Shenlong

Origins
Born moments after the universe itself, the Chinese dragons are among the most powerful creatures in the cosmos, ruling over the skies and seas, the land and elements. They have the power to create and destroy, to terrorise and to protect, they always have been and they always will be, in this realm or another.

Shenlong was never the most powerful of dragons, nor the most terrifying or compassionate. The most accurate way to describe him would be ‘unpredictable’: like the storms he held dominion over, it was difficult to guess what he would do next. He could bring life to an arid, barren wasteland with a downpouring of cold rain, or set a forest ablaze with an onslaught of thunder and lightning. When asked about his actions, the azure-scaled creature would simply respond that he was the storm, and the storm was him.

This unpredictability proved an advantage when the dragons began to fade away from the Earth. Some were hunted by the primitive creatures that now swarmed the planet, others grew distant and haughty, secluding themselves on mountaintops or deep in the depths of the oceans. Shenlong was never in one place long enough to be hunted, and his indelible connection to the world meant he would never grow beyond his station, so he remained as constant a presence as he ever was even through the thinning of the dragons’ ranks.

The Gathering of the Host
When the first superhuman, Pantheon came to the last remaining dragons in search of their help in fighting a great oncoming darkness, Shenlong was the last of their kind that anyone would have guessed would join the cause. However, he was charmed by the playful nature of the moon spirit Eclipse and agreed to join the pair in their quest to stop the devastating power of The Breaker, and he became the third member of The Host.

He often clashed with the cantankerous Merlin, who knew of the desolation created by the dragons before the dawn of humanity, and Shenlong too saw the faces of the hunters of dragons in the sorcerer. But they knew that they must put aside their differences in order to face down the rising darkness, and found some common ground as Shenlong provided a small handful of his scales to Merlin for use in an incantation.

The Coming of the Breaker
When the powerful cosmic executioner known as the Breaker descended upon the Earth, Shenlong fought valiantly, riding the winds and striking the beast with all the power of the storm. While it was Eclipse and Merlin who struck the final blows, Shenlong was the one who scattered the creature's ashes across the winds of a mighty storm, spreading them across the skies and drowning them with rain so they would never reform and pose a threat to the Earth again.

Shenlong travelled with The Host for some time after this momentous battle, and yet never truly found a home among them. In his later years, he took to assuming the form of an elderly human man, draped in a robe of azure silk to remind him of his true nature, and wandering the Earth to try and understand humanity better.

The Lost Dragon
The story of Shenlong is thought to have ended tragically, however, as he forgot his true self while wandering the Earth and now lies trapped in human form, immortal but never fulfilling his almighty potential. But those who truly know the dragons knows that his tale is far from over, and perhaps the kindly old man who always seems able to predict the weather will remember his true nature and take to the skies once more.

While the dragon himself may be lost to the world, the tale of Shenlong lives on in the hearts of those who truly believe. A religious order has even been established in his name, by a group of monks living deep in the wilderness of China, dedicated to protecting the mountain on which the last thunder dragon was born, a place which holds great mystical power. This group is known as the Order of Shenlong, and possess great power and skill of their own.

Personality
As aggressive and unpredictable as the storm itself, Shenlong is an arrogant and haughty creature who considers all others to be beneath him. He is capable of righteous fury and seemingly misplaced compassion, just as the storm is capable of devastation and healing.

However, his unpredictable nature means that he has never felt entirely settled in a given situation, always feeling as though he needs to change and keep moving. This has seen him living a lonely, somewhat isolated life with no deep ties or connections to anyone or anything. His relatively short-lived tenure with the Host was the closest he had ever come to true companionship, with a particular affection for the moon spirit Eclipse, which he referred to as his 'little spirit', but even this would come to an end as he drifted away, searching for the next part of his adventure.

Superhuman Abilities
As a thunder dragon, Shenlong has complete control over the Earth's weather systems. He can create powerful winds and generate clouds, he can make it rain and even manipulate lightning to use for a variety of purposes. In many ways he is the most powerful member of the Host, as his power is a force of nature itself, but he is limited to controlling aspects of the mortal realm. Beyond the physical plane of existence, Shenlong has no power and cannot manipulate any aspect of the Earth's adjacent realms.

Shenlong is also able to transmute into a human form, which he tends to do when traversing the Earth. His power is slightly more limited in this form as he is unable to fly or lift himself off the ground and as such he is more removed from the weather systems he controls. However, he can change back and forth between his human and dragon forms at a moment's notice, so it rarely becomes a problem.

Weapons and Equipment
In his dragon form Shenlong has no need for weaponry. His teeth are hard and pointed, he has razor-sharp scales along the ridge of his back, and his claws are strong and powerful, and that's before he calls upon the power of the storm to help him.

In his human form, he carries a long bladed halberd through which he can channel the forces of the storm, primarily by shooting bolts of lightning from the tip as he swings it. When he transforms back into his dragon form, this weapon is absorbed into his body.