Sith (Credit to Wookiepedia)

Sith

"To be a Sith is to taste freedom and to know victory."
   ―Yuthura Ban

The Sith Order was a sect of Force-sensitives who utilized the dark side of the Force. The term "Sith" originally referred to a species of alien native to the planets Korriban and Ziost, who were later enslaved and ruled by exiled Dark Jedi from the Galactic Republic. These Dark Jedi had once been members of the Jedi Order, a monastic Force religion dedicated to peace through the use of the light side of the Force. The Dark Jedi, who refused to rely exclusively on the light side, challenged the Jedi by giving into the dark and starting the Hundred-Year Darkness. However, they had been defeated and subsequently exiled from known space, which led to their discovery of the Sith species. Following centuries of interbreeding and mixing of cultures between the aliens and the exiles, the Sith would no longer be identified by their race, but by their dedication to the ancient Sith philosophy. This religious order would survive in many different incarnations throughout Galactic History. The rise of a new leader, or Dark Lord, would often cause drastic reorganizations in the cult, however the Sith would always be characterized by their lust for power and their desire to destroy the Jedi Order.

The Sith were the most infamous of all dark side religions, and the members of the cult were often seen as the pinnacle of power within the dark side. Throughout their long history, the Sith commanded several Empires and initiated many galactic wars. With such great influence, the Sith religion inspired many cults that weren't technically part of the Sith Order, nor did they consist of actual Sith. Instead, they were founded and made up of Sith devotees and other Force-sensitives dedicated to prolonging the teachings and the memory of the Sith. Such cults included the Naddists, the Disciples of Ragnos, and the Krath.


Philosophy

Forged by Fire

   "If you seek to aid everyone that suffers in the galaxy, you will only weaken yourself … and weaken them. It is the internal struggles, when fought and won on their own, that yield the strongest rewards… If you care for others, then dispense with pity and sacrifice and recognize the value in letting them fight their own battles."
   ―Darth Traya

The Sith believed that conflict was the only true test of one's ability, and so emphasized its importance. It was their belief that conflict challenged both individuals and civilizations, and so forced them to grow and evolve. They believed that the avoidance of conflict–like the pacifist teachings of the Jedi–resulted in stagnation and decline.

Another purpose served by conflict was the elevation of the strong and the death of the weak. By encouraging strife, the strong were able to exercise their power while the weak were weeded from the ranks of the Sith. A core tenet to Sith philosophy was self-reliance and the idea that an individual only deserved what they were strong enough to take. Likewise, morality was treated as an obstacle to be overcome, as it got in the way of a Sith's ability to recognize and seize opportunities for advancement and self-empowerment.

Such philosophies were embraced and taught at Sith academies, where students were encouraged to challenge one another and fight for prestige that would be recognized by the headmaster of the academy. At the academy on Korriban during the Jedi Civil War, students were tasked with gaining prestige so they might become one of the "chosen few" accepted into the ranks of Darth Malak's Sith Empire. The strife to achieve prestige caused rivalries and animosity between the students, as there were few tasks that offered prestige, and many prospective Sith. Similarly, the students of the academy during the New Sith Wars were pitted against each other in dueling sessions atop the academy. It was during these dueling sessions that intense rivalries were formed - rivalries that resulted in the deaths of students Fohargh and Sirak at the hands of Darth Bane.
Empowered by Passion

   "What fuels your power with the Force but your passion? The stronger, darker emotions. Anger, hatred, fear… these passions empower us."
   ―Yuthura Ban


The cornerstone of a Sith's power was emotion. While the Jedi taught that fear, anger, and pain were negative emotions to be overcome, the Sith believed that these strong emotions were natural, and aided individuals in their survival. By harnessing their emotions rather than suppressing them, the Sith believed they could achieve true power. This belief was in stark contrast to that of the Jedi's, who strived to place themselves beyond such base emotions. Indeed, the Sith saw passion as the only real way to fully understand the Force. However, the Sith believed strongly that the worthy could control their emotions and use them, while the weak were ruled by them. In accordance, Dark Lady Lumiya refused to accept Jacen Solo as a Sith Lord until he was able to control his anger instead of becoming a slave to it, and Freedon Nadd renounced his faith in Exar Kun shortly before his destruction, when he discovered the limitless ambition Kun served.

However, not all emotions were embraced by the Sith. They, like the Jedi, considered 'love' a dangerous emotion, but for different reasons. The Jedi discouraged love because it led to attachment, but the Sith taught that love led to mercy, which was anathema to them. While Darth Sidious preyed on Anakin Skywalker's love for his wife in order to corrupt him, he had no intention of allowing the relationship to survive Skywalker's fall to the dark side. Darth Bane had fallen in love with fellow Sith pupil Githany, however he did not allow himself to retain any connections to her, and did not regret her death on Ruusan.
The Sith'ari

In the original Sith language, the term "Sith'ari" translated literally into "lord" or "overlord". Over time however, the term became closely associated with the idea of a perfect being, who would rise to power and take control of the Sith Order.

The prophesied coming of the Sith'ari was based around the notion that a perfect being, would epitomize the teachings of the Sith Code and became free of all restrictions. This being would lead the Sith, but also destroy them- a destruction that would make the Sith Order stronger than before. The identity of the Sith'ari has been confirmed as Darth Bane, who destroyed the Brotherhood of Darkness in order to remake the Sith through the Rule of Two. The prophesy of the Sith'ari is very similar to the Jedi's prophesy of the Chosen One- an extremely powerful Force-sensitive who would lead their Order to perfection.
Guiding Codes
The Code of the Sith

   Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
   Through passion, I gain strength.
   Through strength, I gain power.
   Through power, I gain victory.
   Through victory, my chains are broken.
   The Force shall free me.
   —The Sith Code

The code of the Sith was the mantra which stated the core beliefs of the Sith Order and is believed to have been created in contrast to the Jedi Code. The structure of the codes is almost identical, and the initial line of the Sith Code directly contradicts the initial line of the Jedi Code, which reads: "There is no emotion, there is peace."

Following the embrace of passion, which was believed to be a powerful aspect of nature, the code explains that the strength granted by passion leads to power, which then leads to victory. By way of victory, the Sith believed they could free themselves from the limitations of regular beings, and achieve their potential. Neophyte Sith believed that the breaking of chains represented the ability to do whatever one wished, however more seasoned members of the Order recognized that the true meaning of freedom was the end of all physical restrictions and the ability to attain perfection. The Sith believed that the only being who could truly live up to the code and attain freedom was the Sith'ari, and as such saw it as a guideline by which to live, not a law to abide by.
The Rule of Two

Bane and Zannah, the first Sith to embrace the Rule of Two


   "Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it."
   ―Darth Bane

The Rule of Two was the principal upon which the Order of the Sith Lords was founded. It was created by Darth Bane, a Dark Lord and member of the Brotherhood of Darkness. Bane believed that the Sith had weakened themselves by accepting too many into their ranks and that the true dark side had abandoned them. After studying the holocron of Darth Revan, Bane decided that the Brotherhood needed to be destroyed and the Sith rebuilt as a secretive order consisting of two beings—a single master and a single apprentice.

