Of course, musket production alone wasn't enough—Sean needed bullets and gunpowder. Early muskets used solid lead balls, easy for blacksmiths to replicate, but gunpowder required charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur. Charcoal was simple, but saltpeter (abundant in salt lakes) and sulfur (found near volcanoes) would have to be traded from the Dwarven Kingdom.
Putting gunpowder aside, Sean focused on summoning companions. He had 4 slots left, with 5 human/transformable cards: Voidwalker, Flame Imp, Secret Keeper, Silver Hand Recruit, and Shieldbearer.First Summon: Voidwalker"Why call me here?"
A hulking, indigo shadow elemental materialized, voice echoing like distant thunder:
Name: VoidwalkerRarity: CommonRace: Demon/Shadow ElementalLevel: 10 (Black Iron Lower Rank)Ability:Threatening Presence: Forces enemies to attack it, boosting defense by 50% for 5 seconds (less effective against higher-ranked foes). Once daily.Second Summon: Flame Imp"Yee hee hee! At your service!"
A red-skinned, flame-clawed imp appeared with a shrill cackle:
Name: Flame ImpRarity: CommonRace: DemonLevel: 10 (Black Iron Lower Rank)Ability:Furious Charge: Enters a berserk state, temporarily boosting to Bronze Rank for 10 minutes, but suffers magic backlash and qi instability. Once daily.Third Summon: Secret Keeper"I know what you did last night."
A stunning blood elf mage in violet-and-gold robes materialized, voice dripping with intrigue:
Name: Secret KeeperRarity: RareRace: Blood ElfLevel: 10 (Black Iron Lower Rank)Ability:Secret Synergy (Passive): Gains +10 levels permanently if you control an untriggered Secret.Fourth Summon: Silver Hand Recruit"The Light shall protect me."
A human paladin in polished plate armor snapped to attention:
Name: Silver Hand RecruitRarity: CommonRace: HumanLevel: 10 (Black Iron Lower Rank)Ability:Divine Shield: Raises a holy barrier, immune to all damage for 10 seconds (less effective against higher-ranked foes). Once daily.Team IntroductionThe four companions knelt (except the legless Voidwalker): "Master!"
Sean waved them up. "Call me Lord Sean. These are Anduin Wrynn and Reginald Windsor." He spent the next half-hour briefing them on the world, upcoming dangers, and plans. All vowed to set aside racial differences.Unexpected DiscoveryWhile discussing magic with the Secret Keeper, Sean learned she retained advanced meditation techniques—far more efficient than his current method. Faster meditation meant quicker EXP gains!
"Lord Sean, meditation aligns with astral currents," the Secret Keeper explained, tracing arcane sigils. "At dawn and dusk, elemental flows are most—"
Windsor watched the eclectic group: the elegant blood elf, the blazing imp, the stalwart paladin, and the shadowy voidwalker. A bizarre yet formidable coalition, he thought.
Anduin murmured to Sean, "Your'Divine Retinue'grows… diverse."
Sean smirked. "Diversity is strength. When the dragon egg hatches, muskets mass-produce, and perfume bottles sell—Riverside will show Lane Duchy that true revolution ignores blood and dogma."
As dusk fell, the five new companions followed Sean back to town. The Voidwalker's form rippled through grass, the Flame Imp's claws flickered with embers, adding a touch of fantasy to the sleepy settlement on the cusp of transformation.