Psiannius

## **Psiannus in the Divine Record**

The Divine Record is generally believed to be the writings of Psiannus herself, and perhaps because of this, the book contains no story of the goddess' own origin. In many places, Psiannus is believed to have been the deity who first brought the concepts of writing, philosophy and pantheism to early society, exchanging her knowledge for her students' sharing with her their stories, knowledge and traditions.

## **Church**

Psiannus's temples are always filled with books on as many subjects as their clergy can find or purchase, as Psiannites believe that all knowledge is sacred. These books are made available to the public, who are free to study and to copy, and most temples will offer free reading and writing lessons, often in multiple languages. Often, these temples also establish close ties with local rulers or governmental bodies, who often provide them funding, protection and other aid in exchange for the clergy documenting births, deaths, land records, and various other legal matters on behalf of the local state.

Like their goddess, Psiannites rarely proselytize. Their faith does not come from convincing anyone to share opinions, but instead revolves around divorcing themselves from opinion entirely. Just as Psiannus's writings are unattached, recording events and details without judgement, so do the faithful seek to live their lives. Because of this, there are very few places where the faithful of Psiannus find themselves unwelcome, and almost every major city in the Inner Realms has at least one temple to the Record Keeper.

Because of the pervasive presence of the faith, and because the Divine Record is widely held as the only authoritative record of the gods and their histories, acknowledgement of Psiannus holds a place in the religious life of virtually all observant peoples, regardless of alignment or persuasion.

## **Important Rituals**

### **Gaining Knowledge**

The acts of study, reading and record-keeping are all considered acts of faith, and most devout followers of the goddess will begin and/or end each day with an hour or more of reading or caligraphy. Among those believers who adhere to this practice regularly, it is commonly said that "the goddess waters a well-cultivated garden of learning," for many develop Eidetic Memory as a trait over the years.

In addition to these regular practices of self-study, it is also very common for Psiannites to attend one anothers' classes, to explore and create maps, or to travel to new areas in order to expand their knowledge. For those who do so, it is common to travel with the followers of Soujous, The Traveler, with whom they share a love of exploration.

### **Sharing Knowledge**

Any act of knowledge-sharing is considered service in the eyes of the faithful, leading many devout followers to teach classes, take on apprentices, or otherwise devote portions of their time to providing their learning to others. While it is not considered wrong to charge for these kinds of services, because the Record Keeper is mostly unopinionated on the subjects of right and wrong, many devout followers refuse to take money for them. Instead, it is most common to expect that the student share in kind, passing their knowledge along to others just as it has been shared with them.