So, I’m reaching a point in my newest book that I probably should have thought about a bit more before it was looming. The gnomes have recently made a flying city and I need to figure out a way to get people to it. It has to be unique and odd because gnomes are involved, but there are so many choices.
You see, part of the fear is that going too high tech will change Windemere. Final Fantasy has given a precedence for airships alongside magic. I’ve already made note that magic and technology have been combined. Yet, I’m not sure how far I can go with this. I’m not thinking real world planes here. This is what I have so far:
Mechanical Monster
Was thinking of a large, mechanical bird, but I might be thinking too big a scale. They do have to move products out of the city, so this could be a delivery vehicle. Still, this is one of those things that I fear would go too far. Why use any other transportation if this exists? Then again, why use this if magical flight is available in several basic forms and teleportation items are possible?
Crafted Creature
I’ve noted that the gnomes are into engineering, chemistry, and physics. I never showed that they’re into biology and the like beyond the Weapon Dragons existing. So, I don’t know if giving them a fleet of designed beasts would work. It’s also a bit weird to have a high tech, flying city and they’re using animals as transport. By the way, the technology used to hover the city has not been miniaturized and I’m not sure if I’m ever going to allow that. Unstable magics and chemicals. Anyway, a flying beast is always an option even if I go for mechanical and biological combined.
Darkvawn Dragons
For those that read the books, you might remember a minor character named DragonEye. He was a dragon who loved gnomes and was curious about their technology. It’s feasible that others are like him, so they might be acting as transport for the gnomes. This is to get front row seats to their inventions. Unfortunately, DragonEye did come off as unique, so this might take away from him.
Golem-Powered Helicopter
This I just came up with, so it isn’t perfected. A helicopter for people and small goods transport that has a few magically enhancements on the bottom to help with a steady liftoff. The rotors are powered by a pair of golems who ride bicycles on the inside. They are in perfect synch because of how they were designed and there are two sets of spares in case something happens. The gnome pilot directs the ship and does the important job of talking to any passengers. Now, this does bring up the issue of being possibly too high tech for Windemere. Yet, the addition of golems might be its saving grace. Unfortunately, I don’t think you can do many tricks with a helicopter like loops. Yes, I want to make one of the heroes throw up while another cheers for another.
So, what do people think? Any ideas on mechanical transport in a fantasy setting?
Legends of Windemere 
Charles, why not just give them the ability to jump very high or even the ability to fly by thinking it.? >KB
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Jumping to this height wouldn’t be enough. Also, I’ve already established gnomes as inventors, so I can’t give them that ability. Even if they could, they would still need something to move heavy objects on and off the flying city. Not to mention visitors since gnomes are pretty short.
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I’ve re-posted your query so you may get some extra help. Best >KB
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Thanks. We’ll see what happens.
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Reblogged this on The Mirror Obscura and commented:
Charles has a dilema it seems and I thought others might be able to help him with it. >KB
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How about a big wheel type contraption, like the London Eye kind of thing, or are you thinking of the city always moving rather than floating tethered to one location?
Zepplins may be another option?
🙂
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The city moves a little, but not much. A big wheel might be hard for pilots to fly, but the docking might be easy. Zeppelins make me nervous because gnomes cause explosions very often. A monthly Hindenburg would still be a problem this earlier in the tech’s development.
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I can’t wait to see what people suggest…
I, however, have no idea. You have wonderful story ideas, Charles.
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Thanks. Figure I have until tomorrow to figure it out.
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No pressure 🙂
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I am not very familiar with your story/plotline however I did read your post and immediately had a few ideas…
1) why not have Pegasus powered ferry type vehicles? With magic for steadiness and an almost vertical liftoff, goods, vehicles, animals, and people could easily be transported and the bigger the ferry the more pegasi to pull it.
2) Something slightly more high tech that can be toyed with however you like to up or lower the tech quotient would be a lever/pulley system that would be something akin to ski lift chairs, but with baskets. The dragons or manufactured beasts could be goods transport for the larger bits but for humans and smaller goods/animals this might work.
OR
3) Hot air balloons tethered to the gnome city by ropes, cords, wires, or magic…or all of the above.
Hope I helped!! 😀
http://www.alaynabellesmom.wordpress.com
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I was thinking of a Pegasus. I use a lot of griffins, which is why I’m leaving them alone. The only issue I had a hard time getting the Pegasus to fit within the metal world of gnomes. I’m still tinkering with them on this, so maybe.
Pulley systems would be a good one. It would work with the pedaling golems too. Now that I think about it, that could be what the inner workings would look like with the golem helicopter.
I’m starting to think with so many gnomes there’s going to be various styles. So balloons will be around somewhere.
