After the death of Darth Maul, Palpatine immediately sought out three potential apprentices; Sifo Dyas, Detori (Darth Rage), a cyborg Toban from Yetis and Dakkus Vitrich’s Jedi student, Count Jard Dooku of Serreno (Darth Tyranus). Detori grew up as a youth on Sevara, just past Iridonia and was there found by Palpatine for training. Palpatine first approached Sifo Dyas. Palpatine had asked Sifo Dyas to become a Sith, since the Kaminoans were expecting his visit. Sifo Dyas refused and Palpatine slew him by a Force fireball and Force earthquake. Palpatine then approached Detori and Count Dooku, who each accepted the possibility of apprenticeship. The two were to duel for the position of apprentice. Before the duel could be set up, Plo Koon fought Darth Rage in a fierce light-saber duel, eventually destroying Darth Rage by a Force avalanche. Before dying, Darth Rage denied being a Sith and claimed to act alone.
Count Dooku became Darth Tyranus, Palpatine’s apprentice, in less than a year after the events of The Phantom Menace. One of his first missions was to order a clone army as Sifo Dyas, who was on his way to Kamino. (Sifo Dyas was an Ogdarian born on the asteroid world of Esiken, and discovered by the Jedi when he moved to Allistare.) Count Dooku had Billigo Hilgobottomager (a Jedi master of disguise and possibly a changeling) pretend to be Sifo Dyas and order an army cloned from the bounty hunter, Jango Fett. Jango Fett had proven himself as the best bounty hunter throughout the Galaxy by always beating the formidable cyborg Montross to a mark.
Palpatine and Count Dooku quickly found a Jedi to aid them in their nefarious plans to take over the Galaxy. His name was Visivious Drakarn. Drakarn was born on Gishomire, where his parents gave him over to the Jedi Order. Drakarn was a rebellious student and as punishment at age 17, was sent to Melbius Prime to work for a Jedi charity organization. Drakarn was resentful for this punishment and took the opportunity to get revenge on the Jedi once he was allowed to return to Coruscant at age 20. Recruited by Count Dooku on Coruscant for the task, Drakarn erased the files concerning the existence of Kamino. This act remained unnoticed for years.
Dooku thought he was gaining much power in the Dark Side, but Palpatine was merely utilizing Count Dooku as a tool. As Count Dooku unified the Separatists, Palpatine brought adepts of the Dark Side into his conspiracy. He made Sly Moore of Umbara his secretary, due to her ability to read minds. He befriended two Jedi during this period, considering which one he would choose to replace Dooku as an apprentice. Their names were Anakin Cleevon Skywalker of Thessius and the little known Vorron Tastras. Though Palpatine’s relationship with Vorron Tastras remains largely unknown, it is known that he utilized the skill of the Dark Jedi assassin known as Xio Jade, the first “Emperor’s Hand” and aunt of Mara Jade.
Though Anakin would always consider Tatooine his home world, he was actually born on Thessius. Thessius was a watery island world Anakin’s mother Shmi Skywalker moved to. She was sold as a slave and taken to Tatooine, but was originally herself from the planet Cardonas. While Palpatine and Dooku were growing in the power of the dark side, Anakin was growing in the good side of the Force. This did not prevent him from negotiations. In fact, the negotiations he had with the rogue Halbertas on the planet Verkig got quite aggressive.
The events depicted in Attack of the Clones transpired. These were followed by the Clone Wars. During the Clone Wars, Count Dooku found Asajj Ventress on Rattatak. She claimed to be a Sith warrior and though Count Dooku rejected this claim, he agreed to instruct her and utilize her skills. He found a cyborg, from Disicon, whom he trained in the arts of a Dark Jedi as well, though only to the level of padawan. This cyborg was known as General Grievous, the Droid Army Leader. He could wield four light sabers at once, by splitting his two robotic arms into four. General Grievous was kept alive and made into a cyborg by a scientific genius named Sago Milius.