Celestial Dragon [T'ien Lung]

Dull gold at birth, a t'ien lung's scales turn brilliant yellow at young adulthood, though orange and pale green individuals are also known. A many-colored mane rings its neck, matching whiskers sprout from the snout and sweep back over the head like antlers, and a fine golden beard hangs from the chin. From young adulthood on its scales smell sweetly of cherry blossoms. It has no wings and flies by means of a magical yellow pearl in its brain, like that of the spirit dragon.

A t'ien lung's first move is usually a warning blast of flame. Ignored, it fights fiercely, preferably on the wing: it circles, breathes, then dives in to snatch or rake with claws and bite when it sees an opening.

Adults and older can tail slap for the damage of two claws, sweeping a number of foes equal to the dragon's age category; anyone failing a save vs. petrification is stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. A t'ien lung can also kick foes behind it for claw damage. A kicked victim who fails to roll Dexterity or less on 1d20 is knocked back 1d6 feet plus 1 foot per age category, and must also save vs. petrification (with the dragon's combat modifier applied as a penalty) to keep its footing.

Every third round it can breathe a fire cone 90 feet long, 5 feet wide at the mouth and 30 at the end; a save vs. breath weapon halves the damage. It breathes both air and water from birth and may use control weather twice per day for every age level it has. Later gains are pyrotechnics 3/day (young), suggestion 3/day (adult) and fire storm 1/day (old).

T'ien lung dwell in splendid castles among cloud banks and on lofty peaks. Males never stay with their mates, and mothers send their young away once they reach the young stage. Adults and older have a 50% chance of keeping 1d4 air elementals (8 HD each) as servants and guards, who obey without question and will die defending them.

Many believe these dragons are among the most honored officials in the celestial court of heaven, and the dragons do nothing to dispel the idea. They speak their own language, the tongues of air elementals and of the celestial court, and every human tongue.

Pearls and opals are a t'ien lung's favorite delicacy, and mortals who bring them earn its goodwill. Farmers who depend on good weather often make generous offerings of such gems. Coiled dragons, jealous of the t'ien lung's power and standing, sometimes attack them in fits of envy, and though such battles may rage for weeks, the t'ien lung usually wins.