There were eight known species of lung dragon
Yu lung (Carp dragon; the larval stage for the rest of the lung dragons)
Chiang lung (River dragon)
Li lung (Earth dragon)
Lung wang (Sea dragon)
Pan lung (Coiled dragon)
Shen lung (Spirit dragon)
T'ien lung (Celestial dragon)
Tun mi lung (Typhoon dragon)
Abilities
Unlike most other dragons, most lungs did not have breath weapons. Instead, they had other powerful magical abilities, which varied among their kinds. All lung dragons could detect the thoughts of other creatures. They could turn invisible at will and polymorph into the shape of just about any small to large creature that they wanted. Lung dragons could also shift to other planes of existence.
Personality
Unlike chromatic and metallic dragons, lung dragons had a wide range of moral and ethical alignments.
Society
Most lung dragons were members of the Celestial Bureaucracy, serving with specific tasks, depending on the species of lung.
At the very least, lung dragons spoke the Spirit Tongue in addition to the Draconic language.
Ecology
All lung dragons began their lives as a yu lung. This juvenile stage of their life lasted twenty five years, after which they would transform into a different variety of lung dragon.
Diet
Most lung dragons could survive from consuming minerals alone, although some varieties did enjoy the taste of meat on occasion.
The Chinese Lung
The Chinese Lung (also known as the Imperial Lung and known scientifically as Draco Orientalis Magnus) is regarded as the standard Asian Lung
They also keep their egg in their lair while they are in it but when they leave they take it with them in their claw. The egg itself is the heaviest of any dragon and is pearlescent white although it turns blue with silver swirls in water.
The egg hatches under its internal heat while it is underwater with the young being aquatic like those of the Ryu and Yong and only emerging in adult hood. It is unknown how long Chinese Lungs can live for but it is speculated to be around 1000 years. The oldest known lung, Lung Wei lived for 730 years before they were killed by Alexandra Gorynytchka.
As lungs grow older their mane thins but never disappears entirely. They are long and thin at 40 feet long but just 12 to 15 feet high (although they are the tallest of the lungs, the Korean Yong is longer) and coloured iridescent black or blue. Females have a feathery 'fan' at the end of their tails while males have a scaly 'club'. Both are wingless with four legs which end with five toes as compared to a Yong's 4 and a Ryu's 3 and dark red antlers which are white underneath the horn.
They have long red, orange or bright yellow feelers which they use to locate fish and other foods underwater. They also eat birds and are particularly partial to swan which they roast with their fiery breath. In the rare event they have to fight they will use their horns, teeth and claws.
📚 Explore more of the Mystical Creatures series here: Dive into the Enchanted Realms of Mythology
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