Ioun’s Archive (Myth)

Scales:

• Spread: Commonly Known.
• Importance: Critical.
• Age: Ancient.
• Region: The Veiled Lands.
• Culture: Kenku but it is known by all cultures across the Veiled Lands.

Cultural Variations:

The Archive of Ioun is a myth known throughout the Veiled Lands, with variations in the details and interpretations of the tale. With the main difference being the name of the god that created the archive and the name of the archive itself. Some cultures view the archive as a place of knowledge and wisdom, a place where the gods themselves would go to learn and to teach. Others see the archive as a place of power and secrets, a place where only the most powerful and wise can enter. Despite these differences, the core of the myth remains consistent across the Veiled Lands, serving as a tragic tale of the past of the Kenku.

Different Names

Ioun’s archive is known to have many names, these are some of them:

Culture	Library Name	Meaning of Name
Alonian (Tallman) Generic	Ioun’s Archive	Ioun’s Archive
Asteni (Tallman) Italian	Sapientia Domus	House of Wisdom
Dal (Tallman) Hispanic	Biblioteca de Sabiduría	Library of Wisdom
Duir (Dwarven) German	Weisheitsbibliothek	Wisdom Library
Dwelmer (Dwarven) Nordic	Visdomens Hall	Wisdom’s Hall
Eldar (Elven) Elven	Vilya’Shalar	Wisdom’s Haven
Eldarin (Elven) Japanese	Chie no Toshokan	Wisdom/Ioun‘s/Chie Library
Mularir (Tallman) Greek	Gnosis Parthenon	Temple of Knowledge
Yotunn (Dwarven) Giant	Skrymslaskrifheim	The Realm of Written Knowledge

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The Myth:

Creation of the Library

Tales speak that during an unknown period, after the creation of the Kenku and before the Great War, Ioun decided to create a single place to store all the knowledge she had gathered and written down in her vast collection of books, scrolls and tomes. The goddess then created a vast library to house all the knowledge of the world. It became known as many names, but most commonly by the simple title of ”Ioun’s Archive”. The library was said to be a place of wonder and enlightenment, where one could find answers for anything they so desired. After such feat, she promptly employed her loyal kenku to help her manage the library and keep it in order as the collection grew more and more with each passing day. As the library grew, Ioun also employed the mighty sphinxes to guard the library from monsters and to help the kenku in their tasks.

The Splendorous Abode

Ioun’s Archive, as it came to be known, emerged from the celestial ether as a testament to the goddess’s boundless intellect and benevolence. Adorned in the resplendent opulence of white marble, its towering spires kissed the heavens, gleaming with veins of opal, gold, and silver. Within its labyrinthine corridors, one could lose themselves amidst the endless shelves of tomes, scrolls, and manuscripts. Enormous chambers, adorned with intricately carved furnishings of ethereal beauty, beckoned seekers of knowledge to delve deeper into the mysteries of existence.

A Haven of Enlightenment

As visitors wandered through the grand halls, they were greeted by the gentle murmuring of turquoise rivers that meandered through the heart of the library, nourishing the verdant life that thrived within. Trees with branches laden with the weight of wisdom stretched towards the heavens, their leaves whispering ancient secrets to those who listened. Countless tables and chairs stood ready to accommodate scholars in pursuit of enlightenment, providing sanctuaries for contemplation and discourse amidst the bustling thrum of knowledge seekers.

The Repository of Lore

Within the sacred confines of Ioun’s Archive lay a repository of unparalleled scope and depth. Every facet of mortal existence, from the arcane arts to the mundane musings of history, found its place upon the library’s shelves. Chronicles of bygone eras, treatises on the arcane mysteries, and maps detailing the farthest reaches of the cosmos awaited the curious eye of the seeker. Yet, amidst the wealth of knowledge, it was the wisdom of the goddess herself that illuminated the path to understanding, guiding mortals towards enlightenment with each turn of the page.

The Tragic Demise

During the Great War, Ioun’s Archive bore witness to the merciless tide of destruction. As the gods clashed in the heavens, the sanctity of the library became ensnared in the maelstrom of conflict. Flames devoured the ivory halls, reducing the repository of knowledge to ash and rubble. The turquoise rivers ran red with the blood of the fallen, and the once-proud spires crumbled beneath the weight of divine wrath. The kenku that worked there were scattered across the world, and the goddess herself was said to have been gravely wounded during the battle. The goddess was said to have retreated to her home plane to recover from her wounds, and the library was never rebuilt. The remaining kenku that survived had no way to recover the The Wings’ Epistle, making them unable to fly.

Echoes of Remembrance

Though the physical edifice of Ioun’s Archive may have succumbed to the ravages of time and conflict, its memory lives on as a testament to the enduring pursuit of knowledge. Whispers of its splendor linger in the minds of scholars and seekers alike, inspiring future generations to continue the quest for enlightenment. And though the library itself may lie in ruins, the legacy of Ioun’s wisdom endures, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness, guiding souls towards the light of understanding. The destruction of Ioun’s Archive is a tragic moment ingrained in kenku lore, as with the loss of the library, the kenku lost the The Wings’ Epistle and their vast repository of knowledge.