Dracoforma

Dracoforma encompassed all sorts of crafts and designs where artisans and craftspeople use materials sourced from dragons to create a wide array of items. The objects created with a dragon's scales, bone, leather, or blood are strong, durable and often easily Enchanted. However, this unique form of fabrication requires specific knowledge about dragons and their subspecies, and a high skill level to manipulate and use the materials properly. On top of all that, it is quite expensive due to the rarity of high quality organic draconic materials.

Mastery of Materials

The crafting of items from dragon parts is an art that requires not just general craftsmanship but a specialized skill set, honed through years of training and experience. Many Dracoforma artisans undergo lengthy apprenticeships, learning under a number master craftspeople. Their training often spans several years and includes both practical crafting skills in different types of areas as well as anatomical, practical and theoretical knowledge about dragons. Dracoforma artisans typically become proficient in the use and processing of several materials and methods. Some focus on the use of blood, leather and scales for armor, others may choose bone and teeth as their area of expertise. But, almost all of these artisans learn the basics of Draconic Smithing as part of their training. Dracoforma artisans typically work in a small, tightly knit group or guild where every artisan's skills is used in close collaboration to create the most intricate objects, armor and weaponry. Ideally these products are completely created out of draconic parts to allow for the most powerful enchantments to take hold. For an enchanter, it is often a great honor to work on dracoforma masterpieces and enchant it in a befittingly grand manner.

Hunt, Harvest and Honour

The most traditional but also perilous method of obtaining dragon parts involves hunting dragons. This is often reserved for the bravest and most skilled hunters and trackes, given the immense danger involved. Such hunts can be the basis of epic tales and legends in themselves. For deceased dragons, expeditions might be organized to recover remains from dragon lairs or battlefields. Sentient dragons might give a tooth or scale as a gift or reward to individuals that helped them or are loyal to them. This does require some bravery but most of all a deep understanding of dragon culture, language, and psychology.

Many Materials

Although the quality of the material determines the quality of the final product and not every material can be harvested from every dragon, in general there are a number of materials that are harvested from draconic creatures. These materials can all retain some of the innate resistances, abilities or powers of dragons if harvested, treated and preserved correctly, but each has their own use.   Scales. Exceptionally hard and resistant to physical and often specific types of elemental or magical damage. Scales are primarily used in the creation of armor and shields because of their defensive properties. Scales from dragons can vary greatly in size, strength, color and texture depending on the species of dragon and the location on the body the scales were taken from. Smaller or weaker scales are also commonly applied as decoration on all sorts of objects. Brightly colored, pearlescent and metalic scales and especially the scales of gem dragons can also be cut and polished to be used in jewelry or other sorts of ornaments and art. Some cultures also grind these scales down to a dust and turn them into vibrant paint pigments.   Leather. Tough yet flexible, dragon leather often retains some of the magical properties of the dragon's hide and resistances. It is commonly used in leather armors, high quality apparel, and wrapped around the hilts of weapons. However, also book bindings and even luxury furniture can be made using this leather. Specifically the leather of the wings of wyverns and dragons is also being used for sails on small sailing vessels called Dragonsail Sloops but some debate whether or not using dragon leather sails yields any other benefits other than a factor of intimidation. High quality dragon leather is durable and has a natural rich and vibrant color. Depending on the origin of the hide, some leather can change color or texture when exposed to different temperatures or light.
  Bone. Dragonbone varies from lightweight and hollow to heavy and dense. Typically, flying dragons have more lightweight bones, whilst drakes and wyrms have more dense bones. Regardless of their origin, these bones are ideal for crafting weaponry due to their durability and strength. Dragonbone can also be enchanted using Runic Inscription by scratching enchantments into it with a stylus. Smaller dragonbones can be applied to armor as an extra layer of defense but the bones can also be ground to a dust and added to metal to create a Dragonbone Alloy from which armor can be forged. Specific bones such as the bones at the end of the tail, spines and especially the skull, are often used as ornaments or artpieces by themselves but have also been incorporated into armors and weaponry.
  Teeth. Dragon teeth are incredibly hard, often even sharper and more durable than forged daggers. Each tooth can vary in size and shape which depends mostly on the species of the dragon and their diet. Their natural sharpness makes them ideal for embedding in weapons and spiked armors, but also for use as arrow and spear tips. They can be used in tools that require a durable sharp edge, such as saws or carving tools but these tools typically use teeth from smaller or more common draconic creatures. Due to their unique appearance and rarity, dragon teeth are also set into jewelry or used as decorative ornaments in art and sometimes architecture.
  Claws.Dragonclaws come in all shapes and sizes depending on the climate and region the dragon lives in. They can be used in a similar matter as the teeth, but offer a different aesthetic and use. They are especially used by a great number of enchanters, who use a dragonclaw stylus for Runic Inscription. In part because of the sharpness and durability, but some also prefer a dragonclaw stylus because of the belief that dragons created the first magic in the universe and their claw resembles that. Others because they believe that the claw still holds some of the magical abilities or powers of the dragon it came from.   Meat. There are some subspecies of lesser dragons that are hunted for their meat but the meat of most dragons is not commonly eaten. Most species' meat is particularly tough, difficult and time consuming to prepare and in some cases just completely unpallatable due to the diet of the dragon. Some cultures (and creatures) enjoy the taste, or may use the meat in ceremonial dishes but most commonly, the meat is used in very specific alchemical processes.   Sinew. Known for its extraordinary tensile strength and flexibility, dragon sinew is ideal for bowstrings and strings for musical instruments. It is also used to stitch together dragon leather pieces. When woven into fabrics or leather, dragon sinew adds significant strength without compromising flexibility. Thin dragon sinew has also been used as surgical stitching on the battlefield and is believed to be a good alternative if no potions or regenative spells are available to close the wound.
  Blood. Often possessing innate magical qualities, dragonblood is a potent and powerful compound used predominantly in Alchemy. The properties and power of dragonblood depends greatly on the species of the dragon. Preserving, distilling and purifying the blood is important if a craftsperson wishes to use the blood properly. The blood can then be used in the creation of potions, poisons and other alchemical compounds. Cloth or fibers can also be soaked in pure blood or any compound made with it, to dye and enchant it in a form of Alchemical Transference.

Ethics

In some cultures, dragons might be revered or worshipped as divine or magical creatures. In these societies, the use of dragon parts, especially from sentient or noble dragons, could be seen as a profound desecration or taboo. Other cultures might view dragons, particularly wild or lesser dragons, as a natural resource, similar to wildlife or livestock, and their use in Dracoforma could be seen as no different from using materials derived from other animals. However, it is not uncommon for the practice of Dracoforma to be accompanied by rituals that honor and acknowledge the dragon's life or spirit. This practice is a way to reconcile the use of dragon materials with respect for the creature's essence and dignity.