Valsic Musket

During a slave uprising in Rukliv, a modest clan of gunsmiths and gunpowder makers, the Meekomeu Clan, received a specific request from several mining clans: to develop muskets better suited for combat in tunnels and subterranean galleries, with reduced residual smoke so as not to compromise visibility and breathing in confined spaces.

The task was assigned to one of the clan’s master smiths who, while dedicating himself to the complex, handcrafted production of the weapons, delegated the responsibility of preparing the gunpowder to his apprentices. The manufacturing method was written down on a reference scroll, but Valsic, one of the apprentices, accidentally set the notes on fire. Fearing severe punishment, he decided to attempt to recreate the formula on his own in the workshop’s laboratory.

Remembering only the basic components, Valsic spent nights experimenting with different proportions and variations, manipulating the amount of saltpeter and observing its effects on combustion. He found that without saltpeter, the charcoal burned slowly like a candle, while its presence accelerated the reaction and increased its power — though still unsatisfactorily. He also noticed that the combustion was incomplete, leaving behind solid and gaseous residues — a process he metaphorically described as pushing a heavy sphere up a hill: the saltpeter acted like oxen pulling the load, but it was not enough. A tunnel cutting through the hill, however, would allow one to reach the other side easily and quickly — a catalyst was therefore needed.

Inspired by this analogy, Valsic decided to test aurite crystals he had discreetly taken from the workshop’s supply. Knowing that the substance enhanced spells when used by mages, he ground a small amount and mixed it into the gunpowder composition. When he applied sparks with a flint, the reaction produced an unexpectedly intense explosion that nearly destroyed his workbench and threw him to the ground, but it generated minimal smoke in stark contrast to traditional black powder.

Excited by the discovery, Valsic continued his experiments in small quantities. However, the mixture proved highly volatile and unstable. Seeking greater control, he enlisted the help of a friend, an apprentice runesmith, to inscribe stabilization runes onto the barrel of a test pistol. The results improved significantly: the reaction occurred without catastrophic explosions, and the weapon withstood the shot.

Driven by enthusiasm and some naïveté, Valsic decided to stage a live demonstration before his peers and clan veterans. However, in an attempt to impress the audience, he used an excessive amount of aurite powder and relied on rudimentary runes applied by the apprentice. The experimental shot resulted in the musket exploding, and Valsic suffered fatal injuries, dying shortly thereafter.

Despite the tragedy, his work was not in vain. The notes Valsic left behind were detailed and contained innovative proposals for improving the process. The explosion had not been caused by the concept’s unfeasibility, but by the poor application of the stabilizing runes and the excessive amount of catalyst in the mixture. His colleagues and several masters continued the research and succeeded in producing functional musket prototypes using what became known as Aurite Powder. However, such weapons saw limited use and played no significant role in suppressing the revolt, leading to their temporary abandonment.

Only decades later, with the advent of the Scroll-Shot, did Valsic’s invention reveal its full potential. The application of runic inscriptions directly onto cartridges stabilized the reaction and enabled large-scale production. The Elruth Empire, upon recognizing the strategic value of the technology, began acquiring weapons based on the so-called Valsic Musket, propelling the Meekomeu Clan to prominence as Elruth’s primary supplier of Valsic muskets.

Aurite Powder represents one of the most significant advances in Ruklivian weapons engineering, originally conceived to solve the chronic problem of smoke produced by conventional gunpowder — a particularly severe issue within the subterranean halls and fortresses of the dwarves. Developed between 2720 and 2740 SA, the process was a direct result of Valsic’s discoveries and the collaboration between ballistic engineers and mage-scribes, who learned how to better harness the catalytic properties of aurite in controlled deflagration reactions.

In practical form, aurite is finely ground and incorporated into the traditional gunpowder mixture in extremely small proportions — around 1.5% is considered the safe limit for standard military use. When the Magelock is activated, the magical ignition first interacts with the aurite particles present in the charge. This contact not only initiates combustion but also alters the chemical pathway of the reaction, favoring the formation of cleaner gases and minimizing the production of solid residues and soot. The result is a much more efficient propellant with almost no visible smoke, suitable for both open-field combat and confined environments.

However, the use of aurite as a catalyst is only viable thanks to the development of scroll-shots — runic cartridges that channel and stabilize catalytic energy during ignition. Without these stabilizing runes, the energy released by aurite behaves chaotically: although it would still be triggered by the Magelock, it would tend to cause uncontrolled explosions capable of damaging the weapon’s barrel or even injuring the shooter.

The heart of the Valsic Musket’s technology is the Magelock ignition system, a hybrid mechanism of engineering and magic that replaces the traditional flint with a refined aurite stone. This stone is mounted on an articulated lever known as the cock (or “hammer”), whose function remains analogous to the classic model: when the trigger is pulled, the lever is released and the aurite stone is hurled against a polished steel plate called the frizzen, producing a shower of intensely energized sparks.

What sets the Magelock apart from any conventional ignition is that the aurite stone only releases its catalytic properties when imbued with living magic. As the lever is drawn back, the shooter must channel a fraction of their own arcane energy into the weapon — a gesture similar to casting a spell with a wand. This infusion awakens the aurite’s potential and amplifies the ignition, igniting the mixture of gunpowder and aurite powder in the pan (ignition chamber). As a result, the number of shots a soldier can fire is directly tied to their personal magical reserves, making both physical and arcane training an essential part of dwarven military discipline.

In parallel with the Magelock, the dwarves enhanced ammunition through the invention of the scroll-shot, a direct evolution of the human paper cartridge. The scroll-shot consists of a cartridge crafted from an enchanted parchment inscribed with complex stabilizing runes. Inside the cartridge is the propellant charge — the traditional gunpowder mixture enriched with about 1.5% aurite powder.

These runes are crucial for the safe and efficient operation of the weapon: when activated by the magical discharge released at the moment of ignition, they guide and control the aurite’s catalytic reaction, preventing uncontrolled explosions and channeling the energy into directional thrust. Without proper inscriptions, the same reaction that propels the projectile could damage the barrel or destroy the weapon.

Over the centuries, scroll-shots have been refined into numerous specialized variants. Advances in runic sophistication have allowed for the development of ammunition with a range of tactical effects: some drain less magic from the user, increasing the number of possible shots; others prioritize impact power, range, or penetration; and some incorporate additional functions, such as magical tracking or mid-flight trajectory alteration. 

This degree of specialization has transformed Valsic Muskets into highly adaptable tools of tactical precision, although their production remains limited by the need for specialized rune-smiths and mage-scribes — a factor that significantly increases costs and restricts large-scale manufacturing. For this reason, the first weapons equipped with aurite powder were generally issued to elite troops or royal guard regiments, until more efficient and cost-effective production methods were developed in the late 29th century.