Nightsisters/Legends

"The Nightsisters are their Sith."

- Han Solo, explaining the relationship between Nightsisters and Dathomiri Witches

The Nightsisters were a group of Dathomiri Witches (usually exiled from one of the other clans) whose magic was powered by the dark side of the Force. Although they used the dark side, their powers and abilities were quite different from the Sith Lords, which caused confusion among Jedi scholars as to who or what they really were.

Around the time of their defeat, their leader was Gethzerion, who endlessly terrorized the other Dathomiri Witch clans.

Founding
The Witches of Dathomir had a long tradition of exiling darksiders and others who broke their ancient code to live outside their clans in solitude and contemplation. However, at some point in the waning days of the Galactic Republic, the exiled outcasts banded together to form a new clan, which became the Nightsisters. Over time, this group came to resemble the traditional clans and started to expand, raising its own children to obey the power of the dark side, although they did not regard it in those terms. While the other clans refused to forcibly oppose them, their numbers rose steadily, climbing to approximately one hundred in 8 ABY. Eventually, some Nightsisters served under the Galactic Empire and pledged their allegiance to the Sith.

The Clone Wars
"We could certainly use the power of the Nightsisters against the Jedi."

- Count Dooku, speaking to Nightsister Talzin

Sometime during the Clone Wars, a group of Nightsisters came into contact with the Sith Lord Count Dooku. This faction of dark side users were under the control of Sai Sircu and Yansu Grjak. Dooku recruited them into the Confederacy of Independent Systems to help with espionage, but their true goals were their own. They were involved in the plot to smuggle and make use of lightsaber crystals for a Separatist superweapon which made the Jedi Council aware of this new threat. They eventually betrayed Dooku and his mysterious master in part to prevent Dathomir's destruction.

Another coven of Dathomirian Nightsisters, under the leadership of Mother Talzin, welcomed back and helped Asajj Ventress in her quest for vengeance against Dooku, who had betrayed her. Two other Nightsisters went with her to Serenno to kill Dooku. When this attempt failed, Mother Talzin provided Dooku with an apprentice following the apparent "death" of Asajj Ventress. The Zabrak Nightbrother Savage Opress was presented to the Count by Talzin in person. Around this time, they also discussed using her Nightsisters against the Jedi in the Separatist war effort. Talzin's coven was known to have a close relationship with the clan of Zabrak Nightbrothers.

Fall of the Nightsisters
After the defeat at Yavin 4, the Empire established a prison colony on Dathomir. Gethzerion aided them, tracking down escapees and renegades, hoping to obtain passage offworld. When Emperor Palpatine came to learn the true extent of Gethzerion's dark power, however, he came to fear the formidable threat she posed to him. He had all the ships stationed on Dathomir destroyed and detached a fleet group to enforce a quarantine on the planet in order to keep her grounded. The Nightsisters then took over the Imperial prison, and enslaved all the stranded Imperials stationed there, trying but failing to cobble together an escape craft.

Despite this, there were several Nightsisters, such as Silri, who apparently managed to escape this fate. They allied themselves with Tyber Zann of the Zann Consortium. The Nightsisters fought on the side of the Zann Consortium riding mighty rancors. Other escapees included Charal, who ended up on Endor.

In 8 ABY, when a number of the Rebellion's heroes were stranded on Dathomir, Gethzerion made a deal with Warlord Zsinj that in exchange for turning over Han Solo, the Nightsisters would get access to a ship so they could escape the planet. However, Zsinj double-crossed them and had two Imperial Star Destroyers fire upon their escape shuttle, killing them all.

Rebirth
Around 23 ABY, a new clan of Nightsisters was formed by Tamith Kai in the Great Canyon. This clan accepted males and treated them as equals instead of slaves, as opposite to traditional Dathomiri society. The best of the clan were sent to the Shadow Academy for more training, with the rest remaining in the Great Canyon. Unlike the traditional Nightsisters, this new clan was heavily influenced by Imperial Dark Jedi teachings and drew upon the dark side of the Force as a concept. The fate of those left behind after the Shadow Academy fell is unknown, although at least one of them, Lomi Plo, later left the planet after the Second Imperium's fall.

In 43.5 ABY, a clan of Nightsisters attacked the unification ceremony of the Broken Columns Clan and the Raining Leaves Clan. They were repelled by the combined might of the clans with the assistance of Luke and Ben, and Vestara Khai. Some of the remaining Nightsisters were captured by the Lost Tribe of the Sith and were forced to teach them their Control web technique.

Attributes of a Nightsister
The first Nightsister clan tended to display ruptured blood vessels (bruises) on their bodies especially around their eyes, a corruption due to constant use of the dark side of the Force. Many higher Jedi Masters like Yoda also believed it was their power to manipulate weather patterns that made their appearances so rare. For unknown reasons, perhaps Imperial Dark Jedi training, this was not true for their later successors. There was no "uniform" for the Nightsisters, and each wore clothing that suited them personally, although most tended towards black robes and cloaks, adorned with tribal jewelry and accessories. Many of them also had unusually pale skin, which was perhaps painted. Nightsisters were known to be able to empower swords and other simple weapons with the Force, making them unbreakable even to lightsabers. They also use their Force powers to control rancors.

Known Nightsisters

 * Asajj Ventress
 * Axkva Min
 * Baritha
 * Barukka
 * Charal
 * Diax
 * Dresdema
 * Fath H'ray
 * Gethzerion
 * Grania
 * Gruthashaal
 * Hacina
 * Halliava Vurse
 * Iesrena Feroldam
 * Karis
 * Kyrisa
 * Leandra
 * Merili
 * Mighella
 * Mei Lai
 * Morathax
 * Naa'leth
 * Ocheron
 * Robetheri
 * Ros Lai
 * Sai Sircu
 * Shabell
 * Silri
 * Talzin
 * Varr
 * Yansu Grjak
 * Zalem

Known New Nightsisters

 * Garowyn
 * Lomi Plo
 * Tamith Kai (leader)
 * Vonnda Ra

Locations

 * Dathomir Imperial Prison
 * Nightsister Stronghold

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Darth Maul
 * Star Wars: Republic: Infinity's End
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance
 * The Clone Wars: Season Four
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Ewoks: The Battle for Endor
 * Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
 * The Courtship of Princess Leia
 * Nightsaber
 * Children of the Jedi
 * Attack on Endor Scenario Book
 * Darksaber
 * Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy
 * Young Jedi Knights: The Lost Ones
 * Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers
 * Young Jedi Knights: Darkest Knight
 * Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Under Siege
 * Star by Star
 * Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
 * Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
 * Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
 * Invincible
 * Backlash
 * Allies
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
 * Invincible
 * Backlash
 * Allies
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron