Gith (race): Difference between revisions

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{{Creature
{{Creature
| image        = Gith-5e.png
| image        = [[File:Githyanki08-5e.png|250px]]
| caption      = A [[githyanki]] riding a [[red dragon]] faces a [[githzerai]].
| caption      = A [[githyanki]] riding a red [[dragon]] faces a [[githzerai]]. Art by Zoltan Boros (2018)
| name        = Gith
| name        = Gith
| size5e      = Medium
| size5e      = Medium
Line 8: Line 8:
| alignment5e  =  
| alignment5e  =  
| challenge5e  =  
| challenge5e  =  
| refs5e      = <ref name="MM5e-p158-161">{{Cite book/Monster Manual 5th edition|158-161}}</ref>
| refs5e      = <ref name="MM5e-p158-161">{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}
| size4e      =  
| size4e      =  
| origin4e    =  
| origin4e    =  
Line 20: Line 20:
| alignment3e  =  
| alignment3e  =  
| challenge3e  = 1
| challenge3e  = 1
| refs3e      = <ref name="MMv.3.5-pp127-130">{{Cite book/Monster Manual 3.5|127-130}}</ref><ref name="EPH-pp198-199">{{Cite book/Expanded Psionics Handbook|198-199}}</ref>
| refs3e      = {{csb|Monster Manual 3.5|127-130}}{{csb|Expanded Psionics Handbook|198-199}}
| size2e      = Medium
| size2e      = Medium
| alignment2e  =  
| alignment2e  =  
| refs2e      = <ref name="MM2e-p152-156">{{Cite book/Monstrous Manual|152-156}}</ref>
| refs2e      = {{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}
| size1e      = Medium
| size1e      = Medium
| alignment1e  =  
| alignment1e  =  
| refs1e      = <ref name="FF1e-p43-45">{{Cite book/Fiend Folio 1st edition|43-45}}</ref>
| refs1e      = {{csb|Fiend Folio first edition|43-45}}
| patron deity =  
| patron deity =  
| vision      = [[Darkvision]]<ref name="MMv.3.5-pp127-130" />
| vision      = [[Darkvision]]{{csb|Monster Manual 3.5|127-130}}
| activecycle  = Any<ref name="MM2e-p152-156" />
| activecycle  = Any{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}
| diet        = Omnivore<ref name="MM2e-p152-156" />
| diet        = Omnivore{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}
| lifespan    = 100 years<ref name="MTF5e-p96-97" />
| lifespan    = 100 years{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}
| location    = [[Astral Plane]], [[Limbo]],<ref name="MTF5e-ch4">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}}</ref> [[Wildspace]]<ref name="MC72e-p41">{{Cite book/Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix 1|41}}</ref><ref name="MM2e-p152-156" />
| location    = [[Astral Plane]], [[Limbo]],{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}} [[Wildspace]]{{csb|Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix 1|41}}{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}
| language    = [[Gith language|Gith]], [[Common]]<ref name="EPH-p11">{{Cite book/Expanded Psionics Handbook|11}}</ref><ref name="MTF5e-p96-97" />
| language    = [[Gith language|Gith]], [[Common]]{{csb|Expanded Psionics Handbook|11}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}
| subraces    = [[Githyanki]]<ref name="FF1e-p43-45" /><ref name="MTF5e-p96-97" /><br />[[Githzerai]]<ref name="FF1e-p43-45" /><ref name="MTF5e-p96-97" /><br />[[Pirate of Gith|Pirates of Gith]]<ref name="MC72e-p41" /><ref name="MM2e-p152-156" /><br />[[Githvyrik]]<ref name="DoN-p3,7,47">{{Cite book/Dawn of Night|3,7,47}}</ref>
| subraces    = [[Githyanki]]{{csb|Fiend Folio first edition|43-45}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}<br />[[Githzerai]]{{csb|Fiend Folio first edition|43-45}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}<br />[[Pirate of Gith|Pirates of Gith]]{{csb|Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix 1|41}}{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}<br />[[Githvyrik]]{{csb|Dawn of Night|3,7,47}}
| climate      =  
| climate      =  
| terrain      =  
| terrain      =  
| height      = {{SIrange|5'1"|7'|'"}}<ref name="MTF5e-p96-97">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}</ref>
| height      = {{SIrange|5'1"|7'|' }}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}
| length      =  
| length      =  
| wingspan    =  
| wingspan    =  
| weight      = {{SIrange|92|196|lb}}<ref name="MTF5e-p96-97" />
| weight      = {{SIrange|92|196|lb}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|96-97}}
| skincolor    = Pale yellow with green or brown tones<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46">{{Cite book/A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}</ref><ref name="PHB34e-p9">{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 3|9}}</ref>
| skincolor    = Pale yellow with green or brown tones{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Player's Handbook 3|9}}
| haircolor    = Black, red, russet, gray<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /><ref name="PHB34e-p9" />
| haircolor    = Black, red, russet, gray{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Player's Handbook 3|9}}
| hairstyles  =  
| hairstyles  =  
| feathers    =  
| feathers    =  
| eyecolor    =  
| eyecolor    =  
| build        = Slender humanoid<ref name="MTF5e-p96-97"/>
| build        = Slender humanoid{{csb|MToF|96-97}}
| distinctions = Flattened noses<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46"/><ref name="PHB34e-p9"/>
| distinctions = Flattened noses{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Player's Handbook 3|9}}
| based        =  
| based        =  
| first        = [[Fiend Folio 1st edition|''Fiend Folio'' 1st edition]]
| first        = [[Fiend Folio first edition|''Fiend Folio'' first edition]]
}}
}}
The '''gith''' ({{SingPl}}) were a race of [[humanoid]]s who had been enslaved by [[mind flayer]]s for countless generations.<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /> Some sages claimed that they were once descended from [[human]]s,<ref name="FF1e-p43-45" /><ref name="MM2e-p152-156" /><ref name="PoC2e-p29">{{Cite book/Planes of Chaos/The Travelogue|29}}</ref><ref name="Poly159-p6">{{Cite polyhedron/159/Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen|6}}</ref> while others maintained that their original race was in fact unknown.<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /><ref name="Dr378-p80">{{Cite dragon/378/Playing Githzerai|80}}</ref><ref name="LoM3e-p72-73">{{Cite book/Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|72-73}}</ref> After breaking free from their enslavement, philosophical differences led to a bitter internal conflict, which divided the gith into two main different races at constant odds with each other: the [[githyanki]] and the [[githzerai]].<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /><ref name="MTF5e-ch4" /><ref name="MM14e-p128-131">{{Cite book/Monster Manual 4th edition|128-131}}</ref>
The '''gith''' are a race of humanoids who were enslaved by [[mind flayer]]s for countless generations.{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}} Some sages claim they were once descended from [[human]]s,{{csb|Fiend Folio first edition|43-45}}{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}{{csb|Planes of Chaos|The Travelogue|29}}{{Cite polyhedron|159|6|Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen}} while others maintained that their original race was in fact unknown.{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}{{Cite dragon|378|80|Playing Githzerai}}{{csb|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|72-73}} After breaking free from their enslavement, philosophical differences led to a bitter internal conflict, which divided the gith into two main different races at constant odds with each other: the [[githyanki]] and the [[githzerai]].{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}}{{csb|Monster Manual fourth edition|128-131}}


