New Sith Empire (Xen)

The Sith Empire was founded around 643 BBY by the Sith Apprentice Darth Lich when he failed to destroy his master in combat for the title Dark Lord of the Sith. Lich fled the known galaxy beginning his own Sith tradition. Abolishing the restrictive rule of two and replaced it with the rule of one, in which he would embody the very essence of the Sith, and would serve as the Master of many minions.

Origin
Darth Lich used his war-bots to subjugate primitive worlds in the unknown regions, and rediscovering worlds colonized by humans long before the time of Exar Kun, and forgotten by the Republic. Of the species he conquered, those who had strength in the force were plucked from their families and taught the ways of the Sith, the others were little more than servants to Darth Lich. Knowing that those not strong in the force could be of use to him, Darth Lich and his dark acolytes, tortured them endlessly, their will was soon broke upon his.

For six and a half centuries Darth Lich and his acolytes expanded their Empire, careful to avoid detection from the Republic, Jedi and the hated Sith Order of Darth Bane. Ships that were unfortunate enough to pass through Sith Space were never heard from again, adding strength to Darth Lich’s Empire. Upon these trespassers, Darth Lich and his minions began practicing Sith Alchemy, creating monstrous mutants and abominations that he intended to use for his revenge against the Republic.

During the Clone Wars, Darth Lich finally returned to the known galaxy, masking his presence from his enemies. The destructive conflict would provide him the perfect opportunity for revenge, the Republic was weak, Jedi were dying by the hundreds and the Sith of Bane were no match for his mighty Empire, and all he had to do was wait for the right opportunity.

After the death of Count Dooku and General Grievous, Palpatine considered extending the war to conquer these “False” Sith. However the Jedi made their move against him, and sensing the opportunity, he struck against his enemies. The Jedi Order fell and with it the Republic died, under his rule an Empire rose to take its place. Palpatine sent ships and his top commanders to deal with the “False” Sith threat, when they failed to return, he attempted to force the false Sith to swear allegiance to him, and Darth Lich refused.

As fate would have it a Twi’lek Jedi Padawan whose name has been lost stumbled into Sith Space trying to escape Darth Vader and his Jedi hunters. Darth Lich took an interest in the Jedi and offered to spare his life if he would learn the ways of the Dark Side, in the end, the Jedi did not believe in the Code enough to refuse Darth Lich’s offer and became a Sith Lord. Soon the Jedi convert became the strongest amongst Darth Lich’s minions, and heir apparent to the Sith Throne, taking on the name Darth Acheron.

Confederate Remnants and later the Rebel Alliance kept the Imperial military busy from focusing its full might against the Sith. Palpatine sent his Jedi hunters to deal with the Sith, but none returned, Palpatine feared Darth Lich may be more powerful than he was. Determined to crush the Rebel Alliance, and later the “false” Sith once and for all, Palpatine began building a second Death Star above the jungle world of Kashyyyk, using Wookiee slave labor. He would not get his chance, the last Jedi refused to turn to the dark side, and his own apprentice betrayed him, becoming a Jedi once more.

With the death of the Emperor and Darth Vader, the Empire fell fractured, Admirals, Generals, Governors and other politicians attempted to carve up the galactic government creating mini-Empires, each claiming to be the legitimate Galactic Empire. The Rebel Alliance became the New Republic and began conquering worlds from the old Empire.

The time was perfect to strike; Darth Acheron had other idea’s betraying his master, killing the 700 year old Sith Lord with a single stroke of his lightsaber. The Sith Empire was split between supporting Darth Acheron as the new ruler of the Sith, and those who believed him a traitor unfit to rule. The New Republic and Galactic Empire was spared an invasion due to a Civil War amongst the Sith.

The Sith Civil War
Darth Acheron was challenged by three pretenders, the most powerful a human naming himself Darth Omen. The Civil War was a brutal contest of destruction and carnage, both Acheron and Omen shared their former mentor’s vision of conquering the galaxy, both however intended to be the ruler. Omen considered Acheron weak for refusing to kill his prisoners, believing it showed him to be too Jedi-like to ever rule the Sith, however Omen did not know Acheron’s true purpose of this. Having fought against General Grievous in the Clone Wars, Acheron knew the full potential of the cyborg fusion of deadly robotics, and the sentience of a living being.

The fate of the Sith Empire, of the galaxy would be decided in a final battle, a duel between Acheron and Omen. As the red-white blades of their lightsabers clashed in an epic duel, the spirit of long deceased Sith Lord’s appeared, including that of their former Master, ending the duel. As the more powerful Sith, the spirits decreed Darth Acheron as the Sith Overlord, and Darth Omen as the Sith Underlord, together they would be an unstoppable combination that would destroy the Republic and conquer its capital. The Sith Civil War had ended, with Acheron and Omen as allies in their planned invasion.

