Tianlong (天龙) – Celestial Dragons Of The Heavens | Fantasy I Sci-Fi I Books I Films I World Building

Tianlong (天龙) – Celestial Dragons of the Heavens

Tianlong, the celestial dragons of the heavens, soar with radiant scales that shimmer like starlight, wielding divine storms to protect ancient secrets and unleash unstoppable cosmic fury.

Role: Guard the heavens and pull the chariots of celestial deities.
Domain: The sky and the realm of the gods.
Symbolism: Supreme authority, divine order, cosmic balance.

The Tianlong is an awe-inspiring dragon cloaked in scales that gleam with a silvery-blue iridescence, resembling a sky awash with stars. Its sinuous body stretches gracefully, adorned with flowing whiskers and a mane of shimmering, ethereal light. Majestic antler-like horns crown its head, and its eyes burn with ancient wisdom, glowing like twin moons in the night. When it moves, it seems to part the very air, leaving trails of sparkling stardust in its wake.

Behaviour:
Tianlongs are noble and deliberate, exhibiting a calm and regal demeanor. They rarely engage in wanton violence but will fiercely protect their domains and sacred relics. These dragons are contemplative, often communicating through telepathy or cryptic riddles, and are known to test the worthiness of those who seek their aid.

Habitat:
These celestial beings dwell high above mortal realms, inhabiting cloud-shrouded mountain peaks, floating islands, or hidden sanctuaries among the stars. Their territories are vast and ethereal, often shifting with the winds and veiled by powerful magic, making them nearly impossible to find by ordinary means.

Modus Operandi:
Tianlongs favor mastery over elemental storms, summoning thunder, lightning, and swirling winds to overwhelm foes from afar. In combat, they combine swift aerial maneuvers with devastating breath attacks of crackling celestial energy. When confronting challengers, they prefer to test strength and virtue through trials rather than outright destruction.

Motivation:
Driven by an ancient duty to maintain cosmic balance and protect sacred knowledge, Tianlongs seek to preserve the harmony of the heavens. They ally themselves with those who honor justice and wisdom, but mercilessly punish corruption, chaos, and sacrilege.

Tianlong Wyrmling
Tianlong Young Adult
Tianlong Adult
Ancient Tianlong

Tianlong Wyrmling

Celestial Dragon, Lawful Good

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	14 (+2)	18 (+4)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	19 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +5, Cha +7
Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +7
Damage Resistances radiant, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Traits

Celestial Presence. It radiates an aura of calm and authority. Any hostile creature that starts its turn within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of its next turn. Creatures immune to charm automatically succeed.

Innate Spellcasting. It’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: lightning lure, thaumaturgy
2/day each: faerie fire, thunderwave
1/day: call lightning (3rd level)

Stormborn Flight. While flying, the Tianlong can move through storm clouds and rain without penalty and can hover effortlessly even in strong winds.

Actions

Multiattack. It makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Celestial Breath (Recharge 5–6). The Tianlong exhales a 30-foot cone of crackling celestial lightning. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save are also blinded until the end of their next turn.

Reactions

Divine Wind. When a creature the Tianlong can see targets it with an attack, the Tianlong can unleash a sudden gust of wind, imposing disadvantage on the attack roll. The Tianlong can use this reaction three times per day.

Legendary Actions

It can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Tianlong regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Celestial Dash. The Tianlong moves up to its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Thunderclap (Costs 2 Actions). The Tianlong emits a thunderous clap audible within 300 feet. Each creature within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.

Tactics

The Tianlong Wyrmling uses its superior mobility and ranged celestial breath to weaken foes before engaging in close combat with its bite and claws. It maintains a defensive posture, using Celestial Presence to disorient attackers and Divine Wind to frustrate enemy strikes. It favors hit-and-run tactics, leveraging Stormborn Flight to navigate difficult terrain and avoid being cornered. When threatened by groups, it calls down Call Lightning to disrupt clustered enemies, showcasing its role as a guardian of cosmic balance rather than a reckless aggressor.

Tianlong Young Adult

Celestial Dragon, Lawful Good

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 195 (17d12 + 85)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
21 (+5)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	17 (+3)	22 (+6)

Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +10, Wis +8, Cha +11
Skills Insight +8, Perception +13, Persuasion +11, Arcana +9
Damage Resistances radiant, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Traits

Celestial Majesty. It exudes a radiant aura of calm and authority. Any hostile creature that starts its turn within 15 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of its next turn. Creatures immune to charm automatically succeed.

Innate Spellcasting. The Tianlong’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 19). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: lightning lure, thaumaturgy
3/day each: faerie fire, thunderwave
2/day each: call lightning (5th level), lightning bolt (4th level)
1/day: control weather (7th level)

Stormborne Resilience. The Tianlong has advantage on saving throws against effects that would knock it prone or otherwise impair its flight.

