Dragons of the Flanaess: Zuldrenyth, Brown Dragon

Note: Unlike most of the other entries in the Dragons of the Flanaess I have included stats and abilities for different editions. I have done this because the original Brown Dragon as presented by Lenard Lakofka in The Dragon Magazine #38, which I base a Flanaess Brown Dragon on, were not replicated in later editions. The dragon was converted into a savage desert drake completely different from the original. 
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Art y Periclean Doll

Name: Old Zuldrenyth, protector of the Tangles.
Age: Great Wyrm, 1,200+ years
Description: Zuldrenyth is, like all brown dragons, a flightless drake. While having as much bulk as an ancient red dragon, Zuldrenyth has a long tail and neck with short squat and powerful legs reminiscent of tree trunks. Her hide is a deep dark brown, the color of rich earth with fine scales that can only be seen up close. Her eyes are golden amber in color and larger than typical dragon's eyes.

Personality: Zuldrenyth is a calm and very mellow dragon that seeks to avoid direct confrontation with those who invade her territory. She will, however, observe them from afar to judge their intentions within her forest. If adventurers do come upon her unawares, she will always speak to them and politely ask their purpose in her forest. If she believes they are not there for nefarious reasons, she will let them live and continue on. If she thinks they are there for nefarious reasons, she will kill them. 

Zuldrenyth has a magical and spiritual bond with the Tangles forest and can feel its pain and know when it is sick or in danger. Destruction of any plant life beyond what the woodland creatures inflict upon it in their daily lives will draw her attention. Her connection is strong with all the creatures that dwell within the Tangles, but this connection is not as strong as she has with the forest itself.

Location: Zuldrenyth dwells within the Tangles Forest just north of the Rift Canyon in the Bandit Kingdoms. She has lived in the forest her entire life since infancy. She does not remember her parents, but only the kindness of the forest lady, whom she came to know is an aspect of Beory, and the Sylvan Elves that live there. The goddess occasionally visits Zuldrenyth, and the dragon’s connection to her forest is a gift from the goddess herself. 

Zuldrenyth’s sway over the forest is strongest in the deep thickness of the forest’s interior. Here Zuldrenyth can command even the trees and bushes to bend to her will and attack or capture those she chooses. This command over the forest allows her to easily move through the trees and vegetation despite her considerable girth. The vegetation here is so dense that little light penetrates here even during midday. 

As men became more frequent in the region, Zuldrenyth withdrew deeper into the Tangles, leaving the forest's fringes to them. She would still watch them, and if they would damage her precious forest, she would first heal her home by channeling her own life essence into the trees and plants and then seeking retribution. Fortunately, those who founded the Earldom of the Tangles were not a disrespectful lot, and the men of the earldom quickly learned to live in unison with the mysterious protector of the forest.

 Zuldrenyth can channel her own life essence into the woods, accelerating the plants' growth and regrowth but doing so tires and weakens her. This ability of hers has baffled the Iuzians that sought to burn out the rebels that hide within the forest.

Lair: Zuldrenyth’s lair is at the heart of the Tangles. Here a small glad about a small pond can be found closed in by a thick canopy of ancient trees. Zuldrenyth has a small horde, gained from those she has had to kill over the centuries to protect her forest. If Zuldrenyth feels that she can bribe away potentially power threats with this hoard, she will willingly do so. The glad is tranquil and is filled with birds' sweet songs, and the forest's dark interior is illuminated by a swarm of fireflies that lazily drift about.  

Relations: A band of Wood Elves live within the Tangles and are like family to Zuldrenyth. She diligently guards them against all foes. Fortunately for Zuldrenyth, the Tangle elves, like the drake, believe in seclusion from the rest of the world. 

The Tangles are also home to a fair number of pixies and fairies that all look upon Zuldrenyth as the forest's mother and are on extremely good terms with her. In addition to these smaller fey, a family of treants still makes the Tangles their home. Despite Zuldrenyth's best efforts, these treants have suffered over the centuries from dealings with first the humans and then the Iuzians. 

