Dragons
Eastern Dragon Breeds
Celestial (Elemental Fire) Dragons
Celestial dragons are majestic creatures with five-taloned legs and scales wrought of purest gold. Vast enough to carry the palaces of the gods on their backs, these dragons are unbearably fierce of countenance and severe of temper. Only meat and coal can feed these beasts, and they are terrible when hungry. Like the grim sages of Legalistic traditions, these mighty demigods council rigid honor, right action and personal perfection. Patrons of the Akashic Arts, these creatures occasionally manifest in huge storms. During the Dragon River War, three fire dragons reduced an army of minor demons to ash—and boiled the Qui River into steam. A celestial dragon speaks in thunderclaps and displays little patience with humanity. Unless summoned for some great need, he resides in the Heavens or crafts great palaces in the hearts of volcanoes.
Weather (Elemental Air) Dragons
Weather (air) dragons shimmer in tones of ever-changing blue and dance across the sky on six pairs of slender legs. The realms of cloud and open sea are playgrounds for these spirit-beasts, who bring both life-giving rain and deadly storms. These dragons fly effortlessly without benefit of wings. Their coming is as swift as the wind and their assault is just as piercing. In contrast to their flaming cousins, these sedate creatures respect harmony and balance over raw force.
When provoked, an air dragon can devastate an entire valley, as happened in Kin Li in the days of the Five Ghost Wizards. More often, however, the divine beast prefers to teach friends humility, song and patience. In her palace of winds, a weather dragon coils about her fountain, listening to the droplets of water falling into the basin, lifting upward and falling again. To her, the endless cycle of water and air epitomize the rains that are her stewardship. If asked, she might reply that no other study is essential to one who understands that flow.
Terrestrial (Elemental Earth) Dragons
Terrestrial (earth) dragons govern the inland waterways. Their dominion over the earth stems from the gift of fertility they bring to the fields and from their authority to divide the land into separate provinces. Each river has its own dragon-king who rules the waters from his submerged palace. These rulers are terrifying and irresistible in their wrath. Sinuous and muscular, an earth dragon sheds four sets of scales—earth red, mud brown, dull green and bright emerald — as he grows to maturity. He picks his way across the land on six massive legs, feasting on forests and trees.
In his youth, a terrestrial dragon is sturdy, steadfast and conservative. Although not harsh as his fiery cousin, this patron of Taoist mystics is a taskmaster. In human guise, he often wanders the countryside dressed as a monk and offers enigmatic platitudes. For sustenance, this exclusive vegetarian consumes huge amounts of foliage, than raises the plants again with the power of his magic.
Subterranean (Elemental Metal) Dragons
Subterranean (metal) dragons are great hoarders, dwelling in the hidden places of the Earth. These entities are guardians of spiritual as well as physical treasures, and are jealous of their Heaven-ordained duty. Poised at the gates of the Elemental Courts of Earth and Metal, these grand beasts can see the greed or generosity in human hearts. A metal dragon glitters like diamonds and walks with a shambling gait on four leonine paws.
Wise in the ways of science and mysticism, metal dragons are nonetheless creatures of caprice and ambition. Once, according to Akashic doctrine, they sought to overthrow the gods themselves. Five rebels were rounded up, branded with the seal of the Celestial Emperor and cast into cells beneath Mount Meru. Every so often, they stir and shake the foundations of the lost mountain, rippling the great Pool in the center of Akashic society. Two metal dragons refused to rebel. These entities, Wan Ko and Han Qwa Shen, now guard the Elemental Courts. Both are personable enough, but often forsake their posts to travel the Earth in humble forms. Wan Ko favors birds, in which form he snatches up fascinating t r i n k e t s and carries them back to his post.
Great Sea Dragons
Great sea dragons are mottled green and deep blue in color, and they often reach three to four miles in length. Wingless and legless, these enormous serpents travel exclusively by swimming. These are the beasts called Leviathan, Jormungandr, Lung Yu and other, hidden names. In the sunless depths, they hold courts that would drive a mortal man mad. No force on Earth can resist such a beast, for, angered, it raises typhoons, earthquakes and tidal waves. Krakens and whales provide food for these dragons, and huge sea-Realms bleed into their domains.
Every so often, a sea dragon takes a lesser form, swimming among the fish or hauling itself onto dry land to walk among men. If you pass a woman with dripping hair and eyes like a stormy sea, some folk say, you have seen a great sea dragon in the flesh. In later days, when the seas have been sullied and its great beasts slaughtered, sea dragons occasionally come to land to reason with the annoying creatures who dwell there. It is not the will of Heaven that humanity should be expunged, so the dragons forbear their wrath. Still, that woman with tossed- ocean eyes has a hard edge to her smile, and her hands twitch nervously, as if she were poised to strike.
Western Dragon Breeds
Air Dragons
Earth Dragons
Fire Dragons
Water Dragons
Shadow Dragons
Half-Dragon
Sources
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Shadow_dragon
