Gunpowder

Gunpowder is a mixture of sulfur, carbon and saltpeter, widely used as a key material to pyrotechnics and is used in projects such as quarrying, mining, and road building through explosives of the use of Trinitrotoluene, commonly referred to as TNT.

History
Although, natural Gunpowder was found inside of the bodies of Creepers, the properties of said gunpowder are too wet to be functional in any sorts of warfare, and thus, synthetic gunpowder was considered.

Niedene Scholars claim that gunpowder comes from the land of Nieden, being used all the way back in the first century which is anywhere from 900 to 400 years before the Jagdasian crisis. In this form it wasn't used in weapons but for artistic purposes and magic. Aurlûnorens claim this was first created in 490BJC (439ACA in the Twin Dragon calendar) by a scientist by the name of Yuan Jireion, an Aurlûnoren Human who was well known for his other inventions alongside his wife, Larcan Jae-Sailanis, a Kumiho musician and scientist.

Wide-spread use of gunpowder did not come around until later on and was seen to be used more in Fireworks and other creations by those abroad. The first major country to utilize gunpowder weapons in mass warfare was the Escharian Empire along with its northern neighbor, the Silver Coalition due to technology sharing. Rumor has it, that Gunpowder was actually invented on Jagdas prior to it's mysterious catacylism, but this has not been confirmed.

As a tool
Gunpowder's various uses since it's invention and widespread accessibility, gave way to multiple innovations and revolutionary ways in terms of resource gathering. As a low explosive, gunpowder doesn't detonate, but burns quickly. Often used as a propellant, it has aided miners in digging out tunnels and shafts. Due to it's highly unpredictable nature when being used, blast mining is often done in lower quantities, as when being used with TNT, it creates a rather highly explosive effect when enough is used, thus, sometimes destroying and demolishing cities by accident.

Gunpowder is also used as a component to fireworks, which are often used in celebratory events, and propellants for lighter things to take flight. The gunpowder can be colored to adapt to these fireworks, and will fire the powder in said color as well. Road construction is another common thing TNT is used for, namely tunnel digging through mountains.

As a weapon
The biggest innovation that gunpowder has brought to the world of Rathnir and Eldham, is it's use in warfare. The gunpowder is used to make rounds for firearms such as arquebuses, wall guns and muskets. With a powerful shot, the gunpowder can inflict heavy damage to a person hit with it, causing wounds that can dent through armor. Due to it's unpredictable nature however, it has a chance of backfiring onto the user, often leading to the weapon exploding and it's hot shards hitting the user's face.

TNT is often used by cannoneers as a form of siege weapon. Catapults and trebuchets are even loaded with this, and are fired from the back, causing an explosive effect on walls and buildings. The advent of gunpowder made walls more and more obsolete as the years gone by, having to update and conform to new wall tactics.

Components
Often, Gunpowder is made up of three key components: nitrade, sulfur and charcoal. Depending on the region, gunpowder can also vary in terms of it's components, mostly due to the abundance of said natural resource in the area. Some gunpowder contract heavier punches, while others have faster reactions but softer reactions.

Creeper Gunpowder
The Creeper is often thought to have been the origin of gunpowder. With it's properties that are located within it's structure, it is believed that creeper gunpowder is harvested from the inner body and refined to make functional gunpowder. However, this gunpowder is often regarded as "too soft" and "wet" to be functionally used as proper gunpowder. Creeper gunpowder is often used by local societies as weaker forms of said products.