Teynara Jeralyr
Resident Sig Lord
So, you want to be a Sith, do you? Wield a red lightsaber, blast someone with Force Lightning and generally be evil? We've got a lot of work to do.
Anyway, decided I'd write a few things about the Sith, offer a different perspective to the one you'll find more commonly floating around, and therefore offer a way of RPing Sith that, well, makes sense (I hope). Please note that this isn't intended to be comprehensive (that would take me far too long to write, and I'd no doubt miss something or generate some debate!). Anyway, here we go:
The Purpose of the Sith
The origin of the Sith stems from a considerable divurgence in belief about how the Force should be used: those who follow the 'Light' believe that their powers should only be used for peaceful ends, and thus to support the people of the Galaxy by offering passive guidance and protection, leaving them to choose their own rulers. Those who follow the 'Dark' believed that the gift of the Force was one that should be used more directly: those with the power to rule should do so, using that power to create a system of autocracy or oligarchy: government led by either one powerful individual, or by several such beings, using the Force to guide them.
The Sith see this as natural: the strong rule, the weak serve, and thus is an ordered system maintained. Peace is enforced rather than hoped for, with any resistance to the rule of law being dealt with in the harshest possible fashion. This becomes possible because those in power have power, and thus are capable of squashing threats to the ordered society they seek to maintain. Piracy, disorder, rebellion: all of these are contrary to the natural order, and are eliminated accordingly, unless the 'Emperor' or 'Council' wishes it otherwise.
Thus, to a Sith, the ultimate goal of their training and endeavour is to ascend to the pinnacle of power: to lead the Sith and, by extension, to rule the Galaxy, using their powers and insight to guide the Galaxy accordingly. A writer seeking to portray a Sith should therefore understand that they are the recipient of a unique gift, and that this gives them 'right to rule': they are, in some respects, ordained to rule, much in the same way that the ancient kings of Europe believed that the had 'divine authority' to rule, granted to them by God. Sith believe much the same: their power and ability to wield to the Force is a clear indication that they should wield that power in more ways than one, and most particularly over others who do not.
I'll talk about that more later, but next up:
Sith Training and Ideology
This is the part that a lot of writers struggle with, particularly since they tend to go off the 'cooler' elements of being a Sith: wearing dark clothing, hiding in shadows, wielding red lightsabers, and so on. Those are, ultimately, affectations: you need not do any of them to be a Sith. You can if you wish to, but those things aren't essential. Here are a few key points:
The Role of the Force
The Force is a fairly complex entity among the Sith: there are some who see it as merely a tool, or a weapon, and others who perceive it in similar vein to the Jedi, as a companion and ally. The truth of Sith philosophy is something that recognises the Force as all four of these things: slave, ally, weapon, tool, and yet something more. Their focus on the 'Dark Side' espoused by a dualistic view of the Force derives primarily from their willingness to use power through emotion, and because the Dark tempts them to exploring greater depths of power. Ultimately, to a Sith, the Dark Side is not something to be feared, but to be challenged, harnessed and used: much as one would break in a horse in order to ride it, so must a Sith learn to use the Force, bending it to their will.
That said, the notion of the Force as the slave of the Sith is also a misguided one: a Sith's power derives from the Force, and they cannot entirely disregard the 'Will of the Force', as the Jedi refer to it. For a Sith, they represent the opposing force to the Jedi: while the Jedi try to maintain peace by encouraging ennui, the Sith seek to create it through force, removing obstacles to an ordered galaxy ruled by the strongest. Their system demands chaos even as it seeks to establish order: strength is never something permanently maintained, and so leadership among the upper hierarchy of the Sith will shift constantly as individuals vie for supremacy.
A Sith must come to rely on the Force, trusting it, but also understanding that it is as much an enemy as a friend: the corrupting power of the Dark Side is something that must be harnessed, but also fought against, since that same taint ultimately will push an individual's sanity to the very limits, and beyond, if the individual is not mentally disciplined or strong enough to resist it. As such, many Sith ultimately 'fall' even beyond the expectations of the Jedi: they turn their will for power into a lust for it, and destroy anything and everything that gets in their way. Any opposition or restraint becomes an enemy, and they ultimately slide into a level of psychosis that even the Sith understand to be excessive. Is it oftentimes these beings that are put to use by the Sith as weapons: a destructive force turned towards their enemies but that is ultimately to be sacrificed, with no part in the grand plan other than to die for it. Those who enact their destructive intent upon the Sith themselves will be slain out of hand.
Powers and Abilities
Because the Sith tap into the Dark Side of the Force, many of their powers are designed to be damaging or subversive: they lack the same moral restrictions as the Jedi, and do not see it as wrong to use the Force in a harmful way. Tapping into the Force through use of their emotions invariably creates some impressive displays: bolts of lightning or waves of telekinetic energy bursting forth when an individual is angry or enraged, for example. I daresay this is fairly familiar to all of us!
