Void Bombs. They were used to keep many powerful figure (wizards, clerics, and gods) out of the situation on pain of major magic to energy conversion. Also, the githyanki don't care but that's a whole different animal.
Githyanki Power Blocs
Fri, 2009-02-20 09:48
#53
Void Bombs. They were used
Sat, 2009-02-21 09:18
#54
Oof, Githyanki scare me
Oof, Githyanki scare me more than Demons... Demons are like, made out of the essense of evil, oooh scary. They just do evil regardless of anything and they're dedicated to evil. Githyanki on the other hand are, well, the best thing I can think of to describe them as is medieval crusaders. Rather than simply being characatures of depravity, they reflect the the worst parts of human nature. Indoctrinated hypocritical hatred and biggotry turned into wanton destruction and murder.
Of course the Githyanki are even worse than Crusaders since they have better weapons.
Sat, 2009-02-21 09:46
#55
Realize that what we're
Realize that what we're trying to do here, in Rrakkma, and in BoG'r is make the githyanki more interesting and complex. Demons are evil incarnate. Orcs are savage and barbaric. Monsters are just ... monsters. The githyanki, as they exist and are taking shape here, are not just evil for the sake of being evil. We are trying for an integrated culture and philosophy where they themselves consider their own actions rightous. Yea, kind of like medieval crusaders, but with a different focus of their crusade. Yes, we're trying to hold up a mirror to some very bad aspects of human nature, but also pointing out others by showing the good parts of githyanki culture. They have a sense of honor, especially towards each other. They are not sexist. They do not see wealth as the measure of one's worth. They have a goal and a mission, and will work with anyone, temporarilly at least, who helps them attain that goal. Their "civil war" is not a bloody battle, but rather a political contest of ideas and philosophies. Yes, there are a lot of very bad aspects to githyanki culture and philosophy, too; xenophobia, cruelty, brutality, violence, intolerance, etc. But even these are a consequence of their focus, and of the influence of their leader. The complexity is what I (and others) find interesting.
So yes, DL, the githyanki are bad guys, no doubt. But they are not the inch-deep bad guys that hollywood (and pardon me, 4e) seems to crank out en masse (pet peeve showing) who are are evil for the sake of being evil. No, we can make them far more interesting than that.
And by the way, that should scare you, because that's much more like the 'evil' that exists in the real world. Eveybody thinks they are the good guys and the other side is the bad guys. Even the worst of the very worst delude themselves this way (I myself teach math to muderers and rapists 8 hours a day, so I know), so what about all the rest of us who think we're in the right? How can we be sure? My suggestion is to spend some time looking in mirrors, both real and literary.
Sat, 2009-02-21 10:07
#56
Well said.
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Well said.
The only thing I have to add at present is that githyanki, unlikely many other famous bad guys in D&D lore, has a pretty well-developed history that actually goes a long way towards explaining how they ended up the way they did. It’s not arbitrary inherent evil that has always been, there’s a history of corruption that includes outside factors as well as inside factors.
Azure made it clear from the start that this game is not the cliché representation of githyanki either; I remember that he noted their society to be based heavily on Spartan and old Japanese culture – thus why many of us has played up the honor-angle quite a bit.
Sat, 2009-02-21 10:35
#57
Azure wrote:
Realize that
Realize that what we're trying to do here, in Rrakkma, and in BoG'r is make the githyanki more interesting and complex. Demons are evil incarnate. Orcs are savage and barbaric. Monsters are just ... monsters. The githyanki, as they exist and are taking shape here, are not just evil for the sake of being evil. We are trying for an integrated culture and philosophy where they themselves consider their own actions rightous. Yea, kind of like medieval crusaders, but with a different focus of their crusade. Yes, we're trying to hold up a mirror to some very bad aspects of human nature, but also pointing out others by showing the good parts of githyanki culture. They have a sense of honor, especially towards each other. They are not sexist. They do not see wealth as the measure of one's worth. They have a goal and a mission, and will work with anyone, temporarilly at least, who helps them attain that goal. Their "civil war" is not a bloody battle, but rather a political contest of ideas and philosophies. Yes, there are a lot of very bad aspects to githyanki culture and philosophy, too; xenophobia, cruelty, brutality, violence, intolerance, etc. But even these are a consequence of their focus, and of the influence of their leader. The complexity is what I (and others) find interesting.
