Firearms and Black Powder

Firearms are a fairly recent invention developed in Faiyme. These early rifles are not particularly reliable (and have, in many cases, backfired and blown up in their wielder's face). Combined with the high price, and the fact that the only gunsmiths in the world who can reliably make them are all in Faiyme, has prevented Firearms from becoming too wide spread. Some military officers carry a pistol as a sign of station, and the Eberhards have experimented with small squads of riflemen. Only they seem to think that the destructive power of the firearm, which can pierce through even the toughest of armor, is the way of the future.

Black Powder has seen a rise in popularity in other uses. Cannons have become common in siege warfare, and several warships have also been outfitted with the ordinance. In dwarven mines, the use of black powder explosives to rapidly clear rock has been used to great effect.