G is for Githyanki - A to Z psionic monsters

Githyanki are psionic mega-monsters, truly epic, who are the sin qua non of any psionic campaign. Kick ass on so many levels. The 1e FF describes the nicely: "they quickly gained a reputation as powerful psionicists and deadly fighters with an instinct for violence".

I'll just put it this way: they make pets out of Red Dragons, they worship a lich-queen, and they hunt Mind Flayers for fun. Nuff said!

As I have explained elsewhere, the Githyanki are a "half-undead" race. They are living creatures with a home on the material world, but they spend so much time in an ethereal state upon the astral plane, they have grown emaciated and withered, fed mainly by the astral energy of emotion and pain.

Githyanki will be encountered in only a few ways: small/medium hunting parties, Mind Flayer hunting parties, underground lairs, or astral lairs. As we know, Githyanki prefer to live in an ethereal state in cities upon the astral plane.

However, in order to breed, they must return to their physical state. Their earthly underground lairs are their breeding grounds. The hunting parties, which emanate from these underground lairs, have two primary purposes: 1) clearing the area of any danger to their breeding quarters, and 2) acquiring food for the breeding females.

Occasionally, of course, Githyanki "adventuring parties" can be found which are questing for treasure or magic items far from their breeding pens. Usually, the purpose of such adventuring parties is related to the hunting of Mind Flayers, which appears to be some sort of rite-of-passage for the Githyanki. They might also be acquiring treasures to give to their dragon pets. These hunting parties are larger and more powerful than the other type.

HD: 1 up to 11 (see below for distribution tables)

INT: exceptional or genius

Psionic Ability: 150-250

attack/defence modes: All/All but Tower of Iron Will

Special Powers:

Etherealness, at will

Silver Swords: capable (20% per round) of cutting the silver cord that connects an astral body to the material body

Small (Food Hunting) Parties, 1-4 (d4) members (85%):

1 leader: fighter/magic user: 7th/6th level

1 guard: fighter: 4th-6th level

2 lower ranks: fighter, magic user, or f/mu, level 1-3.

Medium (Treasure Hunting) Parties, 4 members (10%):

1 anti-paladin knight: 8th level

1 fighter/magic user: 7th/6th level

1 fighter: 4th-6th level

1 trainee: fighter, magic user, or f/mu, level 1-3

Mind-Flayer Hunting Parties (5%):

1 supreme leader: fighter 11th (50%) or f/mu user 7th/8th (50%)

1 captain: fighter 8th level (50%) or f/mu 7th/6th (50%)

1 anti-paladin knight: 8th level

2-7 lower ranks: fighter, magic user, or f/mu user: 1-6 level

5% chance of 1 illusionist 6th level

Underground (Breeding) Lair:

1 supreme leader: fighter 11 (50%) or f/mu 7/8 (50%)

2 captains: fighter 8th level and f/mu 7/6 level

1 anti-paladin knight: 8th level

2 warlocks: magic user 4th-7th level

3 sergeants: fighter 4th-7th level

2 gish: fighter/magic user 4th/4th level

10-19 lower ranks: figther, magic-user, f/mu: 1st-3rd

5% chance of 1 illusionist 6th level

(2d20 females and 1d10 young)

Astral Castle Lair:

Supreme Leader: f/mu 10/8 level (75%) or 11/9 level (25%)

40 anti-paladin knights: 9th level

10-100 elite troops: fighter, magic user, or f/mu, level 4-7

100-1000 lower ranks: fighter, magic user, or f/mu, level 1-3

(100-1000 females)

***note: Githyanki society is rigidly militaristic and patriarchal. Githyanki females are barely sentient, existing mainly to please and serve the Githyanki males.