#Noxus wants to conquer a world they have no hope of conquering

[infinite-xerath]

See, you make a lot of valid points, and I can’t deny any of them. Strategically speaking, trying to conquer the Freljord really isn’t particularly beneficial for Noxus in the long-run because of all the reasons you said. However, as I pointed out in my initial reply: that doesn’t really matter.

Noxians are FANATICAL in their beliefs. They really, truly think that their “strength above all” mentality is the objectively correct way that a nation should be one and they want the entire world to follow this model as well. Darius says as much himself:

I mean, just consider the Ionia campaign. Noxus was so desperate to conquer the island that they started relying on chemical weapons that poisoned the land itself and burned entire villages to the ground. They even readily, willingly sacrificed their own troupes en masse if it meant killing more enemies soldiers than their own.

And yet, despite all of that, Noxus was beaten back at the Battle of the Placidium. They LOST their initial invasion of Ionia, and only succeeded in taking a section of the coast for all their efforts. In spite of that, we know that Noxus is currently trying to invade Ionia AGAIN, because like you said: they don’t want to admit defeat to a people they view as lesser.

So yes, despite the myriad of reasons why trying to conquer the Freljord is a faulty endeavor, Noxus doesn’t care. There are people there, so the Noxian empire thinks it must rule over them. It’s sort of like Manifest Destiny; how the United States expanded further and further west in a delusional belief that it was somehow divinely ordained to do so.

Noxus wants to rule the world, and the Freljord is part of the world, so they’re going to keep trying to push north until they piss off someone/something they really shouldn’t, and the consequences of their actions will surely be glorious to behold.))

@infinite-xerath Honestly it's fairly simple: if there are people, Noxus wants to conquer them. It doesn't matter how bad the environment is. It also helps that Noxus doesn't seem to know about the literal gods and Eldritch horrors waiting for them, beyond probably dismissing them as local legends. It is telling that the Shadow Isles are apparently the one place that even Noxians want nothing to do with.))

Yes, but trying to conquer a frozen wasteland is leagues more difficult than trying to take over already developed territory. I know that in universe it was probably sold as 'oh we'll just go and beat them and they'll join us' but conquering a wasteland after you just sued for peace in two other conflicts strikes me as a tad unwise?

Because while I am not particularly up to date on my Demacia or Ionia lore, I am fairly certain there are things like roads and farms and the like, an ability to live off the land, so to speak. You take it over, make it yours, and then put it back to work doing what it was already doing.

The Freljord seems to survive on raiding? Mostly? And the things and places that don't are not particularly easy to get to?

To use a real world example, there's a reason why the vikings settled where they raided and not the other way around. There's a reason why the romans only made it halfway through Britain and to the Rhine, because at some point the ability to sustain a population of a certain size is impossible without endless amounts of moved materials.

Basically, you could probably station the entirety of Noxus' army in say, Demacia. Demacia has farms, the population that was fighting is now not fighting and replaced by Noxians who are in those jobs. But you could not do the same thing in the Freljord, because the Freljord has no way to sustain a giant army like that if it's just sitting there. It can't live off the land, the land is barren. It can't extract tribute, everyone can just get up and leave to other parts they don't control. They could try to build permanent things there, like roads and garrisons and the like, but those things are entirely dependent on aid from Noxus proper and if that doesn't come the whole thing falls apart?

And there's no way Darius, being a war genius, wouldn't know all of this? Unless his entire plan hinged on defeated the Freljordian armies in battle and capturing their leaders and making them submit. Or, it's an invading russia in winter situation, where there's just... endless expanses of nothing for hundreds of miles and it never gets any better.

Here's the other reason I can assume that either LeBlanc or Swain wanted him dead: not only was Darius defeated, he was captured, as was his son, who died against Sejuani's forces.

So Darius is defeated and captured, his son died there, and basically every time they lead an expedition into this place everyone dies horribly.

But the thing is, it's this endless attrition and stalemate that causes Darius to return and end up part of the council that now rules, because the Freljordian conflict is such a catastrophe. And yet, even still, he sends more expeditions to try and reclaim what little they built there, only now all the various scattered tribes are united either under Ashe or Sejuani.

So as far as I can tell, the opinion in Noxus should be that the Freljord is an icy deathtrap with nothing of value in it, except snow and angry tribesmen. Darius of all people should know that, he couldn't win against them and lost his son to them, and he apparently thought so poorly of the conflict that he turned him to overthrow the leadership with Swain and Leblanc.

The only thing that makes sense to me is that Noxus can't admit it got beaten by tribespeople and poros and beast men. So it has to say the conflict is ongoing so they don't lose face. But this is clearly not a conflict Noxus is winning, mainly because they destabilized their entire country in their biggest attempt at victory.

[blueares]

Ruination Rewrite: Character List

Sentinels

Vayne

Having devoted her life to fighting back monsters that prowl in the dark, Vayne joined the Sentinels to aid in their struggle against Viego and his ceaseless tide of the undead. Her years of experience and hatred for monsters of any kind makes her a perfect fit for the order, though her cold and ruthless personality sometimes puts Vayne at odds with some of the team's more unscrupulous members.

Olaf

In his relentless pursuit of a worthy death, Olaf joined the Sentinels hoping that the Harrowing will conjure a foe capable of slaying him at last. Having lost an eye to the corrupted Barbarian King Tryndamere, Olaf charges headlong into the swarm of wraiths spreading across Runeterra with his newly-forged Relic axes, hoping to solidify his legend in a world on the brink of Ruination.

Riven

After narrowly escaping Draven's arena with the aid of the Sentinels, Riven found herself lost and seeking purpose. A wanted fugitive in Noxus and unable to return to Ionia, Riven was prepared to wander alone in search of a new home until she was unexpectedly invited to join the Sentinels of Light. Now, she wields a new blade for a new cause: to drive back the Ruined King's forces in the hopes that doing so will at last bring her the redemption she seeks for her past.

Shen

When the Black Mist came to Ionia, the Eye of Twilight felt the scales of balance tip in favor of darkness. Seeking to rectify this imbalance, Shen confronted Viego on the beaches of his homeland, only to be overwhelmed by the Ruined King's power. Narrowly saved by the Sentinels' intervention, Shen agreed to an alliance between their orders, taking up a Relicstone sword in place of his Ionian steel saber to better combat the forces of the undead.

