Marn Hierogryph

"Small-time hood?! Accessory?! I'm not an accessory! I am a mastermind!"

- Marn Hierogryph to Zayne Carrick, after seeing his description on a wanted poster

Marn "Gryph" Hierogryph, also known as Baron Hieromarn, was a Snivvian black-marketeer and confidence trickster who resided on Taris during the Mandalorian Wars. Competing with the Black Vulkars and the Hidden Beks for market superiority, Hierogryph's activities riled the Tarisian constabulary, leading them to enlist the services of the Jedi Order. Padawan Zayne Carrick was tasked with apprehending Hierogrpyh, but time and time again, the Snivvian was able to elude him. On the Jedi's ninth attempt, he finally caught Hierogrpyh, but a sudden turn of events–the Padawan Massacre of Taris–forced the two to work together to escape the Jedi Covenant.

Enlisting the services of Gorman Vandrayk and Jarael, Hierogryph and Carrick were able to escape Taris, though not without sizeable bounties on their heads. Eventually, the group became entangled in the Mandalorian Wars, during which Hierogrpyh put his confidence skills to good use. After retrieving funds from the banking world of Telerath, and departing from Vandrayk and Jarael's company, Hierogryph and Carrick masqueraded as civilian supply personnel on Serroco. Unfortunately for the pair, the Mandalorians attacked, and while Carrick was able to escape the nuclear bombardment of the planet, it appeared that Hierogryph had perished.

Biography
"Blast it! I hate it when my cons come true."

- Marn, when he, Zayne and Camper are attacked by Mandalorians

Marn's mother was named Glomkettle.

After Carrick was finally able to capture Gryph (after nine unsuccessful attempts), he returned with him to the Temple. While inside, Zayne found his Masters had slain his fellow Padawans, and was just barely able to escape with his speeder and Gryph (who was still handcuffed to the vehicle). Shortly afterwards the two saw a wanted poster circulating near the SoroSuub District; Zayne had been framed for the murders, with Gryph more indignant to find himself described as an 'accessory'.

Gryph had numerous contacts in the Lower City of Taris, including the aging mechanic Camper. Camper and Gryph had worked together to smuggle the fugitive Zovius Mendu to Corellia a few months before Gryph was captured by Zayne. Gryph decided to call on Camper for help in his plan to get off Taris. After telling Zayne he would take him to the Undercity (and inadvertently misleading Master Q'Anilia), Gryph first called on the help of two Wookiee garbage collectors. Then, he convinced some Black Vulkars under Benno who had captured him and Zayne to let them go. Then Gryph revealed his true plan to Zayne: they would ask for help from Camper and his associate Jarael. However, upon arriving at Camper and Jarael's homebase at Junk Junction, Jarael was suspicious of the fugitive duo and attacked Zayne. Initially both Jarael and Camper refused to help Zayne and Gryph (Jarael because of Zayne's indirect role in convincing Lhosan Industries to leave Taris, and Camper because of Gryph's failure to pay him for the Mendu transaction). However, when a force led by Constable Sowrs and Jedi Master Lucien Draay arrived on the scene, Jarael and Camper allowed Zayne and Gryph to escape with them on their ship Last Resort. The group planned to retrace Zayne's steps, returning to every world where he was trained.

It was the bounty hunter Valius Ying that captured the crew of the Last Resort inside the Oroko's tractor beam. Gryph explained Zayne that Ying would let go the crew of the Last Resort but not Zayne. The bounty of Zayne was too high to let him go.

Gryph was saddened by this turn of events, claiming that while Snivvians 'played' at careers (such his own criminal enterprise) the situation had simply grown too deadly for him to continue aiding his friend. Accordingly Gryph acquiesced to Zayne's captivity but secretly began planning the Padawan's salvation. On Taris when Lucien Draay and the Covenant were going to kill Zayne, Jarael and the crew of the Last Resort made an amazing rescue in the citadel. After they were out from the grasp of the Covenant, Gryph told Zayne that they were going to make a great team together. Only with one condition, that Gryph wouldn't call Zayne "Intern", so the Snivvian promptly voiced the equally unflattering title "Henchman".

Gryph was present on mining colony of Vanquo when the Mandalorians attacked and took his companion, Jarael, captive. When the renegade Mandalorian Rohlan Dyre joined them, he agreed to take them to Flashpoint Station where Jarael was held captive. The plan would be that Zayne would plant mining charges on structural points on the station. After the charges were set, Gryph disguised himself as a Republic Admiral of the cruiser "Glomkettle" (his mother's name) and blew the charges up, forcing the Mandalorians to evacuate. The Jedi were rescued and Jarael and Zayne returned to the Last Resort and unknowingly had Rohlan as a stowaway.

Life on the run proved to be costly and the crew of the Last Resort needed money. Unfortunately, as a fugitive, Gryphs bank accounts were frozen. Zayne, Camper, Jarael traveled to the banking world of Telerath to unfreeze them. Camper and Jarael disguised themselves as high-ranking officials by the names of "Baron Hyro Margryph " and "Chantique" who claimed that their accounts were frozen unjustly due to the similarities in the names. The ruse was a success. However, their banker, who coincidently was Zayne Carrick's father, Arvan, was captured by the Moomo Brothers.

He and Zayne decided to leave the rest of the crew of the Last Resort on the planet Ralltiir. With the money they acquired from Arvan, Gryph hired a Trandoshan known as Slyssk to steal the ship known as the Little Bivoli. Due to the lack of credits, Gryph staged it so he would save Slyssk life, forcing him to swear a life debt to Gryph. Unfortunately, Gryph did not expect Slyssk to become so devoted to his savior. The trio launched but were forced to Serroco with the Republic Navy to cover the fact that they had stolen their mess-hall ship.

Hoping to make some credit during this time, Gryph hailed the Little Bivoli, "When the mandies get here, they'll have to eat standing." Even after Zayne Carrick had a vision of the future, a vision of the Stereb cities being destroyed by the Mandalorians, Gryph wanted to stay and make all the credits he could.

Gryph, along with Slyssk, was still present on Serroco during the Mandalorian nuclear attack. It is very possible that they were both killed in the assault.

Behind the scenes

 * John Jackson Miller originally intended Gryph to be an Ortolan. However, Brian Ching convinced him to change, due to the fact that Ortolans have no facial expressions.
 * In a podcast, Miller also said that Gryph has "a little bit of Peter Lorre in him," as well as Steve Buscemi.
 * Marn's surname, Hierogryph, appears to be a play on the word hieroglyph, meaning a type of pictogram used by the ancient Egyptians in their written language.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 0: Crossroads
 * The Taris Holofeed: Prime Edition
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Commencement
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Flashpoint
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Reunion
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Days of Fear
 * The Adjudicator Special Report: The Outer Rim
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 16: Nights of Anger, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 20: Daze of Hate, Part 2
 * The Adjudicator Special Report: Tools of the Trade
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 21: Daze of Hate, Part 3