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Has there ever been established anywhere the cost of sending messages?

For example: how much does it cost to have a wizard or alchemist send a magic pigeon one ones behalf, or to send a written letter via guy-on-horseback?

Braden Campbell wrote:Has there ever been established anywhere the cost of sending messages?

For example: how much does it cost to have a wizard or alchemist send a magic pigeon one ones behalf, or to send a written letter via guy-on-horseback?

11. Sign of the Winged Falcon: This is a courier service, specializing in the fast communication of messages anywhere in Rankin or
Credia. Costs 30 gold plus 4 gold per mile outside of the city limits.

20. Speedyquick. A messenger and courier service that boasts 24-hour service to anywhere in the region, no matter
what the parcel or distance. The place is owned and run by a gnome and his three brothers. Folks suspect they use teleportation
magic to deliver their parcels and messages in addition to flying carpets. Costs range from 100 to 2000 gold depending on
the distance and size of the package, add 100 gold per 100 pounds (45 kg).

Are the 2 I have found that mention prices, but neither seem to be long range.

Wow that's messed up. If you want to send a letter it will cost you a months wages if you are an average soldier.

Whiskeyjack wrote:Wow that's messed up. If you want to send a letter it will cost you a months wages if you are an average soldier.

Par for the course for how Palladium prices things.

My ballpark from Rifts: Houstown was 50-100 credits per ISP or PPE necessary for the spell or power. For something like Magic Pigeon, which doesn't really require anything additional from the caster, I'd call that fair.

1000-2000 gold to send a pigeon-o-gram (or, half of what a single-use scroll of it would cost)?

Still seems steep, but, it's a start.

Mark Hall wrote:My ballpark from Rifts: Houstown was 50-100 credits per ISP or PPE necessary for the spell or power. For something like Magic Pigeon, which doesn't really require anything additional from the caster, I'd call that fair.

Wow. Great stuff with the Houstown link, Mark. I am starting our Rifts campaign back up and decided to just browse through the other forums. I think this is going to be an awesome resource. The only reason I really clicked through the topic was to keep my “marked as read” circles clear Just goes to show that you never know what you’ll find on here that you may not even know you need!

Whiskeyjack wrote:Wow that's messed up. If you want to send a letter it will cost you a months wages if you are an average soldier.

the average soldier isn't likely to be using these services. the services described are the secure private ones that would be used primarily by nobles, well off merchants, and the like. for the average person you would be looking at finding someone in a tavern (or a friend, family member, etc) headed that direction and giving them a few coins to carry a letter for you. a soldier sending an official message is likely to head to the local garrison, which would have troops assigned as couriers to carry the messages, or army mages with the ability to send it via magic.

much the same way it was in IRL history. regular people, if they sent mail at all, relied on a bit of luck and social convention to get their mail moving, while the well off and military had access to maintained networks that ensured their messaged got through.

building off history, it is likely that the religious institutions in PFRPG are a common vector for sending messages and mail, the same way the church was in europe. not only would they provide scribing service (if you can't write or can;t write well), but the various temples and priests would have a network of couriers and such in place already to handle their own internal correspondence, directives, and so on.. for the appropriate donations or service-in-trade the average person could piggyback on that network to send their own messages. it might not be super fast but it would be easier. and since it is bundled with the religious mail, it might well be safer to send it that way than by normal courier, since representatives of the religious organizations are more liekly to be able to cross disputed borders and not be the target of attacks. (plus they are likely to be able to afford to send bodyguards along to protect their own mail.. and yours)