"Most stories have you believing that the world started in darkness. Heh. Quite the opposite actually."

"Io, god of all dragonkind, began everything with a single breath of fire.”

“Once he was satisfied with the shape of the land, he sent his five children forth:”

"Vorel, ruler of the vast oceans."

"Orochi, king of the Imperial dragons."

"Iormungand, a living earthquake."

"Tiamat, a five headed force of nature."

"And lastly, Bahamut, whose wisdom knows no limits."

"Each dragon created their own sons and daughters in their image, and Io was pleased with his creations"

"Yet, something was missing. With the help of the other gods, Io brought the mortal races into this world as servants and playthings for his dragons."

"But still Io was not satisfied. With the help of his five children, Io created the dragonborn. Humanoid creatures with the heads of the dragon. They were his favored children and thus were given every advantage. With the dragons at their backs, they brought their version of order upon the world: slavery."

"Since other races were... "beneath" them, they chained them up and forced them into servitude. The cruelest and most brutish race, the orcs, were used as slave drivers. They conquered the vast planes of what was once Arkhosia, breaking the wills of all who they came across."

"But the other races wouldn't take this lying down. The elves crafted bows that could put down even elder dragons with a single arrow. The dwarves hollowed out mountains, and created strongholds that no dragon could ever conquer, even to this day. The humans in particular were quite a pesky bug to stomp. The human kingdom of Bael Turath forged packs with infernal demons, birthing the tiefling race."

"But these slave revolts were nothing compared to the other menace that the dragonborn were facing: each other."

"The vast empires turned on each other. Chaos and destruction spread across the land. Io, to reign in the revolting races and return his world to order, commanded his children to rule the continents in his stead. But not even gods are immune to corruption."

"Tempted by power, the godlings turned on each other. Vorel was the first to fall, trapped in a massive whirlpool summoned by his siblings, and ripped to shreds by the very beasts he once commanded."

"Iormungand sought more power, and tried to take control of the dwarven empire, but he underestimated his enemy. The dwarves, apt at carving stone, dug through his body, until his wounds proved too great. From his remains, the dwarves created the city of Dun Morrock.

"Orochi  was the last to perish. After laying to waste an entire city, he was accosted by a battalion of human warriors. Clad in armor, and wielding sharp, thin blades, they fought tooth and nail against the massive beast. Overconfident, the dragon lazily fought this new threat. But something was wrong. He was growing weak and sluggish; poison. Attempting to flee the battle, he escaped over water, but the poison flowed in his veins, and he collapsed into the sea."

"This was the last straw for Io; furious, he called back his children”

“With one word, Io shattered the land. The earth moved and ripped. Volcanoes surged.”

“Then the closing act: A massive storm, a thousand miles wide!”

“The world flooded. The ancient continents disappeared beneath the waves. Everything seemed lost.”

“That is, until Bahamut stepped forth. He preached to his father about the worth of mortals; how the dragons and dragonborn wronged the races. Tiamat did not see things the same way, yet, for some reason, she remained silent. And while his father disagreed, he was moved by his son’s words. He halted the flood, but the storm remained, swirling over the southern pole. He left the world in his children’s care, but not before leaving behind an ominous message:”

“When the lies end and truth prevails,

and a mortal’s mind does all knowledge hold.

When the age of war crumbles and fails,

and wisdom rules the four thrones of gold.

Only then will my rage abate,

and leave the world to mortal’s fate.”

“And from that day on, scholars and wise men have fought over these words, but never agreed. Heroes and adventurers roam the lands, trying to fulfill the prophecy, for who knows what riches and wonders await in the Eye of the storm; in the Eye of Io?”