1. Introduction

This course provides a retrospective history and analysis of the origins and rise of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood through its exodus from the Emperor's Hammer as an independent organization. After the establishment of the Dark Brotherhood, events will be arranged chronologically through successive Grand Masters. A knowledge of Brotherhood history, old and new, is integral to appropriately placing yourself within current context, so students are encouraged to follow this course with Dark Brotherhood History 102.

2. A Long Time Ago

2.1 The Star Chamber

2.1.1 Origins: Okemi (c. 5050 BBY)

The history of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood begins in the ancient Sith Empire of Marka Ragnos, an old, rich and powerful empire that reached over one hundred worlds. Ragnos' reign was thus far unchallenged, but the Sith Lord Okemi, a pure blood Massassi, was discontent with the Sith Council and believed Ragnos a half-breed. He organized a slave revolt nearly one hundred years before the Great Hyperspace War, but his forces were outmatched and defeated. Okemi was stripped of his title and power and exiled to the planet Antei on the outskirts of Sith space.

Stranded on Antei, Okemi swiftly subjugated the native species and used his prowess in the Force to establish himself as King. Over the years, great temples and cities were built in his name as Okemi developed a religious following, despite Antei being cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Dark rituals and Sith magic were used to extend his lifespan, but his soul became corrupted by dark energies as a result. Okemi was stronger and more powerful than ever before, yet increasingly a shell of his former self.

2.1.2 Origins: Tiamat - c. 3900 BBY

Shortly after the defeat of Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma in the Great Sith War, the Krath Sorceress Tiamat fled known space. She was drawn to the Antei System by mystical visions and was amazed to discover a thriving civilization united through worship of their God-King Okemi. Tiamat brought Okemi news of the galaxy, and they developed a mutual partnership for greater power and knowledge in the Force.

2.1.3 Origins: Ferran

Over time, Okemi and Tiamat felt their power still limited. They sought one more to form a Triumvirate, inspired by Tiamat’s observations of Traya, Nihilus, and Sion, so they summoned a powerful warrior from the Mecrosa Order. Ferran answered the call and traveled to Antei. The Triumvirate was complete - the Star Chamber of Antei was formed.

2.2 Collapse of the Triumvirate - c. 2950 BBY

The Golden Age of the Star Chamber was short lived. The corruption that had plagued Okemi since using dark magic to extend his lifespan had grown increasingly harmful and disruptive to their empire. His plague spread to the native population, and the planet was thrown into frenzied warfare and strife.

Tiamat petitioned Okemi to perform a dark ritual that would seal the nameless corruption back to the void of space, purging Antei. Ferran protested, believing the ritual would destroy their civilization in the process. Okemi, desperate both for his life and the power his empire granted him, reluctantly granted Tiamat’s request.

The ritual went as Ferran predicted. Tiamat’s efforts to capture the power of Antei’s sun, Ante, failed, and Antei started to crumble. Ferran rushed to the ritual chamber but was unable to stop the process. Okemi is believed to have committed suicide out of shame, thus ending his two thousand year reign. Seeing no other option, Ferran plunged his blade, Son’Jiatt, into Tiamat’s heart, reversing the ritual but consuming both their lives. The planet was saved, but Ante was turned into a dark star. Finally, the failed ritual transformed Ante’s energy into a large nebula shrouding the system from the rest of the galaxy.

3. The Emperor’s Hammer

3.1 First Grand Master - Kane Vader - 5 ABY

Three thousand years passed as descendants of Okemi's followers slowly rebuilt their civilization without a leader. Elsewhere, after the fall of the Galactic Empire, the Imperial Dark Side Adept Kane Vader sensed an opportunity to build his own empire. He used his considerable resources and connections within the Imperial Remnant to recruit followers to his Dark Jedi Brotherhood, over which he named himself Grand Master.