That noted, these aren't the only powers available to a Sith: in addition to the neutral skills used by both Jedi and Sith, Sith are capable of wielding Sith Sorcery, arts that require a very disciplined frame of mind to achieve, as well as pursuing the arts of Sith Alchemy, a very dangerous branch of Force ability, but one with many useful byproducts.
In lightsaber combat, a Sith will be expected to use their emotions productively, to fuel their attacks, but also wield strong mental discipline and subjugate their opponents - death, ultimately, is less of an achievement than forcing submission. is often used to great effect in their regard, either to unhinge an opponent or, among the very best practitioners, push their enemy to the edge and seek a conversion to the will of the Sith. They are also capable of practising more lethal forms of lightsaber combat than their Jedi counterparts, employing Juyo for those with better-than-average skill, though few have sufficient mental discipline to truly achieve this, and instead find themselves subverted powerfully by the Dark Side when using this approach, ultimately becoming violent in the extreme.
Finally, they may also pursue skills from disciplines not of their own Order, in particular, the arts of the Dathomiri Nightsisters and those of the Sorcerers of Tund, among many others.
The Jedi Order
The emnity established between the Sith and Jedi is a very long-standing one: since the Force Wars on Tython, the two groups have opposed each other, partially as a consequence of their choices with respects to the Force (one uses the Light, the other, the Dark), but also as a result of their political ideology: the Jedi believe their duty is to serve, the Sith believe their duty is to rule. This inherently draws the two into conflict, and places them as natural enemies.
In dealing with a Jedi, the Sith will see one of two things: a misguided Force User who might be converted to the 'true path', or an obstacle to be overcome. You might seek to talk to a Jedi, make them see the error of their ways, or you might simply try to kill them. A more circumspect Sith might simply avoid them, or use trickery to lead them down the wrong path - this, however, tends to be difficult to do, since most writers will invariably 'know' that this is happening to them!
It's worth noting that Jedi are often thought of as misguided by the Sith: slaves to a doctrine established to shackle their true powers and their own inner natures, suppressing their emotions and denying themselves full access to their powers and own destiny. A Sith who feels this strongly (particularly if they find commonality with the Jedi) will therefore focus their efforts on drawing the Jedi's attention to this, trying to shake their faith and push them towards a fall. Combat can be used to this end, too: should the Jedi suffer a defeat, this will serve to reinforce Sith superiority and be used effectively to nudge the Jedi into realising that they have devoted themselves to a lie. Standard Sith training can thereafter commence, with particular emphasis on unlearning Jedi conditioning.
Anyway, decided I'd write a few things about the Sith, offer a different perspective to the one you'll find more commonly floating around, and therefore offer a way of RPing Sith that, well, makes sense (I hope). Please note that this isn't intended to be comprehensive (that would take me far too long to write, and I'd no doubt miss something or generate some debate!). Anyway, here we go:
The Purpose of the Sith
The origin of the Sith stems from a considerable divurgence in belief about how the Force should be used: those who follow the 'Light' believe that their powers should only be used for peaceful ends, and thus to support the people of the Galaxy by offering passive guidance and protection, leaving them to choose their own rulers. Those who follow the 'Dark' believed that the gift of the Force was one that should be used more directly: those with the power to rule should do so, using that power to create a system of autocracy or oligarchy: government led by either one powerful individual, or by several such beings, using the Force to guide them.
The Sith see this as natural: the strong rule, the weak serve, and thus is an ordered system maintained. Peace is enforced rather than hoped for, with any resistance to the rule of law being dealt with in the harshest possible fashion. This becomes possible because those in power have power, and thus are capable of squashing threats to the ordered society they seek to maintain. Piracy, disorder, rebellion: all of these are contrary to the natural order, and are eliminated accordingly, unless the 'Emperor' or 'Council' wishes it otherwise.
Thus, to a Sith, the ultimate goal of their training and endeavour is to ascend to the pinnacle of power: to lead the Sith and, by extension, to rule the Galaxy, using their powers and insight to guide the Galaxy accordingly. A writer seeking to portray a Sith should therefore understand that they are the recipient of a unique gift, and that this gives them 'right to rule': they are, in some respects, ordained to rule, much in the same way that the ancient kings of Europe believed that the had 'divine authority' to rule, granted to them by God. Sith believe much the same: their power and ability to wield to the Force is a clear indication that they should wield that power in more ways than one, and most particularly over others who do not.
