As the moons of Dromund Kaas reach their apex in the sky...
A group of freed slaves and outcasts gather near the outskirts of Kaas City...
Amidst the sounds of the city behind them and the swamps ahead, Alisteri stands at the head of this gathering and speaks...
It was a surprisingly cool night on Dromund Kaas.
"They have all arrived sir, we are ready to begin." Alisteri turned from the datapad in his hand to look at the person addressing him. It was one of his priests of course, a Zygerrian male with a scar across his right eye. He knew the man fairly well, he had been one of the more devout listeners to his teachings thus far. The Zygerrian had literally lost everything to the Graug, his eye, his family, nearly his life had it not been for the timely intervention of a few Legionnaires. "Thank you. Please go ahead and tell them all to get comfortable, I shall be out shortly." The Zygerrian gave the acolyte a small bow before taking his leave, the masked man left alone with his thoughts and the datapad in his hand once more.
He had been pouring over his speech for nearly and hour now, making little edits here and there to get everything just right.
All that he had been building up over the past few weeks was coming to a head this night. He hadn't meant to do this sort of thing initially. At the start all that he wanted to do was help the survivors and refugees from Zygerria. Of course he had no money to give, and being an acolyte meant that he couldn't exactly employ them himself. All he could do was be there as a reference and offer advice and assistance whenever he was allowed. It was a struggle of course, having to fight in a war and assist these people at the same time. Much of his free time had been spent doing his best to help them, as well as others that would come to them.
Before he even really knew it, he was telling stories about his time as an acolyte. At first it was just entertaining some children with stories of grandeur and valiant battles whilst their parents or caretakes were gone to work. Said stories of course seeped to the adults eventually, and curiosity followed. The Force was certainly and enthralling topic after all.
It was only natural that they wanted to know more, and Alisteri was all too eager to provide.
From showing off his limited knowledge of Ur-Kittat to explaining what he had learned of each line of the Sith Code, he did not hold back in teaching all that came to him seeking answers. Of course, some of the lessons wound up becoming more than merely educational. Were it not for the Dark Side blessing him with Force Sensitivity, Alisteri would still be a slave. As such it was only natural that he teach the blessings of the Force to those that needed them.
At first no one wanted to worship the Dark Side of course, but slowly they began using what they had been taught and even began praying to the Force to try and succeed. The acolyte obviously encouraged this, eagerly stoking the growing religious beliefs of the community that he had been helping.
And now, he found himself about to give the first proper sermon of this little cult. They didn't know that they were in a cult yet, but he would reveal it to them soon.
Finally he believed that he was ready, leaving the datapad behind as he strode out of the door and onto the makeshift stage that had been set up. Their temporary "church" was little more than a rundown warehouse that several Priests had rented after pooling their money together. It would serve its purpose for this one night, but someday they would get a proper place of worship. That was in the future though, now he had a sermon to deliver.
"Friends, I am honored to have your attention and presence here tonight..." Alisteri took his place on the stage as he addressed the gathered crowd, almost thirty people. In truth he was a bit nervous. He wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable in the matters of the Dark Side, yet here he was about to preach to a whole congregation.
With the Force he could do it, all that he needed was a little bit of faith.
"You have all struggled throughout these past few weeks and months, yet each of you stand here now. United in community and in faith. Faith is the matter that I have brought you all here to discuss, in particular..." He began to idly pace, flexing his mechanical right hand as his gaze swept over the crowd. There were already various reactions. Not everyone was as devoted as he was yet, but he was confident that they would soon grow in fervor and faith. Soon. All they needed was the proper inspiration and motivation.
He came to a stop back in the center of the stage, seemingly content with his little observation thus far. "The Force. It surrounds us even now, it is the author of fate and the method by which that fate is carried out. I myself, much like many of you, was once bound by others. I was little more than property, a worker that had no safety net or payment for their struggle..." A small pause before he hissed out the next words, as if each letter had caused him a personal grievance. "...a slave."
"But by the mercy and blessings of the Force, I was freed. As were those of you who lost your masters and owners to the savage Graug."
An uneasy silence settled over the congregation, the wounds of Zygerria still fresh in the minds of those that had lived through it. It was painful, but that was exactly what Alisteri was counting on. Although he did pause to let his words sink in, he was quick to pick up the momentum again. "Yet by the mercy of the Force, by the blessings of the Dark Side, you stand here now. Were it not for the Sith and the brave men and women that serve as Legionnaires, the Graug would have wiped out every last Zygerrian that day. And even more than that, had the Graug not come, the dreaded New Imperial Order would have oppressed you as well."
