The Vagaari were a sentient species that resided in the Unknown Regions and would modify technology of the alien species they conquered. The species put their prisoners in pods on their warships' hulls to discourage counterattacks. Around 27 BBY, Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, core name "Thrawn," of the Chiss Ascendancy stole a gravity well projector from Vagaari pirates, marking the start of the senior captain's Vagaari pirate operations. The operations ended with the Vagaari's defeat.
In 18 BBY, the Chiss Syndics Irizi'stal'mustro and Mitth'urf'ianico confirmed rumors of an alliance between the Vagaari and the Paataatus, an Unknown Regions species. Thrawn was subsequently sent to the Paataatus homeworld of Nettehi to confirm the rumors. The Chiss discovered that the rumors were false, and a Paataatus Prince Militaire told the Chiss where he could find a remnant of Vagaari pirates, which Thrawn attempted to track down.
The Vagaari were an Unknown Regions sentient species.
When the Vagaari conquered an alien species, they adapted their technology, modifying it significantly. The Vagaari had access to gravity well projector technology. To dissuade their foes from fighting back, the Vagaari put their prisoners in pods on their war vessels' hulls.
Two Syndics, Thurfian and Zistalmu, of the Chiss Ascendancy (logo pictured) confirmed rumors of a Paataatus–Vagaari alliance.
Around 27 BBY, the Chiss Ascendancy Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, whose core name was "Thrawn," stole a gravity well projector from a group of Vagaari pirates. The projector's theft began the Chiss's Vagaari pirate operations, during which Thrawn thoroughly beat the Vagaari. The Chiss Syndicure, the Ascendancy's ruling body, and the Chiss Defense Hierarchy Council were displeased with Thrawn, as he had preemptively attacked the Vagaari before they attacked the Chiss, contrary to Ascendancy law.
The senior captain brought the Vagaari well projector to the Chiss planet Sposia, where the Chiss Universal Analysis Group (UAG) began to study the device. In 18 BBY, Chiss Syndics Mitth'urf'ianico "Thurfian" and Irizi'stal'mustro "Zistalmu" sought to get Thrawn far away from the Ascendancy's territory, as they considered him a threat to his Mitth family and the entire Ascendancy. The pair confirmed rumors that spoke of a Vagaari alliance with the Unknown Regions Paataatus species, and Thrawn's Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk was sent to confirm them, traveling to the Paataatus homeworld of Nettehi.
Senior Captain Thrawn, who defeated the Vagaari pirates during the Vagaari pirate operations.
Over the planet, the senior captain encountered a group of starships that did not match Vagaari ship configurations or appeared to be modified, which he believed was a strong indicator that the Vagaari had not conquered the Paataatus. After discovering that the Paataatus had been subjugated by the Nikardun Destiny hegemony, Thrawn freed the Paataatus from the Nikardun forces. Grateful for Chiss assistance in liberating Nettehi, a Paataatus Prince Militaire shared the possible whereabouts of a small remnant of Vagaari pirates with the senior captain.
Thrawn then explored several star systems containing terrestrial planets that could house the Vagaari remnant, encountering a group of vessels commanded by the Watith Captain Fsir in the process. Fsir brought the Springhawk to a fictitious "Vagaari pirate base," where he tried to destroy the heavy cruiser. Thrawn, however, was able to defeat the Watith.
In the same year, Chiss Supreme General Ba'kif needed the Syndicure's permission to authorize a mission to the Unknown Regions planet "Sunrise." As the Syndicure would only authorize the mission if Ba'kif could tie Sunrise to several groups the Ascendancy had faced, including the Vagaari pirates, the mission was not authorized by the Ascendancy's ruling body.
In the current Star Wars canon, the Vagaari were first mentioned in the novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, the first volume of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy. Chaos Rising was published on September 1, 2020. An excerpt of the novel published on StarWars.com on July 8 of that year included the mention of the Vagaari.
In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the Vagaari first appeared in Zahn's 2004 novel Survivor's Quest and were pictured in the 2010 sourcebook The Unknown Regions, published by Wizards of the Coast for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game.
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