Since the war, Zuldrenyth, along with her woodland family, have allowed many humans and elves to dwell within the forest unmolested. She allows them to fight their guerilla war against the Iuzians from here and has relegated herself to repairing the damage it does to the forest. These rebels are aware of Zuldrenyth’s existence, and some have caught glimpses of her. Despite this, the drake does not engage with them, not even with the elves among them. 

History: The history of Zuldrenyth begins and ends within the Tangles Forest. The Tangles has been her home since she was born around -694 CY. Zuldrenyth's memories of her parents are distant dreams to her, and, as with most Brown dragons, they left her there as soon as she was able to feed herself.

Zuldrenyth became close friends and allies with the forests Sylvan Elves immediately. They cared for and looked out for the infant dragon as she grew into an adult and returned the favor in kind. Life in the Tangles at that time was far from tranquil as it was full of fey creatures, both evil as well as the dominant neutral. In ancient times, these creatures crossed over freely from the Realms of the Fey through the frequent portals that would appear seasonally in the forest. Over time these portals disappeared until there were only a few that open every few years for a limited time.

Remnants of those earlier days still can be found in the forest in the form of Blink Dogs, Sprites, Pixies, Brownies, Darlings, Satyrs, Dryads, Quicklings, Meenlocks, Korreds, Treants, and even a few Hags.

Over the centuries, as Zuldrenyth grew, it became evident to all that the dragon was a unique being of power tied to the Old Religion. An aspect of Beory herself would visit periodical to check on Zuldrenyth. Eventually, Zuldrenyth became known as the Mother of the Tangles and revered by all, including the Sylvans who live there. The reverence they have for Zuldrenyth falls just shy of the reverence worshipers have towards a deity. Zuldrenyth takes a hands-off approach with all of the forest creatures, allowing for the laws of nature to rule. However, she does become involved whenever the Sylvans are threatened.

During and after the Greyhawk Wars, direct assaults on the Tangles became common. Despite this, Zuldrenyth still takes a non-confrontational approach to protecting the forest when she can. She prefers to repair the damage done to the woodlands and allow her new guests, the former bandits and new elves, to fight against the humanoids for her. Despite this approach, Zuldrenyth is fully prepared to annihilate the Iuzians when the time comes to ensure her forest's survival. 

Adventure Hooks: Meeting Zuldrenyth is not an easy task. While there are stories of her amongst the surviving men and women from the Earldom of the Tangles, most of those now reside within the forest. A handful of older elves from the Fellreev might know of her, but their knowledge would be only in the form of vague stories.

Adventurers fighting against Iuz within the Bandit Kingdoms could learn of Zuldrenyth if they venture into the forest. More likely, adventurers might encounter her if they enter the forest seeking out the portals to the Realms of the Fey known to exist there.

Lastly, adventurers could be hired by the agents of Iuz themselves to enter the forest and slay this so-called Mother of the Tangles. Iuzians survivors and prisoners captured within the Tangles tell stories of an ancient mystical being that watches over the forest. 