He had begun to pace again, but his steps were slower this time. More methodical. "I understand that some of you would blame the Sith for your misfortune, that our ways have lead to your bondage and suffering. However, I would ask that you look around. The supposed protectors of the innocent, those that would call themselves noble and pure. The Jedi. They are heroes, so they say. Yet where were they when Zygerria was burned? Where were they when you and your families were subject to the whims of those that would call themselves your betters?"
His voice had risen now, impassioned and fierce as he spoke.
"The Graug would destroy you. The NIO would suppress you and subject you to slavery in all but name. And the foolish Jedi would ignore you whilst claiming they stood for your defense. But who was there for you? Who rescued you from Zygerria as the Graug advanced? Who allowed and welcomed you with open arms into a glorious society with no chains to bruise your wrists?" He stopped then, on the edge of the stage as he looked out over the crowd. "It was the Sith of course! The Sith that built the cities and society that you now call home. The Sith who allowed you in when you had little more than the clothes on your backs."
"The Sith who allowed me, an orphaned slave freed by his own hand, to join their ranks and serve their great empire. The Sith and the brave enlisted Imperials stand ready to fight and defend you and your new lives." Another pause as he stepped back, his voice lowering to what it had been earlier. Still passionate of course, how could he not be?
"But the grace of the Sith, is not the only gift that they can give to you. Their greatest gift, is their knowledge of the Dark Side of the Force." His hands spread out either side of him, palms facing up as he continued. "For centuries they have persevered only by their beliefs and methods that were granted to them by the Dark Side. And if the Dark Side allowed them to survive, and even thrive, then why would it neglect you? Of course, I hate to say it but nothing comes for free." There were a couple of apprehensive looks at that, but Alisteri didn't give a moment's pause for them to come up with some sort of nefarious cost on their own. "All that the Dark Side would ask in return for all of the boons that it can grant, is devotion and belief. Put your faith in your fate in the hands of the Dark, and you will succeed. From now on there is only one creed that you must remember, one mantra that you must recall each time you begin to struggle and lose faith. Remember what I am about to tell you, and you shall always be in the merciful grasp of the Force."
By now the crowd was willing to listen, whether they truly believed or not yet he wasn't sure, but they were most certainly going to listen.
"Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free." Understanding flashed through the eyes of the Priests, as well as a couple members of the congregation. This wasn't the first time he had recited this.
"For the uninitiated, this is the Code of the Sith. Each line of it is a lesson of course, but there is only one part of it that I shall focus on tonight." As much as he would have loved to go in detail on the teachings of the code in its entirety, he knew that now wasn't the time. "The last few lines. 'Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free.' This saying may mean more to some than to others, but I assure you that it is very applicable to each and every one of you. Freedom...is it not a wonderous concept?"
There was a brief confusion in the crowd, even amongst the Priests. They were all already free of course, so why would they need to ask for it? It was a legitimate question, and one that he would answer quickly. His hands pulled back to give himself a more thoughtful appearance, as if he was a teacher.
"You are all free underneath the banners of the Sith of course. That much is not in question. Rather, I wish for you to understand that the only way to truly secure that freedom is by following the Dark Side and its teachings. Only by submitting and submerging yourself into the ways of the dark, can you thrive in this world. 'Wonosa' is the word of the day my friends. Wonosa means freedom, it comes from the old language of the Sith and it will be the main tenet of the church that I would like you all to join." Confusion continued as he spoke, all but the Priests had no idea what Alisteri was doing. He barely had any idea himself if he was honest.
Leading wasn't really his area of expertise, but someone had to do it. Someone had to help these people, or try to help them at least. The only way that he could help was by doing this, by providing a way for those in need to learn about the Dark Side and how it could help them.
"On this night, on this sacred world, I would like to announce the formation of a church for all of you. For all those that yearn to know the ways of the Dark but haven't been blessed with the abilities to use them. For everyone who has been embraced by the Sith Empire and seek to uphold its values, this church is for you. I announce the formation of the Dark Wonosa Cult, a cult for the common citizen so that they have no fear of the invaders. No fear that the NIO or the Jedi or even the hypocritical Galactic Alliance will strip away who you are and what you've done simply because you are loyal to the Sith! No fear that the Graug or the Bryna'dul may darken the skies of your home ever again!" By now the Priests had begun clapping, and soon they were slowly but steadily joined by other members of the congregation. Even if the faith wasn't in the hearts of those attending just yet, the idea of safety and security was too tantalizing to pass up.
"For the Sith Empire! For the cult! For your freedom!"
Were there to be any passersbys, the words from inside the building would be hidden by thunderous applause. And just like that, a cult was born.
