Togruta

Occasionally confused with Twi’leks, Togrutas are distinguished by multicolored skin pigmentation and large, hollow horns (similar in appearance to Twi’lek head-tails) that permit a Togruta to sense ultrasonic waves. These physical adaptations were required for Togrutas to endure and to hunt on their homeworld of Shili, which is dominated by large and deadly beasts. Togruta culture is tightly knit out of necessity, as individual survival there often depended on tribal unity.

Because of their ingrained affinity for teamwork and togetherness, Togrutas are among the Republic’s most loyal and dependable citizens. Indeed, a higher-than-normal percentage of Togrutas exhibit powerful Force sensitivity and serve in the Jedi Order. Some scholars speculate that the Togrutas’ unique sensory adaptations and strong cultural bonds makes them more receptive to learning the ways of the Jedi.

Togruta Classes

You can play any type of character as a Togruta, as species are not restricted to certain Origin Stories or Combat Styles in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

However, you must unlock the Togruta species before you can play it.

ClassFreeSubscribers
Jedi Knight No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Jedi Consular No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Trooper No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Smuggler No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Sith Warrior No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Sith Inquisitor No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Bounty Hunter No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked
Imperial Agent No, but can be unlocked No, but can be unlocked

All players will need to unlock the Togruta before they create a Togruta character. All players can unlock the Togruta for all classes by purchasing the item Legacy Species Unlock: Togruta from the Cartel Market with Cartel Coins or from the GTN with credits. The Cartel Market sells this unlock for 600 Cartel Coins, the price and availability on the GTN will change day to day and per server, but it is likely very expensive. There is no other way to unlock this species, it is considered a “Cartel Market” species because of this and was added after the game’s launch.

Jedi Knight

A symbol of hope in dark times, the Jedi Knight stands for the legacy of the Jedi Order, protecting the Republic and keeping the peace across the galaxy.

The Jedi Knight is the role most casual Star Wars fans will have seen a Togruta occupy. In the animated movie The Clone Wars and some episodes of the TV series that followed, a youngling Togruta named Ahsoka Tano is featured as a spunky, quick-thinking, determined fighter who has become Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice. In the series, she can often be seen using her skill with a lightsaber to slice enemies, and her physical strength amplified with the Force to protect and defend herself. There are also very few well-known Togrutan characters in SWTOR, and the most well-known is the Jedi Council Member Bella Kiwiiks, who served as a Jedi Knight during the Galactic War before the Sacking of Coruscant.

Jedi Consular

Jedi Consulars channel the power of the Force for strength in combat and wisdom in diplomacy. Jedi Consulars always seek to grow their knowledge.

Before Togruta were released, the Jedi Consular was the class most people said they would roll, and the class that others suggested people to play. This is likely because the Togrutans first appearance was in Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones. The first Togruta shown was Shaak-Ti, a female Togruta with red skin and white montrals. Although she is not stated as being a Jedi Consular, her long, ornate robes would be difficult to fight in with the fierce style of the Jedi Knight. In their lore, Togrutans’ sense of unity to the land ties in well with the Consular’s abilities, including picking up and throwing chunks of the earth. The Consular is also considered the more ‘spiritual’ side of being a Jedi, where the Knight focuses on their physical combat skills.

Trooper

Troopers are the embodiment of the Republic military’s highest aspirations – the most advanced fighting force in the galaxy.

“Togrutas are among the Republic’s most loyal and dependable citizens.” Togruta have a high sense of unity, and so does the Republic. Working together is natural for them, especially when it comes to taking down a strong enemy. On their home planet, they worked together to take a stand against the akul, the only creature native to their home planet that Togrutans feared. On Hoth, you can meet an entire squad of Togruta.

Smuggler

Above all else, Smugglers make their own destinies. Smugglers require fast reflexes, fast wits and a fast draw with a blaster.

