Smoke Powder

[Planehopper]

With the coming of the Techsmith PrC, can we get a clear, complete, and final ruling on the legality, availability, and common knowledge of 'Smoke Powder'?

Per my understanding of canon lore, during this timeline, smoke powder is common knowledge in Lantan but held as a pretty well-kept secret. That said, there are entities that have traded the substance, most notably in Waterdeep and in Thay. By extrapolation, one would think that proximity to Waterdeep, as well as the presence of a large temple of Gond, that it would at least be hinted about and maybe even available in lesser degrees here in BG.

Soo.. a PC from Lantan.. what can they know? A PC from the Gate.. what can they know? What would a commoner know? What laws are for and against it, and do they vary by jurisidction?

Let 'er rip..

[Passiflora]

Actually, there's not much about it that is known in this timeline. It's during the time of troubles that smoke power gets more known, especially in Lanthan, when Gond shares the secret.

The sword coast becomes a place where smoke power isn't uncomon at all during the 3.5 timeline. If you read the campain setting, an adventurer from the sword coast can start with a gun and ten bullets in his starting pack.


Right now though, this secret is barely known. Don't forget we're not even in the 2.0 timeline yet (previous to the time of troubles still). Though some DMs may have brought it in some events concerning goblins.

[Planehopper]

Even if that is right (and it probably is, it has been a while), we are in the process of implementing a class that relies on smoke powder for one of it's abilities. Can we please have the questions raised answered to make the RPing of that class feasible?

[Passiflora]

we are in the process of implementing a class that relies on smoke powder for one of it's abilities.

Actually I'd be curious about it too, considering the canon lore from before 2.0 says something, and the 3.5 ruleset (from where the class comes from) says another. Undestand that I absolutly love the concept of the techsmith, though.

*Pokes the team*

[Rasael]

The way you should see the Techsmith's ability is as a devoted cleric of Gond who is studying the phenomenon of Smoke powder. And as part of that study he can make some bombs with it. But you could also roleplay it as making heavy fireworks. In summary that's what smokepowder is useful for in the world of 1349 DR Faerun.

The weaponry aspect comes later. The secret of Smokepowder is not just how to make it, but rather: how to make it effective and more powerful. So that it permits the construction of guns and accurate rockets and so on.

Right now, in 1349 DR this has not been discovered yet. Gond shares this secret during the Time of Troubles like Passiflora writes. But that does not mean there have not been advances in the field prior to that. Just nothing revolutionary.

Passiflora is also right when he writes that nations like Thay and Shou Lung have a history of experimenting with smoke powder for various uses. And Lantan too ofcourse. But bear in mind that this is primitive smoke powder, not the kind suited to making weaponry. Currently its the kind suited to making fireworks. To my knowledge only the Empire under Heaven (Shou Lung) is experimenting with Smokepowder as a form of battle weapon. In the form of very unreliable and unsafe rockets which tend to blow up their own users as much as the enemy.

So feel free to play a techpriest who is experimenting with smoke powder. It is an uncommon enough substance on the Sword Coast. But its not completely unknown. Fireworks are known throughout the civilized world for example, although they are pretty pricey. And its hard to compete with Magic.

You could see the Techsmiths Smoke Powder Bombs as being a smaller equivalent of what Shou Lung is also doing with its artillery. Except the techsmith tosses bombs with a fuse that hopefully won't blow up in his face. I don't see a problem with trading such bombs if the roleplay is sound. I don't know if Gond's clergy would object to that. They might, I suppose, or they might not care.

[Planehopper]

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but this seems to fall in line here..

So we have Techsmiths now. They can make Smoke Powder Bombs. What is the legality of doing this? What would the legality be of trading them? Gray area? Outright illegal? Legal?

I recall reading a few short stories that left me with the impression that the Harper's were not fans of the stuff, and that it may have been illegal in Waterdeep.. but those stories were set after the ToT when smoke powder guns were made (not just bombs).

Do any of the DMs want to wax poetically about smoke powder in "our" version of the realms, now that it is here? What people might know/think/feel about it, and the legality in our various sovereign areas?

Thanks!