Io

The Ninefold Dragon and Father of the True Dragon Races, Io is a patron deity of Dragons. Known as the Dragon God in the Dragon and Alter Dimensions, he is among the Web of Worlds' most powerful neutral deities.

History

Io was created by the Six Dragon Gods of Gate, along with several other Draconic divinities, in an attempt to increase their clout.

Io, like the rest of his brother and sisters, did not feel that his purpose lie in the Gate Dimension or in the feuds his parents maintained with the other gods of the Gate Pantheon. So he left, and came to the Dragon Dimension, where he set into the mortal world the fifteen races of True Dragons.

During the Time of Titans, Dragons were one among several races of terrible monsters who dominated the Dragon Dimension. The Dragons and their half-human offspring, the Dragon Clans, fought terrible wars for dominance during that time, and carved out a bloody swath of territory that they claimed as an empire.

At first, Io was flattered by the tribute -- until he realized that it was greed and lust for power that drove the empire's expansion, rather than desire to glorify the Dragon God. Io felt his children had lost some of the majesty he'd instilled in them, that they had been poisoned by the harsh, battle-torn world he'd set them on. So he took them to a world in the Dragon Dimension's solar system, used his divine power to make life possible on the world, and gave it to the True Dragons as their new home, away from the common monsters that ruled Dragon III. That world he called Draco.

Manifestations and Symbols

The most common symbol of Io is a single statue of a dragon's torso, cut off at the legs and standing with neck erect and wings folded behind. This statue is found in Io's shrines throughout Dragon III, Alter-Dragon and the world of Draco.

In his personal manifestation form, Io appears as a spectral, ghostly dragon of a slightly greenish tinge. To humans, he appears with only a single head, but to other dragons he appears as a nine-headed dragon.

Relations with Other Gods

• Other Dragon Gods: Io has a cordial relationship with some of his brothers and sisters: Bahamut and Tiamat are the siblings he is closest to. The Four Mana Dragon Gods he does not speak to often. Io is probably worst-off with his parents, the Six Dragon Gods, whose purpose he defied in pursuit of his own path.
• Non-Dragon Gods: Io associates with the other major gods of the Dragon Dimension (namely Tyr and Bleu), and tries very hard to be neutral toward them. But Tyr's schemes have historically been a threat to Io's interests, and so he sponsors those children of his who seek to undo her evil schemes. Io does have some contact with Namanda and Evrans. The former he considers an ally, the latter a threat (but a largely subdued threat). Io rarely has contact or concern for Gods outside the Dragon or Alter dimensions.