In the smuggler story, a special quality is often referenced called “smuggler’s luck”… and with their unique “montrals” (hollow horns on the top of their head), Togruta might be a great choice for a smuggler. They would have better perception than most species due to their montrals, which give them the ability to sense the “proximity and movement of physical objects around them”. Think about how a smuggler moves – often not with calculation, but with instinct, a lucky duck at just the right time allowing them to escape decapitation or dodging out of the way at just the right time. A Togruta’s heightened senses might just give them the edge they need to survive in the blaster-fire situations the smuggler often gets themselves in to. Togruta also “believed that the land was spiritually connected to them, and wearing shoes cut themselves from a bond with the land” – although the smuggler is probably the class farthest from their spirituality, you could perhaps expand this idea to being connected to their ship. A smuggler’s ship is considered an extension of themselves – their home, their pride, their joy. Ships in fiction are occasionaly painted as being “alive” by their owners and caretakers, to the point where they are given human names and genders. There’s no reason your Togruta can’t be connected to the only home they’ve ever known – whether it’s the decks of their Freighter, or the grimy floors of Nar Shaddaa.

Sith Warrior

Above all else, Smugglers make their own destinies. Smugglers require fast reflexes, fast wits and a fast draw with a blaster.

The Sith Warrior actually fits very well with Togruta lore if you are willing to see beyond the sweet Jedi Padawan Asohka Tano and the few other Togrutans you encounter in canon lore. In their expanded lore, many Togrutans hail from their home planet of Shili, where they relied on each other to protect themselves against massive monsters. They learned to fight, and to hunt as they are Carnivorous, and have sharp canine teeth. You could play your Togrutan as a very strong, ruthless Sith that would go to any length to protect what they care about… or a murderous, carnivorous creature that lives for the thrill of the kill. “Togruta were also known for their belief that those who could not keep up should be left to fend for themselves, because that is nature’s way.” This view meshes very well with the Sith’s rules of survival, where they pit younglings against eachother in the Sith academy, from which very few survive. They also showed off their skill and maturity by wearing the pelts of the creatures they defeated – so a Togruta with skulls on their belt would not go amiss. There is also many different types of armor made of fur and hide available in the game you could wear.

While it is uncommon to see an alien in the ranks of the Sith, a prominent Sith named Darth Malgus has seized the opportunity to create a new Empire, one that embraces alien cultures and is strengthened by diversity.

Sith Inquisitor

Dark secrets are the lifeblood of the Sith Inquisitor. The Inquisitor experiments with forbidden powers in order to excel and seize authority.

The Sith Inquisitor would be the ultimate perversion of all lore created about the Togruta, from their sense of unity with eachother and the land, to their penchant for leaving behind the incompetent. The Inquisitor is considered a failure when they first start the game – they are a slave, they are weak, and if you play them as an alien they are considered sub-human scum. Without catching the interest of a prominent figure (who himself seems very unfit when you meet him) you might never have made it out of the academy. The Inquisitor works alone, and often treats others as beneath them, or as temporary playthings or pawns in the game of power. They grow their power purely through the dark side of the Force, which is fueled by raw emotions like anger, hate and greed. Playing a Sith Inquisitor as a Togruta would be turning your back on everything that makes you Togrutan, in exchange for great power.

The Sith Inquisitor starts off as a slave in the story, and aliens being oppressed by the Empire is a common theme in the universe. While it is uncommon to see an alien in the ranks of the Sith, a prominent Sith named Darth Malgus has seized the opportunity to create a new Empire, one that embraces alien cultures and is strengthened by diversity.

Bounty Hunter

It’s never a question if a Bounty Hunter will find you… only when. Both infamous and anonymous at the same time, Bounty Hunters are far more than mercenaries for hire.

A Togruta would make a great bounty hunter – because they are carnivorous, they are required to track down their prey on their homeworld of Shili. They also habitually keep their shoes off to better connect with the earth, and make a bond with the land – that connection could help a Togrutan Bounty Hunter track down their prey. You could be a Bounty Hunter that seeks down lost bounties with your connection to the land… or use your primal instincts to hunt down your prey.

Bounty Hunters carve their own paths, and it would not be surprising to see a Togruta Bounty Hunter.

Imperial Agent

Imperial Agents must master the arts of infiltration, seduction and assassination to carry out the most dangerous and sensitive Imperial assignments.

The Agent must be cunning, quick, agile and sharp. They are constantly balanced on a tightrope of political intrigue and one false step could send them spiraling into disfavor with the Empire. However the Agent must often work alone, surrounding themselves with lies to keep their cover, and Togruta are known for having “a strong sense of unity and togetherness”. Being an Agent will either be a large trial for your Togruta to overcome, or it will be a way for them to easily become unified with any group at any time. The agent shows off their ability to blend in with any group early in their storyline, from their skill at throwing their voice to easily lying about their heritage. On their home planet, Togrutans’ stripes and coloration acted as a form of camouflage in the re-and-white turu-grass… and if an agent knows how to do anything, it’s blend in.

