History
Foundation and Early History
During Emperor Palpatine's second reign, he relied heavily on his Dark Side Adepts to manage his Empire. Amongst the mid-echelons of these Adepts was a Coruscanti noble named Andor Vaklas. Andor had a notable amount of pull in the Empire's second incarnation and, after Palpatine's final death, he led a contingent of loyal followers to an old Imperial fortress in the Deep Core rather than joining with the Imperial Remnant. In this fortress Andor discovered a stash of Sith Holocrons and, utilizing their knowledge, taught himself the ways of the Sith. Declaring himself to be Darth Groznii, Dark Lord of the Sith, he set about establishing a New Sith Order.
Darth Groznii searched the galaxy for both raw adepts and experienced Dark Siders to join his New Sith Order. During his journeys he uncovered further Sith artifacts, including a three-bladed Lightsaber that would become the symbol of his rule. However, his greatest discoveries were not Sith artifacts but, rather, five individuals who had already been trained in the ways of the Sith. They consisted of Darth Rage--a student in the Trayus Academy who had been placed in stasis for an unknown reason, Darth Inferno--a spirit who survived by possessing the bodies of the recently dead and the secret Apprentice of Darth Tyranus, Darth Nefarious--a Gen'daiand former student of Darth Ruin, Darth Unrivaled--a strange blend of man and machine whose past was a mystery even to himself and Darth Mortis--a member of the Brotherhood of Darkness who had placed himself in a Force Trance several years prior to the detenation of the Thought Bomb. In additon to these five Sith, Groznii also recruited four powerful Dark Siders not trained in the Sith ways. These four Groznii trained as Sith and gave them the names of Darth Tyrant, Darth Xedious, Darth Xaur and Darth Reaper.
The New Sith Order grew in both membership and power, all the time keeping themselves hidden from the Jedi. Soon it became apparent that Darth Groznii could not single-handedly lead such an organization. After much debate, it was decided that a Sith Council would be formed from the Order's nine most senior members to serve as Darth Gronii's collective second-in-command. Additonally, each Council Member would lead a group of Apprentices known as a House. With this new structure in place, the New Sith Order began to advance its interests even more quickly and effectively. In time they came into contact with the Ni'novian Ascendancy, a small nation in the Unknown Regions ruled by a Chiss Warlord and Sith called Darth Trivas. Though relations between the two Sith-controlled powers were sometimes rocky, an unofficial alliance soon formed between them.
However, these heady days of constant expansion were not to last.
First Sith Schism
In time, Darth Groznii began to fear that the members of his New Sith Order were more loyal to their House Lords than to him. His reaction was to order the disbanding of both the Council and the Houses. The Sith Council refused to comply and thus began the First Sith Schism. This brutal civil war lasted for several months and claimed the lives of numerous Sith on both sides, including the Council Members Darth Tyrant, Darth Xaur, Darth Xedious, Darth Reaper and Darth Mortis. Ultimately, Darth Groznii was defeated, his life ended in the very halls of his former power. Throughout the entirety of the Schism, the Ni'novians remained neutral, siding with the Council only after Groznii's death.
Aftermath of the First Schism
Though the Council was victorious, their triumph was won at a great cost. Only a fraction of the New Sith Order's membership still lived, many important artifacts had been destoryed and the Order's stronghold in the Deep Core lay in ruins. Additonally, after the conclusion of the Schism, Darth Unrivaled had left for parts unknown, bringing his House and military forces with him on a quest to uncover his origins.
The Council commanded that the Order's headquarters be relocated to the Dark Force Templeon Dromund Kaas and, in those hallowed halls of darkness, it was decided that no new Dark Lord would be named for the Order, that the Council would rule collectively. New Council members were also selected to replace those who fell in the Schism. The most prominent of the Order's Apprentices, Darth Aristo, Darth Nagol and Darth Legion were inducted into the Council and were granted their own Houses.
During this time, the vast majority of the New Sith Order's energies were spent on rebuilding the influence and military forces that had been lost during the First Schism. However, friction between factions within the Council stymied progress significantly. Darth Nefarious (who had the most pull amongst the Order's military) soon declared himself to be Dark Lord in defiance of the Council's ruling. In response, Darth Nagol, Darth Legion and Darth Rage (who had renamed himself Darth Raziel) left the New Sith Order with their Houses and joined the Ni'novian Ascendancy. When Darth Inferno (now known as Darth Xaos) returned from a brief meditative retreat to his complex on Dantooine, he was shocked by these new developments and immediately set about rectifing the situation.