Diana

After a near-death confrontation with Ruined Pantheon, Diana found her connection to the Celestial realm shaken by a blow from the war god's spear. As the Aspect of the Moon recovers, Diana must take up Sentinel armaments to combat the growing tide of Black Mist if she is to ensure that her people, the Lunari, live to see another moonrise.

Jayce

The self-proclaimed "Hero of Piltover," Jayce joined the Sentinels in a bid to save his city from Ruination. Combining Sentinel craftsmanship with Piltover engineering, Jayce has upgraded his beloved Mercury Hammer with Relicstone to better combat the undead. Unbeknownst to his allies, though, Jayce wishes not only to save Piltover, but also the one man he ever called a friend...

Graves

A lawless scoundrel from Bilgewater, Graves joined the Sentinels for one reason and one reason only: to find his missing partner. After Twisted Fate's mysterious disappearance at the start of the Harrowing, Graves deduced that the Black Mist must be behind the card mage's sudden disappearance and that fighting Viego may reveal Fate’s whereabouts. Though Graves’ attitude and complete disregard for Sentinel code grates on his allies, he more than makes up for it when blasting through hordes of undead with his custom-made Destiny III.

Rengar

Once the apex predator of the Kumungu Jungles, Rengar finds himself now relentlessly hunted through his own territory by the ghosts of his former prey. Seeking to drive out the Black Mist and restore his place at the top of the food chain, Rengar joins the Sentinels to hunt down the one responsible for its invasion: Viego, the Ruined King himself.

Ruined

Shyvana

Years of prejudice and discrimination in Demacia have stirred bitterness and contempt in Shyvana's soul. Though once able to find comfort in those few she called friends, the Black Mist has fueled Shyvana’s resentment for the world that so often tries to condemn her. Now, she embraces the monster that so many believe her to be, unleashing her burning fury on anyone who draws breath.

Tryndamere

When the Black Mist took hold on Tryndamere's soul, it unleashed the fury that he has spent years tempering as king of the Avarosa. Now driven to a near-constant state of Berserker rage, Tryndamere is more beast than man, rampaging endlessly and cutting down anyone or anything that dares to get in his way. Even Viego struggles to truly control the Ruined Barbarian King, instead turning Tryndamere on his enemies and letting the beast run wild.

Draven

Little changed when the Black Mist took hold on Draven's soul. In fact, Ruination has only stoked the executioner's ego even further. No longer content to be the best in Noxus, Draven seeks the eternal praises of all Runeterra: an undying global audience which can cheer his name for all time, even if he has to perform for the Ruined King himself.

Lillia

Once a peaceful and timid spirit devoted to safeguarding dreams, Lillia has now devoted herself to protecting one dream in-particular: that of the Ruined King. Lillia now believes that only the beauty and purity of Viego's twisted love can save her Mother Tree and restore peaceful dreams to the world forevermore.

Pantheon

Through the necromantic powers of the Black Mist, the fallen god Pantheon has returned. Seeking retribution for his demise at the hands of the Darkin Aatrox, Pantheon readies himself to wage war on the living world and bring Ruination to all Runeterra. Before he can see his ambition to fruition, however, Pantheon must first win the war within himself for control over Atreus's body, who remains stubbornly defiant...

Viktor

Seeing a new path toward advancement, Viktor has embraced Ruination as the next logical step in human evolution. Able to transform fragile flesh and remove unnecessary emotion, the Black Mist is all that Viktor desires and more. With it, he can upgrade not just humanity, but Runeterra itself...

Gangplank

Desperate to take back his throne as the pirate lord of Bilgewater, Gangplank turned to Viego in a bid for power. Through the Black Mist, Gangplank has not only resurrected his old crew and ship, but finally acquired the strength to challenge Sarah Fortune's reign over the city of Bilgewater.

Other

Rookie

A young Sentinel recruit with next to no combat experience or training. Despite this, Rookie was still chosen by the Wayfinder, a unique Relic capable of allowing instantaneous travel between Sentinel outposts and a means of instantly traveling to the organization’s headquarters. Though Rookie is oft considered the weakest member of the group, they possess a knack for words and inspiring others in dire situations.

Unbound Thresh

With the aid of Mordekaiser’s magic, Thresh has at last freed himself from the confines of the Black Mist. With this new freedom comes the ability to transform himself, taking on a guise similar to the flesh and blood he once possessed in life without any of the limitations. Thresh now wanders the world unfettered, gathering souls for his collection while aiding in Mordekaiser's conquest.

-----

When the Ruination came and transformed the Blessed Isles into the now-infamous Shadow Isles, Thresh embraced the change wholeheartedly. For years he delighted in tormenting the living and the dead alike by trapping them in his lantern, but it eventually became apparent to Thresh that he, himself, was a prisoner.

Bound to the Black Mist and unable to leave the Shadow Isles for much longer than the span of a Harrowing, Thresh realized that this existence wasn’t so different from the years he spent isolated in the darkness of the vaults of Helia. Eventually, he began seeking a means of escaping the Mist, even if it meant dethroning the Ruined King himself.Eventually, Thresh’s search brought him back to the Vaults of Helia, where he perused the forbidden artifacts once placed under his care in the hopes that one might contain the key to his freedom.

After searching tirelessly through the many forsaken relics locked away by his order, Thresh came upon one that thrummed with an eerily familiar power: the skull of an ancient tyrant said to have once conquered death itself. As Thresh grasped the skull, a voice spoke out to him in an ancient tongue the warden did not recognize, but somehow understood. It promised him freedom and power in exchange for one thing: to help restore the warlord’s spirit to the land of the living.

It was then that an unholy pact was formed, and Thresh soon learned the name of the ancient spirit in question: Mordekaiser. For years, Mordekaiser and Thresh cooperated in secret, working together to undermine Viego’s search for the fetters of his queen, Isolde.

When the Ruined King was foiled by the Sentinels of Light, Thresh and Mordekaiser seized their opportunity. Now, as the lords of undeath contest each other control of the Shadow Isles, Thresh ventures to Noxus to aid in infiltrating the Immortal Bastion... While relishing in the new powers granted to him by his patron along the way.

[riftimagines]

This was a messaged request! I didn’t really know the character Charmcaster very well so I did my best. I’m sorry if this isn’t very good but I hope you enjoy it at least a little bit!

