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Ioun is the unaligned goddess of knowledge, prophecy and skill, and is a patron of the study of magic and mental power. She is worshiped in the Nentir Vale, and is particularly revered by wizards, scholars and tacticians.

Relationships[]

Enemies[]

Ioun is the antithesis of Vecna, as she urges her followers to share all knowledge that he would keep hidden.

Allies and minions[]

Ioun is an ally of Corellon, Erathis and Pelor.

Worship[]

Worshipers[]

Ioun is the second most popular deity among metallic dragons, second only to Bahamut. Among Ioun's exarchs is the mithral dragon Athearsauriv, known as the Eye of Heaven.[1]

Temples[]

Ioun is worshiped in the Temple of the Mind of Zerthadlun alongside Corellon, Vecna and the Raven Queen.[2] Ioun has a shrine in the Temple of Erathis in Fallcrest.[3]

History[]

Origin[]

In the time before the Dawn War, Ioun's dominon in the Astral Sea was a vast lagoon, surrounded by beaches of white sand, used by Ioun as a scrying pool. As the conflict between the gods and the primordials erupted, Ioun fused her dominion with those of Erathis and Pelor, forming the Bright City of Hestavar. The primordial Heur-Ket lay siege to the city shortly after.

After the war Ioun relinquished her rule of Hestavar and retreated into the Hall of Enlightenment at the Swan Tower of Kerith-Ald.[4]

Publication history[]

D&D 4th edition[]

Ioun first appeared as one of the deities described in the Player's Handbook (4e) (2008).

Creative origins[]

Ioun's name originates from the ioun stone, a popular Dungeons & Dragons magic item first introduced in The Strategic Review #4 (Winter 1975). In turn, the ioun stone originally appeared in Jack Vance's short story Morreion, published in the fantasy anthology Flashing Swords! #1 (1973) and later collected in Vance's anthology Rhialto the Marvellous (1984).

According to the editorial to Dragon #405 (Nov 2011), writer Christopher Perkins made the decision to take the name Ioun for D&D 4th edition's new god of knowledge. D&D 4th edition would retcon this deity to be the namesake and creator of the ioun stone. The AD&D 2nd edition Forgotten Realms lore previously had established a human mage named Congenio Ioun as creator of the ioun stones. No canonical link between Congenio Ioun and the goddess Ioun is known.

References[]

  1. Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons (2009), p.20.
  2. Manual of the Planes (4e) (2008), p.78.
  3. Dungeon Master's Guide (4e) (2008), p.202.
  4. Dragon #371 (Jan 2009), p.20.
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