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So far in this series about time travel, we’ve looked at a number of things such as how it works, how it shapes both the world and the story, and so on. However there is one integral element we haven’t discussed yet, an element so important that without it, it just isn’t feasible: time travel objects.
You need a mechanism that makes moving through time possible, otherwise how could the protagonist in your story go to a different era? The great advantage of the fantasy genre is there is no shortage to the possibilities you can use when it comes to thinking of what objects to use. The sky is the limit here!
In this article, we break down the 3 main kinds of time travel objects to give you a general idea of what you could use for the story you’re making. One of them, musical instruments, is a popular choice, appearing in quite a number of works within the genre. This is chiefly because there is great and mysterious power when it comes to music.
The second group of objects that make traveling through time possible is artifacts. But not just any will do. The power to step into another period of time can only be found within objects that have great power. And such objects are typically hidden in far-off places in order to minimize the risk of misuse.
Some creators like to use things that are associated with the idea of time when it comes to thinking of what objects to use for time travel. Temporal elements like clocks or hourglasses are excellent examples since the audience already is familiar with these elements, meaning they don’t need to dive deep into how they work. This enables them to let the plot advance a tad faster.
This is the seventh article in the time travel series. If you’re curious about what else we have, you can find more on our blog page. We cover a wide variety of topics so you’re sure to find something that’ll catch your eye!
There are all kinds of powers in the fantasy genre. Some are magic-based like fire and ice. Others take their cue from the real world such as forests and water. Of all of the powers found within the genre, none are as mysterious and great as that of music.
Music can be used in a number of ways from moving objects to healing people’s souls so it doesn’t come as a surprise that its instruments can also be utilized as time travel objects. In the right hands, they can transport the user to a different point in time and he does so willingly, knowing that’s exactly what will happen. It is for this reason that musical instruments are prime candidates for time travel objects.
You see this more in video games and other visual media than you do when reading books. It’s because you’re seeing what the protagonist is doing, how he’s doing it, and how they’re taking him from point A to point B in the timeline. It’s easy to show, not tell the whole process from start to finish using the power of music.
Some games make traveling through time a key mechanism. “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” is such one. In that game, Link journeys through the doomed land of Termina, working to save it before the moon falls on it three days later. Whenever he runs out of time, he uses a magical ocarina to send him back three days earlier. Rewinding time gives Link more time to solve the quests, help the locals with their troubles, and defeat powerful monsters in the four main dungeons.
Besides the ocarina, other musical instruments can be also used as time travel objects. The harp, as seen in “The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages”, enables him to go from the Present to the Past and vice-versa. The beauty of relying on musical instruments to journey through time is that they can be used pretty much anywhere, provided they’re small and don’t weigh too much.
Musical instruments aren’t the only time travel objects you can use. You could always go with powerful, rare artifacts since they are an element heavily associated with the fantasy genre. There is an expansive list of options at your disposal from swords to gems so you just have to use the one that fits in with the story you want to tell.
A perfect example of featuring an artifact as an object that enables the user to move through time appears in “The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time”. Upon pulling the Master Sword from its pedestal in the Temple of Time, Link is placed asleep for seven years until he is old enough to use it. Once he awakens and learns what he must do in order to save Hyrule from Ganondorf’s rule, he uses the Master Sword to move through his childhood and adulthood eras, either by placing it back in the pedestal or pulling it out.
Why might you want to go down this route? Most of the time these artifacts are found deep within places only a select few would dare trod. Places in distant, remote areas riddled with traps and vicious monsters. These spots give the protagonist obstacles and challenges he must overcome in order to reach these artifacts and they also serve as riveting storytelling.
There is a reason why these artifacts were nestled in the heart of these remote places. Due to the great power that simmers within, they were placed in these spots in order to ensure that only those with a righteous heart and a desire to keep evil at bay could obtain and use them. They’re a danger if they fall within the wrong hands but a powerful asset for the right person.
When it comes to time travel, they are perfect because they contain powers that draw the forces of evil who endeavor to use them for their own end. They wish to travel to a different era in order to conquer the world and defeat their opponents before they can mount an effective defense. The protagonist desires to obtain them before the villain does so that he can use the power of time travel to help him in his quest against him.
Though there’s a great variety of objects you can use for time travel, there are some that are associated with time that works perfectly. The best part of using them is that there’s no need to explain them, your audience will instinctively understand based on their experiences in the real world. All you have to do is show how they make time travel possible.
Common temporal elements you can designate as time travel objects are things like clocks or hourglasses. Even though they are heavily association with time, they still need to be placed in remote areas simply due to the power that lies within them. You don’t really want the villain in your tale to get his hands on them before the protagonist does, unless that is what you’re going for which makes for compelling storytelling.
Other kinds of temporal elements you could go for are portals or doors that have symbols of time etched on them. Opening and stepping through them instantly transports you to a different era. You could easily have the main character go back if he needs to or have them power down after he steps foot in the other era and he must find a way to restore power to them so that he can return to his original time.
You could also imbue time-related artifacts with the power to send the user through time. Things like gears or cogs work well as time travel objects since they enable clocks to function effectively.
In some worlds there are beings so powerful that they can bend time to their will. They are revered by their followers and are considered their patron deities. They work to ensure that time flows normally and they let a select few go through time, only after they have received their blessing to do so. These beings will not let anyone harm the normal flow of time since it could destabilize the world.
The most common way people move through time is through the use of certain objects that make it possible. Creators explain them and show their audience how they work so that they understand exactly what’s going on and they don’t have to go through it again when these objects are used again later on in the plot.
There are 3 main types of time travel objects. The first is musical instruments. In the fantasy genre, music has the power to do a lot of things it doesn’t do in the real world. Through musical instruments, people can change weather, heal others’ souls, instantly teleport to other locations and even go to a different period of time!
Powerful artifacts are excellent ideas to use as time travel objects. The powers they wield come in a variety of forms from prolonging the lives of those who use them to giving them the ability to journey through time. Just be sure to put them in distant areas and make it difficult for those seeking them to reach.
And lastly, the third kind is those that are associated with time. Temporal elements like clocks or portals etched with the symbols of time work well here since their relationship with time is easy to understand. You could also have deities who wield great temporal power as well.
Time travel objects are fun to use in storytelling although there’s the risk they could be used for sinister purposes. There are many fantastic avenues you could pursue while incorporating them into your own stories!
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Sunfire
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