Darius x Fem!Charmcaster!Reader

-In Noxus all Mage’s are regarded with some respect. Some more then others, the more powerful you are though the better use for war you are and the more likely they’ll respect you just to get you to do things. It’s a manipulation tactic to use their power without struggles but considering you have near god like powers and can read their minds it’s easy to just say no and they can’t do anything about it.

-The only person you seemingly work with at all is Darius. He’s been the only one who doesn’t try to manipulate you or lie to you. He’s earnest in his conquest to unify the world under Noxus and truly believes if you can work for it it is achievable no matter what walk of life you came from. It’s very admirable and draws you close to him.

-He’s awed by the sheer amount of things you can do. You can do just about anything and do it so flawlessly. He does sometimes ask for you aid on particularly hard campaigns. The extra display of power is usually enough to get the enemy to surrender and submit to Noxus’ rule.

-Darius tends to have a serious visage in public but in private he’s quite a curious and awkward soul. He’ll want to know more about you and your power and sometimes might awkwardly ask you if you’ll show him a neat little trick or something because he thinks your so amazing. He’ll try to do something in return, to him it’s not as impressive but you should still praise him, like balancing his axe on his face.

-One of his favorite abilities you have is flight and levitation. It was a little terrifying at first when you took him up into the sky but now it’s one of his favorite places to be. He can see all of Noxus from where you two float and all the land it has yet to conquer. The best part though is It’s just you, him and the endless sky. No interruptions, no stupid, needless tasks, no worries at all. Just himself and his beloved.

[tragedybunny]

The Blade’s Edge - A League of Legends Fanfiction - Chapter 2

They had a simple arrangement. She was the weapon to be used on his enemies. Things get more complicated when emotions bleed into what should simple. Now the two of them find themselves on the precipice of something that was entirely unexpected. Katarina/Swain

The edge of Noxus and Frejlord, the end of the world, how did I find myself in this godsfosaken place? Oh that’s right, he asked me to come, well ordered me to. Either way, I wouldn’t have refused, I know myself too well to even try to lie.

  We set out from the Capitol in the company of several warbands, not enough for an invasion force. Our mission was strictly to make an alliance with the Avarosan tribe and their idealistic young Warmother. We show them the benefits of the grace of the Empire and they will fight our battles with the rest of the Northern Tribes for us.

We’d past the Iron Spike mountains and the Delverhold to settle into a nearly abandoned fort, the very last outpost of Noxus. Many good soldiers had died in Darkwill’s mad quest to bring the North to heel, and yet this was as far as any had managed to get. It felt world’s away from home, but really it was pittance compared to what he had desired. And it was not securely held at all. The tension among the soldiers became palpable as we travelled, knowing at any moment an attack could come out of the blinding whiteness that surrounded us.

I shook the snow from my cloak as I entered the worn doors into the hall of the small Keep that served as the central building of the fort. The rich black fur glittred as the candle light illuminated the tiny ice crystals. It had been a gift before we left, an offering to stifle my obvious annoyance at the whole endeavor.

I pause to take in the weather worn building, everything made of rough wood and stone, lit only by candles. A long table fills the space of the hall, a fire burning in the large hearth. The skeleton staff scurry to accommodate the officers we’ve brought with while the enlisted set up near the barracks outside. The hour is later than we planned and dark has fallen fully, tempers are suitably short all around.

I broke away from the general chaos and made for the stairs. My position at least guaranteed I’d be afforded private quarters. “My position.” I can’t help but laugh internally at the thought. What was my position - whore, concubine? That’s what they whisper in the Capitol. Really though, is it so far from the truth? One of the Officer’s staff show me to a room on one of the upper floors, tucked away down a small hall, with another room across from it.

The problem hadn’t started when I’d agreed to work for Jericho, or when I betrayed my family and killed my father. That was a resolution to conflict that had been long time coming, maybe it would’ve ended the same way without him. He simply forced things to their conclusion in way the benefited him.

I flop down on one of the least comfortable beds I’ve ever felt in my life, it feels heavenly though after the journey. I stretch and try to get my road weary muscles to relax.

The problem had started that first night though. I went to him for that promise of freedom he’d given, my life on my own terms, my family no longer allowed to shackle me. But I let my desire for him become entwined in what should have been business. Involuntarily I flashback to those maddened moments, his lips and hands on me, the way my body responded to him, smoldering desire erupting into an inferno. I realized too late I had given him a sense of ownership over me. And that had climaxed with his demand I take up residence in with him.

I’d been angry, angry he’d made it so obvious I was in his mind his property, angry that really, I had no choice. If you were the type in Noxus to need an assassin and know where to get one, chances are you would have heard who I worked for. There are no secrets in Noxus, not really. There wouldn’t be any trust in the Grand General’s “pet”. My only other choice, if you can call it a choice, would be to go back to mother and live as the dutiful daughter of the House. I’d been shackled again.

A knock at the door interrupts the pleasant haziness that’s settled in as I half dozed. I sigh and begin to sit up, I already know who it is. He doesn’t wait for my permission before the door swings open.

His presence is palpable and I feel it wash over me as soon as he takes a couple steps in. The sharp lines of his face bear a look of annoyance, not surprising given the delays today. Despite his years he’s still quite handsome with those classical looks and noble bearing.

“Kat, there you are. Settle in later, I have things I need to go over, join me.”  That’s the other side of the problem, that desire for him was still there, tempering my anger. I decided to make the best of the situation for the time being and admittedly we’d fallen into a comfortable partnership over the last couple months.

“Fine.” I deliberately put on a taxed expression as I get up and stride toward him. I gasp as his hands catch me around the waist and feel a surge of excitement as he pins me against the wall.

“If you’d rather I leave you alone for awhile, you can say just say so.” His lips crush mine, hungry and insistent until I yield. He pulls away leaving me breathless, that pleasant heat building inside me.

“Well, since you asked so nicely how could I refuse.” I smirk, trying to exasperate him a little.

He ignores it and kisses my forehead. “Good girl.” I try not to bristle at the patronizing tone, I know it only encourages him.

He veritably drags across the hall to his room. Already a fire burns in the hearth and there are papers scattered across the battered desk that sits near it. I follow him over to it and quick glance tells me it’s all the intelligence reports on the Avarosans and their leader, Ashe from spies, mage scryers, and anyone willing to be paid to talk.

As he sits he suddenly pulls me down into his lap. I loop my arm around his neck to steady myself from the sudden shift.I realize I should not be privy to anything written here. I’ll admit to being pleased at the trust.

