Nightsister Specialization

The sect known as the Nightsisters studies the Force in a much different way than the Jedi or even the Sith. The unique magickal ichor on Dathomir grants power and wisdom to those strong—or cruel—enough to wield it. In general, the Nightsisters consolidate and collect power, both through alchemy and magicks and through self-reliance and personal strength.

The Nightsisters also differ from the Jedi through their use of alchemy, the concentration of the Force into a physical form. They study the effects of the Force on the strange creatures on Dathomir, extracting utility from how these creatures express the Force. For example, an ancient creature called the Sleeper has properties the Nightsisters use to create their Water of Life, a form of healing alchemy.

This study differs from the Jedi’s aspiration for knowledge and the Sith’s hunger for power. Nightsisters use anything and everything on Dathomir to assist in their survival. They view the animals, the trees, the waters, their energy bows, and even the Nightbrothers as tools that help their clans endure. They bend or break those tools when they need to without remorse, pity, or regret. In many ways, by relying on such tools, the Nightsisters avoid falling into the passions and rages that plague the Sith, while wielding the dark side of the Force that the Jedi fear to tap.

Individualism manifests in many different beliefs among the Nightsisters. Some Nightsisters believe in a Winged Goddess, a deity of life, divination, and fertility. Others believe in a Fanged God, deity of death and the hunt. To the Nightsisters, life consists of a series of challenges and moments of suffering, tempering and strengthening their bodies and souls. Death, though not celebrated, is not feared, being merely a natural part of existence. Still, to the Nightsisters, the boundary between the living and the dead is merely a veil, not a wall.

Mother Talzin’s clan has a variation on hanging coffins. The dead are sealed and stitched into large leather pods dangling from trees, signifying rebirth, the continual presence of death, and integration into the ecosystem. With practice, a Nightsister can commune with the dead and gain wisdom and even summon them to the material world. In this and in all things, the Nightsisters integrate their magicks into their cultural practices and utilize those practices to ensure their survival.

While the Jedi and Sith might view the Nightsisters as agents of the dark side, the Nightsisters care little about the war between the two groups. The Nightsisters know no serenity or peace like the Jedi, yet they do not give in to rage or overt passion like the Sith. Instead, they freely cross the line between light and dark, embroiled in and thriving in conflict.