Dragonium
An awakened material: Dragonium is muscle tendon that has been alchemically enhanced. As the name suggests, it is found most frequently in Dragons.
Properties
Material Characteristics
It is a fibrous material often compared to rope or hair, but much softer. Usually a pale pink in coloration, it can be of any thickness depending on its source.
Physical & Chemical Properties
It has seemingly unlimited tensile strength: a cord of Dragonium will stretch slightly under stress, but the amount of stretching will decrease asymptotically to a limit of a 10% increase over the un-stressed length.
Because of its flexibility, it has no measurable compressive strength; its shear resistance is similar to that of hardened leather.
While attached to a living body, dragonium fibers condense and stretch like normal muscle, but are not limited in their movement by the weights attached to them. It is these properties that allow Dragons and some other creatures to reach unlimited sizes.
Origin & Source
All Dragons have fibers of Dragonium in their bodies. The proportions of these increase as the Dragon ages; an ancient dragon aged several thousand years may have all of its muscle fibers made of Dragonium. Harvesting this is a high priority for those who seek to hunt and kill Dragons.
Rarely, Dragonium fibers can be found within the bodies of creatures affected by alchemical raw magic. While the appearance of such creatures is unreliable, they are usually easier to kill than dragons and thus preferred sources of the material when available.
Life & Expiration
In its default form, Dragonium will lose its magical properties and turn to charcoal if not kept in proper conditions: a solution of at least 50% water and a pH between 1 and 5. A process of careful drying will cure the material so that it can be used in a dry environment.
History & Usage
Everyday use
Used primarily to make rope, especially in tension bridges and cranes or other industrial machines needed to handle large weights. Because of its durability, it is particularly prized by adventurers and other travellers.
Refinement
Though largely unstable in its natural form, it can be "fortified" by a process of immersion in a nutrient-rich solution at high temperature, just below boiling, for several hours. This process allows it to survive indefinitely in the environment, but it is still not impervious to harm, and is particularly subject to damage from acidic compounds. It is often coated with oil or fat to protect against this.
Distribution
Trade & Market
Because of its highly specialized use, compounded by the difficulty in successfully hunting Dragons, there is very little trade in Dragonium. Demand is high worldwide, but only among very niche groups. Thus, on the rare occasion a Dragon is killed, the material is quickly salvaged and sold to the nearest party of interest at a high price. This is true even in places that have alliances or mutual protection treaties with Dragons, though such activity is illicit.
Law & Regulation
Places that are friendly toward Dragons, especially the Mantle of Mehen and Drathis, ban its collection or use, unless sanctioned as a postmortem donation by the Dragon involved. Other polities are merely careful not to advertise the use of the material lest they anger their draconic neighbors.
Type
Biomaterial
Color
Light pink
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