==Description==
==Description==
Gith were tall and emaciated-looking humanoids.<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /> They had pale yellow skin, sometimes with greenish or brownish tones. Their skulls were long and angular, with deep-set eyes, flattened noses, and pointed, serrated ears. Typical hair colors included black, red, russet, and sometimes gray.<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /><ref name="PHB34e-p9" />
Gith are tall and emaciated-looking humanoids.{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}} They have pale yellow skin, sometimes with greenish or brownish tones. Their skulls are long and angular, with deep-set eyes, flattened noses, and pointed, serrated ears. Typical hair colors include black, red, russet, and sometimes gray.{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Player's Handbook 3|9}}


==Society==
==Society==
The gith were an utterly sundered race. Divided by generations of conflict and ideological differences, the two main sects of the gith people regarded each other with nothing but contempt, hate, and wariness.<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /><ref name="MTF5e-ch4" /> The intense hatred that divided the race was further exploited and amplified by the mind flayers themselves, who kept spies in both githyanki and githzerai communities tasked with stoking their ancient rivalries.<ref name="LoM3e-p72-73" />
The gith are an utterly sundered race. Divided by generations of conflict and ideological differences, the two main sects of the gith people regard each other with nothing but contempt, hate, and wariness.{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}} The intense hatred which divided the race was further exploited and amplified by the mind flayers themselves, who kept spies in both githyanki and githzerai communities tasked with stoking their ancient rivalries.{{csb|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|72-73}}