So yes, DL, the githyanki are bad guys, no doubt. But they are not the inch-deep bad guys that hollywood (and pardon me, 4e) seems to crank out en masse (pet peeve showing) who are are evil for the sake of being evil. No, we can make them far more interesting than that.
And by the way, that should scare you, because that's much more like the 'evil' that exists in the real world. Eveybody thinks they are the good guys and the other side is the bad guys. Even the worst of the very worst delude themselves this way (I myself teach math to muderers and rapists 8 hours a day, so I know), so what about all the rest of us who think we're in the right? How can we be sure? My suggestion is to spend some time looking in mirrors, both real and literary.
That's pretty much what I said in allot more detail. 
I hate them but I don't hate demons. Demons are just silly, while Githyanki are something I can relate to real world evil like Nazis and Medieval crusaders.
"They have a sense of honor, especially towards each other. They are not sexist. They do not see wealth as the measure of one's worth. They have a goal and a mission, and will work with anyone, temporarilly at least, who helps them attain that goal. Their "civil war" is not a bloody battle, but rather a political contest of ideas and philosophies."
If you're trying to get me to not hate Githyanki, this isn't the way. I agree that they're realistic. You've succeeded in your goal. You've successfully made a fictional race realistic enough for me to actually hate them.
Sat, 2009-02-21 18:36
#58
Dire Lemon wrote:
You've
You've successfully made a fictional race realistic enough for me to actually hate them.
Excellent
So we therefore have to agree to disagree, for I LOVE githyanki. Of course, don't get me wrong, because its not like I am like a githyanki or condone real life hatreds and violence. But I love them, far more than I love characters like Darth Vader, Sauron, or Lady Eboshi (from Princess Mononoke), just to name a few villains I do like.
Sat, 2009-02-21 12:28
#59
I think there's somethign
I think there's somethign to be said for differnet layers of 'hate'. There's the 'god this is a horrible idea - I hate it' meta-hate. And then there's the 'oh thank god these people don't Actually Exist or I'd have to join the military to go kill them' sort of hate. One of these is really just an opinion very poorly phrased and depending on the aggression with which it is expressed is aimed to hurt the author of the work... the other is in fact *very* high praise on the depth and realism of the work.
It's always worthwhile to make it clear in feedback which sort of hating you're doing. 
Sat, 2009-02-21 18:35
#60
"Hate the game not the playa
"Hate the game not the playa ... " 
Tue, 2009-04-07 18:07
#61
BUMP and a plea for
BUMP and a plea for help.
2 to go, Heartforce and Cult of Tiamat. Asking for ideas, especially for Heartforce.
Wed, 2009-04-08 18:04
#62
Sorry about the late
Sorry about the late inactivity on Planewalker, will try to think of something.
Been busy as Baator since I started master's thesis.
Wed, 2009-04-08 20:50
#63
Ohhh is this the thesis you
Ohhh is this the thesis you can't share with us?
Wed, 2009-04-08 22:21
#64
Since Na is heartforce, I
Since Na is heartforce, I might sugest a slightly unusual approach. At least some of the Heartforce actually suppourts the Githyanki's internal conflict for ideological reasons--putting them in even greater conflict with factions like the unifists. Different motivations exist--some beleive that it makes the race as a whole more powerful, other more paranoid warlords take a Hamiltonian (that is, Alexander Hamilton) view of things, holding that factions are an inherant in any system, and internal conflict prevents one from gaining an undue advantage. (Guess who's been studying for his Gov. and Politics exam...) This is Na's reasoning, anyway, so she is not as strongly tied to the militarists. Then some other warlords want to restructure Githyanki society around a more city-state like system. Others are just grabbing power.
Wed, 2009-04-22 12:02
#65
Clueless wrote:Ohhh is this
Ohhh is this the thesis you can't share with us?
Only if it turns out so successful that I can patent it.