“Our recent reports indicate the girl is terrified we’re going to start a war. She doesn’t believe her people can withstand an actual invasion, and they still have to contend with the Winter’s Claw. What do you think should we press that fear or remain gracious and friendly?”

Of course he’s going to come to his own conclusion, and probably already has. But he fixes those dark eyes on me and waits for me to answer. I feel raw and exposed in the seconds that follow, more so than even in our most intimate moments. Tell me to kill and I’ll never hesitate, never fail, but I’m out of my depth when speaking on diplomacy and politics. And he knows it, which irritates me. I answer the first thought I have anyway. “You’ve said she seems to genuinely care for her people. Fear may bring her to the table, but promises of peace and security without being conquered will be long term motivators.”

“Perceptive.” I feel the unnatural warmth of his left hand on my hip. “I agree with that assessment.” He squeezes a bit and I involuntarily lean a little further into him.

He spends the next hour or so going through every scrap of information, even though I know he’s already done so several times, asking questions he’s already decided the answer on.  We chat and banter back and forth a bit and several times he stops kisses neck or cheek, I run my hand through his hair and trace my fingers down the back of his neck.

Finally he sits back and takes a deep breath. I’ve never seen him look quite as tired as he does right now. A sudden, small pang of concern startles me. “You should get some sleep.” My voice is inexplicably soft. I kiss him lightly on the temple. “I’ll leave.”

He doesn’t move his arm from around me and sits silently for a moment, brow slightly creased. However, there’s no hesitation when he speaks “No, stay, sleep here.”

It takes a moment for the words to sink in. We have a rule about this as I was made acutely aware of before we left. I almost start in on a sarcastic reply but he looks weary enough that it dies on my tongue. “If you really want me to.”

“That is what I said, is it not?” His tone is light despite his words.

I get up and begin to strip away my heavy travelling clothes and extinguish most of the candles.  I notice as he moves about undressing that his slight limp is worse. I don’t make it my business to ask questions about the demon, but I gathered it keeps him from feeling as much pain as he should from the old wounds. I wonder a bit about how he would be without it right now.

Everything is thrown into soft light and shadow by the glow of the last candle as I turn back the covers and settle on to the bed.  He sits on the edge, removing the brace from his knee that he keeps carefully hidden under his clothes. He hisses slightly as the muscles in his back visibly stiffen. I move behind him and wrap my arms around waist, leaning my head against his back. My breath catches in my throat for a second. “Jericho, are you alright?”

He places a hand over mine. Time stops. For a moment everything feels different; softer, quiter. “I’m fine Kitten.” His words are so soft I barely even notice that damn nickname.

I let go and find my way under the covers. When he joins me after extinguishing the last candle I curl up next to and his arm wraps around me and pulls me closer. My pulse thunders. He kisses the top of my head and warmth spreads over the whole of me.  Godsdamn it, no, I can’t let this happen. This is not what we are. I want to flee to the sanctuary of my own bed, to not feel my heart beating against my chest. Instead I put my arm around his waist and close my eyes, hoping sleep comes quick.

[inumbro]

a collection of some of the ama answers, all the twitter posts, and all of red posts on the boards about zed & some related topics that I can find from the last ~1.5 years (with a few exceptions), so that I have all this info in one spot for reference

organised based first by topic, then by rioter

if anyone has any jhin / xayah / rakan / vastaya related information that I missed I’d appreciate a link so I can add it bc there’s not nearly as much not-officially-canon-canon information on those connections as I remember there being!

Morals:

WAAARGHbobo said:

No. He is, if anything, a hardline nationalist and federalist.

WAAARGHbobo said:

Zed is, indeed, much more complicated than you think. But he is definitely not a nice person.

@miketmccarthy said:

At the moment, [Akali] does not align with [Zed’s] philosophy. He killed Shen’s father and master. Although they are both aggressive, Akali is inherently good and Zed, well, notsomuch.

Shadow magic:

WAAARGHbobo said:

...A wizard has a different, more studious, and analytical way of accessing magic — but arguably a shaman has a more inate connection to spirit magic. While warriors like Zed, Shen, and Kayn have studied a different way to access magical power—

The strenght of the connection, the control, and the narrowness of focus are all important variables...

@LaurieGolding said:

... but Shadow Magic had not been practiced in Runeterra for a long time, before Zed started. Jax hasn't had time to master it in the ~10 years since then!

Kayn:

Scathlocke said:

Kayn's principal conflict is almost not with Rhaast at all, but Zed. It is very likely that his master sent him to retrieve the weapon knowing that it would be the ultimate test for his protege - either it would destroy him, or he would conquer the Darkin and become a worthy new leader for the Order of Shadow.

Basically, Kayn and Zed have a super-complicated "adopted father" type of relationship going on. Rhaast is more like Lady Macbeth, in this current situation.

@LaurieGolding said:

I think [Kayn’s] shadow-form is what Kayn and Zed both hope the outcome will be - he's been given a near-impossible task by his master, as a true and final test of his worthiness to one day lead the Order of Shadow. If he fails, the weapon will consume him.

It's interesting, because both Zed and Swain seem to have engineered their plans for succession into their own rise to power. Both of them seem to say "You can have my job... IF you can take it!"

@LaurieGolding said:

Kayn is a singularly gifted student, but Zed gave him the hardest test imaginable - to withstand the power of a Darkin. ...

Jaredan said:

I wouldn't take the horror of Kayn's experience as typical of Noxus's approach or attitude to recruitment. The Ionia conflict saw some very strange things happen within the Noxian military and beyond. I can't talk about them yet. But that day will come.

@miketmccarthy said:

I think a lot of that will come out later... Zed has had a complicated run in his life, he wants a successor, and I believe he hopes Kayn is 'the one' and time will tell whether or not he can be that. Zed saved Kayn from certain death, trained him, raised him. He cares.

Interlocutioner said:

Link to Zed: Functionally, they're master and apprentice. But in truth, I think they have a deeper relationship than that. Zed sees himself in Kayn. An orphan with a gift and a drive that others can't control, no matter how much they try. No matter how much Zed tries, in Kayn's case, lol. I think Zed might also see something he could never be in Kayn. Kayn's link to the shadow is deep, for whatever reason. Maybe Zed hopes this is a sign that Kayn could do better than him? Ultimately succeed him? And he may have other, darker motives as well.

