The unbreakable taboos

The githzerai are a race with a radical individualism far exceeding that of humans, but also an extremely communal people, used to cooperating deeply in their mutual goals of survival and vengence. Githzerai always live in monastery-fortresses or fortress-cities and are almost never found alone unless they've gone rogue for some reason. This means they have to have a number of unbreakable taboos in order to function, such as:

• A githzerai may never coerce another of the People to do something that is not his or her will.

• A githzerai must always help another githzerai in mortal need, but must never ask for deliverance from a situation that he or she could remedy on their own. This is a matter of personal honor.

• A githzerai's posessions belong to the People, and a githzerai must not begrudge another githzerai's use of something in his or her posession. Liberating objects of use to the People from non-githzerai is a sacred act.

• Githzerai must not fight githzerai, either physically, magically, psionically, or emotionally.

• Emotions are not something to be shared. A githzerai's grudges and passions are personal, and others should not be burdened by them. Emotions alone belong solely to the individual.

• There is nothing more sacred than the bond between rrakkma-warriors.

• Experience and wisdom are to be respected and deferred to. Living heroes are to be revered as much as dead ones. The inexperienced should be trained, if they desire it and prove themselves worthy. Those who cannot be trained must do as much as they can or, if this is not sufficient, be left behind.