However, a splinter faction of renegade githyanki and githzerai known as the [[Sha'sal Khou]] sought to overcome the differences between the two races and bring them together as a single people.<ref name="WDMM5e-p193">{{Cite book/Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage|193}}</ref> They worked secretly within the two races discouraging violence against each other in the hopes of becoming able to call their people simply "gith".<ref name="MTF5e-p97">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|97}}</ref><ref name="Dng100-p98">{{Cite dungeon/100/The Lich-Queen's Beloved|98}}</ref>
However, a splinter faction of renegade githyanki and githzerai known as the [[Sha'sal Khou]] seek to overcome the differences between the two races and bring them together as a single people.{{cite dungeon|168|51|Tyranny of Souls}}{{csb|Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage|193}} They worked secretly within the two races discouraging violence against each other in the hopes of becoming able to call their people simply "gith".{{cite dungeon|168|51|Tyranny of Souls}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|97}}{{Cite dungeon|100|98|The Lich-Queen's Beloved}}


Two other subraces existed among the gith:
Two other subraces existed among the gith:
* The isolationist [[pirate of Gith|pirates of Gith]] chose to remain in the [[Prime Material plane]] and did not follow their cousins into the [[Astral Plane]] or [[Limbo]]. Instead, they chose a lifestyle of piracy in [[wildspace]], although they retained their extremely militarized society.<ref name="MC72e-p41" /><ref name="MM2e-p152-156" />
* The isolationist "pirates of [[Gith]]" chose to remain in the [[Material Plane|Prime Material plane]] and did not follow their cousins into the [[Astral Plane]] or [[Limbo]]. Instead, they chose a lifestyle of piracy in [[wildspace]], although they retained their extremely militarized society.{{csb|Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix 1|41}}{{csb|Monstrous Manual|152-156}}
* The [[githvyrik]], a small group of gith who did not identify as either githyanki or githzerai.<ref name="DoN-p3,7,47" />
* The [[githvyrik]], a small group of gith who did not identify as either githyanki or githzerai.{{csb|Dawn of Night|3,7,47}}


===Language===
===Language===
{{Main|Gith language}}
The githyanki and the githzerai each speak their own dialect of the Gith language, which uses a unique form of writing called [[tir'su]]. It is an alphabetical set of runes in which words are formed in circles instead of linearly, with the letters of a given word linked in a ring. Githyanki arrange the characters clockwise from the top, while githzerai arranged them counter-clockwise from the bottom. Sentences are formed by a series of these rings.{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|90}}{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}{{Cite dungeon|100|104-105|The Lich-Queen's Beloved}}
The githyanki and the githzerai each spoke their own dialect of the Gith language, which used a unique form of writing called [[tir'su]]. It was an alphabetical set of runes in which words were formed in circles instead of linearly, with the letters of a given word linked in a ring. Githyanki arranged the characters clockwise from the top, while githzerai arranged them counter-clockwise from the bottom. Sentences were formed by a series of these rings.<ref name="MTF5e-p90">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|90}}</ref><ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /><ref name="DM100-p104-105">{{Cite dungeon/100/The Lich-Queen's Beloved|104-105}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
===Origins===
===Origins===
The ancient origin of the gith was clouded in mystery. Even the name of that original race, which some referred to as "the forerunners",<ref name="Dr378-p80" /> was lost to time.<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" /> Some sources claimed that they were originally humans from a world called [[Pharagos]],<ref name="Poly159-p38-39">{{Cite polyhedron/159/Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen|38-39}}</ref> located in an unknown [[crystal sphere]] that had been conquered by the illithids during the expansion of their empire, and who had been slowly altered by the mind flayers' genetic experiments.<ref name="Poly159-p6" /> Others claimed that they might have been created by the illithids themselves through mixing humanoid hosts with powers from the [[Far Realm]].<ref name="Dr378-p80" />
The ancient origin of the gith is clouded in mystery. Even the name of the original race, which some referred to as "the forerunners",{{Cite dragon|378|80Playing Githzerai}} was lost to time.{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}} Some sources claimed that they were originally humans from a world called [[Pharagos]],{{Cite polyhedron|159|38-39|Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen}} located in an unknown crystal sphere which had been conquered by the illithids during the expansion of their empire, and who had been slowly altered by the mind flayers' genetic experiments.{{Cite polyhedron|159|6|Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen}} Others claimed that they might have been created by the illithids themselves through mixing humanoid hosts with powers from the [[Far Realm]].{{Cite dragon|378|80Playing Githzerai}}


