Qrrrl Toq

Biography

Early life

Qrrrl Toq was raised on the planet Nazzri, where he was a descendant of the planet's royal lineage. During his childhood, it was known that Toq insisted that everyone, with the exception of his father, who was the king, address him by his full title—Crown Prince Qrrrl Toq. He was of the opinion that it was only proper for those beings he considered to be of lower status than himself, which in reality was the entire population of his home planet, to refer to him by his formal title.

Similar to the majority of his species, Toq was a deeply religious individual who studied the fourteen vens of the Great Structure of the Ulizra with the goal of eventually becoming a Nazzar Praefect. He dedicated exactly one standard Nazzri year to the study of each ven before progressing to the next one in the established hierarchy. Despite what many saw as arrogance in him, Toq impressed many of the instructors of the Great Structure with his dedication to his studies and his ability to comprehend each ven. His personal instructor in the vens during this period was a Nazzar named Vrrk Jikat, who had set aside his own personal life to assist Toq in his studies—Toq, however, did not acknowledge his teacher's sacrifice and instead believed that this type of servitude was expected of all subjects; he also believed that it was an honor for these beings to be selected by him for such tasks. Nevertheless, he continued to excel in his studies, and there were many whispers within the palace that Toq might one day become the first king-praefect since the Nazzri had been governed by a theocracy. Toq was aware of the rumors among the palace staff and teachers and made no attempt to conceal his delight at what it meant for him when he eventually completed his training.

As he matured, Toq began to see his aspiration of becoming a king-praefect drawing nearer. Consequently, he intensified his studies, focusing solely on exploring the deeper mysteries of the Great Structure. Through his growing knowledge, he concluded that the people of Nazzri had strayed from the original, true objectives of the theocracy. To that end, Toq considered it his destiny to reinstate the original belief system and philosophy that his ancestors had initiated. As a result, Toq could often be found studying in the Hall of Edification. It was during one of these study sessions that Qrrrl Toq discovered what appeared to be an ancient and dust-covered tome that had fallen behind one of the massive shelving units. Upon examining the text, he realized that it contained a collection of poems, personal journal entries, and historical documents, all bound together in a single thousand-page volume that detailed the history of the last Nazzri monarch, who was an ancestor of Toq's named Prrit Qabaq.

It took him two days to read through the text, and the discoveries he made shocked the young Nazzri prince. Through his study of the ancient tome, Toq learned that the monarchy had been single-handedly destroyed by his ancestor, Prrit Qabaq. Toq continued to read the histories and found that Prrit had been seduced by what Toq could only describe as "infernal magics." Toq learned that through the use of this magic, Prrit had subjugated the Nazzar people and established a reign of fear and strength, in which anyone who opposed him was killed. As Toq continued reading, he learned that Prrit's rule was challenged by his own daughter, named Ikree. Ikree led a rebellion against her father and eventually overthrew him and his dark reign. In place of the monarchy, Ikree established the foundations of the theocracy that Toq found himself currently living in. Nevertheless, Ikree's own murder led to an even stricter control of theocratic rule among the Nazzar and fostered the tiered system that had seemed so right to Qrrrl Toq. Toq could not believe what he had learned about his ancestors, knowledge that had been lost for generations, and he realized that he could not even begin to compare himself with the praefects who had come before him, as he was merely following in their footsteps and thus repeating their mistakes. He resolved that he would not continue the cycle of his family, that he would forge his own path. Thus, Toq entered into a self-imposed exile, hoping that by leaving the stagnant theocracy of his home planet, he could gain a deeper understanding of what had led to its destruction.

After leaving his family and his home planet, Qrrrl Toq journeyed across the galaxy in search of wisdom, wandering the star lanes for three years. He eventually arrived on the tropical planet of Ulda Frav where he encountered several Jedi who were mediating a local treaty. Upon approaching the group of beings, Toq began to ask them questions about their identity and purpose. In response, the Jedi informed Toq that he possessed the power within himself that would allow him to eventually join their ranks. However, the Jedi were taken aback when Toq informed them that he had never heard of the Jedi Order, nor anything about the Force. Realizing that they had encountered a being who could potentially become a great member of their Order, the Jedi invited Toq to travel with them back to the planet of Ossus. During the journey, Toq learned about the Jedi Way and the role the Jedi Order played within the galaxy. For reasons he could not explain, Toq felt compelled to learn more about the Jedi and expressed his desire to become one of them.

