As Nelwynn and I had awoken, we'd begun getting ready to help father with selling the few supplies we'd left. Father of course, was already awake, carrying some of the goods down and out of the inn. Nelwynn and I followed suit, gathering the small bundle of trinkets and the firestarters that father had left behind.
Of the goods father still had, the trinkets and the firestarters were among the more favored products. The firestarters especially had become a basic staple of many travelers, viewed as an essential camping supply when travelling along the roads. By this point they were valued at a static price of 12 copper per firestarter, a failr low price, which would cause them to sell like wildfire.
As it turned out, despite the vandal noble from before, father would still make a tidy enough profit from his venture, both from the selling of the goods he'd brought, but also from the charity provided by the commoners.
After we'd aided father in setting up the shop, father had allowed us to freely roam about, which allowed us to check in on Cordell and his father. Upon entry of their smithy, we were greeted by Cirdell and his mother first.
"Ah, so how was your stay at the inn?"
Cordell smiled, absolving memory of the foul happening yesterday. Nelwynn was the first to let out a shy, though excited response to Cordell's question.
"Y-yes! Thabks for recommending us the inn, Cordell!"
Cordell smiled hearing Nelwynn's response, I'd followed suit, quickly following with my thanks to him as well.
"Yes, many thanks Cordell, the inn you'd shown to us was of far greater than the one my father and I had stayed in during my previous visits to Traer."
"So, what's the reason you've come by today? Come to bid farewell?"
Cordell was fully aware that we would not be in Traer long, especially after losing much of our product yesterday. I'd let out a somewhat dissatisfied look before answering him.
"Not quite, we may be remaining for one more night, as we've still goods for trade. Rather I'm here to see how your father is progressing with the schematics."
Cordell too was somewhat dissatisfied, believing our visit to be one purely of friendship, not business, however he quickly removed the look from his face, instead putting on a straight face before beckoning us to follow. He'd taken us to see Alan and some of the woodsmiths working in the forge. Two arquebus models were already produced, with a handful more swiftly being made. Alan took notice of us and called for a short break before meeting us.
"Landyn! Welcome back, I'd begun producing the smaller weapon designs you'd given me yesterday, though I'd made some minor changes to them, I hope you don't mind."
Alan handed me one of the arquebus models, to my surprise, he'd actually improved the schematic, adding small sights onto the weapon, along with a leather strap to shoulder the weapon more easily. These were rather major changes, especially the addition of the sights, which would vastly improve the arquebus's rather lacking efficacy. Upon finishing ny inspection of the weapon, I'd offered my praise to Alan and the woodsmiths, thanking them for their work.
"This is of great quality, have you only made two thusfar?"
"Yes, I'm afraid we're still trying to get used to the process of producing these, though I'm happy you're pleased with the outcome."
Hearing that only two were produced was somewhat saddening, however after considering the improvements Alan had made, that sadness quickly turned to joy, as to produce even one customized model within such short notice was nothing short of a godsend. Upon inspection of the other arquebus, I'd noticed that unlike the custom model that Alan had me inspect, this one was not customized, with no sights and no strap.
"How much more would it cost to start adding the sights you'd put on the one you'd had me inspect?"
"Just the sights?"
"Yes, if I need the straps I can have those added on at a later date, though the addition of sights would be far more difficult for an already finished product, no?"
"Hmm, tell you what, I can make those sights for your weapons at no extra charge. the cost change would be nigh meaningless, besides I like making these things!"
Alan had let out a haughty laugh before Cordell had interjected.
"Father even if he's a friend of mine, that still isn't a good idea for business..."
"Yes, I'm aware Cordell, however this is only for the first bout if products. If he wants more than the original request to have the modifications, then I'll charge him accordingly."
Hearing this, I was quite grateful for Alan's leniency, I dreaded the possibility of being price-gouged at a time like this. Taking the weapon, along with a handful of iron shots for the arquebus, I'd asked Alan if it was possible that I could have a testing phase prepared. Though hesitant at first, he'd quickly pulled out a few old pieces of armor and handed them to Cordell.
"Cordell, go set up a practice target for the lad, I can't afford the time to leave the forge."
Cordell took the armor pieces before makibg way for the door. Before he'd departed, I'd asked Nelwynn if she could aid Cordell while I made way to the alchemist for some of the gunpowder I'd requested before. Nelwynn nodded and rushed to aid Cordell, taking the old helm off his hands before leaving the smithy.
"Young lad, while I'd love to be there to witness what this thing does, I can't leave my shop, hopefully you don't mind."
"Not at all, rather, since you'll have Cordell observing, he should be able to relay the quality of the product to you."
