 1-2 shen lung are present.

Tail SlapMelee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., multiple.
Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and all creatures in a 90 foot 
sphere centred on the dragon must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be pushed back 1 foot for each Strength point of the dragon.  Targets 
must also make a DC 20 Constitution or are stunned for 1 minute or until they make a successful save at the start of their turn.

Li Lung (Earth dragon)

earth.gif

  • Breath weapon: None
  • Terrain: Warm land and underground
  • Alignment: Usually Neutral

A li lung (earth dragon) has a lion’s body and tail and a human face. Small black pupils are centered in its golden eyes, and colorful quills resembling the feathers of a peacock extend from its leathery wigs. As a hatchling, the li lung’s body is covered with light green scales, but as it grows, the scales begin to darken and change into coarse fur. By the time the li lung grows into a juvenile, the scales are completely gone and the fur has the texture of thick wire. The fur continues to darken as it ages, turning nearly black by the time a li lung reaches the great wyrm stage

Li lung speak their own tongue, the language of the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: Li lung prefer to avoid combat, hiding in the shadows or burying themselves in rubble until all intruders leave. If cornered or attacked, li lung first use their earthquake ability in an attempt to bury their opponents. If this fails, they engage in vicious melee combat, using claws and bite attacks on opponents in front, kicking attacks on opponents in back (kicks inflict claw damage; victims must make a DC 15 Dexterity check or be kicked back 1d6 feet +1’ per age category of the dragon and must also roll a successful DC 20 Dexterity or Strength saving throw or fall prone), and wing buffets on opponents at the sides. Li lung roar continually while engaged in melee. Their rasapy roars sound like metal scraping against stone and are so loud that those within 60’ can hear nothing else.

An airborne li lung can change direction quickly by executing a wingover maneuver, allowing it to make a turn of 120 to 240 degrees regardless of its speed or size. A li lung cannot gain altitude during the round when it performs a wingover, but it can dive.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: Li lung can create earthquakes once a day (as the spell). Li lung are never harmed by an earthquake, regardless of whethter it was created naturally or by a li lung; if an earthquake brings down a cavern in which a li lung is living, it is only affected by the inconvenience of having to dig itself out of the rubble.

As they age, li lung gain the following additional abilities (each useable three times per day):

The powerful claws of the li lung enable it to burrow through the earth at a movement rate of 9o feet and through solid stone at a movement rate of 10 feet. Though li lung can swim, they cannot breathe water.

Habitat/Society: Li lung lair in caverns at the end of winding labyrinths deep inside the earth, the farther away from civilization, the better. They seldom leave their lairs unless ordered to do so by the Celestial Bureaucracy, usually to punish heretical communities with their earthquake abilities, but sometimes to reward needy communities by revealing treasure mines or underground springs.

Ecology: Li lung mainly subsist on earth and stone, though they are fond of gold, silver, and other precious metals. Li lung rarely associate with other dragons and cooperate with them only on direct orders from the Celestial Bureaucracy.

Lung Wang (Sea dragon)

  • Breath weapon: Cone of steamdragosea.gif
  • Terrain: Temperate and warm aquatic
  • Alignment: Usually Neutral

A relative of the dragon turtle, a lung wang (sea dragon) has a turtle’s body, a crested neck, and a head like a shen lung (spirit dragon), complete with long, golden whiskers. Its shell is made of thick green scales with silver flecks. Smaller scales, lighter green with golden flecks, cover its neck and head. Its hind legs are little more than stumpy flippers, but its front legs are formidable weapons – each is 80% the length of its shell, ending in two razor-sharped talons.

Lung wang speak their own tongue, the languages of shen lung, fishes, and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: Though unable to fly and physically unable to attack with kicks, tail slaps, or wing buffets, lung wang are nevertheless awesome opponents and are especially menacing to passing ships.

If an unauthorized vessel enters the waters of a lung wang, it surfaces beneath the vessel and attempts to capsize it. Once a ship is capsized, the lung wang attacks with its breath weapon and attempts physical attacks on all victims it can reach. If the victims are sufficiently deferential to the lung wang and offer it a sizeable treasure (usually the ship’s entire hoard), the lung wang may show mercy; otherwise, it will attempt to slaughter all of the ship’s passengers as punishment for entering its water uninvited. Lung wang are equally merciless to underwater intruders, attacking them in a similar fashion.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A lung wang’s breath weapon is a cone of steam 100’ long, 5’ wide at the dragon’s mouth, and 50’ wide at the base. Damage caused by the breath weapon varies with the dragon’s age. Victims caught in the blast get to roll a Dexterity saving throw for half damage. The breath weapon is as effective underwater as it is in the open air.

