#arcane lore

[daretolovemyrambling]

the Medarda Clan

(picture above is from the arcane artbook, it's concept art for Mel, Kino, Ambessa and Kino's unnamed father. Mel's father isn't named or shown anywhere yet)

I don't think Arcane necessarily retconned this, so I wanted to talk about the Medarda Clan in the League of Legends Universe.

Mel Medarda, while banished from Noxus, likely still retained a high status because a part of the Medarda family also resides in Piltover.

It makes sense that Medarda family members don't just reside in Noxus. Ambessa says herself that she send Mel to Piltover in order to oversee their family's interests. And would it really be called "Medarda House" by Piltover residents if only Mel is in it? Mel would have also been only about 23 when she enters Piltover and 26 when she was a councelor in season 1 act 1 (here is a timeline I made for arcane: x) it's insane, even for her, to establish a well respected house in such a short time in Piltover.

In Legends of Runeterra (a Riot card game that explores the world of Runeterra in more detail), there is a card named Jae Medarda.

His description reads: "Heir apparent to Piltover's prestigious Clan Medarda, Jae preferred hunting ancient artifacts over managing the family business... much to his father's chagrin."

There also some other Medarda family members that we know of; on the League website you can find a map named "Medarda Heirloom", it shows trading routes the Medarda's use. It's a pretty old map though, I think it's from 2016 so I wouldn't really say this very relevant.

On the map you can find a letter by a Medarda Merchant named Jago writen to his nephew, Salob, who seems at risk of being banished.

I tried my best to make out every word:

Nephew Salob,

As much as I am forced to admire your frankly staggering & baffling level of self-belief in the face of numerous failures, failures that would have punctured the ego of the staunchest Zaunite braggart. I would like to confirm, in writing, that control of the Medarda Clan's commerical portfolio and access to the clan trade map. Which you have long coveted, shall not be granted to you - not now - not in time - nor never.

I suggest you take on a profession more befitting your natural talents - perhaps as a chem-lamp lighter - and be grateful to your aunt, my dear wife, that your ties with the clan are not severed completly.

This will be the end of the matter.

Sincerly,

Jago Medarda

The Medarda family seems to love exiling children that don't fit into the family.

I think Jago is now kind of retconned if Arcane is the new canon, or he's at the very least not the head of the clan and has married into the family. Sun Gates are what made a lot of the families in Piltover rich 200 years ago, it's not mentioned in arcane but we do see them in some arcane maps.

In Arcane Ambessa mentions that she fought battles from the Bloodcliffs to the Dalamor Plains. The Black Rose mentions that she might have had an affair while travelling through Basilich, at least fake-Kino claims that this is the area he heard rumors about Ambessa's affair in. I marked all these places with a red dot on the Runeterra map. Basilich is a Port City, if the affair really did happen here, Mel's father could be from any place in Runeterra.

I'm hoping they will expand on the Medarda family in the future, the Ambessa book will likely have some interesting lore about them in it. It comes out in Feb 2025.

From the Synopsis we already know that there will be a cousin of Ambessa that is named Ta’Fik. I'm guessing he knows that Ambessa had an affair and has bad blood with the Black Rose.

Ambessa Medarda: Warrior, general, mother. She is a woman to be feared, and the Medardas are unrivaled in their pursuit of glory. She has led conquests and armies. She has slain legendary beasts. She has made grave sacrifices in her ascent up the ranks. And for this she was rewarded: She entered the realm of death and was granted a vision of herself upon the throne of the vast Noxian empire. But before she can lead her empire, she must become head of her own clan. Yet the title is contested by her cousin and former confidante, Ta’Fik. He knows the bloody sins of Ambessa’s past. And he knows he cannot allow her to rise. They will fight a war for the very soul of the Medardas. But the war won’t be fought on battlefields alone. Ambessa’s daughter, Mel, can deftly break through the walls around anyone’s heart, and she’ll put her talents to use for her mother. Yet despite Mel’s strength, Ambessa sees only a child who lacks her killer instincts. Mel knows she can be the leader Ambessa wants her to be, if only she gives her time. With her family betraying her, enemies closing in on all sides, and unseen forces moving in the shadows, every day proves more dangerous than the last. But Ambessa will not bow. She will burn the world down to claim her place in it.

