Virnok was one of the captains of the Githyanki Supreme Leader, Melimpor. His specialty was the hunting and killing of Illithids. He led a crack team of Githyanki fighters that are said to have slain thousands of Illithids. Virnok carried a powerful great sword, named Turant, which was believed to aid him in finding and killing Illithids. Virnok was never seen without his precious sword.
While on a hunting expedition that led them to the material plane, Virnok was 
  killed by a group of powerful Illithids. An elaborate trap was set by the Illithids 
  who knew all too well how dangerous Virnok was to them. They lured Virnok and 
  his party into a small cave. There, they were able to surround Virnok's party 
  and kill many of them. Just when it seemed that Virnok was about to turn the 
  tide in his favor, the Illithids unleashed a powerful artifact. The few survivors 
  stated later that the Illithids threw something at Virnok hitting him in the 
  chest. They watched in horror has Virnok fell to the ground, dropping his sword, 
  and was then pulled through a rift to the Astral Plane. Virnok's body, his equipment, 
  and his sword were lost forever.