The world I'm working on features anthropomorphic animals as the characters. It's about the age of industrialization, and how the people adapt. If they're not building neat stuff or fighting among themselves, they're fighting the [eldritch spawn](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1uo1fff/horrors_from_beyond_the_stars/) of Yaldabaoth (not the actual Gnostic Demiurge, just horrors from beyond the stars).

Depicted is the "Dragonet" submachine gun developed by Falenjal, a country in the Northlands region.

It represents efforts to modernize small arms to catch up with Lyonessean designs. The Dragonet was among the most successful, representing a pivot towards simpler design and cost-efficiency. Previously, submachine guns and other like weapons were heavier and costly to manufacture. The Dragonet, however, simplified production, using stamped sheet metal, and ditching heavy wood furniture.

More importantly, it represented a shift towards the soldier's-eye-view, as the design was regularly updated during wartime, based on the feedback of fighters.

**Background**

The Dragonet was developed for defense against the military dictatorship, the Wolfenreich, that had risen to power in wolf country. After conquering Seramvia in the south, it was poised to invade the Northlands.

The Northlandic states had placed sanctions on the Wolfenreich, hindering development, so they purchased weapons from the Lyonesseans (a big cat group), which were the most advanced at the time. As such, the Northlandic states saw the need to modernize their own weapons.

A good number of the wolf population opposed the dictatorship and fled north, ultimately seeking to overthrow the military dictatorship and liberate their homeland. As such, they contributed to research and development of new small arms. Prior to the dictatorship rising to power, modernization efforts were already ongoing, thus the wolves were able to contribute some know-how.

The concept of the Dragonet inspired the [Barkleit rifle](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1spuiq6/barkleit_rifle_my_equivalent_of_the_ak_type_rifle/), developed by wolfdog Thorolf Barkleit.

**...**

Thoughts are appreciated!

The following map may provide additional insight on the world: [Anthropomorphic Animals, Amazing Powers, and the Age of the Machine : r/worldbuilding](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1t3lujy/anthropomorphic_animals_amazing_powers_and_the/)

A contemporary weapon is the [Taiga rifle](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1ui14ot/falenjalsh_rifle_taiga/).

This [wolf's rifle](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1ueg28n/wolfs_rifle_middle_south_region/) represents their efforts to modernize.

My goal is to build an interconnected lore book, as most of what happens in the world is connected (story has been in discussion for a decade now): [Karl Imran | Substack](https://karlimran.substack.com/)

There's a story, but I'm not 100% confident in writing it, and I think worldbuilding is my strength so I'm focusing on that aspect for now!

Falenjalsh Submachine Gun, "Dragonet"