Dead Dragon
frankthedm
First Post
Most dragon bits a PC can get a hold of before very high levels will be only large enough to make shuriken, bolt tips and arrowheads. By the time a person could get a fang big enough for a heavy pick or rapier, the ease of item creation and Greater magic weapon make dragon DR a joke.Nightfall said:
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
Frank,
Maybe so but you could always just hand them something I suppose. Like they find a dragon corpse big enough to do that.
I've already house ruled any weapon forged from dragon bits (usually fangs) increase their weapon damage by one die and increase threat range by 2.
Maybe so but you could always just hand them something I suppose. Like they find a dragon corpse big enough to do that.
I've already house ruled any weapon forged from dragon bits (usually fangs) increase their weapon damage by one die and increase threat range by 2.
Old Drew Id
First Post
Don't forget to balance the value of the dragon's corpse with the other treasure they might pick up from the dragon's horde. If the dragon's horde is not readily available, then I would up the value of the corpse for use as spell components or material for magic items, even if you don't get specific (just say dragging the corpse back to town would be worth 1,000 gp in parts and leave it at that)
if you want to brainstorm ideas, though, here are some of the top of my head:
Blood/Bile - useful in potions, especially dragon breath, heroism, acid resistance. Drinking it might also be a prerequisite to entering certain prestige classes. Useful as ink for spellbooks and glyphs. Also, normally potions only can be crafted for 3rd level spells and below, but dragon blood might remove this limitation.
Meat - when properly prepared and eaten, functions as a hero's feast. Also valued by the nobility as a delicacy.
Claws/Teeth - even when not used as weapons, still make useful hilts for weapons. Decreases the cost of the enchanting the weapons as long as the enchantment relates to dragons in some way.
Horns - (if the dragon had horns) can be hollowed out and be useful as a musical instrument
Hide - pretty much what everyone has listed so far, but even the scraps can be made into "accents" on other armor, shields, or boots or as a fashion accessory. Dragonhide boots might be highly fashionable among the nobility. Offer a discount to enchant it with DR or acid resistance. A taxidermist might mount the whole thing as a piece of art suitable for a throne or trophy room.
Bones - aside from bone armor (not sure what book that was from), grind them up into powder for potions or more likely use this for wands, rods, and staves. If carved very carefully, could be used for easily-enchanted rings and other jewelry.
Skull - can be crafted into a helm if sized appropriately. Also valued for the prow of a ship or for mounting above a hearth. if the jaw can be opened wide, it could be suitable as the frame of a mirror or painting.
Wings - aside from their use as hide, also valued as damage-resistant sails for ships. (A ship with red dragon-wing sails would be less concerned about fire.)
Tail - aside from their use as hide, also valued as a whip or as a staff (if made rigid)
Eyes - valued for divination magic. A dragon eye might serve as a core of a crystal ball, or be otherwise hardened and mounted atop of staff or on the pommel of a weapon as a material component. Also may be prepared and eaten as a potion of true seeing
Brain - valued for Intelligence enhancing items, or ground up and used for ink in spellbooks.
Heart - valued for love potions and potions of heroism
Genitals - valued for love potions, as an aphrodesiac, or as a cure for sexually transmitted disease
Entrails/Organs - may be ground up and fed to cattle for increased yield, or mixed with grain and fed to horses to breed especially hearty warhorses. May be buried in a field to increase crop growth.
Milk - (if a female dragon) good for potions, especially healing and restorative potions. Similar to blood (see above).
in addition, superstition may add value to any particular parts beyond their material value. If the locals believe that mounting a dragon-skull above their fireplace will grant good luck, they will value the skull more than if it were just as a decoration.
if you want to brainstorm ideas, though, here are some of the top of my head:
Blood/Bile - useful in potions, especially dragon breath, heroism, acid resistance. Drinking it might also be a prerequisite to entering certain prestige classes. Useful as ink for spellbooks and glyphs. Also, normally potions only can be crafted for 3rd level spells and below, but dragon blood might remove this limitation.
Meat - when properly prepared and eaten, functions as a hero's feast. Also valued by the nobility as a delicacy.
Claws/Teeth - even when not used as weapons, still make useful hilts for weapons. Decreases the cost of the enchanting the weapons as long as the enchantment relates to dragons in some way.
Horns - (if the dragon had horns) can be hollowed out and be useful as a musical instrument
Hide - pretty much what everyone has listed so far, but even the scraps can be made into "accents" on other armor, shields, or boots or as a fashion accessory. Dragonhide boots might be highly fashionable among the nobility. Offer a discount to enchant it with DR or acid resistance. A taxidermist might mount the whole thing as a piece of art suitable for a throne or trophy room.
Bones - aside from bone armor (not sure what book that was from), grind them up into powder for potions or more likely use this for wands, rods, and staves. If carved very carefully, could be used for easily-enchanted rings and other jewelry.
Skull - can be crafted into a helm if sized appropriately. Also valued for the prow of a ship or for mounting above a hearth. if the jaw can be opened wide, it could be suitable as the frame of a mirror or painting.
Wings - aside from their use as hide, also valued as damage-resistant sails for ships. (A ship with red dragon-wing sails would be less concerned about fire.)
Tail - aside from their use as hide, also valued as a whip or as a staff (if made rigid)
Eyes - valued for divination magic. A dragon eye might serve as a core of a crystal ball, or be otherwise hardened and mounted atop of staff or on the pommel of a weapon as a material component. Also may be prepared and eaten as a potion of true seeing
Brain - valued for Intelligence enhancing items, or ground up and used for ink in spellbooks.
Heart - valued for love potions and potions of heroism
Genitals - valued for love potions, as an aphrodesiac, or as a cure for sexually transmitted disease
Entrails/Organs - may be ground up and fed to cattle for increased yield, or mixed with grain and fed to horses to breed especially hearty warhorses. May be buried in a field to increase crop growth.
