Hit Point Press
Zethandriel
Water lily dragons are big and friendly, willing to carry other creatures on their backs.
The Compassion of the Water Lily Dragon
Legend tells of two women, Callista and Rosetta, who lived on opposite sides of a vast lake. They were lovers from different nations that claimed ownership of the lake. When tensions between the nations escalated to the point of war, it was no longer safe for the lovers to travel around the lake to meet. Instead, they wrote letters and sealed them in glass bottles. Under cover of darkness, they floated these love letters from the lakeshore in secret. Each time one of them released a bottle into the lake, she prayed that the letter would float to the far shore so her lover would know she still lived. Somehow, the lake always delivered their messages, and they were grateful for this miracle.
One day, Callista overheard a soldier confidently declare that the war would soon be over as there were very few enemies left for them to fight. Callista feared that she would never see her lover again. She dove into the water, determined to swim across to see Rosetta one last time. As her strength began to fail, Callista sensed a great presence shift beneath her. An enormous mass of soft green scales and pink flowers gently rose, lifting her above the water. She was surprised to find herself on the back of a huge water lily dragon, along with a bottle nestled amidst the dragon’s flowers. Callista recognized her last letter to Rosetta. Moved by the lovers’ yearning, the dragon had been ferrying their messages back and forth, ensuring they always made it safely.
The dragon carried Callista to the other side of the lake, where Rosetta was waiting. Rosetta joined Callista on the dragon’s back, and the dragon took them far away from the lake, to live the rest of their lives together in peace. Because of the dragon’s empathy for the devoted pair, water lily dragons are said to be the most compassionate and gentle floral dragons.
Physiology
Typical water lily dragons grow to be around 15 feet long. They can live to be up to 200 years old. Their scales are soft and green, and the older the dragon, the deeper the shade of green grows. These scales are covered with a waxy sheen similar to the leaves of its namesake plant. Water lily dragons flowers most commonly come in pink but can also be yellow, red, light orange, or white. They have a long snouts to part the water and cut through weeds and debris in its path as they swim with their powerful flippers. These large, flat forelegs allow the dragons to propel themselves through the water, while their use their hind legs and tail to direct thier motion.
Though water lily dragons can swim for long periods of time while submerged, they can only breathe when their nostrils are above the water. Water lily dragons in shallower environments sometimes bask in the sun with their jaws open so that birds can clean their teeth.
Zethandriel
Water lily dragons are fitted with a harness when they are trained to carry passengers for the first time. Communities often have a handful of folks who train the dragons for a living.
From what I can gather, constant communication with a new dragon is key. They can understand language, but can’t reply themselves. Once a water lily dragon can ferry passengers steadily and safely, they can be ridden without a harness.
Habitat
Caption
Fig. 1 A young water lily dragon, viewed from below, training to ferry people across the lake
Water lily dragons need large bodies of water to thrive. The majority live in freshwater lakes and, occasionally, in wide rivers. Novice dragon trainers have attempted to raise water lily dragons in small pools and ponds, but these efforts fail without room for the dragons to swim freely. Though there are reported sightings of water lily dragons at sea, these are rare.
Water lily dragons play an important role in their lakes’ ecosystems, feeding on invasive algae. The strong waves they make while swimming also prevent the buildup of algal blooms on the lake’s surface, spread nutrients around the lake, and push unwanted debris to the shore.
Fish frequently gather under a water lily dragon’s large shadow for feeding and shade. Water lily dragons don’t build nests or dens, and are content to sleeping with their heads on flat stones where they can breathe with their bodies submerged.
Water lily dragons living in larger lakes can sometimes be found in the company of lamium dragons. Clematis dragons also live alongside water lily dragons and like to ride on them.
As one of the most social species of floral dragon, water lily dragons frequently interact with lakeside humanoid societies. Over time, a water lily dragon can become a close companion, offering transport or letting humanoids fish in deeper waters off their backs.
