Linnorm

Dragons are some of the most fearsome and powerful creatures ever to grace the face of Covenant. The chromatic, metallic, and gem dragons of lands like Acitern and Nahrica are only a part of dragonkind. There are other, stranger varieties, such as the mystical lung dragons of Duanjia.
In the deep wilds of Skogsmark the savage linnorm lurk, hunting for prey. In Bjornland, warriors hunt them, searching for honor and treasure. Most who meet them do not survive, but those who do slay these savage creatures gain enough honor for a lifetime.

You're No Prince...
Linnorms are specifically a D&D creature first appearing in Dragon magazine in 1992. They are veeeeery loosely based on the Scandinavian lindwurm, most known for a "Beauty and the Beast"-style fairy tale about a prince born a dragon.
If I was intending to go more traditional, I'd only go with the forest linnorm. Still, variety is the spice of life, and the others are cool so here they are.

Basic Information

Anatomy

There are a few varieties of linnorm, each with its own traits, but they do have a few in common. Unlike "common" dragons, all linnorms lack wings, and many also lack rear limbs, moving mostly by slithering. The scales of linnorms tend to be dull colors, as opposed to the dramatic coloration of other dragons.
Like their kin, all linnorms have at least one breath weapon. These abilities are all different from the simple elemental breath attacks of other dragons but are just as deadly. All linnorms also have innate magical abilities similar to spells. These spells vary by type and grow in power and variety as the beast ages.

Varieties

Dread

Dread linnorms are unique among their kin in that they are the only variety to have two heads. Their scales tend to be gray, often with darker patterns. They tend to live in vast underground caverns, mostly in Skaddi's Peaks. They do collect treasure as an incidental part of their attacks, but tend to pile it up, barely caring to look at their hoards later.
Their heads each have different breath weapons, with the right being a chill wind that can push attackers away and the left is red-hot dust. They tend to alternate breath weapons in battle. Most of their lives, dread linnorms have telekinetic abilities, and they can use powers similar to a move earth spell once they reach adulthood, which they use to expand their lairs. As they age, they gain the ability to stun their opponents and even drain the life force of their victims as undead do.

Flame

More than any other breed, flame linnorms resemble common dragons. Their scales are bright reds, oranges, and yellows, often illuminated as if with an inner flame. These are the rarest linnorms, and are obsessed with accumulating treasure. They are known to even enslave humanoids to collect treasure for them.
They have two breath weapons, one a jet of flame, and another a cloud of hot ash. They also have the ability to fly and use magic similar to many fire spells. Later in life, they gain the ability to hypnotize other creatures with fire and summon elementals from the Plane of Fire. Legend has it the oldest flame linnorms become living fire, themselves.

Forest

Forest linnorms are more serpentine than any other linnorms, completely lacking any limbs. They make their homes on forest floors where their green and brown mottled scales allow them to blend in. They hide their hordes in hollows of tree trunks leaving them scattered throughout their woodland home. They particularly hate beautiful creatures, and so relish preying on creatures such as stags, swans, and eagles, but by far their favorite prey is attractive humanoids.
Their breath weapon is a line of acidic liquid similar to a black dragon's. This acid has a curious withering effect on living things. They are completely invisible to animals and possess magical powers that affect plants, similar to druidic magic. Older specimens eventually gain the ability to turn sticks into snakes, a very dangerous power to use in the dense underbrush.

Frost

As their name suggests, frost linnorms make their homes in the tundra in northernmost Bjornland. They appear to be covered in fine fur broken by patches of ice-like scales that blend in to their environment. They hate sharing their territory with any other beings, and as the most intelligent linnorms, prefer to bide their time and use complex strategies to destroy any that dare intrude.
The breath weapon of a frost linnorm is a cloud of ice that is capable of trapping victims. They also develop magic that allows then to control their icy homes. In addition, they display a talent for illusions and take great pleasure in tricking their victims into any number of grisly ends in the frozen wastes.

