#sandseer

[talesofmetalandmagic]

Midnight at Xerath’s

“The Protector shines splendidly tonight, noble Magus”

“It sure does. I could look at it for a lifetime.”

Xerath and his own retinue sit around a refined campsite, coated by the all-encompassing sheathe of stars that only the Shuriman desert can display.

Soon they’ll ride back to Nerimazeth, where he’ll claim a throne of his own. He feels giddy and extatic, brimming with ideas on how to make an Empire that feels right.

His problem has been disposed of, locked inside a coffin and buried in the sand. Now it’s his turn to suffer the darkness and the pain; he has the stars to guide him, and he’ll never quit relishing their shine.

And yet he feels… empty.

“Let us have a toast, my pride and joy. Let us celebrate the glorious reign that will be.”

“Praise be at Xerath”, they call, as the wine pours. He relaxes, his metallic body loosening, his electric heartbeat smoothing into a pulsating groove.

He should feel complete at this point.

Yet he feels as if there’s a missing part of his body, or his very soul. As if the cracks in his stony foundation were down to his very core.

And he wishes he had the words to speak it, but not even a genius such as he can find them.

He walks down the dunes, on the tip of his toes, imagining to have lungs to breathe that purest of air.

They once had a goddess for clean air. He knows, because he studied. He’d sometimes tell himself old legends back inside the dreaded Emperors’ Tomb, to remember, to dream, to hope.

As he’d do back when he was…

“What ails my lord?”

Xerath’s loyal Sandseer has walked to his side, dragging her goblet with her. She’s always the first to come to his side when he’s upset. As if she saw through his stone body as well.

“I wish I knew” Xerath says.

She looks at him, from the top of his coating to the floating tip of his fingers. A unique creature. Beautiful, powerful, sad.

“Perhaps it’s this joy, that feels foreign. This triumph. This freedom.”

Cursed land, what have you made me. Not even my dreams can complete me.

“Your pain will cease, best of all Ascended. I glimpse a future that’s safe for you.”

Xerath doesn’t speak. He clenched his metallic eyes shut, allowing his retainer to touch his hands. She gives him a gentle smile.

“I pictured my own retinue for a long, long time. It never felt like it was truly mine, though. Perhaps I knew it was but a foolish fantasy. Even dreams were a rarity, when I grew up.”

“But we’re here now, my liege. As real as this very ground.”

Xerath cannot show a smile, but he lowers himself until the sand burns under his energy.

He sighs, quaking and creaking. He’s all-powerful, a magnificent anomaly, and his brain power stays immense, but even then he cannot get what he wants.

What he’s wanted for so long.

“I wish my mother and father could see me.“

[gamerbearmira]

My little pony: family is a miracle

So, in this au, Bruno never hid in the walls.

During the night of Mirabel's ceremony, Bruno had his vision and absolutely freaked out. Panicking, Bruno ran into the jungle to leave the encanto. While running, he fell into the same portal Mirabel did. However, Bruno didn't really notice until it was too late.

When he finally noticed he was a pony, he was already in the middle of the everfree forest. Unsure of how to get back home, or if he even wanted to go home, he started a new life in equestria.

He took on the name Sandseer and learned a lot of magic. He eventually moved to Canterlot and worked at Celestia's school as a teacher.

(Also, when Bruno and Mirabel met, they didn't recognize each other, but they did become good friends.)

He is NOT a pony‼️‼️ he ain’t fooling nobody 💀💀

Nah, I’m kidding, I’m kidding. At least he’s. Nearby??? Could you even say that. Like he left the Encanto but he also didn’t. Like dawg 😭 at least homie got a job tho, we love employed ponies over here 😵‍💫

I think it’s so silly that they don’t recognize each other but are friends. Friendship really is magic 🤧

[aurelion-solar]

Legends of Runeterra: Xerath Expansion Sandseer - Dami’yin the Unbound - Herald of the Magus - Risen Altar - Waste Walker - Endless Devout - Sarcophagus - Ruinous Acolyte - Obelisk of Power

[gil-notskajla]

*hacker voice* im in

[infinite-xerath]

My Faithful

Ruinous Acolytes

“Though no mortal can hope match my power, my most devoted followers may earn the privilege to experience it for themselves. Tethering themselves to runic constructs of my own design, they are able to draw upon my a fraction of my magic as though it were their own, and in turn permit me to channel their mana into myself as I see fit. In short, they are vessels for my will in every sense of the word...”

Endless Devout

“The Tomb of the Emperors served as my prison for centuries. At first, the Butcher was my only companion in that darkness, and though I enjoyed bending him to my will, I soon found other ways to bide my time. Indeed, the tomb was, as expected, filled with the deceased bound in opulent trappings; meaningless ceremony to honor the dead. Fortunately, their bodies and the offerings made to them would serve me well...”

