Sith/Legends



"Treachery is the way of the Sith."

- Darth Tyranus

The Sith Order was a dark side organization bent on galactic conquest. The Order existed in many forms and structures throughout history. Originally, the Sith were a humanoid species, enslaved by a group of exiled Dark Jedi. These renegades came to call themselves the Lords of the Sith, or simply Sith. Through the years, it became common for the Sith to append the name "Darth" to their own. The goal of the Sith was to exact vengeance on the Jedi Order.

Sith philosophy

 * Fear leads to anger.
 * Anger leads to hate.
 * Hatred leads to power.
 * Power leads to victory.
 * Let your anger flow through you.
 * Your hate will make you strong.
 * True power is only achieved through
 * testing the limits of ones anger,
 * passing through unscathed.
 * Rage channeled through anger is unstoppable.
 * The dark side of the force
 * offers unimaginable power.
 * The dark side is stronger than the light.
 * The weak deserve their fate.

The tenets of the sinister order were cunning, stealth, subterfuge and most of all, a virtue borrowed from their worst enemy, patience.

"The Force gives us all power, even the Jedi. It is our mastery of our passion that gives us the strength they lack."

- Yuthura Ban

The Sith believed that the true power of the Force lay not through contemplation and passivity, but rather by tapping into the emotion-filled and hateful energies of the dark side. They believed it was their passion for things&mdash;anger, hatred, fear&mdash;that fueled their power of the Force. The Sith desired to become stronger, both as individuals and as an organization, so they could achieve a higher potential of being. They compared the passive teachings of the Jedi to the actions of shepherds, while the Sith themselves were seekers of true knowledge and power.

Improvement through conflict
"Without strife, your victory has no meaning. Without strife, you do not advance. Without strife, there is only stagnation."

- Uthar Wynn

The Sith philosophy pointed out that it was conflict that lead to the improvement of both individuals and civilizations, because it encouraged people to better themselves. Conflict forced change, growth, adaptation, and evolution. Conflict ensured that the strongest survived. This could be seen throughout the galaxy, as stronger organisms flourished and weaker ones died off. The Sith believed that this same philosophy, one not invented by them but used by the universe itself, was the path towards true perfection. Without conflict there would be only stagnation. They saw the teachings of the Jedi as a crux that prevented change and improvement.

The Sith believed that any opportunity, even an unsure one, must be snatched. They believed that beings only deserved what they were strong enough to take and protect, and that those too weak to stand against the strong deserved their fate. The way of the Sith was for the pupil to outshine the master and the stronger Sith to take the lead, often through the destruction of one former partner. Some, but not all, Sith believed that morality was but an obstacle to overcome, because it got in the way of a Sith's ability to recognize and grasp opportunities.

Some Jedi who left the Order to join the Sith felt that their mettle and worth was tested far more often as a Sith than as a padawan learner, and that this made them stronger in a shorter amount of time.

It is interesting to note that use of the dark side of the Force sometimes left the user horribly disfigured. Some Force users argued that this was because the dark side corrupted those who use it, as it was an improper use of the Force, but a few Sith believed that the true power of the Force was simply too much for mere mortal bodies to withstand, and took disfigurement as a sign of their increased capability.

Emotion
"The Force is our servant and our master. Our teacher and our companion. A weapon and a tool. Know it and you know the universe. Master it and you master the universe. Strive for perfection and the Force shall reward you."

- Yuthura Ban

The Sith did not think of emotions as a negative force but rather a tool or path to power. Whereas a Jedi would teach that fear was a negative emotion that must be overcome, a Sith would point out that every living creature was subject to fear, and that without feelings of fear that told it to run or feelings of anger that told it to fight the creature would probably die. The Sith did not consider themselves beyond the need of simple passions, but recognized the key role certain passions played in channeling the power of the Force.

The Sith felt that Jedi teachings treated the Force as a burden where users must guard against weakness and evil. The Sith preferred to think of the Force as a gift. They celebrated the Force and used it to acquire power over others because they felt that was how the Force was meant to be. The Sith challenged and embraced the passions that lay within them and used them to realize their true potential. Many Sith described this goal as "being what they were meant to be."

