Cannon

A cannon is a very large metal weapon, in the shape of a thick bell. Developed within the last decade and still of limited effectiveness, it is the first of a new class of weapons destined to change the face of warfare forever.

Fireworks of the Aurian Empire

The development of cannons is best told in the history of flashpowder. Originally developed in the Asurian Empire, flashpowder is a flammable alchemical powder that was first used in pyrotechnical displays to entertain the public. If packed too tightly, the powder explodes with incredible force, which would shatter almost any container that the ancient Asurians could make, but when carefully compacted to the right level, this force could be channeled to create fireworks. These were small, flammable and extremely dangerous if mishandled, but could be used to create jets of colourful sparks, launched into the air to burst open in magnificent displays of light and sound that outshone the beauty of the night sky, especially when enhanced by the magics of pyromancers - a rare and very specialized type of wizard with a unique affinity for flashpowder.
After the fall of the Empire, the formula for this powder was lost for generations. Being so dangerous, the formula was only ever known to a few hundred people throughout the empire at any given time, and was usually taught master to apprentice, rather than being committed to text. The formula was thought lost during the fall of the Empire.

Rediscovery

14 years ago, in the city of Caelester, a group of adventurers exploring a recently unearthed ruin came across alchemical labratory from the height of the empire. There they found some notes, enchanted with a simple blessing that proved strong enough to resist natural decay. These notes were heavily encoded, but eventually yielded detailed instructions on a number of Asurian alchemical formulae, including a formulation for flashpowder.

The First Firearms

Combined with the considerable advancements in metallurgy since the fall of the empire, modern smiths managed to produce the first cannons - thick walled steel bells, capable of withstanding the explosion of tightly packed flashpowder. At first this was used to project jets of flame out of the mouth of the cannon, but it was soon realized that by packing a stone or collection of cobbles in after the powder, those stones would be projected out at incredible speed, resulting in greater range and far greater effect on the target. With this technology in its infancy, cannons sturdy enough to be considered safe to use regularly are too large to be truly portable, and difficult to adjust the aim of. As such, these weapons are primarily used in defensive structures, designed such that attackers are forced into the path of fired projectiles. Some enterprising sea captains have also outfitted cannons on their ships, using the mobility of the ship to aim.
The future of this technology is not yet known, but many hope that further refinement of flashpowder weapons will result in a whole new generation of weapons. The recent development of the miniaturized Handcannon is cited by both sides of this debate, citing either the great potential of handheld firearms or claiming its many flaws would make such weapons too impractical to ever replace more common weaponry.

Inventor: Julian MacCanann