Athas needs soooOOOOooo many more chariots.
Make no mistake. The setting does have chariots already. For example, Dragon Kings details chariot units in warfare. In our world, chariots went the way of the dodo when people figured out cavalry. Lots of reasons, but the big one is mobility. Even if one argues that they would be impractical in warfare, chariots actually saw use for a long time in sports and civilian use. Want to be transported somewhere, and don’t feel like a mount or a howdah? There’s chariots!
In some ways Athas is great for chariots. Inix and mekillots mostly have howdahs, wagons and argosies. However, crodlu and kanks can quite handily use chariots. Also, there’s a lot of terrain out there that is flat or otherwise conducive. Also, terrain that is nice and flat. That helps. Armies would sometimes even agree on the battle field of choice. Then flatten it out and dig tracks for their chariots.
However, there’s nothing to indicate that warfare in Athas would nearly be so nice. I imagine most sorcerer kings would regard chariots as antiquated. Think Rome vs Boudicca. Commanders might ride them around for convenience and/or good line of sight.
Here are my big thoughts on why we need more chariots in Athas…
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Chariots in battle can be used as stable platforms for magical spell casters and psionics. They are mobile and level. You can have a driver handling the beasts, so the caster can concentrate on the fireworks.
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Nobles would be using these quite a bit. Hunting, social events, going around town.
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I can easily see a psion dispensing with beasts altogether. Instead, hook up a giant obsidian ball. Use some telekinesis and just drive around with that.
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CHARIOT RACES! We need coliseums some we can have some Ben-Hur styled mayhem! So many different, crazy possibilities there! Many different kinds of chariot styles to compete. GLADIATOR! Red vs Blues vs Green! Riots of Byzantium! Whooo!