The dominant religion on Zakuul prior to the reign of Emperor Valkorion was known as the Old Ways.
Millennia before the Galactic War, the genesis of the Old Ways can be traced back to when Zakuul was selected as one of the many planets where the Iokath species deployed their arsenal, specifically the Six Gods, for experimental trials. These colossal titan battle droids, identified as Izax, Scyva, Tyth, Aivela, Esne, and [Nahut], the Six Gods, brought entire civilizations to their knees, resulting in the deaths of trillions. The surviving population of Zakuul began to venerate these weapons as Gods, and as centuries passed, their authentic origins faded into obscurity. These Six were worshipped as a family unit, with Izax and Scyva regarded as the parents, and the others as their offspring. Zildrog, a pre-existing deity rooted in another Iokath superweapon, was incorporated into the Old Ways, regarded as an aspect of Izax. Those who survived the cataclysmic destruction came to believe that their lives were subject to Izax and their destinies determined by the whims of the Gods, while those deemed infidels were labeled Demons and banished from society. As time passed, a prophecy emerged about a Demon Savior, who would overthrow the Old Gods and usher in a new age of prosperity. When Vitiate arrived on Zakuul and established the Eternal Empire under the guise of Valkorion, he exploited this prophecy to declare himself the Demon Savior and initiated a campaign to dismantle the Old Ways. This endeavor proved successful, and over time, the names of the Gods were relegated to mere figures of speech. By the time Arcann, Valkorion's son, ascended to the throne as Emperor, adherence to the Old Ways was officially prohibited and punishable by exile.