A group of freed slaves and outcasts gather near the outskirts of Kaas City...
Amidst the sounds of the city behind them and the swamps ahead, Alisteri stands at the head of this gathering and speaks...
It was a surprisingly cool night on Dromund Kaas.
"They have all arrived sir, we are ready to begin." Alisteri turned from the datapad in his hand to look at the person addressing him. It was one of his priests of course, a Zygerrian male with a scar across his right eye. He knew the man fairly well, he had been one of the more devout listeners to his teachings thus far. The Zygerrian had literally lost everything to the Graug, his eye, his family, nearly his life had it not been for the timely intervention of a few Legionnaires. "Thank you. Please go ahead and tell them all to get comfortable, I shall be out shortly." The Zygerrian gave the acolyte a small bow before taking his leave, the masked man left alone with his thoughts and the datapad in his hand once more.
He had been pouring over his speech for nearly and hour now, making little edits here and there to get everything just right.
All that he had been building up over the past few weeks was coming to a head this night. He hadn't meant to do this sort of thing initially. At the start all that he wanted to do was help the survivors and refugees from Zygerria. Of course he had no money to give, and being an acolyte meant that he couldn't exactly employ them himself. All he could do was be there as a reference and offer advice and assistance whenever he was allowed. It was a struggle of course, having to fight in a war and assist these people at the same time. Much of his free time had been spent doing his best to help them, as well as others that would come to them.
Before he even really knew it, he was telling stories about his time as an acolyte. At first it was just entertaining some children with stories of grandeur and valiant battles whilst their parents or caretakes were gone to work. Said stories of course seeped to the adults eventually, and curiosity followed. The Force was certainly and enthralling topic after all.
It was only natural that they wanted to know more, and Alisteri was all too eager to provide.
From showing off his limited knowledge of Ur-Kittat to explaining what he had learned of each line of the Sith Code, he did not hold back in teaching all that came to him seeking answers. Of course, some of the lessons wound up becoming more than merely educational. Were it not for the Dark Side blessing him with Force Sensitivity, Alisteri would still be a slave. As such it was only natural that he teach the blessings of the Force to those that needed them.
At first no one wanted to worship the Dark Side of course, but slowly they began using what they had been taught and even began praying to the Force to try and succeed. The acolyte obviously encouraged this, eagerly stoking the growing religious beliefs of the community that he had been helping.
And now, he found himself about to give the first proper sermon of this little cult. They didn't know that they were in a cult yet, but he would reveal it to them soon.
Finally he believed that he was ready, leaving the datapad behind as he strode out of the door and onto the makeshift stage that had been set up. Their temporary "church" was little more than a rundown warehouse that several Priests had rented after pooling their money together. It would serve its purpose for this one night, but someday they would get a proper place of worship. That was in the future though, now he had a sermon to deliver.
"Friends, I am honored to have your attention and presence here tonight..." Alisteri took his place on the stage as he addressed the gathered crowd, almost thirty people. In truth he was a bit nervous. He wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable in the matters of the Dark Side, yet here he was about to preach to a whole congregation.
With the Force he could do it, all that he needed was a little bit of faith.
"You have all struggled throughout these past few weeks and months, yet each of you stand here now. United in community and in faith. Faith is the matter that I have brought you all here to discuss, in particular..." He began to idly pace, flexing his mechanical right hand as his gaze swept over the crowd. There were already various reactions. Not everyone was as devoted as he was yet, but he was confident that they would soon grow in fervor and faith. Soon. All they needed was the proper inspiration and motivation.
He came to a stop back in the center of the stage, seemingly content with his little observation thus far. "The Force. It surrounds us even now, it is the author of fate and the method by which that fate is carried out. I myself, much like many of you, was once bound by others. I was little more than property, a worker that had no safety net or payment for their struggle..." A small pause before he hissed out the next words, as if each letter had caused him a personal grievance. "...a slave."
"But by the mercy and blessings of the Force, I was freed. As were those of you who lost your masters and owners to the savage Graug."
An uneasy silence settled over the congregation, the wounds of Zygerria still fresh in the minds of those that had lived through it. It was painful, but that was exactly what Alisteri was counting on. Although he did pause to let his words sink in, he was quick to pick up the momentum again. "Yet by the mercy of the Force, by the blessings of the Dark Side, you stand here now. Were it not for the Sith and the brave men and women that serve as Legionnaires, the Graug would have wiped out every last Zygerrian that day. And even more than that, had the Graug not come, the dreaded New Imperial Order would have oppressed you as well."
