Editing Harrow (The Iron Triangle) (section)

=Backstory=
Lawrence Milton's parents had him late in life; his father was always too busy with his architecture firm for a family. Unlike his father, Milton never excelled at school. Rather, he was good with his hands and became a trained machinist, a fact that was a tolerable level of success for his parents. Then he received a call, his Uncle Oliver was ill, and needed help running his antique business. Milton's mother always warned him about his eccentric uncle, but Milton always liked the old man.

Oliver Reynolds Corwin was not just an antique dealer. He was also member of the Redeemed of Palambron, a secret society organized around alchemy and an esoteric reading of the work of English poet and mystic William Blake. Nominally, the Redeemed believed in working toward a utopia of socialist communes, free of war, poverty, and moralism. In practice, however, it was simple a social club for old money and their eccentric hangers-on.

A generation ago, the Redeemed were shocked to find that their rituals suddenly produced palpable results; their magic, it appeared, finally worked (at least sometimes). Corwin believed they had an obligation to use their new alchemical knowledge to create a great social revolution, ushering in the new age. The elders of the society, who were called the Gnomes by Corwin and his supporters, were less sure, and wished to move on a slower, more cautious path where they learned as much as possible about their magic before acting off it. Corwin was incensed. When Corwin's health began to fail, he contacted Milton, partly to help run his business, and partly to vet him for possibly joining the Redeemed. Much to his delight, Milton passed every test.

One day, Corwin's home was robbed and he was assaulted. His health never recovered. In the few remaining months he had left, Corwin revealed many secrets to Milton, and secured the assurance from the Gnomes that Milton would be initiated into the Redeemed after Corwin died. The police eventually found Corwin's assailant; a poor, sick, drug addict who was himself near death. Milton felt he should feel a need of vengeance toward the person, but he could only find pity. The world was broken, and must be fixed. Cornwin approved of this reaction, and died just a few days later.

Upon joining the Redeemed, Milton dover into all the alchemical mysteries he was permitted to read. Using the knowledge he found within, he resolved to become a hero. He designed a costume, and imbued it with supernatural strength by saturating it in something called the solution of Tharmas. He then made a set of enchanted pistols using both his knowledge of alchemy and his training as a machinist. He called them The Prophets. thus equipped, the Gnomes grudgingly gave their blessing for his Good Work. And thus, the Black Powder Bard was forged.