Bane believed this philosophy would solve the infighting that had long been the bane of the Sith Order. By allowing only two members into the cult at a time, the dark side would remain concentrated within those two beings, instead of legions of ineffective warriors. When the apprentice learned all they could from the master, it was their duty to kill the master and take an apprentice of their own, in order to ensure the continuing strength of the cult. As such, the Rule of Two embraced the idea of the rule of the strong. The small number of Sith allowed the Order to remain hidden for a millennium.
The Rule of One

Darth Krayt's vision for the One Sith


   "Wisely, Darth Krayt has undone the mistake of Bane. Therefore no Rule of Two limits the One Sith today."
   ―Darth Wyyrlok

The Rule of One was the guiding code of the One Sith. Created by Darth Krayt after the collapse of the Order of the Sith Lords, it embraced the ideals of the ancient Sith, wherein there was a single Dark Lord of the Sith who led many lesser Sith Lords, along with other minions and acolytes. The "One" represented the Sith Order itself, a unified and cohesive group of Sith who restrained from infighting and were fanatically obedient to Dark Lord Krayt. The practice of one apprentice per master was retained, however there were many masters. Also retained was the practice of slaying a master once an apprentice's training was complete, however this was not done to continue the rule of the strong, but rather to show one's faith and devotion to the Sith cause.

The Order was considered heretical by Darth Bane, Darth Nihilus, and Darth Andeddu, who voiced their opinions via holocron. Some, including Darth Nihl and Cade Skywalker believed that the lack of a line of succession would cause the One Sith to collapse if Darth Krayt were ever killed.
History
Origins
The Massassi were one of the two original Sith subspecies.


   "Once we were mighty Jedi of the Republic, brothers in the Force. But the Great Schism between the dark side and the light turned Jedi against Jedi. Our ancestors were defeated, driven off…cast out!"
   ―Marka Ragnos

Before the founding of the Jedi Order and the discovery of the dark side, the Sith species evolved on Korriban. The Sith species began to coalesce as a society some time prior to roughly 100,000 BBY, when their culture and religion developed. Early on, they immersed their culture in rites and lore of the dark side. Coming together as a species, they were able to fight off a Killik incursion circa 30,000 BBY, presumably resulting in an eventual Killik Sith Lord taking up residence on Alsakan, although how this Sith Lord was able to break from the hive-mind is unknown. Around 28,000 BBY, legendary Sith King Adas ruled his people and their Empire. Having ruled as a warlord for some time, he was able to unite the peoples of Korriban, and was pronounced the Sith'ari, or overlord. Adas's reign lasted for several centuries, ending only after the invasion of Korriban by the Rakata of the Infinite Empire.

Initially friendly, the Rakata taught Adas how to create holocrons, and lent their knowledge of space travel to the Sith. However, it soon became apparent that the Rakata intended to take the Sith people as slaves, and Adas launched a war to rid his world of them. After driving them from Korriban, he hijacked several of their ships and used them to spread the Sith species to Ziost, Tund, and Malachor V, and was eventually successful in driving the Rakata from Sith space entirely. However, the victory cost him his life. The Rakata left behind a Star Map on Korriban, and possibly the origin for the Darth title.

The death of Adas threw Korriban into civil war, with many different Sith scrambling for power. The world was devastated from the years of conflict, and no new leader arose from the ashes. One of the horrors of this war took place in 7,000 BBY, when Dathka Graush destroyed most of the cities on Korriban, possibly resulting in the backwards, primitive cultural regression of the Sith species (ultimately witnessed by the exiled Dark Jedi, upon reaching Korriban).[source?] The Sith people moved their center of government and culture to the world of Ziost, and left Korriban, with that planet becoming a tomb world for their fallen leaders. A millennium prior to this, in 8,000 BBY, humans and aliens escaping the oppression of the Tapani Dynasty arrived through the Stygian Caldera, possibly accounting for the Sith influence upon the future Mecrosa Order in later centuries.
In 25,053 BBY, elsewhere in the galaxy, the Galactic Republic was forming. On the planet Tython, scholars, scientists, warriors, and religious figures met to discuss an anomalous energy field present in the galaxy that would The Dark Jedi are exiled.

become known as the Force. In these discussions, several individuals advocated the use of Bogan, what would become known as the dark side. The followers of the light rejected this idea and defeated the followers of Bogan in the Force Wars of Tython.

Following the conflict, the victors established the Jedi Order, a group of warrior-monks who followed the light side. Around 24,500 BBY, a Jedi named Xendor accepted the teachings of the dark side and left the order, along with many other students calling themselves the Legions of Lettow. The resulting conflict, known as the First Great Schism, ended with Xendor dead and the Legions of Lettow defeated.

The dark side would not have a strong hold until 7,000 BBY, when another group of Jedi left the Order to follow the dark path. These Jedi had been delving into alternative uses for the Force, and became increasingly reliant on it. They discovered that the Force could twist life to serve their purposes and create new life. These practices were looked upon with apprehension by other Jedi, as memories of the First Schism were still present. Feeling their power was threatened, the rogue Jedi sought supporters within the Order, but were turned away. Arguments for their cause turned to conflicts, and these Jedi were exiled from the Order. Taking their teachings with them, they became known as Dark Jedi, and launched a war against the Jedi Order that would come to be known as the Hundred-Year Darkness.

Using alchemically altered soldiers and beasts, the Dark Jedi's war lasted a hundred years. It was during this war that the Leviathan was created, along with many other monstrosities. Eventually, the Dark Jedi were defeated at the Battle of Corbos as a result of infighting and Jedi bombing. As punishment, the surviving Dark Jedi were gathered by Republic forces and loaded aboard unarmed transport ships. Robbed of their weapons, the exiles were to be sent into the unknown regions of space to contemplate the error of their ways.
Creation and Early History
Exiles XoXaan and Karness Muur being greeted by the Sith people

   "But in their hearts they never forgot the Jedi. The hatred for the Jedi Order burns in their veins like fire, and it echoes in their teachings."
   ―Darth Traya

The Exiles traveled the stars towards an unknown destination. They emerged from hyperspace above Korriban, where they were greeted by the primitive Sith people. The Exiles, who included XoXaan, Ajunta Pall, and Karness Muur, shocked the natives with their dark side abilities and were proclaimed Jen'jidai, meaning Dark Jedi in the language of the Sith. The Jen'jidai forged an alliance with the Sith ruler's second in command and used that relationship to overthrow the King and claim dominion over the Sith. They adopted the title "Lords of the Sith" and their ruler came to be known as the Jen'ari, or Dark Lord of the Sith.

