Wagons

There are few inventions that reach the widespread use by so many different people from various walks of life as the wagon. From the husky caravans and the Estoyan Expeditions to the everyday life of many people is every nation, the wagon serves as a symbol of exploration and freedom as well as hardship.

The first wagons were created by one of the more unlikely races. The races that make up the greenskins crafted poorly made carts pulled by various creatures for travel, warfare, and transporting goods. The wagons were known to be inefficient and lacked the kind of sophisticated design and durability of present day variants.

The wheels were often unevenly cut causing constant turbulence while it is moving. According to legend, The Alfen created a facsimile of the wagon shortly after the greenskins in the form of war wagons. These wagons were armed with Alfen Lances and hovered over the ground. The art of creating them was lost to time until inventors in Estoya rekindled the craft. They created fourteen war wagons in total, and each are still in use.

by Art Tower from Pixabay

Dwarven Wagons

The Dwarves have their own version of the wagon. Their version was much more suited for a consistent and efficient flow of production.
The wagons were designed to work on tracks or rails, taking advantage of gravity and complex mechanical systems such as pulleys and springs to move from one place to another.
These styles would persist, the humans eventually adopting the green-skin variant. It wasn't until these cultures began to merge that new styles would be invented.

The culture of the wagon

Due to the complex nature of the world brought upon by Universal maladies, wagons have grown to be an essential element of travel for a variety of reasons.

Mobility

Wagons are heavily desired if they are highly mobile. The fastest wagons are often the most durable as well, meeting that door ability to sustain the constant wear and tear of travel at such speeds. A prime example is the husky wagon.

Operation

Some wagons are valued for a different quality entirely. Some wagons are valued for their usefulness in conducting operations. Packed wagons have their own unique niche in the culture. While they are heavily valued for their space they are not nearly as useful as a caravan for the vast majority of people who need them. Packed wagons are often used by larger entities such as an organization or military. The fact that they can be unpacked makes them ideal for creating camps and siege weapons that can be easily packed up and moved should the need arise.

Protection

Coupled with mobility, protection in the form of durability and how easily defended the wagon is are often just as important to those who wish to own one. Especially in times of war, a wagons protection makes a huge difference between life and death. A prime example is the war wagon.

Storage and living

The most common form of wagon one will ever see is the Caravan and covered wagon variants. They do not reach a maximum speed such as the husky wagons, nor are they built to withstand large amounts of punishment like a packed wagon or war wagon. These wagons are often desired for their size. These wagons are designed to he pulled by the fewest beasts of burden without sacrificing space and reasonable speed. These wagons are most often used as a living space or merchant stalls. They are also the most common wagon used in the expeditions. The extra space also makes it more profitable when transporting goods from place to place.

The Current Styles

New styles adopted elements of all three variants to create several distinct designs used in the present day. Each style has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Husky wagons

The husky wagon is small, durable and remarkably fast. It is used exclusively by those who need to leave and reach their destination quickly. Couriers use husky wagons frequently, thought they are most known for their use in Husky Caravans. These wagons are usually uncomfortable, cramped, and pack many innovations other styles have, but their speed is unmatched, and they are the cheapest style could buy.

by Charkes M. Russell

by unknown

Caravan wagons

Caravan wagons are often luxurious since they are often used as living spaces or merchant stalls. Even the variants used for hauling are equipped with basic amenities such as suspension springs, spare wheels fixed to the bottom of the wagon, and soft cushioned seating, all of which are a staple for any who wish to make the purchase. While they are not the most expensive style, they are opting out of the price range for most buyers.

Covered wagons

The covered wagon is designed for utility. It is nothing more than an empty box covered with some form of dense cloth. It can be used for many purposes and it can even be used as a living space or merchant stalls. The concept of the covered wagon came about as Caravans began rising in price. They are significantly cheaper style most often used by lower class to lower middle class citizens and peasants. They are relatively easy to build and take apart, incredibly easy to repair, and usually versatile enough to meet the demands of anyone.

by Samuel Colman

by Luke Clennell

Packed wagons

Packed weapons are a direct combination of a covered wagon and a caravan. Packed wagons are wagons that are never in use during travel. Usually the wagon itself is dedicated to a specific purpose, only realized when the wagon is stationary and unpacked. There are some more nomadic individuals who use packed wagons to load and unload their homes whenever the desire strikes them. It is also used by military personnel to establish footholds in enemy regions, organizations to establish a base of operations outside of their normal environment, and for large scale constructs such as farming and construction equipment as well as siege weapons.

War Wagons

The war wagon is designed for its durability and its Mobility but it must also maintain a certain size. Excluding the unique and unmatched Estoyan Warwagons, War wagons are nothing more than wagons created specifically for military purposes. Some transport troops. Some house archery units to protect them while they fire on the enemy. Chariots are considered a variation of the style as well.

by Alfred Theodore, Joseph Bastien