Aaris III

Aaris III was the homeworld of the Aaris species. It was located in Kathol Sector, near the Trition Trade Route.

Description
Aaris III was a planet located in the Kathol sector of the Outer Rim Territories, and was connected to the worlds Brolsam, Charis, and Kolatill via hyperlane. It was the homeworld of the Aaris, a race of reptilian humanoids. The Aaris had established an extensive civilization on the planet several thousand years before the Galactic Civil War, but the society had all but destroyed itself in a civil war. By 8 ABY, the primitive descendants of the Aaris survivors inhabited the underground levels of the ruins of their cities.

Covered in heavy jungles and oceans, Aaris III was a lush blue-green planet when viewed from space. Long mountain ranges ran throughout the landscape, punching through the jungle cover and rising to several kilometers in height. Immense ruins covered hundreds of square kilometers, which were remnants of the native Aaris civilization, were located all over the planet and were hidden under the jungle canopies. A vast desert was located in the middle of the planet's equatorial jungle. Fauna was widespread across the planet, and Aaris III played host to an abundance of animal life in both the jungles and oceans.

The Aaris civilization
"Six days since the arrival of the "Plaque of Victory" our city is wracked by violence. First it was minor&mdash;a small surge in crimes, most resulting in the victims' deaths. Then it became more pronounced, with small gangs ruling the streets, clashing in bloody battles at every corner and gate."

- Kastays, from the translation notes of Imperial scientist Grigor Tansad

The Aaris civilization flourished thousands of years prior to the Galactic Civil War. By the time of their "last days", they had an industrial society with an oral tradition of communications. The fall of the Aaris began when a comet streaked through Aaris III's skies, and several days later, a military legion returned to the City of Kastays with an artifact they called the Plaque of Victory.

Several days after the arrival of the Plaque of Victory in the city, violence rocked the population. Minor at first with petty crimes, it escalated into street gangs, and eventually units of the city guard fighting bloody battles. Each claimed that the Plaque of Victory had spoken to them, and claimed to be its guardian.

In desperation, one faction took it to the Place of Kastays, high above the city. It was hoped that it would soothe the population if it was high above the people. To safeguard it, Kastays himself hid it in a floor vault. It would appear that the Aaris descended into madness and destroyed themselves, fuelled by the paranoia and whisperings from the Plaque.

The Aaris continued to live on, however. As the jungle reclaimed their cities and achievements, the descendents of the survivors made their home in the ruins of their cities.

Imperial interest
"Today we made our most ground-breaking discovery since we arrived here two months ago."

- From Lancer Brunou's journal

Shortly after Moff Kentor Sarne assumed control of the Kathol sector in 2 BBY, he sent a scout mission to the system. The team charted Aaris III, deployed a standard Imperial marker beacon, and returned to the sector capital of Kal'Shebbol to report their findings. Shortly after, all members of the team disappeared.

Some time between the scout mission and 8 ABY, Sarne established a supply cache on the planet, filled with standard issue Imperial equipment. The Moff intended to use the cache in case Kal'Shebbol ever fell to his enemies and he needed to resupply as his forces either fell back in retreat, or mustered for a counter assault to reclaim the capital.

In 8 ABY, Sarne organized and dispatched a scientific mission to the planet. The team, designated as MS-133, was led by Professor Lancer Brunou, a respected archaelogist who had taught at the University of Byblos before joining Moff Sarne's forces. Scientists Doctor Theda, Grigor Tansad, and Jelok were also assigned to the team, along with research assistant Solla Deremot, at least three technicians, and ten soldiers commanded by a lieutenant who doubled as the team's shuttle pilot. The mission was kept secret, and their assignment was to excavate the ruins of the planet for artifacts and information, paying particular attention to why the ancient Aaris died out. Professor Brunou suspected that the landing coordinates for the team's shuttle had been supplied by Sarne himself. Setting up a base camp in a field of ruins, the team also deployed a comm transfer satellite in orbit.

Discovery of the Plaque of Victory
"Emergency, emergency! This is Imperial science team MS-133 on Aaris III. We are under siege. Please, anybody respond."

- Professor Lancer Brunou

The team spent several months exploring the ruins that were left of the Place of Kastays, and discovered the Plaque of Victory. Shortly after finding the artifact, the team began to experience paranoia and feelings that someone was watching them. The influence of the artifact caused the team to turn on each other, but they didn't realize it. The members of the unit eventually killed each other, believing that they were, in fact, targeting hostile aliens or intruders. Some of the team even rigged the shuttle with detonite and blew it up.

Shortly after the liberation of Kal'Shebbol, Brunou's distress signal was intercepted by the New Republic CR90 corvette FarStar. The FarStar had been assigned to track down Moff Sarne, who had fled Kal'Shebbol following the New Republic's conquest of the planet. While completing a mission in a nearby system, the crew of the vessel became aware of the team's plight. Lieutenant Jessa Dajus&mdash;a former Imperial Intelligence agent in Sarne's regime&mdash;knew of the expedition, and believed that it was connected to the mysterious "DarkStryder", an entity that Moff Sarne was known to be in league with. She recommended that the FarStar divert and answer the distress call to the vessel's commanding officer, Captain Kaiya Adrimetrum, stating that the expedition members may have held information as to Sarne's location.

Inhabitants
The Aaris were meter-tall reptilian humanoid sentients indigenous to Aaris III. Thousands of years before the Galactic Civil War, they had developed an industrial age civilization that covered the planet. The Aaris never developed a written language, as they had a strong history of oral communication. Information was stored in bas-relief pictographs that emitted sounds when touched, and the translation of some of these in the Place of Kastays by the Imperial scientist, Grigor Tansad, was the only known surviving record of species. The Aaris civilization fell into ruin with the arrival of the Plaque of Victory, as the society descended into in-fighting and civil war. The survivors inhabited the ruins of their cities; thousands of years later, during the Galactic Civil War, their descendants lived underground in the remains of their civilization as the native jungle had reclaimed the artificial structures and hid most of them from view.

Locations
During his time as governor of the Kathol sector, Moff Sarne established a secret supply cache on the planet in case he ever had cause to retreat from Kal'Shebbol, or needed a staging area to retake his capital in the event that it was lost to him. Ten large pressurized cargo containers were buried in jungle foliage on the edge of the planet's vast equatorial desert, and covered over by vines, plants and fallen trees. Each unit was code-locked, and was rigged to explode if the wrong code was entered, or if it was tampered with. The supplies within the containers were all Imperial standard issue, and ranged from food packets, to TIE fighter and speeder bike parts, and service droids.

A group of outlaws also established a camp on the planet, using the dense jungle to cover their settlement. The bas was located on the far side of the planet from the Place of Kastays.

Behind the scenes
The outlaw camp is mentioned in an adventure hook at the end of the main scenario; the population and purpose of the camp is deliberately kept vague, so that it can be tailored by the gamemaster to suit the needs of their campaign. Possible occupants include smugglers, slavers or pirates, and the encounter may be hostile or peaceful depending on the gamemaster's wishes.

Appearances

 * Artifact of Aaris