While it is uncommon to see an alien in the ranks of Imperial Intelligence, the Minister of Intelligence recognizes the need to take advantage of ‘an alien mind’. A prominent Sith named Darth Malgus has seized the opportunity to create a new Empire, one that embraces alien cultures and is strengthened by diversity.

Appearance

Togrutas are amphibious humanoids with mottled green skin and sharklike eyes. Instead of hair, a Togruta sports a crown of long green tendrils.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Patterns

All Togrutas are marked by colorful skin patterns, a holdover from their days as dangerous, stalking predators. The wild scrublands of their homeworld are covered with meter-high tmru-grass, which is red on one side and white on the other. Primitive Togrutas would slink through the turu-grass using their highly developed sense of space and distance to encircle unsuspecting herbivores.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

A Togruta’s face features elaborate red and white patterns. Vertical red and white stripes adorn the Togruta’s chest, back, arms, and legs.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Togrutas’ skin is deep red, and their dark eyes and gray lips are embellished by the white markings that adorn their face. Vertical red and white stripes cover the skin of their chest, back, arms, and legs. As Shili is covered in thigh-high turu-grass that is typically a blending of red and white colors, the Togrutas’ ancestors (and the Togrutas themselves) blended in with the natural environment, confusing both prey and other predators.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

All Togrutas have colorful markings on their skin, a genetic trait left over from their predatorial ancestors.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Their skin tones tend towards bold colors like orange or red, and most individuals have contrasting white pigmentation patterns scattered across their bodies.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Color

Togruta are available in many differnet colors ,and have the most variations in colors of all species in SWTOR.

Montrals

Striped, curved horns rise from the top of a Togruta’s head. A pair of darker-striped head-tails (similar to Twi’lek Lekku) frame an oval face.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Togrutas can sense their surroundings using a kind af passive echolocation. Although spatial awareness does not allow a Togruta to unerringly locate foes while blinded or in total darkness, many Togrutas learn to obviate this disadvantage and can learn to fight blind. Togrutas are naturally good at hiding.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Long, striped, curved, hollow horns spiral upward from the top of their skull, and three darker striped head-tails (similar to a Twi’lek’s lekku) drape downward, two to the front, falling over their chest, and one thicker tail that is centered at the rear base of their skull.

When hunting, their head-tails aid them by providing echolocation abilities and a finely tuned spatial sense, which they use to encircle herbivorous prey.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

They have three—or rarely, four—head-tails. Two are normally draped across the front of the body, while the other falls to the back. Above these, they have two hollow montrals, which are used for a simple form of echolocation that enhances their keen senses.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Togruta Montral Colors

Togruta Montral Patterns

 

Togruta Jewelry

Togruta can not wear helmets. There are however some Togruta jewelry you can choose when creating your character. There are more versions of these than shown below.

Dark-Side Corruption

As Togruta fall to the dark side, they have the option to turn on Dark Side Corruption, where they lose pigment in the skin of their face but not their montrals, and their eyes turn orange.

Togruta Naming

You can choose any name you want for your Togruta character, you do not have to try and follow any type of conventions, as the Togruta have spread far and wide across the galaxy, with some being given a traditional Togruta name, while others have been given a name traditional to their home planet, and other take on a code name or nick name.

Unlike many other species in Star Wars, the Togruta do not seem to have any canon naming rules or suggestions. The biggest examples we have of Togruta names are Shaak Ti, Ahsoka Tano, Raana Tey, and Ashara Zavros. Most seem to have both first and last names.

Togruta Name Examples

This a list of names of existing Togruta in Star Wars to give you some ideas of how to name your own Togruta.

