Mudwing Leather
Mudwing leather is one of several substances that can only be found in Greymantle Marsh--both because it is excessively rare, and because when it is brought to lands beyond, it is almost always overlooked and mislabeled is something else.
Properties
Material Characteristics
In its untooled state, Mudwing leather appears more akin to some sort of plant-derived material than anything that could be called "leather." Fibrous and varyingly opaque, the material tends to fray and splinter on the edges as is dries out, with detectible striations throughout its makeup. When strips of this material are found in bundles of mixed goods shipped from the marsh, confused collectors tend to take it as the bark of some exotic swamp-plant and--being unsure how to use it--throw it away.
When tooled by the Lizardfolk artisans who produce the material, Mudwing leather takes on similar smoothness and subtle luster to that of polished horn, with the grain and occasional knotty texture of wood. There is a little bit of flexability to the material, as well as absorbancy that helps keep moisture away from the contents of a container made with the stuff.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Being essentially the dried tissue of a boneless sea creature, it is inadvisable to get Mudwing leather overly wet. The curing process is enough to preserve the material indefinitely in that state, as well as making it somewhat water repellant, but soaking will gradually undo this good work. Once it begins to reconstitute, Mudwing leather will rather quickly rot and dissolve.
A fishy smell is a warning sign of improperly cured or reconstituting leather, though even thoroughly dried material has a unique, briny, "sea" scent to it. There are several variations to the curing process, depending on the originating clan and artisan, including those that rely heavily on the use of salt (resulting in a rough texture and "bite" in its scent,) and those that are cured with smoke. These scents do transfer to the contents of containers made with Mudwing leather, and the artisans of these containers consider this a desired feature and not an incidental downside.
Geology & Geography
Mudwings are only found in certain flats of Greymantle Marsh, and while the creatures are hunted by many denizens of the area, only the Lizardfolk clans keep the toughened, inedible tissues to turn into workable material.
Origin & Source
When Mudwings are harvested during sweeping, opportunistic hunts through the flats, the central bodies of the largest and healthiest specimens are kept after the edible bits are retrieved. The process of splitting, cleaning, and curing the bands of sinewy tissue into something useable is a labor-intensive task. It takes both time and skill to be able to produce quality results, so successful artisans are a valuable commodity.
History & Usage
Cultural Significance and Usage
The largest and most durable pieces are reserved for the creation of containers, but smaller and weaker pieces are also in high demand, often trading multiple hands as bartering pieces until finally landing with an artisan. These scraps become the blades for scraping tools, embelishments and inlays for larger crafted objects, and carved into jewelry. Beyond being useful for utilitarian reasons, Mudwing leather reflects the symbolic meaning of Mudwings themselves, encouraging spiritual health and the presences of good dreams. Even a single, well-carved bead made from the material is said to bring balance and favor.
Related Locations
Related Species