I think Kayn's respect for Zed is just as deep. Unfortunately, he's in the process of convincing himself that the only way he can prove himself to his father figure is by becoming something more than Zed wants him to be. Stronger than Zed. Strong enough to defeat him, if necessary.

They have a bond, but it will be tested.

...

I just mean their bond will be tested by Kayn's possession of Rhaast, if nothing else.

Kinkou + Jhin:

Jaredan said:

The characters you mentioned [Shen, Zed, Jhin] are very important to each other's lives going forward...

Jaredan said:

Shen, Zed, and Jhin, sitting in a tree. K. I. L. L. I. N. G.

In their history, Jhin is absolutely an antagonist. But Shen doesn't look at Zed with any kind of fondness, only with betrayal. The man he thought was his brother murdered his father, the person that Shen defined himself by.

However, it's true that Shen can't give into his own immediate, visceral anger. Perhaps he even tells himself he doesn't hold that anger against Zed. His job does require him to hold that inner balance to perform it. It's a role that he does partly in honor of his father. Still, if Shen told you he isn't angry, would you believe him?

When he has two worlds balanced on the edge of a blade, how long any man keep his hand steady?

I'm not going to talk about where their story might be headed in specifics, but those are the things that are involved in our thinking.

Jaredan said:

Yup, though Shen and Zed's relationship is a bit more complicated than Tobias and Malcolm's. Zed and Shen also have more complicated personalities and responsibilities than TF and Graves (that's not a challenge when it comes to Graves especially, he's a to-the-point kind of fellow).

Scathlocke said:

Shen is most likely seeing quite a few parallels between Zed's path, and Akali's. There is some significant crossover in their ideology, and they both rejected the Kinkou Order in some way... but Zed rejects the notion of "balance" as weak, and is more than happy to use any/all means at his disposal. Akali is certainly not there, yet!

Thermal_Kitten said:

Akali knows the cost of Zed’s break with the Kinkou. Zed was training alongside Shen, but after their first run in with Jhin, Zed began to have second thoughts. (We updated Zed’s bio to add more context and details surrounding this.)

...

As far as the Order of Shadow and the Kinkou, they don’t exactly work together, it’s more they tend to keep out of each other’s territory and see to Ionia’s future in their own ways. If it came to a direct disagreement, it could come to blows.

WAAARGHbobo said:

Jhin give us a chance to show that Ionia is in transition. The attack on their nation changed them. They are embracing technology they had previously thought unnecessary, and they are questioning their morale foundations. Jhin is the true villain of Zed and Shen's story-- and he represents everything that could go wrong for Ionia.

The Noxus-Ionia war:

Scathlocke said:

Seven years since Swain seized power and commanded the Noxian armies to leave Ionia.

@LaurieGolding said:

Noxus has a HUGE military presence off the main coast of Ionia - the First Lands are so concerned with restoring balance after they "won" the war, they've failed to notice that Noxus hasn't actually abandoned the island of Fae'lor, for example...

@LaurieGolding said:

The Great Stand at Navori was about ten years ago, and she was something like 14 then. Swain seized control of Noxus roughly three years later and ended the war in Ionia.

@LaurieGolding said:

Noxus was originally supposed to be persuading Ionia to join the empire, which of course became an occupation, then a war. They didn't intend to pillage/destroy... But it seems Darkwill was actually looking for magical stuff to extend his life, so who knows? (LeBlanc, maybe?)

@LaurieGolding said:

The death toll was catastrophic, certainly. But also, Ionia has been marked with a big, bloody Noxian handprint that they'll never be able to wash away - the soul of the First Lands has been changed forever... Was that Swain's plan all along? It's hard to say.

Vastaya:

Q&A:

Why is there a rebellion? Is Zed doing something with magic that affects the vastaya and are they dying as a result?

Not dying, but magical essence sustains their continued existence. The less magic there is, the fewer resources there are to support vastayan life and tradition. Other humans tap into or twist up the same magic source that the Lhotlan vastaya need to survive. This is not necessarily a moral thing, good people do bad things for good reasons, unaware of the consequences it causes others. Zed and his people are unknowingly or uncaringly accelerating the drain of the magical energy though they are absolutely not alone in doing this. This is aggravating the growing tension between humans and some vastayan tribes in Ionia - and directly violates the agreements that were forged between species.

Miscellaneous:

In response to:

Then Zed decided to pull a Sasuke because he couldn't deal with someone being better/picked over him.

Jaredan said:

Zed's issues run a bit deeper than that.

WAAARGHbobo said:

[referring to the wild magic video] It is not a part of the timeline. Promotion team just takes inspiration from the lore-- they do not make stuff within the timelines. Because... uh.. Reasons? Well you'd have to ask them.

WAAARGHbobo said:

So as the guy who did this, and Jhin’s lore...

The character you love hasn’t changed.

This simply expands the timeline and shows how Zed’s descent can be understood from his own perspective.

This timeline was actually done during Jhin, and the goal was to give Zed’s fall a slower, more human, less arch, trajectory.

Timeline (rough from my phone):

Shen and Zed are students together and bros. Zed is clearly the better, more talented student.

Kusho takes the two young teenagers undercover chasing “the golden demon”

Jhin crime scenes traumatized zed. (And shen)

Zed begans to struggle with his studies.

Kusho catches but refuses to kill Jhin. Zed loses respect for his master.

Zed begins to study forbidden shadow magic. —gets in trouble.

Leaves.

Noxus invades —zed witness war crimes. Kusho’s refusal to help the war effort is the last straw, Zed is no longer sympathetic or allied to the kinkou. While not directly opposed to them— he begins to view the kinkou as rivals.

Zed forms his own order— related to the Navoi militia group. (Spelling?)

Some vastaya tribes looking for a better deal, ally with the Noxus. Others fight for Ionia. Zed begins hostility with non- humans.

The war is tough, zed returns to the take the last of the shadow magic. Kusho tries to stop him.

Zed kills his master, shen’s dad.

Shen becomes the eye of twilight.

Kayn.

The war ends.

Zed begins consolidating power. Trains kayn. (He continues hostility with noxus, growing hostility with many Vastaya tribes.)

Harrowing mists begin to bother the southern Ionia sea ports.

Kayn gets raaast (around here i think)

Jhin is frees.... by someone

Zed finds out jhin is free. contacts Shen.

Jhin heads to zaun.

