Welcome to Gaia! ::

As with the thread about gateways, there are many different types of communication used in fantasy that use magic or mental skills. Among these are crystal balls (or other spherical stones etc) and telepathy.

Regarding an actual device being used, why are such things as crystals used?
I think they're widely used because people do believe crystals and other gemstones have unseen abilities. I've experienced different things with them myself. I've been told about one called Alum which is apparently a fantastic deodorant and relieves insect bites and stings as well as reduce shaving rash.
The lady who runs this place lives near me - Natural Spa Supplies - Alum Stone.

I've not used this stuff myself yet, but I probably will do when I can afford to splash out on such things.

When it comes to this sort of thing in fantasy, research is very important for me as a writer, and the same goes for any published or aspiring author. If you don't know what you're talking about, you have no clarity.

So, stones/crystals are a great way of either acquiring both power and means of communication in fantasy.

How would one surmise such things work? The concept is much the same for telepathy. I have created a separate topic for stones etc specifically, but this area is solely for communication.

Tolkien took crystals balls to a whole new level with the Palantíri in Lord of the Rings. He wrote a whole essay about how they worked and it's pretty specific. Poor Pippin was really unlucky when he took a peek at the one in Orthanc. Only certain people can use them and they have be be situated in a certain way in order to work. When they are, they can be used to look at things very far away or to "talk" to another person who is using one. It's a really fascinating essay.

I see a lot of stories where mirrors are used as magical communication devices, too. I think there's something about there being another whole image in a mirror that makes people think of that.

Alum is also used as a mordant for setting fabric and fiber dyes, usually for blues and greens. I've used it for that myself. That's been a well-known chemical reaction for hundreds of years. mrgreen

Berz.

I doubt it. The essay was published in Unfinished Tales, so finding it online is unlikely. The book is out in paperback, though, so it's pretty cheap.

Berz.

Who hasn't seen crystal balls, eh? Am I right? mrgreen
However, I don't think I've ever read that essay Berz speaks of. I would like to know more about it but if it's not online... I was hoping someone would post something about it on wikipedia. Maybe we should have a look-see...

Anyways, I think a crystal can be a really good way to store information for either communication or just data storage like a USB drive or whatever. I don't know exactly how it can work but that's besides the point, isn't it?

Hey! You know what else can be used for communication!? Shallow pools of water! 3nodding

Elaborate on the pools of water or the crystal thing?

If it's on the pools of water, well...

You see, I've seen a movie in which a character who can use magic can use a shallow pool of water to see a distant person. If I recall correctly, that one wasn't used for communication but, what if it could work as a phone in the Jetsons? A video phone, I mean.
You could cast some kind of spell on the pool of water and call out someone's name. The shallow pool of water would then act as a video phone and you'd be able to talk to each other easily. Or so I imagine... mrgreen

Spheres are used in Final Fantasy X and X-2. They're used to record sounds and/or visuals, and can be watched. Unfortunately, the game doesn't tend to show you how they're watched. I can't remember any part of either game that shows you how in all honesty (if there is I've forgotten). When the characters watch a sphere, it cuts to the "projection" being full screen. I would assume it's held out and the images are projected as though they're on a screen in front of the person.

I'm not convinced on the pools of water thing though Hypno.
I don't know what to make of it to be honest.

The crystal ball idea reminds me of the spheres in FFX and X-2 as mentioned above, and somehow hold more clarity for me.

I wonder where the first idea came from regarding using crystal balls and the likes to communicate with others elsewhere (in fantasy/mythology/witchcraft).

What kinds of crystal/gemstone would be most likely to work (if such a thing is/were/might be possible)?

There are a number of stones that encourage communication. The most gem-quality-like one would probably be aquamarine. I wear an aquamarine pendant over my throat chakra whenever I have a lot of speaking to do. Amazonite and malachite are also good communication stones, though I find, personally, that they help better with writing than with speaking.

For some reason, though, quartz seems to be the most popularized stone for crystal balls. Clear, white crystals are what most people tend to think of. We have a big quartz sphere for sale where I work, about the stereotypical size of a crystal ball. It looks for all the world like it should be sitting on the table in a fortune-teller's parlor. It's more than $600. sweatdrop

Berz.