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Sith, known alternatively as Red Sith or just the Sith Purebloods, were a species of red-skinned humanoids that originated on the world of Korriban | KorribanPlanet | , before eventually resettling on the ice-world of Ziost. Also distinct for their bone spurs, facial tentacles, and genetic predispositions toward both left-handedness and the dark side of the Force, the Sith species coalesced into an empire ruled first by kings and later by Dark Lords. After the arrival of the human exiles on Korriban in 6900 BBY, interbreeding and genetic manipulation altered the Sith species - over the course of several generations the original species became a hybrid race of Sith and Human heritage. Original Sith blood became a symbol of pride among the Sith, with the term "Sith Pureblood" referring to Sith who had a higher than average concentration of Sith blood. Despite a society dominated by barbarism and infighting, Sith civilization culminated in a Golden Age, after which the species was scattered across the galaxy. An eponymous dark side tradition took the species' name, one that, despite numerous manifestations over time, maintained foundations borne of the customs, science and magic practiced by the ancient Sith species.After their arrival in Sith space after the Hundred-Year Darkness (7000—6900 BBY), Human Dark Jedi began to interbreed with the Sith. For nearly two thousand years, superstition, loyalty and sympathy were bred out as the two groups interbred, and qualities such as cunning, ambition and affinity to the Force were favored, which shaped Sith society over the centuries. In the Sith Empire, as time progressed pure-blooded Sith were steadily bred out, resulting in only a few pure-blooded Sith left in the Sith Empire by the time of the Great Hyperspace War | Great Hyperspace WarEventOld Republic Era | (5000 BBY). By 44 ABY, the true Sith species in the Empire were believed to have gone extinct due to the interbreeding process.Characteristics shown would be determined depending on how much Dark Jedi or Sith blood an individual possessed due to interbreeding. By the time of the Great Hyperspace War, the majority of the Sith within the Empire displayed mainly Sith traits. It was common for the Sith of this age, especially half-breeds (like Ludo Kressh and Marka Ragnos | Marka Ragnos(Sith)CharacterSupporting Characters | ) to have four digits on each of their hands. Although there was at least one who showed more than average Dark Jedi traits like Naga Sadow | Naga Sadow(Sith)CharacterSupporting Characters | - who had among the purest Jedi lineage, with minimal Sith blood. Sadow showed many human features, including five digits on his hands and feet, as well as the absence of bone spurs and eyebrow-stalks. However, he maintained qualities of the Sith species such as cheek tendrils (albeit shorter than those of purer Sith lineage), and red skin.However, some such as the hybrid Sith Purebloods in the Great Galactic War | Great Galactic WarEventGreat Galactic War (3681BBY - 3653BBY) | showed even more dilute Sith characteristics than the likes of Sadow. One such example was Exal Kressh, who only expressed Sith traits such as red skin, glowing yellow eyes, and Force-sensitivity. All other features such as cheek tendrils or eyebrow-ridges were not present, though some other members did show other features shared with the original species. Some members even expressed more features than the actual Sith species showed; like the presence of extra pairs of cheek tendrils. In fact, the Sith Purebloods were thought to be very different from the original Sith species as a whole, and to be a Pureblood required that one had retained enough traits shared with the original species to be visually clear in their appearance. Elderly Purebloods showed signs of old-age through their skin developing deep wrinkles, paling and mottling with dark brown age spots. Aged Purebloods also tended to have withered tendrils. Unlike their ancestors, Sith Purebloods did not exist as an entirely Force-sensitive race, though it was extremely rare to find members unable to manipulate the Force.The extremes of hybridization were shown in an individual named Ebya T'dell, who was part of the Lost Tribe of Sith around 4985 BBY. Though considered human, she had unusually pink skin and high cheekbones, which were considered to be signs of apparent Sith species ancestry. Further still, many of the so-called human crew of the Omen in the Lost Tribe had had some degree of interbreeding with the Sith species, though they showed no morphology to suggest it - their Force-sensitivity was the only known feature they retained from the interbreeding. After 2000 years, deformities seen in the Lost Tribe were associated as being related to the Red Sith originally in the Lost Tribe, and even in 44 ABY, it was deemed possible for Lost Tribe descendants to still have traces of Sith DNA.By 3642 BBY, it was estimated that 97.8 percent of the Sith Empire's population had some amount of Sith ancestry, but the amount was usually insufficient to express itself in any noticeable way.The certain Dark Jedi traits inherited from the Dark Jedi-Sith interbreeding Post-Hundred-Year Darkness were selected for by some individuals, claiming that they were the strongest because of it. However, others were not supporters of this blood over Sith bloodlines; some being proud of their Sith traits and lineage, as well as despising any other species and their inclusion in the Sith Empire. From the view of the Red Sith, none other than themselves should be considered Sith.Read more... |
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