Ancient Jedi scholars wondered why it was that some beings had a greater affinity for the force than did others. Many young students of these Ancient Jedi had varying aptitudes in the force that could not be explained by only their varying dedications to the discipline. Since Force ability was often passed down through the generations from parents to children it was long understood that one's aptitude in the force was genetic. Additionally, it was also observed that some students progressed much faster in the force due to this innate affinity attaining levels of skill even a dedicated student could not achieve given extended training. This innate affinity, over time, was discovered to be due to the Jedi's unity with the force. From this it was hypothesized that innate strength in the Force, much like a body builder increases her own strength, could be increased through strict training. Initially the Jedi masters were clueless as how to go about increasing such unity, or oneness, with the force. None of the other skills seemed to affect ones unity with the force. Although, prowess in the other skills illustrated ones harmony with the Force, all failed to truly make the Force and the Jedi one and the same. As long as this partition existed the Ancient Masters knew that their powers would be limited. To better explain this, the following passage from the Tome of Nomann, written by the great Jedi Bendu (believed to be the first Jedi Knights), is used:      The Bendu Masters, furthermore, were aware that many masters, upon death, became "bonded" to the force and could reappear in a ghostly form. This unity is what the ancient jedi wished to achieved, not upon death, but during life. 
    The Bendu Masters, after extended experimentation and dedication, discovered that through specialized meditation techniques one could better unite herself with the Force. Through these meditations the Masters learned to "focus" and become "one" with the force. The meditations were difficult and time consuming, often involving deep trance-like hibernation states from which some never awakened. Once the Jedi Bendu mastered these techniques they would not be revealed to their students until they had attained Knighthood, due to the difficulty of the meditations. 

    With this new skill the Jedi had opened new doors to a better understanding of the Force, 

"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." 
- Obi Wan Kenobi  

    These Jedi Masters honed this skill to develop new powers and increase the effectiveness of others. These Jedi became powerful beyond imagination. Through this skill they were able to live beyond death and tamper with the very fabric of the universe. 

"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant in comparison to the power of the force." 
- Darth Vader 

As other tomes are uncovered more powers will be unveiled elevating the Jedi to their previous glory. 



 

    This new skill is often referred to as "focus" in this ancient tome. It seems to come from the Bendu Masters likening the ability to "...focusing ones Psyche into the Force to become one with it." However, the exact methodology is much more complex than this and a full description is not covered in the tome. However, what is known is that it required intense concentration and meditation; meditations so deep that some have not returned from them. A Jedi with this skill can unite with the Force such that he can focus her psyche to become united with the force and use that oneness to accomplish incredible tasks. 

    In game terms the Focus skill is considered to be an Advanced skill with the following prerequisites: Control 7D, Sense 7D, and Alter 6D. Because it is an Advanced skill it takes three times as long to learn and costs double the normal character points to increase. Since it is an advanced skill, Jedi cannot learn it without a teacher (or spend at least 10 times the training time in intensive study and research upon the subject and its methodology and pay 4 times the character point cost) However, since it is an Advanced skill a Jedi adds her dice of Focus to her Control, Sense, and Alter skills. This represents the fact that the unity a Jedi establishes with the Force with this skill not only increases the Jedi's Focus skill but also the Jedi's ability to Control, Sense, and Alter the force. 

New Powers 

    From the Tome of Nomann, the following new powers have been gleaned. Speculations on some have been made on my part as they were only mentioned in passing or only vague descriptions were given. All of these powers require knowledge of the Focus skill and cannot be attempted without that knowledge. 

Imbue With Sensitivity 
    Control Difficulty: Heroic 
    Sense Difficulty: Heroic. Modified by proximity 
    Alter Difficulty: Heroic 
    Focus Difficulty: Very Difficult 
    Required Powers: Emptiness/Rage, place another in hibernation trance, transfer force 
    Time To Use: 1 Day 
    Effect: The purpose of this power is to bestow force-sensitivity upon another character. The process is long and demanding, yet when successfully completed the subject awakens from a trance-like state sensitive to the force. 
    Imbue with sensitivity requires calm and peaceful conditions where the Jedi can concentrate only on the power. First the Jedi must place the subject in a hibernation trance. Following this the Jedi enters a trance-like state herself. The Jedi then bonds to the character while in the trance and aides in opening the subjects awareness and sensitivity. Over the course of a day the Jedi must be successful on all four difficulty rolls. A failed result on any of the rolls translates into the Jedi being unable to bestow sensitivity upon the subject. The Jedi cannot repeat the power again on the same subject until one of her Force skills is increased. However, if successful the subject is now force-sensitive and gains an additional force point which comes from the Jedi's pool of force points. 

