Sith Empire Worlds and Bases

[Dawn of the Republic]

Sith Empire Worlds​

Korriban​

Korriban is the capital of the Sith Empire and the homeworld of both the red-skinned Sith species and the Sith Order itself. The planet is the "twin" of nearby Moraband, which, like Onderon and Dxun, hovers so close that the two worlds practically share an upper (and lower) atmosphere.

The Valley of the Kings, named for its prominence to the kings of the ancient Sith species, is home to the main Sith Academy—used to train only the most talented Force-sensitives into powerful Sith Marauders with the best chance of later going on to become Sith Lords. The academy occupies the great temple,
the roadway to which is lined with ancient obelisks built in reverence of Moraband, which can be seen in the skies above. The academy is built to accommodate all manners of training, and it hosts multiple levels filled with chambers used for every manner of instruction. Powerful Marauders teach Initiates how to become Sith and, occasionally, one of the Lords may choose to offer wisdom to the aspiring Sith.

On the other end of the valley is the Great Pyramid of Korriban, which was built to perfectly mirror the great pyramid on Moraband. The pyramid serves as a place of worship. The Imperial Inquisition holds a presence in the area and is known to recruit promising Sith from the Academy from their position within the pyramid. Legend claims that when the two temples align with one another, the Dark Lord of the Sith and (in the case of a Sith Emperor) the Emperor can then commune with the dead spirits of the deceased Sith Lords, buried on nearby Moraband.

Finally, the Imperial capital city of Aleph (an ancient Sith word, the meaning of which is lost), sometimes referred to as the Imperial City, is located near the valley. The city hosts the Imperial Palace, which, reminiscent of ancient Sith archeology, is built as three great pyramids. Aleph is simultaneously one of the most populous and most guarded Sith settlements in the entire Empire. As many Sith choose to rule entire worlds, and Moffs govern them, the Sith Emperor alone rules all of Korriban—and Aleph is the seat from which he rules both his world and his Empire.

Moraband​

Moraband is the center of the Sith religion, the holiest world in the Sith Empire, and the twin to nearby Korriban, whose atmosphere joins with that of Moraband where the two planets "touch." Like its twin, the world is utterly barren, filled with red sands and deserts; unlike its twin, however, Moraband hosts no cities or settlements and is forbidden to be visited by anyone except the Sith Lords, the Dark Lord of the Sith, and the Emperor himself.

The Valley of the Dark Lords is the crowning jewel of Moraband, holding within its ancient corridor the tombs of the greatest ancient Dark Lords of the Sith, including the most recent to die: Darth Vanus. The Valley also hosts the Great Pyramid of Moraband, the sacred capital of the Sith Empire, where the Dark Lord of the Sith and the Emperor venture — at any time either desires — to commune with the deceased spirits of past Dark Lords.

The planet is also a historical treasure trove, holding the ruins of ancient Sith civilizations, including abandoned cities that belonged to the previous Sith Empire. The sands of Moraband are also known to be home to a great many undiscovered secrets, including tombs that do not inhabit the Valley of the Dark Lords, which themselves contain dark secrets beyond one's wildest imaginations. Even so, archeologists are forbidden from excavating or even visiting the ruins, as it is a privilege restricted to the Dark Lord and the Emperor.

The planet itself falls under the jurisdiction of the Dark Lord of the Sith and only he (or she) is permitted to hold residence on Moraband.

Ziost​

Ziost is the home of Imperial High Command: the Imperial Legion, and all of the Imperial Military's operations. The planet had value to the ancient Sith and was a member world of the first Sith Empire. During the days of the Sith Brotherhood, it was home to the Sacred Band of Ziost—the precursors to the modern Imperial Legion.

Previously ravaged by war, the centuries of fighting on Ziost were ended with the collapse of the previous Sith Empire. Despite this, the Imperial Legion honors the traditions of the Sacred Band during its training operations. The citadel of the Supreme Commander, formerly known as the "Warlord's Citadel," is located on Ziost and is where the Supreme Commander commands the entirety of the Imperial Military and Navy, as well as where he or she rules the planet, which is in their dominion as much as Korriban and Moraband are controlled by the Emperor and the Dark Lord respectively.

Coruscant​

Captured five standard years ago as a result of the Battle of Coruscant, the city planet of Coruscant is a trophy of the Empire's achievements, and was the world upon which the Sith Brotherhood was reconstituted into the Empire it is today. Since its capture, the Empire has restored much of the infrastructure damaged during the battle.

The Jedi Temple, found in the Temple District on Coruscant, has been refurbished into the headquarters of the Imperial Inquisition and the Old Senate Building has been repurposed for the use of the Council of Moffs, which act as the Empire's planetary governors. Despite not being repurposed as the capital of the Empire itself, Coruscant is the capital of the Empire's operations in the Core and is a supremely important world; the Grand Moff of the Core Worlds holds office on Coruscant, and is permitted (along with other high-ranking Imperial officials) to hold a suite in the luxurious 500 Republica, which has been rebuilt after it was heavily damaged during the fighting five years ago.

