Having recently read, re-read, and re-re-read the outlines of Necromancy I feel more confident in how it can be applied in-game. I understand that Necromancy (and the Necromancer in particular) is a tool for the transferal of life energy from one vessel to another, either to harm or heal, and that it only affects the living or formerly-living. I have a few questions though that I would like to hear some discussion on regarding Necromantic items and "life force":

* Can a Necromancer "leech" the life force of someone and hold onto it for later use (within a combat turn for instance) or must it be discharged instantaneously (as in the Siphon Life spell) into the castor or an ally (at +1 Difficulty)?

* Can life force drained from someone be contained within a vessel of some sort for later use?

* Necromantically enchanted weapons (arrows/swords, etc.) would do extra damage, draining the life of the person they hit. What would be a suitable damage bonus for that: would it work like a triggered "damage" spell at Diff 2 + Primary Attribute (which I think would be overpowered) or simply a +1 or +2 damage (based on the spell used to create the enchantment? Could it be used as a "Vampiric item" that siphoned life from the person wounded to the one controlling the item (ala Elric and Stormbringer)?

* Could armor be Necromantically enhanced to drain the life out of an attacker? Perhaps, only if a successful strike is made?

* Could a Necromancer "imprison" someone's life force within an object that the person has on them (or in them?) such as a bone piercing, for later triggering of death or a siphoning effect if the Necromancer is within a suitable range?

* What is a suitable ratio of plant life to healing? Say a Necromancer were to carry with him a plant, could that be used as a 1 point Healing boost (killing the plant)? In that same vein, of how much value is a tree? Is this plant lifeforce quantifiable?

For any of the viable items above, what would you consider to be an acceptable Difficulty for its creation?