The Vagaari were a sentient species originating from the Unknown Regions. This species had a habit of modifying the technological advancements of the alien civilizations they subdued. To deter potential retaliation, they would place their prisoners inside pods affixed to the hulls of their warships. Around the year 27 BBY, Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, known by his core name "Thrawn," representing the Chiss Ascendancy, pilfered a gravity well projector from a group of Vagaari pirates. This act signified the commencement of the senior captain's Vagaari pirate operations, which ultimately led to the Vagaari's downfall.
In 18 BBY, Syndics Irizi'stal'mustro and Mitth'urf'ianico of the Chiss confirmed existing rumors of an alliance forming between the Vagaari and the Paataatus, another species from the Unknown Regions. Consequently, Thrawn was dispatched to Nettehi, the homeworld of the Paataatus, to verify these rumors. The Chiss discovered the rumors to be untrue. A Prince Militaire of the Paataatus then revealed the location of a surviving group of Vagaari pirates to the Chiss, whom Thrawn subsequently sought to locate.
The Vagaari were a sentient species whose origins lay within the Unknown Regions.
Upon conquering an alien species, the Vagaari were known to adapt and substantially modify the technology of the conquered. They possessed the technology of the gravity well projector. As a deterrent against resistance, the Vagaari would imprison their prisoners within pods attached to the outer hulls of their war vessels.
Around 27 BBY, Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Ascendancy, whose core name was "Thrawn," absconded with a gravity well projector from a contingent of Vagaari pirates. This theft initiated the Vagaari pirate operations of the Chiss, during which Thrawn decisively beat the Vagaari. The Chiss Syndicure, the governing body of the Ascendancy, along with the Chiss Defense Hierarchy Council, expressed disapproval of Thrawn's actions. He had preemptively engaged the Vagaari before they attacked the Chiss, contravening Ascendancy law.
The senior captain transported the Vagaari well projector to the Chiss planet Sposia, where the Universal Analysis Group (UAG) of the Chiss began its examination of the device. In 18 BBY, Chiss Syndics Mitth'urf'ianico, known as "Thurfian", and Irizi'stal'mustro, called "Zistalmu", sought to distance Thrawn from the Ascendancy's territory, viewing him as a potential threat to his Mitth family and the Ascendancy as a whole. These two confirmed the rumors of a Vagaari alliance with the Paataatus species of the Unknown Regions. Thrawn's Chiss heavy cruiser, the Springhawk, was dispatched to confirm these rumors, journeying to Nettehi, the homeworld of the Paataatus.
While positioned above the planet, the senior captain observed a collection of starships exhibiting configurations that deviated from typical Vagaari designs or appeared to be heavily modified. This observation strongly suggested that the Vagaari had not conquered the Paataatus. Upon discovering that the Paataatus had been subjugated by the Nikardun Destiny hegemony, Thrawn liberated the Paataatus from the Nikardun forces. In gratitude for the Chiss's assistance in freeing Nettehi, a Paataatus Prince Militaire divulged the potential location of a small, surviving group of Vagaari pirates to the senior captain.
Thrawn then explored several star systems with terrestrial planets that could potentially harbor the Vagaari remnant. During this exploration, he encountered a fleet of vessels under the command of Watith Captain Fsir. Fsir led the Springhawk to a fabricated "Vagaari pirate base," where he attempted to destroy the heavy cruiser. However, Thrawn successfully defeated the Watith.
Also in the same year, Supreme General Ba'kif of the Chiss required the Syndicure's approval to authorize a mission to the Unknown Regions planet "Sunrise." Because the Syndicure would only authorize the mission if Ba'kif could connect Sunrise to several groups the Ascendancy had faced, including the Vagaari pirates, authorization was denied by the Ascendancy's ruling body.
Within current Star Wars canon, the Vagaari were initially referenced in the novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which is the first book of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy. Chaos Rising was released on September 1, 2020. An excerpt from 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 made their debut in Zahn's 2004 novel Survivor's Quest and were depicted in the 2010 sourcebook The Unknown Regions, published by Wizards of the Coast for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game.