Bam-Shoe Spider

The human name for the Bamashuh Gatang class of vehicle, used by the Yagupa when they travel. The name roughly means "claw-footed traveler," a fairly descriptive term for its appearance. The Yagupa primarily used them when they initially immigrated from the north, making use of the workhorse vehicle to carry their families to a safer south.

History

The bam-shoes were initially developed about two hundred years ago in the north. Little is known about the situation of the area, but the Yagupa were willing to pull up their roots entirely and shift their whole society south, so it must have been desperate. As such, the old bam-shoes were huge and crude. Still in the nascent design phase, and big enough to hold massive amounts of stuff.
When they encountered humans, they received the moniker bam-shoes, both as a slight mistranslation of the proper Yagupa name, and also for the name that the feet made as they walked.

Appearance and Function

The bam-shoes are a long oblong chamber set on a series of six legs that mechanically work in tandem to shift the main box. It is a slow vehicle, but has the advantage of being able to continue traveling during harsher weather. Present versions of the bam-shoes are made from a material resistant to electrocution, further rendering it effective during storms.
Originally they were practically landships, but modern versions usually have enough space inside to seat a family of six plus assorted supplies.

Power Generation

Steam-powered, but using a highly proprietary liquid for the steam, once which has a far lower boiling point than water, to avoid overheating and enable longer trips.

Propulsion

The bam-shoe propels itself by means of its legs, in rather spiderlike fashion. The spiked feet dig into the terrain, making it difficult to craft or maintain a road for these things, but also making it difficult for high winds to knock the bam-shoe around.

Rarity

Moderately uncommon