#illithids

The source the FR wiki uses for this number is 2001's Lords of Darkness, a sourcebook on villainous factions in the Forgotten Realms. Its an interesting book, but if you actually read it, you'll find it has an extensive write up on the illithids without mentioning the gith once! Even in the history section, it mentions the empire falling to a slave rebellion, but it never once mentions who the slaves were or who their leader was.

Even in the enemies of illithids section, the gith still don't get a mention in this book, despite being the number their number one opp.

So, that number is out. Remember to always check sources, people.

Lets instead look at the Grand History of the Realms, which catalogs the history of Toril from -35,000 DR to 1385 DR. As this is specifically a book on the history of Toril, so its not going to give us a direct answer in regards to the multi-dimensional empire that existed before recorded time.

But, we can learn about the history of Mind Flayers in Toril. The very first mention of them in this book is -11,000 DR

That's pretty interesting, when they first came to Toril, they came as refugees. But what were they fleeing? Can we find more information on this?

The city of Oryndoll was created as a part of Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark, and here is the section on its history.

The book goes on to talk about the enslavement and mutation of the Duergar Dwarves in a manner very similar to the gith, but this is all that's presented on its founding. No mention of the conflict these Mind Flayers were escaping.

So, we know the first Mind Flayers to come to Toril were refugees, fleeing an unknown conflict from the Planet of Glyth in -11,000 DR. What do we know about Glyth that can tell us of this potential conflict?

We can learn a lot about the illithid dominated society of Glyth in Spelljammer. Rather than screenshots I'll put quotes down for this page, as theres a lot, but I recommend you read it for yourself.

Description:

"Glyth is the sixth planet in the Realms’ solar system, and it is a sad world indeed... What forests do remain are in control of the underground dwelling inhabitants of the planet. The rest are purposely burned off to limit the possible hiding places for their runaway cattle." (Page 39)

On Resources/Trade

"The illithids often trade their food cattle—humanoids—to others in order to try out someone else’s breeding process, all with a goal of increasing the flavor of the brain. During the years the mind flayers have brought the art of selective breeding to a culinary success." (Page 40)

"These skull cattle are kept on ranches in what forests remain on this burned-out world. The illithids laughingly call these dismal locations Skull Sod. The humanoids are herded from one location to the next, from this watering hole, to that pasture; the constant moving keeps their sense of direction off." (Page 40)

"The humanoids granted breeding rights are encouraged to produce as many children as physically possible. These breeders are never sold as brain food until their abilities to produce are extinguished." (Page 40)

Its a world they use for breeding slaves. The race of their slaves are simply said as being humanoids, but the gith race had lost their name under generations of slavery, as they're named after the woman who led the revolt, Gith. We can also learn in the Illithiad, illithids keep their slave population all of one or two races for breeding purposes. Its very possible that once, this humanoid race had been the gith.