Force Travel  
    Control Difficulty: Depends on method of movement (See Below) 
    Focus Difficulty: Moderate for the lesser version of this power (leaving the physical body behind) or Heroic for the greater version of this power (absorbing the body along with the psyche). 
    Required Powers: Emptiness/Rage, Force of Will, Hibernation Trance 
    This power can be kept up 
    Effect: This power allows a Jedi to absorb themselves into the force allowing them to travel in a ghost-like form. When successful the Jedi can literally step out of her body and travel in a non-corporeal form, allowing for travel through physical objects. The physical body is left in a hibernation trance while the Jedi's "Psyche" travels about. While in this form the Jedi cannot effect the physical environment around her nor can she be affected by it. The method of travel can either be accomplished through walking or flying depending on the difficulty level the Jedi wishes to accept (see the table below). Additionally, the Jedi can only be seen by those she allows to see her, however, other Jedi who make a successful roll vs. the Force traveling Jedi's Focus skill can "see" the ghost-like image of the Jedi. Although, resistant to physical damage and effects the Force traveling Jedi can be harmed by non-physical Jedi powers such as Control Mind, however, the Jedi is protected as if she were under the protection of the Force of Will power. The Jedi herself cannot use any Jedi powers while in this state. 
    Nevertheless, a Jedi invoking this power leaves her physical form vulnerable to harm, as it is left behind in a trance-like state. Most often a Jedi uses this power in desperate and dire situations, such as when held captive or when under the protective supervision within friendly environments. If the Jedi's body is destroyed (achieves sufficient damage to effectively kill the Jedi) than the Jedi is permanently trapped in her ghost-like state. 
    However, some Ancient Bendu Masters successfully absorbed not only their psyche, but also their physical bodies into the Force when invoking this power. This allowed them to effectively remove the threat of leaving their physical bodies vulnerable to harm. Furthermore, invoking this mightier version of the power allows the Jedi to "reform" her body elsewhere when she chooses to cease this power. Furthermore, completely absorbing oneself into the force in such a manner is truly just a greater extension of the actual focus skill. While invoking this greater form of the power the Jedi can appear anywhere she wishes in the galaxy, or the universe for that matter (granted she makes a successful difficulty role). Just as in the lesser version of this power, while Force traveling the Jedi is protected as if from a Force of Will power and cannot be harmed by physical means. Unlike the lesser version of this power a Jedi who successfully absorbs her body into the Force can move physical objects with her ghost form by concentration. A Jedi wishing to do this must successfully make a Very Difficult Alter difficulty roll, success allows the Jedi to move objects physically as if she was in corporeal form. Additionally, she can invoke any Force powers that she wishes while in her ghost form. 
Method of Movement  Control Difficulty 
Walking  Moderate  
Flying (10m/rnd)  Moderate +5 
Flying (20m/rnd)  Moderate +10 

    In addition to these methods of conveyance, the Jedi who invokes the greater version of this power, as the Force is in touch with everything in the Universe, can instantaneously transport themselves anywhere in the galaxy or the universe . Use the following table to determine the difficulty of the Focus roll. 
Distance of Travel  Focus Difficulty 
10 km  Very Easy 
1,000 km  Easy 
Same planet  Moderate 
Different planet same star system  Difficult 
Different star system same galaxy  Very Difficult 
Different galaxy  Heroic 

    This is an incredibly potent power, especially the greater version of it. Again the power exists more as a plot device than it does as something player characters can actually hope to learn. The powerful Bendu Master Nomann was known to invoke this power often. Many believed he did not die of old age; instead they believe he permanently absorbed himslef into the force and still walks the Universe in search of greater knowledge as this was his primary motivation. 

Invulnerability 
    Control Difficulty: Heroic 
    Focus Difficulty: Heroic 
    Effect: With this power a Jedi attempts to solidify her bond with the Force in such a way as to penetrate and bind the Jedi's constituent molecules together with greater force and resilience to external influences yet maintain the body's flexibility. this essentially makes the Jedi more durable and resistant to harm. With a successful difficulty roll the Jedi's Focus attribute is substituted for the Jedi's Body attribute, however, the substituted Body dice are now considered starfighter scale for purposes of resisting physical damage (this power has no effect on poisons and other such chemical methods of harm, but it does protect against radiation). This effectively makes the Jedi invulnerable to all but the most powerful attacks. The duration which the Jedi can keep this power "up" is determined by how successful the Jedi is in making her Focus difficulty. 
Focus Roll > Difficulty by:  Time Power can be kept "up" 
0-3  1 round 
4-8  5 rounds 
9-12  10 rounds 
13-15  20 rounds 
16+  Indefinitely 