[viperanoxia]

- the clément incident.

buckle the fuck up for a terribly-formatted, yet highly educational cassio background story. i am exhausted and ready to share one of my finest messes with you. under a cut for length!

let’s take a second to recap background and reiterate that cassiopeia was a brilliant but completely awful child. now, along with that came a disgusting amount of pride in her family name, along with a certain elitist mindset that was selectively geared towards lesser nobles. commoners? excellent. inferior nobles? get fucked. 

so cassio is thirteen, ok? and like all twelve year olds, everyone around is tryna pull rank on each other like the tiny pisspots they are. ooo la la my daddy has a million more gold sovereigns than yours. my mother has a mistress. oooo.

well, tiny ass haute couture du couteau is kind of a hot commodity, given the fact that she is, after all, a du couteau, and a very pretty little girl. and of course adolescent kids are full of hormones and bragging. now, nobody is dumb enough to claim doing anything dirty with her.

however, louis clément, who is from a family that could barely be considered noble at all, the son of a merchant who inherited a paltry title, decided to spread the rumour that cassiopeia du couteau was his girlfriend.

she. threw. a. fit.

however, she’s smart enough to know that protesting too much is enough to make people believe things even more. 

so what does she do? she marches straight home and slams down a 30-page war plan onto marcus’ desk. he looks at her with the dead eyes that have resulted from having such a child, but finally agrees to what she wants, and to keep his wife in the dark. why? cassiopeia has literally just staked every ounce of her hard-earned freedom on the fact that her revenge will go according to plan. she has agreed, in the event that her plans go wrong, to give the rest of her upbringing over to marcus and to become an assassin without a mind of her own, the one thing she values having.

because a thirteen year old boy spread a rumour. it wasn’t even bad.

what does she do? she takes it up not one notch but twenty. this little twerp gets her parents to actually arrange her betrothal to the clément kid. catherine du couteau is fucking losing her mind. marcus is just like, i don’t really give a shit, this one is kind of the most physically useless anyway. if she fucks it up she landed herself in this. whatever.

she hams it the FUCK up ok. like whatever you’re imagining, multiply it by a million and dunk it in spun sugar. she convinces louis she’s desperately in love with him, and of course, the kid is a normal thirteen year old, unlike some hoity toity sociopaths we could name, and he laps it up. it’s true love! 

so now she has both effectively trounced the rumour with something even more spectacular, and she has made herself into a wonderfully admirable, charitable person for looking past socioeconomic differences blah blah.

she likes to bat her lashes at him and tell him that her father won’t approve unless he does x thing. and it’s fairly easy to believe considering good old stab dad always glowers at every fuckin’ body like they owe him for taking the last slice of pie. he is a little bit dumb, though, and never questions why the fuck marcus is never present to witness any of this.

it goes from menial tasks like mucking out the stables to catching her new, very deadly snakes, to learning every ballroom dance on earth perfectly. and to give the guy some credit, he does all of it without complaint. he tries crazy hard, because the poor thing actually loves her.

yeah, well, she sends him off to war. child soldiers are acceptable in noxus. it’s not really usual among nobility, but it’s definitely seen as a mark of prestige, so sending him off to earn a military ranking for greater approval in the eyes of her family is actually a pretty valid excuse. his family isn’t happy, but what the hell were they gonna do?

he traipses off the front lines under the tutelage of an infamously incompetent knight, which was totally not arranged at all, and he’s gone for two years. 

two years during which he sends and receives wonderfully flowery love letters to keep him going blindly, while his family falls under some extreme financial misfortune. and what household is so generous as to take them in, but their son’s fiancée’s? and what a sweet girl, they can see why he likes her, she even took care of all the arrangements personally. they work as high-paid servants, and the jobs aren’t hard and the housing is honestly very nice. they’re all wonderfully appreciative and well, sure she’s got strange taste in pets, but there are worse evils in the world.

now, louis has promised her, PROMISED her that he’d come straight home to her without seeing his family or anything. she gets the letter, sets it all up, and meets him. she’s mildly annoyed bc he survived, but his knight-master didn’t, so that’s one less person to deal with anyway.

he comes home the conquering hero and all of that, tired, exhausted, beaming, so proud of himself, can’t wait to see his lady love. he meets her and she’s so nasty. he’s never seen this.

louis: wtf! why are you being so mean rn! cassio: mocking baby voice: why are you being so mean rn??? (normal voice) FUCK you

she legit doesn’t even give him the grace of dying deceived. he gets to die knowing the last two years of his life were a fucking farce, that she threw him out hoping he’d die, and the snake of hers he’d liked the most is the one that kills him while she stands there looking bored.

because he spread the rumour that she was his girlfriend at the age of thirteen. 

the cléments, to this day, have no idea. the whole extended family are loyal servants to the du couteau house, and would die on the spot for cassio’s sake. they adore her, and several of the most loyal servants to the house, that are not disgusted by her transformation, are of the clément house.

louis clément was declared missing in action and presumed dead shortly after his fifteenth birthday, when both he and his master failed to return home.

[matronoftheblackrose]

New Lore? My thoughts?! Is this clickbait??!

No. As in no, it's not clickbait, I just titled it as such because I can and I'm cruel.

So! Let's get into this, shall we?

My thoughts on the new lore are...are...

Unimportant.

I've been lurking here and there my darlings and dears, and I have kept silent watch. So, what am I going to be posting about if my thoughts on the new lore is unimportant? Well, I'm going to detail why it's unimportant.

What exactly is dissecting the new lore going to yield? Nothing. If you enjoy it you enjoy it, and it should spark your creativity and it should spark new thoughts and possibilities and you should enjoy it, and not be ashamed that you do. I stopped all of my posting because well, I do not enjoy it and even if I do a Mr. Plinkett equivalent style rant, what's it going to actually yield? Nothing, because my opinion's not been asked for, and whatever my thoughts may be on it, well, do you really care? Really? Does someone dissecting it into the core and the meat of it really sway your thoughts and your opinions? The answer's no, because this is not the platform for it.

So, something I've been seeing from the sidelines is how characters are changed, and I won't lie I've done that too. But hey, at least Swain's still the leader of Noxus, and hasn't gone and become a vigilante like Warwick nor has he gone and ascended and lost his native country like Soraka who is now Targonian in her new updated biography but keeps her old biography when you click onto the League entry. Normally I'm not an extremist in the sense of "You must hate everything, or you must love everything", but I think by this point it should be evident to everyone (except Riven because no one remembers her in writing) that the lore is going to change for every champion. You have to accept that it'll happen because it's not your world, not your work, and if you want to keep at it then go ahead, but that's why it's a fandom- you're the fan.

