Messages
From Neverend
Messages are done using in game features rather than a game menu. Towns will typically have a messenger or mail NPC, and a messenger or mail building. Players can go to the building or find a messenger to receive any messages for the player, and the player is told if there are no messages or if the message system is having difficulty.
Players can encounter NPCs who give messages, but these NPCs tend to be part of a guild, enemy organization, from an enemy, from a city, from authorities, from or a quest. Players can send NPC messengers to deliver messages if the player is part of a guild that allows this, but typically NPC messengers have text pertaining to other NPCs rather than being sent by players. NPC messengers can become combatants after speaking to a player, such as an enemy sending a message, or they can become party members or followers, such as a message from a benefactor.
Message NPCs can include animals, including pigeons, ravens, crows, doves, owls, runaway horses and mules, magically talking animals, intelligent animals, and monsters.
Instant messages can be sent by psionic communication and magic item communication, by directly giving a message to the player. Esoteric communication can take place in dreams or sudden visions, usually from quests or from using a ritual or magic item. A "dream speak" spell can send messages to dreamers.
When sending a message, the sender is notified if the message fails for any reason, such as an NPC not delivering correctly. Because the NPC appears in the vicinity of the player, this should not happen, but can occur from obstacles or sudden changes in terrain or building layout. Messages sent to NPCs as part of an errand or quest will give the sender notification if the messenger was killed and the message needs to be resent.
Message NPCs from players cannot be targeted for attack. Message NPCs that are not from players, such as random travelers and quest NPCs can be attacked.
Interception of players to player messages by killing an NPC messenger is not enabled, but may be tested if it adds a political or guild aspect. Certain situations may exist where messenger NPCs can be intercepted, such as messages using an assassin or thief, messages from an enemy faction or guild, messages from criminals, messages using insecure methods, or messages that provide some information, quest or reward if found by another player.
