Carrier Pigeons

Carrier Pigeons are the most common way that messages are delivered between long distances in Totania, particularly in predominantly non-magical regions.

Role in Society

Carrier Pigeons are bred in nearly every settlement in the world, save the Korvian City, Grandstone, and some Orcish settlements. Diplomats from these towns, cities, and villages will gift them to their allied lands as a show of good faith, as it means they would like (and expect) messages from you.
The Pigeons then will travel to their home nests when sent out. Messages are tied to their legs or necks. Larger scrolls are tied to their backs on some occassions as well.
During war, Carrier Pigeons are the best way to send messages at long distances to allied forces, as they are difficult to detect and harder to intercept.

Biology

Carrier Pigeons have incredibly long necks for birds, which help them carry more messages as well as fend off attacks from further away. Their feathers are dark and their beaks are hooked and sharp. The wings of a Carrier Pigeon are strong enough to keep them suspended for days on end as long as they have the stamine and food supply to do so, and the weather is clear.

Beastmasters

Those who practice Beastmastery are most commonly used around the world for message delivery.
They can train any animal to deliver a message, and some choose birds that can better defend themselves like eagles or hawks. However, the Carrier Pigeon is still a reliable choice for most due to its natural affinity for delivering messages, the fact that its easily tamable, and that they can keep them around as adorable friends.
Skilled Beastmasters can also imbue their Carrier Pigeons with magic enough that they can still protect themselves on their long journeys.

Avians

The Avian people of Udai, humanoid birdfolk of all sorts, have a group among them that resemble Carrier Pigeons. It is for this that the Korvians, who subjugate the Avians, do not use Carrier Pigeons. Instead, they use their Avian cousins, forcing them to fly out and deliver messages to the world.
Avians are much larger and, therefore, much more conspicuous than a Carrier Pigeon. They also generally do not have the stamine of a Carrier Pigeon, requiring more rest, which they are often not afforded by the Korvians.
What Avians are able to do which gives them a leg up on their pigeon bretheren is that they can carry larger messages and fully fend for themselves without any help. They are intelligent, able to fly anywhere in the world as long as they are given directions, which means that one Avian messenger can cover the ground of at least five Carrier Pigeons with minimal training.
Many Mammen, as well as others from various nations, find the use of Avian messengers to be inhumane, but the Korvian King often ignores any pleas from the Avians for freedom, and swiftly defeats any uprisings.