The Dragon-men were the elite handgunners of the army of the Nehekharan city-state of Lahmia during its war against the Undead forces led by the Great Necromancer Nagash.[1a]
Role[]
The Dragon-men were hand-picked for their intelligence and strength of will. Few among the citizens of Lahmia had the nerve to handle the deadly and unpredictable dragon powder made by the alchemists of the Far East.[1a]
Outfitted with Cathayan Crane Guns the Dragon-men called "dragon-staves," these units had to draw lengths of smoldering cotton rope from bottles carried at their waists. During combat each handgunner blew steadily upon the wicks to keep the burning ends lit as the distance to the enemy dwindled.[1a]
When the enemy was fifty yards away, each warrior had to touch his burning wick to a tiny hole drilled in the side of his dragon-stave. By doing so the handgun fired balls of lead the size of sling stones through the enemy ranks in a wash of brimstone and with an ear-splitting crescendo of man-made thunder.[1a]