GoCorral

Subraces

There are two subraces of githyanki, those that are loyal to the Lich-queen and those that are not. Loyal githyanki are the overwhelming majority and referred to as githyanki. Dissidents are known as githzerai.

Githyanki: Githyanki serve the Lich-queen and live in the Astral Plane. They raid other dimensions for food, water, and entertainment. All githyanki serve the marauding army in one way or another. Githyanki are immortal, gathering more and more experience and skills over the millennia of their lives. When they reach the pinnacle of talent and ability they ascend to the Lich-queen.

Githzerai: Githzerai have split off from the githyanki. The reasons for leaving are varied. Some grow tired of the githyanki’s consumptive practices. Others develop a conscience and wish to live without stealing and pillaging from other worlds. Some few glimpse the terrible truth of ascending to the Lich-queen, where she devours the souls of the most proficient among the race. No matter the reason, the githzerai are githyanki that have fled the collective strength of the race to live separately.

Githzerai are a self-reflective people as many of them left the githyanki center for moral reasons. The githyanki always looked outwards for resources and stimulation, thus the githzerai look inwards. Meditation is a central part of githzerai life. They meditate on the essence of reality, their place in the universe, and how to best act in the future. This meditative culture magnifies the psionic powers of githzerai monks, making them some of the most powerful psions in the universe.

Githzerai do not live on the Astral Plane for fear of being discovered by their githyanki brethren. Instead they flee to the elemental planes or the various Material Planes across creation. Those in the elemental planes become mentally adapted to the harsh conditions of those environments. Rather than being physically resistant to fire, ice, and the other planar dangers, githzerai impose their own will upon the world around them. The elements are shaped into a hospitable environment around the githzerai. This is accomplished through application of their meditative psionic power.

Githzerai are a rare sight in Cimmeria. The region resisted githyanki control, so it may seem like a safe harbor for those escaping the Lich-queen’s dominion. Conversely, because Cimmeria resisted githyanki control it is a focused area for future probes and invasions. The githyanki hate to lose and they may return one day to complete their conquest. Githzerai in Cimmeria are deep in hiding should the githyanki discover them. Additionally, they have an escape route to another plane ready at all times.

Location

Githyanki live in the Astral Plane outside of Cimmeria’s typical reality. Scouting parties of githyanki still visit Cimmeria, hoping to undo the banishment of the Lich-queen. Other groups of githyanki that have split off from their mono-culture hope to make a new home for their race in Cimmeria where the Lich-queen can’t reach them. The main githyanki army searches for those resistance groups to eliminate and/or reintegrate them into the broader collective. Either way, there are no large groups of githyanki in Cimmeria or across the rest of Earth.