Dragon Teeth

The literal teeth of a literal dragon that once guarded the Ismenian spring of Thebai, these teeth are purported to spawn humanoid warriors of incredible strength and ferocity.
The current disposition of fifty unused dragon teeth is unknown.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The teeth resemble conical bone-colored rocks, about four inches long. They vibrate noticeably when held.

History & Usage

History

In 521 α4, Kadmos the Founder defeated the Ismenian dragon to gain access to a spring and hilltop sacred to Apollon. He collected a hundred teeth, half of which he used to create a crop of Spartoi warriors. The other half were traded away for the resources necessary to build the Kadmaian fortress that later developed into the city of Thebai. Queen Ino of Orchomenus is said to have quested to collect many, if not all, of the dragon teeth, but they were lost in the aftermath of her battle against Queen Nephele.

Everyday use

When planted in soil that's been fertilized with dragon spoor, and watered with blood, each tooth sprouts into a Spartoi warrior, fully armed and armored. When more than one are planted together, the resulting Spartoi will fight each other to the death. Of fifty teeth sown by Kadmos, only five Spartoi survived the ensuing bloodbath.

Science Note

Is it odd that the offspring of these reptilian teeth were all male soldiers? Not necessarily! Some species of reptile have temperature-determined genders, where the incubation temperature of the egg is what determines whether the embryo develops as female or male. Unlike warm-blooded birds that sit on their eggs to keep them warm, cold-blooded reptiles are largely at the mercy of their environment for incubation. They generally lay their eggs in clutches, buried in sand or soil in a sunny location, and hope for the best--which may be analagous to the dragon teeth being buried in soil before they "hatch."
In many turtles, eggs incubated at lower temperatures develop as males, and those incubated at higher temperatures become females. In American alligators, extreme temperatures, either high or low, produce females, while moderate temperatures produce males. With this system of gender determination, entire clutches of eggs will emerge as one gender or the other.
According to this theory, if the gender development of sown dragon teeth is determined by temperature or some other environmental factor, it should also be possible for a batch of female Spartoi to be produced.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Treasured by descendants of the Spartoi, who claim a kinship to the teeth, they have been much sought after. But despite rumors to the contrary, the teeth have not been seen for centuries.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Collectors would pay dearly for even one of these items.

Law & Regulation

Within the Kingdom of Thebai, only the king is allowed to lawfully possess a dragon tooth. If one were to be found, it would have to be surrendered upon penalty of death. Other kingdoms may also have similar rules against the private ownership of rare treasures, which these teeth would fall into.

Type

Biomaterial

Value

Immeasurable

Rarity

Only fifty harvested teeth are known to exist, and a limited number of dragons remain to be defeated.