Drekkanon

Early 14th century Drekkanon decorated with the likeness of King Vaekar III.

The Drekkanon, also commonly called a Eldspjót (Elder Nordic: Fire Spear) and sometimes referred to as a Eldcanna, or Eldcanone, was an early handheld gunpowder weapon developed in Acrea in the 12th century. It arose as a development of the Drekaspjót or Dragon Lance, a relatively small pyrotechnic weapon affixed to a polearm first used in the 9th century which used gunpowder originally packed behind a glass vial containing Dragonfire, which ignited and propelled the substance when lit. Improved gunpowder later led to these weapons being loaded with iron or ceramic shot, until eventually the polearm was discarded entirely.

The Drekkanon saw widespread use in Acrea beginning in the 13th century. Drekkanons were considered to be an effective and desirable alternative to crossbows, which had been the dominant ranged weapon in Acrea since the 10th century. Little more than forged barrels with some kind of fixture, Drekkanons lacked any sort of firing mechanism and had to be manually fired via a lit match through a touchhole. Designs, sizes, and styles of Drekkanon varied significantly across Acrea. They were often used in conjunction with crossbow- or bow-armed troops; Drekkanons were slower to load and vulnerable to the weather, but much more powerful and had greater range. Progressive advancements in the design of Drekkanons and explosive technology, such as corned powder, led to the development of the first Acrean arqebuses in the early 15th century.

History

Early Types

The most common early Drekkanons were of a type retroactively called the Dexsteypuhræra. Loosely translating to "hand mortar" or "hand bombard", dexsteypuhræra were the simplest construction of Drekkanon and consisted only of a forged barrel affixed to a longer handle, which could be made of either metal or wood.