  • Ahsoka Tano
  • Alie
  • Asaak Dan
  • Ashara Zavros
  • Asher Zavros
  • Ashla
  • Audila
  • Auxi Kray Korbin
  • B’asia
  • Bela Kiwiiks
  • Bozwed
  • Buryn
  • Carshotta
  • Cavrolo Sys
  • Clatriffe
  • Codi Ty
  • Dar’Nala
  • Darth Yun
  • Dejan
  • Deran Nalual
  • Dynaroth
  • Elarec Yovet
  • Ellin Lah
  • Galway Bourke
  • Garon Borm
  • Gupat Roshti
  • Hellena Tano
  • Jari
  • Jora Malli
  • Jordan Karls
  • Juran Reb
  • Kalatosh Zavros
  • Kalda Biss
  • Kasuni Tamm
  • Kaveri Ra
  • Kirames Kaj
  • Koru Tama
  • Kup’bree’ak
  • Lodish
  • Maramis
  • Maya Phoenix
  • Meldo
  • Neelo
  • Niriian
  • Palla Mazlin
  • Raana Tey
  • Ralon Nys
  • Rawlson
  • Rolend Zavros
  • Roshti
  • Ryssa Jadeonar
  • Sarmuk
  • Selda
  • Shaak Ti
  • Sheel Mafeen
  • Shi-Fara
  • Shreya Ordassa
  • Skahvi Renlow
  • Skohani Ren
  • Sumalee
  • Synoda
  • Talia
  • Tiss
  • Torhaa Phaa
  • Trido Tamaree
  • Tuktee
  • Viv’nia
  • Womprat
  • Yanila Zavros
  • Yelto
  • Zaa Vashee

Togruta Name Generator

If you want, you can use a generator to generate a name for your Togruta. Generators follow a set of rules to try and put together a name for you.

The creator of the Fantasy Name Generator used these rules to generate Togruta names: “Togrutan names are very melodic, with a few guttural sounds mixed in here and there. Most names are 2 syllables long, but 3 syllable names aren’t uncommon. Their last names range from 1 to 3 syllables, but most are 2 syllables long as well.”

Here is a list of some names created by the Fantasy Name Generator.

  • Umuti Kesha
  • Uzorosh Syvrii
  • Rolosh Phaadus
  • Otorhy Karnar
  • Dushta Vaabreel
  • Haka Phi
  • Doree Syl
  • Zuvraan Vysh
  • Zoko Bil
  • Okunzaa Hi
  • Omukyim Bileem
  • Dobro Byrnii
  • Ukukrash Bidas
  • Vunzi Hebrua
  • Hosaa Lisa
  • Zodo Ba
  • Bubryn Lysh
  • Zonyn Nal
  • Manzaak Ses
  • Rarhyhd Bal
  • Naahnaa Beshraal
  • Haahla Nisheesh
  • Remna Zedon
  • Ahahla Haalu
  • Ashaasaa Tishar
  • Cola Ta
  • Salaa Ze
  • Oraatha Zaash
  • Orehlo Tir
  • Alaahsa Li

Notable the Togruta

Notable the Togruta in the Old Republic include…

Shaak TiJedi Master
Ahsoka TanoForce-Sensitive
Ashara ZavrosPadawan
Jora MalliJedi Master
Bela KiwiiksJedi Master
Raana TeyJedi
Codi TyJedi
Dar’NalaJedi Master

Togruta Lore

While Togruta are easily recognizable as the species with tentacles and horns, they also have an independent set of culture and lore.

Homeworld

Shili, a temperate wilderness planet located in the Expansion Region. The Togrutas live in small communities hidden beneath forest canopies or tucked away in hidden valleys.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Shili is in the Expansion Region, located near the Hydian Way. Shili’s natural environment features many scrublands and dense, canopied forests. Both feature the red-and-white-colored turu-grass, which matches a Togruta’s natural coloration. The world’s wildlife includes a broad range of prey animals and other predators, including the savage akul.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Togrutas are a humanoid species native to the temperate planet Shili, positioned in the Expansion Region of the galaxy.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Language

Togrutas speak and read Togruti, an ornate language that incorporates trills, long vowel sounds, subtle head-tail tremors, and native idioms with elements of Basic.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

The Togrutas were members of the Old Republic for thousands of years. While all speak the native tongue of Togruti, most also speak Basic. Togruti incorporates trills, which have varied meanings depending upon tremors from a speaker’s head-tails

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

The Hunt

The Togrutas’ evolutionary ancestors were predators that lived and hunted in packs, and thus modern Togrutas are also effective hunters who prefer to dwell in dense communal villages camouflaged by the forest canopies and sheltered in hidden valleys. Some vestiges of the Togrutas’ beginnings as pack animals remain in their social customs. Every available able-bodied person is expected to take part in the village hunts, and the spoils are shared equally. This is expected even of young children as soon as they are able to effectively hold a weapon, and typically occurs without any specialized training.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Trophies of the Hunt

