Drakefire Weapons

Ain' nothin capable of stoppin' a Stoneguardsman outfitted with a Drakefire cannon.

Much like the invention of Gunpowder, Drakefire weaponry has lead to revolutionary changes within Dwarven society. These powerful weapons harness a special powder that spews out as hot balls of fire, using very little ammunition in the process. With its discovery, armour soon finds itself growing obsolete due to the dangers that Drakefire poses against anyone foolish enough to draw near their wielder. As with most pieces of advanced Dwarven technology, Drakefire is a hushed, trade secret. Its use is generally only permitted and found among the Dwarven military. A special permit is required to even own the substance outside of military issue.

Utility

Drakefire weapons are designed specifically for war and battle; they are exceptional tools against victims plagued by The Blood Curse. Beasts hate flame, and are known to be left flailing and stunned when in the midst of concentrated Drakefire. They are powerful tools in battle due to their ability to ignore armour in most cases. Even heavy armours will eventually grow heated from constant exposure to Drakefire blasts; furthermore, the powder turns sticky and hot when propelled, leaving clumps to continue burning out as they're launched upon their targets.

Inventor(s)

Tharsten Drakefire was the alchemist responsible for manufacturing the flame. The creation proved to be so successful among the Dwarven people that the last name of 'Drakefire' was bestowed to him. Though old, Tharsten still lives and continues to manufacture the product for his people.

Access & Availability

Only the Dwarves; the ingredients required to make Drakefire is closely guarded and kept among Dwarven personnel. It is still sold by merchants on occasion, though at exorbitant prices. The merchants are also seldom told the secrets to making it to further keep the secret safe. Although relatively easy to make by any alchemist, Drakefire Weapons are extremely expensive due to both the lethality and how guarded the Dwarves are.

Complexity

Drakefire powder itself is simple; it is made through an alchemical process that combines saltpeter and sparkpowder through crude oil. This process leads to a black, sleek powder that catches fire and forms a slow burning ball when ignited. Drakefire weapons are all very similar to the blunderbuss. Many of them have wide, flared barrels at the end designed to make it easy to funnel the powder into. Drakefire powder is simply poured in with black powder, which propels the burning Drakefire out in gouts of hot flame.

Discovery

Drake Fire weaponry began with an alchemical experiment that had taken an unexpected turn. Spark Powder was once a very common thing used in Dwarven firearms, and true to its name, was known for the violent explosions and sparks it gave off when exposed to high heat or fire. When an alchemist attempted mixing it with potassium nitrate (saltpeter), the result was a slow burning effect that occasionally popped in small, pocketed explosions. The alchemical process was then distilled with crude oil -- a common ingredient found among Dwarves due to its use in fueling their machinery. The result? Bright, fleeting balls of hot fire, which would later revolutionize Dwarven firearms.

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