Gunpowder

Black powder is a relatively new technology employed in explosives and firearms, produced from a carefully concocted mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. This technology was discovered by Mountain Orc alchemists in the Crescent Kingdom of Vollmond, and remained a close secret in that region for years. However, the discovery of gunpowder is usually attributed to a company of Highland Dwarves employed by the Kingdom of Solis in Carthannas, as this is where the first publicly available firearms were brought into the market roughly three decades ago. It is unclear when Solis managed to acquire its stolen samples of black powder from Vollmond, and how they were smuggled out during a time of peace between the two kingdoms with strict border security being enforced. However, this incident has not yet led to any open hostility between the two nations.