The Jedi and Toq eventually arrived on Ossus, and Toq became the apprentice of Jedi Master Vodo-Siosk Baas. Master Baas instructed the young Nazzar in the ways of the Jedi and the Force, teaching him both general histories and intricate details, such as constructing a lightsaber. Additionally, Toq learned the humility required of a Jedi and how to overcome the arrogance that had plagued his childhood. Under Master Baas's guidance, Qrrrl Toq made rapid progress in his training and demonstrated a deep understanding of the ways of the Force and what it meant to be a Jedi. Due to his rapid progress, Qrrrl Toq was selected to be part of the Jedi task force, under the command of Nomi Sunrider, to be dispatched to Onderon to assist Ulic Qel-Droma in suppressing the Freedon Nadd Uprising.

The Naddist Revolt

Qel-Droma and three other Jedi apprentices—his brother Cay, Oss Wilum, and Tott Doneeta—had been left on their own to combat King Ommin and his Naddists, after their Master, Arca Jeth, was kidnapped by Ommin. In desperation, Qel-Droma sent a request for additional Jedi support to Ossus, and Toq, along with Sunrider, Kith Kark, Dace Diath, and Shoaneb Culu, was selected to assist Qel-Droma and the others on Onderon. They traveled to Onderon, and almost immediately after their arrival, they became involved in a Republic/Jedi assault against the dark-side Naddists.

As their cruiser prepared to land on Onderon for the first time, Toq and the others sensed Qel-Droma battling the Naddists not far from Iziz, Onderon's largest city. They landed their cruiser and immediately charged into battle, utilizing various Force techniques to create a protective shield around each other. Nomi Sunrider was skilled in battle meditation, an ancient Jedi art that allowed the user to diminish the morale and spirit of enemy forces while simultaneously boosting that of their allies. Skilled users, such as Sunrider and many of the ancient Jedi Masters of the time, could use this power to visualize their desired outcome of a battle, helping to shift the balance in favor of their own forces. However, Sunrider's ability was being blocked by a powerful dark side energy. Forced to rely on their lightsabers, Toq and his fellow Jedi fought off the Naddists' ancient war bots, although the dark side energies surrounding Ommin's citadel were becoming overwhelming; Toq noticed that these energies were preventing Qel-Droma and his brother from effectively fighting off the Naddists.

Although the Jedi task force was gradually weakening Ommin's forces, the battle had claimed the life of one of their own: Kith Kark, a Gotal Jedi Knight. The shield the Jedi were using for protection had been momentarily breached, and a Naddist gunner seized the opportunity to fire upon them, resulting in Kark's death. Toq and the others managed to survive and reestablish their shield. With the assistance of Qel-Droma and his group of Jedi, as well as Oron Kira's forces, Toq, Culu, Sunrider, and Dace Diath fought off the Naddist droids; Ommin was now cornered in his citadel.

After recovering, Qrrrl Toq and his fellow Jedi launched an assault on Ommin and his men, who were hiding deep within their subterranean lair. The seven Jedi faced over a hundred dark side warriors and droids, but they managed to hold their own and defeat them. Knowing that he would not prevail, Ommin attempted to escape, but Ulic Qel-Droma was able to defeat the darksider. The Jedi ultimately emerged victorious, with no further casualties, and successfully rescued Jeth and restored his health. Toq later traveled to Onderon's moon of Dxun with Jeth and the others to ensure that the removal of Ommin and the other dark side worshipers' sarcophagi proceeded smoothly. The Naddists were defeated, however, and did not attempt a raid, as they had during the previous attempt to relocate the sarcophagi. Instead of returning to Ossus, Toq and the Jedi who had accompanied him to the Inner Rim world chose to remain on Onderon and began learning the skills of riding Onderonian warbeasts from Master Jeth.

