For most of Galactic history the average sentient had little to no knowledge about either the Jedi or the Sith. Indeed, in the popular imagination, there was little to no difference between the two. As a result, resentments against one group would often be carried over to the other as. To a Non-Force Sensitive, a Force User was a Force User. When Darth Xaos rose to the position of Dark Lord, he saw the traditional aloofness and secrecy of the Sith as ultimately damaging to their relations with the Non-Force Sensitives over which they ruled. To rectify this, and to further distinguish the Sith from the Jedi in the minds of the Galaxy’s population, he wrote, published and spread as widely as possible a book called the ‘Codex of the Ancients’.
This text puts forth the thesis that the Spirits of departed Dark Lords continue to influence the realm of the living from Chaos and that all, even Non-Force Sensitives, can seek their favor. The Codex details the personal history of and the rituals associated with the various Dark Lords of bygone eras. Each Dark Lord is seen as ruling over a different aspect of everyday life as determined by their actions in life. It further details the symbols, sacrifices and oblations needed to curry their favor.
The Codex has gained quite a following both within in the Union and elsewhere. In a galaxy so used to being told by their religious authorities that only those who can feel the Force have any sort of real spiritual lives, the Codex is nothing short of a religious revolution. As a result, numerous beings now feel connected to Sith spirituality even though they themselves are not Sith. Shops which sell the sacred objects and requisite offerings described in the Codex are becoming more and more common. On Korriban, there is now an order of Non-Force Sensitive scholar-monks, called the Servants of Chaos’ Lords, who study ancient Sith texts for information that can be used to expand the practices first described in the Codex. And, within Union territory, temples to the Dark Side Spirits can be found in all major cities. Of course, the Codex doesn’t describe any actual Sith practices, these are still jealously guarded by the New Sith Brotherhood. However, the Codex has served its intended purpose in that it has raised popular support for the Sith and lowered it for the Jedi.
