Darth Howl was a male Sith Master, Dark Lord of the Sith and a member of the Dark Council who served the Sith Empire during the Cold War against the Galactic Republic.
In 3643 BBY, Darth Howl and his fellow Councilors granted permission for a lesser Sith Lord known as Darth Chratis, along with his apprentice Eldon Ax, to pursue and eliminate an Imperial fugitive known as Lema Xandret.
Chratis ultimately failed in his mission but was survived by his pupil, who returned to Dromund Kaas and reported the death of her Master at her hands to Darth Howl. Pleased with the girl's commitment to the treacherous ways of the Sith, Howl offered to replace the late Chratis as Eldon Ax's Master, an offer which she accepted.
His fate is unknown as during the events of Star Wars: The Old Republic he is not stated to be part of the the twelve Dark councillors any longer.
Darth Howl was one of the more outspoken members of the Imperial Dark Council, and used his position to intimidate those with less influence within the Sith Empire. While Darth Howl did not appreciate falsehoods, he nonetheless approved of Eldon Ax's dishonesty, as he saw her willingness to lie to the Dark Council as a symbol of her commitment to the dark side of the Force. He respected Ax and felt that her talents warranted the admiration of her peers as well as his. Howl approved of Ax's determination to exact vengeance against the Mandalorian Dao Stryver. He held a degree of contempt for Darth Chratis, whose methods, philosophies, and uncontrolled ambition ran contrary to the will of the Dark Council. However, Darth Howl was possessed of his own ambitions, and saw a partnership with Eldon Ax as a means of advancement within the Imperial ranks for both of them.
Darth Howl enjoyed game hunting as a recreational sport and indulged himself with a personal hunting range on Dromund Kaas. An excellent marksman, Howl utilized blaster rifles to dispatch his prey.
Darth Howl was first introduced in The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance, a novel based on the MMORPG of the same name written by author Sean Williams.