The following is an excerpt from the end of the book regarding Fruine Schael.
Now, onto the topic of Fruine Schael. An infamous figure that no study or history of guns would be complete without. He is known for his smuggling of guns and gunpowder from the Republic of Valdar to the rest of the world. The motivation for this smuggling is not as virtuous as some think. He was a trader, a merchant, and above all, those types want money. Fruine was no different. He didn't sell them to world leaders or militaries for peacekeeping, he sold them to whoever offered the most, sometimes in legitimate auctions, and sometimes in the criminal underworld, if some records and logs are to be taken seriously.
Most of the time, these guns ended up in the hands of Ravennan warlords or well-off bandits, ending up in places where they killed civilians. But this book is not debating the morality of Fruine, but his impact and legacy upon the world. His actions jumpstarted this modern age we live in today. Fruine is known as the Father of Modern War for what he did. I don't think he thought, truly, about what impact his would have upon the world, because he probably would've charged more than he did.
Most are familiar with the Wild Age tale of Prometheus, he who stole fire from the gods to give to the men on Tylien and was subsequently tortured for it. Mr. Schael is a modern day Prometheus, a man who stole black powder from Valdar to give to men to do as they pleased, and was subsequently executed for it. Like fire, guns are destructive beings of nature who have the capability to destroy nations. Unlike fire, guns are only created to destroy. Fire can cook meat, warm homes. Guns aren't eloquent like swords, they're brutally efficient, made not to show off, but to fulfill it's purpose of death. Guns are tools of war in it's finest form, not hidden under the elegance of the sword.
The spreading of guns and gunpowder to the world has revolutionized warfare. It now takes less time to train ranged troops, strong walls start meaning less and less, more and more die in battles, and the art of the sword has started to fade. Even now, the total impact and waves created by guns has only now started to show itself. I doubt that I myself, or anyone born today will see the total legacy of Fruine's money-driven smugglings.