Imperial Messengers

Come join the Imperial Messengers! See the world! Serve the Empire and visit the courts and castles of the great and powerful! 

 Recruiting sign at the Imperial college 

"They do make it sound all glamorous.  And yes, you might sometimes visit those courts and castles but mostly it's the Transfer Stations and small Legion keeps that patrol the roads. Not so nice as a good inn and all under Legion command and discipline. Still, you ain't under them- just answer and carry the messages no matter the customer.  The pay is ok. You get the official white uniform, a spare and a replacement each year. And you usually don't gotta worry about bandits or spies out to intercept your deliveries. Usually. I mean that is why they teach you the tricks as you advance.  The Hidden Pocket, the Door Pass, the  Switch and the rest.  The risky jobs go to the senior aces. Or you might just get a regular Transfer Station post.  Still, mind you, there are the perks.  Requisition notes for scrolls, potions, Arcane Crystal items, maybe some enchanted goods or the Imperial Portals.  The use of portals when on duty. Step in at some frontier Governor's palace or remote Legate's keep and step a step closer to the main provinces or the outer Shards. Cross the whole Empire east to west or west to east in just a few portals.  It's a sweet job and you can keep a romance in a dozen towns if you want."

Career

Qualifications

The Messengers are recruited from the Imperial schools, amongst students who have taken the tests or meet citizen status by family. Obviously they can read and write and do figures and calculations. If they can't ride, they are taught. Recruits start with the signal fire messaging, geography, and mastering the first Trick. If they get these down, up to and including the Trick, they become Grunts (private) and get stationed under a Garrison Commander in some Transfer Station or Legion Keep. You keep the Station logs and verify in coming and out going logs from Garrison Cadets and higher ranked messengers. You care for the mounts and tack. You do as directed by the Garrison Officer of the Messengers or any superior officer.

Career Progression

Once the First trick is mastered you become a Special Grunt or first rank private. You now may be elevated to local deliveries in villages, towns and cities and get posted within the Imperial provinces. Privates are stationed at and work in a specific location. Promotion is to Second and Third Rank Private. By this time you should have mastered the Second Trick, the Door Pass. Possibly even the third, the Switch.
The real working jobs start at the next promotion: Garrison Cadet. Now you get a log book to record message origin and delivery points. The Garrison Commander seals and distributes messages to Cadets for transfer to specific stations or locations. The seal gives additional delivery directions and has a specific message seal which is colored for a Garrison Commander or higher ranked official to open with a special key.
Garrison Officers have mastered the Switch. They keep the books at Stations and Keeps or other posts. Collecting fees or Government tokens. Funds are logged and turned over to the Commander. Garrison Officers are assigned more difficult routes or challenging missions.
Garrison Commanders maintain Transfer Station readiness, distribute pay and grant requisition notes. They maintain records and accounts with the Officers and will be checked by Local, Small Council or Provincial/ Frontier Masters of Revenues. These Masters will also collect fees and distribute pay and requisition notes.
Division Line Messengers have mastered the Speed Trick and will be posted in Governor's Palaces, Ligates Keeps and may be posted with active Legions.
The mastery of the Distance Trick is essential for promotion as a Division Officer. These Messengers are given the most difficult and challenging missions. They are posted in hazardous locations or foreign countries in support of higher-position officials.
Division Commander oversees the embassy's, Governor's, General's and Dominar's messengers.
Legion Line Messengers serve the Prefects and Local Masters under a Legion Line Officer, principally carrying funds, reports, orders and other important communications between the Ministers and the outer empire officials.
Legion Line officers also serve the Legion Commanders who are the Messengers of the Lords, Ministers and the Emperor and imperial family.
The Marshall of the Messengers is the highest executive officer and reports to the Lord Monitor, the chief of spies and imperial assassins.

Payment & Reimbursement

At each promotion Messengers get a promotion bonus. Regular pay is ten silver Talents per week per level of advancement plus ten silver talents for each Trick mastered. Standard room and board is included with one month leave annually. They are issued uniforms in black and blue colors (starting at dark indigo and getting lighter blue with higher rank) with a special triangular hat and the white or ivory sash of a scribe or scholar. Messengers are permitted the half hair style of a scholar, scribe or priest (Mohawk, half side, tonsure). Commanders are given a blue sash of gentry/ aristocratic status. It is expected that hair is worn in a bun or wrapped for commanders.

Other Benefits

At each promotion from Recruit one Requisition Note is granted. Added Notes may be granted as part of duties. This may be used for personal transfer by Imperial Portals- this is the most frequent official cause for Note issues. Requisition Notes may also be used for gaining scrolls, potions or Talismans from Imperial Mages or the Mage school. Items may also be obtained from the Temples and shrines of the Order of Heaven. Arcane crystal item sor shards may be obtained from Imperial stores. It is possible to requisition an artifact or enchanted item from The Church, Mage Collge or other Imperial stores.
Of course, Messengers have an aura of adventure and mystery- traveling near and far and carrying messages mundane, important or even secret, along with transferring sums of money. While not as romantic as a heroic Legionaire, the Messengers still have a reputation of courage and wits.

Perception

Social Status

Messengers have a popular reputation for derring do, bold escapes from bandits, robbers, monsters and spies and doing their duty against all hazards and in all weather.

Operations

Tools

Uniforms- starting at deep indigo blue and progressing to a light pastel at highest ranks and the tricorner hat of Messengers. Once entrusted with message delivery they are issued the personal log which is presented when a message is assigned and sighed on delivery.  At Transfer Stations, Keeps and other offices of the messengers at each level additional logs are kept on message carriers assigned, and messages taken in and sent out.  Stations, keeps and other posts will keep mounts.  Portals exist where Legion troops are stationed. 

The main tools outside of reliability, riding, reading, writing, geography and navigation are the Magical skills nicknamed Tricks.  These magics are Mystic arts.

1. Hidden Pocket: Creates a 1x1x1 pocket dimension on the person. Opens on keyword command. It remains so long as something is in the pocket.  Essence cost is 5, -1 per success at Spirit roll and Mystic Skill.
   
2. Door Pass: May pass through any physical door that is not magically warded or sealed. Roll Spirit + Mystic to enact at 5 essence.  Magical doors may be tested at Smarts vs Force of the door magic.
   
3. Switch:  In line of sight may swap position with another person or being.  Aim +mystic. Cost is 5 essence.
   
4. Speed: May make double movement, even if mounted. On raise speed is tripled. Duration is one hour. 5 Essence. Mystic +Vigor.
   
5. Distance:  Teleport to a point in direct line of sight.  Strength+Mystic.  10 essence