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Transportation

Since pollutive technologies don't work outside of Earth, there are no cars, nor buses or trucks or nuclear-powered boats or jet-propelled aeroplanes or trains, or anything of that sort, anywhere in Elysia or her sister realms. These all continue to exist on Earth itself, but they have never been welcome elsewhere. Instead, Elysians cling to more traditional (and more fantastic) means of getting around; but then, who needs a car or a plane when you can walk into a portal and cover the same distances in a heartbeat, or ride a pegasus to work?

The Portal Nexus

Portals are devices created by the gods to connect their realms and dimensions together, and are the fastest and (arguably) the safest means of travel between the realms. They are translucent vertical discs approximately 3-4 millimetres in depth and four feet in diameter, with the capacity to immediately and automatically grow in size to accomodate larger users (such as dragons or merchant caravans).

Portals are activated by a combination of genetics and intent, so all you have to do is touch one with a destination in mind and you'll be sucked in for the journey, assuming you have the correct genetic make-up (for instance, a Nymph could not travel to Zanarya via portal because only Zanaryans are permitted there).

A journey actually requires two portals: an entrance and an exit. Since there are so few portals in existence (see the map of Elysia below for their locations), drawn carts and mounts are still vital as means of long-distance transportation.

Click to enlarge. The dotted red lines indicate portal connections.

Portals interconnect into a vast "network" so that all the other portals are directly available from each one. Even those portals that are genetically locked are still connected to this nexus; they just don't open for anyone who doesn't have the genetic "key".

Due to their nature, it is possible for portals to be accidentally activated, and indeed this is how many humans have found Elysia in the first place. However, to use them properly, the portal user must think clearly of where they want to go. If someone enters a portal while distracted, they will not arrive at their intended destination, instead appearing at the portal closest to what distracted them. In this way, it's actually possible to trick portals into helping you track someone down by delivering you to the portal closest to them, but it can also lead you into unexpected danger.

Portals in other realms

• Zanarya has one portal located at the Temple of Farahij. Zanaryans must apply for travel documents before they're permitted through to leave their homeworld, and only Zanaryans are allowed through it.
• Nirim has no portal at all. The only way into or out of their realm is by teleportation or on dragonback.
• Earth's many portals (which are hidden in scattered cities) are being systematically deactivated to prevent further "accidents", but a few still exist — especially in the ancestral lands, including (but not limited to) the one in Paris, France.
• There is a hidden portal to Acantha deep in Chandric Forest, but this is a closely guarded (both literally and metaphorically) secret, as is all knowledge of Acantha's very existence.
• The portal to Xanth's Temple is opened and closed on Xanth's whim so that none may enter without her express invitation and permission.

Beasts of Burden

Because portals only appear in certain areas, Elysians obviously have other means of getting from A to B. Besides walking (and flying for those with wings), beasts of burden are the most common means of travel.

Mounts do not merely carry riders, however. Some are better suited as draught animals, pulling carts and carriages, and yet others are used as a means of powering larger transportation vehicles (such as river barges travelling upstream).

• Dragons
  Bonded pairs can hire themselves out as a dragon taxi for anyone willing to pay the (often extortionate) fees.

Other rides include animals like the horse and camel, and even oxen in farming regions like the Nubian Delta. These animals are very similar to their Terran ancestors despite the centuries apart, so they can travel to Earth that much more easily.

Vehicles

Transportation in the realms has not really improved since the 9,900s XA because pollutive technologies don't work here. Instead of cars, we see horse-drawn carts and carriages; instead of powered boats, we see sailed ships and rowboats. Trade routes along rivers find use for flat-bedded barges and, in the mountains especially, hot air balloons are a favourite alternative.

Landcraft

Carts & Carriages

Pulled by various mounts, carts and carriages are seen most often on town and city streets carrying passengers and cargo, though they can be spotted on regional roads as well.

Carriages are rarer than carts as most Elysians are accustomed to walking the short distances across town; they most likely belong to the rich. Carts, on the other hand, are fairly common and usually seen ferrying goods to and from markets.

Watercraft

In some areas, particularly along the more popular shipping lanes, the frequency of pirate attacks necessitates some kind of defence. Since cannons don't exist in Elysia, a crew will instead include a ship's gunner — an elementalist hired to both keep attackers at bay (though of course the pirates may do just the same as a means of attacking, which can lead to some spectacular sea battles) and to make the journey go faster.

Karavi

A relatively slow merchant vessel used on the open seas mostly for cargo but also sometimes for a small number of passengers as well. A karavi is a large, flat-bottomed boat with a pointed stern and bow, a single mast and a single large, square sail.

The middle of the karavi bulges out to create an open cargo hold which is then covered in water-proof canvas (for short journeys) or a removable deck (for longer journeys) to shield it from bad weather.

