#shurima-demigod

[snugglyporos]

@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.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

What’s the difference between Ascended, Aspects, Freljordian demigods, Aurelian Sol, and whatever Soraka’s got going on? Are they all just different varieties of League gods?

Hoo boy, okay, so. First of all, Riot have been pretty adamant that there are no gods in Runeterra, every god-like being that exists in that universe is actually a spirit or just a very powerful being of some kind, but definitely no real gods, no matter how much it seems like they are definitely writing these characters to be actual literal gods.

I don't 100% know why they are so insistent on this, but I imagine it has something to do with censorship and ratings agencies, or maybe they just don't want to have to establish any actual theology on Runeterra. Volibear isn't the god of storms for real, he's just a super powerful spirit that can create storms in the Freljord, but not all of them, so please don't ask us whether every single thunderstorm in the Freljord was something he did deliberately. That sort of vibe.

To go through them point by point:

Celestials & Aspects

The Celestials are beings like Aurelion Sol and Bard, which exist as cosmic entities operating on levels of power and motivation beyond human understanding. They came into existence with the universe itself, and tend to busy themselves governing various parts of its operation. They are, again not gods (Riot is very insistent on this), but Aurelion Sol literally made every star in the galaxy, he's functionally the progenitor god of Creation.

Some of them, though, like to interfere in the mortal world of Runetera in various ways, and they tend to use mortal vessels to do it. That's where we get Aspects: Aspects are mortals who are chosen by the Celestials that live on Mount Targon to contain their power and be their avatars in the mortal world.

Leona is the Aspect of a Sun celestial, Diana of the Moon celestial, Pantheon is the Aspect of War (or he was, until Aatrox killed it, but he retains access to many of its powers), and Zoe is the Aspect of Twilight, and so on.

Soraka is another Celestial in mortal form, but she is NOT an Ascended. Rather than possess a mortal, she created a mortal body for herself and poured the whole of her being into it, which is causing her body to permanently burn up from the inside while she regenerates it with her magic. She lives on Runeterra and acts as a mysterious mystical wise guide and mentor to mortals who need it.

Ascended & Darkin

Ascended are somewhat similar in kind to the Aspects, but usually lesser in power. The Ascended are also human beings infused with Celestial magic and power, specifically with the power of the Sun, although as far as I know, that power is drawn not from the Celestial of the Sun who empowers Leona, but directly from the physical Sun itself. This means the Ascended aren't possessed by Celestials and retain full free will, at the cost (or let's be real: benefit) of being transformed into furries, which extremely coincidentally just so happen to closely resemble the gods of the Egyptian pantheon. but again, they are definitely not gods, please don't put it in the newspaper that they are gods.

I don't know exactly how canon Riot considers this anymore, but the lore was that the Aspects of Mount Targon gifted the power of Ascension to Shurima in order to produce Ascended that could serve as shock-troops in the war against the Void, which is a swarm of extradimensional horrors that are constantly trying to eat the world. Whatever the case, the Ascended DID fight the Void, and it traumatized and corrupted them so badly that they degenerated into body-horror blood monsters called the Darkin.

The Darkin fell into civil war and it got so bad that The Aspect of Twilight (not Zoe but her predecessor in the role) decided to use some magical trickery to imprison them all in their weapons, which is where they've stayed for a few thousand years, getting even more traumatized and mentally destabilized by the total sensory deprivation and solitary confinement. If any mortal touches a Darkin weapon, it immediately assimilates them and uses their flesh as a new host, and then goes on a killing rampage about it. That's where you get your Aatrox, your Varus and (eventually, once he devours Kayn) your Rhaast.

Gods, Spirits & Demons

This is the category for Ornn, Anivia, Volibear, The Seal Sister and so on. The Freljordian people worship them as gods, but they are, technically, only extremely powerful nature spirits, manifestations of the nature of the Freljord itself, which draw power from the land and to a lesser extent from their worshipers. There are many, many lesser nature spirits, which might be worshiped as gods by particular tribes or hold power over particular areas, but Ornn, Anivia, Volibear, The Seal Sister and the Iron Boar are the most powerful and most widely revered.

On a similar note, Ionia is absolutely choked to the gills with spirits, because those lands are soaked in magic. They are usually not worshiped as gods specifically, but take the shape of everything from dragons to living trees to sprites and will-o-wisps and which roam fairly freely in Ionia. This includes characters like Lillia, who is the daughter of a magical tree of dreams on whose branches the dreams of mortals grow and mature, and it includes Ivern, who is an extremely powerful and ancient nature spirit formed from the soul of a magical tree.