    Example: Bendu Master Nomann (Control 20D+1, Focus 14D) invokes this power in response to the assault of a group of 25 stormtroopers. Nomann prepares for the assault and  invokes the power a round before they attack. Since erecting this power requires 2 difficulty rolls Nomann is conducting 2 actions this round and thus recieves a -1D to all skill thereby rducing his effective Control and Focus skills to 19D+1 and 13D respectively. Nomann rolls the control difficulty using his 19D+1 of Control + 13D of Focus, remember it is an advanced skill with Control as one of its prerequisites, for a total of 32D+1 (It is believed Nomann was the most powerful Jedi who ever lived). He easily makes the Heroic skill roll which the GM set the difficulty at 36. He then rolls the Focus difficulty which the GM also determines to be 36. He rolls his 13D of Focus and recieves a result of 45. Success! Since Nomann beat the difficulty by 9 he may keep the power "up" for 10 rounds before requiring another skill roll. Now Nomann substitutes his full Focus Dice (14D) for his Body attribute. His new Body is considered to be starfighter scale for purposes of resisting physical damage. So next round, Nomann wins initiative and decides to warn the Stormtroopers of their imminent mistake. The Stormtroopers successfully combine to fire their blasters (Damage 5D, Blaster skill 3D) thus adding +6D to Damage and To-Hit, thus the Stormtroopers fire at 9D Blaster skill and, if they hit, inflict 11D character scale damage. Nomann, makes no attempt to dodge, and the Stormtroopers are at medium range and thus require a Moderate difficulty roll which the GM sets at 14. The GM rolls for the stormtroopers, rolling 9D and recieves a result of 27, successfully hitting Nomann. Now they roll 11D for damage. Nomann defends with 14D Body, but due to the Invulnerability power this is in starfighter scale, thus the Stormtroopers damage is die-capped at 2. The GM rolls for damage for the Stormtroopers and getting a 3,4,2,5,1,6,6,2,3,1, and a 5 for the wild die. Every roll over 2 is considered a 2 because of the die-cap so the Stormtroopers effectively roll 20 for damage. Nomann rolls 13D to defend and gets 50, easily resisting any damage. 

Force Mask 
    Control Difficulty: Very Difficult 
    Sense Difficulty: Very Difficult 
    Focus Difficulty: Moderate 
    Required Powers: Emptiness/Rage, Life detection, Life sense, Sense force 
    This power may be kept "up" 
    Effect: This power allows the Jedi to mask his force "presence" so as to conceal herself from detection by other force-sensitives. This is accomplished through focusing oneselfs psyche into the force thereby fascilitating manipulation of the force rythms which surround and penetrate that Jedi. If the Jedi is successful she has completely masked herself from any detection powers used by others to sense her presence. This provide ultimate protection from detection by all known detection powers, however, it is possible the Ancients found others ways to "detect" a Jedi's presence while under the influence of this power. 

Neutralize Force Ability 
    Control Difficulty: Heroic. Modified by proximity and relationship 
    Sense Difficulty: Heroic. Modified by proximity and relationship 
    Alter Difficulty: Heroic. Modified by proximity 
    Focus Difficulty: Heroic. 
    Required Powers: Concentration, Emptiness/Rage, Enhance attribute, Froce harmony, Force of will, Hibernation trance, Life detection, Life sense, Place another in hibernation trance, Sense force, Sense force potential, Transfer force 
    This power may be kept "up" 
    Effect: This is argueably the most potent power known. It effectively allows a Jedi to neutralize anothers force ability. The exact method through which this is accomplished is largely unknown, but it is suspected that the power is actually an extension of the Jedi's own ability to become one with the force. It is believed that the Jedi, in a reverse method to becoming one with the force, distances the victim from the force and completely desensitizes that character to the rythms of the force. As long as the power is kept up all the victim's force skills are reduced by the Jedi's focus skill. 
    Under most circumstances use of this power would immediately constitute the Jedi recieving a Dark Side point, however, if used in defence and against a Dark Jedi such drawbacks should not be applied; GM is to arbitrate special circumstances. 



Nomann - Jedi Bendu Master (as of his disappearance over 17 millenia ago)  Copyright © 1997 Assem Masri




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