[houruponthestage]

I’m so curious about tea in the world of Arcane. Like, do they only have have black tea? That’s what Caitlyn drinks, right?

What about green tea? Do they have herbal teas? Where are they imported from? Are they grown on the outskirts of Piltover, or are they imported from other nations? Piltover is a trade hub after all.

Do only Piltovens drink tea? Is it a luxury good that only Piltovens can afford? Or is it quite affordable, like it is these days? Something Zaunites can drink when it’s cold and they need a caffeine boost. We do see Silco drink tea in the flashback. Is that common practice, or is Silco just fancy?

Ekko seemed unsure of tea when he's offered it in season two. He says ‘ew’ when he drinks it. Has he never had it before? Does he not like tea, or does he just not like Piltoven tea?

Jinx throws a ‘tea party’ when she kidnaps Caitlyn. Is that a mockery of Piltoven culture? Twisting a pleasant, frivolous upper-class practice into something terrifying to mock the enforcer?

Or is it a recreation of a tea party she had as a small child with Silco? Or perhaps even with Vander, Vi, Mylo and Claggor?

Are there tea traders down in Zaun who make medicinal blends for those who can’t afford medicine? Are there some teas dosed with trace amounts of shimmer?

Are there tea plants grown in Zaun that have mutated into something new because of the pollution and grey? Mutated into hyper-caffeinated or sickly sweet teas?

Are there luxury tea houses or shops that exclusivly sell tea in Piltover? Competing with each other to import the rarest blends? Is having a rare tea smuggled through Bilgewater a status symbol when hosting guests?

Tea has such a long and complex history on Earth I’d love to know what it’s like on Runeterra.

Does anyone know anything from lore? Or have theories?

Sorry for the rant, but tea and Arcane are two of my favourite things in the world. I just had to get this down! ☕️🫖♥️

[digital-slvt]

undoubtedly one of the best (if not THE best) characters and story lines in the arcane universe♡

GUYS.... HOW LUCKY AM I?! 🥹❤️‍🔥

after two months of waiting, she's finally here 🙏🏻

giggling like a little kid over this. ambessa means so much to me. she's my favorite character AFTER our queen sevika 👑 this made my whole year tbh, and i'm so excited to read this 😭🫶🏻

♡ the BEST mv :

[kgeditz]

please watch :)) 🙏

Song creds: twelve foot ninja - “everywhere I look”

[tenderwatches]

Before they cracked Hextech together, Jayce Talis and Viktor were destined for very different paths in Piltover. Now, years after a bitter betrayal has torn them apart, Viktor returns to the City of Progress—not by choice, but necessity. The chasm between them seems insurmountable: Viktor's resentment of the exploitation that shapes Piltover's progress, Jayce's naïve faith in the system, and unspoken truths that have distorted over time. But things are changing. As mysterious troubles threaten both Piltover and Zaun, Jayce and Viktor must work together to save their cities—if they can save Viktor first. In a city built on the promise that anyone can rise through hard work and talent alone, they're forced to confront the lies that have festered in silence—about progress, privilege, and, most of all, about each other. A story about the shape of people, learning to love, and what it truly means to change the world. — Coming to Ao3 next week???? anyhoot we were trying to think up summaries for the story but this one is way too long for Ao3 so im just slapping it here. what do y'all think? 👀

[crimson8x]

OH GOD FINALLY

WE GOT IT GUYS

THE CAITVI LOVE SCENE

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS

I THOUGHT IT WAS WISHFUL THINKING BUT IT CAME TRUE GOD IT CAME TRUE

[mariabrightmoon]

arcane season 2 release dates

Now more in details

So the whole sister s war is only arc 1. And maybe not the main thing that led to Vi s huge dépression in arc 2.

Now what arc 3 is about?

