Are the Imperial Knights guided by the Force or just use it as a tool?

There's no seas being parted or plagues being sent...

Star Wars is essentially Exodus if Moses had to meditate in order to use the Force to part the Red Sea himself.

But the story is essentially the same with Moses saying "To serve the Light Side is best accomplished by freeing my people."

 

The Sith generally use the Force as a tool.

The Jedi Generally are tools used by the force.

Could the IK, in matters not directly related to saving the life of the Empire, simply use the force...viewing it simply as something that is there...not theirs to own but not something that owns them?

I think when the Emperor is directly in danger they would probably use the force in any way possible as a tool, weapon, whatever.

 

I've always seen Chaos has rather like Dante's second level of Hell, reserved for the overly Lustful. The spirits there are constantly blown around in a giant tornado.

Chaos, I think, is like that, but now throw in the spiritual equivalent of shards of transparisteel slicing them up, as well as a mental wind that keeps them from concentrating or keeping what sanity the evil ones (Dark-side or no) had left. That's why Palpatine in particular would fear it. He wouldn't be able to concentrate and come up with another grand plan to try and escape or anything.