Gray

The most common type of linnorm, gray linnorms have dull gray scales and slender bodies. They use their tails to whip and constrict opponents in combat. Due to their natural sadism, they especially enjoy engaging their foes up close with their claws and teeth. They are also the most adaptable variety of linnorm, and are found in any environment Skogsmark has to offer.
They have an acidic breath that can corrode metal in addition to burning through flesh. They have the ability to fly with great agility, and their hard scales have a magical protection against ranged attacks. They also have a wider variety of magical powers than other linnorms, developing the ability to cause disease, shapeshift, or become intangible.

Land

Land linnorms are the only ones who have rear legs and their scale colors can vary widely, usually some shade of brown, gray, or green. They are patient hunters, sometimes following their prey for days before using their burrowing ability to strike from below. They often hunt more for the treasure their prey might be carrying than their meat.
In battle, they can breathe out a wave of heat, exhausting their opponents and sapping their strength as well as burning them. They can become invisible and gain the ability to control earth, eventually allowing them to summon earth elementals and even cause small earthquakes.

Rain

Able fliers, Rain linnorms are normally encountered in the air. Their scales can shift between shades of gray, white, blue and green. They make their homes in tall hills, where they can be buffeted by wind and rain. Rain linnorms love to spread fear, often allowing victims to live to spread tales of their fearsome nature.
Rain linnorms can breath a jet of boiling water, and love to start battles by doing this. They are impervious to the effects of lightning and have a variety of powers that relate to controlling the weather, and they eventually develop the ability to conjure water elementals.

Sea

The bane of ships at sea, sea linnorms have much the same serpentine body shape as the others, except they have seal-like flippers instead of forelimbs, allowing them to swim gracefully through the water. Their scales can change color as a chameleon's does, allowing them to blend in with their environment. They consider the ocean to be their domain and enjoy capsizing ships and watching the crew flounder before devouring them.
Outside of the water they can breathe an acid mist that eats through ships and sailors alike. Their magic centers around harassing passing ships, including changing the winds and conjuring or even solidifying fog. The oldest of them can even reverse gravity, causing ships to fall right out of "their" ocean.

Corpse Tearer

According to legend, there is one linnorm that is far older and more powerful than any that has come before, perhaps the very first to be born. It dwells in the darkest wilds, waiting to prey on those with the misfortune to cross its path, never to be seen again. This is Likriver-- Corpse Tearer, in the common tongue.
Descriptions of the creature paint it as a hideous beast, fit only for nightmares. They say it is the brown and green color of dead undergrowth, and covered in artless patches of moss and hair. It is said it has a secret lair, filled with oceans of treasure buried in a sea of rot and death. Those who find it never leave alive.
The abilities of such a beast are subject only to the most terrible of tales. It is said it can command not only the bodies, but also the souls of those it slays, denying them their rightful place in Valhalla and Folkvangr. It is whispered that its breath can rob a warrior of his strength, leaving him helpless before this most terrible of beasts.

Ecology and Habitats

All linnorms are found in the continent of Skogsmark. A vast majority live in Bjornland, but there are those whose territory rests in Fasach, instead. While the habitats of individual varieties varies, all live in deep wilderness far from people. Most linnorms dig into the ground to create burrows for themselves.
Linnorms eat any creature large enough for them to catch, and they have a ravenous appetite. Conversely, almost nothing eats them, especially after they grow out of their wyrmling stage. However, humans often go out of their way to hunt them. Linnorms that reach adulthood are incredibly dangerous, but skilled parties of adventurers can kill them. Between this and their isolation, linnorms are incredibly rare creatures.

Behaviour

Linnorms are invariably cruel and savage creatures, driven not only by their need for food, but also by a sadistic need to kill. They behave almost as though they are natural predators, but their attacks are unnecessarily harsh and savage. They are particularly cruel to intelligent beings, keeping them alive as long as possible to enjoy their pain.
These creatures rarely speak to humanoids, even though they are perfectly capable of doing so. This has led to the impression that they are unintelligent, when this is not true of most varieties. Many would-be dragonslayers have been surprised by an intricate trap laid by a beast of far more than animal cunning.

Lifespan

600 years

Average Height

Varies by type

Average Weight

Varies by type

Geographic Distribution

• Skogsmark