Stormborn Flight. The Tianlong can fly through storm clouds, rain, and turbulent air without penalty and hover effortlessly even in strong winds.

Actions

Multiattack. The Tianlong makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (3d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage.

Celestial Breath (Recharge 5–6). The Tianlong exhales a 60-foot cone of celestial lightning. Each creature in the area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (14d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save are also blinded until the end of their next turn.

Reactions

Legendary Actions

The Tianlong can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Tianlong regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Celestial Dash. The Tianlong moves up to its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Thunderclap (Costs 2 Actions). The Tianlong emits a thunderous clap audible within 600 feet. Each creature within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.
Lightning Lash (Costs 3 Actions). The Tianlong lashes out with a whip of crackling lightning at a target within 30 feet. Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (6d6 + 6) lightning damage.

Lair Actions

When fighting inside its lair, the Tianlong can invoke the power of the storm. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Tianlong can take one lair action to cause one of the following effects:

Crackling Thunder. Thunder rumbles through the lair. Each hostile creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) thunder damage and be deafened until the end of its next turn.
Blinding Flash. A burst of lightning illuminates the lair. Each creature of the Tianlong’s choice within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.
Tempestuous Winds. Gusts swirl around the lair, forcing all creatures other than the Tianlong to succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Tactics

The Tianlong Young Adult dominates the battlefield by controlling space with its potent lightning breath and spells. It uses Celestial Majesty to sow confusion and prevent foes from closing in recklessly. The dragon employs hit-and-run tactics enabled by Stormborn Flight, striking from above before retreating to safer vantage points. It leverages legendary actions to maintain pressure and disrupt enemy coordination, while calling upon its lair’s storm-infused environment to weaken and debilitate foes. Preferring to avoid prolonged melee, it uses spells like call lightning and lightning bolt to punish grouped enemies and asserts dominance with powerful gusts and bursts of thunder.

Tianlong Adult

Celestial Dragon, Lawful Good

Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
Hit Points 310 (23d12 + 161)
Speed 40 ft., fly 100 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
25 (+7)	18 (+4)	24 (+7)	20 (+5)	19 (+4)	24 (+7)

Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +14, Wis +11, Cha +14
Skills Insight +11, Perception +18, Persuasion +14, Arcana +10
Damage Resistances radiant, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 28
Languages Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Traits

Celestial Majesty. The Tianlong radiates an overwhelming aura of serenity and authority. Any hostile creature that starts its turn within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of its next turn. Creatures immune to charm automatically succeed.

Innate Spellcasting. The Tianlong’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21). It can innately cast the following spells without material components:

At will: lightning lure, thaumaturgy
4/day each: faerie fire, thunderwave
3/day each: call lightning (7th level), lightning bolt (6th level)
1/day: control weather (9th level)

Stormborne Resilience. The Tianlong has advantage on saving throws against effects that would knock it prone or otherwise impair its flight.

Stormborn Flight. The Tianlong can fly through storm clouds, rain, and turbulent air without penalty and hover effortlessly even in the strongest winds.

Actions

Multiattack. The Tianlong makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 28 (4d8 + 7) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage.

Celestial Breath (Recharge 5–6). The Tianlong exhales a 90-foot cone of celestial lightning. Each creature in the area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 90 (20d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save are also blinded until the end of their next turn.

Reactions

Legendary Actions

Celestial Dash. The Tianlong moves up to its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Thunderclap (Costs 2 Actions). The Tianlong emits a thunderous clap audible within 1,000 feet. Each creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.
Lightning Lash (Costs 3 Actions). The Tianlong lashes out with a whip of crackling lightning at a target within 60 feet. Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, reach 60 ft., one target. Hit: 40 (8d6 + 8) lightning damage.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Tianlong can invoke the storm’s power to cause one of the following effects within its lair:

Crackling Thunder. Thunder reverberates through the lair. Each hostile creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (5d8) thunder damage and be deafened until the end of its next turn.
Blinding Flash. A burst of lightning flashes throughout the lair. Each creature of the Tianlong’s choice within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.
Tempestuous Winds. Powerful winds swirl violently. All creatures other than the Tianlong must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away and knocked prone.
Storm Surge. The Tianlong calls down a surge of electrified rain in a 20-foot radius centered on a point it can see within the lair. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 27 (6d8) lightning damage and have their movement halved until the end of their next turn.

Regional Effects

The Tianlong’s presence warps the surrounding 6-mile radius, causing:

Frequent and sudden thunderstorms even during clear weather.
Distant lightning strikes crackling continuously.
Heavier rainfall and violent gusts of wind.
Animals and fey behave unusually calm or reverent, avoiding the lair’s immediate surroundings.
Mortals spending extended time nearby often experience vivid dreams of celestial dragons and stormy skies.

