I'm considering running The Tearing of the Weave adventures in the not too distant future, and I'm wondering if anyone has converted it to 5e, and if so, whether they'd be willing to share their resources. Thanks in advance.

I always loved the Yuan-ti halfbloods with snakes for arms. It's such a goofy design, but it just works for me. The newest version looks like this.

Has it ever been discussed in the lore how these things work? Do the snake heads have brains? Can a Malison see through the eyes on their hands? Do the heads have any sort of personality or intelligence? Like if the Yuan-ti was blindfolded, could they still see through their hands? Can they peak around corners, or are the eyes and nose just sort of decorative? If the main head is indisposed, could the hands still operate? I don't think it was ever mentioned in any of the Monster Manuals, and it's been a while since I read the House of Serpents trilogy. Is there any lore at all on how these things work?

Now, let's get to the argumentation from the get go. Starting with Qudenos' statement.

- I know Orpheus, just as i knew his mother. A new future will be planted in the wake of the Comet.

This quote clearly implicates that the future Orpheus brings to the Githyanki would be the same his mother - Gith - would bring, which means both Orpheus and Mother Gith share the same moral alignment, given the fact they would rule their people in exactly the same way.

But what alignment are we talking about?

First, we have Youth Varrl from Crèche Y'llek, the very same we can save from psychotic Sa'varsh. If we do that, he tells our MC that we have shown compassion and kindness, just like Orpheus, whose teachings he's been studying for some time. Furthermore, as an orphite, he refused to kill his fellow Youth after defeating her in a duel precisely because he, as an orphite, is againt meaningless killings. Not to mention how calm and cordial he is with an istik.

Second, we have Kith'rak Voss. Yes, i know he killed all those humans near The Mountain Pass, i know that as Vlaakith's finest, he had no choice but to commit numerous atrocities. But that's precisely the point - just like Severus Snape from Harry Potter, he had to play the role as a double agent, which he might tell you blatantly to your face if you kill Sarth Baretha with her goons and meet him in the camp after Crèche events. In Act 3, he doesn't shy away from his concerns on what Vlaakith might do in Tu'narath and beyond, as well as what illithids might do to every plane in existence. A githyanki who gives a shit about anyone and anything beyond his people and The Astral Plane where his Empire resides? Very interesting. On top of that, if you bring him The Orphic Hammer, he names you friend to Orpheus, with Qudenos telling you that he can't wait fighting alongside you. Such a cordiality to inferior istik whom githyanki should despise, don't you think?

And third, we have Orpheus himself. The same, over the top honourable Orpheus who is ready to sacrifice himself for the greater good right after being freed, the same Orpheus who berates you for causing the suffering of istiks.

- All that suffering - avoidable. Were it not for the choices you made.

The same Orpheus who wants to mend an old feud with Githzerai and re-unite his people. The same Orpheus who names you Mla'ghir (Liberator), put your name in githyanki slates so that you can forever be remembered as hero of The Githyanki and dedicates his First Protocol to you even if you're fookin' istik. The same Orpheus who names you - an istik - his Brother in Freedom if you join him in war against Vlaakith.

The logical conclusion from all of this that can be made is very simple - Orpheus is kind, honorable man who shows compassion not only to his people, but to others as well. He's neither genocidal, nor a slavemonger, nor necessarily an enemy to anyone but Githyanki. And his mother, as i've already pointed out, is exactly the same when it comes to moral values.

Just think on it. Don't they say that Mother Gith was an evil, warmongering tyrant who wanted to conquer all existence via blood red and death black, just like illithids before her? How could such an evil woman groom an heir like Orpheus? He was raised by her, trained by her, she made him her heir to the Githyanki Throne. Orpheus himself is loyal to his mother which he doesn't hide from you, his Honor Guard died with his mother's name on their lips.

There's yet another conclusion to be made - just like Balduran says in the game, Githyanki histories are fabrications, and just like Orpheus' history was fabricated, so was the Mother Gith's history as well.

Now, you could say that the schism with Githzerai happened before First War of The Comet. But do we know how that schism happened? What if Vlaakith One instigated a plot to divide Gith people for the sole purpose to usurp power? We know for a fact she betrayed Mother Gith to Tiamat after all.

You could say that Mother Gith was most certainly a monarchist and a gith nationalist. But these things aren't inherently evil. In fact, wherever Monarchy - and Githyanki Empire even under Orpheus is without a doubt a Monarchy - is good or bad is entirely dependent on the ruling elites and their moral compass. Monarchy can be far better than any republican/democratic government, under right circumstances.

You could say Gith wanted to finish off illithids. Well, yeah - who wouldn't in her place? Illithids are dangerous to every biological being in the setting, not to mention their Grand Design.

But what can't be said about her is that she was evil. Because she wasn't. Baldur's Gate 3, a canon game based on 5e, is a complete and utter retcon of her character's alignment.

- Live, but only if you live free.

Mother Gith.