Strange Pathways
What does a magically-aided journey look like? In many fantasy stories, it looks like a portal from one world into another, such as the wardrobe in CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. It can be an object that transports people to a specific location, like portkeys in the Harry Potter series. There might also be interdimensional doorways that open up when a certain combination of things happens (full moon, a particular magical ceremony, etc.)
In some fantasy worlds, there may be less physical forms of magical travel. You might also use out-of-body experiences in your story. In gross oversimplification, astral projection is an intentional form of an out-of-body experience. How and why it happens in your story world will be dictated by your magic system, but whether it can only happen intentionally or by accident is important to consider.
And as a fun aside, you could also take a few minutes to consider if magic might be an actual source of energy in your world. Are there modes of transportation that have magically fueled engines?
Worldbuilding Exercises:
- Is it possible, in your fictional world, for someone to move great distances very quickly with the use of magic? What might the benefits or drawbacks be?
- Is this type of magic something any magic user can accomplish, or does it take study and practice?
- What might a transportation spell gone horribly wrong look like?
View 2019 A-Z Participant list here.
Rebekah Loper began creating epic worlds and stories as a child and never stopped. She is the author of The A-Zs of Worldbuilding series, and has a fantasy novella published in Beatitudes and Woes: A Speculative Fiction Anthology.
She lives in Tulsa, OK with her husband, dog, two formerly feral cats, a small flock of feathered dragons (…ok, ok, they’re chickens), and an extensive tea collection. When she is not writing, she can be found battling the elements in an effort to create a productive, permaculture urban homestead.
In many of my stories, travel happens by dream. With this I mean that I like to give glimpses of the characters’ past or of their fears and desires through dreams.
Yeah, not really magical. But then, dreams are never really as coherent as dreams are in my stories 😉
I’m not working on a fantasy world, but a futuristic world. I’ll have to check out your last AtoZ. Or just the original book! This AtoZ, I’m doing a different fiction story every day. Feel free to critique, or suggest a prompt for another post!
Doesn’t Speak Klingon
I hope you find the old A-Z helpful! I’ll be around to check out your posts!