Like Jedi, love was a dangerous emotion to the Sith. Some Jedi discouraged love because it led to attachment. The Sith taught that love could be a beneficial emotion because it often lead to anger or hatred, which fueled a Sith's power in the Force. Often, however, love lead to mercy, which was one of the worst emotions a Sith could have, as it displayed weakness. The Sith did not believe in showing mercy to those weaker than you, as that meant beings that were unfit still survived. The only way to ensure the survival of the strong was for the strong to prove their power by removing obstacles that stood in their path, including, if necessary, those weaker than them. Contrary to popular belief, removal did not always mean death, though many Sith were ruthless and considered leaving potential opponents alive to be a weakness.

The Sith code
The Sith Code was the mantra that reinforced the core beliefs of the Sith Order.


 * 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.

Timeline of major events in Sith history


Main article: History of the Sith


 * c. 24,500 BBY - 24,400 BBY - Xendor and students leave the Jedi Order in The Great Schism
 * 7,000 BBY - Banished from known space, the Dark Jedi arrive on Korriban after The Hundred-Year Darkness, where they discover the Sith people.
 * 5,000 BBY - Naga Sadow defeated in The Great Hyperspace War
 * c. 4,400 BBY - Jedi Knight Freedon Nadd falls to the dark side and is trained by the awakened Naga Sadow
 * c. 4,000 BBY - Exar Kun finds and destroys the spirit of Freedon Nadd. Kun takes fallen Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma as his first apprentice and begins the Great Sith War.
 * c. 3,960 BBY - Jedi Knight Revan, hero of the Mandalorian Wars, discovers a deserted academy belonging to the old Sith Empire and forms a new sect of Sith.
 * 3,959 BBY – 3,956 BBY - Revan builds an army using the Star Forge and makes war upon the Republic. Many more Jedi fall to the dark side before Revan eventually returns to the light.
 * 3,956 BBY - 3,951 BBY - Darth Traya, Darth Nihilus and Darth Sion wage a shadow war upon the devastated Republic, but are eventually defeated by the Jedi Exile.
 * c. 2,000 BBY - Darth Ruin, another fallen Jedi, forms a new Sith order and begains the New Sith Wars. Lasting a millennium, by 1,466 BBY the Sith conquer all of known space outside the Colonies.
 * 2,000 BBY - 1,000 BBY - The Sith prove to be their own undoing, as internal struggles for power destroy their organization. Lord Kaan unites the survivors under the Brotherhood of Darkness and grants the title of "Dark Lord" to many Sith.
 * 1,000 BBY - Both Jedi and Sith armies are destroyed the Battle of Ruusan, leaving Darth Bane the only survivor. To ensure the continued survival of the Sith, Bane institutes the Rule of Two.
 * c. 32 BBY - The Sith go into hiding for nearly one thousand years, resurfacing again when Darth Sidious orchestrates the Battle of Naboo.
 * 22 BBY- 19 BBY - Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus initiate the Clone Wars, and many Jedi die or turn to the dark side.
 * 19 BBY - Darth Vader becomes Sidious' new apprentice.  The Galactic Empire is established by Darth Sidious.
 * 19 BBY - 1 BBY - Darth Sidious takes efforts to eradicate the Jedi in the Great Jedi Purge.
 * 4 ABY - Vader is turned back to the light side of the Force by Luke Skywalker, resulting in the deaths of both Sidious and Vader.
 * 11 ABY - Last known death of Palpatine, presumed extinction of the Sith Order.
 * 11 ABY+ - Rumors abound of a last Sith, an Emperor's Hand, named Lumiya. However, such rumors have not yet been confirmed.
 * 140 ABY - The Sith reutrn to prominence in the galaxy.

Pre-Bane Sith Ranks


These were the ranks of the Sith Order before Darth Bane instituted the Rule of Two.