Knowing the Civil War had damaged much of its infrastructure, the Sith could never conquer the galaxy, so had to bide its time. Both Darth Acheron and Darth Omen took an interest in the tactics of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and raided Chiss space, capturing young officers and forcing them into service for the Sith military. After Thrawn’s defeat, it was reported from a source in the Empire that Palpatine still lived, taking life in a cloned body on the hidden planet of Byss. Darth Acheron, Darth Omen and their best warriors went to Byss personally to destroy the Emperor, and his fresh supply of clones. Palpatine died his final death on Byss, the cloning vats were taken to serve the Sith Empire, and many of the Emperor’s own Dark adepts pledged themselves to Darth Acheron and his Empire.

Planning the invasion
Darth Omen took an interest in cloning and Sith Alchemy, growing his own abomination that would serve as the muscle of the Sith Empire. Combining the strength and skill of several races including the Wookiee, Yevetha, Noghri, Human and others, the Sith Abomination became a distinct species, extremely loyal to their masters. With the help of Palpatine’s turned adepts, the Sith discovered the location of many of his hidden storehouses containing the deactivated droids used in the clone wars, and schematics for warships used by the ancient Sith. For a little more than a decade the Sith built up their forces, and made contacts high in the Empire and New Republic.

Using threats, blackmail and other techniques, Darth Omen became the power behind the throne of the Imperial Remnant, selecting an ambitious, but not overly imaginative aristocrat as his avatar. Xandel Carivus a human from the Outer Rim world of Ord Cantrell declared himself Emperor, Darth Omen assured this was approved by the Council of Moff’s, at the order of the Sith, Emperor Carivus began a major military build-up, aggravating the New Republic and touching off a Cold War.

Darth Acheron had achieved high ranking contacts within the New Republic, including Senator Borsk Fey’lya. Acheron arranged for Premier Ackbar to be humiliated allowing Borsk Fey’lya to call for a vote of no confidence in his old rival. Ackbar was forced into a humiliating retirement on Dac, while he watched Fey’lya take control of the New Republic. Fey’lya became extremely popular in the New Republic, spouting patriotism at every opportunity, and manipulating the Senate and the public in believing the Empire was attempting to launch a war against the New Republic. When the Empire supposingly attacked the Luxury Casino ship, the Lady Luck; owned and operated by Rebel war hero Lando Calrissian, Fey’lya called for war.

The Great Galactic War
For two years the New Republic and the Galactic Empire fought one another for control of the galaxy, many Jedi Knights heavily criticized the war, calling it a war of aggression. Fey’lya painted an image of the Jedi as being on the Empire’s payroll, in spite of the bloody history between the Galactic Empire and the Jedi Order. Other Jedi like Kyp Durron and his Padawan Anakin Solo took to the war becoming heroes to the citizens of the New Republic and to those that served under them in the military.

The Empire somehow seemed to have gained the upper edge in the war conquering many worlds in the Inner Rim. The war seemed to have been all but over at the Battle of Coruscant which at the time was considered the largest Naval Battle in history of the Galaxy, a battle the Empire won. For the first time in nearly twenty years Coruscant served as the capital of the Empire, many Core Worlds rallied to the Empire, others were conquered including the planet of Alderaan.

There was plenty of fight left in the New Republic, the Jedi world of Ossus now served as its capital, and what was left of the Senate called for new leadership in the form of Jedi Master and former Senator Leia Organa-Solo. Reluctantly and at odds with Luke, Leia accepted the position. It was after her ascension as Premier when the real enemy revealed themselves; Darth Acheron murdered Emperor Carivus and the Council of Moffs in the Imperial Palace. Imperial Star Destroyers orbiting the capital and their crews were enslaved to the Sith and their dark powers, Princess Ederlathh Pallopides, the niece of the late Emperor Carivus vanished. Darth Acheron called on the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy, Boba Fett to hunt her down and destroy her, as a reward the Sith Overlord promised to leave Mandalore Space unconquered.

Believing the Princess dead, the Empire was leaderless, the remaining Moff’s, Admirals, and Generals banded together on the former Imperial capital of Bastion and agreed to form an alliance with the New Republic rather than serve the Sith. Grand Admiral Pellaeon as the ranking officer made contact with the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker offering the New Republic an alliance. Leia accepted the offer and the Galactic Alliance was formed, the Chiss Ascendancy and Hapes Consortium soon joined the Alliance as well. As a unified body, the Galactic Alliance began to reclaim worlds from the Sith Empire. Not willing to give up what he had won; Darth Acheron ordered the attack on Ossus, much of the New Republic Senate was destroyed as were several of the Jedi defending them. Leia had managed to escape, relocating the Galactic Alliance headquarters to Bastion, knowing the Sith were reluctant to attack such a heavily fortified world.

Boba Fett found and sheltered Ederlathh on Mandalore, believing Darth Acheron would break his word, he arranged for her to be smuggled to Bastion, where he requested the Mandalorian’s be allowed to join the Galactic Alliance.

