The Aaris system was a star system situated within the Outer Rim Territories' Kathol sector. The primary planet of this system, named Aaris III, served as the original homeworld for the Aaris species. This species had developed an industrial civilization several millennia before the events of the Galactic Civil War. The discovery of the Plaque of Victory, an inanimate lifeform that thrived by amplifying feelings of paranoia and hostility in others and feeding off their life energy, triggered a devastating civil war among the Aaris. This conflict reduced the Aaris to a primitive state, leading the rest of the galaxy to believe they were extinct. The Aaris system remained largely undisturbed for thousands of years, until an archaeological team was sent to Aaris III in 8 ABY. During this mission, the team unearthed the Plaque of Victory and subsequently faced an attack from the surviving Aaris. Only two members of the expedition managed to survive and were eventually rescued by the crew of the New Republic CR90 corvette named FarStar.
The Kathol sector within the Outer Rim Territories was the location of the Aaris system. This system had a hyperlane connection to the Brolsam, Kolatill, and Charis systems. Using a Class One hyperdrive, vessels traveling from Aaris required three days and nine hours to reach Brolsam, sixteen hours to arrive at Kolatill, and one day and three hours to reach Charis. The main world in the system, Aaris III, served as the original homeworld of the Aaris species.
The Aaris species of reptilian humanoids called Aaris III, the primary planet of the Aaris system, home. Their civilization prospered for several thousand years before the Galactic Civil War. Generally peaceful, the Aaris created an industrial society and built a vast network of cities across the planet, housing scholars, soldiers, and other professionals. However, the discovery of the Plaque of Victory sometime before 3643 BBY led to the downfall of the Aaris civilization. This Plaque was an inanimate metal ingot containing a lifeform that amplified paranoia and violent tendencies, feeding off the life energy of other beings. The Plaque's influence instigated a civil war that devastated the Aaris civilization. Their great cities were abandoned and fell into ruin, and the Aaris devolved into a primitive race living in the underground warrens of their former structures.
For thousands of years, the Aaris system was mostly left undisturbed. During the Galactic War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, scavengers visited Aaris III in search of valuable materials, looting the abandoned cities. The Sith Empire also had holdings on the planet, with the Imperial Science Bureau conducting Project Chimera, which studied the effects of the Nightmare Lands on Voss on non-native lifeforms.
In 2 BBY, shortly after Imperial Moff Kentor Sarne took control of the Kathol sector, he sent a scouting expedition to Aaris III, which left a standard marker beacon on the surface. He later established a supply cache on the planet. A group of outlaws also established a base on the planet. It was never discovered that the Aaris species still existed, and the inhabitants of the galaxy generally believed they were extinct. In 8 ABY, Sarne authorized an expedition to Aaris III to excavate the ruins and determine the cause of the Aaris's extinction. While on the planet, the team—designated MS-133 and led by Doctor Lancer Brunou—discovered the Plaque of Victory. Shortly after, the team members were attacked by the Aaris. The natives killed off the team over several days until only Brunou and his research assistant, Solla Deremot, survived to be rescued by the New Republic CR90 corvette FarStar.
Aaris III was a vibrant world of blue and green, covered with jungles and oceans, with tall mountain ranges extending above the foliage. Large cities, built by the Aaris, were scattered across the planet but had all fallen into ruin by 8 ABY. The Aaris were native to the planet, but by 8 ABY, the galaxy believed they were extinct due to a civil war that had devastated their society millennia earlier.
The Aaris system was created for The DarkStryder Campaign, a roleplaying game sourcebook released by West End Games in 1995. It was featured in the RPG adventure Artifact of Aaris, the second scenario in the sourcebook. The system's primary world, Aaris III, was the main setting for the adventure, which was written by Peter M. Schweighofer. While Aaris III's name suggests the system has at least three planets, no other planet in the Aaris system is mentioned.