[stansangel]

how it feels to be a twenty one pilots fan rn (and apparently an arcane fan (idk, idk the lore)) after listening to the new tøp song for s2... @diamonds-at-y11 we will recover...hopefully. ALSO @srealdicc PLS GIVE UR INPUT ITS NEEDED (live update as im writing this...she's listening rn)

[sandywitchboi]

The Under-City Miracle

Somedays Viktor would have prefered to not have been so deeply credited as the duo behind the creation of hextech.

In service of their dream, Jayce made Viktor into a myth. A brilliant mind that rose from the lowly under-city to raise Piltover and Zaun to a brighter future. Referring to his partner in business and life as "the miracle of the under-city". The choice to use "the miracle" instead of "a miracle" struck Viktor as absurd.

Perhaps it should not have come at a surprise. In his years living topside, Viktor had come to understand that there were no miracles in Piltover. After all, the strongest steel is forged in the hottest fires. In such conditions there were few places a thing like faith could flourish.

In his Zaun, things were different. Faith would come in and out of season. Miracles were few and far between, but they only needed to happen once to be remembered for a lifetime.

As a child whenever Viktor's mother would notice his cough flaring up, his mother would make onion jam. Always singing a prayer for Janna, the wind spirit. Leaving it overnight for the goddess to bless. She swore by this remedy because in her own childhood Janna visited her in a dream. Warning her of the Grey that would later devour an entire block of the under-city. His mother warned everyone she could. And the day the grey came his mother lived to tell the tale of her miracle.

Janna never visited her again.

Tired of prayers unanswered, Viktor found solace in science and machinery. Tinkering, replicating, and discovering many interesting failures. It was that endless curiousity that gave him the gaul to put on a used Academy uniform and start attending classes unregistered. He was found out within a month. Though he was permited to continue sitting in on classes without credit.

The Academy is the first place Viktor had been refferred to as a miracle. Long before Jayce Talis even knew his name. A gifted alchemist student coming from the under city was unheard of. Someday's Viktor felt more like a performing monkey dancing when solving various equations at the pestering of the Academy. Too desperate for the knowledge to turn away now.

Eventually it all played out. Now Viktor has it all. High honors and a degree from the academy. Spending most of his waking days with his partner in all things. After a shortlived civil war, Zaun had even gained a few representatives on the city council.

Yet, Viktor was still restless most days. All the years Viktor didn't have time to stop and think were catching up to him now that the world felt still. Emotions he'd thought he left behind years ago were creeping back up his throat like bile.

He wanted to be free of them all.

[itsjustcaroline]

Just my 2 cents about this scene: Singed is not a trustworthy character, and I am more afraid for the Enforcers/ Wardens than him. He's not only a force to be reckoned with because he has Warwick in his backroom, but also because of his poison, and I wonder whether it's more potent than the masks of the Enforcers.

Also, he has a scalpel in his left hand, which he drops to the ground. Now, who was he operating on? Warwick is one possibility, Viktor is another. People say, that he completely augments himself, but I'm not so sure. I mean, he just got blasted by a whole damn rocket, which might not put you in the mood to operate on yourself. Which doctor does he go to? Yup, the mad one. His former mentor. It might be, that it's Singed, who does the first operations/ augmentations on Viktor. Another lead is one of Singed's lines: "You mustn't die yet; I have far too much to learn from your fragile anatomy.". Though that might apply to almost anyone in this part of Zaun. Nevertheless, he was one of the first to augment people (yet, the lore might still get changed because of Riot *argh*).

But, according to the lore, as it stands now, he also worked with Nexus (then to make his signature poison for their war against Ionia), and Noxus is in Piltover, sooo...🙃 And after making Warwick, he sought of ways to yield of death, now, who might be interested in this *coughviktorcoughcough*

[syb-ill-ah]

Okay, after Annecy, I have some mindfucks to share.

I was kind of convinced that when they reach their in-game designs, they will be final. Goth Vi totally blew me and I'm coping with it rn.

What is possible, though, is that Vi will get to her emo phase after the explosion, an identity crisis hitting her hard. Powder is actually gone and Jinx is a mass murderer, so...

