Change Shape: what happens if you try to meld an item containing a creature?

Question

So fun question that came up in another one of my games.

A player (me) is currently an adult gold dragon via True Polymorph; duration is currently "until dispelled".

The Change Shape ability says that items being worn/carried can be chosen to meld into the new form. Now if I am carrying a coffin with a living creature in it, what happens to the creature if I try and meld the coffin into me?

The creature in question is alive but is in no way concious or able to object in anyway.

A ruling in the case of a normal coffin and another with a magically closed coffin would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

It's not totally clear, but the creature will not be absorbed

The ability text reads

Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon’s choice). (MM, stat blocks for an Adult Gold Dragon or Ancient Gold Dragon)

I bolded the key word in the description: equipment can be absorbed into the changed shape, and living creatures are not equipment (nor objects of any sort). Therefore the living creature cannot be absorbed, whether it is confined in an object (magical or mundane) or not.

I'm not aware of any published mechanisms which describe how equipment melding into a changed shape actually occurs, so exactly what does happen is up to the DM.