One of the first Dark Lords was the Exile Ajunta Pall. Pall began remaking the Sith Empire into a new Imperial regime lead by the Sith Lords instead of the Kings of the Sith people. Over time the Jen'jidai and the Sith interbred to make the two groups indistinguishable from one another, and the Empire continued to be lead by a succession of Dark Lords, including Tulak Hord. Deceased Dark Lords were entombed in the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban instead of the Valley of Golg as Sith Kings had been. Their tombs were filled with the treasures they had accumulated during their life, as well as strong dark side energies. 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 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 humans into alchemically engineered monsters called Rakghouls, whom Muur would be able to command. When he discovered that aliens and 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 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, only to end up on Taris several millennia later by unknown means.

Eventually, a legendary Sith half-breed named Marka Ragnos defeated Sith Council member Simus in combat and rose to power, claiming the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. His little-documented but long reign was known to have been during the "Golden Age" of the Sith Empire. During this time the 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 of their fallen brethren, just as the Sith had forgotten about them. Both societies thrived in separate parts of the galaxy, unaware of the other's existence.
The Great Hyperspace War and Fall of the Sith Empire

   Kressh: "I fight for the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow…You fight for yourself!"
   Sadow: "I fight for the future…and the future is NOW!"
   ―Ludo Kressh, to Naga Sadow

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. Ludo Kressh and Naga Sadow duel during the Funeral of Marka Ragnos.

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' 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 Ziost. 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' 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 Ziost. 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 Sadow hoped to rid the Empire of Kressh, and so planted evidence on Ziost 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 Sith Lords 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, Sadow fled the battle, and was believed killed in the Denarii Nova he created with the Corsair. As the remains of the Sith Empire crumbled behind him, Sadow and his remaining Massassi 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 Massassi 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.

However, this 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 charletons known as the Sorcerers of Tund. As a result of an unstable hyperdrive, the Sith starship Harbinger traveled to the future to the year 41 ABY. Finally, one Sith Lord took his forces and retreated to the Unknown Regions 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
Freedon Nadd lingered for centuries after his death as a Force ghost.


   "Jedi must be willing to look into their own hearts and spirits. If you do not…well, let us just say that you will never become a true Jedi."
   ―Jedi Master Matta Tremayne to Freedon Nadd

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 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 the 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 Sith species, as the remaining Massassi on Yavin had become primitive mutations of themselves following centuries of experimentation at the hands of Sadow.
Ommin, King of Onderon and descendant of Freedon Nadd


After gathering what relics he could from the Massassi 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 magic and 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 of Onderon. 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.
The Onderonian Monarchy

   "You should know the darkness has been with us for centuries. My father, his father…"
   ―King Ommin, speaking of his dark side heritage

His descendants would continue his oppressive rule as the kings and queens of Onderon, and call upon his lingering spirit for power and dark side teachings. His tomb beneath Iziz became a strong nexus of dark side power and his collections of artifacts became treasures to those seeking his dark side strength. Eventually the Dark Lord's descendant Ommin took the throne and trained extensively with Freedon Nadd's spirit. The two also seduced Amanoa into marrying the King and training in the Sith arts. Nadd played the two against one another hoping the competition would reveal the stronger of the two, and thereby the one worthy of becoming the vessel of his resurrection. Although Ommin became extremely capable in the dark side, his power in the Force caused him to lose control over his own body, and the King became confined to a mechanical exoskeleton that also served as a life-support system.Queen Amanoa surrenders completely to Freedon Nadd's power.

Unfit for the public eye, he handed control of Iziz to his wife, Queen Amanoa, who abandoned her studies with Nadd to focus on the affairs of state. While the people of Onderon believed Ommin dead, he hid beneath Iziz in his lair, continuing his dark side study, collecting Sith artifacts, and gathering an cult of followers calling themselves Naddists. Ommin and his wife were both too embroiled with their own interests to take direct command of the cult, and so their proxies, Warb Null and Novar, acted in their stead. The armor-clad Warb Null was a young Force-sensitive who had been seduced to the dark side by a Sith spirit, while Novar had been an apprentice to Ommin and Amanoa following his tenure as Ommin's personal aide.

Eventually, Freedon Nadd came to realize that neither the King nor the Queen would be fit to serve as the agent of his resurrection. Ommin had become far too weak under the pall of the dark side and Amanoa was no longer focused on the Sith. Unwilling to surrender, Nadd attempted one last time to pull the Queen back into the grip of the Sith, appearing before her and warning her not to allow the still ongoing Beast Wars to fully erupt, as it would result in her destruction. Although Nadd hoped this would scare the Queen back into her dark side studies, Amanoa took an entirely different direction and requested the aide of the Jedi Order to end the centuries-long conflict. The Jedi agreed and sent Master Arca Jeth's apprentices to Iziz to begin negotiations. Hiding the taint of the dark side from the young Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma, Cay Qel-Droma, and Tott Doneeta, Amanoa requested their assistance in defeating the Beast Riders, who kidnapped her and Ommin's daughter, Galia, shortly after the Jedi arrival. Soon, Amanoa learned that her daughter consented to be married to the leader of the Beast Riders, Oron Kira, and hoped to settle the war peacefully. Having no interest in a peaceful settlement, the enraged Queen revealed her dark side allegiance to her enemies, surrounding Iziz in a palpable darkness. During the ensuing battle, the Naddist army fought to defend the Queen as she retreated to Freedon Nadd's tomb beneath the palace. The Naddists fought valiantly against the Beast Riders for a time under Amanoa's dark side influence, however the arrival of Master Arca Jeth broke their advantage. Jeth was able to follow the Queen into the Dark Lord's tomb and dispel his dark energy, killing Queen Amanoa in the process.
Freedon Nadd's spirit guides Aleema and Satal Keto to safety.


The death of the Queen and the supposed dispersion of Nadd's dark energy did little to pull Onderon out of darkness however. Even after Galia took the throne and the fighting ended, there was still a noticeable dark side aura throughout Iziz. The decision was made by the Jedi to exhume the remains of Freedon Nadd and bury both him and Queen Amanoa on Onderon's jungle moon of Dxun, where their presence could no longer corrupt future rulers. News of his wife's death at the hands of the Jedi and the end of the Beast Wars eventually reached King Ommin, still hiding beneath Iziz. Prepared to reveal himself once more, the frail king had the dark side slave, Warb Null, lead the Naddist cult into battle on the streets of Iziz during the Queen's funeral procession. The dark-siders tunneled up into the surface of the city and ambushed the Jedi. Null fought them off and the Naddists captured the sarcophagi of both deceased monarchs, quickly returning them to Ommin's underground sanctuary. Shortly after the battle, Ommin, empowered by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, distracted Arca Jeth long enough for the King to seize the Jedi Master and flee with him deep into the tunnels. Jeth's padawan, Ulic Qel-Droma, was unable to save his master from abduction, as he had entered a duel with Warb Null. The duel ended quickly however, with Null dead.