The Krath Holy Crusade

Their furlough on Onderon was cut short, however, as a new threat emerged in the galaxy. Master Jeth returned to Onderon to inform the young Jedi there of a crisis brewing in the Empress Teta system. A coup of the system's government had been carried out by two members of the Tetan elite, Satal and Aleema Keto. Having previously visited Onderon—and having been drawn into the continued machinations of Freedon Nadd—the two Tetans had formed a dark side cult, which they named the Krath. Jeth ordered Qrrrl Toq, Diath, and Culu, along with Oss Wilum, to return to Ossus and warn the leaders of the Jedi and the Republic of the dangers posed by the duo and their Sith background.

In response to the threat, the Jedi and the Republic dispatched a fleet to Empress Teta to support the few planets in the system that were still resisting the new regime; Qrrrl Toq flew with the strike team. As the fleet entered the system, the last holdouts of resistance on Koros Major were battling the Krath, and the task force joined their efforts. The Krath, led personally by the cousins Satal and Aleema Keto, utilized Sith magic, as well as suicide runs in their Chaos fighters, and through this, the Republic force was defeated. Few of the Jedi sent to Empress Teta survived, but Toq was among them.

Following this disaster, it was announced that a great convocation of the Jedi Order would be held at Mount Meru on Deneba, where the growing threat of the Krath—and strategies to deal with them—would be discussed. Qrrrl Toq traveled to Deneba, joining the masses of Jedi at the event, which was presided over by Master Odan-Urr. After outlining the events of the battle in Empress Teta, Ulic Qel-Droma made a bold proposal: that he attempt to infiltrate the Krath, to learn their secrets and defeat them from within. Little did the Jedi know that while they met, the Krath were unfolding yet another plot against them. The servant droids used by the Jedi Masters had been secretly reprogrammed by agents of the Krath to attack their owners on command, and a ship full of combat droids had been clandestinely delivered into Deneba's orbit, as well.

Suddenly, the Krath droids launched their attack, catching the Jedi completely by surprise. Qrrrl Toq, reacting quickly to the threat, immediately began smashing war droids with his lightstaff. Master Jeth, however, demonstrated that weapons were not necessary in dealing with the mechanicals by manipulating the droids' internal mechanisms to destroy them. After a desperate fight, the Jedi prevailed, but at a great cost—many of the most prominent Jedi Masters, including Arca Jeth himself, were killed in the course of the battle. Ulic Qel-Droma, having lost his master, could not be deterred from carrying out his mission to infiltrate the ranks of those who had killed Jeth.

After several months without hearing from Qel-Droma, a Jedi team consisting of Nomi Sunrider, Tott Doneeta, and Cay Qel-Droma journeyed to Koros Major in an attempt to secretly make contact with him. However, they had not anticipated Qel-Droma's change of heart—he had joined the Krath in his mind by this point, as he was increasingly influenced by the dark side. After a confrontation in which Qel-Droma's true intentions were revealed, the three Jedi retreated back to Ossus. After proposing that a strike team be sent to Koros Major next, in an attempt to force Qel-Droma's hand and make him decide between the Jedi and the Krath, the young Jedi Knights assembled a small force. Accompanying the Jedi was Oron Kira and a contingent of Beast Riders with their drexl mounts.

Upon arriving on the planet, Oss Wilum, Dace Diath, Shoaneb Culu, and Tott Doneeta provided cover for the Onderonian warbeast transport in their Star Saber XC-01 and S-100 Stinger-class starfighters. Once the heavy defenses of the citadel had been breached, the warbeast transport offloaded its cargo of Beast Riders; Qrrrl Toq, along with Nomi Sunrider and Cay Qel-Droma, accompanied this group. After crashing through the windows into the palace, Sunrider ordered Cay Qel-Droma and Toq to subdue the guards while she dealt with Ulic Qel-Droma. The team attempted to take Ulic Qel-Droma by force, but he refused to submit, and they were forced to retreat once again as more forces, including those of Exar Kun, a fallen Jedi who had followed a similar path to Qel-Droma, arrived in support of the Krath. Kun and Qel-Droma joined forces, as the spirit of Marka Ragnos branded them Sith Lords: Kun as Sith Master and Qel-Droma as his Sith apprentice. The Great Sith War had begun.