 

[Dawn of the Republic]

The Temples of the Sith​

The full dominion of the Sith Empire can be found in the map for Star Wars: Dawn of the Republic. Within the realm of the Empire are the three primary temples and locations of the Sith Order: the Twin Worlds of Moraband and Korriban, and the moon of Yavin 4. These represent the seats of power for the Sith Order, and can be used as the primary temples of the Sith Order during the course of your role-plays.

You may have noticed that both Moraband and Korriban are referenced here. Korriban is the name of the Sith homeworld in the Expanded Universe, now known as the non-canon Star Wars Legends brand; while the name Moraband was given as the name of the Sith homeworld in the canon television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. For our purposes, we chose to make them two different worlds. They are the Twin Worlds, orbiting alongside one another. Moraband is the ancient homeworld of the Sith, where the spirits of the ancient dead still dwell; while Korriban is the headquarters of the Sith. This thread explains each world and their relevance to the Sith Order.

Moraband, Ancient Homeworld of the Sith

Art by http://chriscold.deviantart.com - used with permission.​

Moraband is the ancient homeworld of the Sith. Once the jewel of a proud and powerful empire, now it is a forbidden world, ventured to only for burial rights. It is the necropolis of its kings, a world of graves and barrows where Sith have been buried after a variety of fashions over the life of their civilization. The true Valley of the Dark Lords is on Moraband, mirrored by a younger counterpart on Korriban, and though the living are scarce, the dead are all too numerous. Those few Sith who undertake the sacred pilgrimage to Korriban's stillborn sister are frequently treated to visions of their ancient forefathers literally manifesting before them. But few are they who make the journey, and fewer survive.

The Great Pyramid of Moraband is located at the back of the valley, just like the Korriban Academy, though the structure itself is wildly different. Only the Dark Lord may show their face in its hallways; the honored slaves chosen to attend them, and all lesser Sith who visit the world, must hide themselves beneath cloaks to avoid intruding upon the solace of the dead. The High Tabernacle is architecturally designed after a ziggurat, with staircases leading up to the shrine where the Dark Lord renders cult to the first Sith. However, the temple below is not empty.

The greatest Sith Lords entombed on Moraband are further immortalized in the halls of the High Tabernacle with a statue of their likeness. At the sacred time where Korriban and Moraband align, the Dark Lord in the shrine at the ziggurat's summit is able to establish a holy communion between themselves and the ancient spirits. They are able to use the Dark Lord as a mouthpiece to communicate directly with the living Sith: to survive this ritual is the only initiation a Dark Lord needs before they can assume their mantle. The weak are broken by the trial, but to successfully become a vessel for the dead is the greatest honor any Sith can aspire to, and proof of great power.

Korriban, Seat of the Sith Order

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Though Moraband is the ancient homeworld of the Sith, it is Korriban where the Sith Order makes its home, choosing to keep Moraband as a revered site that few travel to except during funeral rites. As such, the great temples of the Sith are based on Korriban, a sandy world not unlike its twin world of Moraband.

The true Valley of the Dark Lords is on Moraband, where the most revered of Sith are buried and where the spirits of the ancient Dark Lords are the strongest, but Korriban has its own valley, one used for ceremony and gatherings of Sith. The Korriban valley was cut from sandstone by the slaves of the old Sith Empire many ages ago, and it remains a powerful reminder of the Sith and their mastery over the dark side. Inside the Korriban valley are statues of the great Sith Lords of history, a testament to the glory of conquerors unlike any the galaxy has ever known. Between them, in a courtyard often obscured by the fierce sandstorms of Korriban, are the ruined obelisks dating back to the first civilization to settle the red world. Though many have crumbled, much like their creators beneath the buckling weight of the old Sith Empire that subjugated their proud race, others still stand and prove an architectural curiosity often visited by the apprentices with the courage to venture out into the valley.

Situated at the other end of the valley, against the wall of a canyon, is the Korriban Academy. The massive pyramid's overhanging lip rests on the shoulders of two statues fashioned in the likeness of the slaves that laid its brick and mortar. Built from stone and durasteel, it reflects the sun framed at its apex, and once a day the image of Moraband floating ghost-like in the night sky. A grand staircase, symbolically representing the climb to power, leads into the academy itself, a labyrinth of hallways and corridors engraved with the hieroglyphic scripture of the ancient Sith. On more than one wall are fantastic murals of the ever-watching tombworld. The entrance, however, is filled with the broken busts of fallen Sith Lords. These are meant to remind acolytes that they must crush their adversaries along their road to power.

