Deneir

Folk across Faerûn enjoy high rates of literacy, thanks primarily to the work of Deneir and his disciples. Deneir is a god of reading and writing. Any visual rendering that attempts to convey information or the truth falls under his domain, whether written or illustrated.

Deneir is Oghma's scribe and is sometimes thought of as Oghma's right hand. In legends, Deneir is typically portrayed as scatterbrained and out-of-touch with mortal affairs. When Deneir must communicate with mortals, he does so through books. Words on a page rearrange themselves into messages, a quill writes on a blank page of its own accord, or the crease between an open book's pages splits into a papery, whispering mouth.

It's common practice for someone who writes a letter or records information to pray to Deneir to avoid mistakes. While many artists worship gods of creativity like Lathander or Milil, illustrators who strive to convey concrete information or realism in their work favor Deneir. They acknowledge Deneir before beginning and on completing paintings, particularly illuminated manuscripts, tapestries that relate stories, and any attempt to use visual art to capture the truth.

Followers of Deneir consider literacy one of the god's most important gifts. His priests teach people how to read and write, free of charge. Deneir's priests tend to be individualists, united by their shared faith but unconcerned with religious hierarchy and protocol. They seldom establish temples of their own, instead operating out of temples of Oghma, schoolhouses, and libraries, or visiting folks in their homes.

The Tome Of Universal Harmony is the seminal text of Deneir's faith. Deneir's followers have read this thick, two-thousand-page holy book at least once. Many carry it with them wherever they go. Although copies of the tome are nonmagical, Deneir's Chosen can use them to channel powerful magic straight from Deneir himself.