Didrik Magnus-Andresen

The war-cart

Added 2025-10-17 18:02:10 +0000 UTC

The war-carts first appeared during the Urruza Nahrul, where they were used by the forerunners of the Ledger Kings as raised platforms from which to lead their battalions of human soldiers in the service of their elven lords.

Built for the now-sunken plains, these carts are mostly useless in the rugged terrain of the Cursed Realm, with few exceptions such as the flatlands surrounding the holy capital of Hurriaä.

They are heavy vehicles, with four solid wooden wheels and a timber frame that offers some protection against projectile weapons.

A team of four specially trained Eukks is used as draft animals; any fewer cannot pull the cart, and any more would lead to chaos, as they are not particularly cooperative creatures. Even so, a man can easily overtake the cart at a run, and it is prone to getting stuck or breaking down.

Despite these flaws, war-carts remain common among the elven satraps of the Serpent King for use in battle on the plains of the central kingdom. Few can afford a war-mammoth, and most find the cart a more dignified alternative to trudging through the mud themselves.

They are often deployed at the front of a formation, with soldiers marching either beside or behind them. The cart serves as a rallying point, allowing the troops to see their lord standing among them, and as an elevated shooting platform from which the elven commander can pick off his targets with impunity. Fully loaded with arrows and javelins, it ensures that only the bravest dare stand before it—and many a wounded warrior has been crushed beneath its heavy wheels.

There exists ancient artwork in the caves along the shores of Tenehu, depicting many animals now long lost to time. It is clear for all to see that much has been lost in the Cursed Realm.

— From the Tablets of Imilik