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"An unexplored world is a hostile world. I must help the Wookiee leader Attichitcuk to learn the lay of the land. Only then can we find an appropriate place to settle."
―Qui-Gon Jinn — (audio) Listen (file info)[2]

Alaris Prime, also known as Alaris for short, was a small moon of the gas giant Alaris in the Kashyyyk system. The moon was notable for the abundant resources to be found amidst its expansive forests and temperate oceans. It was also home to several unique species such as gnasps and Maru. Alaris Prime was untouched by civilizations for eons, and sometime after a skirmish on the moon, during the New Sith Wars in 1002 BBY, the moon disappeared from galactic view. Almost 950 years later it was rediscovered by Wookiee explorers from the nearby planet Kashyyyk.

A petition was made to the Galactic Senate to grant colonization rights, which were eventually granted to the Wookiees after twenty years of debate. The Wookiee colonization was launched between 39 BBY and 36 BBY, led by the Chieftain Attichitcuk. There, the Wookiees learned to gather the moon's natural resources and also became engaged in a war with the Trade Federation, who sought to illegally subvert Attichictuk's claim. After a united offensive removed the Federation from the moon in the Battle for Alaris Prime, the Wookiees retained their colonies there, making the world a thriving technological hub in the Galactic Republic.

Alaris Prime was the site of multiple invasions from the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the first month of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY. The battle on Alaris involved the enslavement of most of the moon's population and the testing of an ancient Sith artifact; the Force Harvester. The Wookiees were liberated with the help of the Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker. The next battle targeted the production facilities of the Decimator, a war machine built by the Wookiees.

Description[]

"Alaris Prime must be a rich world indeed."
―Qui-Gon Jinn[2]
Alarisprime

Alaris Prime

Alaris Prime was the first[2] of eight moons of the gas giant Alaris,[1] located within the Alaris Expanse in the outer arm of the Kashyyyk system.[2] In the system resided the star Kashyyyk, of which Alaris held the sixth orbital position. The system was part of the Mytaranor sector in The Slice portion of the Mid Rim, and lay on the intersection of several hyperlanes; the Durkteel Loop, the Great Kashyyyk Branch, the Nightroad, and the Randon Run.[1]

Alaris Prime was hidden from galactic view because of it's small size compared to Alaris, causing it to be untouched by civilizations for eons. In spite of its isolation, the wroshyr trees, thought to be native from the planet Kashyyyk in the same system, were also found on Alaris Prime,[2] though they were smaller than those on Kashyyyk due to the moon's different climate.[8] The Wookiees from Kashyyyk created several legends about how the trees could have migrated across space but no accepted scientific theory developed. The moon was covered in thick forests and temperate oceans and was rich in natural resources,[2] with its stockpiles of nova crystals and ore deposits making it a desirable target for colonists.[9] muja fruit bushes also grew there.[2]

Alaris Prime was home to a multitude of species,[2] including many dangerous predators[8] such as swarms of the insectoid Gnasps, the reptilian Maru,[3] gundarks, and rancors. Several edible species also lived there including nerfs, mynocks, banthas, and abundant schools of fish in the oceans. After the moon was colonized by Wookiees from Kashyyyk several settlements were built there.[2]

History[]

Early history[]

"This world is supposed to be uncolonized."
―Qui-Gon Jinn — (audio) Listen (file info)[2]

During the conflict with the Eternal Empire[10] in 3630 BBY[11] two Trandoshan clans finished a hunting competition on Alaris Prime. While they took the trophies with themselves, the corpses of the unfortunate hunters were left behind.[10]

In 1002 BBY, during the New Sith Wars, an elite force for the Sith Brotherhood of Darkness known as the Gloom Walkers was on patrol on Alaris Prime when they were ambushed by soldiers of the Galactic Republic. After only a few minutes of fighting the Republic forces, it broke ranks and fled. The ambush resulted in several casualties on both sides, including the Gloom Walkers' Lieutenant Ulabore, whose execution by his subordinate Lucia for an earlier grievance went unreported. Sometime after the skirmish[6] Alaris Prime disappeared from galactic view and was forgotten. At some point an ancient grove and a holocron associated with the Jedi Order were left on the moon.[2]

