Astral Plane

The Astral Plane is a separate plane of reality, which is only accessible though magic. It is actually not just a single plane, but rather a spectrum. Different species use different spells or methods of interacting with the Astral Plane, but most use it as a means of communication. A different method will also result in a different plane that is being used. Some magic users are powerful enough to modulate their spell in a way to reach a different spectrum of other Astral Planes, while the most basic methods will only lead to one specific plane.
Most of the time, once you interact with the Astral Plane, your consciousness will leave your body, leading to an immobilized state, while your consciousness is active in the Astral Plane. There anyone has a very unique so called 'Astral Imprint', which they can't change and always and in any plane be recognized with. It is like a universal fingerprint. However it is impossible to infer any real-world knowledge about someone by just feeling their imprint.
While in the Astral Plane, total privacy of communication can never really be achieved, since anyone who figures out the exact plane that one is using could, if they were powerful enough to modulate their method of interaction with the Astral Plane, also enter that exact plane and listen to the conversation. It is impossible to just observe without being noticed, however. Anyone in this exact Astral Plane is always visible to anybody else and their Astral Imprint in that plane. On the other hand it is possible to make a conversation somewhat private, even when being in the same plane. Even though there is no spacial dimension, one can 'move away' from others and still be in the same plane. They can still be found by others and listened to, but they are not bothered by other conversations anymore. This process can be compared to several conversations happening in the same room in different locations in that same room. One can not sneakily approach an ongoing conversation, though, but their imprint will always be noticed.

Alternative Name(s)

The Fog