Deep-Forest Dragons, also known as Sylvan Dragons, Woodland Dragons, Greater Tree Dragons or simply Forest Dragons, are a unique subspecies of dragon, distinct from any other species and stand outside of any of the usual classifications of metallic/chromatic/gem/ferrous dragons.

On first glance, a Deep-Forest Dragon might be mistaken by the uneducated for the far more widely spread Green but upon a closer glace, the differences become very apparent. Their scales are a deeper, richer tone of green, they lack the Greens signature head-crest and crocodilian snout. Their long, slender head, with their pointed snout, whose tip is reinforced with bony, hooked plates, is instead crowned with a set of large antlers, the appearance of which is unique to each one. These antlers are, beside the dragons size, a very reliable indicator of the dragons age, as they do not get replaced every year as are those of an elk or a stag. Another clue is the dragons wing-body ratio, as the wings of a young Sylvan Dragons are proportionally much larger than those of those of the adults. Their legs are proportionally slightly longer during this stage of developement as well and the younglings neck is a bit shorter than that of an adult. Both their belly and their spine are covered in thick plates of interlocking, organic armour with short spikes potruding from their neck. The end of their long tail sports a row of long, hard and pointy spines, that are connected by a thick membrane similar to that of their wings, to form what is, in essence, a tail flap, which helps them in aerial and aquatic locomotion. Their ability to swim is further enhanced by webbing between their toes. Lastly, it has been observed that both the webbing of their tails as well as their wing membranes have slight chameleonic properties and the dragons will change the pattern of these skin sections depending on their mood and surroundings.

These dragons inhabit the worlds deepest wildlands, woods that have existed for longer than many races of the prime material world and touched by no civilisations other than maybe those of the Elves, the Fey or the Sylvans. They are themselves often unimaginably old, for their very life is intertwined with the energies of their home, making them able to live for as long as 20 000 years. As such, they guard and protect it from any who would seek to harm or corrupt it as the first and greatest of it's wardens. They can also frequently be found in the Feywild and the outer planes of Arboria and Ysgard.

Deep-Forest Dragons are calm and good-natured creatures, generally of a more even temperament and would generally prefer to solve problems peacefully instead of using violence. This does not mean however, that they are incapable of violence, quite the contrary in fact. The rage of such a beast is terrible to behold and very few creatures are capable of withstanding it. Despite their size and being primarily carnivours, they need far less food than a creature of its size would normally require, it's primary scource of nourishment being wild animals and the energy its body naturally absorbs from the natural ambiant magic of the world around it. They do, by principle, not kill sapient creatures for food, as they find it supremely distasteful. In their interactions with humanoids they have shown themselves to be quite curious and young adult Tree Wyrms traveling around  the world in the guise of elves before they find a forest of their own are nothing out of the ordinary. Woodland Dragons are monogamous creatures, remaining true to one partner for their entire lives and rear small families. They lay eggs only once every few millenia and even then only 2-5 at a time. The young wyrmlings are then raised with great care and affection until adulthood, when the younglings either go forth into the world to settle in a different forest or remain to take over their parents realm upon them returning to the earth. When a Sylvan Dragon dies of old age, after previously having consumed 100000 gp worth of its hoard, its concious either becomes one with the forest around it, taking on an aspect similar to a minor diety within its former realm or passes on to the outer planes. Upon death, a Deep-Forest Dragons body petrifies rapidly, sprouting a wide variety of plants while parts of it turn into wood and become magnificient trees.

A Greater Tree Dragon's hoard is composed of a wide variety of treasure, but especially of elven, fey and sylvan creation. Elven art and wraponry, gems cut by the hands of alves, garments and fine silks sewn and spun by the hands of a fae artisan, a bow carved by a dryad from the wood of her own tree and many more such marvels are collected by them and put on display in a space the dragon created for that explicit purpose, where it and those it deemed worthy can behold these treasures. Whilst not particularly fond of coin, precious metals and most gems, when not fashioned into something of artistic value, there however are two precious stones they do treasure and desire, those being jade and emerald. In aquiring their hoard, these dragons go about it in several different ways. One avenue for them is to amass wealth during their wandering days, keeping what they like for themselves and trading the rest for things they covet. Another is to offer their help to those that call the lands surrounding their realm home, wether they are peasants, to whom it can grant rich harvests or allow select hunters to stalk the forests they protect, traders whishing to travel safely through the lands within their zone of influence or kings and other rulers who require the wisdom of a creature as ancient and wise as a thousands of years old dragon. Lastly, many an elven lord, forest gnome mayor or leader of a druid circle be very eager to settle in or near a forest that is capable of housing a Sylvan Dragon and the dragon, in exchange for gifts and offerings, shares its forest with them, under the condition they respect the dragons laws and refrain from taking more than they must from the forest.

In stark contrast to the Green Dragons that choose similar habitats, the Woodland Dragons are not overly territorial creatures. Many other of the worlds mystical forest dwellers, such as nyphms, sylphs, dryads, satyrs, pixies and the like, peacefully share the places they roam with the Great Tree Wyrms. Even the most vicious forest dwellers, like Fell Dryads, Greater Treemen, Shambling Mounds and similar creatures (even the elusive Amber Dragons), peacefully coexist with these Dragons, rather than risking to antagonise them and bring their wrath upon them. As such, it is not rare for the Deep-Forest Dragon to be able call other monsters to it's aid in battle.

In battle, these true dragons are just as dangerous as their chromatic and metallic kin. Their bodies are not the most physically powerful amongst true dragon-kind, their mental prowess is quite considerable but it is their dexterity and speed that are truly awe-inspireing. Those who have survived combat with one of these wyrms have reported that they moved far beyond a speed that something of it's size should have any rigth to. The Deep-Forest Dragon typically prefers to fight using its claws, but will also employ its venomous fangs and the sharp spines on its tail to defeat its foes. Similar to the metallic dragons, the Woodland Dragons possess two distinct breath weapons. One is a cloud of highly volatile gas, a more potent form of what is known amongst the more knowledgable alchemists as mustard gas, that attacks exposed skin, burns the throat and lungs and with longer exposure can even blind a victim. The other is a concentrated beam of solar energy, the magic that runs through the veins of a forest channeled, focused and amplified into a scorching ray of blinding light.

Important to note is also, that these Dragons are so imbued with the elemental forces of nature, that they are all innate spellcasters. And whilst wyrmlings are unable to utilize this power, the older a Sylvan Dragon gets, the more potent a spellcaster it becomes. Many a druid, cleric of natur or paladin of the ancients has made the long journey to the forest domicile of an Ancient Deep-Forest Dragon in order to study its ancient wisdom and receive tutelage under their watchful gaze.