From birth, lung wang can breath both water and air. They have the scaly command power over 4d10 creatures times the age category of the dragon (a young lung wang, for instance, has the scaly command over 4d10×3 creatures). Lung wang are also immune to all heat and fire attacks, magical and otherwise.

As they age, lung wang gain the following additional abilities (each useable once per day):

Habitat/Society: As rulers of the sea, lung wang demand tribute from every passing ship. Regular travelers often work out an arrangement, dumping a pre-determined amount of treasure overboard at a given spot to placate the lung wang.

Ecology: Unlike other oriental dragons, lung wang are basically herbivorous and prefer to eat algae and seaweed. They will, however, eat fish and minerals and have been known to consume entire ships. Lung wang maintain cordial relationships with other oriental dragons, particularly shen lung. They are friendly with sharkswhales, and other ocean denizens on whom they rely for information. They do not get along with mi lung (typhoon dragons).

Scaly Command.  A lung dragon can use this ability three times per day. It operates as a charm spell cast at 9th level that works only on scaled animals (reptiles and fish). The dragon can communicate with any charmed animal as though casting a speak with animals spell.

Design Note.  You could easily use a very slightly modified dragon turtle for the Lung Wang.

Pan Lung (Coiled dragon)

  • Breath weapon: Nonedragocoi.gif
  • Terrain: Warm land and underground
  • Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral

Pan lung are a thinner and longer variety of shen lung. A hatchling has grey scales at birth, which change color as the dragon grows. Pan lung can be found in a number of brilliant hues, with various shades of red, orange, and green among the most common. A multi-colored mane surrounds its neck, and dark whiskers grow from its snout. Pan lung scales are naturally oily, which makes them gleam in the sunlight. Though wingless, pan lung have magical blood-red pearls imbedded in their brains that give them the ability to fly.

Pan lung speak their own tongue, which they share with the shen lung. They also speak the languages of fishes, reptiles, and the Celestial Court.

Combat: Pan lung prefer to appraise their adversaries before attacking, usually by casting ventriloquism or phantasmal force spells to distract them or by ordering minions to engage them in combat. Once the pan lung have evaluated their enemies’ performance, they attack savagely, using claw and bite attacks along with tail slaps.

Instead of a tail slap, a pan lung that is adult or older can encoil a victim in its tail, automatically inflicting 1d6 points of constriction damage per round per age category (though there is a 50% chance that an encoiled victim’s arms are pinned, making him unable to attack the dragon).

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: From birth, pan lung can breathe both air and water and can cast charm monster spells three times per day. Additionally, they have the scaly command power over 1d10 creatures per age category of the dragon (a young pan lung, for instance, has the scaly command power over 3d10 creatures). They also can produce water fire that inflicts 1d6 points of damage from pan lung of age hatchling through young adult, 2d6 points of damage from pan lung of age adult through very old, and 3d6 points of damage from pan lung of age venerable through great wyrm.

As they age, pan lung gain the following additional abilities (each usable Ihree times per day):

Habitat/Society: A pan lung makes its lair in the crypt or temple it has been assigned to guard by the Celestial Bureaucracy.  Guardianship is passed through successive generations; it is not unusual for a family to maintain the same lair for tens of thousands of years.

The gods often punish unfaithful human husbands and wives by making them minions of a pan lung.  Pan lung minions do not age, and are typically condemned to serve for a term in years equal to the number of tears they have caused their mate to shed.  A pan lung’s minions obey it implicitly, fighting to the death if so ordered.  There is a 25% chance a pan lung will have slaves (equal to half the number of creatures it can control by scaly command).

Ecology: Pan lung prefer to eat fruits and vegetables, often maintaining elaborate gardens that are cultivated by their minions. Generally, they are indifferent to the affairs of other oriental dragons and cooperate with them only if so ordered by the Celestial Bureaucracy.

They particularly resent the power and position of the t’ien lung (celestial dragons), and they have been known to attack them in a jealous frenzy.

Water Fire.  Whenever it is touching or submerged in water, a lung      dragon can surround itself in an aura of ghostly, flickering,            multi-colored flames that cause damage to any creature touching it.      Water fire acts as a warm version of the fire shield spell.  Other lung  dragons of any variety are immune to water fire. The lung dragon can     dispel the water fire at any time, but it is automatically dispelled by  any contact with normal or magical fire. Once the shield is dis- pelled  by fire, the pan lung cannot activate it again for 1 minute.