He started to amass not only a militant arm but students seeking knowledge and power within the Dark Side, so Kane sent envoys throughout the galaxy to claim those gifted in the Force. One such envoy, his apprentice Jedgar Paladin, was dispatched to the Outer Rim and crafted a mutually-beneficial alliance with the Emperor’s Hammer. The Hammer strengthened the Brotherhood’s military while the Brotherhood provided the Hammer access to elite Dark Jedi.

3.2 Second Grand Master - Jedgar O. Paladin - 5 ABY

Kane Vader was uncomfortable managing an increasingly open society, preferring to amass his strength in secret, but he recognized the need for an alliance with Emperor’s Hammer. Thus, Kane departed the Brotherhood for unknown regions and left his apprentice, Paladin, to rule as its second Grand Master. The Brotherhood continued to expand at an exponential rate.

Paladin created the Dark Council as a circle of rulers and administrators for the Brotherhood’s various units; he also created the Shadow Academy to train new recruits in the ways of the Dark Side and to prepare them for Brotherhood service.

3.3 Third Grand Master - Kreeyat Havok - 6 ABY

Satisfied with his reign, Paladin departed Brotherhood space in search of his master, though he would later return to serve as the first Justicar of the Chamber of Justice. Kreeyat Havok assumed the title Grand Master and continued to lead a Brotherhood of steady expansion that established Brotherhood domination in other systems. The same, however, could not be said of his apprentice and the next Grand Master, Crona.

3.4 Fourth Grand Master - Crona - 7 ABY

Crona’s impact on the Brotherhood started positively with the implementation of the Obelisk Order, formed in Ferran’s legacy as an army of elite Dark Jedi warriors. Yet Crona, also known as The Other, was famed for his duplicity and manipulation of Brotherhood resources and funds for his own ends. He defied his masters and the Hammer’s Fleet Commander until several Brotherhood leaders sought to end his reign.

Sensing betrayal, Crona stole the Lichtor V and fled the Brotherhood with the assistance of Tau Squadron, a group of elite Dark Jedi fighter pilots who represented the mutual alliance of the Emperor’s Hammer’s military strength and the Dark Brotherhood’s Force prowess by serving simultaneously as the Grand Master’s Royal Escort Squadron and one of four elite fighter squadrons in the Emperor’s Hammer TIE Corps.

3.5 Fifth Grand Master - Jac Cotelin - 7 ABY

Grand Masters Paladin, Havok, and Master Yoni, the Brotherhood’s Hand of Justice, chased Crona from Brotherhood space and instated Jac Cotelin as the Brotherhood’s new Grand Master. Cotelin pursued Crona with a vengeance, but the Other ultimately escaped his grasp. Undeterred, Cotelin brought order back to the Brotherhood. He reestablished the Star Chamber as a unit to manage from afar smaller units called Clans, which were further broken into Houses. The original Clan, Alvaak, was comprised of Houses Satal Keto and Tarentum, which grew to become Clans in their own rights. Clan Alvaak, whose loyalty to Grand Admiral Ronin was absolute, chose to remain behind later when the Brotherhood fled Imperial space.

Cotelin commanded respect and fear across the Brotherhood, but he eventually stepped down as Grand Master to pursue his own research. His influence on the complete re-organization of the Brotherhood into the system still used today cannot be overstated.

3.6 Sixth Grand Master - Justinian Khyron - 8 ABY

3.6.1 Rise of the Clans

Jac Cotelin’s apprentice, Justinian Khyron, assumed the mantle of Grand Master as the Brotherhood adapted to the Clan system. Clans Ar’Kell, Aquillas, Satal Keto, Scholae Palatinae, and Tarentum were the first clans created under the dominion of the Star Chamber and Dark Council.

