Thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire, the force was revered and
studied across many worlds with various religions and sects emerging to devote themselves to
understanding this primal cosmic force.
The most famed and influential of these groups, came to be known as the Jedi, a monastic order
of force-sensitive individuals that dedicated themselves the light side, practicing humility,
patients, empathy and compassion.
Over many years of training some of these Jedi grew to become immensely powerful in
the force, able to move objects with their mind, detect other force users and manipulate
the weak minded.
It also enhanced their physical abilities, making them faster, stronger and more resistant
to distress and pain.
Given their extraordinary abilities, they became masters of lightsaber combat, wielding
weapons powered by Kyber crystals, many of which were found on the planet of Ilum.
In order to prevent abuses of power, or the corruption of their community, a council of
Jedi masters was chosen to oversee their affairs, and ensure all Jedi adhered to the principles
of the Jedi Code.
Yet not all were content to obey the rigid rules and slow training process of the order,
desiring to expand their knowledge and increase their abilities without restraint.
One such individual, came to believe that there was a power in their base, primal emotions,
channelling fear, anger and pain to harness the energy of the darkside.
The Darkside, offered force-sensitives a faster more intense training regimen that led them
to great power far more quickly than traditional jedi teachings.
It also presented a whole new understanding of the force to be studied and explored, which
eventually allowed them to wield exciting new abilities like force lightening.
However when the rogue Jedi explained his new philosophy to the Jedi Council, they were
outraged, exiling him from the order.
Yet many other Jedi were fascinated by this new approach to the force, and so followed
the rogue and learning the ways of the darkside.
The Sith as they became known, inevitably came into conflict with their former brothers
in the force during a time known as the Hundred year darkness.
Yet the Sith were not able to overcome the well established Jedi order, and so retreated
into unexplored space, settling on the planet of Moraband, where they built a new darkside
civilization that would expand to conquer many other planets and systems.
Upon Moraband, they built great temples one of which housed an execution chamber where
they sacrificed jedi prisoners.
Many of the Sith were buried in the Valley of the Dark Lords and it was from Moraband
that they planned their wars against the Jedi order and the alliance of planets known as
the Republic, which they protected.
For many years the Sith battled their ancient enemy in conflicts that grew so deadly, superweapons
powered by enormous kyber crystals were built to inflict mass devastation.
When the fighting reached the planet of Malachor, a superweapon within a Sith temple was activated,
destroying the world in what came to be known as the Great Scourge of Malachor.
During the chaos of these years, the Sith invaded and held Coruscant, capital of the
republic, and there built a shrine to the darkside.
Eventually, the republic would take back this world, and so the Jedi attempted to seal off
the darkside influence by building a great lightside temple over the shrine but this
was only partially successful, and the sith would one day come to make great use of this
ancient source of darkside power.
During the Dark Age, they fought a final great conflict known as the Jedi-Sith War, where
once again the Sith captured Coruscant, only for the planet to be liberated in the year
1032 BBY.
Despite the great advances and unending aggression of the mighty Sith, years of infighting weakened
them to such an extent they were ultimately defeated by the Jedi Order, with the legendary
dark side master Darth Bane emerging from the conflict as the sole surviving Sith Lord.
Recognizing the self-destructive nature of the Sith, and wanting to avoid future infighting,
Darth Bane created the Rule of 2, declaring that only 2 Sith could ever exist at any one
time.
A Master to embrace the power of the Darkside, and an Apprentice to desire that power.
In this way they would work in the shadows, secretly manipulating events to destroy the
Jedi order and return the Sith to dominance throughout the Galaxy.
Darth Bane was eventually defeated by the Jedi, and after his death was buried in the
Valley of the Dark Lords on Moraband, but his teachings and philosophy lived on through
his secret apprentice who escaped Jedi notice.
The years of chaos and war took a heavy toll on the galaxy and ultimately led to the fall
of the Old Republic.
Yet with Sith seemingly defeated, a new galactic republic emerged and for a thousand years
flourished under the protection of the Jedi Order.
Slowly and without need for violence or war, the Republic expanded across the galaxy, spreading
their values of democracy, equality and justice to all member worlds.
Those outside their borders however, were often left to their own devices, making the
Outer rim of the galaxy a refuge for pirates and criminals, which then led to a culture
of animosity between republic and non-republic worlds.
Meanwhile the legacy of Darth Bane, continued on in the shadows, with his apprentice becoming
Master of the Sith, and in keeping with the Rule of Two, took on a single apprentice.
With only 2 Sith ever alive at one time, the only method of Advancement would be for the
apprentice to kill and take the place of their master.
And so the relationship was maintained on a balance of loyalty and strength.
As long as the Master was Strong, the Apprentice owed absolute obedience, yet if either one
ever wavered in their strength or loyalty, the other would be justified to attack.
Leaving only a single Sith alive, to find a new apprentice and begin the process again.