Nightsisters/Legends

"But during your time away, you must not forget what Dathomir has given you. Although space is cold and empty, Dathomir's wilderness is lush and rich. It may be years before you return, so never forget the place that birthed and nurtured you&mdash;you will always be a Nightsister."

- Mother Talzin

The Nightsisters were a sect of the Witches of Dathomir who embraced the usage of dark arts within their Force-driven Magicks. The Nightsisters were originally members of other witch clans who began to utilize the dark side in defiance of the light-sided orthodoxy found in the Book of Law&mdash;the governing holy text of the Dathomiri. These witches adopted a shamanistic culture that rejected the notion of "good" and "evil", and instead chose to call upon the twin energies of the Winged Goddess and the Fanged God in order to utilize their Magicks and communicate with the spirit realm. They focused extensively on the art of casting Force illusions through "illusion spells." Witches found guilty of practicing these heretical techniques were banished into Dathomir's wilderness and left for dead. However, in the final decades of the Galactic Republic's reign, the exiled witch Gethzerion used her superior powers to unite the wandering outcasts into a new clan&mdash;the Nightsisters.

Operating under a revised holy text known as the Book of Shadows, these sorceresses used their powerful connection to Dathomir's untamed wilds to terrorize their fellow clans and fight for dominance over the planet. Although the witches had designs for galactic dominance, they were largely confined to their own world, as the Jedi Order maintained active interdiction of the planet. The Nightsisters themselves were divided into various competing clans of their own until approximately 32 BBY, when Clan mother Zalem attempted to use Dathomir's legendary Infinity Gate to destroy Coruscant, the capital world of the Galactic Republic. After the plot was foiled and Zalem was killed by her daughter, the numerous clans of Nightsisters were united into a single coven by the shaman Mother Talzin. During the Clone Wars, the Nightsisters came to the forefront of galactic notoriety when Talzin transformed her people into a mercenary society that trained in combat and Magick so that their services as bodyguards, assassins, and soldiers could be sold to off-world bidders.

The time of relative prosperity would come to an end when the clan was drawn in the Clone Wars when Talzin tried to eliminate Count Dooku with former Sister Asajj Ventress, but their assassination attempt failed. Sending General Grievous and a Confederacy of Independent Systems army to Dathomir, Dooku assaulted the Nightsisters' Fortress. The ensuing battle resulted in the near-extermination of the Nightsisters, though enough survivors remained for the Nightsisters to eventually resume their dominant position in Dathomir's affairs.

During the Imperial Period, the Galactic Empire maintained a significant presence on Dathomir, but after the Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor Palpatine came to understand the depths of the Nightsisters' power and the strength of their founder, Gethzerion, he resumed the Jedi's former quarantine of the planet in an attempt to ensure that none of the witches escaped off-world. Despite Palpatine's efforts, many of the Nightsisters were able to flee Dathomir by allying with the criminal Zann Consortium. In the final years of the Emperor's reign, Dathomir was placed under the command of Zsinj, an Imperial admiral who declared himself a warlord after Palpatine's death in 4 ABY. Zsinj maintained the Emperor's forced isolation of Dathomir until 8 ABY, when Gethzerion and her Nightsisters succeeded in capturing New Republic General Han Solo on the planet's surface. The Clan Mother brokered a deal with the Imperial Warlord to trade General Solo for interstellar transport, but reneged on the arrangement and attempted to flee Dathomir without Zsinj's blessing. In retaliation, Zsinj directed his forces to destroy Gethzerion's transport, thereby killing her and all the Nightsisters aboard. This betrayal fragmented the Nightsisters, however the witches were able to reorganize by around 23 ABY, when Tamith Kai and her new Nightsisters allied with the Second Imperium faction of the Imperial Remnant. The clan survived through the Second Galactic Civil War and in 43.5 ABY, briefly allied with a Lost Tribe of the Sith Order against the New Jedi Order.

