Sunday, 29 June 2025

The other type of mail

In Mythic Bastionland, knights roam around the wilderness, seeking the myths. When they want the major news of the realm, they can return to a holding. But is there another way to stay updated?

This is a homebrew rule for using carrier pigeons to communicate with holdings. The company travel with a pigeon, trained to fly to a holding of your choice, and return to you.

When you want to send a message or ask for news, count the number of hexes to the holding. Roll that number of d6s.

Speed: How many 1s were rolled?

  • 0 The pigeon returns on the next day. 
  • 1 The pigeon returns d4 days later.
  • 2 The pigeon flies to the wrong holding and returns d6 days later. 
  • 3 The pigeon never returns.

Quality: What is the highest number rolled? 

  • 1-3 The information returned is incomplete.
  • 4-5 The information is complete.
  • 6 The expected information comes, along with some additional news.

Does this make sense? It seems logical that a greater distance would increase the risk to the pigeon. Why should the information quality improve over a greater distance? I'm imagining the holding's postmaster (pigeon master?) being overworked and having little regard for mail from people who are within a day or two's ride. They scribble down a message and think it's good enough. Messages from greater distances are taken more seriously.

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