Scholae Palatinae was formed after a raid by the Emperor’s Hammer Strike Fleet that discovered texts related to Darth Sidious’ Imperial Intelligence branch, a legacy it maintained as a Clan in the Brotherhood. Years later, however, the Clan was disbanded after internal power struggles and its possessions were destroyed by the Star Chamber. Many of its members were transferred to the recently-clanned Arcona, while House Caliburnus became an independent house, unwilling to accept the rule of another Clan. Eventually, House Caliburnus would be reborn as a new Clan Scholae Palatinae; the resentment of Clan Arcona for its past transgressions lingers to this day.

Magnus Kaerner, Commander of a re-commissioned Tau Squadron, was selected by Cotelin and Grand Master Khyron to form an elite tactical unit called House Tarentum, based in the Yridia System. Similarly, Astronicus Sadow was recognized by Khyron for his superb leadership of House Sadow with the creation of Clan Naga Sadow and his place as Overlord of the Clan and Orian System.

Meanwhile, a large group of Krath within the Brotherhood requested a home within which they could conduct their research, so Clan Satal Keto was formed. Satal Keto served gloriously until it was weakened by the Brotherhood’s exodus from the Emperor’s Hammer.

In addition to the original four Clans, several independent houses of brothers and sisters strove for Clanhood. House Ektrosis was formed by a group of Dark Adepts who joined the Brotherhood after exile when the Galactic Empire fell. Ektrosis would be the last independent house in the Brotherhood for a generation as Khyron forced Clanhood upon all others, but Ektrosis fought for their pride as a house, and remains the only Independent House to ever win a Great Jedi War.

3.6.2 Return of the Other

Justinian Khyron’s reign as Grand Master began a vast success as the Brotherhood adapted well to a system of Clans with planetary dominions, but the presence of the Other remained persistent. The Other, through his emissary Chancellor Morgoth, had manipulated Clan Ar’Kell into striking against the Brotherhood in a series of assassinations and kidnappings that plunged the clans into anarchy. This first Great Jedi War ended when Ar’Kell fully defected to the Deep Core. In response, Khyron created the Grand Master’s Royal Guard to defend the Brotherhood and all its territories.

3.7 Seventh Grand Master - Justin Stryker - 9 ABY

Little is known of Grand Master Stryker’s brief reign, except that he holds the distinction of being the only serving Grand Master to die during a Great Jedi War.

3.8 Eighth Grand Master - Justinian Khyron - 9 ABY

The Brotherhood had been plunged into war once again after the theft of a valuable force crystal from the vaults of Eos, the Brotherhood’s home base in Imperial space. Khyron returned and rallied the Clans to defeat the pirates and end the second Great Jedi War.

The rest of his second reign was one of expansion and prosperity as more and more Dark Jedi were recruited to the Brotherhood. Khyron continued to refine the Clan system by further dividing clans into Houses, each with their own leadership summits. Clan Aquillas was closed during Lord Khyron’s second reign, with many of its members finding their way into House Ektrosis. Ektrosis was then forced by the Grand Master to accede to the Clan System, becoming the foundation of the new Clan Taldryan. The now-subordinate Houses of the Brotherhood were divided by Order, with one Sith, Krath, and Obelisk House per Clan.

3.9 Ninth Grand Master - Thedek - 9 ABY

Thedek was a legendary organizer who led the Brotherhood through a smooth, untroubled year of continued growth. The Brotherhood’s records were centralized into a single database granting hierarchical access so members could complete their responsibilities efficiently. He created the Dark Council position of Oracle to maintain these records. Thedek’s reign also saw the inception of the Chamber of Justice as a formal judicial body created to set precedent and hold Brotherhood members accountable. However, the original Chamber of Justice served a dual purpose -- its members were selected by the Fleet Commander of the Emperor’s Hammer and enabled him to exert influence on the internal operations of the Brotherhood.

3.10 Tenth Grand Master - Archibald Zoraan - 10 to 11 ABY

The Star Chamber fell into disarray and petty infighting after Thedek’s resignation. Zoraan rose from the turmoil to seize the Iron Throne despite a troubled history of Clan leadership. His selection of Torquemada as Deputy Grand Master was unfavored and sparked the Second Brotherhood Civil War as each Clan fought to prove their superiority and worth.

