How are messages sent over distance in your game world? Game of Thrones popularized ravens. Pigeons were used from ancient times all the way through WWI. The image of the rider on a horse with a bag full of letters slung over their shoulder is a classic image of the Old West and beyond. Magic adds even more options into the mix through spells and artifacts.
Message for you, sir!
Until you get to direct magical communication, there is a certain amount of tension involved in sending correspondence: you don't know if your message will arrive at all, or on time, and if the intended recipient will receive it. We can handle this with a handy-dandy little table.
| 1d6 | Message Fate |
|---|---|
| 1 | Message intercepted by an enemy; messenger killed or imprisoned. |
| 2 | Message lost; messenger killed or lost for extended time. |
| 3 | Message arrives, heavily delayed; if urgent, it arrives after the deadline; messenger hurt or exhausted. |
| 4 | Message arrives delayed; messenger hurt or exhausted. |
| 5 | Message arrives on-time. |
| 6 | Message arrives earlier than expected. |
Messenger birds
Birds, such as pigeons, are a very effective message-carriers. They could travel long distances swiftly. They were severely limited in the size of the packages that they could carry and they required an organized network to maintain. Birds can be trained to transit to only one location. This means that to maintain a system of bird messengers, there must be a support network that transfers birds from place to place. Only a sophisticated organization will have the manpower, motivation, and wherewithal to use them on systematic basis. When a message is sent by bird, roll on the message fate table with two dice and use the higher result.
Magic birds and bird-like creatures
Birds with sapient intelligence, magical bird or bird-like creatures, if they can be tamed and trained for the work, may offer advantages such as being able to transit between multiple imprinted locations, carry heavier loads, and travel even more swiftly.
The Pony Express
By far the most common method of sending messages is entrusting them to a courier who rides, sails, or walks to their destinations. Mounted on swift horses and using as good roads as available, they crisscross the countryside. Anyone who can ride can function as a courier, at need, though the use of folk trained in that trade is much more common and efficient. When a message is sent by courier, roll on the message fate table; if the courier is not a professional, roll two dice and use the lower result.
Magic mounts
Exotic or magical mounts can potentially decrease transit times or offer other significant benefits but they might also pose higher risks because of their inherent abilities and powers or value to outside parties that make it more likely they move to intercept.
Consulting the Magic 8-Ball
Once magic, or technology of similar nature, enters the mix, traditional messaging will fall to the wayside for anyone who can afford the service. There are still dangers and limits, however.
In terms of limits, items may have limited charges of use, before needing to be recharged or replaced, and spells will exhaust magicians. There may only be a limited number of messages that can be sent or received per day with the resources at hand.
Certain magical methods of communication may be detected or eavesdropped upon by outside forces as they're broadcast across the aether. Sometimes a physical message might be less fraught to deliver than a magical one, and draw less attention.
How do the kingdoms, empires, nations, and states in your world communicate with each other?
