Oghma

God of Knowledge

(a.k.a. Curna, goddess of wisdom (female Aspect))

Oghma is the greater power of bards, inspiration, invention, and knowledge in Faerûn. He is the leader of the Deities of Knowledge and Invention, Gond, Deneir, and Milil. His home is the House of Knowledge Realm located in the Outlands.

Knowledge, particularly the raw knowledge of ideas, is supreme. An idea has no weight, but it can move mountains. The greatest gift of humankind, an idea outweighs anything made by mortal hands. Knowledge is power and must be used with care, but hiding it away from others is never a good thing. Stifle no new ideas, no matter how false and crazed they seem; rather, let them be heard and considered. Never slay a singer, nor stand by as others do so. Spread knowledge wherever it is prudent to do so. Curb and deny falsehoods, rumour, and deceitful tales whenever you encounter them. Write or copy lore of great value at least once a year and give it away. Sponsor and teach bards, scribes, and record keepers. Spread truth and knowledge so that all folk know more. Never deliver a message falsely or incompletely. Teach reading and writing to those who ask (if your time permits), and charge no fee for the teaching.

— Oghma

Divine Domains

Knowlege, Wisdom

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Oghma was an interloper deity who gained power on Tori when a wave of people from other worlds, outside normal Realmspace, settled in Faerûn, bringing their gods with them. He rose in power to the point where he became the leader of the Deities of Knowledge and Invention and has remained in that position ever since.
Shortly after ascending to divinity, Oghma fathered many demi-power children. A few of the children decided to specialize in a single subject and learn everything they could about it. At some point, Cyric lured twenty-two of the children away from Oghma and transformed them into paintings known as the Whispering Children.
During the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR, the Grand Patriarch of Oghma, Cullen Kordamant, disappeared without a trace, and reports on his current whereabouts from Oghma are confused and conflicting. As a consequence, a schism formed in the faith. The main branch, the Orthodox Church of Oghma in Procampur, believed that Kordamant had ascended to the House of Knowledge to serve as Oghma's proxy, and he remained the only true Grand Patriarch of the church until Oghma named a successor. A rival group, the Church of Oghma in Sembia, went ahead and named a new Grand Patriarch anyway, which the Orthodox Church refused to accept. The church in Sembia also disagreed with the Orthodox Church on the dissemination of knowledge, teaching that knowledge must be tested and proven "worthy" before being released to the public.
Later the Church of Oghma moved its base to Cormyr, renaming itself the Oghmanyte Church in Exile. This schism has continued unabated for over a century, a fundamental sickness in the faith, or more likely an assault on it from some external entity. Now, a group has parted even with the Church in Exile, teaching that Oghma's power is incomplete since he can't know the future with certainty. But they, calling themselves the Voice of Tomorrow, claim to have found an artefact that can and they wish to bring all of Oghma's followers to enlightenment.

Social

Contacts & Relations

The enemies of Oghma are the gods who want to control or hide knowledge. Mask wants to steal it for his own purposes, Bane wants to control people by controlling what they know, and Cyric wants lies and treachery to fill people's minds.
Mostly, Oghma gets along with the other gods of Knowlege and Invention, but he can also appreciate the other gods who provide spaces for learning and insight.

Divine Classification

Greater Deity

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Lord of Knowledge
The Binder
The Binder of What is Known
Patron of Bards
The Wise God