Being a game set in the 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy, gunpowder is just as important as gold in Windrose. It is an invaluable currency that is necessary to operate any long-range weapon, and given just how powerful they are in this game, you're going to want to use them nine times out of 10.
But obtaining gunpowder isn't something the game explicitly explains to you, especially not in the early stages of the game. Once you run out of that first batch you spawn with, you're more than likely to find yourself forced into melee combat.