The Korriban Academy is fully equipped as a training facility, with multiple sublevels for different classes, ranging from harmless study groups to instructions on how best to torture and extort information from prisoners. There are dormitories for disciples, replete with centers for studying, lecturing, recreation and meditation. The Sith Archives, a repository for knowledge dating back to the golden age of their empire, is located in the middle of the pyramid and is a wealth of information, stored in formats ranging from datapads and holocrons to scrolls and yellowing tomes. The summit of the pyramid is reserved for the greatest and most important Sith, whereas its lowest levels are reserved for the bloodstained ritual chambers where sorcerer-scientists carry out atrocities in order to stake out just where the limits of the dark side lie.

Once a day, the Great Pyramid of Korriban is perfectly aligned with the Great Pyramid of Moraband. It is at this time that the Sith on Korriban are able to commune with the spirits of the ancient dead that dwell on the forbidden world of Moraband. Through this communion, Sith can seek the power and ancient wisdom of these ancient Dark Lords and access the knowledge they need to destroy the Jedi Knights and conquer the Republic.

The temple was blown up by a group of insurrectionists and former Jedi, and was later rebuilt under the rule of Darth Sigrun.

The Sith Temple on Yavin 4

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Lost within the rainforests of Yavin's fourth moon is a temple which recalls the glory of the ancient Sith. Long ago, the Massassi warrior culture fell under the yolk of the burgeoning Sith Empire. With their hands they gave life to their masters' dreams of mighty works to stand the test of time. Originally, the temple on Yavin 4 was a monument to their slavery and their worship. Over four thousand years ago, they hollowed the belly of a mountain into a thicket of massive Doric pillars, an incredible architectural achievement unequaled before or since. Far overhead they carved the symbols of Sith power: the Twins, dead and alive, Moraband and Korriban, their home-world and the heart of their strength. Ensconced behind the Forest of Pillars is an altar in the form of a stepped pyramid where the Massassi worshiped the dark side in the same way of the modern Sith.

Beneath the pyramid are shafts leading deep underground; the Massassi were exploited for their labor here, marched by the thousands into the mines to strip the earth of ore and metal for the hungry machine of Sith industry. These have since been re-purposed into long corridors splitting off from the central shaft, opening occasionally into yawning caverns which are now used as libraries, training halls and personal quarters for neophytes and acolytes. The more prestigious Sith live above ground either around the central pyramid or in the temples speckling the nearby countryside where the rain-forest has been cleared. Above the Forest of Pillars, behind the faces of the Twin Worlds, the Sith Lords oversee the entire temple complex and surrounding landscape from their chambers in the very peak of the mountain.

In past centuries, huge tracts of land had been cleared for farming and agriculture, but, with each year since the last golden age of the Sith, the jungle has reclaimed itself. It is not uncommon for those wandering through the thick vegetation to stumble across the overgrown bones of shrines and pyramids not unlike the mountain temple. There are many reminders of the Massassi culture which worshiped the Sith for their power, a faith which ended in their extinction when the Sith exhausted their population as laborers, fodder in their wars, and test subjects for their experiments. The temple on Yavin 4 is soaked in the memory of their suffering, and it is not uncommon for acolytes stationed there to experience frequent lucid dreams where they relive the days of the Old Empire's glory, often as one of the Sith Lords, but also occasionally through the eyes of their slaves.

Temple of the Sith on Coruscant

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Amidst the broken ruins of Coruscant, left in the wake of the Sith Brotherhood's invasion, rises the Temple of the Sith. Built atop one of the planet's few remaining natural mountain spires, which had long since been a sacred place to the people of Coruscant and several Force-traditions, the temple stands as a dark monument to the defeat of the Sith's Republic and Jedi enemies. Seeking to make use of the mountain's Force nexus, the Empire first had a shrine constructed within the mountain's peak, which harnessed the Force's energies and warped them into a fountain of malevolent power. Later, the Sith constructed their temple around the shrine.

Built using slave labor from the planet's captive inhabitants, the Temple of the Sith was built in the traditional design of a Sith pyramid and is surrounded by four spires. These spires contain important meeting chambers for the Moff Council and the Empire's select Sith Lords, as well as a public throne room for the Dark Lord of the Sith. The pyramidal structure itself acts as a storehouse for rare artifacts and trophies taken from the enemies of the Empire, and doubles as a training facility for only the most elite students within the Sith Order. The apex of the Temple contains a throne room to accommodate the Emperor during his rare visits to Coruscant. The Temple continues underground, where a series of tunnels lead to the Sith shrine, allowing those who have the proper clearance to meditate and bathe within the power of the dark side. Here, within the bowels of the Temple, are also several chapels dedicated to priests of Tund.

The area immediately surrounding the Temple of the Sith was cleared during the construction of the temple itself, forming a new Temple District not far from the razed Federal District, which had contained the old Senate Building, and presently contains the office and residence of the Grand Moff of the Empire. The Temple of the Sith serves as a constant reminder of the Sith Empire's dominance over the heart of the galaxy and the former Jewel of the Republic, and acts as the Empire's seat of power within the Core Worlds.