Telepathy
As I approach, the statues stand silent and still. Words pour unbidden from their mind to mine: Don't look at her eyes.Telepathy is a rare but powerful form of silent communication that few mortals of the Material Plane can natively use that allows one to speak directly to the mind of another. As native, base speech, often in place of verbal communication, it is common among powerful outsiders and deeply magical creatures; those who speak only in telepathy are often far from mortality in appearance and mindset. Spellcasters can gain access to telepathic communication in a number of ways. Most commonly, arcane and psychic mages can obtain the language through use of the Telepathy spell. More advanced spellcasters from across the full range of magical disciplines may have the ability to forge lasting connections with a number of creatures using the Telepathic Bond spell; these connections, if desired, can even be made permanent. Though the spells involved are costly and powerful, this is often a tactic employed by well-funded militaries to enable quick, effective communication between high-ranking members of command. Though seemingly straightforward, telepathy is far more intricate than one might imagine. Telepathic communication functions via creating pathways to surrounding minds. Naturally, this then opens one mind to external influence as well.
Limitations and Range
...he's gone. I can't reach him. what did you do?Telepathy is a flawed, imperfect art. It has strengths where verbal or somatic communication does not, mostly lying in the ability to speak unnoticed and unheard, but its weaknesses are plain to see.
Angel by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
The first and foremost flaw is that telepathy is limited by range. Whilst one might shout, use amplifiers, or send written messages afar, telepathic communication is most often limited by the ability of its user.
For most telepathic creatures, this limit is approximately 100 feet, or 30 metres - less than half of the length of a punting field.
As they are established with far greater power behind them, telepathic bonds are free of the limitation of distance - for the most part. Instead, telepathic bonds must be forged between specific creatures that must initially be in the same location.
These bonds are also limited, unless specifically made permanent. The limitations and powers involved make telepathic bonds useful in small groups, but impractible for larger scenarios such as armies or magical guilds. Regardless of the traditional range limitations of telepathy, one hard limit is that it cannot generally cross between planes.
Sensitivity and Emotions
It's in my mind-- It's in my mind, it won't shut up, make it shut up!On rare occasions, some individuals may be born with the innate ability to communicate telepathically. Others may yet learn it through practice and training, without the use of magical spells and aid. These rare children are known as telepaths and are often referred to as telepathically sensitive; they typically suffer for their ability by their lack of control over who may speak through the link to them.
Most frequently, if no other negative side-effects occur, it is found that telepaths have heritage granting them their strange ability - perhaps their ancestor was an outsider, for instance, or perhaps someone in their family had made a bargain long in the past.
Sometimes, these individuals grow up to realise they possess psychic skills. If this is the case, the lens through which they see their skills invariably changes. Psychic magic is unknown by almost the entire population, and is considered both a danger to the world and a serious personal threat.
These psychic mages must realise quickly that they must hide what they truly are, lest the consequences of their birth be unjustly brought down upon them.
Additionally, variations of these abilities exist where telepathy does not exist alone. Some telepaths are also empaths - beings able to sense and communicate via emotions. Empathic connections are generally worse for communicating speech, but work better with larger groups for sensations like urgency, bravery, or hope.
Telepathic Nightmare by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Known Uses
A surprisingly common use for telepathy, though perhaps a far less serious one than the others discussed through this article, is in magical libraries. The mages within often switch to telepathy to resist awakening sleeping vivopages lest they be chased out of the library in a storm of papercuts. Another use is in those who are mute, like Medimian slave Cintha. Though rendered mute due to an accident in her youth, Cintha is able to communicate perfectly well with Idonea through use of Medimia's sign language, and with any others through telepathy (or more generic hand signals).
Telepathic Attack by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
I always like when you write articles on things that exist in other settings, because you always make them feel so unique and well thought out. :)