The Sith War

In one of the opening conflicts of the Sith War, Ulic Qel-Droma led an attack against Coruscant, the capital of the Republic. Qrrrl Toq was on the galactic capital world, having arrived with a group of Jedi accompanying Vodo-Siosk Baas as the Jedi Master sought to advise the Galactic Senate regarding the Krath crisis.

As the group came under attack by Qel-Droma's new Mandalorian allies, Toq took the initiative, knocking a Mandalorian Crusader off his Basilisk war mount and commandeering the vehicle. Along with Dace Diath, who had also acquired a Basilisk, Toq helped clear the path to the Republic war room, where the Jedi, guarding the Supreme Chancellor, could take control of the situation.

After breaking into the war room, the Jedi discovered Qel-Droma alone, having been abandoned to his fate by his mistress and lieutenant, Aleema Keto. While the Krath forces retreated from the planet, Qel-Droma was contained by a collective Force technique administered by the group of Jedi and temporarily cut off from the Force by Nomi Sunrider and Master Baas. Qel-Droma later managed to escape justice, however, when Exar Kun's forces disrupted his trial before the Senate. Qel-Droma made his way back to his forces, fully aware of the reason for his capture; however, he decided not to take overt action against Aleema—instead, he decided to incorporate his retribution into his other ambitions.

As the war escalated, Exar Kun executed a devastating plot against the Jedi Order. After subverting a number of Jedi to his cause, including Zona Luka, Kun ordered the converts to assassinate their former masters. Zona Luka traveled to the home of her former mentor, the Jedi Master known only as Dominus. However, as she struck down her master with her lightsaber, he in turn attacked her using the Force, and neither survived. Qrrrl Toq, along with fellow Jedi Dace Diath and Shoaneb Culu, arrived on the scene to investigate. The trio, saddened by their discovery, met with the gathered Jedi on Ossus to share what they had learned.

Kemplex Nine

Ulic Qel-Droma saw an opportunity to exact his revenge on Keto when Exar Kun's plans required a feint to draw out the Jedi and Republic forces so that the Sith might catch Ossus unprepared to defend itself. He ordered Keto, along with the fallen Jedi Crado, to take an ancient Sith battleship to the Republic jump station known as Kemplex Nine and attack it. Aleema was unaware that the mission did not call for survivors on either side of the conflict, and she and Crado attacked the station, drawing the attention of the Jedi. When Master Thon pointed out that the attack may be a feint, Toq, once again with his comrades Diath and Culu, volunteered to lead a Jedi and Republic task force to the station, while most of the other Jedi would remain on Ossus to guard the Jedi world.

Upon arriving at the undefended space station, the Jedi found the facility in ruins, with no signs of life aboard. However, the ion trail of the Sith vessel could be detected leading into the nearby Cron Cluster, and the Jedi gave chase. Once they had lured the pursuers inside the cluster, Keto called upon the power of the dark side, as well as the ancient Sith crystal aboard the battleship, to rip the core out of one of the stars, causing a massive explosion and instantly killing Qrrrl Toq and his friends. The stellar core broke down, however, into a chain reaction that Keto had not foreseen, but Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma knew full well about. An incredible amount of energy was released in a supernova, destroying the Sith vessel and unleashing a huge shock wave.