Togrutas wear the results of their hunts proudly, and as a sign of adulthood. It is common to see Togrutas wearing the skins of the animals they’ve killed, or other trophies of the hunt. For example, the akul is a large, carnivorous animal often hunted on Shili because it is the only native animal that poses a serious threat to the Togrutas. Fierce creatures that emit frightening growls, these orange-furred quadrupeds predominate on the open plains of Shili, attacking settlements and villages. By tradition, akul teeth adornments can only be worn by a Togruta who has slain one without assistance—not an easy task, as akul seem strangely gifted at sensing the presence of other predators, and will begin howling as soon as one is near. The animal’s teeth are the common trophy mostly because akul are known for the strength of their jaws, and breaking the hold of an akul is nearly impossible for a normal humanoid. Like a nexu, an akul will use their hold to shake their prey until the victim’s neck breaks. The standard jewelry crafted from akul teeth for both males and females is a headdress worn across the forehead and down around the Togruta’s eye patches, a combination of indigenous metals, stones, and pearls.

Recovered images of the Jedi Master Shaak Ti dating back to the time of the Clone Wars have shown her wearing such an akul-tooth headdress, signifying that this is a particularly strong tradition, as she even combined the adornment with her standard Jedi wardrobe.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

In the past, whole tribes of Togrutas frequently worked together to overcome prey and then proudly incorporated portions of their kills into their wardrobes.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Training Akul

Akul are not normally native to worlds other than Shili, but they have been exported. When released into the wild on other worlds, they reproduce without the normal ecological safeguards of their native environment and can quickly overwhelm a planet’s ecosystem. Inbreeding both on Shili and on other worlds can raise the frequency of naturally occurring mutations, the most common of which is albinism. Akul are often caught for zoos, where they thrive in captivity. However, at great risk to their handlers, both normal and albino akul are trained to perform in lavish stage shows and holonet productions, despite their ferocious natures.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

No Shoes

As a habit, Togrutas do not wear shoes whenever possible, feeling that by covering their feet they are cutting themselves off from the land in a spiritual way.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Contribution

Togrutas believe that those who are unable to keep pace with the pack should be left to die, and on Shili, those who are unable to fend for themselves often do.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Togrutas have little sympathy for those who can’t contribute to society. However, most Togrutas quickly point out that contributions in the modern world can be wide and varied, ranging from the ability to construct valuable tools to the ability to entertain the rest of the pack through song or storytelling. This holds especially true in Shili’s growing urban areas, where keen minds can be more valuable than strong arms.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Loss

Togrutas will not shed any tears over such as loss, a characteristic that can give the impression to outsiders that they are unfeeling beings. This is not the case, though, and the lack of remorse is instead a belief that the death of those unable to defend themselves is simply the course of nature.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Colonies

Many Togrutas have traveled off-world to establish colonies in the years since they became aware of wider galactic society. Freed from some of the traditions of their homeworld, these Togruta colonies have developed wildly different cultural paths. The artisan colony of Kiros, for example, focuses on nurturing creative expression and peaceful coexistence, along with a higher level of individuality among its citizens. Colonial Togrutas can thus differ greatly in outlook and attitudes from their cousins on Shili.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Togruta Uprising

Cultured, cunning and utterly ruthless, Rycus Kilran may be the greatest naval strategist the Empire has ever seen. Born to a wealthy family with a proud military tradition, Kilran proved himself (to no one’s surprise) a capable right-hand man to the Sith during the Empire’s early assaults on the Brema Sector. When his Sith superior died during the Battle of Ord Ibanna, however, Kilran showed that he was more than an able tactical advisor—he assumed command of the ragged Imperial fleet and led them to a swift and decisive victory.

In the years that followed, Kilran’s authority grew with his list of triumphs, and both the Sith and the Minister of War learned respect for his unorthodox strategies. His brutally effective strikes during the final days of the war earned him the nickname “the Butcher of Coruscant” among Republic civilians (a name he adopted with characteristic irony), and his heroic stand against a Jedi boarding party earned him his scars. After the war ended, he was granted the honorary title “Grand Moff” in recognition of his contributions.