Restored Devout

“They are not undead; not in the traditional sense of the word. I have no need of departed souls nor crumbling corpses. Even so, every living thing possess some trace of magic, mana, within... And echoes of that power lingers even in death. One by one, I drew about that latent power, bolstering with my own. How fitting that the remnants of emperors and royal servants from ages past would now bow to me.”

Waste Walker

“Within the libraries of the capital, I studied forbidden magics in secret. Indeed, my power was already well beyond most other mortals even before my Ascension. My acolytes practice these same magics, and some prove particularly talented. With my aid, they are able to forgo their flesh and blood and achieve a lesser Ascension of their own... Perhaps it would be appropriate to call them Baccai, but my followers surpass any failed Ascended. Indeed, some may turn the very ground beneath them into ash merely by treading upon it.”

Herald of the Magus

“Her name was Tabia... I encountered her when she was but a child, and even then she boasted great potential. Her affinity for magic was potent, but her reverence for me even more-so. Most who attain my gift lose much of themselves in the process, understanding full-well the price that such power demands... My herald is a rare exception, and as such, a valuable asset to me.”

Sandseer

“There are those born with Second Sight: the power to perceive what others cannot. Some may consider it a gift, and others, a curse. Mortal minds are seldom capable of comprehending the deeper secrets of the universe; to them, this power is a burden, but I can awaken their true potential. My seer, once unable to understand the intricate patterns of leylines beneath her feet, now sees them with perfect clarity and comprehension.”

Dami’Yin the Unbound

“Even in this age, slavery is still practiced within some regions of the desert. Dami’Yin was one such slave; a Saih'kharash'i meant to offer his life for the safety of his owners. It seems that my own tale inspired him to escape his captors and join the ranks of my acolytes. He came seeking freedom, just as I once did, and so I gave him exactly what he sought. I fashioned Dami’Yin in my own image before his fellows, and the results exceeded my expectations. Indeed, Dami’Yin may very well be my greatest creation yet; an avatar of destruction on par with the Butcher himself.”

[furryeaglebarbarian]

egyptian sandseer

[talesofmetalandmagic]

Xerath in denial

"My splendid Magus"

The Seer of the Sand kneels at Xerath's feet and stands, raising her hands in adoration. There's something absent in her gaze, as if what she was saying was apocalyptic news.

"Suspicious words come from the capital"

Xerath emits a low chuckle. So that's where Azir has gone, alongside his crew of sycophants. Back home, like a frightened child. All his promises for things to be different are as hollow as ever.

"Speak, my loyal seer."

The woman takes a breath. The other followers, like Xerath's own Herald and his mighty Acolyte, walk back. They can feel Xerath sizzling.

He's been agitated from the moment he locked Azir underground. The news of his escape didn't soothe him, and his failed attempt to capture him – the one where he willingly gave up – was the last straw for him. And since Xerath doesn't socialize with underlings, they can't even bring him comfort.

"They say the traitor Azir has abdicated"

Xeraths sizzles, his stone prison crackling and squeaking.

"What?"

"He... he renounced his crown. He's gathered the leaders of the unaffiliated tribes at the capital, and performed an abdication. They're electing a council as we speak."

Xerath breathes harshly with lungs he doesn't have. Azir... abdicating. It seems like a joke. A cruel joke at his expense, because that's all he's ever been – a thing to joke at, to step over, to walk above.

Azir loved him like his own brother, and even that wasn't enough to dampen his selfish ambition. Who could he love more than his own sworn kin.

"Liar! He's lying! Azir would rather..."

Xerath raises into the air, striking lighting into the warmth that surrounds him. "...he'd rather kill his own kin than renounce his absolute throne. He's..."

He coughs – coughs, despite being pure energy.

"Noblest Ascended, are you alright?"

It's everything I ever wanted. Freedom for us all, a warm tomorrow for Shurima. He promised, eons ago, and now he...

He kept it.

"He'd rather renounce his crown than surrender to me." So little do I matter, to his immense ego, that even his kingdom is worth less than his defiance.

"Great Magus Ascended", the Herald attempts. "Perhaps, this will provide an entrance for Your reign."

"He's gone weaker," the Acolyte proposes. "Your Radiance is mighty. We can expose his lies and..."

But Xerath's following strikes of lightning make the ground shake and the air burn.

"LEAVE ME! ALL OF YOU!"

Xerath rises into the skies, his armor cracking like burnt flesh, his lit eyes piercing through the veil of the night, a choking sound raising from his chains like a man in tears.

Even those on the ground hear his scream.

"You don't get to do this to me, Azir" he speaks to no one, feverish in wrath and madness. "You don't get to atone. You escaped me three times already. But I won't run. I will expose you, whatever it is you do. I know you."

And his lightning sear the clouds and light the sky like daylight.

When he comes down even his own loyalists have curled up behind rocks, some of which struck by his rampaging wrath. They don't care, of course. Xerath's pain is their own, and only one person before – one Omah Azir, currently organizing the distribution of supplies alongside the council he indeed elected – has ever felt his emotions so closely.