Meanwhile, on Koros Major, Satal and Aleema Keto, cousins and royal heirs of the Tetan Monarchy, had formed the Krath secret society with their friends. The group researched the Sith and their ancient Empire which instigated the Great Hyperspace war centuries before, and became so consumed with the history that the two decided to take a trip to Coruscant, where the Galactic Museum had prepared an exhibit featuring artifacts from the Sith Empire. At the behest of Aleema, Satal stole a Sith spellbook from the exhibit, Dark Lords of the Sith, however neither of the two could read the contents, as it was written in ancient Sith glyphs. As the fighting continued on Onderon for days, word of the conflict spread across the galaxy via the HoloNet. A report of the Sith-worshipping dark side army was read on a newscast, which caught the attention of the cousins. The two resolved to travel to Onderon in search of an individual who could translate the text for them.
The final resting place of Freedon Nadd on Dxun


Although the battle on Onderon was progressing well for the Naddists, the Jedi soon received reinforcements in the form of a Republic battle group and five additional Jedi from Ossus. One of these Jedi, Nomi Sunrider, was able to turn the tide with her Battle Meditation ability. The fighting, which had been confined to the jungle stronghold of the Beast Riders for two days, now returned to Iziz. As the streets once again became embroiled in war, the Keto cousins dropped out of hyperspace, right in the middle of the war zone. Ignoring warnings from the Republic fleet in orbit, the two descended towards the city and were shot down by crossfire. Aleema and Satal survived the crash and were able to contact King Ommin. He gifted the aspiring darksiders with a Sith amulet which granted them the power to read the Sith spellbook. In return, he asked for the opportunity to transcribe the spellbook for his own collection. As the trio completed their deal, Ommin introduced the Ketos to his latest addition to his collection: Arca Jeth. Ommin planned to torture the Jedi Master enough that he would be unable to resist the temptation of the dark side. However, it was at this moment that the Jedi task force in the city was able to penetrate Ommin's stronghold and ambush his defenders. As Satal and Aleema panicked and fled deeper into the tunnels beneath Iziz, the King fought the Jedi, but to no avail. Ulic Qel-Droma was able to slice through Ommin's exoskeleton, incapacitating him. The King begged for the assistance of Freedon Nadd, however the Dark Lord had decided that the Keto's showed more promise than Ommin. Nadd's spirit guided the two Krath founders to safety and returned to tell Ommin that he had forsaken him, and the Jedi that their victory would be short-lived. Before departing Iziz, Nadd prophesized on the fate of Ulic Qel-Droma, claiming he was destined to become one of the great Sith Lords.

With Ommin's death, and the end of the Freedon Nadd Uprising, Onderon was finally free of Nadd's dark shadow. The bodies of King Ommin, Queen Amanoa, and Freedon Nadd were all moved to Dxun, into a tomb of Mandalorian iron, not to be disturbed again. Aleema and Satal, armed with new knowledge and artifacts from Iziz, returned to Empress Teta to plan their ascension.
The Great Sith War
Exar Kun and Vodo-Siosk Baas prepare for a training duel on the plains of Dantooine.


   "The Ancient Sith have spoken. Together, we will bring down the galaxy."
   ―Exar Kun to Ulic Qel-Droma

With the Naddist Revolt crushed, Freedon Nadd's dream of a second Sith Golden Age was halted once again. However, a new opportunity would present itself in the form of the rising Krath cult in the Empress Teta System and the young Jedi Exar Kun.

Exar Kun was the pupil of Krevaaki Jedi Master Vodo-Siosk Baas along with the Cathar Jedi Crado and Sylvar. Kun was extremely talented in the Force and, much like Freedon Nadd centuries earlier, developed an arrogance that lead him to believe he was worthy of receiving special teachings. Becoming engrossed with the idea that he could research Sith teachings and powers, yet remain uncorrupted by the dark side, Kun began to delve into forbidden Sith holocrons on the Jedi world of Dantooine. During a lightsaber training session with his master and fellow students, Kun defeated Crado easily. Following Crado's defeat, Master Baas instructed Sylvar to enter a duel with Kun. Exar taunted Sylvar with claims that nonhumans were inept and unworthy, angering her, and in retribution, she struck the human with her claws, scarring and infuriating him. Kun attacked her viciously and nearly killed her when Vodo-Siosk Baas stepped in and stopped Kun's saber with his walking staff. In an attempt to teach Exar Kun a lesson in strength, Baas challenged his wayward apprentice to a duel and gained the upper hand quickly, despite the immense odds of walking stick versus lightsaber. Kun was able to defeat his master with aid from Crado, who threw Exar his lightsaber during the duel. Victorious, Kun declared himself a Jedi Knight and departed Dantooine to search for the secrets of the Sith.
Satal and Aleema's Krath forces overwhelm the Empress Teta System during their coup.


Kun followed his curiosity to Onderon, where the fighting had just ended. He learned here that the Sith Lord Freedon Nadd had recently been interred on Dxun, and traveled to the moon in search of answers. Kun broke into the sealed tomb and encountered the spirit of Nadd, who encouraged the young man to continue his search on the ancient Sith burial world of Korriban. As Kun left Dxun for old Sith space, Aleema and Satal Keto, who had also recently paid Onderon a visit, were setting their plan for domination in motion on Koros Major.

The two Krath founders, after having used the late King Ommin's artifacts and the spirit of Freedon Nadd to become adept in Sith sorcery, traveled to an orbital Carbonite smelting plant above Koros where Lord Keto and Lady Magda Keto, rulers of the Empress Teta system and parents of Satal and Aleema, were being given a tour. The two were escorted by the royal tutor Korus, whose tongue was transformed into an Adegan eel by the children. This bewildered Lord Keto, who attempted to call for help, but his guard's swords were transformed into snakes that began to attack their wielders. Helpless, Lord and Lady Keto accepted defeat at the hands of their children and continued their tour, now guiding the new Emperor Satal and Empress Aleema of the Teta system. The group entered a smelting chamber, and the new rulers of Teta had the former rulers tied above vats of molten carbonite and lowered into them. With Lord and Lady Keto dead and the Tetan government under their control, Satal and Aleema took up residence in the Iron Citadel in Cinnagar. The worlds of Empress Teta quickly fell in line behind the Krath, all except for Koros Major itself. Initiating the Krath Holy Crusade, the Ketos launched an assault against their own capital world, hoping to bring it in line.
The Krath Holy Crusade

   "I'll bet they don't even understand what they've unleashed, and that makes them all the more dangerous."
   ―Cay Qel-Droma

As the Ketos prepared to crush the resistance on Koros Major, word of the struggle and Krath usurpation reached the Republic capital of Coruscant. Jedi Master Arca Jeth petitioned the Republic leadership to send aid to the resistance fighters and help defeat the Krath, as the dark side cult reminded the Jedi too much of the Naddists recently defeated on Onderon. Aleema Keto's illusions attack the Republic Navy at the First Battle of Empress Teta.

