Polvora

Polvora is in the most simple terms gunpowder. Called gaijin pepper by the Rokugani, its is simple a powder mixutre that when light explodes. It has been adapted to cannons and flintlock weapons by the Merenae Nation.

History
Oddly Polvora has a very unlikly origin, its current form was developed by Espada Cornejo who was inspired by a tube of chemicals which when light released bright colorful controlled explosions. These tubes had been brought to him by an merchant from the Ivory Kingdoms, this merchant had obtainted his from the distant Medinaat-al-salaam. This Mekhem had obtained them from a Yobanjin theif who had stolen it from a caravan of Agasha shugenja.

Espada seeing the potential of the chemicals expanded on them and created the modern form of gundpowder.