The question of how Atlanteans view sexual relations has come up several
times. Everyone knows the Empyrean view on such things (prudes in public,
but if the walls of the Palladium could talk.) and the Varati certainly
don't hide their opinion on the matter, even going so far as to have
multiple wives to prove their manhood. Even the Sylvans have gotten into the
act, generating rumors about bonfires and full moons that we won't go into
here.
     But for Atlanteans, it's been necessary to play it by ear until now. To
clear up any confusion, let's talk sex under the sea. Under the sea, under
the sea. all right, we won't go there either.
     Telepathy adds special considerations to what has always been a rather
intimate act. There are several 'tiers' of sex among the Atlanteans. The
first and perhaps easiest to understand will be the purely physical. Given
the fact that telepathy allows for a level of intimacy unheard of on land,
purely physical sex is hardly considered an earth- or sea-shaking thing.
     Atlanteans will indulge in sex unamplified by telepathy for simple pleasure,
or for procreation. Not a big deal, nothing to write home about. Most see it
simply as just a thing.
     The second and definitely more fun level occurs when you add telepathy into
the mix. Imagine. there you are, getting cozy with your sweetie. You whisper
sweet nothings, they respond with caresses, one thing leads to another, you
wind up in bed together.and your minds touch. Even on a superficial level,
telepathy can be extremely powerful when conveying current emotion. Picture
yourself giving and taking in the arena of the bedroom. Now picture yourself
giving and taking while simultaneously experiencing every emotion your
partner is going through, and vice versa. You know what they want, how they
want it, when they it, and they know the same. Think mind-shattering sex.
You would be divine. A god or goddess. You would rule the bedroom and have
ample room for bragging, since you would know with absolute certainty that
your partner was as happy with the experience as you were.
     The third level is more rare, and actually doesn't involve physical aspects
of sex except amongst the very brave. When two Atlanteans wish to pledge
themselves to each other, forever and always, they undergo a joining of
their minds. And not just a simple joining to communicate either. It's
difficult for someone without telepathy to imagine, but picture this: You.
You exist. And then you exist with the full knowledge of another person in
your mind. Not just their personality, but every deep dark secret and memory
they possess on a conscious and subconscious level. You absorb their very
essence, and while you're doing that, they're absorbing yours. Every single
barrier is stripped down and you know everything about each other. Did you
enjoy squashing snails when you were a kid? Did they have a passionate fling
with a Sylvan while in their teens? Have you always secretly wanted to dress
up in Varati silks and prance around the Rialto singing showtunes? They
know. You know. Everything. Even after you both withdraw back into your own
heads, a piece of them is left inside of you, and vice versa. It is
intimate, and vulnerable, and humbling. And the reason sex so rarely enters
into it is that it would be very, very easy to lose yourself in the act, get
lost inside of their head and they in yours. When you combine such a
soul-baring act with the wild hormones and physical intensity of sex, it's
quite possibly enough to cause a person to lose touch with the world.
Possibly for a very very long time.
     So there it is, friends and neighbors. The next time you're out there
flirting up a storm, keep in mind that your unique magical abilities are
going to lend a certain exotic and unique flavor to the oldest exercise in
existence. Be safe, make like minnows, and enjoy!