Jesus, y'all got a lot of questions. Don't even know where to start with these, but I'll try...

Immediately regarding the gunpowder question - no, [@rezay], I doubt the knowledge of how to make gunpowder has been passed down through time. It'll have to be rediscovered.

Regarding the Wastes: There are villages and traders out there who can help you transport your goods for you and help you turn a profit, like with the Silk Road. These will have to be discovered using actions.

A good deal of the questions you all have asked are solveable using actions and turns. With time, if the universe is in your favour, you will acquire all the goods you want and need, no problem. But allowing people to start with various goods wouldn't work all that well in a numbers game like this.

[@ClocktowerEchos] Pop growth is a loose, non-realistic mixture of immigration, natural growth and not as much die-off. Can't describe it better than so.

Gotta admit, you guys are asking lots of questions about stuff I had never thought of. Starting to think I may have overestimated my capabilities.