Gunpowder isn't unheard in the world, however most realms only see it as a novelty. Alchemists had stumble across the mixture making blackpowder, but little has found a suitable application to the substance. The majority is used for entertainment purposes, such as fireworks, but a few engineers managed to design devices to transform blackpowder into weaponry.
Such weapons are a rarity throughout the world, many see them as trinkets and curio pieces. Only a few realms produce the weaponry for military purposes, the most well know is the Dwarven Halls of Felsite. Locked in a war with several goblin tribes lead by a fierce warlord, outnumbered and surrounded the dwarves designed the first reliable muskets. From behind they're thick stone fortresses and the ingenuity of dwarven tinkerers, they repelled the goblin hoards. However, this knowledge of gunsmithing remained a secret within the halls of Felsite, but tales of the firearm's abilities spread through the realms.
As alchemist and engineers attempt to recreate their own version of the musket, only a few inventors met success. And even then, many lords didn't accept the idea of using them in there armies. The risk of the blackpowder exploding on there own men, and complexity of the devices swayed lords to dismiss the weaponry in favor to practical crossbows and pikes. Only a few nations accepted the idea, but only to the less complicated larger cannons and mortars in means of protecting their fortresses and ships.
With most rejection from the lords, inventors either kept their secrets to themselves or formed small guilds to supply private groups with weaponry or the masses with common fireworks. Out of the guilds, a few of venture out to the world and bringing their personally firearms to face the world for glory and treasure. These few are known as "Gunslingers". Gunslingers are rare to find, but tales of their deeds are sometimes confused with sorcery from the unknowing, the fire and smoke they produce often mistaken with the magic of the arcane.
The Gunslinger class (in the Ultimate Combat book) is open for players to pick. Available freely at the character's start, but cannot be gained in game unless special circumstances are ment, either coming across another gunslinger or gunsmith that will be willing to train you or the coming across a firearm in your travels.
Another thing, guns are rare. You will more often be spending the 1,500 GP for a basic musket due to that fact. Suppliers are rare and demand is slim in the world, forcing gunslingers to upkeep and repair the guns themselves. With guns only emerging in the world, advance weapons (like rifles) are unheard off or even don't exist, and only the early firearms and simple cannons are available in the world.
Most rules are addressed in the book: firearms are consider exotic, rolling a within the misfire range gives the weapon a broken condition (or explodes if already broken), Gunslinger start with a broken firearm, etc etc.
And sidenote: since I looked into the Ultimate Combat book, I'll say it now: no, you can't be a Ninja or Samurai. A Ninja is just a Monk/Thief and a Samurai is a eastern Cavalier. No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts' about it.
I only reference the book for rules on firearms and the Gunslinger class cause I admire the idea and appeal of early firearms, and allowing players the option to pursue such characters concepts and me the ability to incorporate blackpowder to the setting. Anything else in the book is up to debate, but I'll primarily use the core book for the majority of rulings.
And talking about emerging gunpowder, let's watch this trailer:
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