Dragon Hide [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragon Hide [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Cog
05-12-04, 04:05 PM Okay, the group I'm DMing in RttToEE killed a young blue dragon, and promptly carved it up. The question I need to know is how heavy would the hide be to carry? According to The Draconomicon, the body size of a medium-sized blue dragon is 7 feet by 3 feet, and the dragon weighs a total of 320lbs, but it doesn't state the weight of the hide.
MattHawk
05-12-04, 06:18 PM (Note - newbie speaking, might want to wait for someone else to speak up before blindly taking this advice, but I'm never going to become non-newbie if I never try to figure this stuff out on my own, so I'm making a try at it :) )

One way I could see doing it is to define the weight of the hide by the amount of hide armor it can make - a young blue dragon is a medium creature, so it's hide could be used to make a single small suit of hide armor. The actual hide would probably weigh a bit more then this, since the armor has been refined from the hide somewhat; but it gives you a general idea.
Cog
05-13-04, 02:12 AM I'd thought of that, but I couldn't figure how much waste there would be, especially as the spines are built into the hide... :(
Scandal
05-13-04, 04:07 PM not to mention unless they have a way of keeping it from rotting it is going to start rotting and within a few days be rank and start attrackting other animals.. So unless they have skills in like craft leather making It would probably be no good to them by the time they get back to anyone that can dry it and finish it.. so that it can be made into something such as clothing or armor..

-Scan
Cathon
05-13-04, 07:26 PM Considering that trappers often ventured out weeks or months in the wilderness before returning to sell their skins, it hardly seems a given that it is going to rot away, particularly since you are dealing with a high natural armor here. Have someone do a wilderness lore/survival check for properly skinning the dragon. Use that to determine the amount of usable hide they can get from the dragon. It will probably take them an afternoon or so to scrape it, dry it and prepare it for travel.

Hmm, rough estimate, I'd say about 20 - 30 lbs for the hide.
Scandal
05-14-04, 04:02 PM Trappers tend to take the time to dry out and SALT pelts so that they do not rot.. and that is why they can stay out for weeks.. Trust me I am an avid hunter and have dried most of my own pelts.. Pelts will start rotting the second day.. scrapping a pelt will take almost a full day to do and that is for a large black bear.. then it needs to be salted to get rid of all the nasties sitting in the skin.. then you will need to lay it out in the sun either using chemicals or long period in the sun.. then of course since it will harden while drying you will need to "chew the leather" if you want it to stay soft.. (chewing the leather is anyform of working it they have tools for it now but you used to have to chew it)

I have dried multiple pelts but have never had to finish them.. I usually dry them out till I can get them to a taxidermis..

thanks

About weight a lblack bears pelt weigs on average 25-45 lbs. depending on size.. that is the pelt rolled up..

-Scan
BrianMc223
05-14-04, 05:01 PM you are dealing with a high natural armor here

Isn't the majority of a dragons NA derived from its scales? Although, I would asume the original poster was including scales in hide.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cog 05-12-04, 04:05 PM	Okay, the group I'm DMing in RttToEE killed a young blue dragon, and promptly carved it up. The question I need to know is how heavy would the hide be to carry? According to The Draconomicon, the body size of a medium-sized blue dragon is 7 feet by 3 feet, and the dragon weighs a total of 320lbs, but it doesn't state the weight of the hide.
MattHawk 05-12-04, 06:18 PM	(Note - newbie speaking, might want to wait for someone else to speak up before blindly taking this advice, but I'm never going to become non-newbie if I never try to figure this stuff out on my own, so I'm making a try at it :) ) One way I could see doing it is to define the weight of the hide by the amount of hide armor it can make - a young blue dragon is a medium creature, so it's hide could be used to make a single small suit of hide armor. The actual hide would probably weigh a bit more then this, since the armor has been refined from the hide somewhat; but it gives you a general idea.
Cog 05-13-04, 02:12 AM	I'd thought of that, but I couldn't figure how much waste there would be, especially as the spines are built into the hide... :(
Scandal 05-13-04, 04:07 PM	not to mention unless they have a way of keeping it from rotting it is going to start rotting and within a few days be rank and start attrackting other animals.. So unless they have skills in like craft leather making It would probably be no good to them by the time they get back to anyone that can dry it and finish it.. so that it can be made into something such as clothing or armor.. -Scan
Cathon 05-13-04, 07:26 PM	Considering that trappers often ventured out weeks or months in the wilderness before returning to sell their skins, it hardly seems a given that it is going to rot away, particularly since you are dealing with a high natural armor here. Have someone do a wilderness lore/survival check for properly skinning the dragon. Use that to determine the amount of usable hide they can get from the dragon. It will probably take them an afternoon or so to scrape it, dry it and prepare it for travel. Hmm, rough estimate, I'd say about 20 - 30 lbs for the hide.
Scandal 05-14-04, 04:02 PM	Trappers tend to take the time to dry out and SALT pelts so that they do not rot.. and that is why they can stay out for weeks.. Trust me I am an avid hunter and have dried most of my own pelts.. Pelts will start rotting the second day.. scrapping a pelt will take almost a full day to do and that is for a large black bear.. then it needs to be salted to get rid of all the nasties sitting in the skin.. then you will need to lay it out in the sun either using chemicals or long period in the sun.. then of course since it will harden while drying you will need to "chew the leather" if you want it to stay soft.. (chewing the leather is anyform of working it they have tools for it now but you used to have to chew it) I have dried multiple pelts but have never had to finish them.. I usually dry them out till I can get them to a taxidermis.. thanks About weight a lblack bears pelt weigs on average 25-45 lbs. depending on size.. that is the pelt rolled up.. -Scan
BrianMc223 05-14-04, 05:01 PM	you are dealing with a high natural armor here Isn't the majority of a dragons NA derived from its scales? Although, I would asume the original poster was including scales in hide.