Context:

Thinking about in some stories/shows where they deliver messages attached to arrows and wondering what a non-threatening method might look like.

  • superkret@feddit.orgEnglish
    8·
    12 days ago

    What tech level?
    A drone is the obvious choice.

    With medieval tech, it gets more complicated…
    A trained falcon is possible. Or a messenger pigeon.
    An unarmored rider on a fresh horse will get to anywhere within arrow distance in half a minute, too.
    If you want to transmit just a message, not physical objects, use flags, drums, whistling, a bugle, or smoke signals.

    Or get creative: Drill a 1/2" hole into an egg shell, drain the content. Put your rolled-up message inside.
    Fill up with sand for weight, cover the hole with a wax seal.
    Then use a sling to shoot your messegg.

    • ALostInquirer@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      4·
      12 days ago

      I’m thinking somewhere between medieval and below a drone. Also delivering a physical object, so not a message that could be conveyed alternatively, and without an intermediary like birds or riders.

      Really enjoy the creative slingegg idea!

      • Lag@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        12 days ago

        A looped fishing line between two locations so you can tie things and pull or push from either side. But you would still have to shoot an arrow with the line attached.

    • ALostInquirer@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      1·
      12 days ago

      Nothing at all, just seeing what people think of when asked this.

      However the real fun to my mind in this question is not related to delivering a message, but the method of delivering an object.

      • Dagwood222@lemm.eeEnglish
        21·
        12 days ago

        The thing is that you haven’t explained why the messages are being sent. Is it the floor of the stock exchange or a raging battle? Time of day/night matters, too.

        There’s a tendency in fantasy books to over-complicate things for the sake of world building. People have been arguing about the lack of safety rails on the Death Star for decades.

        Unless it’s vital to the plot I’d say stick with a tried and true tech.

        That said, you could throw somethign the size of a coconut pretty far with a sling or some form of catapault, and adding a bright colored ribbon would look good and you could give the colors meanings; like white for surrender or blood red for an individual challenge.

    • over_clox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      12 days ago

      I’m not sure how practical that really is. They actually have to have many homing pigeons carry the same exact message, on the assumption that many of them won’t actually go where they expected.

      They might change course due to weather conditions or whatever reason, or they could just up and die, either by predators, human weapons or even human traps.

      And that also poses a risk, with so many homing pigeons carrying the same message, then unless the message is extremely well encrypted, it still becomes a security risk if even one of those pigeons somehow gets captured by enemy forces.