Magical flying carpets. Ships built with dragon bones. Overlarge speeding land snails. The fantasy travel options are endless. As a writer of fantasy filled with reimagined histories and magical mysteries, my worldbuilding is inspired by real-world history flavored with a little (or a lot of) magic. And that includes fantasy transportation.

In my fantasy mystery series, The Planar Pages, Fiona Thorne tackles mysteries that span multiple worlds. That includes worlds based on elements. So, what fantasy travel options are available to an investigator who needs to travel across worlds quickly?

We’ll start with the most unique form of fantasy travel.

Page Turning

Amongst the population of the pages (worlds) of The Book (the known universe) are page turners, also known as turners. These individuals can step from one world to another in moments.

Fiona felt in the center of her being the flip of pages until she hit the thrum of the right one. Satisfied, she tuned to the specific pagemark that lined up with their place in Spine. The air shimmered around them and the world folded away to reveal wide-open sky.

– BETWEEN THE LINES (book one)

Any travel between worlds requires the assistance of a turner, making them vital to interworld commerce. Not that Fiona has any interest in that. But a certain Captain certainly does.

Airships

With the airship Big Betty and her loyal crew, Captain Henrietta transports goods for a fee. There’s an extra fee if the paperwork is, well, nonexistent.

So, how does an airship made of wood and metal exist in Mistral, page of air, a world with no trees? Let Captain Henrietta explain:

“…I don’t know any ship that can make it through a page turn fast enough. They’re big and bulky. And you’d have to make sure everyone was working together in congruence with the turn. Hard enough to get a crew working together just to sail the blasted thing. I trust mine to know what they’re doing, but sailing across a page? That frightened even the heartiest of ’em.”

“But if you couldn’t get it in one go, how did you get Big Betty to Mistral at all?” Gaili asked, brow furrowing.

Henrietta snorted. “Bit by bit, ’course.”

– PRESSED (book three)

Ornithopters

If you don’t have access to an airship but you still need to fly somewhere in a hurry, you need an Ornithopter.

They flew then, through the blue sky, ornithopter wings flapping to keep them aloft. A constant breeze buffeted against them. Fiona dived lower trying to shake the current and settle into a calm area where she could speed ahead. She had always liked to fly.

– BETWEEN THE LINES (book one)

They’re also portable and ideal in the kind of emergency only an investigator or a member of the Travel Guild can find themselves in.

Didia shrugged off her pack and dug in. She pulled out a folded Travel Guild ornithopter and handed it to Fiona, “Here, let’s see if we can’t get above the clouds and spot the creature.”

“How in the world did you–“ Fiona stopped upon seeing Didia pull another ornithopter out of the bag. She couldn’t help herself and said, “You have more tricks than you let on.”

– COVER TO COVER (book five)

Horseless Carriages

For a fantasy travel option that’s both magically influenced and technologically advanced, look no further than the Court of Copper, home of the fae. No horse? No problem.

The carriages were horseless, running on alchemical concoctions produced in the Court from the various harvests of the tree nymphs and fairy farmers, making them faster and more efficient than any other page. There was still an attendant to top off the concoctions and direct the carriage, but all in all one couldn’t ask for a more comfortable, quick journey through the countryside.

– HARD BOUND (book two)

If the contraptions of the fae aren’t available, there’s always the option of a carriage with a horse or two. There’s also another option.

Chariots

In Kerus, realm of the beastfolk, chariots are available when speed is prioritised over comfort.

Fiona held on tightly to the wooden sides of the chariot. Though she knew Dodger was less likely to careen out of control than some, the quick speed was more than she expected. The dusty stone road was lined with borders of short stepping-stone pillars. While Fiona felt hearty thanks to emperors gone by for not having to drive on a dirt path or through shifting sands, it was not exactly a smooth ride. The wheels clacked loudly, drowning out even the hooves of the horses.

– FRAYED EDGES (book four)

These are only a few of the fantasy travel options available in the world-spanning adventures of Fiona Thorne.

For more worldbuilding lore from The Planar Pages, the Behind the Pages series of blog posts includes: 

• Adventurous Women from History

• Fiona Thorne’s Renaissance Inspired Style of Dress

• Renaissance-era Venice and the Court of Copper

To discover all the fantasy travel options on offer in The Planar Pages, you can binge the series, starting with BETWEEN THE LINES.