Nightsisters

The Nightsisters were a Viamaj sect who embraced the usage of dark arts within their Force-driven magics. The Nightsisters were originally members of other witch clans who began to utilize the dark side in defiance of the light-sided orthodoxy found in the Book of Law—the governing holy text of the Viamaj. They focused extensively on the art of casting Force illusions through "illusion spells." Witches found guilty of practicing these heretical techniques were banished into Dathomir's wilderness and left for dead. However, in the final decades of the Galactic Republic's reign, the exiled witch Gethzerion used her superior powers to unite the wandering outcasts into a new clan—the Nightsisters. Operating under a revised holy text known as the Book of Shadows, these sorceresses used their powerful connection to Dathomir's untamed wilds to terrorize their fellow clans and fight for dominance over the planet. Although the witches had designs for galactic dominance, they were largely confined to their own world. During the Imperial Period, the Galactic Empire maintained a significant presence on Dathomir, but after the Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor Palpatine came to understand the depths of the Nightsisters' power and the strength of their founder, Gethzerion, he had the planet placed under quarantine in an attempt to ensure that none of the witches escaped off-world.

Organizational Structure

The Clan Mother was the leader of the Night Council and the sisterhood overall. The council was comprised of seven Sages who were selected by the Clan Mother to aid her governing the sisterhood. They were handpicked from the best of the Elders. Other ranks within the clan included Initiate, Hunter, Ranger, Protector, Sentry, Sentinel, Stalker, Spellweaver, and Healer.

Culture

All the witch clans of Dathomir were matriarchal societies. Each coven was a "sisterhood" composed of Sisters under the guidance of the Clan Mother. Males, often referred to as "malelings", were only used as slaves or mating partners, whence their other name of "breeder". The breeders usually were healthy Humans (or Near-Humans), while aliens were most often turned into mere "labor units". Malelings were usually contained within cages. Breeders were generally killed after mating, though it was not always the case.

Mythology & Lore

As a sect of Viamaj, Nightsisters believed in the triple goddess Alma, the supreme deity who governed the universe and the destiny of all living things. Her three aspects were Puera (The Creator), Matre (The Arbiter), and Vecra (The Destroyer). Puera created life, shaped landscapes, and forged celestial bodies. Matre moderated the ebb and flow of events, maintaining harmony between the positive and negative forces that shape the universe. Vecra influenced death and decay in living things, natural structures, and celestial bodies.

Granted Divine Powers

Sects

The Spiderclan were a splinter group of Nightsisters located in the Nightspider Cult cave on the planet Dathomir during the Galactic Civil War. They were known for keeping giant spiders as their slaves and were the archenemies of the benevolent witches of the Singing Mountain Clan.