In his adolescence, the Trandoshan Cradossk made visits to Alaris Prime to shoot at gnasps. He took pleasure at watching them explode mid-flight and considered it good practice in hand-eye coordination when writing about it in his autobiography, Making a Killing.[12]

Colonization[]

Rediscovery, legislation and first contact[]

"I must help the Wookiee leader Attichitcuk to learn the lay of the land."
―Qui-Gon Jinn — (audio) Listen (file info)[2]

Between the years 59 BBY and 56 BBY,[13] Alaris Prime was rediscovered by Wookiee explorers from Kashyyyk. These Wookiees petitioned the Galactic Senate of the Republic for colonization rights to the moon, selecting the Chieftain Attichitcuk as their representative. The Trade Federation also expressed interest in Alaris Prime,[2] aware of its plentiful resources[9] and also hoping to use it as a trade center between planets such as Bimmisaari, Kashyyyk, and Kessel.[2]

Thalmussen voyage

The Thalmussen journeys to Alaris Prime.

After two decades of debate, the Senate awarded the colonization rights to the Wookiees, which the Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray secretly rejected. He sent a portion of the Trade Federation Droid Army to begin colonizing Alaris Prime[2] and establish a secret manufacturing operation there.[14] One of the first structures built was a power core, but when it came under attack from gundarks the Federation was driven from that area. Attichitcuk was selected as the leader of the Wookiee colonists as a reward for his senatorial representation, and he along with the multitude of other colonists departed for the moon aboard the Thalmussen and three other colony ships[2] between 39 BBY and 36 BBY.[15]

After their ships landed in a clearing near a river Attichitcuk was the first Wookiee to personally explore Alaris Prime, where he established their first camp and left markers to lead the way. He was followed by his son Chewbacca and nephew Shoran, who encountered the Trade Federation's damaged power core. Their official advisor, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, was surprised to see an artificial structure on an untouched world and advised the two Wookiees to destroy it. After doing so Attichitcuk's camp was attacked by gundarks, reminding the colonists of the dangers of their new world. The Trade Federation also returned to the damaged power core and made plans to deal with the gundarks using their Trandoshan allies.[2]

The dangerous new world[]

"We have discovered our foes on this distant world. Our lessons are about to take a different path."
―Qui-Gon Jinn — (audio) Listen (file info)[2]

The Wookiee colonists moved out to other bases, including one command center where Jinn taught a group of workers on how to gather resources from Alaris Prime's available resources, including food from bushes and wild animals, carbon from trees, nova crystals and ore. Along with Chewbacca, these workers fought off a group of gundarks, an attack that galvanized Jinn and the Wookiees into seeking a permanent solution to the problem. At another base near a forest, Chewbacca and Jinn trained a group of bowcaster troopers and marched towards the gundark nest, but B1-Series battle droids of the Trade Federation had already begun exterminating the gundarks. These droids fired at the Wookiees on sight but were defeated by them.[2]

Wookiee attack

Wookiees and droids go to war on Alaris Prime

With knowledge of a new enemy on Alaris Prime, the Wookiees and Jinn made preparations for battle, with Attichitcuk undertaking a scouting mission while Chewbacca worked on expanding the technology level of another base near a river. Attichitcuk was nearly killed by the Trade Federation's battle droids, but Chewbacca launched a rescue mission that saved his father's life. Afterward, Attichitcuk stepped down as leader of the colonists and placed Chewbacca in charge, marking the beginning of concentrated offensives against the Trade Federation.[2]

