Hiiktros salve

Salves are made by grinding the clay or mud while dry into a fine powder alongside its metal components until smooth. The mixture will generally be combined with dried herbs, herb powders, or fragrant oils with an emulsion of spring water and oil, oftentimes from plants such as the olive, sunflower, sesame, or in cheaper mixtures, coconut oil. Rarely are mixtures made with oils or fats from animals, though this does occasionally happen during goods shortages or for particularly bad parasitic infections among dragons as way of drawing parasites out of the flesh. The salve will then be kneaded until it is consistent, and further watered down until runny and able to be poured underneath and between the scales.   Salves for packing wounds are generally thicker and less watery, which when dry will form a sort of cast around the wound. All salves will dry and flake off over time, leaving behind pigment as well as the scent of the herbs and oils used to make them.

Hiiktros salves are a clay mud salved with powdered metals such as copper, iron, or silver that are used to treat minor infections, swelling, and as a temporary cosmetic dye. These salves are also used as a home remedy for parasitic infections in order to drown parasites that are buried under the scales and kill them, as well as making removal fairly easy. The salves originated within the Teros Flight of dragons, but is widespread amongst many lineages due to trade, and has even become a part of harpy and naga fashion. Among dragons in particular, salves high in copper are seen as a boon, following a semi-religious practice revering certain minerals and alloys. While copper is shunned elsewhere for being associated with bad luck, when used in a salve it is considered to be passing bad luck and ill will onto parasites or a health ailment in order to treat it.   The salves are oftentimes compared to henna due to the minerals and clays in the salves dyeing scales and feathers temporarily. Copper and iron rich salves will often turn the structures reddish orange in hue, and if left in place long enough to oxidize, the former will often turn teal. Such uses of salves will generally favor those with artificial dyes, which are far more common among harpy and naga populations than they are among dragons.  

Controversy

In the modern era, such salves are generally looked down upon and highly discouraged for medicinal use. Especially among dragons, there has been a recent push to put the practice in the past due to an increased risk of infection when packing wounds with the salve. Among the Teros flight, using hiiktros salves still remains a strong part of their culture, used in preparation and recovery from territorial and mating rites skirmishes, with just as much pushback against those critical of the practice.