Zoraan put an end to the uprising, but he soon retreated to his private studies as many of his predecessors had. Yet he did not resign from his position as Grand Master. Influential members of the Brotherhood started to go missing as Zoraan ruled from his chambers atop the Dark Hall until Clans Naga Sadow and Taldryan declared open rebellion.

When forces from the Emperor’s Hammer attempted to intervene, Zoraan declared the Brotherhood’s independent, sister status and attempted to dissolve the hold the Emperor’s Hammer had established on the Brotherhood. This early and ill-planned secession failed, but it would rise again from another source.

The war was devastating. As the Clans swarmed Eos, Zoraan let loose a massive force storm that destroyed the Dark Hall and everything in it, including, most believed, himself. His reign remains controversial as some suggest his power and dark experiments drove him mad while others maintain he was manipulated by unknown forces.

4. The Exodus

4.1 Eleventh Grand Master - Chi Long - 11 ABY

The Star Chamber lay in ruin for months. The Iron Throne was empty until the enigmatic Chi Long ascended to power. He imposed strict order within the Clans, and organized a massive hunt for a lost Sith artifact in the hopes of using conflict to inspire greater unity. He also put forth motions to rebuild the Dark Hall, but his strength as Grand Master was being increasingly controlled by the Executive Officers of the Emperor’s Hammer. The Fleet Commander had tasted power after having to step into Brotherhood leadership due to the fall of Zoraan and had no intentions of loosening control.

The relationship between the Emperor’s Hammer and Dark Jedi Brotherhood was both highly beneficial and hugely harmful. The original alliance was one of partnership with each organization maintaining independence, but as the Brotherhood was shaken, Hammer fleet officers stepped in and imposed their will upon the weakened Brotherhood. Major Brotherhood leaders had always served among Fleet command, but there remained a distinction between Fleet and Dark Jedi that time had begun to blur. Some believe Zoraan fought against this trend and was punished. Chi Long was even less successful as his authority as Grand Master was weakened to the point of resignation and exile. The Dark Council found its ability to conduct its own affairs increasingly restrained.

4.2 Twelfth Grand Master - Firefox - 11 to 16 ABY

Despite open grabs for power from the Emperor’s Hammer, Sith High Warrior Firefox ascended to the Iron Throne with clear resolve. Despite recent calamities, the Brotherhood remained far stronger, larger, and more united than it had been when Kane Vader first sent envoys to Imperial forces. The Brotherhood no longer relied upon the military strength of the Emperor’s Hammer, so Firefox began distancing himself and his Clans from Fleet Command. Two years of what some consider a cold war passed as Firefox pressed for independence while Fleet Officers tried to further centralize power and resources for their own benefit.

The tipping point came when Grand Admiral Ronin and Sector Admiral Astatine openly sought to subjugate the Brotherhood, forcing Firefox into all-out rebellion and war against the Emperor’s Hammer. A Council of Seven convened to discuss options, their names now revered in Brotherhood history: Grand Masters Firefox, Justinian Khyron, Jac Cotelin, and Chi Long along with Master at Arms Corran Force, Headmaster Acxodim Pyralis, and Clan Naga Sadow Proconsul Trevarus Caerick.

In 13 ABY, these seven carefully prepared their rebellion, departed their bases in the Aurora Sector, and formally broke from the control of the Emperor’s Hammer. An Exodus had occurred, the state of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood forever changed.

5. Conclusion

All exam questions may be answered using information found within these course notes, though we encourage students to further their studies through articles on the DJBWiki linked throughout. Finally, continue your historical quest by taking the Dark Brotherhood History 102 course as well as the more general Galactic History courses.

Further reading:
* The Petition for the Redress of Grievances: A precursor to the Exodus.