HOMEWORLD
Dromund Kaas

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Hero of the Battle of Coruscant, Pacifier of Togruta Uprising

PERSONALITY TRAITS
Patriotic, Charismatic, Genius-Level Intellect, Oenophile

– Grand Moff Kilran on The Old Republic Holonet

Society

Evolved from pack creatures, Togrutas are effective hunters and work well in large groups.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Togrutas are a peaceful, quiet people who are fierce in combat. Loyal to a cause and happy in larger groups, they work well with others and easily fit into teams of mixed cultures. Most do not like to be alone, however, and will tend to follow other members of their group around simply for companionship.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

While urban life has begun to emerge, the majority of Togrutas still live in dense communal villages within Shili’s forested canopies and hidden valleys. In these places, they live in harmony with nature. Every member of a community is expected to learn to work in concert with other members of the pack, contributing to everyone’s overall success.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Individualism

Only Togrutas who are independent-minded—a relatively rare trait for them—travel off-world.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Togruta society considers overt independence a sign of mild deviance and consequently discourages individuality. Paradoxically, Togrutas who rise to positions of prominence generally do so by judiciously exercising their individualism, Outsiders see this as a sign of the ongoing social evolution of the Togruta people.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Togruta society discourages independence, and yet many Togrutas have gained power and prestige through individuality. Togrutas are social, forthright, perceptive, and attentive.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Strong-willed Toqrutas who exnibit too much independence find life on Shili constricting and leave their homeworld to “hunt among the stars,” Togruta adventurers can belong to any class, although nobles, scouts, soldiers, and Force adepts are the most common.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Most Togrutas consider excessive expressions of individuality to be a sign of social deviance. Yet in many instances, this same deviation is rewarded, as distinctive individuals can rise to positions of authority within Togrutas communities. Some outsiders have observed that the willingness for Togruta culture to excuse individuality generally depends on how successful and valuable those individuals are to the greater whole. If independent-minded Togrutas cannot succeed among their peoples, they tend to travel off-world, where they may find the attitudes of the wider galaxy more accepting.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

Loneliness

As Togrutas prefer company and normally shun individual independence, those who live solitary lives away from their people can suffer from acute bouts of depression, putting great pressure on themselves to make up for the life they left behind. Jedi Master Shaak Ti recorded some of her own troubles with this problem even as she proudly espoused the Jedi lifestyle. Some attempt to cling to their non-Togruta friends in order to make up for what they miss in their pack-based life back home. In their culture, individuality is considered somewhat deviant, and yet those who take leadership positions among their people are sometimes forced to achieve their goals through calculated individualism. Sociologists claim this is a sign of the further social evolution of the Togruta people.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Venom

Togrutas are commonly (and mistakenly) believed to be venomous—another holdover from their primitive ancestors. In truth, Togrutas are not poisonous, and they have no idea how that rumor arose. Their eating habits might have something to do with it: Togrutas who enjoy devouring thimiars—small rodents native to Shili—use their sharp incisors to quickly and painlessly kill their meals before partaking. To a non-Togruta, the little creature’s death throes could appear as though it had been poisoned by the Togruta’s bite. In reality, these are just postmortem muscle spasms.

– Star Wars Ultimate Alien Anthology

Many outsiders have the misconception that Togrutas are venomous, as they possess prominent incisors that give the impression of a snake’s venom-projecting teeth. Togrutas frequently have no idea how this perception originated, but sociologists believe it is because Togrutas prefer to eat their smaller prey while it’s still alive, much like Thisspiasians. One of their favorite meals is thimiars, small rodents that hide in the grasslands of Shilis Togrutas will take a living thimiar and bite into it with their incisors, killing the creatures quickly and painlessly, and so observers have been known to mistake the thimiar’s death throes for the jolts of an animal dying of poisoning. But even though these convulsions are merely postmortem muscle spasms, most Togrutas will not correct the misconception that they are venomous.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

Perception of the Force

Togrutas do not have a native Force tradition, but numerous members of the species did travel off-world to join the Jedi Order. Jedi scholars believe that Togrutas have a heightened affinity for the Force. This is most commonly demonstrated through their exceptional spatial senses, which play a major role in their ability to respond to their environment.