Art by KingovRats

Brown Dragon Stat Blocks
Brown Dragons, also known as great forest dragons, or forest guardians, are flightless dragons. Brown Dragons find a forest to call their own and then spend their lives protecting it and the creatures that live. Once a Brown Dragon has selected a forest, they will remain there for the rest of their lives leaving only rarely to mate, and Brown Dragon will die in defense of their forest before fleeing. Unlike most other dragons, Brown Dragons live outside normal dragon society and do not recognize the draconic hierarchical caste system. They do not serve or worship Bahamut or Tiamat, instead believe in the Old Religion and the natural order of the universe.
Brown Dragons have a coloration that begins as a mix of dark green and brown in their infancy but transforms as they age into a deeper rich earth tone. Their scales are smaller than an average dragon and appear as hide until the observer is within ten to twenty feet.
Combat: Brown Dragons will avoid confronting trespassers into their forests whenever possible. They will follow and observe them, usually in the form of a woodland creature, to discern their intentions. If able, Brown Dragons will call on their fellow forest dwellers to aid in any attack in hopes of overwhelming their opponents quickly.
Brown Dragons will always open combat with a use of their Faerie Fire breath weapon. After which they will usually engage in melee combat using their claw and bite. Brown Dragons tend to save their Lightning breath for stronger and more elusive foes.
Habitat/Society: Brown Dragons live exclusively in forests or jungles. They will travel around in their youth until they have found a forest that suits them and is large enough to support them. When they find their forest, they will bond with it and from that day forward leave only to mate.
Brown Dragons will have a sacred glen or grove of trees where they sleep, meditate, and store their treasure. Treasure to a Brown Dragon are things of beauty and are fond of precious metals and gems for this reason, especially if they are fashioned into fine jewelry and trinkets. For this same reason, a Brown Dragon might include a bush of fragrant and pretty flowers in their treasure trove or sculptures and statues. The bulk of treasure found in a Brown Dragons hoard comes from those who entered the forest and intentionally harmed it or its inhabitants.
Ecology: Brown Dragons are omnivores but eat mostly plants and vegetation. Brown Dragons do not hunt the creatures of the forest they live in, but they will consume the carcass of forests inhabitants if found already dead. Many animals, when they feel their time is near, will seek out the dragon so that when they pass the forests protector can feed upon them. Brown Dragons will consume any humanoid, human, or demi-human that they are forced to kill in the defense of their forest.
AD&D Brown Dragon
Frequency:               Very Rare
No Appearing:          1
Armor Class:            3
Move:                      12
Hit Dice:                   8-10
% in Lair:                 75%
Treasure Type:         H
No. of Attacks:         3
Damage / Attacks:   1-8 / 1-8 / 3-18 (Claw/Claw/Bite)
Special Attacks:       Breath Weapon and Magic
Special Defenses:     Nil
Magic Resistance:    Old – 5%, Ancient – 10%
Intelligence:            13-16
Alignment:               Pure Neutral
Size:                        L (28” long)
Psionic Ability:        Nil
Speaking:                 65%
Magic Use:               65% (Druid Spells Only)
Sleeping:                 20%
Spells: Brown Dragons, unlike other dragons, use Druidic spells instead of Magic-Users spells. As per their age bracket they can choose from the following spells from the Druid spell list if they can cast spells.

​Shape change: A Brown Dragon Can Shape change into a small mammal, lizard, or bird a number times per day depending on their age level. In this form it attacks do 1d2 points of damage, but they retain their hit points and their saving throws.

​Friends of the Forest: Brown dragons are 85% likely to be on friendly terms with Pixies, Sprites, Druids, Pseudo-dragons and Treants that live in the same forest or nearby.

​2nd Edition Brown Dragon
Climate/Terrain:              Forest
Frequency:                       Very rare
Organization:                   Solitary
Activity Cycle:                  Any
Diet:                                 Special
Intelligence:                    Genius (17-18)
Treasure:                         Special
Alignment:                       Neutral
No. Appearing:                 1
Armor Class:                    2
Movement:                       12
Hit Dice:                           14 (base)
THAC0:                            7
No. of Attacks:                 3+special
Damage/Attack:              1-4//1-4/3-30 (Claw/Claw/Bite)
Special Attacks:               See below
Special Defenses:             Variable
Magic Resistance:            See below
Size:                                 G (54' base)
Morale:                            Fanatic (17-18)
XP Value:                         Variable
 
Shape change: A Brown Dragon Can Shape change into a small mammal, lizard, or bird a number times per day depending on their age level. In this form it attacks do 1d2 points of damage, but they retain their hit points and their saving throws.

Breath Weapon: A Brown Dragon has two breath weapons, Faerie Fire and Lightning. The Faerie Fire breath is a cloud 50' long, 40' wide, and 20' high. Any in the cloud are covered for 4-80 turns with a Faerie Fire spell and they also take the sum of the dragon’s age level and hit dice in fire damage unless a saving throw versus magic is made, in which case there is no fire damage, but the Faerie Fire still takes effect. The Lightning is in a single bolt 5' wide bolt of lightning that streaks 100' in a straight line from the dragon's mouth. All creatures caught in this stream must save vs. breath weapon for half damage.
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​Friends of the Forest: Brown dragons are 85% likely to be on friendly terms with Pixies, Sprites, Druids, Pseudo-dragons and Treants that live in the same forest or nearby.
Spells: Brown Dragons, unlike other dragons, use Cleric spells instead of Magic-Users spells, and only the same ones available to a Druid. They have major access to the following spheres: all, animal, elemental, healing, plant, and weather. They have minor access to the divination sphere.
 
