Draconic Cadaver Harvesting

Dragons are amongst the oldest denizens of Baelonmor. They trace their origins back to the primordial chaos that predated the rise of Gods, and have moulded the course of history ever since. In the hefty tomes detailing their storied past, there are tales of every kind: benevolent kings, wicked despots, and everything in between. Their perspective grants them incredible wisdom, and their innate magic and immense power sculpts the land around them. Whilst some folk revere these mighty wyrms, and others fear them, they are unanimously respected by every other mortal being. Yet that admiration does little to preserve their dignity in death.

Whenever a Dragon dies, scavengers descend upon its corpse in droves. First, the Dragon's hoard will be looted; this is often done by those followers who most fervently served the wyrm in life. Once the treasure troves are plundered, the dragon's corpse will be defiled. Every part of the wyrm's body thrums with magic. Its scales are both notoriously robust and possess protective qualities, but remain lightweight and flexible. Draconic blood is a potent reagent for all manner of incantations, as is its flesh. The bones are powerful conduits for manipulating magic, making them very attractive for those crafting enchanted artefacts. It is said that a Dragonbone staff can enable a novice Wizard to channel the Arcane with the aptitude of a seasoned archmage. Likewise, weapons made from Dragonbone cut deeper and cleaner than blades forged from metal.

Perhaps the most coveted part of a Dragon, however, is its heart. This organ was the nexus of the wyrm's innate magic in life and remains incredibly powerful even after it has stopped beating. A Dragonheart belonging to a wyrm older than 500 years can be used for all manner of magical means, ranging from brewing body-warping elixirs, gazing through the veil of time, and even reawakening dormant portals. In the right hands, such a powerful trophy can coax forth a brief golden age or spearhead a monumental breakthrough. In the wrong hands, it can usher in an epoch of bloodshed and despair.

Dragons never die peacefully. A wyrm only truly dies when it is slain violently; if afflicted with disease or starvation, it instead regresses back to a juvenile state and cocoons itself in an egg. As such, it is not unusual for war to erupt immediately upon the wyrm's death, if it had not already been raging. Few people do not lust for wealth or power, and there are few times more opportune than a Dragon's demise to enrich oneself. Differing factions become blind with greed, desperate to seize the bounties that the draconic cadaver offers, and are more than willing to use violence to achieve their goals. A Dragon's grave is often surrounded by hundreds of smaller headstones.