The Sith

Sith apprentice

Coruscant

Mustafar

Confederacy of Independent Systems

Shadow Collective

Galactic Empire

Imperial Palace, Coruscant

Sith shrine, Coruscant

Sith temple, Mustafar

Sith temple, Malachor

The **Sith**, collectively known as the **Sith Order**, is an ancient organization of dark side Force users. Emerging as a divergent faction of the ancient Jedi Order, the Sith became mortal enemies with the Jedi and fight against them in numerous wars. The Sith are devoted to the dark side of the Force and enlisted its aid in gaining power and control over the galaxy.

## ​Philosophy

The Sith focus on anger, fear, and pain to gain power from the dark side of the Force. They follow a code that encouraged the strong to destroy the weak, and insisted on the importance of struggling and striving. The relationship between a Sith Master and their apprentice was not one of trust. Indeed, both the master and the apprentice constantly searched for any sign of weakness in the other, for a weak master deserved to be overthrown by their pupil, just as a weak pupil deserved to be replaced by a worthier, more powerful recruit. This philosophy allowed the Sith to remain as strong as possible.

## History (SORT EVENT LOCATIONS TO FIT AEVILON STELLA'S PLANETS)

### ​Creation and Early History

Formed thousands of years prior to the Clone Wars, the Sith are the ancient enemies of the Jedi Order. Established by a rogue Jedi during the Hundred-Year Darkness, as some Jedi delved into study of the dark side of the force many for individual reasoning such as knowledge of its ability to bring power or the need to find balance in the force. Eventually, these individuals stood along side the rogue Jedi and a sizable following was amassed. This schism in the Jedi Order led to a civil war where the Jedi and the Dark Jedi, once brothers and sisters in the Force, fought against one another for power. The war ended in the defeat of Dark Jedi, who were exiled and fled from the known parts of Stella .

The exiles, who included XoXaan, Remulus Dreypa, Ajunta Pall, Sorzus Syn and Karness Muur, travelled the stars towards an unknown destination. They emerged from hyperspace above Korriban, where they were greeted by the natives whom had dark side abilities and were proclaimed *Jen'jidal*, meaning Dark Jedi in the language of the natives. The *Jen'jidai* forged an alliance with the Korriban ruler's second in command and used that relationship to overthrow the King and claim dominion over Korriban. They adopted the title "The Sith Council", each individual on the council became known as a Dark Lord of the Sith and the Dark side practitioners they now ruled over were titled 'The Sith'. Shortly after settling on Korriban, a splinter group of exiles, led by Remulus Dreypa, returned to Republic space to enact their vengeance, but they were intercepted by a Jedi patrol. The Jedi pursued those Sith across the galaxy, until both factions crash-landed on the planet Kesh. After a period of fighting, the Jedi and Dreypa's followers made peace and formed a new organization called the Doomed , which strived to achieve balance between the light and the dark sides of the force.

One of the first Dark Lords, Ajunta Pall, one of the exiled Jedi, began remaking the Korriban natives into a military force to be led by the Sith council to amass a great empire of many planets. Over time the Sith Empire continued to be lead by a succession of Dark Lords, including Tulak Hord and ~~SOMEONE ELSE~~. Deceased Dark Lords were entombed in the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban, their tombs filled with the treasures they had accumulated during their life. Often the tomb would also house the spirit of the Dark Lord himself, who remained attached to his body and possessions through the Force.

During their reign, the Sith Lords fought for power, challenging one another with new and innovative weapons created through the dark side. One such weapon was the Muur Talisman, which was created by the Sith Lord and former exiled Dark Jedi Karness Muur. Muur was an expert in Sith alchemy and may have helped to create the Leviathan during the Hundred-Year Darkness. His talisman had the power to transform humanoids into mindless monsters that he called Rakghouls, whom Muur would be able to command. When he discovered that Force-sensitives were unaffected, Muur created the Rakghoul plague, which would spread his monsters to those immune to the talisman's power. Eventually, a rival Sith Lord Remulus Dreypa created an oubliette which would contain Muur, his talisman, and the plague. Muur was killed before he could be captured and his talisman was lost.

Eventually, a legendary Sith half-breed named Marka Ragnos defeated the Sith Council member Simus in combat and rose to power, claiming the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. His long reign was known to have been during the "Golden Age" of the Sith Empire. During this time the Sith Empire experienced relative stability and encompassed at least 120 planets, including Arkania, Malachor V, Thule, and Vjun. By this time the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order had forgotten about their exiled brethren, just as the Sith had forgotten about them. Both societies thrived in separate parts of the galaxy, unaware of the other's existence. (Flesh out the Sith Council)

### The Great Hyperspace war and Fall of the Sith Empire

The Golden Age came to an abrupt halt with the death of Marka Ragnos. Control of the Empire fell to the Sith Council, which was divided over who should succeed Ragnos as Dark Lord.