3rd Edition Brown Dragon
Dragon (Earth)
Environment: Forest/Jungle
Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (1–2); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1–2 and 1–2 offspring)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 3; very young 4; young 5; juvenile 8; young adult 11; adult 13; mature adult 16; old 18; very old 19; ancient 21; wyrm 22; great wyrm 24
Treasure: Triple Standard
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: Wyrmling 7–8 HD; very young 10–11 HD; young 13–14 HD; juvenile 16–17 HD; young adult 19–20 HD; adult 22–23 HD; mature adult 25–26 HD; old 28–29 HD; very old 31–32 HD; ancient 34–35 HD; wyrm 37–38 HD; great wyrm 40+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +4; young +5; others --
Breath Weapon (Su): A Brown dragon has two types of breath weapon, a line of lightning or a cloud of Faerie Fire effect. The Faerie Fire breath is a cloud 50' long, 40' wide, and 20' high. Any in the cloud are covered for 4-80 turns with a Faerie Fire spell and they also take the sum of the dragon’s age level and hit dice in fire damage unless a saving throw versus magic is made, in which case there is no fire damage, but the Faerie Fire still takes effect. The Lightning is in a single bolt 100-ft. line, damage 14d8 electricity, Reflex DC 27 half.
Crush (Ex): Area 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Small or smaller opponents take 2d8+12 points of bludgeoning damage, and must succeed on a DC 23 Reflex save or be pinned; grapple bonus +36.
Frightful Presence (Ex): 180-ft. radius, HD 19 or less, Will DC 21 negates.
Shape change: A Brown Dragon Can Shape change into a small mammal, lizard, or bird a number times per day depending on their age level. In this form it attacks do 1d2 points of damage, but they retain their hit points and their saving throws.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day save DC 16.
Spells: As 5th-level Druid. Typical Druid Spells Known (6/7/5; save DC 13 + spell level)
Skills: Search, Hide, and Move Silently are considered class skills for brown dragons.

​5th Edition Brown Dragon
AC: 19
Hit Points: 225
Speed: 40ft
Alignment: Neutral
Challenge Rating: 16
STR:25(+7) DEX:10(+0) CON:23(+6) INT:16(+3) WIS:15(+2) CHA: 19(+4)
Saving Throws: Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +7, Cha +9
Skills: Insight +7, Perception +12, Persuasion +8, Stealth +6
Senses: Blindsight 60 Ft., Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 22
Languages: Common, Draconic
Challenge: 16 (15,000 XP)
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
 
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus (2d6) eletrical damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6): The Dragon exhales lightning in a 90-foot line that is 5 ft. wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Faerie Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6): The Dragon exhales glittering cloud in a 60-foot cone. Each object in the cloud is outlined in blue, green, or violet light (your choice). Any creature in the area when the spell is cast is also outlined in light if it fails a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. For the duration, objects and affected creatures shed dim light in a 10-foot radius.
Any attack roll against an affected creature or object has advantage if the attacker can see it, and the affected creature or object can’t benefit from being invisible.
In addition, those caught in the cloud must make a separate Constitution saving throw, or take 1d6 fire damage per round for the duration of the spell. Saving throw negates the damage.
Shape change: A Brown Dragon Can Shape change into a small mammal, lizard, or bird a number times per day depending on their age level. In this form it attacks do 1d2 points of damage, but they retain their hit points and their saving throws.
Legendary Actions
Adult Brown Dragon can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Adult Brown Dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Innate Spell Caster: All Brown Dragons are innate spell casters using the Variant Rule for Dragons on page 86 of the Monster Manual. Brown Dragons cast only Druid spells in this fashion.