[[File:Githyanki-mind_flayer.jpg|thumb|250px|''A githyanki attacks a mind flayer.'']]
[[File:Githyanki07-mind flayer.jpg|thumb|250px|''A githyanki attacks a mind flayer.'' Art by Wayne Reynolds, 2005.]]
It had been suggested that the enslavement of the gith and the [[duergar]] happened during the early expansion of the mind flayer empire.<ref name="LoM3e-p7">{{Cite book/Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations}}</ref> Whether the gith were human or some unknown humanoid race, centuries of servitude and selective breeding changed them considerably. In a practical sense, the gith were in fact made by the mind flayers.<ref name="LoM3e-p72-73" />
It has been suggested that the enslavement of the gith and the [[duergar]] happened during the early expansion of the mind flayer empire.{{csb|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations}} Whether the gith were human or some unknown humanoid race, centuries of servitude and selective breeding changed them considerably. In a practical sense, the gith are in fact made by the mind flayers.{{csb|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|72-73}}


Although revolts were not uncommon among the mind flayers' slaves, for a long time they posed no challenge. However, over time some slaves developed some resistance against their masters' mind control and started secretly improving their [[psionic]] abilities. When they judged that the time was right, the forerunners, under the guidance of their leader [[Gith]], revolted in an unprecedented uprising, causing a chain reaction that culminated in the death of countless [[elder brain]]s and ushered the downfall of the entire illithid empire.<ref name="FF1e-p43-45" /><ref name="Ill2e-p39">{{Cite book/The Illithiad|39}}</ref><ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /> In less than a year, the devastation brought the mind flayers to the brink of extinction and forced the surviving enclaves into hiding, a downfall from which they never fully recovered.<ref name="VGM5e-p71">{{Cite book/Volo's Guide to Monsters|71}}</ref>
Although revolts were not uncommon among the mind flayers' slaves, for a long time they posed no challenge. However, over time some slaves developed some resistance against their masters' mind control and started secretly improving their psionic abilities. When they judged that the time was right, the forerunners, under the guidance of their leader [[Gith]], revolted in an unprecedented uprising, causing a chain reaction that culminated in the death of countless [[elder brain]]s and ushered the downfall of the entire illithid empire.{{csb|Fiend Folio first edition|43-45}}{{csb|The Illithiad|39}}{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}} In less than a year, the devastation brought the mind flayers to the brink of extinction and forced the surviving enclaves into hiding, a downfall from which they never fully recovered.{{csb|Volo's Guide to Monsters|71}}


===Civil War and Separation===
===Civil War and Separation===
Soon after conquering their freedom, Gith ordered the continuation of the war effort. The mind flayers were to be hunted down to the last one and the gith were to establish a new empire based on conquest. At this point, [[Zerthimon]], a gith who had gathered a significant following during the fight for freedom, challenged Gith's leadership and her motives, arguing that she would end up leading the people into a similar tyranny that their former masters enforced.<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /><ref name="MTF5e-ch4" />
Soon after conquering their freedom, Gith ordered the continuation of the war effort. The mind flayers were to be hunted down to the last one and the gith were to establish a new empire based on conquest. At this point, [[Zerthimon]], a gith who had gathered a significant following during the fight for freedom, challenged Gith's leadership and her motives, arguing that she would end up leading the people into a similar tyranny that their former masters enforced.{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}}


{{fq
{{quoted text|The githyanki and the githzerai were so profoundly scarred by their enslavement to the mind flayers that they forget they were one race, united. Having won their freedom, they wage war against each other with a hatred none can fully comprehend."—[[Aristul]] the Yellow{{csb|Monster Manual fifth edition|158-161}}}}
| float  = left
The disagreement led to a violent civil war among the gith. Zerthimon was killed, and his followers, who called themselves "githzerai" (meaning "those who spurn Gith" in the Gith language{{Cite dragon|378|80Playing Githzerai}}), retreated to [[Limbo]] in defeat–but not before dealing substantial damage to Gith's forces, which could no longer sustain a continuing campaign against the mind flayers.{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}}{{csb|The Illithiad|39}}{{csb|Planes of Chaos|The Travelogue|29}} This internal struggle gave sufficient time for the surviving mind flayers to retreat and hide in well defended underground locations.{{csb|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|71}}
| width  = 300px
 