– Star Wars: Forces of Destiny rulebook

The Jedi

With very few exceptions, Togrutas who venture offworld are members of the Jedi Order, and, notably, they tend to be female. Although there is no independent Force tradition on Shili, recovered historical records indicate Togrutas have joined the Jedi as far back as the very beginning of the order, often serving with distinction. As already noted, Shaak Ti was a Jedi Master, one of several Togrutas to earn the rank. In addition, a Togruta female youngling named Ashla was a Padawan at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during the Clone Wars, and perhaps not coincidentally, her name is an ancient word associated with the light side of the Force. Although reasons for the Togrutas playing such a considerable role in Jedi history are at best speculative due to Emperor Palpatine’s destruction of records specifically related to the Jedi and the achievements of non-human species, it appears this species has a special affinity for the Force. How they achieve this heightened Force sense is also a point of speculation, as they have, at best, average midi-chlorian counts in comparison to other species. However, given that Togruta feel a bond with the land (or the planet they happen to be on), as demonstrated by their preference for being barefoot, they may have a unique ability to tap into the life essence of the universe in ways that defy description in terms of the Force or simple midi-chlorian counts. Furthermore, Togrutas are a herding and hunting people, which heightens the detailed spatial sense imparted from their montrails, even for non-Force sensitives. With such an instinctual response to their environment, Togrutas would find feeling the Living Force easier than other species.

– Star Wars The New Essential Guide to Alien Species

The Jedi Order has a large number of Togrutas within its ranks, with many possessing incredibly strong Force sensitivity. Jedi scholars believe the unique hollow structure of the Togrutas’ horns, known as montrals, is somehow responsible for their talent with the Force. Others speculate that their cultural background makes them more disposed to the Jedi lifestyle. What is clear is that the Togrutas have thrived with the Jedi and have become one of the most dedicated species within the Order.

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia

The Republic

That Togrutas have adapted, flourished, and spread throughout the galaxy is a testament to their culture, which values teamwork and tribal unity as skills crucial to survival, When they discovered that the Republic shared these ideals, Togrutas almost universally pledged themselves as devoted members of the Republic.

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia

Republic Military Rescue

Lodish – Master Jedi, please, so cold…. We’ve been on Hoth for years, fighting for the Republic, freezing, barely surviving. We were almost free, but a surprise attack… snow melted by Togruta blood. We’re all that’s left. Freedom was so close… we can’t help but feel cursed. The Empire. They ruined everything! High Command removed us from combat rotation. We received clearance, packed to go home to Shili. Then the Imperials raided our camp. We escaped with our lives, but we left our clearance permits behind. Can’t leave Hoth without them. Reissues take six months minimum, and we won’t survive that long. Last we saw, our camps were overrun with Imperials. If you find our clearance permits, we’d be grateful. Our homeplanet calls us. Please find our permits.

Lodish – Our clearance permits, you find them! We’ll receive our shuttle passes soon. I can already feel Shili’s grass between my toes. We must prepare for departure. Soon the sun of Shili will warm our faces again!

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Togruta Rescue quest excerpts excerpts

Raana Tey

The youngest of the Taris Masters, Raana Tey came to Krynda not for training, but for medical help. When doctors on Shili were unable to help the child cope with her headaches or night terrors, a passing Jedi suspected runaway Force visions and sent her to Krynda. Krynda devised therapy sessions in which the other Covenant scers would help Raana Tey regulate her thoughts and cope with day-to-day life. The grateful Raana Tey devoted herself to the Covenant’s cause, her Togruta nature propelling her to acts of wild individualism as she traveled with them. But her nightmares worsened after [the death of] Kamlin, her Falleen apprentice—and the break-up of the WatchCircle by the Jedi Council removed the support system upon which she had come to rely. By the time she was ordered by the Chancellor to return to Taris—alone—her sanity was already at serious risk.

– Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Handbook

Ashara Zavros

A twenty-year-old Togruta Padawan, Ashara Zavros descends from a long line of Force users. From an early age, she has aspired to study the Force and become one of the best Jedi the order has to offer. Ashara came to Taris to train under Jedi Masters Ryen and Ocera, whose philosophy is that Padawans best learn the travails of using the Force through firsthand experience of the galaxy. In Ashara’s case, the Masters brought her to Taris for two reasons: First, to teach her compassion amidst the destruction that had occurred there and warn against the dangers of pride and the dark side. Second, to complete her trials by helping to drive a dark ghost from the ruins of a Jedi enclave.

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Ashara Zavros companion entry

Aliens in the Empire

Ashara Zavros – I’m realizing there’s a lot I don’t understand about the Empire. They certainly talk a lot about strength. But freedom? From what I’ve seen, that belongs to a select few. Slavery is everywhere. And even among the so-called free, only the Sith act with any sort of independence. How you can support an Empire that actively enslaves and spits on your people?

