Cursor- Imperial Courier of Tardev (KUR-sor (Plural: Cursori — kur-SOR-ee))
Imperial Messenger and State Courier
To most people in Tardev, a Cursor is unremarkable.
They arrive on foot or by ferry, dust on their boots, a satchel slung at the hip, a sealed tube tucked beneath one arm. They speak little, present their papers when asked, and leave as soon as their task is complete. Taverns remember them only vaguely. Guards wave them through gates with practiced indifference. Merchants note the seal, not the face.
This is precisely the point.
The Empire of Tardev is vast, layered with law, custom, and distance. Decrees mean nothing if they arrive too late. Orders fail if altered, intercepted, or delayed. The Cursor exists to ensure that the will of the Empire moves faster than rumor, rebellion, or chance. Where roads fail, canals flood, or borders strain under tension, the Cursor still arrives.
Cursors are trained to travel unnoticed. They do not dress richly, nor do they carry arms openly unless assigned to a dangerous route. Their authority is quiet, expressed through paperwork, seals, and an ease of passage that discourages questions rather than invites them. To interfere with one is known—widely and plainly—to invite ruin, yet few can articulate exactly why.
Some Cursors spend their entire careers carrying nothing more dangerous than tax records, supply manifests, or court summons. Others deliver messages that alter the fate of cities. From the outside, there is no visible difference.
Those who watch closely may notice patterns: a Cursor who remains in one city for years, seemingly idle; another who passes through the same garrison at regular intervals; one who appears at moments of unrest and departs before consequences settle. Such observations are rarely shared aloud. In Tardev, curiosity about state functions is considered unhealthy.
Despite their unassuming presence, the profession carries weight. A Cursor’s satchel may contain nothing more than ink and parchment—or it may carry the last warning a man receives before history forgets him. No one truly knows, and the Empire prefers it that way.
The roads of Tardev are long. Messages must travel them.
So the Cursors walk.
Career
Qualifications
Becoming a Cursor requires state approval and sponsorship. Candidates are typically selected rather than self-applied.
Common qualifications include:
- Literacy and numeracy
- Physical endurance and long-distance travel capability
- Demonstrated discretion and obedience
- Clean legal record or state-cleared exceptions¹
- Psychological evaluation for reliability and composure²
- Those physically capable
Selection most often occurs among:
- Freeman households
- Second or later children of Citizens
- Academy students showing promise
- Legion trainees with aptitude for scouting or logistics
Career Progression
There is no publicly recognized rank structure among Cursors.
Career development instead takes the form of:
- Assignment to longer or more sensitive routes
- Increased autonomy in delivery
- Trust with sealed or classified dispatches
- Occasional attachment to legions, courts, or administrative centers
Most Cursors remain in service for life or quietly transition into other state roles.
Payment & Reimbursement
Cursors receive:
- A fixed imperial stipend
- Travel expenses covered by the state
- Lodging and provisions at imperial facilities
- Emergency compensation for injury or loss of equipment
Payment is modest but consistent, intended to discourage bribery³.
Other Benefits
- Legal protection while on duty
- Guaranteed passage through most checkpoints
- Access to imperial stables, ferries, and waystations
- State compensation for family in case of death on assignment⁴
Perception
Purpose
The Cursor profession exists to ensure reliable, uninterrupted communication across the Empire of Tardev.
Cursors fulfill critical roles including:
- Delivery of government decrees
- Military dispatch transport
- Administrative coordination
- Secure movement of sensitive packages
In a realm defined by distance, bureaucracy, and layered authority, Cursors are the arteries through which governance flows.
Social Status
Publicly, Cursors are viewed as:
- Neutral
- Professional
- Mundane but trusted
They are not glamorous, nor are they disrespected. Most citizens give them wide berth out of habit rather than fear.
Interfering with a Cursor on duty is widely known to carry severe legal consequences⁵.
Demographics
Small.
Estimated at well under 0.05% of the total population, including inactive and retired members.
Most provinces may host only a handful at any given time.
History
The profession of Cursor dates back to early imperial consolidation, when inconsistent communication nearly fractured regional authority.
Over time:
- Routes became standardized
- Training became centralized
- Authority was quietly expanded
- Legal protections were codified
While the outward role of the Cursor has changed little, its importance to imperial stability has steadily grown.
Operations
Tools
- Official courier satchel
- Sealed document tubes
- Travel papers
- Imperial identification coin⁶
Materials
- Parchment and wax-sealed writs
- Encoded scrolls
- Small secure parcels
- Occasionally magical or alchemical items (restricted)
Workplace
- Roads, canals, and rivers
- Waystations and relay posts
- Garrisons and administrative offices
- Cities, frontier posts, and border crossings
A Cursor’s workplace is wherever the Empire needs a message delivered.
Provided Services
- Secure message delivery
- Time-sensitive dispatch transport
- Package transfer under state authority
- Verification of receipt and delivery
Dangers & Hazards
- Banditry and road violence
- Exposure to weather and terrain
- Political retaliation
- Travel-related illness or injury
Despite protections, the profession carries a higher-than-average mortality rate⁷.
¹ Legal exemptions are granted quietly by imperial authority
² Evaluation criteria are not publicly disclosed
³ Anti-bribery statutes apply more harshly to Cursors
⁴ Compensation handled through sealed administrative channels
⁵ Punishable as high treason
⁶ Nature of the coin is not publicly documented
⁷ Exact figures classified
⁸ Codified under imperial courier protections
“If the Empire speaks, a Cursor carries the words.”
Many believe Cursors are deliberately trained to appear forgettable.
Whether this is policy or coincidence remains a subject of quiet speculation.
Fully sanctioned and protected under imperial law.
- Obstructing a Cursor on duty constitutes treason
- Impersonation is a capital crime
- Confiscation of courier materials is strictly forbidden⁸
Some citizens claim that every major city has at least one Cursor who never leaves — always watching, always listening.
The state has never confirmed or denied this.
See Cursor - Imperial Dagger of Tardev for the cursor the average citizen doesn't know
Comments
Author's Notes
This is done in part because i need a secretive force that can operate empire wide and I've always been fascinated with a roman-esque naming scheme and i took inspiration from the Codex Alera series which inspired me to do a deeper dive into old Latin terminology
See Cursor (hidden service work)