Been a while since I've done anything resembling an Experimental Drekeology, as frankly time has been a major constraint in real life BUT, while I did not make this thing, I can use it as something to talk about the DragonScape lore but, to be honest. I've been wanting one of these things for years, But thanks to months of very careful saving up, I was able to pick one up for about 400 bucks! Been saving every penny from my job that I could in order to buy it and I am happy about it!

This is a handgonne

Or about the oldest design for a firearm in our history. Their origins come from 12th century China, though this one is based off of a European 15th century handgonne. As far as I know that original version was made out of caste bronze, this is made out of modern steel. On one hand I would rather have the bronze, it's a bit more dragonscape approved... that said this is a fully functional handgonne and when I fire it I can't lie, I like the comfort of knowing it will probably not blow up.

These guns are about as simple as a gun can get. It is a tube hafted to a pole with a socket. it is muzzleloaded, powder is added into the top touch hole and a piece of burning rope/charcoal/tender is used to ignite the powder in the touch hole, which then ignites the main charge. Of course in medieval times the powder was such that you could make a line of powder, light it and have time to aim it like a modern cannon fuse too. The gun also came with a serpentine lever for holding a piece of burning rope too! Though to be honest I will probably just go without the lever, its clunky.

Reading about what handgonnes shot, they shot almost anything. There are written accounts of them shooting thick fletched arrows, metal roundball, shot, clay shot and balls, stones, shards of flint... if it fits down there it will shoot out there.

There isn't really a whole lot to go wrong with something this simple. It is a small cannon. These of course as we know would eventually revolutionize warfare! Though honestly holding this thing, its crazy how far things have gotten.


As for the DragonScape

As you folks may have seen from my posts in the past years, Guns do get introduced early into the DragonScape and become fairly popular, and handgonnes like these would likely dominate gunpowder technology amongst draconic societies for thousands of years. Namely due to the lack of easily made springs (making complex locks unlikely). But also due to the simplicity of making handgonnes.

The earliest guns would surface in the americas during the Middle Awakening and Late Awakening, due to interactions with humans coinciding with increasing complexity in bronze casting. In Logáu guns likewise would start to spread in the Mid awakening due to the influence of the Sovardi after the mid awakening crisis. Guns in the Dragonscape don't usually fire blackpowder, but rather often fire "flashpan". Which is usually a mix of woodash, charcoal, ground fireglass mana, and other ingredients that can vary such as sugar, potash, or phosphorus. Flashpan does serve as an effective enough gunpowder that is analogous to black powder or perhaps armstrongs mixture.

Likewise igniting these is a lot more convinient in the DragonScape thanks to manatechnology. While burning rope may still be used, dragons may instead opt for things like Firechert, Boiling bronze, or electrichert/bronze to ignite their charge in ways that don't require them to care for a burning rope. Which I would argue makes these things a lot more usable.

Regardless, Like in real history, drekir may load these with all sorts of things. From lead shot, pebbles and rocks, metal projectiles, sticks or fletched arrows, amongst other things. As for what they would be doing with these, I imagine they may hunt with them! Using them as shotguns for hunting small game or wyrms. Them being a bit more usable also helps make it easier for hunting larger game as well, especially if certain strategies like ambush or flush hunting tactics are used where a hunter can lay waiting with the gun ready.

Warfare is also certainly a use for such guns. In the Dragonscape early adopters of hand cannons like this one would likely be militarized groups such as the Cydonian Chiefdom, or the Godeaux specifically for military use thanks to the shock, awe, and stopping power of such weapons. That said they are not the most accurate... being hard to aim and usually being short barreled smoothbored guns (the above one is 12 inches long). But shots at 50 meters are likely reasonable with such weapons in the hand of a good shot. But their stopping power is hard to compete with.

this may also be a weapon both used by ormer and drekir. Ormer handgonnes would probably... just be cannons hafted to tree trunks, but the same rules apply! Just imagine a full sized cannon instead of a smaller hand cannon like what a drek may use.


Lastly, just like in real life, you may find drekir or ormer with such guns fixed with serpentine levers that help in the firing of the gun. Though that said the lever both isn't necessary and may even not be preferred.


Be well! Pretty amped to shoot this thing!