Resource Fanfic Writer's Desk: Your Place for Writing Discussion, Questions, and Advice

I take it that you have not seen Princess Mononoke. What A****aka wear have no back side, they are just sleeves that are knotted together.
Here is the best picture I could find to illustrate

 

Do anybody know exactly how Force imbued items like the Force adepts Force talisman work? And will they still have their power if another person uses it?

 

I would think it would depend on the item and how it was imbibed. By the looks of the RP rules, it can only be used by the person who created it. The explanation doesn't really translate to 'real world' for lack of a better term because it gives a bonus on a roll, but I think that would mean it could give the user a little extra boost.

But the great thing about fanfic is, you can make it up! If you want someone else to be able to use it, do it! To my imagination, it would take a lot of meditation and focus to transfer some Force power to an object, especially an inanimate one.

 

When I looked up that exact garment, I found garments with no back sides. They were sleeves. They were also called arm sleeves. I think that's what they're called because that's what I found.

 

Have we seen any Force user who can manipulate/control plant life?

 

Wasn't there a zombie SW book called Red Harvest that dealt with a Jedi who can control plants?

 

Yep, and I'm pretty sure one of the WotC sourcebooks mentions something about the ability to manipulate plant life (rapid growth stimulation, for one thing).

 

thanks

thanks, do you remember what book?

 

It is in the Power of the Jedi Source Book and The Jedi Path.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Plant_Surge

 

* What do people think of using word with a rather clear cultural association like samurai, hougan, seidh, pharaoh, tsar, jarl, yakuza, etc.

* On similar point if I want to use feng shui, should I use the word feng shui a different word and if so what word/s?

* Have we seen any Force user who visibly heal wounds, instead of just speed up the natural process?

 

As for one and two, I'd say to first take a look at the concept you are trying to encapsulate with the culturally-associated word, such as "warrior caste" for samurai, "great leader" for pharaoh and tsar, and "criminal syndicate" for yakuza, etc.; the same can be extended to concepts like feng shui. Choose how you want to apply such a concept to your stories, pick a name for it, then when you introduce it to your readers in whatever piece it first appears in, you have the option of either giving a brief, expository rundown, or string out bits and pieces throughout the narrative for the reader to piece together.

As for your third question, I don't recall seeing any visible wound-healing, at least not in the physical sense. In The Approaching Storm, however, Barriss Offee heals a pair of Ansonians of hitherto incurable brain injuries fairly quickly (don't recall exactly how long, though).

 

I agree with Goodwood. I also think that, to starwars-ize concepts like feng shui, you could create a word from some well-known Latin or Ancient Greek root to convey the meaning without having to go through the exposition (I might be able to help with that if you choose to go with that option -- my Latin is a bit rusty but my Greek is still okay )

 

I wanted to use the word feng shui once but that concept is so unique I couldn't think of a generic term for it. In that case you would either use the word or make up a new word and have the character explain the meaning. I don't think using cultural terms is bad as long as it doesn't pull the reader out of the story.

 

But what do people think of that SW have already used f.ex. the term janissary?

I have no idea and is looking for suggestions. Wikipedia, at least the Swedish version consider feng shui a sub-group to geomancy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomancy, but just using that word is to me wrong since geomancy usually just mean "a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or the patterns formed by tossed handfuls of soil, rocks, or sand." instead of creating good fortune by arranging your house/environment in certain way.

 

Well it's a funny old world - I've just been researching geomancy and feng shui for a work project!

I think geomancy could be an appropriate word to use, since it does have broad applications when it comes to feng shui - there is a practice to use the "geomancer's rule" in feng shui practice, that is, using the method of residual measures to find the essence of a place or structure by extracting all of the apparent properties and leaving only the smallest details. What remains is the purest form of that place, structure or element.

 

I loved the Star Wars parody on Family Guy when Han is going to shove Luke inside the belly of the tauntaun while saying something like, "I can get you in, I just have to feng shui some of the internal organs."

