> JM> Nyslor probably had such a huge com bonus that he could communicate ideas
> > to people of any language. He could speak to their heart or something
>
> More likely straight into their minds. Which makes me ask, is mindspeech
> language-specific?
Mindspeech yes, Mindlink no.
> a) If it is; how do intelligent animals that communicate to their masters this
> way learn to speak the relevant language?
Oh bugger, I'd sworn to myself not to get involved in more debate on magical languages ...
But, here goes :
Intelligent animals communicate with their masters by the direct, wordless, transference of concepts from soul to soul, or from spirit to spirit, depending on your religious beliefs. This is a magical language, but it isn't a language as described in any but the most abstract RW philosophies of language. This kind of mental contact is known by many as "Spirit Speech". Sorcerors call it telepathy. Most shamans, and a few others, have the ability to engage in this kind of conversation more or less when they desire, BUT only under special conditions. Usually with denizens of the Spirit plane only, although they can probably use "Spirit Speech" during Mindspeech as a kind of pretty inefficient universal translator, especially for inter-species or inter-cultural communication, because concepts are not easily transferred or understood. Indeed concepts unknown to oneself, including most local ones of philosophy, fauna, flora, and magics, cannot generally be transmitted or received through "Spirit Speech". Thus, a Praxian master of "Spirit Speech" would be fairly unable to understand the thoughts of your Allied Humakti Greatsword. Only very widely travelled and unusually wise people would in fact be able to use "Spirit Speech" as a quasi-universal language. You could think of it as a universal language with an unlimited number of radically divergent dialects, if you like.
But, spirits who regularly communicate with each other naturally get better at this transmission of ideas, because their concepts of the world draw gradually closer together, at the same time as they learn how to do it. So, a man with a fox ally would gradually become more and more fox-like, while the fox would gradually be humanised.
There is also a Godtongue. Here, the worms are even larger.
But, if you use Mindspeech as a means of communication with someone who shares a common spoken language and culture, the flow of concepts is easy and fairly unhindered (some skill check probably necessary). Most intellectual and cultural concepts are shared in this case.
Direct communication of concepts from spirit to spirit is possible in Glorantha partially because of the physical nature (ie "subtle" matter in classical cosmology) of these things.
> b) If it isn't, why don't more people communicate this way?
Because the spiritual link needed is usually only possible via clunky magical methods. Because it is a fairly inefficient method, unless you happen to be a fully trained shaman. Because the Harmony of the Golden Age of Glorantha, when such methods of communication were routine, and easy, has been forever shattered by the coming of Evil.
Prince Snodal may also have made it more difficult to acheive, at least in the West, perhaps in the whole of Glorantha. This action may have saved the world, it seems, for some mysterious reason.
In the Fourth Age, it becomes virtually impossible to use any form of Mindspeech.
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