Intellectual

Intellectuals once were humans and gnomes, but they were enslaved and magically modified by the strange magic of the mind flayers. Gith from a world beyond were also brought in and added to the sinister empire of the illithids. After the divination of the Ten Great Sages, the Intellectuals used secrets from across the multiverse, including the creation of warforged, to topple the mind flayers and drive them into the Underdark below Zaniq. The Intellectuals then created their own nation in the former illithid territory. The nearby human nations did not know what to make of them at first, but left the Intellectuals alone after realizing they weren't a threat.
The people of the Intellectual nation, Gajistan, are isolationist, and carefully guard their knowledge. Outside it, Intellectuals are valued for their psychic abilities.
Gnomes often distinguish between the rock gnomes who headed to the surface and the ones that stayed in the Underdark below. Both were under illithid control at some point, but are now free. The gith were taken to Zosoa by mind flayers, and after hearing about the revolution of Gith from an extraplanar visitor, decided to adopt the name. The Psychic and Sage intellectuals are each descendants of humans altered by the mind flayers in different ways

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Intellectuals generally look like humans or gnomes, but hairless, and with glowing pink, orange, or purple eyes.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Mostly found in Zaniq.

Average Intelligence

Many believe that Intellectuals have greater-than-average intelligence, in part due to their nickname, though this is not always the case.