Io
Io, God of Dragons and once a greater deity now a part of The Dead, is the father of all dragons and the embodiment of balance, wisdom, and primal power. Known as The Eternal Dragon, The World-Shaper, and The First Scale, Io represents the unity of opposing forces within the universe, embodying both destructive and creative potential. Revered by all dragonkind, Io is celebrated as the god who brought dragons into existence and led them against the cosmic horrors of the Elder Evils.
Io was an Icon of the Dragon race, known for his boundless wisdom and unyielding strength. He led his kind against the Elder Evils, rallying both dragons and mortals to stand together to protect the universe from corruption. Io’s leadership brought many victories during The Ruination, and as he fought, he instilled a sense of justice, resilience, and nobility into his kind. Io held an important role even after the Elder Evils were banished, establishing dragons as protectors of the universe. With his strength and neutrality, Io reigned over all dragons, promoting balance and harmony.
After the war, Io accepted the Rite of Rebirth, which elevated him to full godhood, making him the God of Dragons. In his new role, Io was a guide to all dragons, teaching them to appreciate both their destructive might and their capacity for creation. Io maintained the delicate balance of power and peace, striving to instill this understanding in his children, Bahamut and Tiamat.
During the War of the Divine, however, Io faced one of the most fearsome Elder Evils as it breached the boundaries of existence again. This battle would be his last, as he ultimately perished fighting to protect the cosmos. At the moment of his death, Io’s divine spark split into two, falling to his twin children, Bahamut and Tiamat. The spark granted them each a share of his divinity, with Bahamut ascending as the God of Justice and Nobility and Tiamat as the Goddess of Wealth and Ferocity.
Respect Power, Exercise Wisdom: Io believes that with great power comes responsibility. Followers must temper strength with wisdom and avoid using their might recklessly.
Protect the Cosmic Order: As champions of balance, Io’s followers seek to maintain harmony, standing against threats that disrupt the universe’s stability.
Seek Unity in Diversity: Io’s teachings encourage dragons and mortals alike to respect all beings, regardless of alignment, as parts of a larger, interconnected existence.
Followers of Io seek inner harmony and strive to act with patience and purpose. His faith promotes a calm strength, viewing wisdom as the greatest form of power and seeing balance as the most divine ideal.
The Seekers of Harmony: Scholars, sages, and monks drawn to Io’s teachings pursue self-knowledge and cosmic wisdom, aspiring to understand the harmony of the universe.
Guardians of Balance: Some of Io’s followers dedicate themselves to defending harmony in nature or society, serving as protectors against forces that seek to upset the balance.
Warriors of Equilibrium: Those who fight in Io’s name train to balance strength with wisdom, seeing their role as defenders of peace and order.
Io’s followers are unified by their respect for both sides of life—strength and compassion, discipline and freedom. They often carry symbols that reflect their devotion to Io, such as a seven-pointed star or scales, symbolizing balance and cosmic harmony.
Holy Day: Followers of Io celebrate The Day of Balance, held at the equinox, a time of equal light and darkness. They observe it with meditation, fasting, and symbolic offerings that represent harmony and unity.
Sacred Texts: The Scales of Creation is Io’s primary sacred text, a collection of philosophical teachings, dragon lore, and guidance on achieving balance. It is revered by his followers as a guide for understanding the mysteries of life and their role in preserving harmony.
Through his teachings and influence, Io inspires mortals and dragons to embrace balance, cultivate wisdom, and use their power responsibly. His death left a void in dragonkind, but his legacy endures in Bahamut and Tiamat, each bearing one part of Io’s divine essence. His followers honor his memory by pursuing the same ideals of unity, strength, and cosmic harmony.