Shen Lung (Spirit dragon)dragospi.gif

  • Breath weapon: None
  • Terrain: Warm land and underground
  • Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral

Shen lung (spirit dragons) are slender and bright-eyed, with spiked tails, ridged backs, and two sharp horns rising from the tops of their heads.  Golden whiskers grow from their snouts. The scales of hatchlings are dull shades of red, blue, green, orange, or any combination of these colors; the scales brighten into brilliant hues by the time a shen lung reaches the age of young adult.  Though wingless, shen lung can fly through the power of a magical yellow pearl imbedded in their brains; the pearl is similar to that of the t’ien lung. Shen lung speak their own tongue (which they share with pan lung), the languages of chiang lungfishes, reptiles, and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: Unless the opponents are openly hostile, shen lung usually parley before combat. If the opponents are resistant or their responses are unsatisfactory, shen lung engage in vicious melee, augmenting their attacks with water fire, assaults from the companions under their scaly command, and, if available, ice storm. Unlike other oriental dragons, shen lung can perform claw, bite and tail attacks; the powerful spiked tail can easily reach opponents to the dragons’ side and front.  Shen lung can also attack with tail slaps and kicking attacks on opponents in back (kicks inflict claw damage; victims must roll their Dexterily or less on 1d20 or be kicked back 1d6 feet +1 foot per age category of the dragon and must also roll asuccessful saving throw vs. petrification, adjusted by the dragon’s combat modifier, or fall).

KickMelee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be pushed back 1 foot for each Strength point of  the dragon.  Targets must also make a DC 20 Dexterity or Strength check  to remain standing otherwise they fall prone.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: From birth, shen lung can breathe both water and air. They have the scaly command power over 1d10 creatures times their CR.  They also can produce water fire.  Shen lung are also immune to lightning and all forms of poison, but suffer double damage from all fire-based attacks, magical or otherwise.  No insect, arachnid, or arthropod can approach a shen lung within a radius of 60’. As they age, shen lung gain the following additional abilities:

Habitat/Society: Shen lung are most commonly encountered in the company of the chiang lung they have been assigned by the Celestial Bureaucracy to assist and guard; 1d6 shen lung usually accompany a single chiang lung. Shen lung lair in modest but well-kept mansions of stone at the bottoms of rivers and lakes, usually not far from the palaces of their chiang lung.

Ecology: Shen lung sustain themselves on any type of precious gems, although they also enjoy fish and rodents.  They are intensely loyal to their chiang lung and also maintain close relationships with nature spirits.  Most are fascinated by humans, often taking human form to mingle in human villages.  Humans, in turn, view shen lung as messengers of the gods and bringers of good fortune, constructing ornate shrines and staging elaborate ceremonies to gain their favor.

T’ien Lung (Celestial dragon)

  • Breath weapon: Cone of fire and weakeningdragocel.gif
  • Terrain: Warm mountains
  • Alignment: Usually Lawful Good

A t’ien lung’s scales are dull gold at birth, but brighten to a brilliant yellow when it reaches the young adult age; orange and light green varieties have also been seen. Multi-hued manes surround their necks, and similarly colorful whiskers branch from their snouts and rise over the tops of their heads like antlers. Wispy golden beards dangle beneath their chins. From the age of young adult and up, their scales give off a sweet aroma resembling that of cherry blossoms. Though wingless, t’ien lung can fly through the power of a magical yellow pearl imbedded in their brains; the pearl is similar to that of the shen lung.  This is a gold dragon as outlined in the Monster Manual with some minor tweaking.

T’ien lung speak their own tongue, the languages of air elementals and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: Whenever possible, t’ien lung attempt to warn away potential opponents with a fiery blast from their breath weapon. If their warnings go unheeded, they fight ferociously. T’ien lung prefer to fight from the air, circling their opponents and attacking with their breath weapons, then swooping for snatch and claw/claw/bite attacks when given an opening.  T’ien lung can perform tail slaps and can kick opponents behind them sending enemies reeling.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A t’ien lung’s breath weapon is a cone of fire 90’ long, 5’ wide at the dragon’s mouth, and 30’ wide at the end.   From birth, t’ien lung can breathe both water and air. They can cast control weather a number of times per day equal to twice their age level.

As they age, t’ien lung gain the following additional abilities:

  • YoungPyrotechnics three times per day;
  • AdultSuggestion three times per day;
  • AncientFire storm once per day

Habitat/Society: T’ien lung live in resplendent castles in cloud banks and on high mountain peaks. Male t’ien lung never remain with their mates, and females banish their offspring as soon as the reach the age of young.  Adult and older t’ien lung have a 50% chance of being accompanied by 1d4 air elementals  (they are CR 8 and are lawful good) that act as their servants and bodyguards; these elementals unquestioningly obey their masters, defending them to the death if necessary.