Demons are distinct from spirits, in that rather than drawing on the power of the land or fountains of magic, they draw on the emotions of living things for their powers. The most powerful demons are known as The Ten, who get their power from the most primal emotions that living things feel. Fiddlesticks is the demon of Fear, and Nilah somehow draws her strength from Ashlesh, the Demon of Joy, whom her order has imprisoned. We don't know who the rest of the Ten are yet, but Riot seems to have that worked out somewhere in their internal deep lore.

Swain has a lesser (but still powerful) demon of secrets called Raum bound in his arm through some sort of deal, Evelynn is a demon of anguish and pain, Tahm Kench is a demon of addiction, and Nocturne is a demon of nightmares.

Besides those, there are an untold number of lesser demons, who feed on more and more specific feelings, and thus are less and less powerful because there's simply less of that stuff around to feed on. They are often called Azakana, and may be demons that feed on feelings as niche as, like, noblemen's fear of their extramarital affairs with handsome commoners being discovered. Yone hunts the Azakana and collects their mask, although even he doesn't know quite what for.

Death

This is where we place the Kindred. Technically they are merely Spirits of Death, but more than perhaps any other category of creature, Riot keeps writing them as Literal Gods of death and I don't think it makes sense to think of them any other way.

The Kindred take on many different shapes all across Runeterra, seemingly influenced in large part by the expectations of the people or creatures who are dying, but their most popular visage is that of a Lamb and a Wolf, hunting together. Lamb's merciful arrow ends your life if you accept that your time is up and go gently into that good night, but Wolf hunts you down and rips you to shreds if you resist and fight to your last breath, destiny be damned.

The Kindred are there for every death on Runeterra, they are the mediators (as far as we know) of all forms of death everywhere, and by far the most classically "anthropomorphic embodiment of universal existence" style god in the lore that we know of. Where a god like Anivia only really has power in the Freljord, the Kindred have power everywhere there is life. Only the undead escape them, and even then, only temporarily.

In Conclusion

YES Runeterra has tons of gods, it obviously has gods, you can't walk five feet in that universe without tripping on a god, but they tend to be gods with hard limitations on their power and influence, and rarely have powers on the level of bending reality itself.

Even Aurelion Sol, who literally makes stars, can't snap his fingers and undo causality, for example, or suspend the laws of physics wholesale.

Riot's weird insistence on "no gods in Runeterra" is more of an affectation, a bit of a put-on, than an actual narrative principle, and most of the gods of Runeterra can be understood very comfortably through the lens of various non-Christian religions like Norse or Greek mythology, or the hero/god characters of something like Polynesian myth.

[nameaprice]

♡♡♡

((For a ship you love, a ship you are developing, and a surprise ship))

PROMPT: Send ♡ plus a ship for how I think the dynamic goes. / Anon

I'm gonna do just one. All three is too much anon. Sorry 😔

Ship picked: Sivir/Morgana with @veiled-lady; based on before Morgana has to leave Shurima.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙰𝚂𝙺𝙴𝙳 𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃? Sivir. She's more forward.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙸𝙽 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂? Sivir.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙶𝙸𝚅𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙽𝙸𝙲𝙺𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴𝚂? Morgana.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙲𝙾𝙾𝙺𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙴𝙰𝙻𝚂? They alternate. Morgana prefers making sweet dishes/desserts though. Sivir prefers cooking savoury foods and brewing teas.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙷𝙰𝚂 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙴 𝙸𝙽 𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙸𝙲? Sivir will say it's her, because she likes to dance.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙷𝙾𝙶𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙳? Sivir, because she just gets her limbs all over the place.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝚆𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂 𝚄𝙿 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃? Morgana. Sivir is a heavy sleeper.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙲𝙾𝙵𝙵𝙴𝙴? Morgana. She likes the early morning routine.

𝚆𝙷𝙾'𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙸𝙶 𝚂𝙿𝙾𝙾𝙽? Sivir.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚈𝚂 𝚄𝙿 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂𝚃? Morgana. She has some sneaky magic and prayers to tend to.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷𝙴𝚂 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚆𝙷𝙾'𝚂 𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳? Both. They're rather touchy/feely.

𝚆𝙷𝙾'𝚂 𝙰 𝙵𝙰𝙽 𝙾𝙵 𝙿𝙳𝙰? Sivir. Cue her making Morgana blush when they kiss in public for the first time.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝚂𝙽𝙾𝚁𝙴𝚂? Neither usually. Sivir if she's too exhausted.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙶𝙴𝚃𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝙽𝙾𝚈𝙴𝙳 𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙴 𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙸𝙻𝚈? Sivir.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙸𝙽𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝚂𝙴𝚇? Both. In their own ways. Sivir is more straightforward and passionate, Morgana is subtle but just as much if not more needy. It may vary from this, depending on their mood.

𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙰𝚂𝙺𝚂 𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙸𝚁 𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙶𝙴? In a world where this is possible, I like to think either would. Maybe even at the same time.