Thanks for the help.
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Perhaps the metal comes in with the harness/saddle system, decorative horseshoes to help their hooves when they land, or the decorations on the ‘air’ boats??
I’m glad I could help even a little bit! 😀 Thank you for the follow.
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Actually, I’m starting to think the Pegasus might be better suited for one of the other species. I have a race of elegant cat people that might work better with them than the gnomes. I don’t know. Maybe the kid in me fears putting the poor things into something I keep imagining as rough labor.
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As a whole, Pegasus are much more tough than people give them credit for…though the cat people sound intriguing (as long as I don’t think about that Stephen King book/movie that I was stupid enough to read and watch together when I was in my teens…*shudder*)
Is there something between a dragon and a Pegasus that is not a griffin but does exist within the parameters of your world?
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Hippogriffs, perytons, rocs, large bats, and flying spiders are a few. Most of them are too wild to tame like the griffins.
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Large bats…Metal helmets and wing tips. Tamed by capturing the first few as infants and hand raising them, then breeding in ‘captivity’ and they can live in caves under the flying city? Of course, I’m partial to bats 😀
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They are fun to use. Not much use in the daytime, so maybe a night delivery service.
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Or perhaps a magical sunlight ward? *waggles eyebrows*
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Give them sunglasses. 🙂
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AHA! I think I’ve done all I can do here 😉 Thank you for allowing my ‘flights’ of fancy. I do hope I’ve managed to help in some way lol
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Thanks. You did help even if a few other races might benefit from the ideas. I’m getting the feeling that I need multiple flying machines in and around this city to show have creative the gnomes are.
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Could they use engineering, chemistry, and physics to make magic carpets?
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Axeminster Avionics Associated? (Axeminster are a UK. Carpet manufacturer)
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Probably not. That tends to be more magic and already exists in some areas. They’d probably mess it up by adding something heavy and metal to it.
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You saw the first season Avatar, didn’t you? I loved the blend of technology in the episode where Aang, Katara, and Sokka discovered the people living in the air temple. None of it seemed jarring. They used pulleys and such. But coal usage was high. If you think about how long ago smelting began, you can come up with something that seems plausible without turning the book into steampunk.
I can’t help thinking of the Flight of Icarus and how old that story is.
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I’ve been using steam and magic as gnome power sources right now. Haven’t introduced coal yet. Thanks for reminding me about Avatar though.
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Did you read the books (children books) in the Dinotopia series? Dinotopia is a fictional utopia created by author and illustrator James Gurney. It is the setting for the book series with which it shares its name. My youngest son loved these books. In it, Gideon rides a giant pterosaur known as a skybax. Others learn to ride the skybax under his instruction. There is a beautiful city (I think it is called Waterfall City) in Book Two. You can only access it by Skybax and they go on to kill a T-Rex in the desert by skybax. I love the idea of having a newly discovered dinosaur-like creature or dragons being the mode of transportation and think young people would like that also
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Maybe. Still on the fence about putting dinosaurs in Windemere. Dragons are a tough one too.
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Don’t call it a dinosaur, give it a unique name and make it a once believed to be extinct creature. Surely they had those. Describe it any way you like and have the locals building boxes to travel on their backs.
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Maybe. I’m still going to need to tech them up to have them fit the established gnome society.
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I may be over thinking this, but what about a sky tram that is a mechanical/animal combo. The dragon/bird/whatever living creature is magically enhanced and controlled by being hooked into a rail system suspended in the sky from a certain point and there are more or less air taxis to get people to the location. The gnomes make money off the endeavour, but things don’t always have to go right, obviously.
Idea 2:
People get a special set of flight wings created by the gnomes so that they can move about freely in the city but they only work for a limited time outside the city?
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I actually like that sky tram idea for something that runs through the city. So far, nobody knows where the flying city is. Maybe the tram will be something they’re looking to expand to a nearby city as the first ‘land port’, but there are issues. I wanted the people of the nearby city wanting a deal with Nevra Coil and that would be better than simple trading agreements.
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For what it’s worth. The golem helecopter, hands down.
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Definitely has some appeal.
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Do like the Telvanni in Morrowind and make everyone levitate on their own.
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Never played the game, but everyone being able to levitate is interesting.
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Only certain magi can levitate in Morrowind. It’s the Telvanni way of weeding out what they consider the lesser citizens.
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Makes me think of a reverse X-Men. Odd how fantasy has those with unique powers act as elite and other genres make them lesser citizens.
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I have a penchant for dragons…so I vote for the Darkvawn Dragons!!
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Thanks. We’ll see what happens.
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Can’t wait to see what you decide 🙂
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