The Republic complied, and a battle group to relieve the resistance fighters was organized, lead by Jedi Knights Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma. However, when the Republic fleet arrived at Koros Major, the battle was already in progress, with Krath warships attacking the planet. As Qel-Droma ordered his ships into battle positions, Aleema and Satal began their counter-attack. Aleema utilized Sith magic to conjure illusions of space grazers which headed directly at the Republic fleet, causing the officers to panic and their ships to scatter. Nomi Sunrider was able to see through the illusion and refocus the fleet, however the Krath decided that the battle would require both the Force and physical military might, and so ordered wings of Chaos fighters to initiate suicide runs on the Republic vessels. As the fighters closed the distance between the fleets, Aleema conjured an illusion of additional wings of Chaos fighters to confuse and overwhelm the Republic ships. Sunrider again saw through the illusion and was able to block Aleema's ghost ships from interfering in the battle, but there were still many real fighters that collided with Republic vessels. The Republic fleet was crippled and forced to retreat with a severely injured Qel-Droma, while the Krath were left to complete their conquest of Koros. The Battle of Empress Teta was a complete success for the Krath, and marked the beginning of the wider Great Sith War.
Because of the massive losses over Koros Major, the Jedi leadership decided it was time for an assembly to be called in order to discuss the Krath threat and other gathering shadows. Krath intelligence agents discovered that the grand convocation was to be held on Deneba, and Satal planned for a direct assault against the Jedi there. As thousands of Jedi vessels descended upon Deneba, Satal was able to sneak a Krath warship among them, hiding in orbit. Meanwhile, light years away on Korriban, Exar Kun was exploring the planet once inhabited by the Dark Lords of the Sith. Guided by Freedon Nadd's spirit, Kun became trapped and injured beneath rubble during a cave-in within an ancient tomb. The cave-in was designed by Nadd as a test for Kun, who would need to touch the dark side in order to survive. Initially fearful, Kun reached out through the Force for his former Master Baas on Deneba, who attempted to help his pupil. Freedon Nadd refused to allow this to happen however, and blocked Vodo's attempts at aiding Kun. Near death and running out of options, Kun embraced the dark side and freed himself.A Krath war droid on Deneba
RedemptionAdded by Redemption
Kun's anger and malice healed his broken body and sent ripples through the Force that greatly disturbed the Jedi assembly, however Baas accepted that he could no longer help the young man. Kun, still under the belief he could use both the dark and light side without consequence, left Korriban on a course for Yavin 4, where Nadd claimed his training would be completed.

On Deneba the Jedi debated over how to best combat the dark side and it's followers, and after hearing proposals and arguments from Ulic Qel-Droma and others, the convocation took a short recess. Just before the conclave could resume, Satal set his plan in motion. The Krath warship in orbit above the planet launched a large number of escape pods, each filled with Krath war droids. Catching the Jedi unaware, the droids were able to kill many of them in the initial stages of the attack. In conjunction with the war droid assault, the service droids who had been serving the Jedi during the convocation also attacked their masters, having been sabotaged by Krath spies prior to the arrival of the Jedi. Although all the droids were destroyed at the Battle of Deneba, many Jedi were killed, including Arca Jeth. The death of his master caused Ulic Qel-Droma to plan a mission to destroy the Krath from within, a strategy frowned upon by many other Jedi, including his late master.
Ulic traveled to the Empress Teta system and cut off contact with the rest of the Order. He was quickly able to convince Aleema that he had fallen from the Jedi way and become sympathetic to the Krath, however Satal was not so trusting. He had the young Jedi imprisoned and tortured which caused Ulic to begin a journey towards the dark side. Satal eventually came to trust Ulic, and Qel-Droma was instated as a warlord of the Krath. Fearing the worst after months with no contact, Ulic's lover Nomi Sunrider planned a mission to rescue Ulic from Cinnagar. Whe she arrived however, she found that Ulic still wished to maintain his cover and did nothing as Nomi was sentenced to death. He attempted to explain himself to her via a secret message that was intercepted by Satal. Not knowing Ulic's plan, Nomi escaped her prison but before she could depart, she was confronted by Satal, who was then confronted by Ulic Qel-Droma. Ulic had recently learned from Aleema that it was Satal who ordered the attack on Deneba, and in search of revenge for the late Arca Jeth, Ulic attacked Satal. During the ensuing struggle, Ulic killed Satal in a fit of anger and succumbed to the dark side, Keto's intent from the start. Although Nomi and other Jedi attempted to help him, he attacked them as well and drove them off while he stayed on Koros Major. Ulic soon took Satal's place at Aleema's side was awarded with a rare Sith amulet while Nomi began to plan yet another mission to rescue Ulic."Some crimes deserve the justice of hatred!": Ulic Qel-Droma exacts revenge on Satal Keto.


Across the galaxy, Exar Kun was also continuing his descent into darkness. Much like Ulic, who believed he could conquer the dark side from within yet still remain true to the light, Exar believed he could use the power of the dark yet remain uncorrupted by it. Freedon Nadd, whose spirit still guided Kun, was intent on proving him wrong. As Kun arrived on Yavin 4, he was confronted by the primitive and savage Massassi people who easily captured the Dark Jedi, as Exar was still unwilling to fully give into the power of the dark side. On the verge of death, Kun was again visited by Freedon Nadd. Nadd once again told him that the only way to survive was to embrace the dark side and Exar complied, seizing a Sith amulet from a Massassi priest and using it's power to free himself and kill his captors. Exar had fully accepted the Sith ways, much to Freedon Nadd's delight, who immediately demanded that Kun get to work on the creation of a new body for the long-dead Dark Lord to inhabit, a task both Ommin and Amanoa had failed on Onderon. Exar had grown annoyed with Nadd however, and used his newfound power to destroy his spirit once and for all. In his last moments, Nadd visited Ulic Qel-Droma and Aleema Keto in Cinnagar and warned them of Kun's rising power. Freedon Nadd, plague of the Jedi and father to the Naddists and Krath, was gone. Exar Kun, free from Nadd's command, went about enslaving the remaining Massassi on Yavin 4 and searching for threats to his power. He identified two darksiders on Koros Major, Ulic and Aleema, and set out to kill them.