𝙼𝚈 𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙴'𝚂 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴 𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝙾𝙵 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁𝚂: Watching Morgana picking herbs in the morning.

𝙰 𝚁𝙴𝙶𝚁𝙴𝚃 𝙼𝚈 𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙴 𝙷𝙰𝚂 𝚁𝙴𝙶𝙰𝚁𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁𝚂: Falling so hard for her. This would be her thought after finding out Morgana is a demigod and she was keeping this a secret.

𝙸𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶: Their falling out.

[goldlightwriting]

Darkin Reimagined

I’ve said before, on many occasions, that the Darkin are a plotline Riot clearly didn’t initially know what they were doing with. They were just stand-ins for demons before demons really became a thing in Runeterra, with old Aatrox being the only lead we had as to what their deal was... And then they were aliens. Now they’re fallen demigods. Also there used to only be five, but now there are over a dozen of them.

While I’ll admit that I like some aspects of the current Darkin canon, it really only serves to help bolster Shurima’s storyline, and I don’t even think that was necessary. We could have easily had a civil war between the Ascended that ended in Twilight of the Gods WITHOUT having Twilight then go “yeah now let’s imprison the rest in their weapons because I guess we can only do the Moonfall ritual once.”

And the thing is, I do think there’s a way to tie the two together, but not so heavily that the Darkin are no longer allowed to be their own thing. I’ve talked about this at length in both my Aatrox and Varus videos, but I really do think that the Darkin would have been better as JUST demonic weapons that possess their hosts; this would not only work better for the existing Darkin characters, but it would also allow them to tie into other existing storylines more naturally. I mean, Yone’s got a demonic sword that’s trying to possess him, but that’s TOTALLY different from the Darkin weapons, guys.

So, once again, I’d like to present to you a new and refined version of the Darkin Saga.

Lore

None recall the true origins of the Darkin. Some say they are the first weapons ever forged, so tainted by ages of battle that they developed a bloodlust all their own. Others claim they are powerful demons, feared by the gods themselves and bound in inanimate forms. Still others claim they are an ancient race not born of Runeterra, magically imprisoned within their own weapons for crimes long-forgotten.

Whatever the truth, one thing is certain: the Darkin harbor an insatiable appetite for chaos and destruction. They offer power to any that dare to wield them, but corrupt the user’s mind and body in exchange. Scattered and hidden across Runeterra, many believed that the twisted influence of the Darkin would never threaten the world again, and most have forgotten these ancient weapons even exist... But one has remained free, biding its time for the perfect opportunity to unleash its fellows and wreak havoc on the world once more.

Fundamental Changes

-The Darkin are no longer all fallen Ascended.

-The Darkin have never held any loyalty or allegiance to any individual or faction.

-Darkin grow more powerful by consuming the blood of those they have slain, allowing them to enlarge and even alter their forms further.

-Fearing the potential of what the Darkin could become, the Aspects of Targon once rallied together in an effort to hunt down and confine these deadly weapons across Runeterra.

-Twilight is not the one that sealed the Darkin this time (though Myisha is still responsible for the death of the Ascended Host in Nerimazeth.) It was primarily the Aspect of Justice, Mihira, who imprisoned the Darkin as punishment for the many lives they stole during the Rune Wars.

-The Darkin Saga, as before, follows the Shadow Kayn timeline in which he triumphs over Rhaast, inadvertently allowing Xolaani to corrupt Jun.

-Aatrox, Xolaani and Varus/Paallas travel the world seeking to free and rally the other Darkin to their respective causes. Aatrox wishes to wage war against the gods, Xolaani wants to enslave all Runeterra to her will, and Varus/Paallas simply seek retribution for their suffering.

-Aatrox’s faction consists of: Horaazi, Anaaka, and Taarosh.

-Xolaani’s faction consists of: Baal, Ibaaros, and Stryaatu

-Varus’s faction consists of: Praa, Joraal and Naafiri(?)

-The three factions eventually convene at Targon to fulfill their respective agendas.

-Xolaani arrives with an army of possessed thralls, Varus with a band of warriors committed to helping him stop the Darkin, and Aatrox with a hoard of bersekers infused with his own bloodlust.

-With three Aspects missing (Atreus in the Celestial realm, Diana in Ionia and Zoe who-knows-where), it falls to Taric, Leona and Kayle to defend Targon.

-Taric and Leona devote themselves to protecting as many as they can, while Kayle leads an army of Celestial spirits to battle against the Darkin threat.

-Kayle calls forth the spirit of her mother to aid her, but to her horror, Mihira’s essence is bound and consumed by Xolaani, transforming her into the Aspect’s Bane.

-In desperation, Kayle sends a messenger to the only remaining ally she can think to call: Ryze.

