Quadsteamer

Quadsteamers were a popular mode of transportation on the River Quad during Eden’s Second Age. Powered by a steam engine and propelled by a quartet of paddle wheels, the quadsteamer was the safest and most efficient way to travel between the Emerald City and Nova Aurelia. Given that a railroad would have to cross through wetlands infested with ambleworts, travel by locomotive just wasn’t feasible.

Description

A quadsteamer is a 85-foot-long steam-powered vessel propelled by four steel paddle wheels—two at the stern and one amidships on each side. The cargo hold is located near the bow of the ship and has two square hatches for loading and unloading. The passenger compartment sits aft of the hold and the wheelhouse sits atop the compartment. A staircase leads up from the foredeck to the wheelhouse.

The engine and its twin funnels sit just forward of the stern paddle wheels.

History

Throughout the First Age, the rolling hills of Munchkinland were almost entirely cut off from Quadling Country. The wilderness between the two regions was seemingly impenetrable, which made travel along the River Quad the best option. But the Quad has a fierce current, and traveling upstream just wasn’t practical without some kind of powered vehicle.

When a new crop of refugees arrived in 114, fresh from the steampunk paradise of Earth-666, they worked with the indigenous halflings to develop a solution. And though both larger and smaller craft have been developed since, the quadsteamer has remained a favorite for hundreds of years.

Creation Date

115

Width

35'

Length

85'

Height

54'

Speed

6–10 knots

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

12 passengers
1,512 cubic feet of cargo

Power

Steam Engine

Propulsion

Paddle Wheels