Gression Wagon (GREH-shun)

Developed over time in the cold, mountainous region of Gression, in northern Polira, the Gression Wagon is renowned for its sturdy construction, high wagon-bed clearance, impressive load-bearing capacity, and innovative secondary pole braking system. But it is the team that pulls a Gression Wagon that truly sets it apart. Each wagon is drawn by a team of four to twelve domesticated Ketheran, bred to navigate the snowy peaks and tundra with unmatched agility.   Attempts to tame the strange feline-reindeer hybrids that emerged after The Shattering had been made for generations. “Agile, powerful, and unnervingly graceful, Ketheran’s natural surefootedness and sharp senses have long made them both feared and revered by mountain folk.”. Their wide, snowshoe-like paws keep them from breaking through snow crusts, making them ideal for travel in harsh terrain.   Around 952 AS, Gression locals began capturing and breeding Ketheran in earnest, hoping to tame them for practical use. Though progress was slow, successive generations brought more manageable temperaments, and eventually the creatures could be trained to haul loads together. By 1102 AS, teams of Ketheran were pulling sleds and wagons through the deep passes with remarkable success.   Wagon design evolved in tandem with these advances. The standard wagon brake had long proven ineffective on Gression’s steep mountain roads. Tired of losing valuable loads of ore to runaway carts, miners turned to local blacksmiths for a better solution. The result was the pole brake.   Simple but ingenious, the pole brake offered far greater control during descents. A metal pole was mounted vertically beside the rear axle assembly, with a rope running from its top to the driver’s seat. Pulling the rope applied friction to the rear wheels, slowing the wagon. When used in combination with the standard brake, it allowed waggoneers to control their speed more safely on winding, icy roads.   This innovation—paired with incremental adjustments made over years of trial and necessity—produced a wagon well-suited to the treacherous northern highlands. Yet it was the Ketheran teams that gave it true distinction. Their strength, speed, and haunting elegance became a symbol of the north.   Within a decade of the successful pairing of beast and wagon, trade boomed. Ore and lumber flowed steadily into the lowlands. Settlers followed, and new villages sprang up near mines and logging camps—places like Rockhaven, Frostrun, and farthest of all, Wintersee. The once-isolated Gression region surged with new life and opportunity. The poorest, most inaccessible corner of Polira had been opened to the kingdom.