Kun arrived in Cinnagar directly after a Jedi assault lead by Nomi Sunrider was beaten back by Qel-Droma. Exar confronted Ulic and Aleema and quickly incapacitated the Tetan Empress. Qel-Droma was much more of a challenge however, and the two dark Jedi dueled fiercly. The duel was short-lived though, as Exar and Ulic's Sith amulets began to glow with dark energy, enticing the spirit of Marka Ragnos to appear as it had during the duel between Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh. This time however, the combatants yielded to the spirit and stopped their duel to heed Ragnos's words. The ancient Sith Lord proclaimed that Exar Kun was to be the new Dark Lord of the Sith, while Ulic Qel-Doma was to become his apprentice. The two were branded with Sith tattoos on their foreheads to signify their new allegiance. With the inception of the new Sith Lords, the order was once again revived, the first time since the death of Freedon Nadd centuries before.
The Brotherhood of the Sith
Jedi Master Odan-Urr's death at the hands of Exar Kun, the new Dark Lord of the Sith


   "You are puppets of a tradition pretending to be important. The coming of a golden age has no place for you. Your Republic is an empty, self-indulgent diversion…signifying nothing. The lost glory of the Sith will turn all of your supposed accomplishments to dust!"
   ―Ulic Qel-Droma, to the Senate

Allied with Aleeema's Krath armies, the two Sith Lords set out to plan the final destruction of the Jedi and the Republic. Using the Dark Reaper,they inflicted near-genocidal casualties on worlds such as Raxus Prime. Exar used Sith alchemy to create Terentateks, large creatures with a thirst for Jedi blood. Ulic was also able to make an alliance with Mandalore the Indomitable on Kuar, and with the new addition of Mandalorian soldiers to their forces, the Sith overwhelmed the Republic defenders at Foerost. While the Krath and Mandalorian armies under Ulic's command terrorized the galaxy, Exar went about building a following of darksiders for the Sith Lords to command. He traveled to Ossus, where he gave an impassioned speech to the Jedi students there, claiming their masters were withholding knowledge and power from them. Many students, including Crado, left Ossus for Yavin 4, where they would become the apprentices of Kun, however before Kun himself left, he planned on retrieving the Sith holocron possessed by Odan-Urr, the ancient Jedi hero of the Great Hyperspace War. Kun confronted Odan-Urr and killed him, taking the holocron for himself and claiming the ancient Master declared Exar a Jedi Master directly before his death.

On Yavin 4, his students expressed doubt about the path they had started on after sensing the dark taint of the moon. In response, Kun destroyed Odan-Urr's Sith holocron, releasing the spirits trapped inside which then possessed the doubtful Jedi. Reassured by the dark spirits now controlling their actions, the Jedi students trained with Kun in the dark arts and were eventually convinced by him that the last thing standing in the way of another Sith Golden Age was their former Jedi Masters. The students left Yavin to hunt down and kill their masters in an incredibly successful strike known as the Jedi pogrom. Meanwhile, Ulic had grown ambitious and arrogant with his new Mandalorian army and decided to strike the heart of the Republic, Coruscant. Although the plan was frowned upon by Kun, Ulic went ahead with the attack and lead Mandalore and Aleema into battle alongside their armies. Aleema, tired of sharing power over the Krath with Ulic, ordered a retreat while Qel-Droma was attacking the Republic war room alone. Abandoned, Ulic was eventually defeated by the Jedi on Coruscant and put on trial.
Exar Kun shortly before killing his former master, Vodo-Siosk Baas


Ulic's trial was presided over by the Republic Inquisition and he was found guilty on all charges. As he was sentenced to death, Exar Kun strode into the Senate Hall where the trial was being held. Immobilizing the senators and executing the Supreme Chancellor, Kun freed his apprentice only to be confronted by his former master, Vodo-Siosk Baas. Kun used his new weapon, a double-bladed lightsaber to overpower and murder Baas, who claimed he would one day return to defeat his apprentice. Kun and Qel-Droma departed Coruscant to continue their war after again proclaiming the dominance of the Sith. Upon Ulic's return to command, Mandalore informed him of Aleema's treachery at the Battle of Coruscant and the Sith apprentice began planning for revenge.

The next stage of the war centered around the attack on Kemplex IX. Ulic hoped to use the battle as a trap for Aleema, while Exar planned to trick the Krath Sorceress into destroying the Cron Cluster, a group of ten closely packed stars, which would result in the destruction of a different target. Exar armed Aleema with the Corsair, the ancient flagship of Naga Sadow discovered on Yavin 4. Kun taught her how to use it's Sith magic to rip the cores from stars, but neglected to tell her that it would cause a supernova the ship could not protect her from. Aleema and Crado were to take the ship and lead the assault on Kemplex IX, however Aleema was overly eager to use her new weapon. After destroying the Republic jump-station that was their target, Aleema lured a Jedi fleet into the nearby Cron Cluster, just as Exar Kun had predicted. Aleema ripped the core out of one of the stars, incinerating the Jedi fleet, however she was unable to control the explosion. A chain reaction began, with all ten stars going nova and destroying the Corsair along with Aleema and Crado. Also according to Exar Kun's plan, the supernova headed directly at Ossus, the primary target of the Sith.
While the Jedi attempted to evacuate Ossus with as many relics and artifacts as they could, Exar Kun and Ulic lead an attack against the planet. Kun's Massassi warriors looted what remained of the Jedi library while the Dark Lord himself attempted to steal a cache of ancient lightsabers from the Neti Jedi Master Ood Bnar.Sith Lord Ulic Qel-Droma battles and eventually kills his Jedi brother, Cay Qel-Droma, on Ossus.

Kun failed as Bnar transformed into a giant tree and hid the lightsabers beneath his body, not to be disturbed again until millennia later. Ulic flew above the fray during the battle, only to be confronted by his brother, Cay Qel-Droma, who had sensed his presence. Ulic and Cay landed and began a duel which ended with Ulic killing the brother he had once fought alongside as a Jedi. Witnessing the murder, Nomi Sunrider trapped Ulic in a "wall of light" and cut him off from the Force out of disgust for what he had become. Ulic only now realized what he had done and renounced his Sith ties, agreeing to help the Jedi defeat the Dark Lord Exar Kun. After both the Jedi and Sith retreated from the planet, Ossus was hit by the Cron Supernova, destroying all life on the planet, save for Master Bnar.

