Badass Bookworm
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To expand on a previous work of academia. This one is actually quite interesting though and not as much of a meme.
- Image Credit: Here.
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Radiant Light Alkahest Emporium, Levitation in the Pre-Tythonian Era, Celestial Dragons & Bakana Jai Aramal, Eldorai, Shapers of Kro Var, Nightsisters, Kar’zun, Qadiri, Xioquo, Vashyada, Ghanima Vykaris, Kaida Taldir, Elpsis Kerrigan, Electric Judgement, Shikoba, Tylania, Naxi’Xiarda, Naul'Zixasa
- Media Name: Elemental Force Use in Galactic Civilisation, often shortened to Elemental Force.
- Format: Holobook. A limited number of physical tomes have created in case someone wants a copy…or possibly a doorstop and murder weapon.
- Distribution: Scattered. Slightly less niche than its predecessor, this is still a dense, heavily researched subject of concern only to academics or anthropologists.
- Length: Epic. Spanning four volumes, each devoted to an element, Elemental Force gives detailed information covering many societies, times and locations. It also comes with a large appendix, glossary and conclusion.
- Description: Elemental Force is a four volume (with appendix) work on the use of elemental applications of the Force. That is; fire, water, earth and air. Each volume covers a single element but they are not uniform in size. Due to the ubiquity of lightning in the use by Sith and other Dark Side groups it covers a large portion of the biggest volume. However there is also information there on non-Dark Side lightning usage, specifically the Eldorai and related races. The smallest of the volumes concerns Earth and Water, both of which have had powerful users but are the least used. Fire forms an intervening position as it is known but there have been traditionally few Jedi or Sith who have specialised in it.
Phylis’ purpose in writing this work was not just to make use of her long research into the Force, but also to make a couple of key points:- Lightning is not always ‘Dark Side’ and that the method Sith and Dark Jedi use is a corruption of a natural elemental power.
- An addition to the above that none of these Force uses are inherently of the Dark or Light but are shaped by their user’s intent, philosophy and training.
- Highlight lesser known Force traditions and bring their users more into recognition.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
- Author: Phylis Alince.
- Publisher: Radiant Light Alkahest Emporium
- Reception: The appearance of another Phylis Alince work had some reviewers alternatively groaning and getting ready to slam it as an insomnia aid. However, this work is less fringe (whilst still being niche) and is interesting because of its coverage of many obscure cultures and practices in the galaxy.
Overall, Elemental Force was praised for its research and even-handedness. However, many felt its tone was overly dry and semantic, relying on a good knowledge of Force esoterica to understand the concept.
The only main areas of contention came from some conservative Eldorai who felt comparisons between their ‘Sciia’ and other Force using groups to be ignorant. Specifically, the implication that any Force user could learn some of these techniques caused some disapproval. This is despite evidence to prove her theories were correct.
A second group of disapproving readers were certain Jedi who felt Phylis’ views on lightning not being inherently of the Dark Side were dangerous.
One particular critic of the work was Jedi Master Gorgus Vin of the Circle of Radiant Light. He is quoted as saying “Whilst I appreciate Master Alince’s work, I feel she has become too removed from true Jedi teachings. All of these groups she looks to are tainted by the Dark Side. Even considering that lightning, the symbol of Sith tyranny, can be used with the Light is a preposterous notion. I would call on Master Alince to meditate on her views and seek truth through further study. I am certainly prepared to assist in this education if she wishes.”
Phylis’ reply was rather blunt. “I appreciate Master Vin’s critique, but I, hmm, feel he is not approaching this in good faith. I stand by my research and the people I discussed. If Master Vin has specific critiques of my work I would be happy to discuss them with him citing my sources and experience on the matter.”
All versions contain certain diagrams, a map of the galaxy showing key locations and a series of charts, tables and drawings. The holobook version contains higher resolution pictures and an interactive galaxy map.
CONTENT INFORMATION
Elemental Force covers each element in turn. Deliberately it starts with the two smallest types; Water and Earth, before moving to Fire and Air last.
Each work is set out in a similar method:
- A brief explanation about terminology and definitions as well as what is included and what is not. Also included is an explanation of how it interacts with opposed and allied elements. For instance water can interact with air to affect the weather, or with earth to create a slick surface. However when used against fire the two tended to cancel out if evenly matched.
- Examples of historic societies which have used these abilities and the various applications. For instance, the element of water covers usage of ice, control of air currents and interaction with weather to create rain.