Second Sith Schism and Ni'novian Vassalage
Darth Xaos made contact with the Houses that had left for the Ni'novian Ascendancy and promised that, should they return, he would lead them in a coup to remove Nefarious from power. Negotiations went smoothly and Darth Trivas even promised the aid of his Ascendancy's military in removing Nefarious. Plans were laid and soon were sprung. Much to Nefarious' consternation, Darth Aristo and his House sided with Darth Xaos' coup as did Nefarious' own Apprentices, Darth Lucifer and Darth Byss. Realizing he could not win the day, Nefarious retreated from Dromund Kaas. In short order, however, he led a counterstrike that devastated Darth Xaos' alliance but cost him his life.
The New Sith Order found itself devastated, with a mere fraction of their military forces left alive and only their stronghold on Dromund Kaas left standing. Darth Trivas took advantage of the Order's weakness and delivered an ultimatum: swear allegiance to the Ni'novian Ascendancy or be destroyed. Reluctantly, the Order accepted. It was not long after that the Council decided that they could not remain oranized as they were, that they needed a Dark Lord to lead their Order. Darth Xaos, as the leader of the coup that removed Nefarious, was selected for the role. Unlike Groznii, however, Darth Xaos' position did not grant him absolute authority over the Order and he had to share power with the Council. Darth Lucifer and Darth Byss, as a reward for siding with Xaos' alliance, were made Council Members and given Houses.
Darth Xaos immediately set about not only reestablishing the New Sith Order's former influence but also reaching out to new allies. It was during this time that a conspiracy was formed between various planets and the New Sith Order; a conspiracy that would one day become the Obsidian Union. Dark Lord Xaos had no plans to stay under Ni'novia's thumb forever and used his position as Trivas' foremost vassal to gain access to the information and resources he would need to defeat his erstwhile liege. The New Sith Order soon declared independence from the Ni'novian Ascendancy and the Third Sith Schism began.
Third Sith Schism
The Third Schism was even more brutal and lasted even longer than its predecessors. The two sides were so evenly matched that there was little progress but many deaths in this civil war. After some time, however, the tide began to turn in the favor of the Ni'novian Acendancy. The New Sith Order began to worry that, unless something drastic occured, they would be defeated. As if the Force itself had answered their wishes, that something drastic did occur.
Darth Unrivaled, his House and his legions, long thought to have been slain after departing for the Unknown Regions, returned to known space and the New Sith Order. This new influx of reinforcements, as well as the strange technology and artifacts they brought with them, caused the tide of the war to turn yet again. Within a matter of weeks, the Ni'novian Ascendancy had been crushed and their leader, the once-mighty Darth Trivas, was executed in the still-smoldering ruins of its capital city.
The Order quickly reestablished itself once more but its new-found prosperity was not to last.
Fourth Sith Schism and Reformation as the New Sith Brotherhood
All outward appearances suggested that the post-Third Schism era was one of great prosperity for the New Sith Order; new Apprentices flooded in and the Union openly declared its existence. Yet, despite its gilded facade, the New Sith Order of this period was rotten to the core. Strife was a constant in the Sith Council and both the Order and the Union suffered as a result. Dark Lord Xaos soon realized that the only solution was to concentrate supreme authority in his hands. Those members of the Order who were loyal strongly supported this decision but those elements who sought their own profit at the expense of the Sith cause rebelled. Darth Raziel declared that his House would henceforth be its own order of Force Users, independent of the New Sith Order: the Sith'ar. This combination of treason and heresy angered Darth Xaos and those loyal to him. Darth Xaos declared that the galaxy must be purged of Sith'ar heresy and the Fourth Schism began.
The Sith'ar (consisting of Darth Unrivaled's legions and the majority of what was once House Raziel) and the Loyalist Sith (consisting of the other Houses and the newly-formed House Venom, which held those members of House Raziel that remained loyal) fought each other without cease in a brief but bloody civil war. The decisive moment came when the Loyalists captured Yaxon VI and slew Darth Unrivaled. Shortly thereafter, the Sith'ar headquarters of Malachor V fell to the Loyalists and the last of the crazed heretics were put to death.
