Animal Products (sage study)
Animal products is a sage study in the field of Leather Work, delving into the indispensable art of transforming animal-derived materials into durable and versatile components that underpin countless industries and crafts. It is a disciplined knowledge rooted in observation and practice, where every hide, bone, sinew or horn is recognized as a repository of potential. This study encompasses the nuanced processes of hide removal, curing, and tanning, which preserve the integrity of the material while imbuing it with resilience and flexibility. It extends to the delicate preparation of sinew for binding, the refinement of bone for tools or ornamentation, and the shaping of horn into vessels or magical implements.
While their efforts do not produce finished goods, their work lays the foundation for the creation of armour, containers, clothing and even enchanted artifacts, particularly those reliant on organic components. This knowledge is indispensable in the crafting of magical horns, protective leathers, and myriad other items that blend the mundane and the extraordinary.
Beyond its practical applications, this discipline reflects a respect for nature's resources and a commitment to their efficient use. It is not only about utility but also about seeing the hidden value in what might otherwise be discarded. Practitioners in this field engage in trade as tanners, furriers, and preparers of hides, bones, and horns, contributing not only to the material economy but also to the cultural and magical fabric of the communities they serve.
The study also includes a number of animal products that derive from unique animal forms.
Sage Abilities
The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.
Amateur Status
- Beekeeping: practical understanding of maintaining and managing bee colonies to harvest valuable by-products such as honey and beeswax. This knowledge includes identifying suitable locations for hives, recognizing bee behaviour, and handling bees safely to avoid disruption to the colony. It also involves understanding the seasonal needs of bees, such as ensuring adequate food stores during colder months and preventing hive diseases or infestations.
- Bone and Horn Crafting: knowing how to clean, shape, and repurpose bone and horn into simple tools, implements or decorative items. This includes recognizing the natural properties of these materials — such as hardness, brittleness, and flexibility — and using basic techniques like carving, sanding, or heating to soften and mould them. While results may lack precision, the knowledge allows for the creation of functional items such as knife handles, pins, or crude containers.
- Furrier: selecting, preparing, and preserving fur pelts for use as clothing, trade goods or insulation; this ability also includes basic techniques for trimming and piecing furs together for practical applications, such as crude garments or bedding, with an emphasis on warmth and longevity over aesthetic refinement.
- Hide Preparation: The ability to clean and preserve raw animal hides through basic scraping, drying, and curing techniques. This includes using crude tools like stone scrapers or metal knives and simple preservation methods such as salting or smoking. The work is functional but lacks the refinement of a master craftsman. Includes tanning and awareness of how to store hides to prevent spoilage; knowledge of how to draw and make sinew articles is included.
Authority Status
- Hardwright: permits the preparation of ivory material, while animal-based hard materials — bone, ivory and horn — can be carved into forms such as cups, flasks or weapon handles; such materials may be polished or soaked with exceptional care, ensuring a smooth, luminous finish suitable for inlay, jewelry or ornamental designs.
- Seasonsmith: creates specialised leathers from unusual animals, including those beasts who possess essentially animal-like skins, such as the chimera or the leucrotta; permits knowledge of dyeing techniques, salvaging damaged or spoiled leather, devise waterproof leather, create cuir bouilli.