Two contenders rose to the forefront- Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh. Sadow was known as a progressive expansionist in contrast to Kressh's reputation as a conservative protectionist. Originally confined to arguments and debates within the council, the disagreement exploded violently during the Funeral of Marka Ragnos. The funeral procession was led by Kressh, with Sadow conspicuously missing during the ceremonies. Much to Kressh's chagrin, Sadow made his entrance in the middle of Kressh's eulogy for the fallen Dark Lord. The enraged Kressh demanded Sadow leave, however his rival instead claimed the mantle of Dark Lord. Kressh responded by claiming the title as well, and the two entered into a duel at the foot of Ragnos' tomb. The fierce battle was interrupted by the ghost of Marka Ragnos, who implored the two to stop fighting and pick their battles carefully, for the Sith Empire he had helped build was in the balance.

Following Ragnos's departure, the two Sith Lords prepared to reenter combat, however they were once again interrupted, this time by the arrival of wayward hyperspace explorers Gav and Jori Daragon. The sibling explorers claimed to hail from the Galactic Republic, and were quickly taken into custody and imprisoned on the Sith capital world of Korriban. Setting aside their conflict for a time, Kressh and Sadow rejoined the Council, which was debating the fate of the Daragons. Unsurprisingly, the two disagreed on this as well. Kressh, under the belief that they were harbingers of a Republic invasion, called for their immediate execution, while Sadow saw them as a pathway to expansion, by way of conquering their Republic. The council was yet again split between the two, however Ludo Kressh was able to win with the support of the council majority. Simus, a former contender for the title of Dark Lord and ally of Naga Sadow's, went to inform the Daragons of their impending execution. However, Naga Sadow had no intention of following the will of the Council, and killed Simus with weapons confiscated from the Daragon's ship, the *Starbreaker 12*, making it appear as though it was a Republic attack. He freed the Daragons and hid them away in his fortress on Khar Shian, while reporting Simus's death back to the Council. Feigning shock, he claimed that the apparent Republic aggression and rescue of the Daragons required retaliation, something he had foreseen. The Council almost unanimously elected him Dark Lord, with the exception of Kressh, who claimed the title for himself and stormed out of the meeting. Shortly afterwards, Sadow staged yet another Republic attack by stealing the *Starbreaker 12* from impound on Korriban. He would need the ship to return Jori Daragon to the Republic, thereby leading the Dark Lord to his next frontier. The human female was being kept in Sadow's decoy fortress on Khar Delba, while her brother remained on Khar Shian to be trained in the ways of the dark side by Sadow.

In the process of returning Jori Daragon, Sadow hoped to rid of Kressh and his following, and so he planted evidence on Korriban that would point to back to himself. Kressh acted predictably and attacked Sadow's decoy fortress on Khar Delba. Sadow had prepared for the battle and stationed his fleet on the dark side of the moon Khar Shian. He attacked an unsuspecting Kressh, whose commanders were betrayed by their crews. Kressh, knowing he could not win the battle, staged his own death and fled, leaving Naga Sadow as the undisputed ruler of the Sith. During the battle he allowed Jori Daragon to escape with the *Starbreaker 12*, which was wired with a homing beacon. In his first act as Dark Lord, Sadow gathered his forces for an invasion of the Republic, initiating a conflict known as the Great Hyperspace War. Sadow even used the other Sith councillers as generals in his powerful army, including Garu, and Shar Dakhan. The Republic, unwilling to believe Jori Daragon's story of impending war, was unprepared for the onslaught and was initially overwhelmed by the invasion. Sadow's warships and warriors spread throughout Republic space, attacking many worlds simultaneously, while Sadow himself aided by using battle meditation from within his Sith Meditation Sphere. Stationed above the star Primus Goluud along with his flagship, Sadow presented the Republic with a seemingly unbeatable enemy. Empress Teta of Koros Major was the only Republic official prepared for the assault, and her forces beat back Sith attacks on Cinnagar and Kirrek, and were able to pursue them back to Primus Goluud, where Sadow activated a superweapon within his flagship, the *Corsair*, that caused the star to supernova. The explosion killed Gav Daragon and forced the Sith to retreat back to their Empire, with Teta's forces in pursuit.

Returning to Korriban in defeat, Sadow's forces were met with those of Ludo Kressh. After feigning his demise, Kressh had remained within the Empire, gaining support while Sadow lead the invasion of the Republic. The two fleets clashed, initiating the first battle of Korriban. When it appeared Kressh would win the battle against Sadow's already wounded forces, the Dark Lord ordered that one of his vessels ram Kressh's flag ship. The impact killed the rival Sith Lord and ended the battle, Sadow's final conflict with Ludo Kressh. Sadow was unable to enjoy his victory however, as Empress Teta's forces emerged from hyperspace moments later, crippling Sadow's ship and decimating his forces. Hoping to escape to Yavin Prime, Sadow fled the battle, and was believed killed in the Supernova he created with the *Corsair*. As the remains of the Sith Empire crumbled behind him, Sadow and his remaining Sith warriors landed on Yavin 4, where construction began on mountainous temples dedicated to the Dark Lord. With the Republic navy entering Sith space the Sith became desperate. Shar Dakhan , as acting Dark Lord of the Sith ordered his pilots to ram invading Republic ships. This drove the Republic back for a while, however the Republic's triumph was inevitable. They destroyed most of the Sith Empire.

