Cultural Records of the Imperium

Excerpts from Magos Denessius Perlemian's 'Myths and Legends:  A Treatise on Pre-Imperial Folklore'

Chapter:  "The Rise of Io, the First King"

Among the many heroic figures of my people's ancestors, none seem more revered than Io himself.  Unsurprising, considering that many military leaders and statesmen during the Age of Division believed that their lineage traced to him, and his words forming the basis of many philosophies the Drakari hold dear.  The thought of possibly being descended from a beloved warrior-poet would no doubt instill some measure of pride in anyone, misguided or otherwise.

While many historians have debated as to whether or not the First King ever truly existed, I will endeavor to tell his story as concisely as possible, considering the daunting passage of time since this legend began echoing through the ages.

According to legend, at least one-hundred-thousand Standard Years ago, the birthplace of the Drakari species, the continent of Elysium, was split between a number of clans and tribes vying for survival.  Our people, the stories claim, lead harsh lives of ignorance and fear of one another, in addition to the strange beasts that came out of the 'Dread North' (no doubt misremembered accounts of long-extinct predators).  Sword and axe were the diplomat's words, the search for food and battle all one could hope to achieve through their centuries of life.

One hunter of the Alavarri tribe, a chieftain's son by the name of Io, slowly began to think otherwise.  Among his folk, he spent his youth yearning for purpose beyond mere survival and conquest, believing that his people's gods and the deeds of his fellow warriors would show them a path to greatness.  The hands of fate would soon move in the warrior's favor before long, for during a hunting expedition, a fierce storm soon set itself upon Io and his hunting party.  One by one, the hunters would retreat back to their tribe, fearing that further pursuit of their prey would mean certain death.  Io, on the other hand, refused to give up the hunt, believing that through his perseverance he would bring about the admittedly simple greatness he desired for his tribe.

Before long, though, the storm would force the chieftain's son to take shelter in a cavern, away from his quarry.  Myths and legends claim that it was there that he was visited by the gods themselves, who had been moved by his bravery and had seen his visions of unity and glory.  To do this, they gave unto Io a number of boons:  a suit of plate such that no blade or arrow could pierce, knowledge of statecraft and artisanship far beyond his time, and a battle-hammer that would grant his bloodline the power to unite all who would follow him willingly and bring down even the fiercest of foes.

With these gifts and his mind filled with dreams soon to be fulfilled, Io would soon return to his people to tell of what he had just witnessed.  Despite the skepticism of some of the men and women of his tribe, Io's words, and the seemingly impossible boons given to him, swayed many to his side, including an equally ambitious warrior known only to history as Corellon. A new word would echo through the Alavarri settlement before long:  "King.  King!"

The events that would follow would soon shake the foundations of history, or so myth and legend would claim.  As to whether the events in this tale truly occurred, none can truly say.  All that is truly known is that something or someone began a series of events that would propel our people from mere barbarians to an empire in the making.