These effects fade over 1d10 days after the Tianlong leaves or is slain.

Tactics

The Tianlong Adult commands the battlefield with a combination of precise aerial strikes and overwhelming magical power. It uses Celestial Breath to weaken clustered foes, then follows up with punishing multiattacks. Leveraging Celestial Majesty, it disrupts enemy coordination by charming and disorienting opponents. The dragon exploits its exceptional flight to maintain distance, using spells and legendary actions to control space and dictate the pace of battle. Within its lair, it manipulates the storm to further hinder enemies, forcing them into vulnerable positions before delivering decisive lightning strikes.

Ancient Tianlong

Celestial dragon, lawful good

Armor Class 23 (natural armor)
Hit Points 546 (28d20 + 252)
Speed 40 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
29 (+9)	18 (+4)	28 (+9)	22 (+6)	21 (+5)	26 (+8)

Saving Throws Dex +12, Con +17, Wis +13, Cha +16
Skills Insight +13, Perception +21, Persuasion +16, Arcana +12
Damage Resistances radiant, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 31
Languages Celestial, Draconic, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)

Traits

Celestial Majesty. The Tianlong radiates an aura of divine authority. Any hostile creature that starts its turn within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of its next turn. Creatures immune to charm automatically succeed.

Innate Spellcasting. The Tianlong’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23). It can innately cast the following spells without material components:

At will: lightning lure, thaumaturgy
4/day each: faerie fire, thunderwave
3/day each: call lightning (9th level), lightning bolt (7th level)
2/day each: control weather (9th level), chain lightning (6th level)

Stormborne Resilience. The Tianlong has advantage on saving throws against effects that would knock it prone or otherwise impede its flight.

Stormborn Flight. The Tianlong can fly effortlessly through storm clouds, rain, and turbulent air, hovering in place regardless of wind conditions.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Tianlong fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The Tianlong makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 36 (4d10 + 9) piercing damage plus 27 (6d8) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 28 (4d6 + 9) slashing damage.

Celestial Breath (Recharge 5–6). The Tianlong exhales a 120-foot cone of celestial lightning. Each creature in the area must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 126 (28d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Creatures that fail the save are also blinded until the end of their next turn.

Reactions

Legendary Actions

The Ancient Tianlong can take 4 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Tianlong regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Celestial Dash. The Tianlong moves up to its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Thunderclap (Costs 2 Actions). The Tianlong emits a thunderous clap audible within 1 mile. Each creature within 40 feet must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.
Lightning Lash (Costs 3 Actions). The Tianlong lashes out with a whip of crackling lightning at a target within 90 feet. Ranged Spell Attack: +17 to hit, reach 90 ft., one target. Hit: 52 (10d8 + 8) lightning damage.
Chain Lightning (Costs 4 Actions). The Tianlong casts chain lightning (6th level) without expending a spell slot (save DC 23).

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Ancient Tianlong can invoke the storm’s fury to create one of the following effects inside its lair:

Resounding Thunder. Thunder crashes throughout the lair. Each hostile creature within 90 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or take 33 (6d10) thunder damage and be deafened for 1 minute. Creatures that succeed are immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Blinding Stormlight. A brilliant flash of stormlight fills the lair. Each creature of the Tianlong’s choice within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.
Tempestuous Gale. Fierce winds howl through the lair. All creatures other than the Tianlong must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away and knocked prone.
Storm Surge. The Tianlong calls down a torrential surge of electrified rain in a 30-foot radius centered on a point it can see within the lair. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or take 45 (10d8) lightning damage and have their movement halved until the end of their next turn.

Regional Effects

The Ancient Tianlong’s lair warps the surrounding 12-mile radius, causing:

Persistent, violent thunderstorms with near-constant lightning strikes.
Sudden torrential rains and gale-force winds.
The air hums with raw electrical energy, causing metallic objects to occasionally spark or vibrate.
Animals and fey become unusually docile or avoid the region altogether.
Locals report vivid dreams of celestial dragons, storm gods, and thunderous skies.

These effects fade gradually over 1d20 days once the Tianlong leaves or is slain.

Tactics

The Ancient Tianlong dominates the battlefield through a blend of overwhelming physical might, precise spellcasting, and control of the storm. It begins combat by sowing chaos with Celestial Breath and devastating spells, then closes in to batter foes with powerful bite and claw attacks. It uses Celestial Majesty to disrupt enemy coordination and leverages legendary resistances to shrug off magical effects. Its mastery of flight and storm conditions allows it to strike unpredictably and dictate the flow of combat. In its lair, the Tianlong harnesses lair actions to impair enemy movement and senses, exploiting the tempestuous environment to maintain superiority.