A Fifth Schism nearly occured when Darth Byss and his House Kratos, along with House Maiesta Co-Lord Darth Decimate, conspired to stage a coup against Darth Xaos' rightful rule in the aftermath of the Sith'ar Heresy but it was averted when Lady Vidia uncovered it and the loyal Houses (House Maiesta included) mounted a violent response. The Galactic Alliance continues to spread propaganda that Darth Byss, his House and Darth Decimate fled to Coruscant and ultimately destroyed themselves in a failed experiment but this, like all the GA propaganda machine says, is entirely false. The truth is that Byss and his followers were slain by the Loyalist response, with Byss himself dying at the one true Dark Lord's hands.
Darth Xaos wisely realized that the New Sith Order had been sullied beyond repair and that a drastic reformation was necessary. After roughly a month of contemplation, Xaos unveiled the Rule of Brotherhood, a work as brilliant as it was desperately needed, and declared that it would be the cornerstone of a new Order: The New Sith Brotherhood. Since that day there have been no more Sith Schisms and the Sith are at last united in their war against the oppression of the Jedi.
Organization
Prior to the First Sith Schism there were only three ranks in the New Sith Order, these being Apprentice, House Lord/Council Member and Dark Lord of the Sith. In addition to being divided into Houses, the members of the Order were split into Marauders, Assassins, Acolytes and Lords in the same manner as the Brotherhood of Darkness. All Apprentices were under the tutelage of their House Lord. After the First Schism, this system remained mostly the same except that the title of Dark Lord was removed and power rested in the hands of the Council.
After the Second Schism, the title of Dark Lord was restored (though not with its full power) and the ranks of Knight and Master were added. Knights were those members of a House whom the House Lord felt were experienced enough to train Apprentices of their own and Masters were especially experienced and honored Knights. This system remained in place until the Fourth Schism when Darth Xaos restored the title of Dark Lord to its original power.
This final incarnation was mostly retained by the New Sith Brotherhood but new divisions were added for the Masters of the Brotherhood. Aditonally, the Brotherhood began to train Apprentices in the ways of Imperial Inquisitors and Dark Side Witches.
Previous Prominent Members
Darth Groznii: A former Dark Force Adept in service to Darth Sidious, he became a full Sith after discovering a stash of Holocrons. He founded the New Sith Order but his heavy-handed rule caused the First Sith Schism, which claimed his life.
Darth Inferno/Darth Xaos: Was once apprentice to Darth Groznii until his betrayal. It was he who led the sith to it's current form shortly before his second death at the hands of the Jedi Grandmaster Luke Skywalker.
Darth Rage/Darth Raziel: One of the original Council Members, House Lord of House Rage/Raziel and leader of the Sith'ar Heresy. He was slain by Darth Xaos at the conclusion of the Fourth Sith Schism. Some early records refer to him as 'Darth Savage'.
Darth Xedious: One of the original Council Members and House Lord of House Xedious. He died in combat during the First Sith Schism.
Darth Xaur: One of the original Council Members and House Lord of House Xaur. He died in combat during the First Sith Schism.
Darth Tyrant: One of the original Council Members and House Lord of House Tyrant. He died in combat during the First Sith Schism.
Darth Reaper: One of the original Council Members and House Lord of House Reaper. He died in combat during the First Sith Schism.
Darth Unrivaled: An ancient Sith of unknown origin, he was one of the original Council Members, House Lord of House Unrivaled and, later, the Head of the Union Defense Force. He ultimately sided with the traitor Raziel in the Sith'ar Heresy, serving as the Heresy's chief military commander. He was slain in the First Battle of Yaxon VI when his ship's engine exploded after a direct hit.
Darth Mortis: A former member of the Brotherhood of Darkness and one of the original Council Members, he was House Lord of House Mortis. He died during the final assault on Groznii's fortress in the First Sith Schism.
Darth Nefarious: Once a student of Darth Ruin, Darth Nefarious was an original Council Member and Hosue Lord of House Nefarious. He died in combat during the final battle of the Second Sith Schism, which was caused by his treachery some say his own former apprentice Darth Lucifer may have been the one who killed him.
Darth Aristo: A former Apprentice of Darth Nefarious and, at one point, an Adept in the service of Darth Vader, he was granted a position on the Council after the First Schism. He retained this position until voluntarily resigning after the Fourth Schism. He still lives, often sequestering himself in Bast Castle for extended periods of time, emerging but rarely to aid the New Sith Brotherhood. His reclusiveness has given him a somewhat mysterious and legendary reputation amongst newer members of the Brotherhood. He has, at different points, been House Lord of House Aristo and House Gauntlet (with Darth Lucifer).
