The Church

Clergy:    Clerics, specialty priests, mystics, bards, spellsingers

Clergy's Alignment:  LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN

Turn Undead:  C:Yes, SP:Yes, Mys:No, B:No, Spell:No

Command Undead:  C:No, SP:No, Mys:No, B:No, Spell:No

All cleric, specialty priests, and mystics of Milil receive religion (Faerunian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.  All priests must take singing and musical instrument as two of their initial nonweapon proficiencies.

Milil attracts those who love music--and who need to be a part of it, no merely listeners.  Such folk tend to be sensualists.  They love good wine, good food, pleasing art and architectural or natural surroundings, the amorous company of others, and the beauties of nature--many faithful of Milil enjoy rising before the sun to watch the wakening radiance.  For reasons lost in the mists of time, all clergy of Milil are known as Sorlyn (probably after a founding patriarch of the faith), and specialty priests of the faith are called tuneservants.  Both genders are represented fairly equally in the faith, and the ranks of the clergy are about two-thirds human, with a quarter of the remnant being elves, and the remainder half-elves.  Sorlyn all tend to be charsmatic and physically attractive.  All are also good singers skilled in the use of at least one musical instrument.  Additionally, many are accomplished composers and musicians or even dancers.  They tend to be active perfomers and travelers, not recluses or cloistered scriveners.

About half of the total priesthood of Milil are clerics, the remainder being specialty priests with a few bards, mystics, and spellsingers in the service of the Lord of All Song.  In general, before the Godswar the priests in the larger cities, with more organized churches beneath them, were clerics, while the churches in more remote areas were commanded by tuneservants; however, the number of tuneservants in the faith has been growing steadily since the Time of Troubles.  Relations between the clerics and the specialty priests are good, though the more conservative clerics are a bit concerned about recurring incidents of tuneservants using their enthrall and suggestion powers to enhance their own status and the tuneservants' continual support of "ner'er-do-wells" (adventurers).  A quick way to determine whether a local temple of Milil is run by a cleric or a tuneservant is to listen to its music.  All temples of Milil have very good choirs, songmasters, organists, and/or musicians, but the type of music varies.  Clerics tend to play traditional songs and hymns while tuneservants prefer newer works, some of which may be disconcerting to the parishoners.

Milil's is an organized faith, with all churches paying heed (or at least lip service) to the Patriarch of Song in Waterdeep.  Unfortunately, the influence of the Patriarch diminishes with distance, such that those congregations in Sembia tend to pay attention only to the most urgent messages.

Sorlyn adhere to clear rules and an organized hierarchy.  They use the titles (in ascending order of rank) of: Mute One (novice), Chanter, Chorister, Soloiest, Lead Voice, First Voice, Songmaster, and Glorian--a title used by all senior clergy in addition to any temple rank of office they may also hold.  Typical temple ranks include Castellan, Master Tutor, Master Wind, Master Serenader, Master Librarian, Master Instrumentalist, Prior, and Patriarch.  The specialty priests of the faith address each other as Harmonian, regardless of rank or accomplishments, and are noticeably (and acceptably) lax about using the formal titles of other clergy members--except the Patriarch of Song, who they revere profoundly.

The mysterious Patriarch of Song appears as an old man with kindly features, a flowing white beard, and ice-blue eyes.  He is probably the best harpist in the world.  His knobby old hands are able to make a harp sing, moan, drone, and almost seem to talk, as well as emitting the more usual sounds of such an instrument.  His voice is a magnificent baritone, though, he has a falsetto that seems like the clear, high voice of a young elf girl or very young human maiden.  His true name and origins have been forgotten, but he has adopted various names--and appearanes-- in recent years, even apparently switching gender from time to time at the command of the Lord of All Songs.  He is rumored to be ablt to enthrall intelligent beings with a song so beautiful that they enter a trance and hear only the music soaring endlessly in their heads until freed by rough handling.  Sorlyn believe he has been given speical powers by Milil beyond his apparent immortality, and that as long as he survives, music in Faerun will grow and flourish.  Legend insists that the Patriarch flits about the Realms from time to time insiring youthful and promising singers by showing up at their local tavern as an old minstrel and givning a performance that leaves everyone present weeping and yet bright-eyed with hope.

Mililan temples are soaring, catherdrals of spledid architecture.  All of them have choir lofts, facilities for presenting stage performances, workshops for the repair and construction of musical instruments, extensive music libraries, and carefully crafted acoustics.