Spell Thrower Firearms

Spell Thrower Firearms are a type of weapon that completely revolutionized combat in the Fourth Age. Allowing even the most lay of laymen to cast spells, Spell Throwers are yet another step by the Clockwork Empire to eliminate true mages. In this case, by reducing the demand for them by placing their power into the hands of the every-man.
Since the basics of the Spell Thrower is steeped in technology rather than magic, most members of the Church of the Clockwork King accept it as magitech rather than magic itself. Although some feel uncomfortable with the idea of a piece of technology that puts source to use, since that is what most wizards and sorcerers use to power their abilities.

Utility

Spell Throwers have been utilized to cast many a different type of spell, from offensive spells to support spells. Some military members have been seen holding their spell thrower pistols to their own head before pulling the trigger in order to cast spells on themselves to bolster their resolve.

Manufacturing

All Spell Throwers have a few similar mechanisms. They use a silver lattice to conduct source energy and allow for the casting of the spell, as well as some repository for liquid source to power the spell. While some of the older models have tanks with which to hold the liquid source, more recent models include the source needed for the spell in the round being fired.
Containing source requires specially treated silver, the interior construction of the firearms themselves are very detailed and complex to reduce the chance of any source leaking out of the rifling and potentially causing a magical blowback effect.

Access & Availability

Spell Throwers are still extraordinarily expensive and are primarily used by the army of the Clockwork Empire. But the Viciti Machina doesn't much care who they sell their weaponry to, as long as they can pay. This has led to the weapon being propagated amongst several gangs and even some trading companies.

Complexity

Spell Throwers vary in complexity from design to design. Some are highly elaborate devices capable of imbuing a ball of lead with explosive force. While others are little more than specialized firearms designed to use special spell cartridges that do most of the hard work of creating the spell like effect.

Discovery

The technology behind the Spell Thrower was developed by the Jordan Corporation who then sold it to the Viciti Machina company who produced the first prototype Spell Thrower around the year 578 of the Fourth Age. While the details of the weapon's creation remains a closely guarded corporate secret, it is believed that the Spell Thrower works by firing magical rounds infused with liquid source to create specific spell like effects, from fireballs to shockwaves.