 

I am okay with everything up to severely Earthly terms, such as 'French toast' or 'Swiss cheese.' 'Byss cheese' took only a little effort to concoct, and is amusing, as well.

 

How about "eutopia" to convey that idea? Or "eutopothesis" or really anything involving "eu" and "topos". Throw in front the name of an alien species or planetary culture and you're all set.

 

How do people think this works for Force imbued items :

Force Artefacts
* An artefact can be temporary or permanent, a temporary artefact only works as long as its creature is alive and can often only be used by her.
* There exist many ways to create an artefact the most common is that an item is, consciously or unconsciously, imbued with the Force by their user, usually creating a temporary focus of some kind, but some time, usually in the case of really strong Force user or an item that have been handed down from master to student for generations, do the artefact become permanent and can even be a rather powerful one.
The quick and dirty method (that still usually takes years to master) is to use life force as part of the ritual, in other words live sacrifices. This usually create dark side items since the life force that is used mark the artefact that is being created and most beings are filled with fear, anger and/or hatred when their life is ending in a violent way. Some driven artisans also sacrifice their own life force to make their last work their Magnus Opus.
* Types of artefacts
Focus – an item that focus the user’s skill, making it easier to use them. Most focuses are just psychological crutches but some are actually real Force artefacts. It is important to note that a focus don’t enhance the wilder’s power, just her precision and not all focuses are universal but only works for just one or a specific sett of Force skills/techniques.
Catalyst – there exist two types of catalysts: those that makes it possible for the wilder to draw upon more of the Force then she ordinary could, and those that seems to enhance the output of the wilder’s Force making her Force techniques stronger while she don’t draw upon more of the Force then usual. It is important to note that a focus don’t enhance the wilder’s skill, just her power nor her ability to withstand the amount of the Force she draws in her. Also not all catalysts are universal but only works for just one or a specific sett of Force skills/techniques.
[term] – an artefact who through one way or another gives its bearer a set of skill or an understanding of a subject.
Protective talisman – by many seen as an subcategory to the focus type, the protective talisman increase the bearers resistance against certain types of “attacks”, usually mind tricks and/or mind blasts.

 

I question I have is what is going too far for you all in terms of Jedi and Sith powers? Do you like to see over powered force users, or in a sense to see them vulnerable to things like non force users?

 

I would say it depends on what Force tradition, the Force user what situation we are talking about

 

Gamiel let's go with a new Jedi Knight. What would you see as reasonable and unreasonable in terms of ability?

 

It really depends on a huge number of factors. For a non-Force user to overcome even your average Jedi Knight in a one-on-one situation, that person is going to have to be extraordinarily gifted and trained in the art of war, equipped to the nines with all the latest gadgets, weapons, and other top-shelf military tech, and have lots of experience dealing with highly-trained combatants. Even then, it's a tossup, as Jedi and Sith are taught in various combat forms and techniques from a young age (the former for defense mostly, the latter for attack). So from that perspective at least, it really depends on how one develops each character—whether or not one has a certain weakness that the other could exploit, and whether or not the other has the skill and means (as well as knowledge) to take advantage of it.

As for how powerful a Force-user can be? Honestly, the sky's the limit as long as the author is able to properly contextualize such power and back it up with good characterization (e.g., how powerful in relation to the norm for that time, and how the character came to have/learn to wield it).

Hope that helps answer your question!

Every Jedi Knight is required to be proficient in at least one form other than Form I: Shii-Cho, and is expected to have achieved mastery of most forms of telekinesis and mental influence (i.e., Mind Trick, etc.). In addition, they're expected to know the Jedi Code and basic philosophy of the Order, as well as ample field experience working with their Master prior to being Knighted.

And that's just the basics, the bare minimum.

 

Thanks for the answer Goodwood. I guess for me at times I see stories where a Jedi is just too powerful for my own liking. Yet I believe it can be done right with what you posted.

 

Well, I just put in a little edit there because there were two posts while I was writing that up.