The Heroes of Baldur's Gate... and Me

Part 22: The Hospitality of Githyanki

Our heavy footsteps echo through the stone passages, the burning sconces casting eerie shadows as we pass. We follow silently behind Lae'zel, the rage and confusion radiating off her almost palpable, her back rigid and shoulders tense. I rattle my brain, trying to think of something to say, to make Lae'zel understand that the Zaith'isk had not been tampered with - the Ghustil had not been a fraud - that is what purification was. A Githyanki's worst fear is to become Ghaik, but once infected only through death, can they be purified.

We reach the main hall again and take a different passage off to the right, Lae'zel striding ahead of us in her quest to find the Crèche leader and the inquisitor. The Githyanki watch us suspiciously as we pass - probably unsure why we had returned after visiting the infirmary.

The passage ends in a large room, which looks like once it was a classroom of sorts, with a tall vaulted ceiling, stone scriptures and silver candelabras adorning the walls. The centre of the room is sunken by several steps, and where now it appears to act as a training arena. The room is filled with githyanki children and youths of various ages, engaged in sparring in pairs, as stern looking elders watch on, occasionally shouting directions or corrections at the youngsters.

"The first ten protocols. The young must abide them, or bear the Sa'varsh's barbed whip." Lae'zel explains, indicating the scriptures adorning the walls and the sparring before us, as well as the elders watching on.

A wave of shock runs through me when I look closer and realise they are using real daggers and swords in their sparring - with many of them bleeding from cuts on their hands and arms.

As I watch, there is a sudden commotion as one of the elders - a Sa'varsh - strides down the steps towards where a young gith had fallen to his knees, his breathing coming in heavy gasps. However, instead of helping him, the elder begins to kick the youngster violently as he spits out expletives and curses. The other youths quietly disperse up the steps, forming a ring along the top as they turn to watch the excitement.
"Perhaps a tadpole has already scrambled your brains?" The Sa'varsh yells at the youth, his face screwed up in displeasure. "Is that it?"

"My brain is fine!" the youth cries back defiantly as he looks up at the Sa'varsh, his eyes full of emotion.

"Pa'vrylk! Stop this insufferable whining!" The elder delivers another swift kick to the gith's ribs, causing him to fall back to the stone floor. The Sa'varsh sneers, the disgust radiating off him in waves. "K'chakhi! Why do you keep hesitating? My instructions were clear!"

"Because.... because they don't make sense!" The young gith jumps to his feet and faces the Sa'varsh, his slim frame shaking and his breathing coming fast. "Killing each other like this, it's stupid! Orph-"

The Sa'varsh cuts him off before he can continue. "Silence! It seems your childish prattling is attracting an audience." He shoots our companions a sideways glance before turning back to the gith before him. "You fight again. This time, daggers only. And to the death as instructed." He turns again to face the youngsters gathered at the top of the steps. "Who wants to challenge this snivelling is'tark?"

"Leave the boy alone." Tav's stern voice echoes across the room, and the gith turn to stare at her in surprise. She looks down at the Sa'varsh, her expression hard and unyielding as she meets his eyes. "You made your point."

They stare at each other, the air between them tense - a battle of wills. Finally, the Sa'varsh lowers his eyes and slowly turns back to the youth. "I suppose your inane spewing have distracted enough from my lesson. Go whet the swords. I want them sharp enough to peel a ghaik's eyeball just by looking at them." He dismisses the gith with a wave of his hand before climbing the stairs towards us.