Ecology: T’ien lung enjoy eating opals and pearls and look kindly on any mortal who gives them such delicacies. Farmers who rely on the good will of t’ien lung for good weather often make sizeable offerings of these precious gems. T’ien lung are thought to be among the most favored officials of the Celestial Bureaucracy; true or not, t’ien lung do little to discourage their reputation. Pan lung in particular resent the power and position of t’ien lung and have been known to attack them in jealous frenzies. Though such battles can last for weeks, the powerful t’ien lung usually triumph in the end.

Tun mi Lung (Typhoon dragon)dragotyp.gif

  • Breath weapon: None
  • Terrain: Warm aquatic
  • Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil

Tun mi lung, also known as typhoon dragons, have been charged by the Celestial Emperor to dispense destructive hurricanes and typhoons, a task they greatly enjoy. Though tun mi lung are only supposed to cause storms when directed to do so by the Celestial Bureaucracy, they often ignore their orders, launching into rampages of destruction to ravage the coasts of warmer lands out of sheer maliciousness. Such is the power of the tun mi lung that the Celestial Emperor must send t’ien lung to rein them in.

The largest of the oriental dragons, tun mi lung have long, sinuous bodies covered with thick scales in a variety of colors, with blue-green, dark red, and violet among the most common. They have dark beady eyes, stringy beards dangling from their chins, and enormous jaws lined with hooked teeth as sharp as razors. Though wingless, tun mi lung can fly from the power of a magical black pearl imbedded in their brains.

Tun mi lung speak their own language, the languages of all sea creatures, the Sea Lords, and the Celestial Court, and all human languages.

Combat: If possible, tun mi lung will always attack with their divine wind power, supplemented with lightning bolt spells as needed. Otherwise, tun mi lung resort to melee combat, first casting darkness (if available), then ripping and snapping with tooth and claw. Tun mi lung are physically unable to conduct effective kicking attacks, but can attack with tail slaps.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: From birth, tun mi lung can breathe both air and water and are immune to all water-based and air-based attacks. Additionally, they can summon a divine wind of great strength once per week. These winds automatically capsize small boats and have a 70% chance of capsizing large boats, a 70% chance of snapping tree trunks, a 70% chance of knocking man-sized victims to the ground (victims suffer 1d6 points of damage for every 10’ blown by the wind). Flying victims arc blown backward 50-100’, and all victims exposed to the winds suffer 1d10 points of damage per turn. The radius of the effect (in miles) equals five times the dragon’s age level. The duration of the effect is 6d4 hours. As they age, tun mi lung gain the following additional powers:

  • Wyrmling: darkness with a radius equal to 50’ times the dragon’s age level, once per day;
  • Adult: lightning bolt three times per day (increasing to six times per day for dragons of venerable age or older)
  • Ancient: chain lightning 

Habitat/Society: Nothing conclusive is known of tun mi lung lairs, though it is believed that they maintain lavish palaces on the ocean floor. Because they are disliked by the more peaceful and cultured creatures of the sea, their lairs presumably are located in remote areas of the ocean. Tun mi lung spend most of their time roaming up and down the sea coasts or circling in the skies above the open ocean, usually in the centers of divine winds of their own creation, which move with them as they travel. Tun mi lung shun the company of other creatures, including other tun mi lung. Female tun mi lung abandon their offspring as soon as they hatch; infant mortality is high, accounting for the relative scarcity of this subspecies.

Ecology: When it comes to food, tun mi lung are the least choosy of all oriental dragons, equally fond of fish, precious gems, and capsized ships. Oblivious to the territorial claims of other dragons, tun mi lung are particularly disliked by the seafaring.

Tsunami. Once per day, but only when commanded by the officials of the  Celestial Bureaucracy, a chiang lung can create a tidal wave of water    that causes tremendous devastation on land and sea.  On land, the wave   has effects similar to a flash flood: Creatures caught in the water must make a Constitution save (DC 15).  Large or smaller creatures who fail   the save are swept away, taking 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per     round (1d3 points on a successful Athletics (Swim) check against DC 20). Huge creatures that fail are knocked down, while Gargantuan and Colossal creatures treat the area as difficult terrain.  The wave destroys wooden buildings and 25% of stone buildings.  At sea, the tsunami capsizes  ships and crushes them to splinters. The wave affects one mile of coastland.

UNIQUE LUNG DRAGONS

Other dragons are known to exist but are much rarer and are usually unique examples of the Lung species having been rewarded or punished with a new form by the Celestial Bureaucracy in an appropriate (and usually ironic) way – depending on what the dragon is being rewarded or punished for.  Examples include the mighty Hisui (Jade) Dragon – a dragon of purity opposing evil everywhere with a breath weapon of pure light – and the abominable Doku (Poison) Dragon that taints everything it touches.

 

 

Posted in 5e, Dungeons & Dragons, Monstrous Compendium, Oriental Adventures

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