He had begun to pace again, but his steps were slower this time. More methodical. "I understand that some of you would blame the Sith for your misfortune, that our ways have lead to your bondage and suffering. However, I would ask that you look around. The supposed protectors of the innocent, those that would call themselves noble and pure. The Jedi. They are heroes, so they say. Yet where were they when Zygerria was burned? Where were they when you and your families were subject to the whims of those that would call themselves your betters?"
His voice had risen now, impassioned and fierce as he spoke.
"The Graug would destroy you. The NIO would suppress you and subject you to slavery in all but name. And the foolish Jedi would ignore you whilst claiming they stood for your defense. But who was there for you? Who rescued you from Zygerria as the Graug advanced? Who allowed and welcomed you with open arms into a glorious society with no chains to bruise your wrists?" He stopped then, on the edge of the stage as he looked out over the crowd. "It was the Sith of course! The Sith that built the cities and society that you now call home. The Sith who allowed you in when you had little more than the clothes on your backs."
"The Sith who allowed me, an orphaned slave freed by his own hand, to join their ranks and serve their great empire. The Sith and the brave enlisted Imperials stand ready to fight and defend you and your new lives." Another pause as he stepped back, his voice lowering to what it had been earlier. Still passionate of course, how could he not be?
"But the grace of the Sith, is not the only gift that they can give to you. Their greatest gift, is their knowledge of the Dark Side of the Force." His hands spread out either side of him, palms facing up as he continued. "For centuries they have persevered only by their beliefs and methods that were granted to them by the Dark Side. And if the Dark Side allowed them to survive, and even thrive, then why would it neglect you? Of course, I hate to say it but nothing comes for free." There were a couple of apprehensive looks at that, but Alisteri didn't give a moment's pause for them to come up with some sort of nefarious cost on their own. "All that the Dark Side would ask in return for all of the boons that it can grant, is devotion and belief. Put your faith in your fate in the hands of the Dark, and you will succeed. From now on there is only one creed that you must remember, one mantra that you must recall each time you begin to struggle and lose faith. Remember what I am about to tell you, and you shall always be in the merciful grasp of the Force."
By now the crowd was willing to listen, whether they truly believed or not yet he wasn't sure, but they were most certainly going to listen.
"Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free." Understanding flashed through the eyes of the Priests, as well as a couple members of the congregation. This wasn't the first time he had recited this.
"For the uninitiated, this is the Code of the Sith. Each line of it is a lesson of course, but there is only one part of it that I shall focus on tonight." As much as he would have loved to go in detail on the teachings of the code in its entirety, he knew that now wasn't the time. "The last few lines. 'Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free.' This saying may mean more to some than to others, but I assure you that it is very applicable to each and every one of you. Freedom...is it not a wonderous concept?"
There was a brief confusion in the crowd, even amongst the Priests. They were all already free of course, so why would they need to ask for it? It was a legitimate question, and one that he would answer quickly. His hands pulled back to give himself a more thoughtful appearance, as if he was a teacher.
"You are all free underneath the banners of the Sith of course. That much is not in question. Rather, I wish for you to understand that the only way to truly secure that freedom is by following the Dark Side and its teachings. Only by submitting and submerging yourself into the ways of the dark, can you thrive in this world. 'Wonosa' is the word of the day my friends. Wonosa means freedom, it comes from the old language of the Sith and it will be the main tenet of the church that I would like you all to join." Confusion continued as he spoke, all but the Priests had no idea what Alisteri was doing. He barely had any idea himself if he was honest.
Leading wasn't really his area of expertise, but someone had to do it. Someone had to help these people, or try to help them at least. The only way that he could help was by doing this, by providing a way for those in need to learn about the Dark Side and how it could help them.
"On this night, on this sacred world, I would like to announce the formation of a church for all of you. For all those that yearn to know the ways of the Dark but haven't been blessed with the abilities to use them. For everyone who has been embraced by the Sith Empire and seek to uphold its values, this church is for you. I announce the formation of the Dark Wonosa Cult, a cult for the common citizen so that they have no fear of the invaders. No fear that the NIO or the Jedi or even the hypocritical Galactic Alliance will strip away who you are and what you've done simply because you are loyal to the Sith! No fear that the Graug or the Bryna'dul may darken the skies of your home ever again!" By now the Priests had begun clapping, and soon they were slowly but steadily joined by other members of the congregation. Even if the faith wasn't in the hearts of those attending just yet, the idea of safety and security was too tantalizing to pass up.
"For the Sith Empire! For the cult! For your freedom!"
Were there to be any passersbys, the words from inside the building would be hidden by thunderous applause. And just like that, a cult was born.