I'll talk about that more later, but next up:
Sith Training and Ideology
This is the part that a lot of writers struggle with, particularly since they tend to go off the 'cooler' elements of being a Sith: wearing dark clothing, hiding in shadows, wielding red lightsabers, and so on. Those are, ultimately, affectations: you need not do any of them to be a Sith. You can if you wish to, but those things aren't essential. Here are a few key points:
- Sith are avid practitioners of the concept of "survival of the fittest": to them, strength is not only the ability to wield the Force, but also the ability to adapt to adverse conditions. In their mind, those fit to rule must be capable of dealing with whatever is thrown at them. For this reason, suffering is a natural state to the Sith, and they perceive those who allow themselves to be crippled by it to be weak. Training is designed to weed out those incapable of coping with these adverse conditions: whether physical or psychological.
- Power comes only through sacrifice: the harsh nature of their training is designed to teach them that they will only gain strength from struggle, and this naturally demands sacrifice. Whether in the form of deprivation over time, physical or psychological injury, or simply being faced with obstacle after obstacle, a Sith learns from pain, from loss, from suffering. They do not hide from this: rather, they are required to face it, embrace it and make it a part of themselves. Only then can they gain strength from the experience.
- Force use among the Sith is derived primarily from their emotions: rather than letting go of the self, as Jedi are trained to do, Sith believe in using their emotions to 'force the Force', to draw upon it in a more visceral fashion. This invariably means that many of their powers are initially stronger than those of a Jedi, and are easier to draw upon, since emotion is never in short supply: thus, Sith are not necessarily expected to be trained with the same level of emotional discipline. That noted, this method has considerable drawbacks insofar as it is more physically taxing on the user, and those who wield the Force this way over long periods of time have been known to suffer ill health effects.
- With regards to emotional discipline, although Sith are indeed expected to be open with their emotions (viewing them as a positive, and often viewing the Jedi with disdain for restraining them), they are nonetheless expected to wield them carefully: a Sith flying into a murderous rage is unlikely to be capable of making effective decisions, and those actions can have very negative consequences. A Sith is expected to exercise patience and cunning, knowing when to use their emotions and when not to. This requires a high level of self-awareness, and much of a Sith's initial training is designed to make them understand themselves: what their triggers are, what provokes them, what their weaknesses are, and to make them recognise both their vulnerable sides and draw out their strengths.
- Sith are trained to disregard the choices of those weaker than themselves: they believe that every individual must seize their destiny with their own hands, rather than being handed it on a plate, and thus they see many as being effectively 'blind' to their own fates: sheep, in need of a shepherd. The purpose of a Sith, therefore, is to provide both governance and guidance to those they rule, but also to create an atmosphere that forces those beneath them to rise up and face their own purpose. It is for this reason that many Sith rulers have ultimately become oppressive: exercising their power cruelly to force people to rise up to the challenges presented, or be crushed beneath them.
- A Sith must naturally be as ruthless with those around them as they are with themselves: Sith are ultimately pragmatists, who see a goal and a purpose, and pursue this with dangerous efficiency. Those who stand in the way of this are merely obstacles, challenges that must be overcome and that will make the Sith stronger for doing so. Although Sith do not revere life as the Jedi do, they often see killing as wasteful (all beings are resources that can be called into service!), but they do not hesitate to kill if they must: they see this as culling the herd, removing the weak so that only the strong remain. This is oftentime warped into justification for murder on a larger scale, but this is often only among those who have misunderstood Sith philosophy, or have simply gone too far into madness to see reason.
- Although many believe that a Sith must be all pent-up with rage and hatred, this is only one form of Sith, and usually the least disciplined and capable of those among the Sith. Though their powers are invariably impressive, their abilities tend towards the more destructive, and they are far less capable than their brethren of using those skills which require greater emotional/mental discipline, or that require more thought and preparation. A Sith's choice of emotional focus can be anything: sorrow, joy, love, anger, jealousy, hatred, contempt, disdain, and so on. Negative emotions are easier to draw upon, because they tend to generate more natural emotional energy, but it is not impossible to wield Sith abilities using positive emotions: particularly because a Sith tends to be very self-aware and certain of the righteousness of their cause, even if they hold few illusions about the means they use to pursue it.
- Sith believe that they are enacting the Will of the Force by playing out the dichotomy between Light and Dark: they are servants of the Dark Side, and thus must always be opposed to those of the Light. Sith see themselves as being on the correct path because they are enacting the will of the Dark Side. Because the dichotomy exists within the Force, it is good and appropriate that it exists within society as well, and the Sith thus see themselves as servants of the Dark, as well as seeking to master it.
