The Lion's Return

A prophecy was foretold in the Kingdom of Man, or so the story goes, when the first King of Mankind, Gellark Lionrage, vanished into the Northern Sea. He left behind him an era of prosperity for the Kingdom of Man, leading them into the start of the Age of Heroes by triumphing in the Dreamless Sleep, and so he is associated with the highest peaks of the kingdom's success.  

Prophesies of Prosperity

The prophecy, as it is best known, says in one way or another that Gellark Lionrage will return at a time of peril for the Kingdom of Man (or just Humanity in general, or perhaps even the world) and be either the leading force of or a symbol of a new age of prosperity.   Some argue over whether he will actually be the leading force of change or if his appearance is just meant to herald the turn of the tide. One cannot be certain until it happens, which most think is impossible, since he vanished over a hundred years before even the first inklings of prophecy were spoken, and his body is likely somewhere beneath the Northern Sea or frozen in Moroza.  

Zinton of Gremont

There are many different versions of this prophecy, and while there is an "original", it does not claim any oracle or divination mage as its source, but instead a Geltic historian from the Age of Tranquility called Zinton of Gremont. There is no evidence that this prophecy actually has any weight, as it seems to have been created solely to inspire hope of better times ahead for the Kingdom of Man when cracks first started to appear.   Zinton's version of the prophecy reads as follows:

"When all hope appears lost, and the land of Lionrage and Regalcrest is all but broken apart in the storms of great peril, the waves will part for his vessel, mighty and true, carrying the first King of Mankind to unite his nation once again towards prosperity.

He will walk from the edge of Jihdi lands to the ring of Stallbourne, and all men will bow before him as their true ruler. All others in the world will recognize his authority, and each corner of the world will unite under one banner, that of Nerodil and its King."

— Zinton of Gremont, History of the Kings of Nerodil

The issue with this prophecy is that Zinton of Gremont's historical account has since been disproven in almost every single area except for what was, to him, recent history. He made up battles, and even created a line of kings before Gellark that included Varth Dreamless, creating a history that did not exist prior to Humanity's arrival on Totania in -10.   Still, it was widely influential during its time, and many variations of the prophecy have since spread and sprouted in its wake. The only thing that remains consistent is the idea that Gellark will return and bring prosperity, with ideas added or subtracted in subsequent retellings of the prophecy. The only place this story is disregarded completely is in the city of Colvers, where diviners call it a false prophecy with zero validity.  

Variations

There have been changes to the prophecy in the years since Zinton of Gremont. Some say that his return from the north will be met by the return of Varth Dreamless in the south (as he's been held in the World Cell since Gellark defeated him), or that he will be joined by other heroes who hail from either his Age of Heroes or the age in which he returns. Some believe this legend to not mean he will return literally, but that he will be reincarnated as the soul of a new hero.   Still, these ideas all stem from a false history, so they are largely swept aside in favor of a more realistic idea: Gellark Lionrage died not long after he disappeared in 15 ME. His body was lost when his life was, and the Kingdom of Man, the Humans all over the world, and all living beings must fend for themselves, and there is no hero from a long lost time who can save them. The hero lies within the hearts of men. Salvation is at their fingertips. They must only reach out for it.