Githekos

## Appearance

### Distinction

flattened noses, tall, angular features, pointed ears, athletic build, psychokinesis

## Sociology

### Languages

Gith

The **githekos** or **gith**, more generally identified as either the **Falians** or **Fabians**, are a race of foreign peoples from the southern continents that migrated north from a mythical land known as Yi'tyan. They are most known for the Falians' world conquest that lasted from the Ninth Era into the Tenth and Eleventh Eras. The Falians were decisively defeated at the Battle of Firelance, and since then either dispersed throughout the world or killed due to negative public perception.

The gith are most noted for their unique magical abilities, called *psi*, which allows them to interact with and manipulate objects and even enhance their own abilities. This ability is unique from typical magic in that it is difficult to quantify as such, only that it is extraordinary. In most cases *psi* develops in early adolescence and requires mental acuity, focus, and rigorous practice to hone for consistency. Otherwise, these abilities are left dormant all their lives. The Falians and Fabians are two such societies that can produce such gith, though outside of these societies, *psi* typically remains dormant.

The gith today are few and far between, generally forming small bands that travel between settlements looking for work or as minstrels. Though some places, such as Imperial Neuphany, forbid the gith from entering populated areas, the gith are more readily welcomed in Tyrrhos. Their itinerant lifestyle, need for foraging, and notoriety for being sell-swords have created a common perception of them as thieves and criminals.

## Origins

### Tu'narath mythology

The githekos hold rumors of a city of their origin far to the south named Tu'narath, which is allegedly "four years by wing," implying that it could be hundreds of thousands of miles away. The legends of Tu'narath, however, are typically seen as fictional outside of gith society. The city is said to float above the world in the heavens, anchored to the skull of an ancient god who was slain by their deity, Vaalkhan. Vaalkhan is told to have blessed the city for her sons and daughters, so that any gith who reside their do not age, nor can they die. Vaalkhan also gifted them wyverns, and ordained that they may conquer the entire world under her orders.

The legends of Tu'narath are generally held as fictional, though their wyverns are anything but. The wyverns that they brought with them when they migrated in the Ninth Era continue to live in the southern parts of the world to this day bordering Tomyrian Sea, finding few predators to meet their ferocity and appetite.

The gith refer to the homeland as Yi'tyan, and describe it as being home to wyverns, tortoises the size of mountains, waterfalls that flow upward, massive floating islands, jungles with trees thousands of feet tall that brush against the sun, and meteor showers every night. These legends are passed through a complex oral history that remains elusive to this day to most scholars.

### Racial composition

Though most evidence points to the fact that the githekos are likely an invasion force from a faraway southern continent, their appearance suggest that they are instead an admixture of elves and other races, including Auber, elves, and humans. The gith display many similar features to these races: their ears look similar to elves, as does their build; their height like that of the Auber; and a remarkably similar complexion to that of humans. Their cultural artifacts also look similar to artifacts found in Espios, suggesting they could be peoples that the early settlers of Espios traded with in their long trade routes across the Tomyrian Sea, or even descendants of such settlers.

Despite their apparent similarity, few other traits physically are shared among them and the other peoples of the world, particularly their *psi* abilities. Gith also do not place their heritage in the Old World, and no evidence of their heritage in these areas have been recovered.

## Physiology

### Stature

Though they are often notably lean for their height, male gith exhibit similar strength capabilities to that of other races, though upbringing plays a significant role. Their youth, like humans, determines much of their physical stature and mental capabilities, but not to the degree that humans exhibit.

### Non-sensitive vision

Githekos possess the capability of seeing the full spectrum of light that human beings can see. However, gith have non sensitive vision, allowing them to see in more harsh circumstances such as underwater and during inclement weather.

### Mental aptitude and *psi*

Perhaps the most significant distinction between gith and other humanoids are their above-average intellects and *psi* capabilities. Among all githekos, even in adverse environments without opportunities for education, adolescents often exhibit equal or greater erudition and strategic ability than even those of Jade heritage in an ideal environment.

These abilities play a role in *psi*, which has been noted recently by scholars as entirely separate from traditional magic. It would appear *psi* is more fundamentally rooted in the ability to physically will something to occur, an internal locus of control. Any type of magic, even innate sorcery, have required specific gestures, prayers, incantations, and even materials to perform or evoke the magic. Conversely, *psi* relies on a gith's intellect and ability to realize their will solely through mental focus.

## Society

### The Mythic Ages

#### Falian lifestyle

The activities and social customs of the Falians give the best evidence for what gith life may have looked like for thousands of years before they appeared. The Falians lived in natural alcoves and caves that were either well-hidden, remote, or high altitude. They would seldom utilize natural resources such as timber to build structures; rather, the Falians would leave as little a trace as possible, going so far as to avoid redundant fires and burying evidence they were in a location several feet into the ground. They lived in small canvas tents they carried with them, and placed a large emphasis on consuming protein-rich foods such as meat and lentils.

#### Oral tradition

Legends among githekos passed down through their oral tradition remain mysterious, but what can be gathered is that in their alleged homeland and city of Tu'narath, the gith lifestyle was far different than it was at any point in the known world. The peoples of the city were supposedly decadent and weak, though skilled in a variety of disciplines and extravagant artists. The Falians were merely a caste of warriors, who specifically avoided engaging in delicacies and comfort to harden themselves into brutal and effective warriors. If this were the case, the oral tradition would explain why githekos even today practice such harsh nomadic, ascetic lifestyles, with only a small percentage being the exception.

### Beyond the Mythic Ages

Today, githekos are itinerant, traveling in small bands numbering as small as a family of three to caravans that number nearly one hundred individuals.

## Game mechanics

*Use this as your guide to creating a gith character. Note*
that all gith in this world are made by using this same template.

***Ability Score Increase***. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

***Speed***. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Languages***. You know Gith and one additional language of your choice.

***Psi Resistance***. You have resistance to force damage.

***Legacy of the Khan***. If you are falling, you can use your reaction to concentrate your *psi* and slow your fall to 60 feet per round. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain all uses of this ability after a short or long rest.

***To Travel These Lands***. You can cast the spell *locate animals or plants* once without any material components. You regain the ability to do so after a short or long rest.

### Falian-Fabian dichotomy

The philosophies of the Falians and Fabians are completely at odds with one another. The Falians see the world as something to be conquered, and to this day struggle to regain footing in a world hostile to their kind. Fabians see the world as something to be lived in, not on, and thus strive for balance and to end the cycle of suffering.

#### Falians

***Ability Score Increase***. Your Strength increases by 2.

***Longing for Mastery***. You learn one language of your choice, and you are proficient with one skill or tool of your choice.

***Martial Prodigy***. You are proficient with light and medium armor, and with shortswords, longswords, and greatswords.

***Falian Psi***. You know the *mage hand* cantrip. The hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *jump* spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast *misty step* spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast this spell when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they do not require any components.

#### Fabians

***Ability Score Increase***. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

***Mental Discipline***. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened.

***Fabian Psi***. You know the *mage hand* cantrip. The hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *shield* spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast *detect thoughts* spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast this spell when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they do not require any components.