Anyway, it's possible that Cait will find her and be like "get your shit together, we've got a job to do" and then finally... "Vi stands for Vice." (An in-game voice line.)

Since Arcane lore became an original LoL lore in a way, it's highly unlikely Vi would change that much, she is a cop and her in-game design revolves around it. She would need a big rework which idk if Riot would want to make. Not with Vi and I don't think another skin will do this time.

If someone is getting an in-game rework, it's either Singed or, the one and only, Viktor. As of now it looks like his abilities are different and he might get back to the original concept of a technomage. It would make sense considering the whole deal with, well, ARCANE. *cough cough*

Anyway, I'm getting huge doses of copium right now because I'm simply gobsmacked by the news.

Also this goth Vi fanart tho. (Not mine!)

[daretolovemyrambling]

ARCANE TIMELINE

every Information confirmed by lore or the creators is green. Everything I found out through math is orange (because we don't know months, birthdates, exact ages etc.). Things that are purely my headcanon i'm putting in blue. red represents League Wiki information that has not been disproved by arcane canon, that said it's Wiki anyone can edit and is not the most trusted source when the dates don't include a source.

I edit this everytime I find out something new!

some background that is important for the timeline:

BN refers to "Before Noxus". Before the Runewars, there were several rivaling tribes of Noxi in Runeterra. But after the Runewars they had banded together into one nation, Noxus. They establish their own Calender, BN (Before Noxus) and AN which stands for "After Noxus".

"Zaun" was not build at the same time as Piltover. In League lore. Zaun, then called Oshra Va'Zaun, was build 3000 BN, it was part of the Shuriman empire and became independent after Shurima fell.

Valoran is the name of the continent the story of Arcane takes place in. Zaun and Piltover reside in South Valoran. Noxus resides in East Valoran. Demacia resides in West Valoran.

772 BN: Oshra Va'Zaun attempts to create a safe sea-route between East and West Valoran. Their plan is to create a passage with bombs, which results in them accidentally triggering a series of strong earthquakes.

Half of Oshra Va'Zaun sinks and poisonous gas leaks into the city. Janna, a goddess revered by sailors, hears the Zaunites prayers and blows away the toxic gas, becoming their guardian deity.

790 AN: Thanks to the passage, merchant clans aquire an immense amount of wealth and take residence in the newly developed district that was build over the Pilt River. They name it Piltover to symbolize it's position over the Pilt River. In honor of it's founding, they have their first "Progress Day". Heimerdinger becomes one of the founders of Piltover. He is about 114 years old.

940-950 AN: Vander and Silco are somewhere between their 30's and 50's but exact ages are unknown. Same goes for Felicia and Connol. They look like they are in their 30's or at most early 40's when they die. All four must be born around 940 to 950 but I couldn't really narrow it down. If anyone finds information from the creators, let me know!

957 AN: Mel is 26 during season 1 act 1, so she is likely born in this year.

959 AN: Jayce is born in 959 because he is 24 in season 1 act 1. In the League Wiki he is listed as born in 959!

958-961 AN: Viktor is born sometime in those years. Viktor is around Jayce's age. It's unknown if he is older or younger though

965 AN: Vander and Silco work in the mines and meet eachother. (Putting this in blue because this detail comes from the Arcane artbook and we don't know at what age they meet, we just know they worked in the mines together) This could also be the year the last drop is bought or build by Vander!

967 AN: Vi is 14-16 during the events of season 1 act 1 according to Amanda Overton. I'm placing her at around 16 years old. Which means that she was likely born in 967. This is probably also the year the bar flashback with vanco and felicia happens :). This is also the year that is listed as her birth date in the League Wiki! In the League Wiki she is listed as born in 967!

966-968 AN: Cait is around the same age as Vi. If we say she was 15 during season 1 part 1, she would be born in 968. In the League Wiki she is listed as born in 966!

970 AN: year Ekko is born according to the League Wiki! This might be a headcanon from Ekko's voice actor, but I have to fact check it.