The Betrayal
Darth Omen had never fully accepted Darth Acheron as his Master, believing his actions would lead the Sith to their doom, and by using the Empire to conquer the galaxy as cowardly, Darth Omen arranged for his “Master” to be ambushed by the Jedi. A task team led by Mara Jade-Skywalker attacked the Sith Lord, like Darth Malak of millennia before, Darth Omen ordered his ships to fire on his Master’s, killing Darth Acheron and the Jedi in one swift blow, unlike Malak, Darth Omen succeeded.

Proclaiming himself as the new Sith Overlord, Darth Omen ordered the attack on Bastion, for the first time since the war began, the Sith were annihilated in a humiliating defeat. The Galactic Alliance took advantage of the defeat and began to fight back, rallying behind the Mandalorian’s, the Jedi Knights, and the cloned Stormtroopers at their side world after world was liberated by the Alliance.

Many Sith Lords believed Darth Omen was too weak to lead the Sith, his Underlord and him were confronted and slaughtered by several Sith Masters, leaving the Sith leaderless, fractured and broken. The Galactic Alliance on the other hand remained united, strong and determined, during the Second Battle of Coruscant, which became the largest Naval Battle in history, the Sith War Fleet was outmatched and forced to retreat. The Galactic Capital once again changed hands.

Armistice
A human Sith Lord took the title of Darth Avicor, united the feuding Sith under his banner. Though he was not as strong or manipulative as Darth Acheron, Darth Avicor managed to turn the tide of the war once more. The Galactic Alliance lost the offensive, but refused to give up any ground. Knowing he could not bring the Sith true victory, Darth Avicor ordered a cease-fire with the Galactic Republic. An armistice treaty was signed on board the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimera by Grand Admiral Pellaeon and the Sith Underlord Darth Krayt. The Sith knew that they would get another chance at conquering the Galaxy, as the Alliance knew that the peace was not permanent.

Society
The Sith Empire is ruled by a caste system ranging from the Sith Overlord to the Slave Caste. Each caste has their duties to fulfill; failure is not tolerated and results in torture and execution. The economy of the Sith Empire is a Command System, and the political structure is an autocracy with a slight mixture of theocracy.

The Sith Overlord/Underlord
At the time of the invasion, the Sith Overlord was the former Jedi Padawan turned Sith, Darth Acheron. The Sith Overlord is the strongest of the Sith Order and has direct rule over his Empire. His heir is the Sith Underlord, a position created after the death of Darth Lich to prevent the Sith from falling into another Civil War, the Sith Overlord can remove the Underlord by replacing him with another, and can only have one Underlord at a time. Only a Sith Lord can serve as an Overlord or Underlord.

The Sith Lords Caste
Only those trained in the ways of the dark side can join this caste and are the most respected individuals in Sith society behind the Overlord/Underlord. The Sith Lords are encouraged to stomp at weakness wherever it is found and given territories to control directly. The Sith Lords are divided into three categories, Sith Master, the highest ranking of the Sith Lords, Sith Sorcerer, and Sith Apprentice.

Military Caste
The highest caste a non-force sensitive can reach, the military caste serves as the commanders and warriors of the Sith Empire. Tortured to the point of only serving the will of their Sith Masters, the Military Caste has been groomed in military tactics and combat techniques. Failure to accomplish their missions brings shame upon the warrior, disgracing them in the Caste System. A failed warrior must submit himself to his Master for reconditioning, if the warrior survives the torture he or she becomes a cyborg drone.

Machinist Caste
The scientists, and engineers fall into the Machinist Caste, next to the warrior caste, the Machinist are the highest level one not strong in the force can hope to achieve. Charged with designing new and deadly weapons, and to stay one step ahead of their foes, the Machinists are responsible for designing the Sith War Fleet and battle armor worn by its warrior caste. The Machinists are also responsible for repairing battle damaged equipment.

Bureaucratic Caste
Created to keep Sith society functioning and to manage the economy, the Bureaucratic Caste is often ridiculed by the higher castes. It is one of the smaller of the Castes and manages most of the day to day affairs of the Empire, making them perhaps the most necessary of the Caste’s.

Slave Caste
The largest of the Caste’s the slaves are considered to be the weakest, and considered to dispensable. The Slaves are responsible for growing the food on inhospitable worlds to feed the higher castes, and are forced to cramp together in small shacks. In Sith Society to murder a slave is not considered a crime unless one fails to pay the slaves Master.

Military
The Sith Military uses war droids as its shock troops; producing thousands daily the Sith Empire undoubtedly has the largest military in the galaxy. Tactics usually demand sending legions of war droids to attack an enemy, wearing their defenses down before sending in the Abominations to finish the job, failing that the Sith use their war beasts, from Sith Ogres, to predators to emerge victorious. Strangely the Sith do not believe a victory to be a true victory unless it achieved by absolute dominance over their enemies.