Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

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Orroloth's picture
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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

Oh boy, this is a big one.

Vlaakith, the lich-queen of the githyanki, has been killed (or has she?)! The whole epic-level Incursion plotline could make the Astral plane a really interesting place.

Not only is the three-way war between the githzerai, the illithids and the 'yanki going to be affected (one of the big conflicts of the planes), but suddenly we might start seeing some really powerful githyanki subgroups popping up and seizing control.

No doubt there are plenty of githyanki who chafed under her rule, and this is their opportunity to do something about it. And what about the githzerai? Will they try to use this opportunity to destroy them, or bring them into the fold (an interesting dilemma for the zerths). And the illithids?

But is Vlaakith *really* dead? Liches are notoriously difficult to get rid of, permanently. Obviously, her control has been diminished, at least for a while, but is this an opportunity for her as well? What of Gith and the pact with the red dragons? What what what!?

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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

One thing to note is I feel the most obvious contender for "Top Dog" status in the Astral isn't the githzerai or the illithids at all.

The *Psurlon* are the ones I'd see as the biggest immedate benifeciary of a weakening in the githyanki defenses. They've got hte population to do somethign to the githyanki, and the motivation since they live almost entirely in the astral as well.

Iavas's picture
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factotums
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psurlon

I've been looking, but haven't found this yet: where can I find info on the Psurlon, their life on the Astral, and their hitherto silent war against the Githyankis? Which PS2e book, if any?

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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

From the PW Encylcopedia Entry

Quote:
Psurlons are wormlike creatures with formidable mental powers. They originated on a world on the Prime Material Plane that they destroyed through their own hubris, but now can be found primarily on the Astral Plane. They have long, tubular, pinkish bodies marked with faint rings; they have two arms and legs, each of which also looks like a giant earthworm. They wear rich robes, and dwell in citadels similar to those of the githyanki. On the Astral Plane they are the githyanki's greatest rivals, making three races out to destroy the 'yanki (along with illithids and githzerai).

* Average psurlons perform all day-to-day tasks related to keeping a cluster running smoothly.
* Elder psurlons are leaders within their communities.
* Giant psurlons are bred for combat; their mental powers are more formidable than their physical abilities.

Many psurlons have become interested in the world of Athas, where they apparently hope to repeat the psionic experiment that destroyed their homeworld. Psurlons are worshippers of Mak Thuum Ngatha, and perhaps that explains everything.

Sources:

Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II
Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III
Monster Manual II (3rd ed.)
Lords of Madness

Keywords: psurlons

ripvanwormer's picture
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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

The Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III is the place that discusses their rivalry with the githyanki for dominance of the Astral Plane. Tales From the Infinite Staircase presents an adventure set in a githyanki citadel that the psurlons have attacked, driving the githyanki away from it.

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factotums
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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

Ah, found it. Thanks for the hints. Psurlon's seem somewhat outside of the Zerth/Gith/Illithid conflict (aka Rrakkma Project), although they can easily be incorporated if needed. They are definately an underdeveloped race that's full of possibilities, both in terms of history and potential.

On a side note, with all of these major changes being talked about, will there be a seperate forum for each project/plotline to keep it all organized? Because unlike TSR, there are plenty of people here at PW with multiple varied interests, so while one group tackles the Archomental war another could be following the Blood War and the third the Astral psion war, etc etc ad infinitum planorum.

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Webmonkey
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Brainstorming session, part 4: The githyanki

The brainstorming sessions are designed to produce Modules for the PSCS - so it will likely remain under the PSCS forum. I think, for the moment, that these threads will do for us. If it gets to the point where our development really *needs* subforums so threads can address multiple modules created through them - then I'll cross that bridge when we get there. Eye-wink

I am thinking of adding a module development sticky thread that references all the brainstorming ones so we can give people a good 'start point'.

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