"Conceal yourself, go to the capital, and expose his lies once and for all", he tells his Seer.

"And when he's driven out once again, when his true soul is made bare to those he pretends to love... I'll be there to give my emperor his due".

[gil-notskajla]

more taking-lore-into-account xerath follower designs: Ruinous Acolyte, Waste Walker, Endless/Restored Devout, Herald of the Magus, Sandseer, Dami'yin

[infinite-xerath]

LoR Xerath Interactions (fan made)

Ruinous Acolyte

Ruinous Acolyte: “We will be your hands, my lord.” Xerath: “To reshape the world as I see fit.” Ruinous Acolyte: “Shurima will be so much more!” Xerath: “Its ruins will be the foundation of MY empire!”

Endless Devout

Xerath: “Raise the obelisks!”

Xerath: “Go forward in my name!”

Restored Devout

Xerath: “YOU now serve ME.”

Xerath: “For all time, you are mine.”

Xerath: “My will is undying!”

Waste Walker

Xerath: “Even the earth shall tremble before you.”

Xerath: “Carve a path through the defiant.”

Herald of the Magus

Herald of the Magus: “All hail the Magus Ascendant!” Xertah: “My name will be known by all!”

Xerath: “What news do you bring me?” Herald of the Magus: “Your followers are ready, my liege.”

Sandseer

Xerath: “I see the forces that hold this world together.” Sandseer: “I see the foundations upon which it is built.”

Sandseer: “My sight is clear.” Xerath: “Then you know what you must do.”

Dami’Yin the Unbound

Xerath: “Behold: the avatar of my will!”

Xerath: “Now, they will tremble before you.”

Xerath: “Freed from flesh and chains...”

Ally Renekton

Renekton: “Locked in a box so long, Xerath!” Xerath: “Let the darkness bolster your rage!”

Renekton: “We’ll reduce the world to ruin!” Xerath: “And build a new one its place...”

Enemy Renekton

Renekton: “In the dark... I hear your voice...” Xerath: “You are confused, Renekton.”

Renekton: “Even you aren’t safe from the slaughter, Xerath!” Xerath: “It seems you must be brought to heel again...”

Ally Nasus

Xerath: “It seems you finally know your place, pup.” Nasus: “When this is over, I will return you to yours.”

Nasus: “Fate possesses a cruel sense of irony.” Xerath: “I do not heed the whims of fate, but you will heed mine.”

Enemy Nasus

Nasus: “Xerath. Today, your cycle end.” Xerath: “By whose hand? Yours?”

Xerath: “Nasus... Thank you for your brother.” Nasus: “I will liberate HIM after I have dealt with you.”

Ally Azir

Azir: “Do not presume your crimes are pardoned.” Xerath: “Do not presume I adhere to your law.”

Xerath: “You swore we would be as brothers.” Azir: “The friend I knew was lost long ago...”

Enemy Azir

Azir: “Your time has come, Xerath!” Xerath: “Yes, the time for me to rule!”

Xerath: “Behold the power I have acquired!” Azir: “All I see an upstart slave!”

Ally Sivir

Sivir: “You’ve got a problem, I’ve got a price.” Xerath: “Azir’s descendant, a mere mercenary?”

Sivir: “Nothing's lost. It's just waiting to be found.” Xerath: “And so, you found me...”

Enemy Sivir

Xerath: “I will put Azir’s bloodline to rest!” Sivir: “Your grudge is with him. Leave me out of it!”

Ally Taliyah

Taliyah: “Point the way, and I'll make the way.” Xerath: “Then carve a path through my enemies.”

Enemy Taliyah

Taliyah: “If I stumble, I have the earth to catch me.” Xerath: “Even when its power has been stripped away?”

Ally Rek’Sai

Xerath: “I tamed the Butcher. Now, I will tame you.”

Enemy Rek’Sai or Xerxa’Reth

Xerath: “The Xer’Sai will be erased from history!”

Xerath: “I will not tolerate being likened to this beast!”

[infinite-xerath]

Arcane Ascension

Xerath’s warped form of Ascension mimics his own, to a much lesser degree. It follows a similar principal to regular Ascension: IE transforming your mind, body and very existence by filling all of it with magic. The difference is that rather than using Celestial power, Xerath instead channels pure mana into you.

The end result is that your flesh is effectively fused with raw energy, rather than being properly transformed. The process is agonizing, and while it has a lower lethality rate than proper Ascension, it has a one-hundred percent guarantee of distorting your mind on some level. While some are lucky enough to mostly retain their senses of self, like the Herald and Sandseer, most acolytes (or Ruinous Acolytes) find their cognitive abilities severely limits. In the worst-case scenarios, you have examples Dami’Yin or Waste Walkers, who are the closest to Xerath’s raw level of strength, but can no longer even form sentences.))