Chapter 227: The Foundations of Artillery
Kellar rolled out a clean strip of tanned leather across an undamaged wooden barrel and picked up a piece of charcoal. With rapid strokes, he drafted the diagram of a sphere divided internally into two compartments by a thin membrane, connected at the core by a fragile filament.
"This is the baseline," explained Kellar, pointing to the drawing as Garik and Lennis leaned in to observe. "We will keep the Fire-Earth stone powder separated from the Windstone powder. Upon impact with the target, the shock will rupture the membrane and the central filament, causing the two powders to mix and trigger the blast."
Garik examined the blueprint, rubbing his soot-stained chin.
"My lord, the concept is impressive, but if the membrane is that fragile, an accidental drop during transport or marching could set it off in the hands of our soldiers," suggested Garik with concern. "Perhaps we could use a tougher, flammable membrane instead. If the warriors have to light a fuse before throwing it, we would prevent fatal accidents."
"I have considered that," replied Kellar, giving a slight shake of his head. "However, that makes us dependent on fire. In the middle of a blizzard, under heavy rain, or inside the damp caves, fuses misfire or go out. We need a direct impact mechanism that does not rely on the weather."
Lennis, who had been studying the sphere drawn on the leather, stepped forward, his eyes lighting up with inspiration.
"Great Shaman..." interjected Lennis. "If the issue is that an accidental drop might rupture the membrane, we could make the outer casing and the internal divider far more robust. The core filament would then require a high-force impact to trigger—something a simple drop from one’s hands could never produce. And to generate that level of impact force... we could build the rifle barrels on a larger scale and fire a sphere the size of a human head."
Kellar paused, looking at Lennis with surprise. The craftsman wasn’t just offering a safety solution; he had effectively conceived the concept of mobile artillery.
"A siege cannon..." muttered Kellar, letting the strategic implications settle in his mind.
That redefined their tactical playbook. Not only could they fortify the village walls with heavy artillery emplacements to repel any invasion or beast horde, but they could also field mobile cannons to lay siege to enemy tribal strongholds.
"That is an excellent idea, Lennis," acknowledged Kellar, nodding in approval. "However, we must ensure that the collision against the target detonates the warhead upon impact, rather than merely shattering the shell and dispersing the powder, which would ruin its effectiveness."
Kellar picked up the piece of charcoal once again and drew a detailed close-up of the sphere’s front tip.
"To prevent the payload from shattering without detonating, we will install a nose impact fuze," explained Kellar, tracing a small, reinforced iron firing pin protruding from the head of the warhead. "This metal pin will be held in place by a safety cotter key that will only be removed right before loading the shell into the cannon. Once fired and impacting the target, the force of the collision will drive the pin inward, piercing the internal membrane and crushing both stone compounds against an internal anvil."
Garik’s eyes widened as he followed the charcoal lines across the tanned leather.
"With that pin, the outer shell can be as thick and sturdy as we desire," realized Garik, a grin of excitement spreading across his face. "It can withstand the discharge pressure inside the barrel without cracking, and an accidental drop from someone’s hands will never drive the pin inward unless the safety key is pulled and it receives a massive impact."
"Precisely," confirmed Kellar. "That is the key to stability. Lennis, I want you to start working on the casting blueprints for the first cannon barrel. We will use heavy bronze for the main body and iron bands to reinforce the breech. It must be robust enough to handle the propulsion charge of standard gunpowder."
"I will get to work on it, Great Shaman," replied Lennis, bowing with respect as he stowed the marked leather. "By tomorrow, we will have the first clay molds ready for casting."
Kellar surveyed the ruined workshop with a calculating gaze. The disaster born of his craftsmen’s negligence had blossomed into a technological leap for the tribe. With defensive artillery cannons mounted along the walls and impact shells capable of pulverizing stone and flesh, their position was becoming unbreakable.
After leaving Garik and Lennis to organize the workshop cleanup and the preparation of the clay molds, Kellar adjusted his fur cloak and walked toward the village perimeter. The biting northern wind blew, carrying thick snowflakes across the reinforced wooden wall protecting the settlement.
Ascending the ramp, the sentries bowed with reverence. Kellar walked along the elevated walkway with a firm stride, taking in the white landscape stretching into the distance. From this vantage point, the village’s command over the valley was impressive, yet the timber structure also laid bare its tactical limitations.
"The eastern ravine and the northern ridge are our most dangerous blind spots," muttered Kellar to himself, stopping beside one of the wooden watchtowers. "If a beast horde or an enemy force takes advantage of a heavy blizzard, the patrols will barely have time to react before they reach the gates."
He immediately envisioned the placement for the future pieces.
Since the wall was still made entirely of timber, mounting heavy cannons required adapting the existing structure. The immediate solution was to install them in individual reinforced wooden embrasures along the perimeter as a temporary measure. That would grant them defensive coverage while they finished gathering the necessary raw materials to begin manufacturing cement and erecting stone fortifications.
"Great Shaman," greeted the soldier in charge of the wall guard, stepping forward with his spear in hand and his breath frosting in the air. "Is there any news from the borders?"
"None for now, soldier," replied Kellar, clapping the man on the shoulder. "But as soon as the Great Snowfall passes, we will begin work to adapt these walls. We will build reinforced individual embrasures at these positions for our new weaponry. Before winter ends, this village will not merely defend its people... it will crush anyone who dares cross those hills."
The soldier nodded, his eyes burning with pride and resolve, as Kellar gazed out over the frozen horizon, knowing that the era of heavy weaponry was just beginning for the Overlord tribe.