Greetings, Padawan
What are the classifications of Force Sensitivity?
There are three broad categories of connection to the Force. No living thing can exist without a connection to the Force, and these categories simply outline the ability of an individual to connect with and utilize the Force.
> Force-nulls are individuals who lack a connection to the Force, and may be sentient, semi-sentient, or non-sentient. They are unable to connect to the Force on even the most basic level, regardless of any training they may recieve. Force-nulls form the majority of the population of the galaxy.
> Force-awares are individuals who have a weak connection to the Force, and may be sentient, semi-sentient, or non-sentient. Their Force abilities are limited to basic Force sense and the ability to reach out to their immedeate surroundings. Force-aware's are not Jedi, and cannot utilize the Force to the same degree, even with training. However, a Force-sensitive who is untrained may present as or be mistaken as a Force-aware. The distinction is minor. Force-aware's comprise a small percentage of population of the galaxy, at most, one or two percent.
> Force-sensitives, also known as Force-users, Force-wielders, or Force-adepts, are individuals who have a strong connection to the Force. Force-sensitives may be sentient, semi-sentient, or non-sentient. Force-sensitives are able to utilize the Force for use with psychic abilities, bonding with animals, healing, and a variety of other skills, and are sometimes mislabelled as Jedi; not all Force-sensitives are Jedi, although all Jedi are Force-sensitive. Force-sensitives are as rare as one in five billion.
Can Force-sensitivity be inherited?
In identical twin studies, it has been proven that there is no correlation between the Force status of one twin and the Force status of the other; both twins may be Force-sensitive, both may be Force-null, one may be Force-sensitive and the other Force-null. In terms of inheritance, the children of trained Force-sensitives are most frequently classified as being Force-aware, rarely Force-null and rarely Force-sensitive.
What is telekinesis?
While at its core, telekinesis is the manipulation of external objects without a physical force acting on them, instead using the Force to manipulate the object or person, telekinesis forms the basis of many skills, such as using the Force to deflect blaster bolts or electricity (mainly in the form of Sith lightning). When applied to the self, telekinesis can aid in gentle landings from great heights, aid the user in reaching difficult to access locations, and help with balance. Telekinesis is the most well known ability of Force-sensitives.
To train children in the basics of telekensis, a game of push-feather or push-pillow may be used, or a game of catch. In push-feather/pillow, a soft object is kept aloft at a specific height by a single youngling, or by several younglings working together. If playing catch instead, a group of younglings will pass a toy, such as a ball, around, using only the Force to throw it to one another and catch it.
What is Force-sense?
Force-sense is the ability to sense other beings, sentient, semi-sentient, and non-living through the use of the Force. Force-sense covers a broad range of abilities and skills, including telepathy and empathy. Each individual, Force-sensitive, Force-aware or Force-null, has a unique presense in the Force that can be sensed; some cultures call this one's "aura", "soul", "song", "vibe", "pattern", etc.
What is empathy?
Empathy is a natural ability of both Force-sensitives and to a lesser degree, many Force-aware's. It is an application of Force-sense that is attuned to the emotional and mental state of those nearby, or those that one has a deeper connection to. Empathy can also be used to project feelings, emotions and a mental state, for example, to calm a panicking crowd in an efficient manner or soothe a hurt child.
What is foresight?
Foresight is an ability held by most Force-sensitives instinctively to some degree, although it can be trained. Foresight in the ability to predict changes in the immedeate future, most commonly seeing use when in a battle, where it is used to make split-second tactical choices, dodge unseen attacks, and avoid traps. Foresight is often described as a "bad feeling" or instinctive action.
Foresight can be trained by practicing meditation and connecting on a deeper level to the Force. It can also be trained for battle specificity by hindering core navigational senses during battle training, such as using a blindfold to train blaster bolt deflection.
What is farsight?
