Guano

Deep in the mountains exists a large cave complex. Within this complex there is a large colony bats.

Bats?? What the hell do bats have to do with anything? I mean all they leave is large amounts of smelly shit.

Exactly!! What do you think you will be harvesting? BAT SHIT! Now get back in line.

— Prisoner and Guard interaction while on the way to the guano mines.

This complex has been explored and mapped out to find the places with the deepest accumulation of guano.

Properties

Material Characteristics

When harvested guano is almost like a slurry. After being collected it is spread out on large flat stone out in the sun to dry. Once dried it becomes crumbly and is easily powdered.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Bat guano when dried is highly flammable, this is because of the concentrations of nitrogen found within.

Compounds

Guano is used in the formation of black powder for pistols, rifles, and muskets as well as being a primary resource for the development of fertilizer.
In the creation of black powder it is mixed with sulphur and charcoal. All have been ground to a fine powder. The ratio for this is 75% guano, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulphur

Geology & Geography

Guano is found anywhere you can find bats. The largest concentrations are usually located in cave systems where bats congregate for the day.

Distribution

Trade & Market

There is a large market for guano as it is very much needed for black powder and fertilizer.

The largest seller of guano is the Crown, though you can find some black market sellers skulking around the seedier parts of Caer Vonterng. These sellers claim to have the finest guano available however most of their guano comes from the tailings of the royal gatherers and there for has contaminants such as bits of stone and dirt within it.

Storage

There are two ways in which guano can be stored, depending on whether it is fresh or dried.
In its fresh form it is stored in barrels for ease of transport. In its dried form which is powdered it is stored in specially crafted bags.

Many claim to have the best guano. I can say mine is the best, swiped directly from the Crown's own cache.

The merchant before you gestures to his wagon with a hand. In the wagon there are many ponykegs on the floor, and bags hanging from the ribs. Between some of the barrels are small piles of powder.

Law & Regulation

Guano is highly regulated by the Crown and being caught with large amounts of guano could be considered a capital offense.

Posted on the billboard: "By Order of his Royal Highness King Errol the second. Anyone caught in possession of a pound or more of guano will be found to be in treason to the crown. This is punishable by death. The sentence, if found guilty, is a lifetime in the guano mines, mining the very thing you are guilty of being in possession. Life in the mines is not a pleasant nor long term.

Type

Biomaterial

Color

black, white, and green