On other battlefields across the galaxy, the war still raged. Following the Jedi victory at the Battle of Toprawa, the failed Jedi apprentice Haazen was nearly killed by explosions in caverns that claimed the life of many of his fellow Jedi, including Barrison Draay. Haazen was revived by the Sith and turned to the dark side, only to hide his allegiances following the end of the war. On Onderon, the remaining Mandalorian warriors were beaten back and retreated to Dxun, where Mandalore the Indomitable was killed by wild animals. With Ulic's help, the Jedi also prepared for a massive assault on Kun's fortress on Yavin 4. The war was drawing to a close, and Exar Kun was the last leader of the Sith still standing. Above Yavin, thousands of Jedi ships descended towards Kun's fortress. Realizing the war was lost, Kun assembled his Massassi warriors at the temples left behind by Naga Sadow. Exar Kun called upon Sith magic and drained his Massassi slaves of their life force, killing them. The energy he gained from them allowed the Dark Lord to break free of his mortal body and maintain his spirit, which hoped to leave Yavin to continue the war elsewhere in the galaxy. Sensing this, Nomi and rest of the assembled Jedi created a wall of light around Yavin 4, hoping it would have the same effect as it did against Ulic on Ossus. The massive surge of light side energy managed to keep Exar Kun's spirit trapped on the planet, tied to one of his temples, however the collision of light energy from the Jedi and dark from Kun's Sith magic caused a massive firestorm to erupt and rage across the moon, killing all life on its surface. The Jedi retreated, their mission accomplished. The Great Sith War was over, and the Sith Order was defeated.

Following the conclusion of the Great Sith War, the remains of the Brotherhood of the Sith were disbanded. The Empress Teta system was finally liberated from the remnants of the Krath at the Third Battle of Empress Teta and the Jedi and Republic began the long process of rebuilding a broken galaxy. During this period, the Jedi initiated the Great Hunt, an effort to kill the Exar Kun's remaining Tarentateks which terrorized the Order during the war. The program was mostly successful, however several beasts survived on both Korriban and Kashyyyk. The Jedi also attempted to destroy the Sith-inspired Mecrosa Order, however their attempts were unseccessful. The few surviving members of the Brotherhood were still scattered throughout the galaxy. Toki Tollivar became a serial killer on Corellia, Haazen infiltrated the Jedi Covenant, an organization designed to ensure the extiction of the Sith, and Ulic Qel-Droma was killed shortly after his redemption on Rhen Var. The Old Sith Empire continued to survive in obscurity in the unknown regions, still lead by the same Sith Lord who had escaped the Empire's destruction centuries before during the Great Hyperspace War.
Surviving influencesEdit Surviving influences sectionEdit
Haazen, Sith Acolyte in hiding


   "The Sith came to us with an offer–to fight a worthy enemy in a battle that would be remembered forever."
   ―Canderous Ordo

The remnants of the ancient Sith Empire saw an opportunity for revenge in the form of the Mandalorians. After Mandalore the Indomitable's death on Dxun during the war, Mandalore the Ultimate rose to take his place as leader of the Mandalorian clans. This new Mandalore reformed his warriors into the Neo-Crusaders and made a base on the moon of Dxun. According to Canderous Ordo, Mandalore was approached by the Sith and goaded into attacking the Republic, as it was weak and still rebuilding in the aftermath of the Great Sith War. Mandalore accepted and readied his armies for war, and in 3,976 BBY, twenty years after the conclusion of the Great Sith War, the Mandalorians began a brutal campaign for dominance over the Outer Rim and areas of Unknown Regions. The Neo-Crusaders were able to carve out an area of space for themselves that exceeded that of the Hutt Empire, however the Republic refused to respond to the threat until the Mandalorians neared the business world of Taris, at which point the Galactic Senate pledged it's support to the defense of Taris- a defense lead by Admiral Saul Karath. A military-security cordon was established and the battle entered into an uneasy period of tension. While the Republic leapt headlong into the conflict, the Jedi remained cautious. The High Council decided it would not aid the Republic, turning the sentiment of much of the Republic Army against them.
During this period, the Jedi Covenant's First WatchCircle, a group of Jedi Consulars based on Taris, received a Force Vision depicting the return of the Sith. The Jedi Covenant's purpose was to prevent this specific event from happening, thereby avoiding yet another Great Sith War. In response, these Jedi Consulars massacred their studentsKarness Muur and his talisman

, who they believed to be the source of the future Sith menace. Zayne Carrick, padawan to Lucien Draay, was the only one of the five students to survive. The First WatchCircle and the Jedi Covenant framed Carrick for the massacre, claiming he had turned to the dark side. In reality, all of these events were being engineered by Haazen, the Sith acolyte still in hiding within the Jedi Covenant since the conclusion of the war. Haazen had been Draay's Jedi Master, and since his grievous injuries and turn to the dark side during the war, he had been plotting to destroy the Jedi Order from within by wresting control of the Covenant away from Lucien's mother, Krynda Draay.

As the Jedi hunted for Carrick, he and Covenant Shadow Celeste Morne encountered the Muur Talisman on Taris. The ancient relic of the original Sith Empire had somehow made its' way to the city-planet, where the Rakghoul Plague that had been created by Karness Muur several millennia before ran rampant. Shortly after the two Jedi discovered it, the Talisman was taken to Jebble by invading Mandalorian forces. There, it transformed an entire Mandalorian army into Rakghouls that threatened to leave the planet and spread the disease throughout the galaxy. Morne and Carrick also discovered that the Talisman still contained the spirit of Karness Muur himself, who hoped to possess a Force-sensitive body and create a new Sith era enforced by his Rakghouls. Celeste Morne, who had dedicated her life to the prevention of the return of the Sith, allowed the Talisman to attach itself to her. She was able to control Muur to some degree, however she was corrupted as well, and was in danger of slipping to the dark side. Carrick and Morne discovered another Sith artifact on Jebble that had been acquired by the Mandalorians- Dreypa's Oubliette. The oubliette was designed to contain both Muur and the plague, however Morne would have to be interred within it as well. Carrick planned to leave and return with help for her, however shortly after his departure, the Mandalorian fleet arrived and bombarded the planet with nuclear warheads, killing the Rakghouls and flooding the once-frozen world. Carrick believed Morne to be dead, however she was safely in stasis within the intact oubliette, and would remain there for almost four millennia.