Religion and philosophy
"Never serve the Nightsisters, children. They'll treat you badly, as if you were mere slaves. Their taste is foul, so it is best to crush them. If you cannot crush them, then escape from them, for you can continue to serve the good Witches, and hope to crush the Nightsisters another day."

- The rancor Tosh, in a narrative to his herd-mates



Nightsisters were expert at casting illusions through "illusion spells," and it appeared that, like the Fallanassi, this was an integral part of the way they used the Force.

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.

Either due to their affinity to the Force and/or their magic practices, some(or possibly all) Nightsisters possessed advanced longevity, with some witches known to live more than one to several centuries. These included Zalem, Gethzerion, Baritha Talzin, Old Daka and Charal.

Although they typically used more primitive weapons such as swords and spears, some Nightsisters did use lightsabers and other variants, Silri used a Lightwhip and even Gethzerion herself used a red blade lightsaber.

Society
All the witch clans of Dathomir were matriarchal societies. Each coven was a "sisterhood" composed of Sisters under the guidance of the Clan Mother, and the "malelings" were generally disregarded. However, the Nightsisters of a few clans had male warriors, believing them to be beings who were capable of balancing the masculine and feminine energies of the spirit realm. Despite being considered as skilled fighters, these Brothers were still subservient to the Nightsisters, and were kept in isolation.

Most Nightsisters were full-blooded Humans, but some of their covens consisted entirely of Dathomirians, the result of hybridization between Human witches and male Zabrak from Rattatak. However, the Dathomirian racial group was drawn to near-extinction during the Clone Wars, when the cyborg General Grievous attacked Dathomir. When heroes of the New Republic visited the planet in 8 ABY, all the Force witches they encountered were Human.

History
"The Nightsisters are their Sith."

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

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, two members of the Singing Mountain Clan, Gethzerion and Baritha, were exiled after attempting to assassinate their leader, Augwynne Djo. They banded together with other exiled outcasts 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. Mother Gethzerion even provided her flock with the Book of Shadows, an instructional treatise on the Nightsisters' new sinister spells and rituals. As years went by, this initial group of exiles divided into multiple covens, which quickly started competing for food, land domination, male slaves and magical supremacy.

Queen Zalem's ambition
"Now, Sisters, with the help of our blue friend here, I will reset the coordinates... so the Infinity wave will be directed at the heart of our enemies... Coruscant!"

- Queen Zalem

The Nightsisters remained divided into various competing covens until 31 BBY, when Clan mother Zalem proclaimed herself "Queen of Dathomir". This ambitious matriarch had discovered Dathomir's legendary Star Temples, mysterious pyramids of the long-lost Kwa civilization. She successfully unlocked the secrets of the pyramids and discovered the Infinity Gates, powerful artifacts that could project devastating waves. Haunted with ambition, Zalem hatched a plot to destroy Coruscant, the capital world of the Galactic Republic, with the help of an ancient Kwa artifact known as the Infinity Gate. However, the self-appointed queen's galactic domination plan was foiled by the Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos, with the help of Ros Lai, Zalem's own daughter. Ros Lai stabbed her mother in the chest with a lightsaber, ending her reign over the united Sisters.

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.

The Nightsisters then came under attack from General Grievous, who was ordered to attack and wipe them out. The resulting battle ended with a CIS victory that essentially amounted to genocide, Ventress and Talzin being the only survivors. Despite enduring heavy losses and greatly reduced numbers, the Nightsisters' presence on Dathomir would never be completely eliminated and only a few years later, the Nightsisters were re-organized and once again under the iron fist control of their original founder.

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.

Known Nightsisters

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

Known New Nightsisters

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

Locations

 * Dathomir Imperial Prison
 * Nightsister Stronghold

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Darth Plagueis
 * Star Wars: Darth Maul 3
 * Star Wars: Darth Maul 4
 * "End Game"
 * Star Wars: Republic: Infinity's End
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy
 * 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
 * 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