Little is now known of Phlothor the Artificer except that he was rather popular in the court of the Green Empress, contemporary writers praised his genius for creating magical constructs and vehicles, and that he was killed in a dimensional rift explosion that eradicated his personal magical library, most of his creations, and both of his apprentices.
But one thing he created survived and was copied at least once - his Carriage
The carriage is very distinctive in appearance. the 'main body' is constructed of fine hardwoods, brass, and steel. The 'carriage proper' is a fully enclosed box with exterior dimensions of 52" high, 54" front-to-back, and 34" side to side. The wheels give the main body 8" of clearance. The breeches (the shafts for attaching to the draft creature) extend 6" beyond the front of the carriage. Altogether, the entire carriage is 60" high, 36" wide, and 60" long.
The interior is dominated by a rather comfortable padded seat which fills most of the interior. The seat can recline. In the upright position there is ample leg and headroom; reclined it makes for a comfortable place to sleep. There is an 18" x 18" window to the front and a 9" x 9" window to each side; all windows have a sheer silk screen and a lockable wooden shutter (or matching shutters to the front). The interior also has wooden 'pockets' for holding large tomes, several hooks suitable for bags, backpacks, or wineskins, and a built-in hooded 'lantern' with magical light source capable of illuminating the interior from a dim glow to the equivalent of a Light spell.
There is a door on the left and right (which require the rider to step over the wheel on that side) and one to the front that allows full access to the interior but cannot be easily used (or even fully opened!) when a draft creature is harnessed. All doors can be securely latched from inside.
A small door to the rear opens to a storage space under the seat that measures 6" high, 30" wide, and 24" deep. There are rings on top that allows bags or boxes to be lashed there, as well.
While of excellent craftsmanship and small space, the true wonder of the carriage are the enchantments on it. The wheels and breeches are enchanted so that the carriage travels over snow and mud (and half speed in mud) as does the draft creature. The wheels make virtually no noise (treat as Boots of Elvenkind) and the carriage has a very smooth ride; the passenger can sleep through rough terrain, including stairs. The 'main body' is enchanted to stay upright whenever possible and remains a comfortable temperature (72 to 76 degrees) between 0 degrees and 100 degrees external temp - after that it goes up or down degree by degree.
The harness is obviously designed for a humanoid figure ranging from as small as 4'6" to 7'6". Carriages have been drawn by Charmed hobgoblins and such, but the most popular things to use as draft 'animals' are automatons and golems. Its small size, clearance, and enchantments means the carriage can traverse areas carts normally can't go, including large sections of many dungeons.
Rumors say that there is a 90" long version with a second rear-facing seat that allows for two passengers.
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