To be Zerth

"Our zerths tell us that it all began with a single word, uttered in reverence many millennia from tomorrow. And that word... was 'freedom'. The legends they sing do not tell us much. These tales do not tell us how or why they came to walk among us... to lead our entire race from the depths of slavery to the threshold of liberation in a better tomorrow. The legends are empty of any true facts, but we would not have them any other way. We are told that no one from that time past knows where they drew the strength to challenge the psionic might of our alien oppressors, during a time when it seemed the tyrants of the mind were but a thought away from enslaving all life which stood free and unmolested. There were whispers... the zerths tell us, in private. These whispers are echoes from a time yet to arrive. Whispers that they came from another time and place when hope and freedom, it was said, walked the land hand in hand and beat within the hearts of the free and the strong alike. These whispers say to us that they knew the day would come when our bonds of slavery would be forever shattered and the promise of freedom would be delivered among our ancient race. And so they came, and so they were, bathed in the glow of a holy fire that sought to cleanse a world long stained with the blood of those who served the Mind Flayers. They fought to pry our freedom from their mental grasp. They are the One, unique among all sentient beings. A great bond they once shared. Through the sole power of their minds they alone could pierce the veil and traverse time and space... But only once... And at such tremendous personal cost. So great was the final sacrifice to themselves. So great was the magnificent risk they exposed to the fragile tapestry that is the reality of the multiverse. We of the githyanki have a destiny... and we will fight to preserve our right to seize that destiny as our Mother and Father intended. We are their children, and from their ultimate sacrifice we will rise to seize the multiverse for ourselves and finally purge the Great Menace. We are their children... and with every drop of illithid blood we step ever closer to final victory. Our Mother and Father have seen it. That is why they returned to free us. We have a destiny, and their return is proof we succeeded. With gave thanks to our Mother, she who was named Gith. Through her strength of will we protected ourselves with the shield we needed to strive against the ancient enemy and forever sunder our past ties to servitude. With gave thanks to our Father, he who was named Zerthimon. Through his disciplined mind we armed ourselves with the power we required to strike the first blow toward building our destiny. Holding these powers to be true, to ourselves... we serve the Great Githzerai. We pledge ourselves to the might and power of Zaerith Menyar-Ag-Gith. Joined with him, we give thanks anew. With him we realise our potential... with him we will we forge our future." -- Old 'Zerth' initiation mantra