The Acolyte Competition

[Lord Iezkon]

<<DATA TRANSFER INITIATED>>

<<CONNECTION ESTABLISHED>>

<<DESTINATION ESTABLISHED>>

<<DESTINATION: Apprentice Annabelle>>

<<DATA TRANSFER COMPLETED>>

<<ACCESS GRANTED>>

File name: Acolyte Competition - Sith Ranks

Author: Natellia Aneirin

Affiliation: Sith Empire

------------

Introduction:

Apprentice Annabelle has ordered myself and a couple of my consorts to write a report on Sith ranks. The directive is to write down their names, what they do, what their authority is and what their limitations are. I will be writing this report below.

------------

Name: Sith Acolyte (often referred to as simply ‘’Acolyte’’)

Description: The Sith acolyte is the first and lowest rank on the hierarchical ladder of the Sith order. An acolyte is an individual with no prior experience in the Sith ways and who is only just starting their path to becoming Sith. They usually live and study in secluded areas and are very limited in their freedom of movement. Their education consists of the very basic aspects of the Sith way: Philosophy, history, politics, a basic saber form (Shii-Cho) and the basic force powers. In charge of the acolytes’ education are usually specially appointed Sith, who go by the title ‘Overseer’. It is, however, not uncommon for lords (or in House Horuset’s case household Sith) to do lessons and/or give instructions. At the end of their education, Acolytes are to participate in the so-called acolyte trials. If they pass at least three of them, they can be elevated to the rank of Sith, which allows them to be taken by a master.

Authority: As acolytes are the lowest among the Sith, they have no authority of their own. Exceptions may exist, wherein a lord or overseer gives an acolyte a certain assignment that requires them to assume some form of authority. The must refer to any Sith higher in rank than them as ‘my lord’.

------------

Name: Sith Apprentice (often referred to as simply ‘’Apprentice’’)

Description: Once a Lord or a Darth has taken interest in a Sith Acolyte, they may choose to take them under their wing, given that the acolyte has passed three trials (or in House Horuset’s case, completed three trials). After that point, the Acolyte sheds their former title and assumes the mantle of Sith Apprentice. Apprentices have a lot more freedom than Acolytes, though this entirely depends on the master. The education they receive is also completely controlled by the master and does not follow a set curriculum, like Sith Acolytes. Apprentices can pursue the training of more advanced lightsaber forms and force powers. They can also delve deeper into the dark side without being limited by restrictions that acolytes, for example, posses. The length and difficulty of an apprentice’s training depends solely on the master. At the end of their training, it is up to the master if the apprentice will ascend. At any point during their apprenticeship, a master may choose to discard them.

Authority: A Sith apprentice’s authority usually correlates directly with the influence their master posseses. The more influence the master has, the more influence the apprentice has. This also means that the apprentice will have more opportunities to build and expand their powerbase once their training is complete. An apprentice holds authority over acolytes, through seniority, but cannot order them to do things that would go against regular acolyte or Sith directives.

-----------

Name: Sith Lord (often referred to simply as ‘’Lord’’, though may also refer to themselves as ‘’Dark lords of the Sith’’)

Description: Once a Sith apprentice has succesfully completed their training under a master, they are bestowed upon the title of ‘Lord’. Not every apprentice that ascends is named a Sith lord, however.  Sith lords are /the/ authority. They are among the most powerful and most influential individuals within the Sith Order and the Empire. They are everything a sith acolyte should strive to become. It is commonplace for Sith Lords to have a very deep understanding of the dark side of the force. They are also very capable in several lightsaber forms and the most advanced of force techniques. They are usually not limited in the knowledge they are allowed to obtain and have complete freedom of movement. Sith lords are expected to have garnered a good amount of political influence, either from the lord they were apprenticed to or the powerbase they have built or are in the process of building. A Sith lord is free to take an apprentice. When it comes to military campaigns of the empire, Sith Lords may be called upon to lead a contingent of the navy or the army.

Authority: Sith Lord is the highest conventionally attainable rank in the Sith Order and as such has authority over anyone ranked lower than them. They are subordinate only to the leadership of the powerbase they are part of or a Darth. It is, however, not especially uncommon for a Sith lord to be placed in charge of a project wherein a Darth can be their subordinate. An example of this is during the sacking of Coruscant, wherein Lord Adraas was placed in command of the operation and Darth Malgus was his subordinate.

-------------

Name: Darth

Description: A Darth is the be all end all rank of the Sith. Individuals that hold this rank usually answer only to the empress herself. Being given the rank is an extremely rare ocurrence. When it does happen, it is usually because the Sith Lord in question has shown a great mastery of the Dark Side, exceptional leadership skills or grand political influence (among other things). In the hierarchy of the Sith, each new title that one obtains (acolyte, apprentice, lord) represents a significant jump in the Sith’s power. A regular Sith lord could, however, potentially be on par with a darth in terms of power. The chances of this being the case would sensibly be very slim, for if it were, the Sith lord would surely be named Darth himself.

Authority: Being the highest rank in the Order, a Darth holds authority over practically anyone holding the title ‘Sith’. This includes other lords. As stated in the previous section, it is not uncommon for Darths to be subordinates to individuals ranked lower than them in certain powerbases or structures.

------------

Miscellaneous

------------

Name: Sith Overseer

Description: Overseers are in charge of the education of acolytes. They are also in charge of the acolyte trials and determine who passes. Overseer is a job more than it is a rank on its own. It can be given to regular Sith, apprentices and lords (the latter then being referred to as ‘’Lord Overseer).

Authority: When it comes to Acolytes, overseers have complete autonomy in terms of what happens with the acolytes. As overseers are usually appointed by the leadership of an academy or powerbase, they outrank anyone when it comes to the acolytes’ education (even lords and darths). They don’t hold authority of apprentices.

Name: Sith Neophyte (often referred to as simply ‘’Neophyte’’)

Description: It is my understanding that the rank of Neophyte falls between Acolyte and Apprentice, though acolytes aren’t able to attain it. One becomes a Neophyte within House Horuset when the master of an Apprentice dies or when the master abandons them. They are on par with regular apprentices in terms of power and are free to keep studying, though are unable to attain the rank of lord unless a master once again takes them on.

Authority: A Neophyte has the same authority as an apprentice but their influence can be considered lower, given that they don’t have a powerful master at their back.

Name: Household Sith (referred to as ‘’Sith’’)

Description: A household Sith is an apprentice who has completed their training under a master but has refused the title of lord, for whatever reason. In terms of power, they are on par with Sith lords (obviously) and are allowed the same freedoms.

Authority: A household Sith stands above an apprentice but below a Sith Lord. In practice, however, I could see a household Sith holding the same day-to-day authority as a lord.

----------------------

<<CLOSE FILE>>

(*Post by Natellia Aneirin.*)