Chewbacca's first target was a Trade Federation outpost where battle droids were manufactured. In their base, his Wookiees built and used aquatic transport ships to cross a river to reach the outpost which was successfully destroyed. Shoran and Chewbacca also established two camps with which to practice trading using Corellian HoverFreighters and spaceports. Shoran also found the ancient Jedi holocron in his camp, which prompted Jinn to request permission from the Jedi Council to construct a Jedi temple in Chewbacca's camp, which was granted. With the temple built Jinn sent his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi to retrieve the holocron, as only a force-sensitive individual could carry it. While he was out Chewbacca's Wookiees had to repel another attack from the Trade Federation.[2]

QGJ Alaris Prime

Qui-Gon Jinn guided the Wookiee colonization of Alaris Prime.

After the holocron was placed in the Jedi temple scouts from Shoran's camp uncovered a listening array used by the Trade Federation to monitor the Wookiees, which Shoran and Chewbacca's forces subsequently destroyed. Now that they were ready to organize a final offensive against the Trade Federation's last base, Jinn was conditionally approved by the Jedi Council to participate with his Wookiee friends as long as the Wookiees constructed a fortress in their base. The Wookiees fortified their base and arranged the construction of the fortress. A fully revitalized Attichitcuk, Chewbacca, Shoran, and Jinn organized the last attack that saw the destruction of the Trade Federation fortress, expelling them in the Battle for Alaris Prime.[2]

Free of war, Alaris Prime eventually became a significant technology hub in the Republic[2] and was economically thriving under Chewbacca's leadership.[16] The Wookiees also colonized the other moons of Alaris,[1] which used the Middle-period Krorral architectural style.[17]

Clone Wars and Imperial Period[]

"He says the Separatists have invaded the entire moon and enslaved most of the Wookiee population. This is one of the last remaining villages. They're willing to help us get in contact with the Republic if we help them get the Separatists out of the star system."
―Bera Kazan, translating for a Wookiee on Alaris Prime to Anakin Skywalker[3]
First Battle of Alaris Prime

Sev'rance Tann's forces on Alaris Prime

Wookiee engineers on Alaris Prime designed and produced the Decimator weapon system to aid the Republic in its ground battles.[4] When the Clone Wars erupted in 22 BBY, the engineers' efforts made their home an early target of the Galactic Republic's enemy in the conflict: the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Within a month of the First Battle of Geonosis,[15] the Padawan Anakin Skywalker was taken to the moon by Separatist leader Count Dooku and mercenary Cydon Prax. Dooku intended to subject Skywalker and the population of Alaris Prime to a test of the Force Harvester, the power source of the Dark Reaper superweapon. Skywalker was able to free the captive Wookiees and signal the Republic for help. Wookiee warriors initiated a holding maneuver until Republic reinforcements led by Obi-Wan Kenobi could arrive and defeat the Confederacy forces in the battle on Alaris.[3]

The Wookiee colony had only quickly recovered from the battle when Alaris Prime came under siege again[15] by the forces of Separatist General Sev'rance Tann in search of fail-safe codes for the Decimator technology, leading to a battle that destroyed several Wookiee colonies and the Decimator production facilities.[4]

Throughout the Clone Wars tensions were raised about Kashyyyk's loyalty to the Republic, with diplomatic negotiations between Jedi and the Wookiee government ultimately keeping the system's alignment. However, the Wookiees refused the placement of Republic military bases on Kashyyyk in spite of the Separatist incursions on Alaris Prime, as the government considered them to be internal colonial affairs. This circumstance was reported in the 14:10:03 edition of HoloNet News.[18]

Following the rise of the Galactic Empire[7] in 19 BBY,[15] a slave processing center on Alaris Prime was maintained by the Empire and the Trandoshan Slavers Guild to provide labour for Imperial construction projects.[7]

Inhabitants[]

"Therefore, Chewbacca has decided that the Trade Federation will have no place on Alaris Prime."
―Qui-Gon Jinn[2]
Wookiees getting food

