Dragon Slayers

The Rise and Fall of Dragon Slayers

The very first Dragon Slayer in history is also the greatest hero in history, Deurem Rexis and his Paragons. In his war for freedom, Deurem and his allies would develop and hone the art of dragon slaying into becoming the mythical heroes they are rememberd as. These traditions were passed down but as time and conflict passed, the art and skill of slaying a dragon became lost to all but a few. Dragon Slayers as they are known in the modern day originated from the guilds. Dragon Slayers formed as guilds of highly specialized warriors sent out on hunts to kill greater dragons and claim their hoards in response to a resurgence in draconic aggression. The Dragon Slayers would also harvest the corpses of their slain prey for powerful reagents, this could include nearly any part of the dragon from horns and claws to hearts and eyes. The Dragon Slayers would use these reagents to craft powerful new tools: armor, weapons, potions and even empower their magic. The butchering of the dragons enraged their kin far more than the actual act of slaying the dragon. This caused the dragon’s aggression to increase and lead to more frequent attacks, which in turn lead to more dragon hunts. This escalation of violence was seen as untenable and would inevitably lead to another war. A new peace was negotiated which would have the dragons cease raids and attacks on the mortals’ lands and the mortals would in turn disband the dragon slayers and outlaw their practice. Though officially disbanded, forcing the guilds to dissolve was no simple task. Many saw it as their duty and responsibility to hunt dragons and protect the Mortal Realm as they are best equipped to handle such a charge. Others knew no other life and could not simply give it up. The city-state governments each enforced the treaty to varying degrees which would wax and wane over time until it reached the modern day. To no one’s surprise, the draconic raids and aggression did not fully end, though greater dragons have never been spotted partaking. In truth, the dragon hunts also never ended, though they were careful to stick to lesser prey. The guilds continue to operate to this day with varying levels of prosperity or persecution.

Role in Modern Society

Dragon Slayers were once seen as heroic champions of the mortal realm. This perception has changed heavily among many denizens of this realm when their hunts nearly caused a second War of Scales. Public perception of these agents and guilds varies from city-state to city-state. Sometimes employed as a last resort to handle draconic based problems, using them always bares a risk of instigating an increase of hostilities or even outright war should a group of Dragon Slayers become overzealous and act beyond their scope. The tradition and act of harvesting the corpses of dragons are only performable by the specialized tools of the Dragon Slayer’s guilds. The brutalized corpses of slain dragons are tell-tale signs of their hunts and risk instigation of retaliation. Though their actions bring risk and are officially disowned, the mortal governments refrain from acting too strongly against them. The Dragon Slayers are risks to themselves but their lingering pressence also acts as a deterrant to draconic aggression.

The Dragon Trade

The Dragon Slayers possess the only tools capable of properly harvesting the corpses of dragons. The designs and possession of these tools are among their most highly guarded secrets. With these tools they harvest the parts of dragons to enhance their own abilities and armaments. However, they are not the only ones capable of benefiting from these reagents. Gear and potions are useful, but everyone needs gold. The guilds act as in-betweens to fleece excess materials onto the city-state black markets and provide income to the hunters and the guild. This trade of draconic reagents is highly illegal according to the treaty and each city-state government works to regulate or halt this trade as they see fit. Despite the severity of the trade, it is still highly popular. The benefits of dragon parts and their widespread applications cause high demand and high prices. An extremely dangerous industry to enter, those that succeed find themselves making small fortunes for themselves in only a handful of proper exchanges.
The black market operates on a uniform pricing structure dependent on the age of the dragon and the individual part in question found here: The Dragon Hunting Economy