Now I'm not one to defend the new lore (go ahead and read my archives, I hide nothing- or do I? dun dun dun), but I need to make something very, very clear: Noxus being related to Rome is not something I disagree with. Is making them more "morally grey" a bad thing? Maybe it is, maybe it's not, and although they don't have the literal goddamn skull mountain anymore (Thank fuck they got rid of that, that thing was stupid) they have a literal Palpatine Khadgar Hot Daddy Sauron's Human Form Fan Idea as the leader. Triumvirate or not, they want to pull historical references, there were 2 Roman triumvirates: Caesar's and Octavius'. Guess how those went- the 3 people bickered, turned on each other and one came out on top. If that doesn't happen with the literal Love Child of Darth Vader Ozzy Osborne Motherfucker at the helm of all this then colour me surprised.

Is Riot's writing nuanced? No. As far as what I have read it is not nuanced, it is not deconstructing the genre it is not groundbreaking it is not subverting expectations. Didn't before, didn't now, won't in the future. However, when criticizing the writing, something I want to make abundantly clear is this: Make sure you know what you're talking about.

Reading Noxus' colonial methods of conquering places and forcing people to fall under their foot or be crushed, is it problematic? You can say the word choice is off, but the point is being missed. Is it being justified? Maybe, but is that because of sloppy writing or because they're trying to secretly inject the idea that colonialism or absolutism in government control is the best and if you go against the state you need to be removed (I wonder who owns Riot!). But you cannot say in the same breath that Riot are sloppy writers who are also encoding colonial ideas into their writing because that takes actual talent to do so without being overtly obvious.

No, the question isn't "Is Riot Secretly Condoning Colonialism!?" or "Is Riot Condoning Masters Raping Slaves?!" (yes this is something I read) when the question you should be asking is, "Who the hell is this colonialism happening to?" Not in reality, I mean in the bloody story I'm not making the argument that it doesn't happen in reality so on and so on.

If I say Roman expansion I know that cultural assimilation was a common Roman tactic which is how the expansionist empire came to be and people like Augustus tried to stop it so the Roman empire wouldn't collapse from the sheer size. Who did it affect? Well let's see, Rome conquered Britain, Syria, Byzantium, Carthage, Gaul, Spain and parts of Germany from the few cultures I can remember.

Who the hell is Noxus conquering? Shurima? Ionia except they're losing the war still? The Freljords? Piltover/Zaun? Some place we never heard of?

If you say any of these fictional countries are scored for Noxus' conquest then ask yourself this- why wasn't this ever addressed in any of the past lores? Because this is what happens when you write by the literal seat of your pants and you are expected to turn out whatever it is you can. It took them 6 years to make that Annie short (Granted 2 years in production), and I am making the argument that there's not enough time to actually sit down and create a fully fleshed world for 130 independent characters who maybe have to all be protagonists in their own right.

When this question cannot be answered confidently, then why the heck is there any discussion about the moral relativism or moral absolutism or the acceptance of colonialism when the very basic premise of it all is missing. This Noxus is morally grey?

As morally grey as this guy maybe:

(Let's give him a hug)

So maybe it'll be rewritten so Noxus has conquered some who gives a crap lands, maybe Alistair will be remembered maybe he won't, but the main fictional countries have no reason to really dislike Noxus. There's no narrative reason. When the very premise of it all fails, ask yourself: Is it poor writing, is it rushed writing, what's the actual issue at hand? It's not those Dove commercials that can be easily misinterpreted, it's "This will work for now and we'll see next year if we have to make changes". Tell me if I'm wrong, then I'll point you at every champion (except Riven) that's been changed. Spoiler: More than 100 of the champions have had their lore changed.

There are reasons I can come up with, and reasons you all can come up with, and I hope you do because it's a good exercise in writing, but you are looking at a company that is juggling ladders, didn't change Singed's lore for literal years then forget to change Soraka's lore to be her new Targonian aspect.

https://puu.sh/zimaX/143cc47a72.jpg

https://puu.sh/zimbz/03ee62681c.jpg

Word choice is their last concern. But is it worth nitpicking all of this?

Yes and no. Yes for your own development, no if all you do is just sit there and whine every time something new comes out and you decide you need to make everyone else feel stupid for liking it.

My favorite Batman movie is "Batman and Robin". I shit you not, I dare you to fight me on it, I'll have that Bat credit card in hand ready to defend it to the death, just like the ice age killed the dinosaurs. Ice pun.

The point is guys, honestly, just freaking go have some fun. That's the point of the fandom. Go have fun, go worldbuild, and if it's not going the way you like guess what- you can pack your stuff and make your own things. Funny things about archetypes- everyone uses them, and just because you developed it here it doesn't mean it's invalidated in your own work. Just bloody have fun with it, poke fun at it, but don't get all uppity about it because guess what- all that time, all that energy I know that I've spent, was better spent in just pursuing my own thing.

Heck, I see a lot of people in the fandom who adjusted, had fun and are actually pursuing things in Riot, and that's great for them! Legit, that's awesome and I'm so glad to see people do that! You're furthering your careers, you're having fun and you're doing something you like!

Just because I may not like the new stuff doesn't mean I should invalidate, or drag you down so you can feel bad about it too.'

Also Swain looks hot as fuuu-

[axe-me-darius]

-Crackles Knuckles- WOW SO MUCH INFORMATION.

OKAY HERE WE GO.

First off I would like to thank riot for going into such great detail about this comic. Puts a lot of character about Darius and Draven. I really got a perspective of what Darius is a person. 

I am kinda really happy about the fact Darius did have somewhat of a love life. Even though it ended. It was kinda refreshing. ( Not gonna lie Quilletta looked a lot like lux. FOR MY OLD OTP. That I always loved this. I so fucking happy they did this.) 

Now that I see Quilletta is her name I looked on the map and see that her last name is Varn. This is also the same as the girl that cut her throat, Invetia makes me believe that they are related. GIVING THE NAMES ON THE MAP.  Though how there related  we automatically assume that Invetia might be her daughter. Quilletta also talks about the importance of children and leaving us of on a cliff hanger that it was to be assume that Decius is Darius son who died in the Freljord. Apparently the way it was worded a lot. Decius had the same mind set as his mother giving thru Invetia opinion and is also assumed. 

