The Sorcerers of Rhand were a group of sentient beings who held the conviction that a power superior to the Force existed, which they designated as the Dark. This group held dominion over a series of star clusters known as the Nihil Retreat, situated near the Perann Nebula within the Unknown Regions. Adhering to the Way of the Dark, they were endowed with extraordinary abilities. Cronal, a Rhandite, was once associated with this order before departing to serve first as a Prophet of the Dark Side, and subsequently as an Emperor's Hand under Palpatine's command. The Sorcerers of Rhand remained within the confines of the Nihil Retreat, never venturing beyond its boundaries.
The Sorcerers of Rhand exercised absolute control over the twelve stellar clusters comprising the Nihil Retreat, located in proximity to the Perann Nebula within the Unknown Regions. Their fundamental belief revolved around the One Truth: "Reality is power, and true power is the power to destroy. Existence is temporary. Destruction is forever." They considered destruction to be the universe's will, referring to it as the Way of the Dark.
The Way of the Dark served as the Sorcerers' foundational principle. They conceptualized destruction as an enduring alteration to the universe's structure, creating a void, a lack of life. This void represented the basis of truth. They recognized neither the light nor the dark side of the Force. Indeed, they did not acknowledge the Force, recognizing only the Dark.
Moreover, the Sorcerers maintained that the Dark's sole significant attribute was its response to the will of a properly trained individual aligned with the Way of the Dark. The Dark pitted being against being, star against star, acting as the cosmos's hidden energy. The most potent ability associated with the Dark, known to the Rhandites, was Darksight. This ability involved foreseeing potential outcomes and selecting the most favorable one, although success was not assured and depended on the user's alignment with the Dark. Achieving such alignment necessitated embracing destruction as a means of connecting with the Way of the Dark.
The Sorcerers of Rhand perceive their physical forms as transient vessels destined for dissolution by the Dark. The most devoted adherents believed that upon the decay of their mortal bodies, their consciousness would merge with the Dark. Each Sorcerer exists in varying states of decomposition. Their appearance is not uniform, and they originate from diverse species.
The Sorcerers of Rhand emerged from the fusion of three distinct factions: the Kanzer Exiles, led by Lord Ravager Korman Lao, who practiced mental subjugation and erected the Temple of Korman Lao near the Valtaullu Rift; the Knell of Muspilli, an ancient death cult from the Gunninga Gap that utilized the Taurannik Codex to invoke apocalyptic deities from beyond the gap; and the Warriors of the Shadow, a priestly sisterhood of Taung who were defeated by the Battalions of Zhell in Coruscant's early history and sought atonement through meditation and insight in the Unknown Regions. These three groups converged on the planet Rhand, amidst the ruins of a dead species, giving rise to the Sorcerers. Subsequently, outposts and monasteries were established on the twelve planets within the Nihl Retreat for Rhandite acolytes who had not yet attained true understanding of the Dark.
In 80 BBY, a chronicler from Carrivar named Succate compiled the most extensive collection of information on the Sorcerers. During a meeting in the Central Ruin of Rhand, Succate was unnerved by the sight of numerous Sorcerers in various states of decay. One lacked skin and oozed bodily fluids with each step, another resembled a blackened skeleton, a third was inverted with teeth protruding from their flesh, and a fourth existed as a long ribbon of flesh. She also observed members that scurried on multiple legs, hovered above the floor, or flew with wings.
The most renowned member of the Sorcerers of Rhand was Lord Cronal, who served as the Director of Imperial Intelligence and as one of the Emperor's Hands prior to the Battle of Yavin. Known as Agent Blackhole, Cronal enhanced his abilities with knowledge acquired from the Sith and the Prophets of the Dark Side. Cronal was eventually exiled during the Galactic Civil War before returning after the Emperor's death under the alias Shadowspawn. He lured Luke Skywalker to his headquarters on Mindor and attempted to transfer his essence into the Jedi as part of a plan to destroy the New Republic and seize the title of Emperor. Following his defeat and apparent demise on Mindor, Cronal resurfaced and engaged in various schemes throughout the galaxy. He was ultimately defeated on Andooweel by Luke Skywalker.