Personality and traits

During his youth, Qrrrl Toq expected unwavering loyalty and servitude from his subordinates, demanding to be addressed as Crown Prince Qrrrl Toq. In his eyes, those of lower status were inferior beings whose sole purpose was to serve those who held a higher position than themselves. His mentor, Vrrk Jikat, sacrificed his life to tutor Toq, but the Nazzar prince showed no gratitude; he simply expected it of Jikat. Although he displayed a certain arrogance during his time as a Nazzar prince, Toq was an extremely diligent student and devoutly religious. He was determined to make a name for himself, and he spent seven years studying the vens, performing exceptionally well and impressing the praefects. After becoming more humble and mature under Master Vodo, Toq once again demonstrated his ability to work hard, progressing far faster than anyone had anticipated.

Qrrrl Toq, during his time on Nazzri, exhibited a profound thirst for authority, yearning to be the first king-praefect ever. When his praefectory instructors entertained the possibility of this ambition becoming a reality, Toq openly displayed his happiness and satisfaction, and he intensified his studies even further. He sought power not for selfish reasons, but for the betterment of his people, whom he believed had strayed from the original principles and way of life of the theocracy. Toq's aim was to revive the traditions of his religion and usher his homeworld into an era of peace that its inhabitants had forgotten. Furthermore, Toq desired to pioneer a new path; upon learning that previous king-praefects had existed, he was determined to establish a new precedent.

Throughout the life of Qrrrl Toq, his courage was a consistently evident characteristic. He played a significant part in numerous engagements during the Great Sith War, without ever retreating or faltering. It was Toq's bravery that ultimately caused his demise; he volunteered to confront the Krath at Kemplex, despite the immense dangers involved.

Powers and abilities

Qrrrl Toq was born with a connection to the Force, but due to his planet's isolationist policies, he remained ignorant of his potential and the existence of the Jedi Order. After joining the Jedi, he quickly adapted and proved to be a remarkably quick student. He excelled in his training and advanced rapidly, surpassing the expectations of the Jedi Masters on Ossus. Toq was a skilled swordsman, initially wielding a green lightsaber and later a larger lightstaff in combat. The reason for Toq's weapon change is unknown, but he stopped using his lightsaber after the Freedon Nadd uprising. The Nazzar prince frequently charged into battle without considering alternative strategies, a tendency that Jeth quickly noticed and pointed out to Toq.

Toq was also a talented pilot, participating in several missions during the Great Sith War, including his final one at Kemplex. During his time with Master Jeth on Onderon, Toq acquired the skills necessary to ride the planet's savage beasts, and he later rode one during the Jedi assault on Koros Major. Throughout his life, Toq demonstrated the ability to collaborate effectively within teams, ranging from small groups of four to large-scale forces, as seen at Deneba. In the later stages of the Great Sith War, Toq wore a suit of heavy Jedi armor, presumably of his own creation.

Behind the scenes

The character of Qrrrl Toq was conceived by writer Tom Veitch for the comic book series Tales of the Jedi, and he made his debut in the issue Tales of the Jedi – The Freedon Nadd Uprising 1, with artwork by Tony Akins. Toq's character was further developed by Veitch and author Kevin J. Anderson in subsequent issues of the series. He was also drawn by artists Chris Gossett, Art Wetherell, and Dario Carrasco, Jr.. His final appearance, which also marked his death, occurred in the issue Tales of the Jedi – The Sith War 4. Author George R. Strayton expanded upon Qrrrl Toq's background in the West End Games sourcebook Tales of the Jedi Companion, where his first name is consistently misspelled as "Qrrl." This spelling is also used in another sourcebook, Ultimate Alien Anthology. However, in the comics themselves, his name is consistently spelled "Qrrrl," except for three instances in Tales of the Jedi – The Sith War 4, which also use the "Qrrl" spelling.

While Qrrrl Toq's overall appearance remained largely consistent throughout the comics, he was depicted using a lightsaber only in The Freedon Nadd Uprising. In Dark Lords of the Sith and The Sith War, Toq is shown wielding a lightstaff, a Force-imbued melee weapon that resembles an armored quarterstaff. Furthermore, his description in Dark Lords of the Sith is expanded to include his role as a Jedi armorer, and in The Sith War, he and his two companions are depicted performing the duties of Jedi investigators, although their specific role is not explicitly stated.