| source = [[Aristul]] the Yellow<ref name="MM5e-p158-161" />
Gith led her surviving followers, who at this point started calling themselves "githyanki" (meaning "children of Gith"{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}), to the former illithid settlements in the [[Astral Plane]], where they could regroup and gather their strength in order to resume their plans of conquering the entire multiverse, as well as exterminating both the mind flayers and the githzerai.{{csb|A Guide to the Astral Plane|44-46}}
| text  = The githyanki and the githzerai were so profoundly scarred by their enslavement to the mind flayers that they forget they were one race, united. Having won their freedom, they wage war against each other with a hatred none can fully comprehend.
}}
The disagreement led to a violent civil war among the gith. Zerthimon was killed, and his followers, who called themselves "githzerai" (meaning "those who spurn Gith" in the Gith language<ref name="Dr378-p80" />), retreated to [[Limbo]] in defeat–but not before dealing substantial damage to Gith's forces, which could no longer sustain a continuing campaign against the mind flayers.<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" /><ref name="MTF5e-ch4" /><ref name="Ill2e-p39" /><ref name="PoC2e-p29" /> This internal struggle gave sufficient time for the surviving mind flayers to retreat and hide in well defended underground locations.<ref name="LoM3e-p71">{{Cite book/Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations|71}}</ref>


Gith led her surviving followers, who at this point started calling themselves "githyanki" (meaning "children of Gith"<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" />), to the former illithid settlements in the [[Astral Plane]], where they could regroup and gather their strength in order to resume their plans of conquering the entire [[multiverse]], as well as exterminating both the mind flayers and the githzerai.<ref name="GAP2e-p44-46" />
Thus, the two divided races remained bitter enemies that constantly thwarted each other's plans. The githyanki expanded their conquering efforts to include raids into githzerai strongholds. The githzerai, while also deploying missions to root out and destroy illithid settlements, maintained a steady effort to oppose the githyanki militaristic expansion.{{csb|Planes of Chaos|The Book of Chaos|72-73}} This enduring conflict prevented either race from obtaining a decisive victory against the mind flayers and brought the conflict to a stalemate.{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes||4}}


Thus, the two divided races remained bitter enemies that constantly thwarted each other's plans. The githyanki expanded their conquering efforts to include raids into githzerai strongholds. The githzerai, while also deploying missions to root out and destroy illithid settlements, maintained a steady effort to oppose the githyanki militaristic expansion.<ref name="PC-BC2e-p72-73">{{Cite book/Planes of Chaos/The Book of Chaos|72-73}}</ref> This enduring conflict prevented either race from obtaining a decisive victory against the mind flayers and brought the conflict to a stalemate.<ref name="MTF5e-ch4" />
Vlaakith I was an advisor to Gith and helped seal the pact between red [[dragon]]s and the githyanki.  All subsequent queens of the githyanki have been named after her. Vlaakith CLVI, the immediate predecessor of the current lich-queen, ruled for over six centuries, becoming a lich at some point during her reign, before being destroyed by [[Xinfyrit]], first of the [[devourer]]s. The last queen of the githyanki, Vlaakith CLVII, died after ascending the throne without giving birth to an heir, but (like her predecessor) returned as a [[lich]]. Vlaakith CLVII has ruled the githyanki for well over a thousand years, making her the longest-reigning monarch the githyanki have ever had. Her home, the Castle Susurrus, is in the githyanki capital city, [[Tu'narath]], which is built on the god-isle of a deceased power known only as "The One in the Void."


==Notable Gith==
==Notable Gith==
* [[Al'chaia]], the githyanki leader of the [[Stardock]] crèche in the late 15{{th}} century [[DR]].<ref name="WDMM5e-p209">{{Cite book/Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage|209}}</ref>
* [[Vlaakith]], the Lich-Queen of the Gith
* [[Vhostym]], a githvyrik.<ref name="DoN-p3,7,47" />
* Zetch'r'r, a githyanki warlord and A member of the Sha’sal Khouc{{Cite dungeon|100|98|The Lich-Queen's Beloved}}
* [[Yrlakka]], a githzerai member of the Sha'sal Khou.<ref name="WDMM5e-p193" />
* [[Vhostym]], a githvyrik.{{csb|Dawn of Night|3,7,47}}
* [[Yrlakka]], a githzerai member of the Sha'sal Khou.{{csb|Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage|193}}


==Appendix==
==Appendix==
===See Also===
===See Also===
* [[Gith dictionary]]
* [[Pronouncement of Two Skies]]
* [[Pronouncement of Two Skies]]
===Appearances===
===Appearances===
:;Adventures
:;Adventures
::''[[Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage]]''
::''Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage''
:;Novels
:;Novels
::''[[Dawn of Night]]''
::''Dawn of Night''
 
