The Rave Merrill Scholarship Fund

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

The Rave Merrill Memorial Scholarship is awarded to applicants who demonstrate an innovative and ambitious contribution to Light-oriented Force crafting. The Scholarship promotes and prizes originality of thought, depth of research, and breadth of imagination.

ELIGIBILITY​

The Scholarship is awarded in two divisions: Knight and Master. Merit is judged based on a small portfolio of 1-4 items. Portfolio items must be explicitly Light-oriented or neutral in orientation, and may be living or inert. Portfolio items may be sourced from any Light Side or alignment-neutral crafting art, including but not limited to:

• 
  Force-imbued blade smithing
  
• 
  Jal Shey imbuement
  
• 
  Wookiee Upari-cutting, Cerean Kasha creation, or other crystal-related traditions
  
• 
  Ithorian plant-tending
  
• 
  Witch crafting
  
• 
  Mechu-deru (though not its Dark Side derivatives)
  
• 
  Art of the Small and its derivatives
  
• 
  Gesaril carving
  
• 
  Tashai talisman creation
  
• 
  Homemade traditions (e.g. Alkahest)
  

Explicitly Dark Side crafting arts (such as Sith Alchemy and Nightsister crafting) are ineligible. Derivative techniques will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, so long as the item in question is Light-oriented or alignment-neutral.

A strong portfolio uses established precedents and principles in unique and innovative ways. Please do not submit shield talismans, nigh-indestructible swords, or other common items unless they genuinely break new ground.

Previous winners are ineligible within the same category; an individual can win the Master category if he or she has previously won the Knight category.

PRIZES​

Winners of the Scholarship will be chosen without reference to a time frame; there is no deadline, and the Scholarship is awarded in an ongoing manner, when the review committee selects worthy applicants. There is no limit on the amount of Scholarships to be awarded. Winners of the Scholarship, regardless of category, receive the following:

• 
  100,000cr to the winner or a charity of their choice
  
• 
  A stock of unique crafting materials, individually tailored to the traditions and techniques represented in the winner’s portfolio
  

Additionally, the sponsors reserve the right to offer special access, support, and/or employment to suitable and compatible winners.

APPLICATION​

To apply for the Scholarship, please use the following template:

DIVISION: (Knight or Master)
PORTFOLIO: (Links to 1-4 approved Factory/Codex submissions or substantive equivalent blog posts, in bullet format)
PRIMARY TRADITIONS: (e.g. ‘Item One is a mix of Tashai talismans and Cerean Kasha crafting; Item Two is a mix of a Force-imbued blade and Witch crafting principles’)

FUNDING AND SPONSORSHIP​

The Scholarship is funded by Mara D’Lessio Merrill (executor of the Rave Merrill Estate), by Arakyd Corporation, and by Akure Executive Interstellar.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

WINNERS​

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KNIGHT DIVISION​

[member="Draco Vereen"]​

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MASTER DIVISION​

 

[Laira Darkhold]

DIVISION: Knight

• While I myself may be considered a Master, my unassisted abilities with Force Enhancement and Augmentation are rudimentary, gained from exposure with very little training. I wouldn't consider myself a Master in this particular field.

PORTFOLIO:

• Draco and Faith's Rings: A Pair of Bonded Rings crafted through Crystallurgical and Metallurgical means. The Rings allow the bonded pair to sense each other's emotions across vast distances, increase the range of telepathic communication through the bonded pair, and allow them to more easily track each other. It should be noted, that while one of the Bonded Pair is not sensitive to the Force, she is able to sense the presence of emotions through the Rings. While Alchemy was used as a basis, the above can hardly be considered Dark Side or Sith Alchemy.
• Drahr'kandar Buy'ce: This is a Mandalorian style helmet that was extensively Imbued with the Force to increase the wearer's perceptions, both mundane and Force Sense, and empowered to the point of enhancing the wearer's perception of time. (4th Paragraph)

PRIMARY TRADITIONS: Alchemy, though mostly due to lack of available training in other areas

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

The Scholarship Committee thanks you for your portfolio. We'll be in touch.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

Item two is extremely creative, but was specifically made at a Dark Side nexus. Item one is subtler but just as interesting from a technical perspective - it can share a perceptible Force bond with someone who isn't a Force user, and I don't think I've seen that before. Neither item works from extrapolations or combinations of historical precedent, but all in all, quite nice. [member="Draco Vereen"] is awarded the Scholarship at Knight level.