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Spoilers for Books 1–8
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Transport · Introduced in Book 4
The Royal Chariot
Carl and Katia build the Royal Chariot from salvaged machinery. Donut gives it the grand name; the system calls it a Tracked All Terrain Suicide Machine.[1]
Choose Book 4 or later above to read this section.
Built for terrain, not ceremony
Carl and Katia use their level-two engineering and metalworking facilities to turn a salvaged magical engine into a practical vehicle. The first wheeled arrangement struggles in sand, so they replace the rear arrangement with broad treads while retaining steering wheels at the front.
The result is a fast, improvised dune buggy rather than an armored coach. Its usefulness comes from movement, carrying the party and giving them a platform from which to act. Donut’s title does not change the protection supplied by its actual construction.[1]
Choose Book 4 or later above to read this section.
A machine the party can carry
The driver and passenger arrangements can be separated for inventory storage. That makes the vehicle useful beyond any one stretch of road: the party can carry the components and reassemble them when terrain permits.
The retained engine warms into operation and runs quietly. The successful combination depends on a particular salvage resource and Carl and Katia’s construction work; it is not an ordinary vehicle automatically provided by choosing a class.[1]
Choose Book 4 or later above to read this section.
Fighting from the chassis
Katia adapts her body to the vehicle during fighting, including moving eyes to the rear and redistributing mass to handle the situation. This makes the Chariot part of a coordinated party tactic rather than a self-sufficient combat unit.
Recoil, visibility and the occupants’ positions still matter. A successful attack from the moving vehicle demonstrates useful mobility, not an armor rating or immunity to whatever an enemy can fire back.[2]
Choose Book 4 or later above to read this section.
History
Book 4
The Gate of the Feral Gods
From spinning wheels to broad treads
Its first wheels spin uselessly in the sand, so they switch to broad rear treads. Katia draws on her interests from Earth and experiments with the design until the party can drive it.[1]
A mobile firing and escape platform
The Chariot gives the group a moving platform for ranged attacks and a means of escape. Katia changes her form to improve her view and work with the vehicle. They still have to steer, aim and protect themselves while moving.[2]
New salvage, separate plans
A battery recovered from Ruckus appears compatible with their power needs. They also salvage a saw, but have not mounted it on the Chariot. Both offer possibilities for further work.
The Chariot stays with Louis’s group on the ground while the others pursue a separate airborne plan.[3]
Crossing the Lacuna for pickup
Carl and Donut later drive it across the Lacuna for pickup near bubble 543. It remains their ground vehicle in this sequence, separate from Nightmare II and its fate.[4]
Choose Book 4 or later above to read this section.
Sources
References are to Matt Dinniman’s novels. Book links open our recap guides.
- The Gate of the Feral Gods, Chapter 4.
- The Gate of the Feral Gods, Chapter 9.
- The Gate of the Feral Gods, Chapters 10–11.
- The Gate of the Feral Gods, Chapter 33.