==References==
===Citations===
<references />
===Bibliography===
* [[Cook, Monte]]. ''A Guide to the Astral Plane''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996.
* [[Christopher Perkins|Perkins, Christopher]]. "The Lich-Queen's Beloved."  ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' #100. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
* {{BibliographyMagazine|magazine=Dungeon|issue=168|article=A Tyranny of Souls|firstname=Robert J.|lastname=Schwalb|date=Jul 2009}}
* [[Owen K.C. Stephens|Stephens, Owen K.C.]] "The Ecology of the Devourer." ''[[dragmag|Dragon]]'' #355. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2007.
* Turnbull, Don, ed. ''Fiend Folio''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981.
* [[James Wyatt|Wyatt, James]]. "Incursion: A World Under Siege." ''[[dragmag|Dragon]]'' #309. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
* [[Don Turnbull|Turnbull, Don]]. ''Fiend Folio''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981. Item code TSR2012.
* ''Monstrous Manual''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993. Item code TSR2140.
* [[Lester Smith|Smith, Lester]] and [[Wolfgang Baur]]. ''Planes of Chaos''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994. Item code TSR2603.
* [[Mike Mearls|Mearls, Mike]], [[Jeremy Crawford]] and [[Christopher Perkins]]. ''Monster Manual''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2014. Item code A9218.
* [[Richard Baker|Baker, Richard]], [[James Jacobs]] and [[Steve Winter]]. ''Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007. Item code 17741.
{{FRwiki}}
{{index|title=Gith}}
 


===References===
[[Category:Creatures]]
{{Refs}}
[[Category:Humanoids]]
===Connections===
[[Category:Creatures of the Astral Plane]]
{{Gith}}
[[Category:Creatures of Limbo]]
[[Category:Creatures found in the Astral Plane]]
[[Category:Creatures of wildspace]]
[[Category:Creatures found in Limbo]]
[[Category:Psionic characters]]
[[Category:Creatures found in wildspace]]

Latest revision as of 08:46, 23 July 2025

Greyhawk Creature
Gith
A githyanki riding a red dragon faces a githzerai. Art by Zoltan Boros (2018)
General information
First appearance:Fiend Folio first edition

The gith are a race of humanoids who were enslaved by mind flayers for countless generations.[1] Some sages claim they were once descended from humans,[2][3][4][5] while others maintained that their original race was in fact unknown.[6][7][8] After breaking free from their enslavement, philosophical differences led to a bitter internal conflict, which divided the gith into two main different races at constant odds with each other: the githyanki and the githzerai.[6][9][10]

Description

Gith are tall and emaciated-looking humanoids.[6] They have pale yellow skin, sometimes with greenish or brownish tones. Their skulls are long and angular, with deep-set eyes, flattened noses, and pointed, serrated ears. Typical hair colors include black, red, russet, and sometimes gray.[1][11]

Society

The gith are an utterly sundered race. Divided by generations of conflict and ideological differences, the two main sects of the gith people regard each other with nothing but contempt, hate, and wariness.[6][9] The intense hatred which divided the race was further exploited and amplified by the mind flayers themselves, who kept spies in both githyanki and githzerai communities tasked with stoking their ancient rivalries.[8]

However, a splinter faction of renegade githyanki and githzerai known as the Sha'sal Khou seek to overcome the differences between the two races and bring them together as a single people.[12][13] They worked secretly within the two races discouraging violence against each other in the hopes of becoming able to call their people simply "gith".[12][14][15]

Two other subraces existed among the gith:

  • The isolationist "pirates of Gith" chose to remain in the Prime Material plane and did not follow their cousins into the Astral Plane or Limbo. Instead, they chose a lifestyle of piracy in wildspace, although they retained their extremely militarized society.[16][3]
  • The githvyrik, a small group of gith who did not identify as either githyanki or githzerai.[17]

Language

The githyanki and the githzerai each speak their own dialect of the Gith language, which uses a unique form of writing called tir'su. It is an alphabetical set of runes in which words are formed in circles instead of linearly, with the letters of a given word linked in a ring. Githyanki arrange the characters clockwise from the top, while githzerai arranged them counter-clockwise from the bottom. Sentences are formed by a series of these rings.[18][6][19]

History

Origins

The ancient origin of the gith is clouded in mystery. Even the name of the original race, which some referred to as "the forerunners",[20] was lost to time.[6] Some sources claimed that they were originally humans from a world called Pharagos,[21] located in an unknown crystal sphere which had been conquered by the illithids during the expansion of their empire, and who had been slowly altered by the mind flayers' genetic experiments.[5] Others claimed that they might have been created by the illithids themselves through mixing humanoid hosts with powers from the Far Realm.[20]

A githyanki attacks a mind flayer. Art by Wayne Reynolds, 2005.