The Role of the Force
The Force is a fairly complex entity among the Sith: there are some who see it as merely a tool, or a weapon, and others who perceive it in similar vein to the Jedi, as a companion and ally. The truth of Sith philosophy is something that recognises the Force as all four of these things: slave, ally, weapon, tool, and yet something more. Their focus on the 'Dark Side' espoused by a dualistic view of the Force derives primarily from their willingness to use power through emotion, and because the Dark tempts them to exploring greater depths of power. Ultimately, to a Sith, the Dark Side is not something to be feared, but to be challenged, harnessed and used: much as one would break in a horse in order to ride it, so must a Sith learn to use the Force, bending it to their will.
That said, the notion of the Force as the slave of the Sith is also a misguided one: a Sith's power derives from the Force, and they cannot entirely disregard the 'Will of the Force', as the Jedi refer to it. For a Sith, they represent the opposing force to the Jedi: while the Jedi try to maintain peace by encouraging ennui, the Sith seek to create it through force, removing obstacles to an ordered galaxy ruled by the strongest. Their system demands chaos even as it seeks to establish order: strength is never something permanently maintained, and so leadership among the upper hierarchy of the Sith will shift constantly as individuals vie for supremacy.
A Sith must come to rely on the Force, trusting it, but also understanding that it is as much an enemy as a friend: the corrupting power of the Dark Side is something that must be harnessed, but also fought against, since that same taint ultimately will push an individual's sanity to the very limits, and beyond, if the individual is not mentally disciplined or strong enough to resist it. As such, many Sith ultimately 'fall' even beyond the expectations of the Jedi: they turn their will for power into a lust for it, and destroy anything and everything that gets in their way. Any opposition or restraint becomes an enemy, and they ultimately slide into a level of psychosis that even the Sith understand to be excessive. Is it oftentimes these beings that are put to use by the Sith as weapons: a destructive force turned towards their enemies but that is ultimately to be sacrificed, with no part in the grand plan other than to die for it. Those who enact their destructive intent upon the Sith themselves will be slain out of hand.
Powers and Abilities
Because the Sith tap into the Dark Side of the Force, many of their powers are designed to be damaging or subversive: they lack the same moral restrictions as the Jedi, and do not see it as wrong to use the Force in a harmful way. Tapping into the Force through use of their emotions invariably creates some impressive displays: bolts of lightning or waves of telekinetic energy bursting forth when an individual is angry or enraged, for example. I daresay this is fairly familiar to all of us!
That noted, these aren't the only powers available to a Sith: in addition to the neutral skills used by both Jedi and Sith, Sith are capable of wielding Sith Sorcery, arts that require a very disciplined frame of mind to achieve, as well as pursuing the arts of Sith Alchemy, a very dangerous branch of Force ability, but one with many useful byproducts.
In lightsaber combat, a Sith will be expected to use their emotions productively, to fuel their attacks, but also wield strong mental discipline and subjugate their opponents - death, ultimately, is less of an achievement than forcing submission. is often used to great effect in their regard, either to unhinge an opponent or, among the very best practitioners, push their enemy to the edge and seek a conversion to the will of the Sith. They are also capable of practising more lethal forms of lightsaber combat than their Jedi counterparts, employing Juyo for those with better-than-average skill, though few have sufficient mental discipline to truly achieve this, and instead find themselves subverted powerfully by the Dark Side when using this approach, ultimately becoming violent in the extreme.
Finally, they may also pursue skills from disciplines not of their own Order, in particular, the arts of the Dathomiri Nightsisters and those of the Sorcerers of Tund, among many others.
The Jedi Order
The emnity established between the Sith and Jedi is a very long-standing one: since the Force Wars on Tython, the two groups have opposed each other, partially as a consequence of their choices with respects to the Force (one uses the Light, the other, the Dark), but also as a result of their political ideology: the Jedi believe their duty is to serve, the Sith believe their duty is to rule. This inherently draws the two into conflict, and places them as natural enemies.
In dealing with a Jedi, the Sith will see one of two things: a misguided Force User who might be converted to the 'true path', or an obstacle to be overcome. You might seek to talk to a Jedi, make them see the error of their ways, or you might simply try to kill them. A more circumspect Sith might simply avoid them, or use trickery to lead them down the wrong path - this, however, tends to be difficult to do, since most writers will invariably 'know' that this is happening to them!
It's worth noting that Jedi are often thought of as misguided by the Sith: slaves to a doctrine established to shackle their true powers and their own inner natures, suppressing their emotions and denying themselves full access to their powers and own destiny. A Sith who feels this strongly (particularly if they find commonality with the Jedi) will therefore focus their efforts on drawing the Jedi's attention to this, trying to shake their faith and push them towards a fall. Combat can be used to this end, too: should the Jedi suffer a defeat, this will serve to reinforce Sith superiority and be used effectively to nudge the Jedi into realising that they have devoted themselves to a lie. Standard Sith training can thereafter commence, with particular emphasis on unlearning Jedi conditioning.
