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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fanaelialae" data-source="post: 5088459" data-attributes="member: 53980">It isn't necessarily difficult to make guns low-impact in a setting though.  Just establish guns as something uncommon and you're set.For example, one of my players is a big fan of the Dark Tower, so in a particular "Dark Ages" campaign I established a small peacekeeping order of gunslingers (ronin with Peacemakers).  Guns were relics of a previous age, the secrets of which had been lost to all but the Gunslingers, who were quite careful protecting and preserving their secret.  Unsurprisingly, that player chose to be a member of the Gunslingers and had a blast.  There were less than a thousand functional firearms in the entire setting, and moreover, the secrets of gunpowder were lost to all but the order.  Hence, the world was in no danger of being overturned by six-shooter technology.Another idea I've had, for a future campaign, is that guns were invented by the dwarven people.  Moreover, the process of creating gunpowder requires exposure to deep earth radiation that dwarves are highly resistant to, but which is deadly to most other races (hence, even if some human lord were to learn the secret of making gunpowder, it would be effectively useless).  Since the dwarves are staid and largely isolationist, they merely use the technology to defend themselves (which has made dwarven strongholds largely unassailable).While they do sell firearms and gunpowder to outsiders, the dwarves moderate the sale of the latter.  They aren't stupid and recognize that allowing greedy lords sufficient quantities of gunpower would render the dwarves somewhat vulnerable to attack (and enslavement).  As such, guns aren't used by armies, as there simply isn't sufficient gunpowder available.  Rather, they are the toys of nobles, adventurers, and occasionally small elite military units.Overall, I prefer to keep gunpowder limited in some fashion (although I generally advance the technology itself to include six shooters, as I feel that those typify the West and help engender a "romance of the gun" feel).  It limits the use of guns which adds to their charm and mystique, and explains why guns haven't overthrown the "natural order" of the times.  I have to agree with others that, outside of a low-magic setting, if magic hasn't overthrown the "natural order" then guns certainly shouldn't either.</blockquote>

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