LoreWeaver

house-rules for grognards...

BLACKPOWDER & GONNES

Blackpowder

Blackpowder, or smokepowder, is an explosive alchemical substance originally devised by the gnomekin as an efficient fuel for their engines. Gnomekin were not the first to think of rifle and cannon but they do produce some of the best blackpowder weapons.

Blackpowder is very expensive, it is sold in small (15 lbs. capacity and 20 lbs. weight) kegs for 2000 sp or small powder horns (10 oz. capacity, 1 lb. weight) for 100 sp. It takes a half-ounce of blackpowder to propel a bullet from a rifle or pistol and 1-2 lbs. of powder for cannon. Cannons are extremely rare. You must have a licence to buy blackpowder in quantities over 5 lbs.

Gonnes

There are two main types of blackpowder gonnes, the pistol and the rifle. A third type, the privateer, fires shot instead of bullets in a cone type pattern. All are missile weapons and require an exotic weapon proficiency to use correctly. It takes a move equivalent action to load a gonne. Bullets for both the pistol and rifle, or shot cartriges for the privateer, cost 20 sp for ten. Dragonne rifles are masterwork weapons and quite rare.

Table: Gonnes

GONNE NAME      (type)  COST   DAMAGE (crit)  RANGE   WEIGHT 
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dragonne Rifle (rifle)  600gp   2d10  (x3)    160 ft. 10 lbs.

Caravaneer     (rifle)  400gp   2d8   (x3)    120 ft.  8 lbs.

Privateer    (shotgun)  300gp   3d6*  (x2)     30 ft.  7 lbs.

Forktongue    (pistol)  400gp   1d10  (x3)     90 ft.  5 lbs.

Justicar      (pistol)  300gp   1d8   (x3)     90 ft.  4 lbs.

Sting         (pistol)  120gp   1d8   (x3)     60 ft.  3 lbs.

Ammunition  (10 shots)   20sp    -              -     .5 lb.

Powderbag      (8 oz.)  100sp    -              -      1 lb.   

* A cone-shaped damage zone distributed as follows:

    3d6 to a target in the first range increment   
    2d6 to a target in the second range increment, and  
    1d6 to anyone in a 5-foot path beyond that up to 75 ft.

Special Weapons

Masterwork gonnes are available as are enchanted versions, such as flaming burst or speed. It is rumoured also that the elves have developed a weapon that can shoot a stream of fire at an enemies rigging. In addition there are hybrid weapons, such as the flametongue axe that function as a gonne and regular weapon. These types require both the proficiency in the weapon and exotic weapon proficiency to use.