-Ryze answers the call, though upon witnessing the destruction before him, he ponders whether or not Runeterra is worth saving, and whether or not it’s a fool’s errand to try. He contemplates some of the greatest tragedies of Runeterra’s history: the Void War, the Fall of Shurima, The Reign of Mordekaiser, the Ruination, and the betrayal of his own teacher, Tyrus. Ryze ponders if he should intervene, as well as whether or not he has any right to.

-Witnessing a band of mere mortals take up arms against the Darkin, however, Ryze has an epiphany: that these tragic moments throughout Runeterra’s history are, in fact, mere moments in history. Trials that the people of Runeterra have overcome. Time again the people of this world have braved impossible odds to protect what is dear to them, and they have always rebuilt after every disaster.

-Ultimately, Ryze agrees to summon World Rune fragments from his scroll. With them, he manages to destroy nearly every Darkin on the battlefield.

-Only three Darkin now remain in existence: Aatrox, Varus/Paallas, and Naafiri.

-Should Rhaast triumph over Kayn, he takes Xolaani’s power for himself. This results in most of the other Darkin not being freed as quickly and the Darkin Saga being delayed.

Revamped characters

Aatrox Name meaning: “Ender of worlds.” A blade with a heart that beats for bloodshed, Aatrox revels the brutality of the battlefield. The only Darkin to escape confinement at the hands of the Aspects, Aatrox has lurked in the shadows of history, turning the tides of war in some of Runeterra’s most significant conflicts. Its current wielder is a former member of the Ascended Host, who took up the cursed sword in desperation to fight back the Void. Though some lingering traces of the mighty god-warrior still remain, his name is all but forgotten to time, and he now fights for but one purpose: to wage war against the very gods that imprisoned the Darkin, even if it means the end of the world itself.

*Bonus note: maybe Aatrox’s host was the original wielder of the Infinity Edge?

Rhaast Name meaning: “Obedience through fear.” A wicked scythe with an equally wicked sense of humor. Rhaast revels in carnage, instilling terror into mortals. In the distant past, some say this Darkin even inspired a cult of worshipers. The scythe was initially hidden deep below ground in eastern Valoran, until Noxian soldiers found it through one of their expansions. Before they could take the scythe back to the capital, though, the escort was ambushed by The Order of Shadow and the scythe stolen by Kayn. Kayn and Rhaast now fight for control of one body, each seeking to claim the other’s power as their own.

Paallas Name meaning: “To forsake mercy.” A malicious bow burning with contempt for all life on Runeterra. Though the Darkin had lent their strength to mortal races for untold ages, they were repaid with imprisonment. Paallas desires nothing but revenge, and now has the opportunity to claim it through its current wielder: an Ionian archer named Varus. Varus, however, harbors a burning vengeance of his own, and a will strong enough to keep the bow’s corruption at bay... For now. Both parties know that Varus is running on borrowed time, but the archer is determined to avenge is lover and son, Kai and Theshan, both of whom perished during the Noxian Invasion.

*In the Shadow Kayn timeline, Varus witnesses several other Darkin running amok and laying waste to the Noxian countryside. Seeing their cruelty firsthand, Varus begins to fully comprehend the evil these weapons represent, and realizes that his family wouldn’t want him to succumb either. He also comes to resent the Darkin, realizing they’re technically responsible for his families’ deaths as well, and vows to use Paallas’s own power against its kind. Realizing that one Darkin against many puts the odds against them, though, Varus reluctantly manages to sway Praa and Naafari to his cause, using Paallas’s memories to deduce that they’re the most likely potential allies.

Xolaani Name meaning: “Crusher of wills.” A pair of bloodletters imbued with twisted ambition. Xolaani is different from the other Darkin in that they seek to bring an end to all conflict. They have learned how to fragment their own essence and imbue it into several hosts at once, creating a sort of hivemind in the process; through this technique, Xolaani hopes to one day transform all of Runeterra’s inhabitants into their thralls, including the very gods that imprisoned them so long ago...

Baal Name meaning: “Binding of vessels.” An ancient staff imbued with powerful forbidden magic. In an ironic twist of fate, this same magic played a key role in imprisoning the other Darkin. It was only after Baal’s own imprisonment that the Darkin Staff learned the meaning of guilt, and has since vowed to aid its fellows in whatever way possible should the opportunity arise. That opportunity may come soon than expected as the flora of the Bandlewood is slowly tainted by Baal’s essence...

