Io - The Transcendent Dragon God
Io
Titles:
The Ninefold Dragon, The Concordant Dragon, The
Great Eternal Wheel, Swallower of Shades, Lord of the Gods,
Creator of Dragonkind
Io is considered the chief deity worshipped by dragons, god
of dragonkind, balance, and peace. He is seen by his people
as the creator of all things and god of gods. He is neutral in
alignment, but he also contains within him all other
alignments. His symbol is a multi-colored metallic disk.
Description
Io is unfathomably large; it is said the largest dragon who
ever lived is smaller than a single one of his scales, which are
blue, gold, brass, or red, and edged with silver and dark
purple. He can, and does, appear as any age or breed of
dragon, however.
Relationships
Io is paired with Chronepsis, who is seen as a re-enfolding
that balances Io's extension of being into the worlds. As Io
becomes all things, Chronepsis draws them back into
himself. They are seen as brothers and represented in a
complex symbol involving a nine-headed dragon swallowing
its nine tails.
The draconic pantheon of gods consists of the leader Io, as
well as Aasterinian, Chronepsis, Astilabor, Hlal, Lendys,
Faluzure, Garyx, and Tamara. Aasterinian is his messenger.
Dogma
Io cares for nothing but his children, dragonkind, as a whole.
If an individual dragon jeopardizes the safety of the draconic
races, he will oppose it. He prefers to remain aloof from
conflicts between dragons, however.
Worshipers
Io is revered by dragons as the creator of the multiverse and
of their race, the ultimate tier of god and creator. He is also
worshiped by half-dragons, kobolds, lizardfolk, troglodytes,
and even clutches of humans, elves, and dwarves.
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Clergy
Io has fewer clerics than most draconic deities, though even
the most devout cleric of other dragon gods gives him some
homage. Clerics of Io have no hierarchy or fixed dogma; each
interprets the Ninefold Dragon differently, worshiping him in
one of his many aspects. Some worship him as an evil being,
while others revere him as a paragon of good. Those who
would become Io's clerics seek to rid themselves of all such
biases, though some never succeed.
Temples
Dragon gods, in general, have few temples. There are shrines
in Io's honor, usually taking the form of open-air
constructions surrounded by pillars and topped with domes.
These shrines are placed in open terrain - the middle of a
desert, for example, the center of a valley, atop the peak of a
mountain, or on a vast, treeless plain. There is one construct
known as “The Shrine of Io”, it is a massive architectural
colosseum in Rodenya, formed in the shape of a dragon and
large enough for any dragon to walk into. Within the shrine
lies the sacred hoard, a massive treasure accumulated over
time by offerings made by countless creatures to Io.
Rituals
Io's rituals involve the blending of many things in a whole,
reflecting Io's own nature. One common ritual involves
drinking wine with a drop of blood from each participant
dissolved in it.
Prayers to Io are deep and resonating, taking the form of
supplication or plaintive questions.