Zayne Carrick traveled to Coruscant shortly after, hoping to force a member of the First WatchCircle to confess to their crime and clear Zayne's name. Master Xamar gave in and confessed to the Jedi Council, which then ordered an assault on the Draay Estate, headquarters of the Covenant. Having already poisoned Krynda, Haazen set his plan into motion, initiating "Vindication", a contingency plan that was to be put into effect had the Jedi Council come under the influence of the Sith. "Vindication" placed the orbiting Republic fleet in Haazens control, allowing him to kill many of the attacking Jedi with orbital bombardment. Carrick and Lucien Draay were the only two Jedi not forced to retreat, and although Haazen nearly pulled Draay to the dark side, the Jedi refused to join the Sith and instead killed Haazen by redirecting the Republic ships to fire directly at the Draay Estate. Both Carrick and Draay survived, however neither returned to the Jedi Order, deciding to take different paths. Carrick and his friends later killed Toki Tollivar, another Sith Acolyte who had been in hiding since the conclusion of the war.
Revan, Alek, and several Revanchists on Cathar

The making of Revan

   "We'll go to the front—and beyond it, if it'll save the galaxy. Sometimes you have to enter the darkness to save the light."
   ―Alek Squinquargesimus on the Revanchists

As the tension in the Outer Rim continued to escalate, several members of the Jedi Order began to voice their opposition to the Council's decision to remain uninvolved. Foremost among these dissidents was the Jedi Knight Revan. He, along with his close friend Alek Squinquargesimus, began to advocate for the Jedi to enter the war alongside the Republic. Although many Jedi remained loyal to the Council's choice, many younger Jedi joined Revan and Alek and soon began to scout the front lines. Revan's followers soon adopted the "Revanchists". As these renegades probed the borders between Mandalorian and Republic space, Taris descended into chaos following the "Padawan Massacre" and the departure of the Jedi Masters stationed there. Seeing his opportunity to seize the planet, Mandalore the Ultimate initiated the true Mandalorian War, with his armada pouring into Republic space and overwhelming the under-prepared security forces. The Republic suffered grievous losses in battles at Onderon, Vanquo, several Outer Rim Colonies, Taris, and Serroco.
Seeing the carnage, Revan hoped to gain more support for his efforts and so released records of the Genocide of Cathar, a Mandalorian operation that had occurred in the early stages of the war, during the Council's refusal to take part in the conflict. The reports shocked both the Republic and the Jedi, leading to more support for both Revan and Alek, who had adopted the alias Malak since the events surrounding "Vindication". The two led the Revanchists, also known as the Jedi Crusaders, to join the Republic military and fight in battles across the galaxy. Revan and Malak, alongside a female Jedi Crusader, proved to be capable military commanders and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually gaining control over a full third of the Republic Navy. The soldiers under their command became incredibly loyal to the Jedi, and increasingly averse to the Council and Knights who chose to remain out of the war. As Revan and Malak continued their crusade, the tide began to turn in their favor. The Mandalorian armies were beaten back on Taris and crushed at Dxun.The Trayus Academy on Malachor V

Revan and Malak's tactics became increasingly brutal during the fighting, having sacrificed countless Republic soldiers on Dxun simply to drive the Mandalorians off the moon and decimating Mandalorian ground forces on Althir. Soon the Mandalorians had retreated to their pre-war Empire in the unknown regions, pursued by Revan's forces. Revan was a hero to the Republic and the Jedi and appeared to have been vindicated in his defiance of the Council.

However, appearances were deceiving. Early in the war, during Revan's original scouting of the area surrounding Mandalorian Space, he came upon Malachor V, a forbidden taboo world to the Mandalorians. By this time the hidden Empire had forgotten the world. The Jedi traveled to the planet's surface and was immediately overwhelmed by dark side energies. Malachor had once belonged to the ancient Sith Empire, and was saturated with the dark side. In an effort to save himself from being consumed by the dark side, Revan fed off of it instead. On Malachor he also stumbled upon the Trayus Academy, and ancient repository of Sith teachings built around a dark side geyser. It was there that he learned the location of Korriban and the existence of a hidden Sith Empire, the faction of the original Empire that had survived the Great Hyperspace War and been in hiding beyond the Unknown Regions for thousands of years. Revan, believing these Sith to be a greater evil than the Mandalorians, accepted the Sith way and the power it offered in the hopes that he could defend the galaxy from this newly discovered threat. He also believed that these Sith had somehow influenced the Mandalorians into attacking the Republic. Revan also introduced Malak to the teaching of the Sith, and together the two adopted the title of Sith Lords, with Revan as the Dark Lord and Malak as the Apprentice. They remade themselves into Darth Revan and Darth Malak, marking the first recorded use of the honorific Darth title. During the war, Revan also discovered a Star Map on Kashyyyk- an ancient relic of the Infinite Empire which had attempted to conquer the original Sith people far before the creation of the Sith religious order. The Star Map hinted at the existence of an ancient superweapon that Revan would focus on finding after the war. The new Sith made preparations for the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars and their forces in the aftermath of the conflict. Sith teachings began to spread through the Republic fleet, however it was largely unquestioned, as Revan and Malak were still the heroes of the Republic.
The new Dark Lord decided to use Malachor V as the final battleground, positioning a fleet of Republic ships in orbit that consisted of crewmen and soldiers who were not fanatically loyal to him. The Mandalorians temptation for battle eclipsed their desire to avoid Malachor, and so began a final, massive assault on the Republic fleet which was being lead by the female Jedi Crusader who had served alongside Revan and Malak for the duration of the war. Prior to the battle, Revan had entrusted her with the Mass Shadow Generator, a new superweapon designed by the Zabrak engineer Bao-Dur. As the battle began, the Republic forces were overwhelmed and suffered crippling losses, however Revan soon arrived with reinforcements and the power of Sith teachings. The ruins of Malachor V

He drew upon the dark energy of the planet below, invigorating his forces and drawing many of them to the dark side. Revan himself killed Mandalore the Ultimate and the remaining Mandalorian forces were pushed towards Malachor. At this point the Jedi Crusader leading the fleet ordered the activation of the Mass Shadow Generator and watched in horror as thousands of ships from both the Mandalorian and Republic fleets were crushed in an artificial gravity well. The wreckage slammed into the planet and ruptured it's crust, leaving nothing but a broken core. The countless deaths could be felt through the Force, however the Jedi Crusader cut herself off from the Force before the echoes could kill her. The battle ended with almost all of the Mandalorians killed, and the remaining declaring their unconditional surrender to Revan, who disbanded the warriors and sentenced them to perpetual exile. The surviving Jedi were either turned to the dark side or killed by Revan and Malak, however the Dark Lord allowed the now-Force-dead Jedi Crusader to escape and return to the Jedi Council on Coruscant where she would be sentenced to exile for her actions during the war. Revan had single-handedly defeated the Mandalorian menace and could have returned to Coruscant to be hailed as a hero, despite the tragedy over Malachor V.

To everybody's surprise however, both he and Malak, along with a full third of the Republic fleet, disappeared into the Unknown Regions shortly after the Battle of Malachor. The official reason was that they were hunting down the last of the Mandalorians, however the Sith Lords and their fleet were actually searching the galaxy for the Star Forge, the ancient weapon that Revan had learned about from the Star Map. Several years passed with the Republic receiving no word from the missing fleet, and it was assumed that the heroes of the Mandalorian Wars were dead.