Milil

Lord of Song, the Lord of All Songs, Guardian of Singers and Troubadours, the One True Hand of All-Wise Oghma

Milil (Mihl-LILL) is depicted in religious art and song as a handsome male human or elf with a charismatic manner and a haunting, melodic voice. He is venerated by human, elf, and half-elf bards, who see him as the One Who Watches While Music is Alive (when they are performing), the Guardian of Singers and Troubadours, and the One True Hand of All-Wise Oghma. (Deneir is the other "Hand.") Deneir, Gond, and Milil serve Oghma, though Milil has little in common with Gond, and their relationship is strained. He is on excellent terms with a number of powerful gods, including Mystra and Sune, and often works closely with Lliira. He is welcome in the elf pantheon as well as the Faerunian pantheon because of the beauty of his song.
Milil is the ultimate performer: self-confident, inspired, possessed of total recall or anything he sets a mind to remember, able to improvise facilely out of desire or necessity, well-educated in general theories of conduct and broad areas of knowledge, and masterful in all sorts of performance technique (including a passing knowledge of disguise derived from costume theory), especially within his sphere of knowledge—music, poetry, and elegant speech. However, he is also self-centered and egotistical and likes to be the center of attention. When he is not the center of attention, he bores easily, and his mind wanders or he leaves. He is also' given to flirtation with both deities and mortals for his own enjoyment, to the deep annoyance of more sober powers.

Divine Domains

Knowledge, Light

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A silver harp, often depicted as a five-stringed instrument whose body is made of silvery leaves

Tenets of Faith

Milil is a god of creativity and inspiration, of the whole song more than just the lyrics or the music. He represents the finished thought, the process that takes an idea from conception to completion. As a result, the ethos of Milil teaches to consider the world in terms of a continuing process, a song that begins at birth and is only silenced with the final chord.
Novices in the Mililan faith are given the following charge: "Life is a song: Strive always to make it more beautiful. Destroy no music nor instrument, nor stop a singer before the tune is done. Listen to the world around as well as filling it with your own sound. One singer's music is another's noise, so still no bad music if its making be joyful. Spread the teaching of song and musicianship always. Sing to Milil every day. Music is the most precious thing folk can create—so encourage its training, use, and preservation at all times and in all possible ways. Awaken a love of song in all folk you can, and offer its performance freely around campfire or on the trail. Cease not in your own seeking for new tunes, new techniques, and new instruments to master."

Holidays

Devout worshipers of Milil call out to him in a Song of Praise at least once a day and usually also after every victory in battle or great thing that benefits them. They also participate in either a personal song to the Lord of All Songs upon awakening or (in a temple) join in the softly voiced chorus of the Sunrise Song. Other rituals include the solemn, beautiful polyphonic chord-singing of the Song of Sorrowing, performed at the funeral of any faithful of Milil, and the Song of Welcoming, sung when someone is welcomed into the faith.
The calendar-related festivals marked by rituals sacred to Milil are Greengrass, when the Call to the Flowers is sung by all faithful, and Midsummer, when the Grand Revel is held. The Revel involves a feast, dancing, and much roistering, and is marked by parodies and wickedly satirical song, but all other shared (by two or more clergy members and laity) rituals of worship to Milil involve a sung or played opening call, a prayer and solo song while kneeling before the altar, a unison hymn followed by a sermon or supplication to the Lord of Song (and the proffering of any offerings), and then a closing song that rises to a thunderous, grand crescendo that typically makes devout listeners or participants weep with joy—and those of other faiths stop and listen in wonder.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Day-to-Day Activities

Most Sorlyn spend their time learning lyrics, tunes, and how best to perform them on a slowly expanding repertoire of instruments both in their temples and on the road. They take care to write down both original compositions and those they have learned, as well as recording tunes through the use of the singing stone spell for those as yet unborn. Such records are to be cached in hiding as well as stored in temple vaults to make the survival of the music as likely as possible. Sorlyn also work as tutors to all who profess faith in Milil or who pay for the training, as well as judging many bardic contests and adjudicating bardic disputes between individuals, companies, or colleges.
Tuneservants are more adventurous. They roam the roads of Faerun rescuing or protecting common minstrels and great bards alike when such individuals fall on hard times or into peril. They also accompany adventurers of other faiths on deeds of heroism so that they can compose ballads about what befell (from "Brave Sir Dobbyn Ran Away" to "She Was Only a Wanton Weredragon, But She Was a Lady Fair"). They also embark on adventures of their own to recover music, instruments, and the like from old ruins and tombs, or learn of music long gone by using their stone tell abilities and similar magics in such places.

Priestly Vestments

Sorlyn wear robes of rich, lustrous fabric—usually crimson adorned with cloth-of-gold dragons, bards, or warriors arching and spiraling the length of the garment. Metal chimes are often worn as earrings, anklets, or on bracelets when outdoors, but these are always easily removable so as not to mar music-making. Hair is worn short or—in the case of tuneservants— bound up in a golden hair-net so as not to get in the way of playing instruments or listening acutely. Their holy symbol can take the form of a real harp or the symbol of Milil formed into an artfully crafted piece of jewelry.

Adventuring Garb

Sorlyn prefer the security of full (often chased and ornamented) armor when adventuring or traveling overland in dangerous regions, and defend themselves with magic, maces, and enchanted musical instruments. Song has its place, but in a world full of ores, dragons, and critics, it is best to be prepared for anything.

Symbol: A silver harp, often depicted as a five-stringed instrument whose body is made of silvery leaves
Home Plane: House of Knowledge, Library of All Knowledge
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Poetry, song, eloquence
Worshipers: Adventurers, bards, entertainers
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Knowledge
Favored Weapon: Sharptongue (rapier)
Superior: Oghma
Allies: Oghma, Deneir, Lliira, Sune, Mystra, Lathander

Divine Classification

Lesser Power