This however was not the end of the Empire. Various Sith survivors fled to different parts of the galaxy. Several Sith fled to Thule, where they would remain for generations, waiting for their revenge on the Jedi and the Republic. They established a military dictatorship, ruled by an oligarchy of eight generals. Several of the remaining Sith Lords sought refuge on Ambria, where they hid among the planet's dark side energies in order to avoid persecution. They stayed on the planet for many years, until passing into the Force themselves, leaving yet more dark side spirits on Ambria. On Kesh, the descendants of a crashed ship the *Omen* survived and formed the Lost Tribe of Sith. Several Sith sects survived on Vjun and passed on their teachings secretly through the families. On Tund, the Sith refugees eventually became mere charlatans known as the Sensitves of Tund. Finally, one Sith Lord took his forces and retreated to the unexplored regions of Stella where they would bide their time, and wait. This hidden Sith Empire still held on to Malachor V as a teaching center. Sadow was unable to rebuild the Empire after the war as he had hoped to do on Yavin, and so placed himself in suspended animation within one of his temples.

### ​The Rise of Freedon Nadd and Conflict on Onderon

While Naga Sadow remained in stasis, the Sith Order survived in obscurity on Yavin 4 and the Jedi and Republic once again believed their enemy defeated. Around six-hundred years following the fall of the First Sith Empire, a young human began training at Odan-Urr's Great Jedi Library on Ossus. The young Jedi named Freedon Nadd  impressed his masters with his connection to the Force and eagerness to find harmony. The attention from his masters caused arrogance in Nadd that lead him to believe he would soon be elevated to knighthood. To his surprise, he was passed over for knighthood, causing him to become resentful and conflicted. Nadd sought out Jedi Master Matta Tremayne  in the hopes that she might be able to show him what he must do in order to become a Knight. In a test for the young Jedi, Tremayne ignored him until his anger burst out and he turned to leave. Only then did she acknowledge him, challenging him to a lightsaber duel. The two engaged one another, and Freedon's anger rose. Sensing this, Tremanyne deactivated her lightsaber, exposing herself to attack from Nadd. Realizing it had all been a test far too late, Freedon's saber cut through Tremayne, killing her. Initially regretful, Nadd soon became infuriated as he began to believe it was all a ploy to get him removed from the Order. Abandoning the Jedi, he fled Ossus craving revenge.

Nadd first traveled to the heart of the now defunct Sith Empire in the hopes that the dark side teachings there would lead him to the revenge he desired. He arrived on the world of Ashas Ree, where the ancient Sith Lord Garu had hidden the holocron of King Adas. Learning from the holocron, Nadd studied deeper into the dark side and traveled deeper into old Sith Space. Eventually he came upon the fourth moon of Yavin and the sleeping Dark Lord Naga Sadow. Sadow, finally recognizing Nadd as one who could restore the power of the Sith, awakened and consented to train the fallen Jedi in the ways of the Sith. The training lasted for a time, however before it was complete, Nadd's confidence in his own abilities once again took control. Believing himself strong enough for the title of Dark Lord, Nadd slew Sadow and seized the mantle. Sadow's death marked the end of the Old Sith.

After gathering what relics he could from the Old Sith Temples, Nadd left Yavin 4 behind and traveled to Onderon, an Inner Rim world. Onderon was a densely forested planet home to large beasts and a single, heavily guarded city, Iziz. The city was surrounded by walls and defense towers used to keep out the beasts of the jungle, which the people of Iziz had fought for centuries. Nadd arrived on the planet and wowed the populace with his dark side Force powers. Much like the exiled dark Jedi millennia before on Korriban, Nadd proclaimed himself the ruler of the people in Iziz and King of Onderon. Iziz's law and order was based on the policy of banishing dissidents and "criminals" from the walled city, condemning them to death by the animals of Onderon. Eventually, the banished criminals organized themselves into the "Beast Riders" after taming the beasts of the jungle, such as the Drexl, Cannok, and Boma. The Riders continually attacked the city they had once called home in a centuries-long conflict known as the Beast Wars. Nadd was able to elevate himself to a near-God status with the people by repelling attacks by the Riders by use of the Force. Although his reign was oppressive, the Onderonians accepted his teachings and embraced his dark side influence. Nadd eventually died and was buried beneath the Iziz palace in his tomb. His bloodline continued to rule Onderon, and although he was dead, Iziz was still saturated with the dark side presence of Freedon Nadd.

## Important Sith

* Darth Sidious
* Vitiate
* Tulak Hord
* Darth Vader
* Darth Sion
* Darth Nihilus
* Revan
* Darth Plagueis
* Darth Bane
* Darth Tyranus
* Darth Maul
* Darth Cognas
* Exar Kun
* Marka Ragnos
* Galen Marek