Ibaaros Name meaning: “Glory through killing.” A vicious harpoon once used to slay many legendary beasts. Among the Darkin, Ibaaros possessed what some might call a sense of pride, having been wielded by many powerful champions and heroes across the ages. Its final hunt, however, saw the harpoon lost deep beneath the waves. Though the Aspects surely presumed Ibaaros lost to time, it was there, in the depths, that the Darkin encountered something even more vile than its own kind: an abomination from a place darker than the abyss. When Ibaaros next emerged, it had fused into something entirely new, wielding the might of both Darkin and Void.

Joraal Name meaning: “Solitude in eternity.” Most Darkin offer their host the strength to slay their foes, but Joraal offers a very different form of power: a nigh-unbreakable defense. The Darkin Aegis has withstood blows from gods and demons alike, enduring the strain of attacks that even its host body cannot. Among the Darkin, Joraal has taken on more hosts than any other across history, and each one leaves fragments of memories forever embedded into the aegis. It times, these memories surface and swirl together, which has begun to affect even the Darkin’s own mind and personality...

Anaaka Name meaning: “Yearning for violence.” There are few even among the Darkin as eager for battle as Anaaka. The Darkin Spear charges blindly forward, ever-seeking its next adversary. Anaaka gives no thought or care for those it slays, desiring only the thrill of a good fight, even if each foe is soon to be forgotten. Perhaps what Anaaka truly seeks is an opponent that can quell its own insatiable appetite for battle...

Praa Name meaning: “Emptiness of life.” Equal parts elegant and deadly, Praa revels in making each battle a dance; a performance through which it can display its own lethal beauty. Every movement is made with killing intent, every strike aiming for a vital spot on the foe’s body. There must be no wasted movement, no imperfections in Praa’s performance. Alas, mortals are imperfect creatures, and so Praa has never quite found an ideal vessel among them. Perhaps being imprisoned in the spirit realm was a blessing in disguise, then; surely a more worthy host awaited the Darkin Fan there than in any Runeterran nation...

Horaazi Name meaning: “Seeking forbidden knowledge.” Horaazi represents a truth that both Aspects and Darkin are loath to admit: that perhaps gods, demons and mortals are not so different at their core. After all, is all life not born of the same stardust? Do all creatures not originate from that first wellspring of creation? Horaazi knows well this truth, as well as many others; the Lodestone offers knowledge, not power, to any mortal that would seek it... Yet for all its wisdom, Horaazi harbors a deep hatred for the one who would see an end to wisdom and those that would seek it: Xolaani.

Stryaatu Name meaning: “Wailing in agony.” The Darkin are often regarded as tools of war; deadly weapons or instruments meant to turn the tides of battle. But not all conflicts are won on the battlefield. Not all war songs are loud and imposing. Stryaatu offers a simpler solution: rather than slay your enemies, turn them to your cause. Let your emotions manifest as melody. Place your heart’s desires into the strings... Give yourself over to the harp, and the harp shall instill your hatred and bloodlust into the enemy. Watch as kings and generals turn upon each other with every note you play. That is the power of music: the power of Stryaatu.

Taarosh Name meaning: “Fighting until death.” The Blessed Isles seemed the perfect place to seal a Darkin weapon; who better to resist such temptation than those who could expel their darkest urges? However, the monks of the Isles never foresaw the day a grief-stricken king would arrive on their shores and unleash centuries of evil in an instant. As the Ruination swept through the land and corrupted everything it touched, Taarrosh stirred, its power amplified by the Black Mist. It didn’t take long to find a worthy vessel: a corrupted rider once belonging to the Iron Order. While Hecarim would lead his unending crusade against the world of light, Taarosh knows a greater conflict awaits: one that will shake the very heavens...

[thegoldentigress]

33. What’s the first ship you played? -cosmosoracle

Fiiiirst ship oh boy uhhhhh

Actually prior to my rping with any Sett's, shocker I know, it would maybe be eitherrrrrrr @piltover-sharpshooter 's Cait and Dira orrrrr Dira and Nasus who was by @shurima-demigod ,as those were the first ships I can genuinely recall, sure I had shippy banter but actual solid ideas were those two as far as memory serves me right.

And current obviously I have my dumbass Sett(s) and I have a few Discord ships with friends involving Garen ( @burden-and-truth ), Azir ( @bird-of-shurima ), ocs with a great many friends and more

[technological-terror-reborn]

// New Starter for: @infinite-xerath //

--------------

Oh, Shurima.... the vast desert land that housed great cities and even greater threats, some of them being void-born monsters and others of deranged demigods. From what the robot had gathered, they were either called Ascended warriors or Darkin warriors.

A loud crackle could be heard near the city of Nerimazeth as a hole was formed for a short while outside of the city, and from that hole, something came out. Once it did, it closed and disappeared as if nothing happened, and the thing that came out rose from the ground. Nightfall was back from the torn realm he was unfortunate to be stuck in, but now he was free. This land seemed familiar, but more studying was required to completely know this land. Heavy footsteps sounded as the metal robot started to walk, observing the dunes rise and all, feeling the wind blowing East, and the very quiet sound of a scanner activated as he looked around. He was looking out for anything that was either out of the ordinary or was known in these lands, whatever he found first, it was something to study first.