- History of usage of the element among various groups as well as a discussion of Jedi and Sith usage. Each volume discusses certain groups in detail as many use all elements. A detailed examination of their history, usage of the Force and philosophical notes included. Some groups of note are:
- Water: Nightsisters of Dathomir, Xio
- Earth: Kar’zun, Vashyada
- Fire: Shapers of Kro Var, Qadiri
- Air: Sith (species and tradition), Eldorai
- Strategies and usage of all types as well as counters against the same. She also discusses in some depth the argument that one element is stronger than another. Her final conclusion is that like the Light and Dark none are stronger, but they are different.
- The volume on air has a special section on Force Lightning used by the Sith and a comparison with regular elemental lightning. Phylis lays out a series of comparisons of the energies unleashed and their effects on various materials. For this section she enlisted the help of a Dark Jedi Firemane Officer named Tempest and a Qadiri elementalist named Bakura Jai Aramal.
- A discussion on the ethical impacts of using the Force in these ways. She especially looks into the so called ‘Electric Judgement’ which was a forbidden Jedi power, as well as the means by which all the elements can be used to protect or harm equally. She discusses the hypocrisy of banning a Force talent based on an element when a Jedi’s lightsabre is just as dangerous and can equally be used to either protect or destroy.
- Finally a section on the impacts of elemental Force usage on culture. She compares the differences between groups which use an elemental basis with those whose power is more traditionally conveyed to the Light and Dark Side.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Phylis Alince is one of the galaxy’s leading researchers into Force esoterica, history and traditions. Her use of Alkahest to create Light Alchemy combined with her academic works has made her knowledgeable about a whole strata of information few know or care about.
However, after her previous work about Levitation in the Pre-Tythonian Era was published she immediately started collating notes for her next project. To her mind there were many beings across the galaxy who used the Force in different ways to the Jedi and Sith, and they had not received anywhere near the level of study as those larger groups. Due to her close contact with the Eldorai and their cousin races she selected elemental usage as the facet to examine this time.
Using her access to the Jedi Archives, research on Kaeshana, Tygara and with the exiled groups from those worlds as well as studies from Sith and other records she put together her work. In all this took nearly four years to create and compile. When she was done she was left with over two thousand pages of information covering everything from applications of the Force to history, culture and more.
At the end of it she was left with several strong beliefs. The first is that the traditional Sith/Jedi dichotomy encompassed only part of the Force’s infinite potential. The second was that no usage of the Force was inherently good or evil, that it was intent and personality which defined ones alignment. Lastly, she became convinced that almost anyone strong in the Force could attune to a certain element.
In order to prove this last she enlisted the help of the Qadiri Force Mistress Bakana Jai Aramal. Bakana was neutral, tending to Light, and so was the perfect person to learn from. Besides, being a Qadiri she held little acceptance with the Jedi and Sith notions of the Light and Dark as being an almost sentient entity. After a gruelling passage of several weeks Phylis was able to manifest an electric charge not drawn from the Dark Side, but from her inner spirit. This only strengthened the Jedi’s resolve.
It was not just those people she interviewed for this work. She also consulted the foremost Pyromancer and Hydromancer she knew; Elpsis Kerrigan and Kaida Taldir. For the elusive terramancy or earth element, Phylis sought out the Vashyada Paragon Tylania and the spirit-talking knight Shikoba. Through them she came to understand their traditional uses of the Force which combined Light Side healing with tapping into the earth and plants as well as animals. She also sought out many other living elementalists from all the groups she could to make sure her work was accurate and balanced. By the time of release she had completed a greater survey on the matter than anyone on record.
To get an alternative view on the Sith, Phylis also sought out the light sided Sith Ghanima Vykaris to get a perspective on the Sith different from the standard. To this end she also reached out to a Shaper of Kro Var named Navkra, and a Nightsister renegade named Balvara to get perspectives from these usually Dark Side traditions. Added to this she also sought out some proponents of the Light Side amongst the Xioquo. Traditionally a Dark Side using tradition like the Sith, many have now turned to the Light now their tyrannical leaders have been overthrown. A couple of examples of this were the Xio Naxi’Xiarda and Naul’Zixasa, the former became good friends with Phylis during their research.
Elemental Force Use in Galactic Civilisations is a fringe area of research, but it has brought several groups and traditions to focus more than they would have otherwise. In this at least it achieved its goals.