Physical Description
Io is often depicted as an enormous, majestic dragon with scales that shimmer in a radiant spectrum of colors, symbolizing all dragon hues—chromatic and metallic alike. His scales shift fluidly between silver, gold, and an iridescent, colorless sheen, giving him a timeless and otherworldly appearance. Each of Io’s eyes contains a swirling, cosmic light, representing his deep connection to the fabric of the universe. His wings, vast and translucent, resemble starlit skies or the shifting colors of an aurora, and he is often shown holding his claws out in balance, symbolizing his unity and neutrality.History
Io’s origins trace back to The Ruination, an era when the universe was under attack by the Elder Evils. Recognizing the dire need to counter these horrors, the Divine Triad—Moradin, Pholtus, and XXXXXXXXX—combined their powers to create a champion race that could embody aspects of all three gods. Thus, Io, the Titanium Dragon, was born, imbued with the gifts of each god: Moradin’s creativity, Pholtus’s order, and XXXXXXXXX’s compassion.Io was an Icon of the Dragon race, known for his boundless wisdom and unyielding strength. He led his kind against the Elder Evils, rallying both dragons and mortals to stand together to protect the universe from corruption. Io’s leadership brought many victories during The Ruination, and as he fought, he instilled a sense of justice, resilience, and nobility into his kind. Io held an important role even after the Elder Evils were banished, establishing dragons as protectors of the universe. With his strength and neutrality, Io reigned over all dragons, promoting balance and harmony.
After the war, Io accepted the Rite of Rebirth, which elevated him to full godhood, making him the God of Dragons. In his new role, Io was a guide to all dragons, teaching them to appreciate both their destructive might and their capacity for creation. Io maintained the delicate balance of power and peace, striving to instill this understanding in his children, Bahamut and Tiamat.
During the War of the Divine, however, Io faced one of the most fearsome Elder Evils as it breached the boundaries of existence again. This battle would be his last, as he ultimately perished fighting to protect the cosmos. At the moment of his death, Io’s divine spark split into two, falling to his twin children, Bahamut and Tiamat. The spark granted them each a share of his divinity, with Bahamut ascending as the God of Justice and Nobility and Tiamat as the Goddess of Wealth and Ferocity.
Beliefs
Io’s teachings center on balance, wisdom, and the acceptance of both creation and destruction as essential parts of the universe. To Io, dragons are embodiments of cosmic balance, capable of wielding both the fury of fire and the grace of wisdom. Io encourages his followers to honor their dual nature, to embrace both strength and mercy, and to protect the delicate equilibrium of existence.Core Tenets of Io’s Faith:
Embrace Balance: Followers of Io are taught to honor both light and dark, creation and destruction, recognizing that each has its place in the cosmos.Respect Power, Exercise Wisdom: Io believes that with great power comes responsibility. Followers must temper strength with wisdom and avoid using their might recklessly.
Protect the Cosmic Order: As champions of balance, Io’s followers seek to maintain harmony, standing against threats that disrupt the universe’s stability.
Seek Unity in Diversity: Io’s teachings encourage dragons and mortals alike to respect all beings, regardless of alignment, as parts of a larger, interconnected existence.
Followers of Io seek inner harmony and strive to act with patience and purpose. His faith promotes a calm strength, viewing wisdom as the greatest form of power and seeing balance as the most divine ideal.
Followers
Followers of Io, often referred to as The Balanced Scales or The Scions of Io, include dragons, sages, warriors, and those who value harmony. Io’s faith attracts those who seek balance in their lives, embodying his ideals of wisdom, strength, and impartiality. His followers tend to have a calm demeanor, favoring patience and introspection over impulsive action. They honor Io as the eternal example of balanced power, seeking to emulate his ideals in their lives.Types of Followers:
Dragons of All Kinds: Both metallic and chromatic dragons revere Io as their progenitor, finding common ground in their reverence for him as the embodiment of balance. While many dragons now align under Bahamut or Tiamat, Io’s influence remains as a core part of their beliefs.The Seekers of Harmony: Scholars, sages, and monks drawn to Io’s teachings pursue self-knowledge and cosmic wisdom, aspiring to understand the harmony of the universe.
Guardians of Balance: Some of Io’s followers dedicate themselves to defending harmony in nature or society, serving as protectors against forces that seek to upset the balance.
Warriors of Equilibrium: Those who fight in Io’s name train to balance strength with wisdom, seeing their role as defenders of peace and order.
Io’s followers are unified by their respect for both sides of life—strength and compassion, discipline and freedom. They often carry symbols that reflect their devotion to Io, such as a seven-pointed star or scales, symbolizing balance and cosmic harmony.
