Githyanki

Posted by EarthDragon on 22nd August 2015.

Githyanki are an ancient race of martial humanoids residing in the vastness of the transitive Borderlund. From their Borderlund citadels, they launch countless raids against unfortunate regions within The Unification, carrying off booty and slaves to serve them in their extraplanar castles. Fortunately, they raid at least as frequently in lands held by The Fallen, and they are, if anything, somewhat more brutal there than they are in The Unification. This has earned a certain wary respect which means that individual githyanki are not automatically hated as Fallen, though they are often distrusted and treated with great wariness and suspicion. They are widely known as planar travellers and marauders, and they venture to all corners of the multiverse in search of power and wealth.

   Personality

Most githyanki are cruel, rapacious murderers, but so are many Civilians within The Unification. They generally revel in warfare and conquest. They are extraordinarily arrogant, and view other humanoids native to the Prime Material Plane with nothing less than utter contempt, be they Unification or Fallen humanoids. Even the most open-minded githyanki is smugly convinced of their own ability to handle any kind of trouble that might arise on whatever backwater plane they happen to be travelling through and many are bitingly sarcastic and rude to those they perceive to be their inferiors (i.e. everybody). While others find them caustic and condescending, githyanki are often ambitious, clever, and uncomplaining in adversity – qualities that make them well suited to vicissitudes of the adventurer’s life. They are not particularly loyal allies and make few friends, but they are fearsome and tireless foes who don’t know when to quit.

   Physical Description

Githyanki are tall, gaunt humanoids averaging a little over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 170 pounds. They have rough, yellow skin and russet hair, which they often pull back into a pair of topknots. Their noses are almost flat, their eyes have a sinister gleam and their ears are sharply pointed. Githyanki favour ornate and complex clothing and weapons.

   Relations

Most githyanki regard the Material Plane denizens as ignorant bumpkins at best – or, at worst, slaves that haven’t been captured yet. A few githyanki rise above these conceits and come to value the skills and knowledge of those they encounter in their travels – but these individuals are uncommon, to say the least. Regardless of what they think of the Material Plane inhabitants, githyanki burn with hatred for the ancient enemies of their race – the mind flayers, who once enslaved them (and now form one of the higher echelons of The Fallen) and the githzerai, who betrayed the teachings of the great leader Gith (as the githyanki see it). No githyanki will pass up a chance to work harm against either of these foes. In the presence of both, they are inclined to first join with the githzerai to dispose of the mind flayers, then turn on their alienated kinfolk once the illithids are no more.

   Alignment

Most githyanki are ambitious, cruel, self-centred, and violent. They favour evil alignments, particularly neutral evil and chaotic evil. Those who have decided to turn their backs on their native society are neutral or chaotic neutral. Very few (if any) githyanki are lawful or good.

   Githyanki Racial Traits