The Ministry of Correspondence

"Sir - our courier in Leptiq has informed me that the package was delivered, and all special delivery instructions carried out."

"Very good. I'm sure that our counterparts will recieve the intended message, then."

"Yes, sir."

— A typical exchage in the Ministry of Correspondence

The Ministry of Correspondence is a branch of the Imperial Albion government, responsible for carrying out a number of services associated with the transfer of information and material. Its most public operation is the Imperial Mail, which allows for everyday citizens of the Empire to have letters and packages delivered for reasonable prices. Less well known is the Ministry's Office of Special Services, which is the primary intelligence service of the Empire.

Public Agenda

The Ministry of Correspondence is responsible for the transportation and delivery of messages, packages, and people throughout the Empire of Albion and also to and from points outside Imperial Territory. In addition to running the Imperial Mail, it also regulates the ports of the Empire, manages the national rail service, and manages magical systems of communication. It is responsible for interfacing with the Wayfarer's Guild for the regulation of magical transportation, and also has an office dedicated to the comfort and security of the Royal Family when they travel. It is one of the largest departments of the government, and few people understand all of its intricacies.

The Office of Special Services

When a package or message has unusual requirements, it is assigned to the Office of Special Services. Sometimes, one needs a knife delivered directly into a person's heart. Or perhaps a packet of documents has unusual pickup requirements, involving several locked doors and armed guards. Whatever the requirements the Government has for a particular message or delivery might be, the Office of Special Services is ready to oblige. They have a variety of couriers and agents located around the world, with the skills to accomplish virtually any task one might imagine. Many of these agents operate as contractors, with only their handlers knowing who they are and what missions they are assigned.

History

In 1802, under Emperor Robert I, the Prime Minister chose to gather several services under a single Ministry. The oldest of these services was the Imperial Mail (established in 1667), while the most recent was the Office of Railroad Development, established only six weeks prior. This was ostensibly to create for greater efficiency and cooperation between the departments being merged, but the PM's choice of name hinted at a deeper purpose to those familiar with history. It was the Ministry of Correspondence.

When the Little Dragon began his campaign to conquer Elbid in 1803, the Special Services Office of the Ministry truly began operating. It provided detailed reports of the war on the continent, and handled the delivery of aid packages to the nations opposing Carovingia's advances. Throughout the Dragon Wars, the Ministry of Correspondence continued to provide invaluable intelligence services to the Empire, and became one of the most valued departments in the Government.

In the years since the end of the Dragon Wars, the Ministry has expanded its reach globally, with particular attention to the southern continent of Lemuria, home to the Mu Confederation. They have also been involved with hunting down and handling the remaining members of the Cult of the Leviathan, under the auspices of Operation Bankpin.

Founding Date

1802

Alternative Names

The Imperial Mail

Parent Organization

The Empire of Albion

Location

Lundeinjon

The First Ministry

The first instance of the Ministry of Correspondence predates the Empire of Albion itself. When Edmund VII of The Kingdom of High Albion split from The Church in 1510, there was significant resistance among his own people. In an attempt to uncover plots of treason, Edmund established the Ministry of Correspondence to oversee and intercept messages being sent within the country. They quickly adopted a variety of clandestine methods to spy upon personal messages, including bribing couriers, infiltrating private estates, and magical eavesdropping. They were instrumental in keeping Edmund on the throne during the early years after the schism, but were hated by the country's noble classes. In 1527, Edmund's son Thomas VI dissolved the Ministry as a concession to those nobles, and it was not revived for nearly three hundred years.

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