Milil is the fiction

Fiction

Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

al god of song and poetry in the Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 setting for the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

 fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

.

Publication history

Ed Greenwood

Ed Greenwood

Ed Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...

 created Milil for his home Dungeons & Dragons game, giving him some of the powers from the version of the Norse deity Bragi

Bragi

Bragi is the skaldic god of poetry in Norse mythology.-Etymology:Bragi is generally associated with bragr, the Norse word for poetry. The name of the god may have been derived from bragr, or the term bragr may have been formed to describe 'what Bragi does'...

 found in original version of the book Deities & Demigods

Deities & Demigods

Deities & Demigods , alternatively known as Legends & Lore , is a reference book for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game . The book provides descriptions and game statistics of gods and legendary creatures from various sources in mythology and fiction...

.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

Milil first appeared within Dungeons & Dragons as one of the deities featured in Ed Greenwood's article "Down-to-earth Divinity" in Dragon

Dragon (magazine)

Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...

 #54 (October 1981). Milil was introduced as the god of poetry, eloquence, and song, a neutral good demigod from the Happy Hunting Grounds

Beastlands

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Beastlands is a neutral good-aligned plane of existence...

. The article notes that Milil is connected to Oghma and Sune

Sune

Sune may refer to:* Lalah Sune, a fictional character in Mobile Suit Gundam* Sune , a Swedish children's book series* Sune , a fictional character in Forgotten Realms* Sune , a given name...

, and states that he is "held in special esteem by bards

Bard (Dungeons & Dragons)

The bard is a standard playable character class in many editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The bard class is versatile, capable of combat and of magic . Bards use their artistic talents to induce magical effects...

. He is seen as a young, charismatic man with beautiful features and voice, but is usually manifested as a haunting music (particularly in clearings in the depths of a wood), or a radiance about some human bard or raconteur in the throes of inspiration." Milil's alliances are also described: "Oghma is served by Gond on one hand, and by Milil and Deneir on the other. Milil often works directly with Lliira." Milil is commonly worshipped by neutral good thieves

Rogue (Dungeons & Dragons)

The rogue or thief is one of the standard playable character class in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A rogue is a versatile character, capable of sneaky combat and nimble tricks...

 and clerics

Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)

The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...

, as well as any bards, and characters employed as poets, artists, scribes, and sages.

Milil later officially appeared as one of the major deities for the Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 campaign setting

Campaign setting

A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...

, in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Sets "Cyclopedia of the Realms" booklet (1987).

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

Milil was described in the hardback Forgotten Realms Adventures

Forgotten Realms Adventures

Forgotten Realms Adventures is an accessory for the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...

 (1990), the revised Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993) in the "Running the Realms" booklet, and Faiths & Avatars

Faiths & Avatars

Faiths & Avatars is an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign expansion book. The book was designed by Julia Martin with Eric L. Boyd, and additional design by Ed Greenwood, L. Richard Baker III, and David Wise...

 (1996).

His role in the cosmology of the Planescape

Planescape

Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...

 campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).

Milil is described as one of the good deities that celestials

Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....

 can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

Milil appears as one of the major deities of the Forgotten Realms setting again, in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001), and is further detailed in Faiths and Pantheons

Faiths and Pantheons

Faiths and Pantheons is a campaign accessory for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons, for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.-Contents:...

(2002).