It has been suggested that the enslavement of the gith and the duergar happened during the early expansion of the mind flayer empire.[22] Whether the gith were human or some unknown humanoid race, centuries of servitude and selective breeding changed them considerably. In a practical sense, the gith are in fact made by the mind flayers.[8]

Although revolts were not uncommon among the mind flayers' slaves, for a long time they posed no challenge. However, over time some slaves developed some resistance against their masters' mind control and started secretly improving their psionic abilities. When they judged that the time was right, the forerunners, under the guidance of their leader Gith, revolted in an unprecedented uprising, causing a chain reaction that culminated in the death of countless elder brains and ushered the downfall of the entire illithid empire.[2][23][1] In less than a year, the devastation brought the mind flayers to the brink of extinction and forced the surviving enclaves into hiding, a downfall from which they never fully recovered.[24]

Civil War and Separation

Soon after conquering their freedom, Gith ordered the continuation of the war effort. The mind flayers were to be hunted down to the last one and the gith were to establish a new empire based on conquest. At this point, Zerthimon, a gith who had gathered a significant following during the fight for freedom, challenged Gith's leadership and her motives, arguing that she would end up leading the people into a similar tyranny that their former masters enforced.[1][9]

"The githyanki and the githzerai were so profoundly scarred by their enslavement to the mind flayers that they forget they were one race, united. Having won their freedom, they wage war against each other with a hatred none can fully comprehend."—Aristul the Yellow[6]"

The disagreement led to a violent civil war among the gith. Zerthimon was killed, and his followers, who called themselves "githzerai" (meaning "those who spurn Gith" in the Gith language[20]), retreated to Limbo in defeat–but not before dealing substantial damage to Gith's forces, which could no longer sustain a continuing campaign against the mind flayers.[1][9][23][4] This internal struggle gave sufficient time for the surviving mind flayers to retreat and hide in well defended underground locations.[25]

Gith led her surviving followers, who at this point started calling themselves "githyanki" (meaning "children of Gith"[1]), to the former illithid settlements in the Astral Plane, where they could regroup and gather their strength in order to resume their plans of conquering the entire multiverse, as well as exterminating both the mind flayers and the githzerai.[1]

Thus, the two divided races remained bitter enemies that constantly thwarted each other's plans. The githyanki expanded their conquering efforts to include raids into githzerai strongholds. The githzerai, while also deploying missions to root out and destroy illithid settlements, maintained a steady effort to oppose the githyanki militaristic expansion.[26] This enduring conflict prevented either race from obtaining a decisive victory against the mind flayers and brought the conflict to a stalemate.[9]

Vlaakith I was an advisor to Gith and helped seal the pact between red dragons and the githyanki. All subsequent queens of the githyanki have been named after her. Vlaakith CLVI, the immediate predecessor of the current lich-queen, ruled for over six centuries, becoming a lich at some point during her reign, before being destroyed by Xinfyrit, first of the devourers. The last queen of the githyanki, Vlaakith CLVII, died after ascending the throne without giving birth to an heir, but (like her predecessor) returned as a lich. Vlaakith CLVII has ruled the githyanki for well over a thousand years, making her the longest-reigning monarch the githyanki have ever had. Her home, the Castle Susurrus, is in the githyanki capital city, Tu'narath, which is built on the god-isle of a deceased power known only as "The One in the Void."

