"There are places of power throughout the Galaxy, places where the Dark Side of the Force seems to run its fingers over the very walls of the buildings. Places where the stench of evil grabs at your senses so strong it will turn your will to water. Stay away from those places, if you value your life."
- Luke Skywalker, after returning from the planet Byss
Some areas, like some beings, are strong in the dark side. They resonate with corrupt energy. These places emanate evil and darkness, creating cold spots in the Force that disturb those who draw upon the dark side, these spots serve as wells of power that can sometimes be tapped for greater effect.
Dark side sites can be created in a number of ways. When acts of great evil or violence take place at a location and are accompanied by the manipulation of the Force, a dark side site can come into being. If a powerful darksider operates in a specific place for a long period of time, or if that darksider meets a violent end at a specific location, that place can also become imbued with the dark side. Such a site feels cold and dark even on the brightest, warmest days. It radiates evil, casting shadows the way a glowrod casts light. While these dark side sites are few and far between, when one comes into existence it lingers, haunting the galaxy for many years.
While the dark side sometimes permeates extremely large areas, in general a dark side site will be relatively small. A tiny cave, a ruined temple, an anicent battlefield, a crypt of some long dead Sith Lord-these are the typical dark side sites that might be encountered. Sometimes an entire moon or planet might radiate with the dark side, as in the cases of Dxun and Korriban, but such sites are rare. In a few cases, a dark side spirit might also haunt a dark side site.
Those without a strong conncention to the Force find dark side sites to be creepy. As long as they remain in the area, non-Force-sensitive beings feel uneasy and nervous. They can't identify the source of their discomfort.
Characters with a connection to the Force can feel the ever-present evil that permeates a dark side site. Force-users might experience challenges, tests, temptation, or even visions while within the influence of a dark side site. Staying focused, calling on the light side of the Force, even keeping one's own fear in check proves difficult inside the dark emanations of such a location. For this reason, characters sometimes have a harder time concentrating, defending themselves, or making attacks while bathed in the aura of a dark side site. A tainted or dark character isnt affected by the aura of a dark side site. In addition, a dark character can draw upon the energy of a dark side site for an additional boost of power.