Darth Lucifer: A former apprentice to Darth Nefarious before betraying his master to side with Darth Xaos, this massassi was a born warrior who advanced in rank to Master quickly becoming one of the orders most infamous and noctorious marauders. After Nefarious fall he was chosen to replace him on the council a position which he soon accepted. Using his position he became a close friend, confident and advisor to the Dark Lord Xaos surviving the many schisms with him and had served him for years up until his friends second death. He continues to serve the council although soon things may change for him...for he harbours deep vengeance for the one responsible for his friends death...Luke Skywalker...the Jedi Grandmaster having witnessed the death of his Dark Lord and will soon reveal his true power as a leader for a brotherhood without a Dark Lord. He is Currently Alive and Serving the New Sith Brotherhood on the reconstructed Council.
Darth Legion: Alternatively called 'Darth Infinito' or 'Darth Camael' in some records, she was made a Council Member after the First Schism. She was the leader of House Legion and, later, House Undine (with Darth Xaos). She died in combat during the Third Sith Schism.
Darth Nagol: A former Apprentice of Darth Xaos, he was made a Council Member after the First Schism. He reigned over House Nagol but was ultimately slain in the Third Schism.
Darth Byss: A Yuuzhan Vong Sith Lord and former Apprentice of Darth Nefarious, he was made a Council Member and granted his own House, House Kratos, in the aftermath of the Second Schism. He was killed by Darth Xaos after the Fourth Schism when he sought to betray the Dark Lord.
Darth Decimate: A Marauder who was granted Co-Lordship over Maiesta after the Fourth Schism but his reign was short indeed as he was discovered to be a part of Darth Byss' plot. He was killed by Darth Venom.
Darth Venom: A former Apprentice of Darth Raziel, he opted to side with Darth Xaos' faction in the Fourth Schism in defiance of his heretical Master. He was given authority over those members of House Raziel that remained loyal to Darth Xaos, who were reorganized as House Venom. His current whereabouts and status are unknown.
Lady Vidia: Once was apprentice to Darth Xaos rising to both Warlord and Master but eventually something changed once she ascended to the council. After several months she became disillusioned and grew to take on the thought process of Jurism and thus sought to remove both the council replacing them with her own followers, and eventually murdering the former Dark Lord shortly before his second death only to be delayed by this tragedy. Unbeknown to Lady Vidia the council had come into possession of several documents pointing out the attempted coup orchestrated at her hand and thus she was swiftly hunted down and executed. Slain By Members Of the New Sith Brotherhood For Treason.
Current Prominent Members
Darth Lucifer: See above. Current Council Member
Darth Reaver: Once an apprentice to the Lady Vidia before she attempted a coup this young human male become a driving force for the sith and rose through the ranks within months to both Warlord and Master. After his masterhood trials he was offered a spot by the current council a seat he did not refuse and one he has served with distinction since he took it. Current Council Member.
Darth Vicious: A former apprentice to Darth Venom, this zabrak soon became a legendary assassin among the new sith order. He was trained sometime between the fourth sith schism and remained loyal to Darth Xaos during his reign despite being offered a chance to join Darth Raziel and his Sith'ar uprising going on to become a respected Master Assassin and Council Member. Current Council Member.
Darth Haler: A newer addition to the new sith order this young marauder trained under one of Darth Lucifer's proteges... a promising Sith Knight called Darth Rayden prior to his betrayal when he joined Lady Vidia's coup as a integral part of it's workings. Darth haler quickly rose to become a prominent member within the New Sith Brotherhood himself completing his trials under Darth Lucifer's tutorlage to become a Sith Knight himself. He remained loyal to both the council and Darth Xaos and helped put down Lady Vidia's coup.
Darth Exolus: Former apprentice to Darth Reaver this kissai has risen to become a prominent figure in the New Sith Order despite his status as a Sith Knight. His relation to Darth Lucifer as his brother by blood somewhat helped him but most was earnt of his own hand. He Currently serves the council as Grand Admiral of the Obsidian Union and New Sith Brotherhood's vast fleet.
Houses
Original Houses -
House Inferno: Ruled by Darth Inferno, it trained Sith Lords. It was ultimately merged with House Legion and became House Undine.
