The magic of Thought is considered one of the most dangerous to reveal; no man enjoys the idea that their innermost thoughts might be read like a book, or that they may be subject to control by an unscrupulus mage. Nevertheless, the ability to share thoughts is relatively common among mages; some scholars believe it is due to the social nature of intelligent creatures.

Sentient Thought is most often awakened through a close relationship with someone, or by discovering that one can feel the emotions of those around them. As such, it is a relatively painless awakening, though most people begin by being frightened of their power.

A mage who must use a focus for Sentient Thought (because they possess a sorcery talent) will often choose a crystal, a mirror, or another kind of reflective surface as their focus.

An intelligent being is not helpless against a mind mage--while most people are truly common and do not have a strong will, some people are stubborn as mules and unconciously resist all attempts to change or command them. Ss'tiss in particular are notorious for this, and it takes a truly strong mage to break past those barriers. In addition, an intelligent person will continue to resist a change...constant attention from the mind-mage is required for their manipulations to continue working.

LEVELS OF ADVANCEMENT:

None: Simply possessing the skill of Sentient Thought may make a mage vulnerable to high-resonance events or areas. Of course, a mage has no control over anything they sense with this level of skill, or indeed whether they sense anything at all.

Apprentice: An apprentice begins to learn to sense the presence of other intelligent minds, even if they are hidden, and may pick up the most base expression of thought--emotion.

Journeyman: A journeyman now begins to be able to control his own mind with a shield designed to protect against mental attacks, by gathering his energies and manipulating them in a protective way. This manipulation of his energies allows him to stretch his mind out of his body towards other minds, allowing him to communicate telepathically with another being.

Mage: A mage is well-trained in manipulating his energies and may now extend his protections to other minds than his own. He may begin to manipulate the perceptions and emotions of others and alter memories when the subject is unconcious. His ability to communicate telepathically increases, no longer requiring him to go out of his body to speak mind-to-mind.

Adept: Only the most skilled ever reach this level; the Adept is truly a paragon of the mind. The thoughts of others are his playthings if he wishes, and he may control other intelligent beings--their thoughts, their emotions, their loyalties, their memories...anything. He may control a lot, or something minute.

LOST ABILITIES: It is rumoured that the ancient Wizards had the ability to create a mind from nothing; they could erase a mind and implant a new one altogether, or create one where there had never been one before. It is doubtful that this ability is alive today, which is probably just as well.