Sith Minion
The lowliest members of the Sith Order, Sith Minions were often not even Force-sensitive, and sometimes worshipped the Sith Lords as gods. Sith Cultists can be considered examples of Sith Minions.

Sith Acolyte
Sith Acolyte was the term given to a Force-sensitive apprentice who had only just started the dark path under the tutelage of a more experienced Sith.

Sith Warrior
Sith Warriors were midranking Sith who generally focused their energies and skills towards battle, spending little time on actual dark side philosophy or other concerns of the "purer" Sith.

Sith Lord
Sith Lords were the leaders of the Sith Order, and often commanded armies of Sith Minions, Acolytes and Warriors. They held all power in the order&mdash;often through a governing body known as a Sith council.

Dark Lord of the Sith
The greatest and most powerful Sith Lords were the Dark Lords of the Sith, acknowledged as the leaders of their order, and the most powerful Sith of their time.

Up until the reign of Kaan, the title was unique, and only one Dark Lord existed at a time, but by the end of the New Sith Wars, the title was held by many Sith Lords simultaneously.

Post-Bane Sith Ranks
"Two there should be; no more no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it."

- Darth Bane

To ensure the continued survival of the Sith, Bane institutes the Rule of Two. In Bane's order, both Sith held the title Dark Lord of the Sith.

Sith Master
Sith Master is a Rank of a Sith if he/she has an apprentice.

Sith Apprentice
Sith Apprentice is a rank of a Sith if he/she has a master.

Sith prestige classes
Note: the following text refers to the Sith class structure as presented in the Star Wars D20 RPG System; the division of classes is for gameplay purposes and does not necessarily represent the "real" structure of the Sith.

In addition to their standard hierarchy, the Sith maintained a system of titles called "prestige classes," similar to the Jedi sub-categories of Guardian, Consular, Sentinel, Master, Watchman, and Weapon Master.

Sith Assassins
Sith Assassins are Sith who prefer to attack from the shadows and assassinate targets rather than engaging them in standard combat. Almost always working solo or in small groups, they stride through crowded areas undetected using special stealth field generators or the rare art of Force camouflage, launching a surprise attack on a victim. While most may use lightsabers, some may use electro-staffs or blasters especially designed for sniping. Darth Sion commanded legions of Sith Assassins in the aftermath of the Second Sith War, causing the near-destruction of the Jedi.

Sith Marauders
Sith Marauders are often responsible for the most brutal murders carried out by the Sith; they are trained to become a living embodiment of a combat master empowered by the dark side. They are drawn from diverse groups, as varied as Jedi Knights, survivalists, martial artists, dark side marauders, mercenaries, and pirates, but they all use a lightsaber more often than the Force, with few emotions other than hate, rage, and cruelty; the dark side rewards these emotions with immense power, thusly a single Sith Marauder can often go toe-to-toe with any normal single Jedi in saber combat and win. While Marauders are not always the masterminds behind dark plots, they are usually the ones carrying out the plans of their Sith Lord masters.

Sith Lords
Sith Lords (this a title distinct from the appellation given the most powerful Sith) are the geniuses behind the most insidious plots and murders. Using the dark side of the Force to inflict misery, suffering, and corruption, few dare step in their way; Sith Lords are also charged with preserving the ancient lore of the Sith by passing them onto other Sith and their acolytes, and delving deeper into the mysteries of Sith alchemy and the Dark side itself. While they don't enter combat as often as the other classes (for they have more pawns and servants), they are the most fearsome of the Sith prestige classes, as they are the pinnacle of a Sith's evolution- almost all Sith Lords were previously a Warrior or Assassin, as rarely is an Acolyte talented enough to make the transition. Each Lord takes the long view. Their goal is to utterly destroy the Jedi, assuring themselves dominion of the galaxy. Their role is to nurture this grand project, extending their tendrils of influence throughout the galaxy. Each Lord may never see the fruition of his life-long dream, and must be content in the knowledge that they have advanced the project in the shadows a little bit, and that one day it will succeed. The most effective and infamous Sith Lords would likely be Darth Sidious and Darth Revan.