Milk - (if a female dragon) good for potions, especially healing and restorative potions. Similar to blood (see above).
in addition, superstition may add value to any particular parts beyond their material value. If the locals believe that mounting a dragon-skull above their fireplace will grant good luck, they will value the skull more than if it were just as a decoration.
lukelightning
First Post
I just say dragon corpses expode in a terrifyingly PC-unfriendly manner. Bwahahahaha!
Old Drew Id
First Post
This situation always makes me think of this song (kudos to anyone who recognizes the source without googling the lyrics)
Dragons.
"List of useful parts:
Claws, ears, tongue."
Hey, this could be
a very profitable business.
There are so many cures
from bits of dragon.
Dragon whiskers
Dragon toes
A dragon tooth
And a dragon nose
Every little piece
Every little piece
We could make a million
by slicing him, dicing him
Hoagy, we could sell
every little shell
There's enough of him
to go around
Money, money, money
by the pound
Every little piece
Every little piece
I can take a scissor
and clip him up, rip him up
Every little part
is a work of art
Think of what
a dragon heart would bring
Wrapped up in a ribbon
and a string
Dragon liver
can cure a cold
Dragon powder grows hair
[Gasping]
With dragon blood
you'll never grow old
Every item
is covered with gold
Every item
is covered with gold
Every little piece
Every little piece
Dragon, you're my wagon to destiny
you're the key
Every little shred
moving me ahead
Every dream of mine
will be fulfilled
Oh, what a dragon business
we can build
Dragon cartilage
keeps you thin
Dragon fat is for burns
[Gasping]
A dragon tear will
clear up your skin
Watch the profits
come rolling in
Watch the profits
come rolling in
Every little piece
Every little crease
Oh, lead me to the dragon
I'll buy him up, tie him up
Drag him from the cave
Show him that I'm brave
I'll bind him up
Grind him up
Lop him up
Chop him up
Can't you hear
that jingle-jangle sound
Oh yeah
It's money money, money by the pound
Dragons.
"List of useful parts:
Claws, ears, tongue."
Hey, this could be
a very profitable business.
There are so many cures
from bits of dragon.
Dragon whiskers
Dragon toes
A dragon tooth
And a dragon nose
Every little piece
Every little piece
We could make a million
by slicing him, dicing him
Hoagy, we could sell
every little shell
There's enough of him
to go around
Money, money, money
by the pound
Every little piece
Every little piece
I can take a scissor
and clip him up, rip him up
Every little part
is a work of art
Think of what
a dragon heart would bring
Wrapped up in a ribbon
and a string
Dragon liver
can cure a cold
Dragon powder grows hair
[Gasping]
With dragon blood
you'll never grow old
Every item
is covered with gold
Every item
is covered with gold
Every little piece
Every little piece
Dragon, you're my wagon to destiny
you're the key
Every little shred
moving me ahead
Every dream of mine
will be fulfilled
Oh, what a dragon business
we can build
Dragon cartilage
keeps you thin
Dragon fat is for burns
[Gasping]
A dragon tear will
clear up your skin
Watch the profits
come rolling in
Watch the profits
come rolling in
Every little piece
Every little crease
Oh, lead me to the dragon
I'll buy him up, tie him up
Drag him from the cave
Show him that I'm brave
I'll bind him up
Grind him up
Lop him up
Chop him up
Can't you hear
that jingle-jangle sound
Oh yeah
It's money money, money by the pound
Sigurd
First Post
Ask the Party or formula it.
My party witnessed the death or a old Blue dragon at the gates of a city.
They were suitably swift to get whatever parts they could as soon as they could. Hey! Free money.
Specifically I was able to find the head where it had been flung at the bottom of the lake.
I think we took the teeth and claws and a vial or two of hearts blood. Rather than try and carry the head we gave it to a local church that was very thankful for an item to draw crowds. In return they coordinated the teeth removal and let us get on our way more quickly.
Most of the stuff has been for show - Half orc with dragon steaks to eat - but my mage is trying to make something of the teeth. The operative thing is that we have all of them and all the teeth come from the same source so the amulets will be magically linked through the unique source.
I'd ask you party for any great ideas. If they don't have any I'd allow them to get 'treasure' equal to 1000 gld (or some number) times the mage level in the party but they have to go sell it immediately to recover that. Anything specific would be subtracted from that total. Delays would reduce the value etc. etc... The logic is that more adept spellcasters would be able to salvage more and recognize the value of more.
If they have grand plans that sound reasonable support them.
Sigurd
My party witnessed the death or a old Blue dragon at the gates of a city.
They were suitably swift to get whatever parts they could as soon as they could. Hey! Free money.
Specifically I was able to find the head where it had been flung at the bottom of the lake.
I think we took the teeth and claws and a vial or two of hearts blood. Rather than try and carry the head we gave it to a local church that was very thankful for an item to draw crowds. In return they coordinated the teeth removal and let us get on our way more quickly.
Most of the stuff has been for show - Half orc with dragon steaks to eat - but my mage is trying to make something of the teeth. The operative thing is that we have all of them and all the teeth come from the same source so the amulets will be magically linked through the unique source.
I'd ask you party for any great ideas. If they don't have any I'd allow them to get 'treasure' equal to 1000 gld (or some number) times the mage level in the party but they have to go sell it immediately to recover that. Anything specific would be subtracted from that total. Delays would reduce the value etc. etc... The logic is that more adept spellcasters would be able to salvage more and recognize the value of more.
If they have grand plans that sound reasonable support them.
Sigurd
lukelightning
First Post
It's all fine and dandy to do this to a dragon, but when my character skins the evil high priestess drow and wears her skin, oh no!
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