The magic of Animism is dangerous to she who possesses it if they do not have a strong will; such a mage can get caught up in the bestial urges and emotions that non-intelligent beings feel, and lose themselves. There have been legends of people who are insane and bay at the moon like a dog...such people are invariably ones who developed the talent of Animism and could not control it.

Animism is most often awakened through a very close relationship with nature and a true desire to understand the minds of those creatures and plants who do not think. A mage might be resting under a tree and suddenly discover their minds pulled into the tree's lumbering conciousness. The very first awakening is always a struggle; a strong sense of self is required to avoid succombing to the other mind.

A mage who must use a focus for Animism (because they possess a sorcerous talent) often uses small carvings of those they communicate with most, or perhaps a feather or leaf or tuft of fur of that which they want to speak with.

Non-intelligent beings are not possessed of senses of self such as intelligent creatures are; at least, not in the same measure. It is thus not nearly as difficult to manipulate their thoughts and emotions, or even control them. However, to do so requires that the mage immerse himself into his target's being, and so a strong sense of self and of self-preservation is required; there is always the danger otherwise of losing oneself in the creature's mind.

LEVELS OF ADVANCEMENT:

None: After awakening but before training is the most dangerous time for a mage; every time they attempt another joining with a mind they are in immediate danger of losing themselves. Fortunately, this period is often short; simply out of self-preservation, a mage will learn to use their talent in order to protect themselves.

Apprentice: An apprentice begins to learn to merge with non-intelligent creatures at will (or how not to) instead of by accident. They may divine the impulses driving a being and may learn the presence of something that is hidden.

Journeyman: A journeyman begins to learn to manipulate the impressions and instincts a creature or plant may have. A mage may communicate with the creature, but this communication is limited by the creature's powers of thought (or to be more precise, lack thereof.)

Mage: A Mage may completely command any non-intelligent beings, though the command must be understandable by the creature. A command of "Find person-who-smells-like-this" is possible...a command of "find person in Korresh" is not, since such territorial distinctions are not comprehensible to such a creature.

Adept: An Adept has enormous self-identity, and his power is such that those he contacts begin to take on intelligence of their own. Animal companions of an Adept are more intelligent than most; the more time an adept spends with a creature, the more intelligent it will get. While never equalling the potential a human or other sentient being, most non-sentient creatures can achieve a level of intelligence (equivalent to IN=1), which includes the ability to learn concepts (justice, peace, a country, honour, cowardice, etc) and to use a limited form of reason. If the Adept ceases to spend time with them, the creatures gradually lose their intelligence until they are once more nothing but ordinary creatures.

LOST TALENTS: It is rumoured that the ancient Wizards had the ability to 'evolve' creatures into beings that were intelligent and remained that way, as intelligent as any human or elf. These creatures could breed true, and some such creatures can still be found today in the wildernesses of Korresh.