At either end of the karavi is a small, two-decked "castle" which hosts cramped quarters for a small (8–12) crew; these towers are also where the ship's gunners are stationed throughout the journey.

Ikoiya

Faster and more maneuvrable than a karavi, an ikoiya is similar to a fluyt in shape, having a total of three masts with two large and one small sail each. Like karavi, ikoiya have a pointed stern and bow, but the latter is longer.

Rather than a single cargo hold with a removable deck, an ikoiya has two fully-covered decks, with the fair-sized cargo hold on the lowest. The second enclosed deck can be used either for more cargo or for passengers, with the crew quarters housed in the three-decked stern. The ship's gunners and most of the active crew (12–15) are then stationed on the top, open deck. An ikoiya's draft is so shallow it can enter rivers, coves and small harbors inaccessible to other craft.

Polémiko

A fast and highly maneuvrable warship with four masts, each having three large and two small sails. A polémiko has a slender profile with a tall, pointed bow and stern, and a relatively small cargo space on the lower deck. Shared but spacious quarters are in the two-decked stern, and the small crew (8–12) and army of gunners (3–8) spend most of their time on the open top deck.

Polémiki are usually part of the Espurian and Marportian navies, but are sometimes hijacked by pirates (which are then known as peirati) or sold off to merchants who can afford the extra protection (known as mercántiko).

Peiratis

Peirati, or brigantines, are polémiki that have been hijacked by pirates. They are often restructured slightly to expand the cargo area by adding a removable hold, like the ones on karavi, on the top deck at the bow. While the crew of a peiratis remains the same (8–12), there are usually fewer gunners (1–3).

Dhowa

Dhowa are found only in Zanarya and range in size from the deep-sea baggala with a crew of 30, to the smaller and shallow-drafted badan used on rivers and coves. They have 1 to 3 large, triangular sails, a pointed bow and square stern, and a relatively large cargo hold belowdecks. Dhowa usually have only one or two decks.

Coracle

A coracle is a small, round rowing boat manned by a single fisherman and used primarily on rivers. A simple bench is slatted across the top, and the catch of the day is hoisted into the bottom of the bowl-shaped vessel. Foot rot is common with coracle fishermen, since their feet rest among the fishies all day.

Piragua

Piraguas are long, slender, flat-bottomed boats used on Elysia's huge lakes. They often have a single mast with a medium-sized triangular sail for mid-lake fishing (since Elysia's lakes are actually more the size of seas), but piraguan fishermen mostly use oars to get around once they've found a good spot.

Piraguas can be small with a single crew, or fairly large with a crew of up to three pairs side by side, but keep their long and slender shape regardless.

Dori

Ocean fishing requires larger boats for longer journeys, and this is where the Espurian dora comes in: a triangular-shaped fishing vessel with a square stern, a long, pointed bow that sits high in the water, and a single mast with a large triangular sail. Dori have a larger crew of 6–12 (usually members of the same family) and can travel further. However, ocean fishing is a terribly dangerous occupation, given the piracy and monster attacks that occur so frequently out there, so dori crews have a frighteningly short expected lifespan.

Barges

Barges are wide, flat-bottomed river-craft pulled along tow paths up-stream by dashiri. They are then allowed to drift back down-stream under the power of the river's natural currents.

Barges can carry cargo, passengers, or a little of both. Space is always reserved on the return journey for the accompanying dashiri, since they can't keep up on foot.

Roads

There are very few actual roads in Elysia, with most being dirt tracks beaten down by travellers. Even the more popular "roads" are rarely paved, and then only close to a town or city wealthy enough to afford the material.

There are definitely no roads west of the mountains, and the major roads in the east follow the rivers Cora and Espira so they can also be used as towpaths.

There is some argument to be had over which is the most dangerous — either following the main roads or staying clear of them. For merchants, who need the more stable tracks as they've been beaten down by travellers so their carts and beasts don't suffer needless damage, the choice is a simple one; but the popularity of the river roads naturally brings the threat of bandits. Off the main roads, however, one may still encounter such thieves, and monster threats are much more common in the wilds as well.

Travel Times

The chart below gives some examples of the more common routes in Elysia for an idea of just how large the realm is and how long it takes to get from A to B without portals.

Remember that under their own power, people and animals need to rest throughout the day and sleep at night, so the actual travelling day is usually only 8 hours. They could be pushed harder and further, but would soon begin to flounder. However, ships and the like can travel for 24 hours a day since crews change shift.

The chart also assumes any gradients are fairly mild (going up and down hills and over rough terrain makes the journey much harder and slower) and the way clear; the traveller or his means of transportation are in good health/repair; they keep a steady pace; and the weather is fairly mild.

Any one of these would otherwise slow them down, but conversely, people who are accustomed to walking distances could travel further in a day than someone not used to it, and good weather or easy terrain will also speed up the journey.