Keeping up with the flat blade ideas, and expanding on the Zhanmadao idea, I present the
Lidao
For this one, it was as much about the reason behind the saber as the saber itself. Okay why would a lightsaber (one that already an odd design with a flat blade) be single-edged? I could just hear Logos in the distance shouting
WHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYY. So i thought given that a lightsaber blade is effectivley and energy circuit what if there was both an emitter and a receiver with the distance in between being covered in "energy repeaters" to keep a confined energy circuit with much higher power than a traditional blade? The result was my so-dubbed "Dual-Channel Emitter Thread". When powered off, the tang of the blade still maintains a physical edge, and the Emitter thread is sharp to a point, making a semi-efficient thrusting weapon even when facing off against opponents that might not warrant a lightsaber.
All well and fine, but who would use this frankenweapon? I imagined a Jedi Temple, forgotten by all but its' inhabitants who through Schisms and Wars remained unaffected through its' remoteness. The Guards and Masters there having generations to hone, adapt, and perfect both their understanding of the Force itself, as well as martial skills. Though few in number, anyone to challenge the Temple's masters would be brazen at best.
PS and friends,
I've been chewing on this weapon and the concept of the Cantors - both their philosophy and the formation of these weapons and their use - for a while and I wanted to float an idea on the techno-babble aspect of the weapon. Specifically: The Dual-Channel Emitter.
For the "Cantor" version of this weapon, I would postulate the following: The original impetus behind the DCE (see what I did there? Acronym - now its "Official") was a lack of adequate focusing crystals to build a "matrix" similar to that which Karmack and contemporary Singers in the Mak'Tor use to boost their more traditional blade's power and strength. What they have are many smaller crystals, mostly in the 1-2 karat range, that individually are far to small to be effective. But when arranged in a staggered, offset line they form a very powerful focusing matrix that channels and flattens the plasma blade. The "cutting edge" is actually quite thin and the protective shroud that covers the crystals and their mounting system as well as the internal plasma conduits and vents are made of Song Steel, with the edges sharpened and honed for both precision in blade formation and to serve as a secondary cutting edge at need. Even without the plasma blade the weapon is impressive, and training is done with an impact sheath which allows the Cantors to spar full-speed with their primary weapons without fear of death or dismemberment.
The weapon is nearly 2 meters long without the blade ignited and gains an additional 10-15cm of length when fully energized due to the blade tip. The blades themselves are generally white, but the multiplicity of small crystals and the intense force-focus needed to build the weapon causes most guard weapons to have a very interesting rainbow "shimmer" effect along the very edge, leading some to refer to the massive weapons as "shimmer spears" or just "shimmers".
The weapon is generally carried in a cross-back scabbard or via a carry strap affixed to the back-strap of the blade and the hilt, allowing the weapon to be slung over the shoulder. For storage and maintenance the blade detaches from the hilt just above the Tsuba.
** Thanks again to PsychoSith for letting me play with his AMAZING hilt design! **
