Eastern Dragon

The Eastern dragon is an enormous wingless reptile with large golden or red-gold scales, more than fifty feet long when grown (the appendix gives up to 50 feet). Its body is slim and snake-like, with four sharp-clawed legs and a splendid crested head.

These dragons are very intelligent and can speak and reason. Every one knows how to cast spells of mysticism, and they can levitate and fly without wings. Most value knowledge and wisdom above everything; they love culture and, most of all, the search for truth. They are a kindly race, very different from the more famous winged dragons and northern firedrakes, slow to anger and fighting only when they must, though they are fierce once provoked. They breathe fire like most dragons, and their magic, intellect and natural weapons make them dangerous enemies.

Eastern dragons mostly keep apart from human affairs. Chiron the Wise denied they existed in his early work Realms of the East, but changed his mind in the Natural History after village elders led him to an old tower north of their town. In a room heaped with gold he talked with the ancient Dragon Lord who protected the village; the dragon was eager for news of distant lands and peoples, and repaid him with the history of the region. Now and then such dragons take a town or village under their wing, dealing little with the people but defending them in danger in return for offerings. The villagers must earn that protection with good deeds and keep up their gifts, since like every dragon this kind loves wealth.

An Eastern dragon can breathe fire three times a day for 1-8 damage per level and can read magic. Its Mysticism spells are generally cast at about half its own level.