[league-of-starlight]

With at max four characters per region with a demon, celestial and final boss to round it off. 28 characters in total, which is way too hopeful, but let me cope. Explanations for each one below the cut.

I tried to approached it with a mix of realism, which is why we have characters who have already been shown off, and a dream character list. Even then, I had to cut characters I think would've been interesting.

Zaun/Piltover: Honestly, this was the easiest one with Zaunites, but I had to pick someone for Piltover and I went with Blitzcrank. Imagine he has his sitting down animation from the Wild Rift trailer. Alternative characters were Warwick for the monstrous side of Zaun and bringing the family together, or Jayce for being the Piltover Poster Boy.

Ionia: For Ionia, I wanted someone for the spiritual aspect and someone to represent the factions spli between the Kinkou, and the order of shadow. So I went Karma and Zed.

Demacia: Sylvanas as a transforming character would be fun. and if we need a character to represent the base demacian, Fiora would be more interesting an Garen. I will admit I have a little soft spot for the guy, but I have to be ruthless. I had ideas for Kayle and Morgana too, but I had to cut them.

Bilgewater: I tossed up between Gangplank and Fortune. And while I like Sarah a lot, I picked Gangplank because I can imagine him biting an orange and he's immune to damage for five seconds. Pyke was added because I think his moves would be cool. Imagine if he sunk under the ground before leaping out to slam the opponent with his blade?

Yordles: I chose Kled for this, because every faction needs a comedy character. I also wondered for Gnar, and I almost did, but I think Kled would be easier for hitboxes since he'd be on Skaarl.

Noxus: Darius and Katarina are already in, so I had only one pick left. And, I felt Swain was the best choice. If Katarina wasn't there, I might have gone for Samira for the flashy gun-work.

Freljord: You do not understand how much I wanted Nunu and Willump there and I almost did. But I had to add some demigod rep and Volibear was easiest. Lissandra might be tricky, but I think she could be a fun ice character with her being an ages old sorceress. And as for Braum? I like him.

Ixtal: This was harder than you think. I narrowed my choices down to Neeko, Quiyana and Nidalee. I also thought of Rengar, but I'd have to add Kha'Zix too and I'll explain why I couldn't do that later. But, despite my good choices, I chose Neeko because shapeshifting is always a fun concept for a fighting game. Maybe the other two can get their chance if I ever do a DLC list.

Shurima: I went with Taliyah here because I played Tremor in MKX and I'd want to see how they'd handle her. Maybe she gets a redesign that shows her in the present day?

Targon: This was harder than you'd think as well. I chose Pantheon because I think he'd be cool. I could have done Leona and Diana, have the exes sword fight under the sun, but if I picked one I'd need to add the other and I didn't have space. To be honest, Soraka is here because of personal bias. Imagine that her victory quotes are just encouraging and wise. Leona was very close, and was almost there.

Shadow Isles: This went between Thresh and Kalista as characters to best represent the darkness of the isles. And while I like Kalista and have interesting ideas for her spears, I feel like Thresh is a perfect pick for the cruelty of the Isles.

Void: I could have done Kha'Zix, but then I'd have to add Rengar and we already have Ixtal sorted. Bel'Veth is too much of a final boss character and we already have a transforming character with Shyvana. I had an idea for Malzahar and Kassadin as the polar opposites of humans in the void, one who embraced it and the other who despises it, but in the end, I picked Vel'Koz because of his alien feel. Ideas for his move-set? Watch Shuma Gorath from MVC3, add some lasers and scientific ramblings.

Demon: Fiddlesticks. He'd be so much fun in motion.

Celestial: Bard would be an excellent joke character.

Final Boss: I was originally going to pick Mordekaiser because... look at him. But then I had an idea. Atrox wants to plunge the world into a chaotic war, right? in the hopes that by destroying reality, it will destroy him too? Well, who better a final boss for a fighting game, that by someone who relies on bloodshed to keep his form?

And that's it, what do you think? Who would you pick? Let me know if you'd want a DLC wish list too.

[dawnmarsalexandrailieva]

Amumu

Legend claims that Amumu is a lonely and melancholy soul from ancient Shurima, roaming the world in search of a friend. Doomed by an ancient curse to remain alone forever, his touch is death, his affection ruin.

