Astral Communities (GAP)

__TOC__
The githyanki live on the Astral in fortresses and citadels, the largest of them being the size of cities and built upon the dead gods themselves. There, they conduct commerce, manufacture goods, and live their lives.
In comparison with many races, their communities are very militaristic in structure. Though they do not live in barracks, their homes are located and appointed as befits their rank. Each githyanki has his or her own individual abode, however — unless they willingly share it with someone close to them.
Since they have no family units at all, the githyanki form bonds with those that they train with. Training never stops, as each strives to be the best he can be in his individual occupation. Training centers, research facilities, libraries, and practice fields are some of the most frequented areas in a githyanki community — at least those large enough to support such resources.
Every community, no matter how small, has a safe location for egg storage (complete with varsh caretakers), a crematorium for destroying the dead, and workshops for mlar and hr'a'cknir to practice their craft and produce needed items, equipment, and weapons.
Githyanki communities make use of the tiny birdlike creatures called astral streakers as messengers and even as scouts or spies. Magic or psionics allows them see what their avian agents have seen. They also keep spectral hounds as guardians and trackers. Neither creature is really regarded as a "pet," however. They are treated more like tools.
==Githyank Cities==
Tu'narath is the largest and greatest of the githyanki communities. It's built upon the body of an unnamed god, said to have been aeons-dead when even the githyanki came to the plane. The lich-queen dwells here, rarely leaving the inner sanctum of her gigantic palace.
Githmir is another major githyanki center, being the heart of githyanki commerce, particularly with other races. In this way, Githmir is the most cosmopolitan of all githyanki communities — humans, bariaur, Fiends, and other races can be found here in small numbers (and in certain restricted areas). Most are of a neutral or (more likely) evil bent, since dealing with the githyanki is a little unpalatable to strictly good beings. Because of githyanki nature, the natives watch these visitors closely and never trust them.
T'n'ekris and Xamvadi'm are also well-known, populated githyanki cities. Each provides homes for approximately 8,000 githyanki. They are situated "far apart" as things are reckoned on the Astral, since they are rival communities. Though each serves the lich-queen, there is an age-old animosity between these two cities. Githyanki never war among themselves, but they can be quite snobbish toward each other at times.
The bulk of the githyanki population dwells in much smaller communities. The tiny fortresses which dot the Astral "landscape" are virtually countless.