Notable Gith

  • Vlaakith, the Lich-Queen of the Gith
  • Zetch'r'r, a githyanki warlord and A member of the Sha’sal Khouc[15]
  • Vhostym, a githvyrik.[17]
  • Yrlakka, a githzerai member of the Sha'sal Khou.[13]

Appendix

See Also

Appearances

Adventures
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Novels
Dawn of Night

References

Citations

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g A Guide to the Astral Plane (1996), p.44-46.
  2. ↑ a b Fiend Folio first edition, p.43-45.
  3. ↑ a b Monstrous Manual (1993), p.152-156.
  4. ↑ a b Planes of Chaos (1994), p.The Travelogue, 29.
  5. ↑ a b "Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen".  Polyhedron #159 (Dungeon #100, Jul 2003), p.6.
  6. ↑ a b c d e f g Monster Manual fifth edition, p.158-161.
  7. ↑ "Playing Githzerai".  Dragon #378 (Aug 2009), p.80.
  8. ↑ a b c Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations, p.72-73.
  9. ↑ a b c d e Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018), 4.
  10. ↑ Monster Manual fourth edition, p.128-131.
  11. ↑ Player's Handbook 3, p.9.
  12. ↑ a b "Tyranny of Souls". Dungeon #168 (Jul 2009), p.51
  13. ↑ a b Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, p.193.
  14. ↑ Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018), p.97.
  15. ↑ a b "The Lich-Queen's Beloved". Dungeon #100 (Jul 2003), p.98
  16. ↑ Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix 1, p.41.
  17. ↑ a b Dawn of Night, p.3,7,47.
  18. ↑ Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018), p.90.
  19. ↑ "The Lich-Queen's Beloved". Dungeon #100 (Jul 2003), p.104-105
  20. ↑ a b c Dragon #378 (Aug 2009), p.80Playing Githzerai.
  21. ↑ "Incursion: Knights of the Lich-Queen".  Polyhedron #159 (Dungeon #100, Jul 2003), p.38-39.
  22. ↑ Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations.
  23. ↑ a b Monstrous Arcana: The Illithiad (1998), p.39.
  24. ↑ Volo's Guide to Monsters (2016), p.71.
  25. ↑ Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations, p.71.
  26. ↑ Planes of Chaos (1994), p.The Book of Chaos, 72-73.

Bibliography


This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Gith (race) on the Forgotten Realms Wiki (view authors.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Citadel of Gith {Floating City} (Limbo) Settlement Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 99
Citadel of Gith {Floating City} (Limbo) Settlement Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 99
Floating City {Citadel of Gith} (Limbo) Settlement Reference SEE Citadel of Gith {Floating City} (Limbo)
Gith Monster Monstrous Arcana: The Illithiad, AD&D 2e 39
Gith Monster Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 98
Gith Monster Oerth Journal #18 14
Gith Monster PHBR5 - The Complete Psionics Handbook 124
Gith Non-player character TSR Jam 1999 20
Githyanki Adventure OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 86-87
Githyanki Monster Dragon magazine #067 39-42
Githyanki Monster Fiend Folio, AD&D 1e 43-45
Githyanki Monster Monstrous Arcana: The Illithiad, AD&D 2e 58-60
Githyanki Monster Monstrous Compendium - Planescape Appendix I 46, 47
Githyanki Monster MC8 - Monstrous Compendium - Outer Planes Appendix Insert (Githyanki)
Githyanki Monster Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e 153, 154
Githyanki Monster Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) 153, 154
Githyanki Monster Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) 127, 128
Githyanki Monster Monster Manual 1, D&D 4e (Deluxe Edition) 128, 129, 277
Githyanki Monster Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e 158-159, 160
Githyanki Monster Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 3, 61, 65, 66, 67, 72, 99
Githyanki Monster Oerth Journal #21 48,53
Githyanki Monster OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 86, 87, 92, 93
Githyanki Monster PHBR5 - The Complete Psionics Handbook 124
Githyanki Monster Saltmarsh Encounters, D&D 5e 13
Githyanki Monster Slavers, AD&D 2e 107
Githyanki Monster White Dwarf #012 9
Githyanki Monster White Dwarf #BOV1 43
Githyanki Fortress Settlement Defensive Structure, OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 45-47
Githyanki Outpost Settlement Defensive Structure, Dragon magazine #067 39-42
Githzerai Adventure OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 42, 47, 87-88
Githzerai Monster Fiend Folio, AD&D 1e 45
Githzerai Monster Monstrous Arcana: The Illithiad, AD&D 2e 58, 59, 60
Githzerai Monster MC8 - Monstrous Compendium - Outer Planes Appendix Insert (Githzerai)
Githzerai Monster Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e 159, 161
Githzerai Monster Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 65, 66, 67, 72, 97, 99
Githzerai Monster OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 87, 88
Githzerai Monster PHBR5 - The Complete Psionics Handbook 124
Necklace, Silver (Githzerai) Item OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, AD&D 1e 88
Zaerith Menyar-Ag-Gith (The Great Githzerai) Non-player character Male, Githzerai, Ftr16/Mu23, Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e 99
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