Alan smiled, with both of us giving thanks to each other before I'd left for the alchemist. After I'd made my way to the alchemist, I'd found that he had already made enough gunpowder to outfit the standard arquebusier of the late medieval era. Thus, I'd asked if I could utilize the first batch of powder he'd produced in order to verify its of adequate quality.
"I see no reason not to allow you to use this, if only to test it's efficency, howver, I must warn you, that you were correct, in that this is somewhat more powerful than standard firepowder."
"Thank you for your concern, I am already aware of the risks."
With that I'd taken a small fitted pouch filled with the explosive substance, arquebus in hand, and made my way to the outskirts of town, where Cordell and Nelwynn had already assembled a target dummy.
"Landyn, you certainly took your time!"
"Sorry, I had to attain the powder as well, however, we're all set right now. Do we have the appropriate ranges measured as well?"
"Not quite, we've assembled the 50 meter and 80 meter ranges thusfar, while you utilize those two ranges, Nelwynn and I will prepare the 100 and 120 meter ranges for you."
"Thank you, I'd appreciate that."
As Cordell and I were speaking, Nelwynn had come forth to see me.
"Landyn, Cordell, I've finished setting up the 100 meter range!"
"I still don't understand why not use a crossbow, sure they're more demanding in terms of strenght, but their range is about 80 meters, not quite as great as the weapon you have, though it's tried and true."
"Just wait a moment Cordell, let's make our way to the 50 meter mark, I'll fire 2 shots at each range."
Cordell rolled his eyes, but followed nonetheless. Nekwynn was looking with a gleaming excitement in her eyes, wondering just what my new weapon would do. After setting up behind the 50 meter line, I unshouldered the arquebus, removing the rod used for cleaning and packing the barrel. Following the 11 step process used by the Ming dynasty.
First I'd cleaned the gun, after I'd poured the appropriate amount of powder, tamping it down with the rod, next I'd grabbed an iron pellet, dropping it within, packing it down as well. Next I'd prepared the stopper, which I'd used from small scraps of paper I'd acquired from tearing out small pieces of father's ledger. Then I'd driven the stopper down the barrel, after this I'd opened the flashpan cover, pouring in some flash powder, another product I'd acquired from the alchemist, one which he'd actually already had readily available, much to my surprise.
Lastly I'd closed the flashpan and clamped the fuse, calling on Cordell to produce a small flame to ignite the fuse. Cordell of course felt it necessary to state that this process seemed far more complicated than it's worth. Nevertheless, he'd lit the fuse, backing away afterwards. After he and Nelwynn were of safe distance away, I'd pointed the arquebus towards the mettalic dummy, lining the sights up with the target, rubbing my finger along the trigger before I was certain my shot would hit. Upon such certainty, I'd pulled the trigger.
*BANG*
The arquebus let out a powerful blast, with a small cloud of smoke blowing out the end of the barrel. Nelwynn and Cordell still had their ears covered, slowly looking at the target, where Cordell could notice a small hole in the torso part of the armor.
"What the hell was that?"
Cordell was shocked by such a loud noise, and more shocked when we'd walked up to the dummy, to find it had been pierced all the way through.
"Landyn, that may have been some old armor, but that's still the handiwork of my father. To pierce it so thoroughly is unheard of! Even a crossbow can't fully pierce metal armors!"
Cordell was stunned by the power the arquebus presented, In both awe and fear of just how effective 200 of these weapons would be. Knights and Heavily armored soldiers were to become pointless, with weapons such as these, they'd only become slow moving targets. Nelwynn was still covering her ears, in shock from the loud bang the gun. I'd moved to her to ensure she was alright.
"Nelwynn, are you alright?"
She did not immediately respond, instead taking a moment to gather her bearings. After realizing that I was speaking to her, she slowly removed her hands from her ears.
"Landyn, what did you say?"
I'd repeated my question to her, it seemed that Nelwynn's hearing was rsther sensitive, making the noise of the gun more impactful on her.
"Oh, yes, the noise from that weapon was just so loud, it had shocked me for a moment, but I'm fine now."
Upon hearing this, I'd frowned, and had now asked her if she could stand further from me. I was happy that she was so willing to support me, however I had no desire to be the cause of her losing her hearing.
"Nelwynn, could you stand further back from me while I fire, an additional 50 meters, if possible."
Nelwynn was confused and somewhat disheartened by my request.
"I'm not burdening you, am I?
"Not at all, however, the sound from the gun seemed to have greater effect on you than it did on Cordell. I worry that your hearing may be more sensitive, thus putting you at risk for losing it if you're too close while I fire."
After the situation was explained, Nelwynn pouted somewhat, but understood that I was watching for her own safety, and thus made her way an additional 50 meters away from where the 80 meter line.
Cordell and I had made our way to the 80 meter line, with myself declaring that firing from the 50 meter line would yield a similar result, and that I'd wished to determine the effective range and falloff now.