(If the player replies “People like us need to work harder to overcome our natural disadvantages.”):

Ashara Zavros – What? Do you actually believe that you’re inferior to humans? The original Sith weren’t human. Their whole attitude toward aliens is built on a lie, so they can control you. You shouldn’t have to compromise who you are. You don’t have to stay, you know. You could go to the Republic. As Jedi, we sacrifice our emotions and our fears, but not our identities. Might be more freeing than you think. Sure there are rules, but it beats looking over your shoulder every five seconds.

(If the player replies “They let some aliens become Sith.”):

Ashara Zavros – Grudgingly, from what I’ve seen. It doesn’t sound as if merit has anything to do with it.

(If the player replies “I can do far more good among the Sith than I can as a Jedi.”):

Ashara Zavros – I want to believe that. It just seems like the deck is stacked against us. They hate aliens so much. I’m worried they can only fear you, never respect you. It’s hard to see good in an empire that thinks of non-humans as nothing more than slaves.

Ashara Zavros – I suppose no civilization is perfect. I just wonder–the original Sith weren’t human. It’s a contradiction. I’m beginning to see that, but I’m not sure I like it. That’s what we’re working towards, right. Maybe not a good Empire, but a reasonable one.

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Ashara Zavros excerpts form companion conversation

Shaak Ti

The Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti had the unpleasant distinction of having trained two Padawan leamers who met violent deaths shortly after becoming Jedi Knights. Because the Jedi as a whole do not believe in coincidence, this fact led some younger Jedi to speculate that Shaak Ti was somehow an instrument of the will of the Force. Either those she trained would meet untimely ends, or her training methods were flawed.

Shaak Ti had an unusual training style, especially for a Jedi Master who professed to be more interested in talking than fighting. A native of the planet Shili, Shaak Ti took her Padawan learners back to her homeworld, where she taught them the Jedi arts among the vast, dry scrublands where the Togruta people evolved from pack hunters to sentient beings. Her Padawans experienced a sort of communion with nature, but very little in the way of actual practical application. While they studied the ways of the Force, they learned little else. Shaak Ti felt on a primal level that the training was more important than experience.

The Jedi Council bore the responsibility of deciding whether a Jedi applied it well in actual practice. This mentality illustrated her pack hunter heritage—those who cannot run with the pack are left to die. According to Shaak Ti, this is the way of nature, and therefore the will of the Force. The Jedi Council could not fault Shaak Ti’s logic, but because Shaak Ti showed no remorse over the deaths of her former apprentices, they felt reluctant about assigning her another Padawan.

Despite her seemingly unfeeling demeanor, Shaak Ti had a subtle sense of humor. Her natural patterning—the redand-white banded stripes that allow her species to blend in so well among its homeworld’s scrublands—could be quite startling when Shaak Ti moved suddenly. Perhaps it roused distant racial memories of ancient predators or merely illustrated that Master Shaak Ti’s predatory ancestors were not too many generations removed. The Togruta species is also rumored to be venomous, and Master Shaak Ti made no real effort to dispel this rumor, Shaak Ti used her species’ reputation to its full advantage when it was convenient to do so, frequently stealing up behind people before speaking to them or baring her sharp incisors in a grotesque approximation of a human smile, though she was entirely capable of managing a perfectly ordinary smile.

– Star Wars: The Old Republic Ashara Zavros excerpts form companion conversation

Thank you to these players who submitted images of their Togrutas, @CarisaSWTOR, @AshiaSature, @mordorgeist, @OperaFantasm, @helmetkol, @sith_core, @DeathBeam3, @kittytreets, @katerinafm, @UnS_witchii, @JimL1978, @SehtBrassHeart, @JediMaestr0, @temor511, @ladymuse97, @GTarilk, @Caelvin_Dulany, @WardenVakarian, @vohlos, @DatAsuna, @scruffynerfher, @theillusorydays, @jhock115, , @thelastenvoyyy, @Matrixvamp, @TMJfin, @coffeeacidd, @GrandDarkElf, @MissDeadlySith, @ecxrin, @Graymaybe, @Zephiel51, @goddessofcheese, @Darkfie1d, @loreleif, @kellie15424339, @finn92ua, @RealisticSK, @ferikvok123, @stepkkrewshelle, @breemeersen, @blusterworld, @UnS_witchii, ARCTraitin4466, Littlone200q, Paradox, Anurzin and to Zahk and Audrea aka Team NAS for supporting this huge project!