Kelgu

General Information

The Kelgu is a sled used by Vinima living in the Avik Desert to traverse it.
There are several types of Kelgu ranging from one-person vehicles to big merchant sleds.
Kelgus can range from 3m for a one person Kelgu to up to 25m for a merchant Kelgu

Tradition and Technology

The way of building Kelgus is passed on from generation to generation and didn't change too much over time.
Kelgus feature a broad base commonly constructed by tying together several planks of Ehted Palm wood.
Families already differ drastically in how the base is build, some glue them together with a mix of [Rain Maker] liquid and Vello-oil while swearing that this technique provides the sleekest bases which in conclusion yield the greatest speed, while other families tie them together with ropes made out of different desert plants saying these bases will be the sturdiest.
For a one person Kelgu only two more things are added, a basket for the rider to sit in and a small pole with a sail to use the strong desert winds.

Form and Function

Not only does the way of building differ between families, but also how they are designed.
Families often paint all their Kelgus in similar colours with intricate patterns that often either resemble their use, their rider or the whole family.
If the Kelgus are painted to include the whole family, it is common practice that each family member has their own colour.

Different Types

One Person Kelgu This sled has a slimmer base and only entails a basket to sit in and a sail to catch the winds with. Family Kelgu This type of Kelgu has a very broad base and is commonly 5-10m long. It sometimes features an additional sail or Vello-harnesses, but does not differ too greatly from the one person Kelgu. Vello Kelgus A Vello Kelgu is a very special variant that uses Vello-Rabbits as its second way to generate speed. This might seem like an odd choice given the fact, that rabbits are commonly rather small, but Vellos with their very powerful hind legs, wide feet and generally energetic personality lend themselves well to being used to give the Kelgus some additional speed.

Avik drift

Due to the strong winds of the Avik deserts, Kelgus mainly generate speed by putting their sails into the wind. While this is the basic way to accelerate, it is commonly agreed upon by all people using one, that getting on top of a 250m dune and racing downwards is the most fun way of riding it.