Wookiees gather food on Alaris Prime

Alaris Prime was uninhabited for eons prior to the Wookiee colonization, after which the Wookiees continued to maintain settlements there. The Shyriiwook-speaking species[2] was governed from the central government on Kashyyyk.[18] Using training from Qui-Gon Jinn the Wookiees grew to self-sufficiency, able to harvest the bountiful resources on Alaris Prime and train their own military.[2] By the time of the Clone Wars, the Wookiees on Alaris Prime had taken to mounting the native maru to use as pack animals and war mounts, by equipping them with harnesses fitted with dual bowcasters and seismic pulse emitters.[19]

Throughout the conflicts there, Alaris Prime also housed bases belonging to the Trade Federation[2] and the Confederacy of Independent Systems,[3] which were used by B1 battle droids, though these settlements did not have a lasting presence.[2][3]

Locations[]

"There are Wookiee camps throughout Alaris Prime, you must be cautious."
―Count Dooku to Sev'rance Tann[4]

During the war for its colonization Alaris Prime was host to various Wookiee and Trade Federation settlements.[2] By the time of the Clone Wars the camps on Alaris Prime included Chendrrl, Rwookawarrump, Llamitcuk, Tayriiwook, and Rwaawrrkoo.[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Alaris Prime was created as the location of the Wookiee tutorial campaign for the 2001 LucasArts video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, and was first mentioned in the strategy guide published by Prima Games. The guide mistakenly referred to Alaris Prime as a planet.[9] The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas by Jason Fry and Daniel Wallace placed the Kashyyyk system, including Alaris Prime, in grid square P-9.[1]

The 2002 LucasArts game Star Wars: The Clone Wars had several missions set on an unnamed moon of Kashyyyk.[3] The game's section on the LucasArts website only referred to it as "Kashyyyk Moon," but listed Galactic Battlegrounds as a previous appearance, implying that the moon was Alaris Prime.[8] In 2005, The New Essential Chronology confirmed that the events of the game had occurred on Alaris Prime.[15]

According to the 2015 core rulebook for Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars: Force and Destiny Wookiees terraformed Alaris Prime over millenia to resemble Kashyyyk.[7] This conflicts with references to the lack of scientific explanation on how wroshyr trees were found on Alaris Prime made in Galactic Battlegrounds,[2] The Official Star Wars Fact File 42,[20] and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.[21]

Appearances[]

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Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 The Essential Atlas
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 2.47 2.48 2.49 2.50 2.51 2.52 2.53 2.54 2.55 2.56 2.57 2.58 2.59 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Star Wars: The Clone Wars video game
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns
  5. LucasArtsIcon Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Kashyyyk Moon on LucasArts.com (content now obsolete; backup link) states that the Kashyyyk moon, identified as Alaris Prime by The New Essential Chronology, had a much smaller colony than that of Kashyyyk, which had a population of 45 million according to The Essential Atlas.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Star Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 LucasArtsIcon Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Kashyyyk Moon on LucasArts.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
  10. 10.0 10.1 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Scavenging Crew Skill mission: "Hunting Party"
  11. SWTOR mini Forums: Dear Story Team, What Year Are We Currently In? on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
  12. The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett
  13. The New Essential Chronology places the Alaris Prime colonial war as portrayed in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds between 39 BBY and 36 BBY. Galactic Battlegrounds stated that the Galactic Senate took twenty years to distribute the colonization rights after Alaris Prime was discovered, indicating that the discovery took place between 59 BBY and 56 BBY
  14. Darth Plagueis
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 The New Essential Chronology
  16. SWInsider "Han Solo: The Early Years" — Star Wars Insider 106
  17. Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds
  18. 18.0 18.1 SWInsider "Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 14:10:03" — Star Wars Insider 71
  19. The Unknown Regions
  20. The Official Star Wars Fact File 42 (KAS2, Kashyyyk)
  21. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 17 ("Alaris Prime")
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