Temples and Worship
Temples dedicated to Io are found within natural mountain formations, deep caverns, or on high plateaus where both earth and sky meet. These sacred spaces are places of peace and contemplation, adorned with sculptures of dragons and symbols representing duality and balance. Worship is quiet and introspective, marked by rituals held during dawn and dusk to symbolize the merging of light and darkness. Followers pray for guidance in maintaining balance in their lives, with silent meditation and offerings that honor both life’s creation and its dissolution.Symbols and Holy Days:
Symbols: The most common symbols for Io’s followers is a radiant dragon, representing harmony and the wisdom of the cosmic order.Holy Day: Followers of Io celebrate The Day of Balance, held at the equinox, a time of equal light and darkness. They observe it with meditation, fasting, and symbolic offerings that represent harmony and unity.
Sacred Texts: The Scales of Creation is Io’s primary sacred text, a collection of philosophical teachings, dragon lore, and guidance on achieving balance. It is revered by his followers as a guide for understanding the mysteries of life and their role in preserving harmony.
Through his teachings and influence, Io inspires mortals and dragons to embrace balance, cultivate wisdom, and use their power responsibly. His death left a void in dragonkind, but his legacy endures in Bahamut and Tiamat, each bearing one part of Io’s divine essence. His followers honor his memory by pursuing the same ideals of unity, strength, and cosmic harmony.
Type
Greater DeityTitle(s)
The Eternal DragonThe World-Shaper
The First Scale
Alignment
NeutralSymbol
a radiant dragonEdicts
uphold balance in all aspects of life; use power responsibly, guided by wisdom; seek unity among diverse perspectives, fostering peace through strengthAnathema
act with reckless destruction or blind ambition; disrupt harmony or intentionally create discord; abuse power for selfish gain without regard for balanceAreas of Concern
balance, wisdom, dragons, cosmic OrderD&D Domains
Knowelege, Order, WarP2 DEVOTEE BENEFITS
Divine Ability
Wisdom or CharismaDivine Font
heal or harmDivine Sanctification
can choose holyDivine Skill
DiplomacyFavored Weapon
claw (fist)Domains
duty, might, magic, protection, wyrmkinAlternate Domains
perfection, zealCleric Spells
1st: runic body, 4th: fly, 7th: prismatic armorDivine Intercession
Io bestows blessings on those who honor the balance and unity of the cosmos, while those who defy his principles experience isolation and a lack of harmony.Minor Boon: Dragon’s Insight
Once per day, you gain a +2 status bonus on Diplomacy checks made to mediate disputes or foster unity, and a +2 status bonus on Perception checks to sense imbalances or detect hidden dangers.Moderate Boon: Eternal Vigilance
You gain darkvision as an innate ability, and you may cast detect magic at will as an innate divine spell, allowing you to sense magical imbalances and other cosmic forces. This ability reflects Io’s vigilance over the balance of the world.Major Boon: Scales of Balance
Once per week, you may call upon Io’s blessing to restore balance in a specific location. For one hour, you and your allies gain a +2 status bonus to all defenses against extreme elemental conditions, such as intense heat, cold, or lightning, as well as a +2 status bonus to saves against chaos- or order-based effects. Additionally, you may create an aura of peace within a 20-foot radius that repels chaotic or destructive influences, preventing them from taking violent action within this space.Minor Curse: Dissonance of Scales
If you disturb balance or disrupt unity, Io withdraws his favor. You take a -1 penalty on Perception and Diplomacy checks until you act to restore balance or mediate a significant conflict.Moderate Curse: Mark of Discord
The scales of balance in your spirit falter, and you feel constantly imbalanced and tense. You become clumsy 1, and any attempts to mediate or make peace suffer a -2 penalty. This effect persists until you perform a significant act of harmony or protect an innocent from harm.Major Curse: Forsaken of Io
Io marks you as one who has violated the cosmic balance. Dragons sense this aura and view you with distrust or hostility, and you cannot benefit from any effects that bolster your defenses or strengthen your abilities. This curse persists until you restore cosmic balance or reconcile with one you have wronged.
Children
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