Dragonbone Alloy

Dragonbone alloy is a material commonly used in Dracoforma. It is the term used for metals that have been fused with powdered dragonbone. Creating this alloy is not an easy task, and requires the skill and knowledge of a master metallurgist. The alloy and its properties vary significantly based on the type of dragon from which the bones are sourced. Each type of dragonbone has its own distinct properties. For instance the bones from a red dragon are naturally heat-resistant, while those of metallic dragons can be more easily incorporated into the metal of their type.

Preparation

The initial step in crafting dragonbone alloy involves the careful selection and cleaning of dragon bones. The bones are segmented into smaller pieces using saws. Any impure parts are discarded, and the remaining material is washed and cleansed using a specialized process which uses salts, acids and distilled water to remove any impurities. Next they are either heated or cooled to make them brittle and smashed into even smaller shards using metal hammer. This is done to prepare them for the process of grinding them to an even finer powdered form. Grinding dragon bones into this fine powder is a task of patience as it is a slow, time consuming process. It is done manually using mortars and pestles made of granite, so that craftsperson can make sure to make the powder as fine or coarse as they need it to be.   The bone powder is sometimes purified further by alchemists but can then be mixed and molten into other metals in a crucible by smiths and forgemasters, sometimes with the use of Draconic Bellows. The powder is folded into the molten metal slowly in several stages, adding the dragonbone too quickly may cause the distribution of the powder to be inconsistent throughout the alloy. Ratios of powder to metal metals are typically kept secret by smiths, but can vary wildly depending on the type of bone, the type of metal and the desired properties of the finished product.

Application

Dragonbone alloy commonly has a bronze, iron or steel base, which can be produced in large quantities. These metals can be used in all sorts of ways, from Dracoforma weapons and armor to various applications in civil engineering and architecture. Precious metals like silver, gold and even platinum have also been used to a lesser extent, these are far more expensive and rare and are used in the fabrication of enchanted jewelry and spellcasting foci.