This came up when discussing a plot: How common is it for a non-dragonrider to be transported from place to place by a dragon?
At the end of Dragonsinger there were dragons to take journeymen to their new postings. Robinton also makes some dragon journeys in Masterharper - but he had a dragonrider friend, and he does a lot of travel on foot or runner as well. However, that book was set in the Interval, when there were fewer dragons and no worry about being caught in Threadfall when travelling. (On the other hand the dragonriders wouldn't have been so busy either!)
Would it just be restricted to high ranking people, and if so, where would the line be drawn? Would a Master/Minor Holder be able to request this, or just a Hallmaster/Lord? And has the Pass changed things at all?
There are certain riders assigned to actual transport duties. Bronzes are usually made available to Lords and Hallmasters to transport them as needed as a reflection of their rank. Otherwise I think Holds and Halls can request riders for transport in certain circumstances, such as taking a journeyman to a new assignment, bringing in an expert whose advice is needed immediately, for moving goods that are perishable or are in immediate need, etc. The Hold and Hall would know not to abuse that privilege, so it would not be made available to holders and crafters in general. It's more for Hall or Hold business only.
Some dragonriders would offer transport services for a fee as a way of making marks (as dragonriders are not paid a salary as far as I know). This of course would be as their schedule allows. A crafter may barter with a dragonrider, a holder may have a family member who is a dragonrider, someone may be owed a favor, but the number to dragonriders available at any given time to transport someone would be limited. Therefore it would be a bit expensive to pay outright, and could be hard to find if you don't have connections and a quick way to communicate with them. As such, I think it would only be special occasions or emergencies when a holder or crafter would shell out the marks to get a dragonrider to transport them. I think boat or coach would be the usual modes of transportation.
That's my opinion, at least.
That's really helpful - thank you, Eimi! It sparked a few more questions:
One was about dragonriders and marks. I'm guessing they get most necessities (food, clothes, etc.) provided for them, but would they have to pay for luxuries (gifts, jewellery, decorations for their weyrs etc.) themselves? And if so, would offering transport be the main way to earn marks, at least for those who don't have a craft? Are there any other ways? The only one I can think of at the moment is gambling. ;) What about rankers, who might have less time for transporting things about...would they get marks for doing their duties?
Also, are coaches a common way to travel overland? I'd assumed people would walk, ride or possibly travel with traders for safety, who I'd thought of as going fairly slowly with large wagons, but having faster runner-drawn coaches for those who need to get somewhere makes a lot of sense! Would they be owned by rich holders, or a public service that anyone could pay for? Or both?
When it doubt, invent a trader caravan and hitch a ride with it.
As far as the coach idea, I would think that it would be an offshoot of the runner craft. Some packages are too large for a runner to carry, or need to go longer distances. I would think that along with the runners (the letter carriers if you will), you'd also have to have some kind of coach system connecting runner stations to carry mail and packages as well. Perhaps they take passengers as an additional source of income along the route. There might be a private coach system of a smaller scale, maybe within a Hold, but I think for long distance travel, that would make sense to me.
As far as rankers, I'm not sure. I think that's a good question. I an see it working a few ways:
* Maybe Weyrs are tithed marks as well as goods and they give rankers a small "bonus" out of it
* Maybe rankers are given a certain number of items from the tithe that they can turn around and sell to crafters or holders to get marks
* Maybe what they make off of message/package/passenger ferrying is more than they can use, so they have a large savings to draw on later
* Maybe they barter more than buy outright
* Maybe when they run low they just have to suck it up and take on an extra duty here or there
Those are some ways I can imagine it working. I'm sure there are others...