Ancient Forest Dragon

Forest dragons' hoards consist primarily of trees as well as other plants collected from surrounding areas. A dragon will hunt for trees to uproot and then replants them in its own territory, which can sprawl for hundreds of miles, creating massive forests. The dragons are also known to covet exotic varieties of plants, traveling hundreds of miles to find something new, which they rear in gardens near the center of their domain. Upholding the health and prosperity of its forest is the dragon's highest priority, but forest dragons also protect the natural world as a whole. Much like treants and druids, forest dragons assume the role of maintaining the natural balance.

Forest dragons' appearances can vary depending on the type of forest they live in, which is impacted by the climate. However, they all differ from other dragons in that their bodies are longer, snake-like, apt for navigating through the mazes of trees that make up their territory. They do not have wings, but can still fly, and they have a third pair of limbs in the middle of their long bodies (some 300 feet long). Typically, a forest dragon's belly is the mottled green of the leafy canopy, and its back covered in brown, bark-like scales dappled with lichens. Swept-back antlers sprout from its head and flow into a mane of moss. Soft, green-and-hazel eyes tell of its wisdom.   

Being immersed in the heart of the natural world makes the forest dragon very wise if a little isolated from society, and this wisdom serves the dragon even outside of its own wood. Traveling to far regions in search of rare vegetation, these dragons are likely to have knowledge of nature and terrain from all over the world. 

Forest dragons are above all neutral, concerned with ensuring the survival of the natural world. Despite being mostly solitary creatures, they are more patient than some other dragons, and will respect visitors to a degree. If the importance of a certain matter can be brought to a dragon's attention, it acts for good. More often, however, forest dragons wish to stay out of the affairs of mortals. Convincing a dragon to lend its help is not easy, especially because the creatures are very suspicious of the potential threat posed by any 'unnatural' creature (such as a humanoid) who lingers in its forest. The dragon will likely assign the supplicant a task in order to see if their abilities merit the dragon's attention.

The forest dragons most frequently compete with green dragons for territory, but only rarely. While the green dragon turns its forest into a toxic horror, a forest dragon cultivates a pristine natural landscape that is home to many wild creatures. Such a wood can be characterized by a subtle sense of organization, principally in the form of major pathways that divide large sections of the forest according to the type of plants present. In the center of the forest the care the dragon puts into designing its environment is apparent: around the entrance to the dragon's lair grow elaborate gardens which host a plethora of the creature's most rare and prized flora. 

At the center of its forest, the dragon constructs a large nest made of hedge which acts as its lair. This nest may be anything from a dome to a tower. Its many convoluted passages weave through the dense vines and leaves to allow free movement for the long body of the dragon. Surrounding this nest are the dragon's precious varieties of flora, arranged in an exquisite garden. Tall hedges often enclose this large eden. The type of hedge that forms the dragon's nest is magically resilient.  

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• The dragon releases an earth-shaking roar and causes leaves to fall from trees and other plants that are within 40 feet of it. Enemy creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (1d10 + 10) slashing damage from the blade-like leaves; and each creature that is affected by the leaves must roll 1d8; on the result of a 1 the affected enemy also takes 3 (1d6) poison damage and is poisoned for 1 round. Additionally, creatures within 100 feet of the dragon that can see and hear it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom or become frightened for 1 round.
• Mass Awaken. As if using the spell Awaken on plants only, the dragon may awaken up to 3 trees or create 1 Shambling Mound, which follow the dragon's orders and have initiative immediately following the dragon. A maximum of 3 trees and 1 Shambling Mound may be awake at a given time.
• Control Weather. The dragon casts Control Weather (no components needed).

Regional Effects

The region containing a legendary forest dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Within 5 miles of the lair, the creatures of the forest are inexplicably stealthy and wary; they do not easily fall prey to hunters.
• Within 1 mile of its lair, the dragon leaves no physical evidence of its passage unless it wishes to. Tracking it there is impossible except by magical means. In addition, it ignores movement impediments and damage from plants in this area that are neither magical nor creatures.
• All animals and plants within 1 miles of the dragon’s lair serve as the dragon’s informants. 

If the dragon dies, the creatures lose their supernatural guidance from the dragon.