Passive Delivery: Using the World Watchers, a tiny parcel or letter can be sent without any commitments to delivery averaging about 5km/3 miles per day, through even rough or dangerous weather/environment/terrain). Payment will be marginal – perhaps no more than 1sc per 10 miles. An individual in this group will carry no more than small 10 parcels. As a rough guide, an individual will have a 15% chance for availability, and a 5% chance of happenstance preventing delivery (banditry/theft, sickness, side-tracked, etc.). Concierge services may also offer free or reduced options from institutional members traveling.
Active: There are many messenger and shipping type services by primary enterprise (for payment hauling/shipping company) or secondary (merchants and agents using common existing routes). Each territory has it own parcel and post services. They generally travel at the same speed or faster than the casual Travel in the Steel Realms.
Availability: Depends on locale, remoteness, and risk.
Rates/Costs: 1sc – 5c per .5kg/1 lb. per 10km/5 lbs. / Letters cost about 1sc for 5 miles, a fee of 5sc to cross fiefdom boundaries and another 5sc per 50 miles of travel for supplies. No parcels will be delivered to hostile or war zones.
> Concierge Services: Direct, exclusive = 4x rate
Happenstance: 1% (depends on local circumstances)
There are very few places that offer anything like a formal postal service. Most formal settlements will have a parcel office. Larger ones will have multiple – typically divided up into districts. Each additional service will have a fee associated with it.
Translations: Some parcel offices maintain a few short dictionaries and translation services. Almost all are either manned, staffed, or owned by literate individuals. World Watchers are known to offer their services to translate as well. Many will also speak and be literate in Mercat.
Writing: These places are not professional scribes – though typically know the ones in the area. They will scribe simple notes for a service fee (writing materials – ink, charcoal, paper, quills, pencil, etc.), no more than a half page usually.
Known Agencies: Many formal institutions maintain messenger services either by bird or other animal, or a runner service of its members.