Farsight is the common name for scrying or precognition, considered a more detailed and advanced form of foresight. Often occuring during meditation or sleep, visions are the most common form of farsight, and can be difficult to interpret and master. Any Force-sensitive might recieve a vision during their lifetime, although it is not certain. Training is based on meditation techniques and sinking deeper into the Force, in order to find more information.
What is psychometry?
Psychometry is the rare Force ability that allows an individual to "read" the "echoes" of any object they touch. They cannot control what they see or how strongly they feel the emotions connected to it (although building shields in advance lessens the backlash of such emotional recoil). Psychometry is not an ability that can be learned, but something innate to the individual.
A common training technique for young children is a form of storytelling and/or scavenger hunts, wherein a creche master will imbue a toy or object with a specific story or instructional memory, for the younglings to find and decipher, allowing them to learn the basics of psychometry in a safe and encouraging manner.
What is presence masking?
Simply put, presence masking is the ability to mask one’s presence not only in the Force, but to those around them. An expert at presence masking can go undetected through the Force by even the most skilled Master, and easily pass as Force-null, all while keeping their connection to the Force. A secondary application is the ability to go unnoticed, such as being able to simply walk into a heavily armed building unquestioned and unbothered despite having no credentials.
What is animal kinship?
Known by various names (animal bond, beast control, etc), animal kinship is the ability to connect with semi-sentient lifeforms (mainly animals and plants). Primarily used to calm and connect with large beasts of burden or otherwise dangerous creatures. Advanced practitioners can encourage animals to perform more complex tasks, such as sneaking into buildings or stealing objects, or communicate with animals and plants on a more detailed level, in a communal type of language.
What is trancing?
Trancing is sinking into a deep meditation and connecting to the Force in such a manner that the physical body is slowed to a crawl, where the body many appear to be dead, all while preserving the state of being that the user is in at the time. Can be used to bypass the effects of starvation or dehydration, to limit the use of precious materials that are in limited supply, such as oxygen and other necessary gases, avoid the effects of hypothermia, frostbite, heatstoke, etc. During a trance, the user keeps a low-level awareness of their immedeate surroundings, so that when their situation is once again safe, they know to surface.
What is Force-healing?
Force-healing is the transfer of energy, either from the practioner to patient, or from the Force and surrounding enviroment into the patient, in order to repair injuries, treat illness, and alleviate pain. Force-healing is a broad and detailed spectrum of techniques that can take decades to fully study. Often, healers have an innate talent for the ability, as it is incredibly difficult to master at higher stages. While Force-healing can mend broken or even shattered bones, replenish blood, repair nerve damage and treat swelling among other things, it does have limits. External limbs cannot be regrown through Force-healing, or, if it is possible, it has not yet been discovered how to do so.
What about heightened physical abilities?
By channeling the Force throughout one’s body, the user can significantly enhance their natural abilities of running, jumping, agility, strength and stamina, jumping several stories in a single Force-assisted leap, surviving otherwise deadly falls, and lifting immense weight that one otherwise could not.
What are mind tricks?
Mind tricks describes a variety of mental suggestions made through the Force when a verbal suggestion is given to an individual. A mind trick might be used to get an aggressive enemy to calm down when other techniques do not work, to have a threatening person or persons surrender without a battle, or to convince people of small things, such as the stereotypical "these are not the droids you are looking for". Mind tricks are not a forcing of will (that is a dark side ability, called Force Dominate), but a suggestion that is strongly encouraged through the Force. An individual cannot be forced to perform an action they would otherwise not do (such as kill) by a mind trick, and many individuals can resist or even ignore mind tricks entirely.
What is Malacia?
Malacia is a type of mind trick that does not rely on verbal suggestions or communication at all. A user of malacia simply makes their target believe that they are experiencing a lack of equilibrium, that they are strongly dizzy, nauseous, etc. The target is not actually experiencing any of these things, although it may look like it; their brains simply believe they are experiencing such effects.
