Silex Model 7

Guns on Vreathe do not have widespread use on the battlefield. They are devastating weapons, sure, but the slow rate of fire and the discipline required for reloading makes lines of musketeers useless against a platoon of combat mages and the loud noise makes concentration difficult for mages on the musketeers' side. Guns are used in much smaller numbers by quick moving cavalry or by designated sharpshooters. The most popular rifle used in Cassel's army for several centuries were the Silex models of rifle produced by the Central Wrethas Armory, which gradually improved on the design as time went on.

The last model was the Silex Model 7. It is a flintlock rifled carbine and was one of the last muzzle-loaded muskets used in any army on Vreathe. The weapon was in production for 55 years and was primarily used to equip Cassel's cavalry units and sharpshooters. The weapon is still a popular model for hunters even long after production stopped.

The Central Wrethas Armory improved on their previous Silex Model by making the barrel out of Iron-Nickel and adding a piece of Aethercite in a process known as Gem Forging. Uvarovite, a variety of garnet crystal, has a strange property when charged with magic, reducing friction to nearly zero. Since the properties of the crystal are transferred to the metal during the gem forging process, the steel barrel had the same property.

Combined with advances in rifling technology at the time, the result was a hardened barrel that was accurate to roughly 400 meters and was resistant to fouling, even after dozens of shots. Most of what would foul the barrel is pushed out on the next shot. This didn't completely negate that issue though. Friction was reduced but little pieces of lead and powder will still stick to the metal. Other than regular cleaning of the weapon, nothing will fully solve the issue.

Most of the rest of the weapon is based on the venerable Silex Model 6 carbine, which was in production for nearly a hundred years by this point. The stock is made of oak or cherrywood. Most of the non-load bearing fittings are made of brass. Most of these weapons have engravings on the metal with gold leafing. The weapon can also be completely disassembled and the barrel removed to make cleaning easier.

Cassel's armies made use of the weapon for the next fifty years until the year 2955. The Silex Model 7 was replaced by the Izicara Model 1, also produced by the Central Wrethas Armory. This newer carbine has the same gem steel technology and it also made use of percussion caps instead of a piece of flint, making firing more reliable. Production of the Silex Model 7 stopped in the year 2959. While it was sometimes used as a hunting rifle for years after this, flintlock weapons across Vreathe are widely considered to be obsolete technology in the current year of 2992.

Type: Flintlock Carbine
Place of Origin: South Cassel
Year Designed: 2904 I.A.
Time in Production: 55 years
Number Made: 24,000
Manufacturer: Central Wrethas Armory

Barrel Length: 28 inches
Total Length: 40 inches
Weight: 8 lbs
Ammunition .30 caliber minié ball

.30 caliber round shot

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Central Wrethas Armory's trademark.

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"Alright kid, let's take this nice and slow." Brenon said, "Now show me, what is the first step?"

Saya pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket. It was a little piece of newspaper made into a musket cartridge, folded up to contain a metal ball and some black powder. Saya bit the end and spat out the paper. Saya then half-cocked her carbine and opened the cover. She then poured a little black powder in the pan then closed the cover back up.

"I would have opened the cover before tearing open the paper, but you didn't spill any powder, so let's move to the next step."

Saya put the butt of the carbine at her feet. She then carefully poured the rest of powder down the barrel, then shoved the paper with the ball in as well. She then pulled the ramrod out of its resting place and placed it in the barrel. She shoved the rod down the barrel several times to make sure the bullet was firmly pressed into the end.

"Ah... you might want to do it a few more times there kid!"

Saya then grunted as she shoved the ramrod down several more times to make absolutely sure the weapon was loaded correctly. She then took the rod out and returned it to its resting place under the barrel. Saya then picked up the rifle and squared off her stance. She pulled the butt of the carbine firmly into her shoulder and gripped the rifle tight. She then stared at her target: A small glass bottle placed on a log about fifty meters away. On top of the bottle was a plum. She took aim through the sights and was about to pull the trigger, but she felt her father's hand on her shoulder.

"I think you're forgetting something there kid!"

Saya nodded her head, then full-cocked the carbine and took a deep breath.

"Alright. I want you to take one more deep breath. Exhale and and focus. Only squeeze the trigger when you are ready to fire. Nothing else matters right now."

Saya looked down the sights of her rifle. She took another deep breathe and as she exhaled all the way, she took her shot. A splitting crack of thunder spread out across the forest and white smoke filled Saya's vision. When the smoke cleared, the plum was sitting beside the glass bottle and had a large hole in it.

"Very good kid! Very good..."

"Thanks dad!" Saya said out loud. She looked over to where her father would be standing, had he not died eight years ago. Saya knows this, but she always repeats the same process when practicing her shooting, as if it were still yesterday.