972 AN: Powder is roughly 5 years younger than Vi, so she would be born in 972 at the earliest.

978 AN: Felicia and Connol die in the riot at the bridge when Powder is around 6 and Vi is around 11 according to Amanda Overton.

980 AN: Mel says she was exciled ten years ago in season 1 act 3. So she arrived in 980 in Piltover. Mel is around 23 here because she is 33 in s1 act 2 & 3.

983 AN: This is the year were everything from season 1 act 1 takes place. It's not only the death year of Vander, Mylo and Clagger, Benzo and Greyson, this is the year Hextech was invented, Shimmer development was completed and the year the timeline splits into two (one where Vi lives and one where Vi dies)

990 AN: the 200th Progress Day takes place in 1x4. The events of episode 4-9 likely span not even longer than a week, so everything in season 1 act 2 and 3 happens in this year!

991 AN: between 2x3 ans 2x4 3-6 months have passed. I don't know how months and vegetation work in Runeterra, but if Viktor had enough time to build a thriving community and grow and take care of crops, i'd say that 2x4-2x9 takes place in 991 AN.

997 AN: is the year the current "present year" of the League of Legends Universe. In future spin-offs we will likely reach this year at some point.

unknown dates:

- Dr. Corin Reveck (Singed) is born and becomes a respected Doctor in Piltover. He worked together with Heimerdinger but the two parted ways because Heimerdinger disapproved of the unethical and inhumane methods Singed uses to bring Orianna back to life.

- Orianna (Singed's daughter) becomes sick and dies/is in a comatose state. In League lore she becomes sick after trying to help Zaunites escape from a chemical spill.

- Viktor's age when he meets Singed, Viktor's age when he enters the academy and becomes Heimerdingers assistant. Amanda Overton revealed that their (non-canon) idea is that Viktor's parents used their life savings to buy Viktor a Piltover school uniform. Viktor sneaks into the academy and impresses Heimerdinger so much that he doesn't kick him out and makes him an assistant instead.

- Jayce's age when he and his mother are trapped in the snowstorm. The death of Jayce's father likely already occured at or before this time.

- Isha's birthday. She between the ages Powder has in 1x1 (6-11). Since she is wearing a miners helmet we can guess that either he guardian or herself has worked in the mines at some point. She might be getting chased by goons because she escaped her workplace... chilling thought.

- the exact age of Kino and Mel, the date of Ambessa travelling through a regions where she falls in love with a stranger and has an affair with him (in the blood sweat and tears music video she appears already pregnant)

EDIT: Jayce was 24 not 25 in s1 act 1, my bad. Edited it to be his correct birth year (959)

EDIT 2: In a watch party Amanda Overton says that between episode 3 and 4 about 3 to 6 months have passed.

EDIT 3: thanks @darlingitsagathaharkness, you are right. I found this post that pieced together the chronological order of events in season 1 act 2 & 3. That is one hell of a week.

EDIT 4: I found concept art of Mel that confirms that she is imagined to be 26 during season 1 act 1.

If you find any other date or event that can be included here, please let me know :).

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

[dangerclaw]

Ares would be so impressed with Ambessa, I think

[mistresscitrusslice]

“Heimerdinger perpetuated the system that allowed the Piltovans to profit off of the Undercity while keeping them poor and disadvantaged.” WRONG. Heimerdinger did not perpetuate this system, he CREATED it. He’s a FOUNDER of the city. Do you know what that means? Zaun existed for centuries before Piltover did. Piltover is a city founded by Zaunites who grew wealthy enough off of trade to rise above the fissures and instead of using that wealth to uplift the rest of their people, they ran off with it to found a new city while leaving the poor behind.

HEIMERDINGER IS ONE OF THEM. He predates Piltover by at least a hundred years. Where was he during this? Did he once live in Zaun? Because he looked at that city (one that he might have lived in) and saw enough of a lost cause, people and all, that he decided that it wouldn’t matter if his shiny new city on the hill dumped their sewage there. It wouldn’t matter if their factory exhaust blew in that direction. People that he once knew were going to suffer and that would be okay. He ponders the deaths of friends and he’s probably the cause of some.

