Editing Oriental Dragon (section)

===Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon)===
[[File:shen lung MC3.jpg|right|200px]]
The shen lung are the most common of the oriental dragons, and the most humble looking. Long and slender, they resemble lizards more than anything, taking the form of giant lizard with spiked tails, ridged backs, two sharp horns atop the head, and golden whiskers around the snout. Like most of the adult lung dragons, shen lung are wingless and fly through the power of a magical pearl of great size embedded in their brains; a shen lung's pearl is yellow in color, a trait they share with the t'ien lung. The scales of youthful shen lung are dull shades of red, blue, green, orange, or any combination of these colors; the scales brighten into brilliant hues as the dragon ages - curiously, their AD&D lore forgets that they begin their life as yu lung, referring to dull "hatchlings" and achieving full brightness by the age of "young adult".

Although they prefer a diplomatic approach, if roused to battle, shen lung are fiercely physical attacks, lashing out with their exceptionally long and powerful tals, clawing, and biting. They also possess the ability to grant Blessings and inflict Curses, conjure Ice Storms, and Control Weather, depending on their age, with 3e adding Cone of Cold and Horrid Wilting to their arsenal. No insect, arachnid or arthropod will approach within 60 feet of a shen lung, and they can also command the loyalty of scaled animals through a kind of magical charm. Immune to lightning and poison, shen lung are vulnerable to fire. They are one of two breeds of oriental dragon capable of using Water Fire, an aura of ghostly, multi-colored fire they can activate whenever touching or submerged in water. This magical flame can be dispelled by the touch of true fire, be it magical or mundane in origin, but burns melee attackers.

These amphibious dragons serve the Celestial Bureaucracy as its courtiers, as well as working as the assistants and guards of the chiang lungs. They are known for being modest, loyal and naturally diplomatic, as well as for a tendency to be fascinated by humans (or humanoids, in less humanocentric settings). Shen lung are the oriental dragons most likely to adopt human form in order to interact with humans, which makes them one of the most likely progenitors of Oriental [[Half-Dragon]]s. Humanoids return this admiration, viewing shen lung as messengers of the gods and bringers of good fortune, often constructing ornate shrines and staging elaborate ceremonies to invoke their attention and gain their favor.

These dragons typically establish modest yet well-kept lairs in the form of mansions of stone built on the bottoms of rivers and lakes, and often share their territory both with others of their kind and with a chiang lung superior.