House Rage/Raziel: Ruled by Darth Rage/Raziel, it trained Sith Assassins. It's teachings diverged more and more from those of the Sith until it gave birth to the vile Sith'ar Heresy. Its filth was purged from the galaxy during the final battle of the Fourth Schism. Those members of this House who were not corrupted by Sith'ar lies founded House Venom.
House Xedious: Ruled by Darth Xedious, it trained Sith Acolytes. It disbanded after its House Lord died in the First Schism.
House Xaur: Ruled by Darth Xaur, it trained Sith Marauders. It disbanded after its House Lord died in the First Schism.
House Tyrant: Ruled by Darth Tyrant, it trained Sith Marauders. It disbanded after its House Lord died in the First Schism.
House Reaper: Ruled by Darth Reaper, it trained Sith Assassins. It disbanded after its House Lord died in the First Schism.
House Mortis: Ruled by Darth Mortis, it trained Sith Acolytes. It disbanded after its House Lord died in the First Schism.
House Nefarious: Ruled by Darth Nefarious, it trained Sith Marauders. Its members sided with Darth Xaos' alliance against their House Lord during the Second Schism. It was thereafter split into House Lucifer and House Kratos before becoming non existent at all.
House Unrivaled: Ruled by Darth Unrivaled, it trained Sith Lords. After the First Schism it followed its House Lord on his quest for his past in the Unknown Regions. It returned during the Third Schism to win the day for the New Sith Order. Despite this noble rescue, it was ultimately corrupted by the Sith'ar and wiped out during the First Battle of Yaxon VI.
Subsequent Houses -
House Legion: Ruled by Darth Legion, it was founded after the First Schism and trained Sith Marauders. It ultimately merged with House Inferno to form House Undine.
House Nagol: Ruled by Darth Nagol, it was founded after the First Schism and trained Marauders. Its members specialized in mounted combat, calling themselves the 'Riders of Nagol'. It disbanded after its House Lord was slain during the Second Schism.
House Aristo: Ruled by Darth Aristo, it was founded after the First Schism and trained Marauders. It ultimately merged with House Lucifer to form House Gauntlet.
House Lucifer: Ruled by Darth Lucifer, it was founded after the Second Schism and trained Marauders. It ultimately merged with House Aristo to form House Gauntlet.
House Kratos: Ruled by Darth Byss, it was formed after the Second Schism and trained all Paths. Its members turned traitor after the Fourth Schism and the House was eliminated.
House Undine: Co-Ruled by Darth Xaos and Darth Legion, it was formed from House Inferno and House Legion prior to the Second Schism. It trained all Paths. The House was disbanded after Darth Legion died in the Third Schism.
House Gauntlet: Co-Ruled by Darth Lucifer and Darth Aristo, it was formed from House Lucifer and House Aristo prior to the Third Schism. It trained Marauders. After Darth Aristo stepped down it was reformed as House Maiesta.
House Maiesta: Ruled by Darth Lucifer and very briefly Co-Ruled by Darth Decimate prior to his betrayal. It trained Marauders. It survived past the reformation of the New Sith Order into the New Sith Brotherhood but its facilities on Ziost were destroyed by a GA counterstrike during the Snowfall Campaign. The House has since been rebuilt as a vast mobile fortress and continues to live on to this day. For Further Information see House Maiesta.
House Xaos: Founded prior to the Fourth Schism, it is ruled by Darth Xaos. It originally trained all Paths but, after the foundation of the Brotherhood, it narrowed its admitance to Lords, Acolytes and Dark Side Witches. It persists to this day and has the honor of being the only pre-Brotherhood House to still exist. For futher information see House Xaos.
House Venom: Formed from those members of House Raziel who sided with the Loyalists in the Fourth Schism, it was ruled by Darth Venom and trained Assassins. It was disbanded after its House Lord vanished under mysterious circumstances.
Current Houses -
House Maiesta: See above for history. Currently Trains Marauders.
House Xaos: See above for history. Currently trains Darkside Witches as well as Sith Lords.
House Cerberus: After House Venom was dispanded Darth Vicious took it upon himself to keep the assassins alive. Building a house of assassin's out of the ashes of the old house and recruiting it's assassin's he began their rebirth anew under the new name of House Cerberus. Currently trains Assassin's and Sith Inquisitors.