Anivia

Anivia is a benevolent winged spirit who endures endless cycles of life, death, and rebirth to protect the Freljord. A demigod born of unforgiving ice and bitter winds, she wields those elemental powers to thwart any who dare disturb her homeland

Aurelion Sol

Aurelion Sol once graced the vast emptiness of the cosmos with celestial wonders of his own devising. Now, he is forced to wield his awesome power at the behest of a space-faring empire that tricked him into servitude.

Heimerdinge

A brilliant yet eccentric yordle scientist, Professor Cecil B. Heimerdinger is one of the most innovative and esteemed inventors Piltover has ever known. Relentless in his work to the point of neurotic obsession, he thrives on answering the universe's

Ivern

Ivern Bramblefoot, known to many as the Green Father, is a peculiar half man, half tree who roams Runeterra's forests, cultivating life everywhere he goes. He knows the secrets of the natural world, and holds deep friendships with all things that grow.

[inspired-flame]

🔥 + Nasus :)

Send me  🔥 + a word and I will write a NSFW headcanon for my muse.

@shurima-demigod

Considering the amount of paperwork Karma has to do in a day, she's gotten very good at going through them on autopilot, letting her just kind of.. think when she wants to.

Karma, despite the very doting and emotional nature of her and Nasus' relationship... ends up fantasizing more than just thinking... usually when she's doing paperwork and he joins her. The thing is, she is very well aware that an intimate relationship between them is.. a little risky. With Nasus just overall being a literal giant and Karma having a genetic condition where she has brittle bones... yeah. To her it's almost an unspoken agreement that they're avoiding it simply because she knows he would never forgive himself if he hurt her- even if she's okay with it because of how easy it is for her to be injured.

Either way, Karma consistently fantasizes about sex with the Curator, and she is prepared to risk/compromise the structural integrity of more bones than just her pelvis. She can regenerate, she doesn't care. Now only if she were brave enough to come out and say it-

[chaotick-musings]

"Before you come to kill me, I swear it was not my fault. And please do not take this the wrong way. Where are your mother's clothes located in her house?"

Sett breathes in deep.

“My mother...is an ADULT...and...she can MAKE HER OWN DECISIONS!” He said through gritted teeth, pretty much to himself, so that he didn’t lose control.

“Please, give her these clothes as they are the most comfortable” He said, handing him the clothes with the best smile he could

@shurima-demigod

[thesandqrator]

Now, now, @book-of-knowledge , @shurima-demigod .

Listen to @emperorbirbman . Emperor knows best, after all.

Blink twice with your right eye if you are under duress.

[lighthooks]

[ drunk ]

[ drunk ]   your  muse  takes  care  of my very drunk muse 

" no you should -- ! ... " he pauses, lost in thought, cloudwalking through the sand , following his new, tall, dark, rather handsome friend. . . What was he saying ?! This was an ascended, cloud 9 would have to wait

" ... what was I saying -? Ah yes, so there I was, back against the wall -- ! "

[goldlightwriting]

Shurima Reimagined

I love Shurima's storyline. Despite all my initial resentment for it during the Great Retcon, I've come to grow deeply attached to this region, its characters, and its history. Compared to the Shadow Isles, I think it's one of the best-handled narratives in all of League of Legends lore.

In spite of that, I still have a couple issues. Primary among them is that certain parts of the Shuriman storyline feel extremely disconnected or like they have massive gaps missing. This is most evident in the two-part trailer for Azir's release, in which the second trailer just seems to sort of... Forget the antagonists?

Like, where are Xerath, Renekton, and Cassiopeia while Azir is getting revived? Are they still in the tomb? Have they made it back up to the surface? Does Cassiopeia ever even interact with the mad demigods she set free? And what is Xerath's initial reaction to seeing the city he destroyed ages ago suddenly revived? Evidently he doesn't think to investigate it because Azir's shortstory reveals that he doesn't know anything that happened around his death until he basically uses the sands to Moody Blues his final moments and reveal Xerath's betrayal. In short: at no point are we led to believe that Azir and Xerath have even MET in their Ascended forms yet.

There's also just the permeation of Riot's bad habits that things happen "because magic." Cassiopeia was bitten by a big stone snake and its venom turned her into a snake lady with poison powers... Rather than just killing her, I guess. Azir was revived because Sivir conveniently bled onto the spot he died centuries ago, and he Ascended because a conveniently beam of sunlight struck him from somewhere underground (this is supposed to be proof of his 'worthiness' to Ascended but Xerath's story makes it explicitly clear that this is BS.)

So yeah, without further ado, here are some of the changes I'd make to Shurima. Nothing as drastic as my previous ones, but hopefully you'll all still enjoy.

Fundamental Changes

-Members of the Shuriman royal line have trace amounts of Celestial magic in their veins.

-The Chalicar is a weapon passed down through the royal line since the empire's founding. Legends say it hails from the heavens and possesses a hidden power, though none have been able to wield it to its full extent for ages.