Heimerdinger didn’t just sit by. He IS the root problem. So few people seem to see it because he’s so cute and fuzzy, and that’s deliberate. I don’t find Heimerdinger endearing at all. I look at him and I just feel a deep sense of loathing. I hate him more than I hate Marcus (partly because I don’t hate Marcus; his character writing is just that cool). I don’t find Heimerdinger redeemable, or at least, a redemption arc probably wouldn’t feel satisfying to me. I just want to watch him suffer, but I fear he’s too fluffy for the writers to do that to him.

[tenderwatches]

some Camille Ferros love to share some of our fic lore in honour of the ch. 13 update in which Cait calls her a piranah!! !!!

i use the term 'love' loosely here bc she is one scary mf lol (doesn't mean one can't love her!!)

Family shown in S2 Ep 8 of Arcane that bears a resemblance to the House Ferros

Camille is a League of Legends champion known for her ruthless nature. she's the Principal Intelligencer for the Ferros Clan; the family's whole thing is "For family, will I give."

In the original lore, Clan Ferros is responsible for discovering the hex crystals, so clearly, Arcane has tipped that onto its head ^-^;; but there are a lot of interesting headcanons that were being tossed around when arcane first came out She's also a source of many Undercity children's nightmares:

credit: @hexhomos

Arcane doesn't explicitly mention Camille, but does make an interesting comment about the Ferros clan early in season one, when introducing Mel. (though they refer to it as 'House Ferros', suggesting that they may be adapting the lore to make family-based houses a thing over the current mercantile clans)

credit: @hexhomos

we loved the idea of the ferros clan playing around in Piltover politics and their connection to building wealth and power, so took that and ran with it, adopting the og lore's clan and house structure in place of what seems to be Arcane's 'House only' approach

Additionally, she has this great comic that concludes with a line that feels very relevant to the themes in our fic

Camille at the end of Severed Ties

there are some interesting little tidbits that come from the og Ferros lore that we'll be taking inspiration from as well, so i'm excited to get more into that as the fic goes on :) We've taken some liberties with them (such as not making Camille 80+ as she would be in the current timeline)

Camille and co are currently in a bit of lore limbo, as are many of the champions associated with Viktor and Jayce so who knows what will happen to them, but we're having fun with them in our fic!!

[bringthekaos]

When Arcane first aired, I remember the whiplash of seeing non-league players interacting with league characters for the first time.... I remember scrolling through twitter and tumblr after the finale, and lots of people theorizing that, *if* Jayce and Viktor survived, their paths probably will diverge in the future and they will end up as enemies and I was like.... huhh yeah? Isn't it obvious? That's mean to happen. But then I thought about it and honestly? If you don't know the characters beforehand... would you really guess how bad things are going to end?

Speaking as someone who knew fuckall about League beforehand, and actively avoided any information on it until after I finished the show to avoid spoilers… I had absolutely no clue. The moment I finally Googled Viktor’s name with League of Legends and saw him and his story…. I was the epitome of this

Obviously there are some ideological differences between him and Jayce, as they argue a few times. And I understood that these narrative seeds they were planting could grow to fester, but like… I didn’t think it would be to mortal fucking enemies. After all, they’re standing together at the end, despite their qualms and differences, and it seemed that Jayce had learned the consequences of his unconscious biases and was actively working with Viktor to finally act in Zaun’s best interest. I thought… oh hey, character growth. They faced a challenge and rose above it, all good now, that’s awesome (even though they might have been blown up in the process 🫣)

And I think the changing of their origin story had a lot to do with that. I think if they’d gone with the original lore (RIP, I’m so sorry to my League friends. I really do wish they’d just left the two separate. There are so many implications on what this means for the characters of both Arcane and League, and honestly it was just stupid. But that’s a rant for another post), then it would have been more obvious. I do like the way they did it though, because it makes Viktor’s LoL bio a much more obvious lie. They were friends. They were close. They were the whole world to each other, whether romantic or platonic, for years. And even though I had no idea a falling out was coming, it makes it that much more heartbreaking when it does happen. It just makes you think… I hope you know we had everything.