Moraband

Description

Moraband, characterized by its mountainous terrain and red sands, was left desolate following extensive devastation from countless wars. The Valley of the Dark Lords, a deserted area containing the tombs of ancient Dark Lords of the Sith, including Darth Bane, was located on its surface.

History

Early history

Around 5000 BBY, a rebellious member of the Jedi Order established the Sith, a group of individuals who utilized the dark side and shared their designation with a species with red skin. After suffering defeat and being compelled to escape from recognized space, the Sith embarked on a prolonged and challenging quest across the galaxy to discover a new base of operations. Ultimately, they arrived at a star system inhabited by dark side devotees, who welcomed them as divine figures and appointed them as their leaders. While they also established settlements on other planets within the system, such as Ziost, the Sith selected the planet then known as Korriban, later renamed Moraband, to construct their mausoleums, designating it as their primary spiritual center and the core of their dark energies. As noted by Kli the Elder, a Jedi author, in the Rammahgon, the planet once possessed a thriving ecosystem, akin to Ixigul (or Exegol), Ziost, and Asog; however, these worlds fell under Sith dominion, and Korriban was transformed into a deserted wasteland as a result of their numerous conflicts. Nevertheless, the Sith never forgot its existence.

The planet served as a hallowed site for Sith ceremonial practices. The funeral rite for a Dark Lord of the Sith would involve hundreds of Sith warriors carrying the deceased master's body. The corpse was interred in the tomb alongside valuable artifacts, and a retinue of slaves accompanied the deceased on their journey to the spiritual realm. Subsequently, the Sith would depart from the planet until the next burial. Darth Bane, the originator of the Rule of Two a thousand years prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire, was the final Dark Lord entombed in Moraband's Valley of the Dark Lords. In the meantime, the world faded into legend for the wider galaxy, similar to Dromund Kaas.

Clone Wars

During the Clone Wars, the Force Priestesses dispatched Yoda to Moraband as part of his journey to uncover the secrets of eternal life. Upon arrival, he encountered several Sith spirits, including Darth Bane himself. As he advanced into the Valley of the Dark Lords, he experienced visions conjured by Darth Sidious, the current Dark Lord of the Sith, who attempted to corrupt Yoda in order to secure victory in the Clone Wars. This scheme failed, and Yoda departed Moraband.

Imperial Era and beyond

Prior to and following the Proclamation of the New Order, Sidious journeyed to the planet to gain knowledge from the spirits of the Dark Lords of the Sith. During one of his initial visits to Moraband, Sidious discovered and absconded with a massive Sith holocron, which he later concealed within his secret base in the Grand Republic Medical Facility. During subsequent visits to Moraband, Sidious witnessed visions of Sith Masters engaged in combat with Sith apprentices. Sometime after the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, Luke Skywalker traveled to Moraband to investigate the Force.

During the First Order-Resistance War, Sidious referenced Moraband while documenting Sith history in his book, The Secrets of the Sith. He asserted that he had heard his forebears summoning him from Moraband while on Exegol in the Unknown Regions, offering him their dark knowledge. Once the Sith Eternal's military force, the Final Order, reclaimed Moraband, Sidious intended to respond. Shortly thereafter, however, Sidious was killed along with the Sith fleet in the Battle of Exegol. Beaumont Kin, a historian, discovered references to Moraband during the Exegol Excavation Project, confirming the world's existence and dispelling the notion that it was merely a myth.

Locations

The Valley of the Dark Lords was a region of Moraband that featured numerous monuments serving as burial chambers for deceased Dark Lords of the Sith. The largest monument in the valley contained the tomb of Darth Bane, the originator of the Rule of Two.

Sith temples

The Sith temple was the most imposing structure in the Valley of the Dark Lords, a series of ancient monuments used as crypts for the Dark Lords of the Sith. It housed the tomb of Darth Bane, the Sith Lord who established the Rule of Two, and a large execution chamber that the ancient Sith employed to sacrifice Jedi captives. Another Sith temple on Moraband housed the Sword of Khashyun. This temple was heavily guarded by traps, enormous sentinels, and Sith hounds that protected both the temple and the sword.

Behind the scenes

Moraband's origins lie in the Star Wars Legends narrative, where it was initially mentioned, albeit indirectly, in the inaugural issue of the comic book miniseries Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith, authored by Tom Veitch and Kevin J. Anderson, and released by Dark Horse Comics on October 1, 1994. Its formal debut occurred in the subsequent issue, penned by Veitch and Anderson, illustrated by Chris Gossett, and published by Dark Horse on November 1 of the same year. Anderson originated the name "Korriban" for the planet.

Within the current Star Wars canon timeline, Moraband was first referenced in "Destiny," an episode from the sixth season of the animated television show Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and made its initial appearance in the following episode, "Sacrifice." The name "Korriban" was initially used for the planet during the episode's development. However, George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, favored the name "Moraband," leading to the planet's renaming to align with his preference. The name "Korriban" was subsequently reintroduced into canon as an ancient designation for Moraband in "Gaze of Stone," a short story by George Mann included in the 2019 short story anthology Myths & Fables.