It relates to molecular biology, medicine, biochemistry, and pharmacology. I'm assembling and studying a nanoscale biomolecular transport system for delivering therapeutics efficiently to their intended target tissue. This system focuses on treating brain diseases - cancer, in particular.
Mon, 2009-04-27 21:57
#66
Dunamin: *glee!* Trying to
Dunamin: *glee!* Trying to get past the blood-brain barrier for the brain = fun! I look forward to hearing more - I was under the layman impression that the restrictions on trying to get chemicals to the brain were limited by molecule size. Should be very interesting if you've got a way around it. Best of luck!
Tue, 2009-04-28 17:02
#67
Thanks Clueless!
Thanks Clueless!
You got it exactly right, the BBB is a major obstacle to overcome - what I do is target vesicles to membrane proteins that mediate transport past it (like the transferrin receptor). On request, I gave a little more detailed overview here.
I'll stop derailing the thread now. 
Tue, 2009-12-15 21:12
#68
Re: Well, the next project will
As for the warbands, I'll choose a few who haven't been mentioned in the other blocs nor chosen by a PC ... I forgot which band Ya'shenn, Ar'dru, and Ii'jyka'vaar are from, but I do remember the others (Du'minh=Steel (likely a very large band), Jhank'kor=Onyx, Kirath=Copper, Na'rai=Jade, NPCs; K'tch=Pyrite, Gy-Nath=Iron, Lahar=Bloodstone, Telas-Niah=Bronze)
Ii'Jyka'Vaar is from the Knight's unit of the Azure Eye, I am not sure if she would have to have a war-band affiliation in addition to that.. maybe some vague predecessor band she belonged to before being elevated to Knighthood?
Story wise she is also the Azure Eye's last living member, and living is not meaning any of the others are Undead, no, simply all wiped out...
I think i can safely say they were a small elite unit working for Vlaakith to do all sorts of dangerous missions with their dragon mounts, not per-say covert though.
Electrum would be interesting as a metal for Ii'Jyka'Vaar's original warband... have to brainstorm over that
Wed, 2009-12-16 13:43
#69
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
I am also thinking some Knights should get together and get their act back together, not for any random warbands, but simply to defend the race perhaps...
But yea, getting their act together, hmmz, have to think about if I would be able to give that a try
Wed, 2009-12-16 19:33
#70
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
2 posts are better than 1
Wed, 2009-12-16 19:33
#71
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
The Azure Scale (or Azure Eye, but really that's way to close to my Avatar, no? Also Azure EYE sounds like clairvoyant psions.) would have members drawn mostly from the Bands of Turquoise, Lapis, Saphire, etc. You know, bands with blue gemstones. Of course, warband affiliation becomes far less important when a githyanki joins an Order, especially a Knightly Order.
Thu, 2009-12-17 07:09
#72
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
Hmm... What if someone used time travel to rescue Gith from Tiamat and took her to the githyanki capital on the Astral? Would she be accepted as ruler? Would she want to replace the Lich-Queen? What would she think of the githzerai? Who'd have the chutzpah to oppose her?
Thu, 2009-12-17 07:25
#73
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
Seeing as how the Lich-Queen was keeping everybody smaller, Gith would probably wupp ass 
Edit:
Incl. the Queens!
Fri, 2009-12-18 20:15
#74
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
The Klingon clerics had a sample of Kahless's dna to identify him if he returned. Do the gith have any way to confirm who the real Gith is? Do they have a reliable portrate, something she wore, a secret password only she can confirm? I bet her sword would be treated with extreme reverence if it still existed. Maybe she is the only one who can wield it?
Fri, 2009-12-18 21:43
#75
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
In BoG'r i said that the psionic resonance of Gith's soul is such that the githyanki just *know*
Sun, 2009-12-20 19:09
#76
Re: Githyanki Power Blocs
In BoG'r i said that the psionic resonance of Gith's soul is such that the githyanki just *know*
That makes surprising sense, given the psionic talent born in to this race. I can see other githyankis just falling to her feet when she walks in a room...
Somehow I get the feeling that slaughtering that many infants and children in a short time span would piss off some powerful force somewhere.