Gunpowder is composed of three basic ingredients. Sulfur, Saltpeter, and Carbon. Gunpowder is a combination of 15 (75%) parts saltpeter to 3 (15%) parts carbon to 2 (10%) parts sulfur. Carbon is the easiest to find/make as it's a natural byproduct of burning (think natural charcoal). Sulfur can be found naturally in ground deposites and around buildup around volcanic vents, although undoubtedly impure to some extent. Saltpeter, known formally as potassium nitrate, can be easily prouced by any group with the knowledge.
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a major source of Potassium nitrate was the deposits crystallising from cave walls or the drainings of decomposing organic material. Dung-heaps were a particularly common source: ammonia from the decomposition of urea and other nitrogenous materials would undergo bacterial oxidation to produce nitrate. Historically, nitre-beds were prepared by mixing manure with either mortar or wood ashes, common earth and organic material such as straw to give porosity to a compost pile typically 1.5 metres high by 2 metres wide by 5 metres long. The heap was usually under a cover from the rain, kept moist with urine, turned often to accelerate the decomposition and leached with water after approximately one year. The liquid containing various nitrates was then converted with wood ashes to potassium nitrates, crystallized and refined for use in gunpowder. (information curtousy of Dictionary.LaborLawTalk.com found via Google  )
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As for the method of combination... ::shug:: I'm sure if I googled it I'd be able to find that too.