Behavior
Algae, waterborne insects, and some species of fish constitute a water lily dragon’s diet. Domesticated water lily dragons will also eat light humanoid food, with some relying on it as their main food source. Caretakers often collect vegetable scraps and leftovers from their communities to feed their local dragons.
Regardless of where a water lily dragon lives, their mating ritual takes place on a riverbank. During mating season, water lily dragons swarm to the nearest river in the hopes of finding a mate.
They change mates each season and lay eggs in clutches of six to eight. The dragons make temporary nests on the riverbank and incubate their eggs there for around three weeks. When the eggs hatch, each parent takes half the clutch of wyrmlings and ferries them home on their back. Both parents are capable of nurturing their young, which they do until their offspring bloom.
When the young water lily dragons have flowered, the parent swims with them to the mouth of a nearby river. There, the parent offers each of them the choice to either stay with them or leave to find a place to live alone. The parent accepts either choice, symbolizing that the young water lily dragons are mature enough to make their own decisions.
Water lily dragons are docile by nature and are more likely to defend themselves than to fight back. They snap their toothy jaws and slap their huge forelegs against the surface of the water to create menacing splashes and turbulent waves to ward off attackers. If it must fight, a water lily dragon will defend any passengers on its back even at the risk of its own life.
Caption
Fig. 2 Steering a water lily dragon.
Personality Traits
Water Lily Dragon Personality Traits
| d8 | Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | When I get excited, I splash a lot. |
| 2 | If anyone tried to put a harness on me, I would refuse to carry them. |
| 3 | I like to be admired for the color and size of my flowers. |
| 4 | Nobody knows the layout of the lake better than me. |
| 5 | I collect trinkets that humanoids throw in the water. |
| 6 | I think I am a terrible swimmer, and the expectation to carry others scares me. |
| 7 | I can’t stand being idle and only stop swimming when I am asleep. |
| 8 | I like to practice holding my breath so I can explore the depths of the lake. |
Motivations
Caption
Fig. 3 Grooming a water lily dragon
Water Lily Dragon Motivations
| d6 | Motivation |
|---|---|
| 1 | My purpose is to bring people together, no matter how far apart they are. |
| 2 | I consider this lake to be mine, and it’s my responsibility to keep it clean and habitable. |
| 3 | I must keep myself strong and healthy because people depend on me. |
| 4 | I want to get to know the people who I ferry across the lake each day. |
| 5 | I would love to learn more about what life is like on land. |
| 6 | I am always trying to beat my record for the fastest trip across the lake. |
Adventure Hooks
Here are ways to include water lily dragons in your game.
| d4 | Adventure Hook |
|---|---|
| 1 | The residents of a settlement have been disposing of their waste in a lake inhabited by a water lily dragon. The water lily dragon is struggling to survive and can barely swim, but the residents don’t care. |
| 2 | A water lily dragon has become lodged in a canal that is vital for trade. Merchant ships queuing behind it can’t pass until the dragon is dislodged. |
| 3 | A group of vicious monsters have invaded the lake. They are attacking any creatures that live there, making it too dangerous for the lake’s water lily dragons to swim or help with fishing or transport. |
| 4 | A drought is causing a lake inhabited by water lily dragons to dry up, severely reducing their living space. They are struggling in the mud and need help moving to a new home. |
Zethandriel
I reunited with everyone on the other side of the lake. Amina was particularly enamored with the water lily dragon and was so excited to scrub it clean after we were done traveling.
The dragon looked like it was enjoying itself, and Amina talked to it the whole time. She’s friendly like that.
Zethandriel
I got a lesson on steering a water lily dragon before I took the reins for the first time. Everyone who wants to steer a dragon gets the same tutorial—as much for the dragon’s safety as for theirs.
Once I was declared fit to steer, a fisher boarded the dragon with me. She made pleasant company and said she always catches more fish on the back of a water lily dragon than in her small boat.
The dragon was friendly, too, and seemed happy to ferry us across the water.