Cannon

The Great Maw of Rovagug, a massive bombard.

See also: Firearm, mortar, and siege weapon

Cannons are large artillery and siege weapons that typically launch projectiles—often large-caliber cannonballs of stone or metal—using propellants, such as explosives like black powder. Cannons vary widely in mobility, range, and power, but are typically distinguished from personal firearms by being larger than a typical humanoid can carry and wield on their own. Less common are cannons that launch magical effects or pure forms of energy. Like other siege weapons, cannons are also sometimes used to hunt or battle massive creatures.

A person who operates a cannon is called a cannoneer. Military artillerists more generally combine their use of cannons and other siege weapons with engineering to devise tactical applications of such weapons.

History

In Tian Xia

The oldest known cannons believed to have been developed on Golarion were recovered from shipwrecks in Minata, which apparently predate known civilizations and bore intricate, lightweight cannons etched with names like cetbang and lantaka. No historical records describe these cannons' inventors or users, and the historic empire of Lung Wa's contradictory records suggest no cannons existed prior to its formation. Researchers suggest these cannons were used by an advanced precursor civilization, and as of 7221 IC these historical devices have yet to be recreated or repaired.

The development of sufficiently strong cast iron to contain a blast capable of propelling a cannonball coincided with the early years of Imperial Lung Wa, and these cannons were first deployed against the ratfolk uprising of Diguo-Dashu in 6751 IC. Lung Wa produced many cannons as siege weapons, naval armaments, and coastal defenses, and also developed portable hand cannons to break enemy defensive lines.

In Vudra

Over the course of centuries, weakened versions of the forumlas for black powder made their way from their innovators in Tian Xia to Vudra. The first cannon independently developed by a kingdom of Vudra was a massive cast brozne cannon designed for use as a siege-engine replacement of battering rams. Other rajahs developed their own cannons of many sizes and uses, particularly underwater cannons, as well as mortars and other lightweight forms of black powder artillery.

In Alkenstar

Vudran black powder was traded to Dongun Hold, where dwarves intended to use its saltpeter components as a preservative and seasoning for food stores before the Hold permanently closed to the surface during Earthfall. While in seclusion, the dwarves found and refined the powder's explosive properties to the same strength as Tian Xia's potency, then employed it in mining and defensive traps before developing their first firearms, then artillery devices such as cannons.

The Grand Duchy has since formed an alliance with Vidrian despite being on the opposite end of Garund from the upstart nation, and supplies its navy with cannons in exchange for escorts for its trade vessels.

In the Shackles

A Chelaxian Navy ship fires its cannons at a pirate sloop returning its barrage.

In 4719 AR, however, many of Alkenstar's cannon shipments to Vidrian were intercepted by Shackles Pirates working for Hurricane Queen Tessa Fairwind, agents of whom had infiltrated all stages of the transaction, including Alkenstar's Gunworks. The pirates also captured trained gun crews to operate the weapons. This forced Alkenstar to instead haul the cannons to Vidrian across a treacherous overland route.

Despite these raids, Fairwind acquired only a fraction of the cannons required to fully equip her fleet. She recruited the goblin inventor and steam-powered technology expert Volmurk to reverse-engineer the Alkenstari armaments and manufacture their own. Working from his newly formed workshop in a volcano on Motaku Isle beginning in 4720 AR, Volmurk launched rapidly iterating experiments in secrecy toward forging cannon barrels and formulating powder.

Volmurk stamped the unreliable counterfeits with marks of an Alkenstari gunsmith and sold them exclusively to Free Captains through the Motaku Isle Iron Works front company, under the pseudonym of "Chief Inventor". The Free Captain Stella Fane has also secretly resold these counterfeits to the Pathfinder Society.

However, these Motaku cannons lack the quality control of Alkenstar's, particularly in the forging process due to Volmurk's reliance on inconsistent volcanic heat. Some have exploded in use, though the results have been indistinguishable in battle and Volmurk has yet to be blamed for these counterfeit cannons' flaws.

Types

Early black powder cannons were simple bell-shaped bombards made of brass or iron. These cannons' weight made them awkward to move, and many were deployed as defensive weapons. While more powerful, heavy bombards are so large that they cannot be moved.

Modern field cannons, which are both more mobile and more powerful in design, are their modern successors and the best-known black powder siege weapon in the Inner Sea region. Bronze-barreled Alkenstar cannons are relatively massive but remain mobile and fire buckshot-like barrels that rain scattershot upon targets.

Fiend's mouth cannons are larger, stationary variants of field cannons placed on rotating platforms. These cannons are easier to aim and capable of striking targets across tremendous distances, and are named for the fiendish features that many are decorated with. The Dongun Steelheart 21 negates the recoil of its explosive shots by suspending its barrel in an alchemical solution.

Marking powder cannons fire shimmering orange oil that defeats natural and artificial camouflage. Harpoon cannons fire harpoon bolts at aquatic targets, particularly large game.

In use

Alkenstar's Gunworks manufactures most black powder weapons on Golarion, including cannons, and exports some of them.

Cannons are often deployed on ships, where cannoneers both operate and maintain the weapons. They also fortify the defenses of fortresses, especially in Alkenstar, where they are relatively easy and inexpensive to build and supply. When deployed against naval ships and airships, cannons sometimes fire chain shot, a type of ammunition designed to destroy masts, sails, and gasbags.

A battery tower is a siege tower that typically deploys several cannons and bombards.