The locket that Invetia wares shown in the time they invaded Ionia. Which speaks volumes. On karma. Haha...its funny cause there is champ- anyway going on. The way Invetia spoke to Darius was interesting.  

" I learned them from you.” Given the locket and this dialog it hints a potential second child that is Darius. 

Invetia being more like Darius. Cold and brute. For the strive of to make Noxus great. It gives Darius a open mind to what he is really doing and doing so maybe a heart? Knowing that he was the cause of his own lovers death. Again this is so fucking sad. 

Its sad to see Quilletta start a rebellion in which I assume to only die from what he created. I hope this comes into perspective to Darius what he is really doing and how is raising Noxians to fight. 

Strength above all. I suppose love is seen as a bit of a weakness. Only the strong survive. I hope Invetia turns into a champ. I’d fuck love that. I really like her as a character. 

There are a few questions I wanna know.

1.) Why does he always say your son?

I feel like like thats really disconnecting for darius to say. Did he really assume that it wasnt his? I mean is he that thick? Who else would be banging quill? Was there someone else in between for him to think that?

2.) Is darius last name Varn? 

I know they where disconnected at the end. But is it possible to assume that this could be his name. Cause if so thank god. I wanted him to have a fuckin last name for the longest fucking time.

3.) I’m not sure but was cyrus the general’s head he cut off like in the old lore? Or what. 

4.) What is Darius true goal?

okay is it really conquering the world? If so why the hell is swain in charge. Obviously love couldn’t even move this man. But it did show signs that he had some what of a heart. I feel war changed him a lot. Made him really numb. This also makes me think would he let Draven die if quill replaced Draven in this aspect.   I don’t understand why darius fights for a army that took over his home town. Usually people live for the following. MONEY , LOVE, Or Power. 

I really need to think about head cannons now. Fucking sad ass story. I really like it. Brings character as well as new ones. Feel free to ask me questions. I think I talked enough on this post. Lets hear some feed back. 

[infinite-xerath]

Emperor Xerath

It began in the Lost City. Three powerful mages clashed against one-another amid the ruins of Icathia; three men who would decide the fate of the world. The first Malzahar, a seer who served the dreaded gods of the Void, who sought to fulfill Their prophecy and bring an end to the world. The second was Xerath, Magus who gave up everything in the pursuit of freedom and power; his friends, his home, and even his own mortality. The last was Ryze, an ancient wanderer who carried the weight of the world on his back, in the form of a mysterious scroll.

Their prize was a World Rune, a relic from the dawn of time that is said to have helped shaped Runeterra itself. Malzahar sought to use its power to open a gateway to the Void. Xerath wanted it to break free of the seal that bound him and conquer the world. Ryze sought to seal it away so that none could abuse its power. Indeed, the conflict was fierce. But in the end... Xerath triumphed.

Malzahar and Ryze both perished, and the Magus Ascendant made the whole of Icathia their tomb. Now free from his ancient prison, Xerath used the power of his World Rune to amplify the already incredible magics of Ascension. He returned to Nerimazeth, where he readied his armies to march on the old capital of Shurima. There, Xerath’s rival, Azir, waited alongside the Curator of the Sands, Nasus.

With Renekton, Butcher of the sands at his side, Xerath triumphed, killing Azir as he had centuries ago. Renekton, fueled by his rage, severed Nasus’s head from his shoulders. Both Ascendants had killed those they had once called brother, and Shurima was theirs.

But Xerath was not satisfied. He turned his ambition north, to the nation of Noxus, seeking to conquer them and show them what TRUE strength was. The Noxians resisted, but not for long. Eventually, Jericho Swain was forced to surrender, and the Magus turned his sights on Demacia.

However, Xerath noted something disturbing in his general; a lack of passion or bloodlust. Having gotten revenge on Nasus, Renekton’s rage had begun to die, and he began to remember bits and pieces of his past. Annoyed by this, Xerath chose to use the power of his World Rune to corrupt Renekton’s mind beyond the point of no return. The power amplified Renekton’s rage so much that it warped the Crocodile’s form, making into a savage, merciless beast with speed and power that no man could hope to match.

With his general’s ‘loyalty’ restored, the Magus moved to Demacia. To his surprise, the Magus found that even his own immense power seemed to prove inadequate, for the Demacians used a special stone in all their constructs that nullified magic. What’s more, a great colossus stood as the defender of their capital, which proved problematic for Xerath. However, Renekton, with his new-found strength, was ultimately able to overcome the defender known as Galio. With the aid of Noxian and Shurima soldiers, Renekton left Demacia in ruin. Jericho Swain was even granted the privelage of executing Jarvan IV.

Piltover and Zaun fell easily after that. Their hextech proved little more than annoyance for Xerath. The guardian wind spirit, Janna, was able to repel Xerath for a time, but to keep the Magus at bay, she had to keep the city surrounded by a massive wall of wind, and Xerath knew it would be only a matter of time before that defense began to falter. After that, though the hextech of both cities proved to be an annoyance, they were nothing that Xerath’s storms could not overcome.

Finally, the last place on the mainland that Xerath had yet to conquer was mount Targon. What he found there was most unexpected. The warriors of the mountain offered little resistance, but among them were four champions known as the Aspects. These would be his greatest challenge, without question; each of them was roughly a match for an Ascendant in terms of might, and together, they proved an obstacle for the Magus and Butcher. It was only because of the World Rune’s immense power that the Magus overcame his final obstacle.

Mustering as much power as he could, Xerath managed to trap the Aspects in a rock slide, and then razed that section of the mountain. With them gone, Xerath ventured to Targon’s peak, where he discovered the ruins of a civilization which had seemingly been lost to time. There, he would construct a new palace from the ruins, where he resides to this day, making his home far above the mortals he now rules.

Xerath would elect certain individuals to rule over and maintain order in the lands he has conquered; Swain, for example, was permitted to be Xerath’s will in Noxus, and Cassiopeia was given Shurima. Ionia and the Blue Flame Isles will assuredly fall soon, and then the Magus shall cast his gaze out across the sea. He shall not be sated until all of Runeterra recognizes him as emperor.

However, there are rumors that ever since Xerath ascended Targon, strange shapes and patterns have been seen in the night sky. Many believe these to be mere coincidence, yet others believe that Xerath’s reign has angered the stars themselves. One thing is certain though: there is no force left on THIS world that can oppose the Magus Ascendant.