-Setaka was a member of the royal family who came closer than any other to unlocking the Chalicar's hidden potential. It is for that reason she was chosen to Ascend and lead the Ascended Host during her time.

-Azir never planned to release all the slaves. He does, however, free Xerath right before attempting to Ascend.

Azir: "Xerath, you have a been a true friend and brother to me, and now, my final act as a mortal is to at last uphold my promise to you. I know that you shall continue to faithfully serve me, once I emerge from the sacred light."

Xerath: "...No, Azir. I shall not serve you, nor anyone else, any longer!"

-Rather than incinerate Azir, Xerath instead casts a curse to imprison the emperor in stone just he starts to Ascend (Cassiopeia can later get this ability from him.)

-Xerath draws all the power of the Sun Disc into himself as before, causing a violent explosion that destroys the capital.

-Nasus, Renekton and Xerath fight for a time before they resort to using the sarcophagus to try and trap him.

-As before, the resulting power gap causes members of the Ascended host to turn on one-another and war for control of Shurima. This conflict rages for over a hundred years before the Aspects conspire to intervene.

-The war was just fueled by lingering grudges and greed; there was no influence from the Void or hemomancy.

-The Chalicar, a weapon with the power to store Celestial energy, is used to kill every member of the Ascended Host save for Nasus and Renekton by draining the solar magic from them, rather than blasting them with moonlight.

-The Chalicar is returned to Setaka's tomb until it is found by Sivir, who is able to harness the Celestial magics within thanks to the traces of royal blood within her.

-The Tomb of the Emperors is sealed with a powerful enchantment, which ancient writing claims can only be undone by royal blood. Surprisingly, the seal seems to react to Sivir's presence.

-Cassiopeia stabs Sivir and attempts to open the tomb using her blood, rather than the Chalicar.

-The Guardian Serpent springs to life and fills the chamber with poison mist. In desperation, Cassiopeia continues onward, hoping to escape the poison by taking shelter in the tomb, which does indeed open for Sivir's blood. In doing this, she inadvertently sets free Xerath and Renekton (as well as the energy zombies that Xerath apparently made while he was stuck in there.)

-Cassiopeia was transformed into a Baccai via Xerath's magic. His power mixing with the poison in her veins is what caused her to take on a serpentine form.

-Sivir flees the chaos, seeking the Oasis of the Dawn said to be hidden beneath the capital in the hopes of healing her wounds.

-Sivir bathes in the water and her wounds heal. Before she can leave, though, Sivir notices a strange stone figure nearby bearing an expression of pain. For reasons she can't explain, Sivir feels an odd sense of kinship with him, and pulls the figure into the Oasis of the Dawn.

-Sivir is not a direct descendant of Azir, but Setaka (who had children before Ascending.) Royal blood still binds her to him, though.

-Azir is freed from his petrifying curse, and he and Sivir take some time to catch up and explain the situation to one-another.

-Once Azir learns that Xerath is free and the Ascended Host are no longer alive to face him, the emperor resolves to stand against his old friend. Sivir is convinced, albeit reluctantly, to help Azir Ascend using the Chalicar.

-Azir undergoes a modified Rite of Ascension, using Celestial power stored within the Chalicar. Because it contains the power of the Ascended Host slain in Nerimazeth, Azir is able to draw on their collective strength to rebuild the capital.

-Azir's magic allows him to conjure soldiers and weapons of the Ascended Host from the sand; this includes the Ascended themselves, but they lack the same strength and autonomy they once did in life.

-By this point, Xerath, Renekton and Cassiopeia have long-since left the tomb. Xerath promises Renekton vengeance against Nasus, and Cassiopeia even greater power in exchange for her loyalty.

-The War for Shurima begins anew as Xerath and Azir both seek to amass power and influence across the continent, waiting for the day they might meet face-to-face once again.

[ringmaster-jack]

"You seem cold." And Nasus stood in the snow without a problem. The benefits of Ascension- always warm.

“OHHO LOOK AT ME, I’M A BIG FUCKIN’ FURRY GODOG MAN, I’M NOT COLD WHEN IT’S NEGATIVE 5 DEGREES OUT BECAUSE I’M COVERED IN FUCKIN’ FUR AND FILLED WITH THE UNYEILDING WARMTH OF OUR NEAREST STAR, I’M SO SPECIAL!” 

[ira-sturm]

"Ah, it is that day again? I hope you plan to return the empress this time." He was clearly teasing.

“I do not.  She is mine!”  She says with confidence   @empcratriz

[infinite-xerath]

shurima-demigod: "You still are nothing." 

“How strange... I hear the yappings of a useless mutt; one who failed to protect his emperor, his brother, or even the tomb in which I was imprisoned.”