#vastaya graves

[analligatorr]

🦅

[deathdxnces]

"To stop the spread that Noxian disease, you have to exterminate them at the root... Allowing any of those vermin to survive will only result in more and more of them, whether through blood or spreading of their beliefs," The vastayan sneered, tossing her a small bracelet whose beads were stained with blood - it was too large for any adult. "Those rats will invade all they can, burrowing into the children you swear to protect and taint their minds. Kayn is one exception, perhaps his blood was purified by the Spirit, but the rest of them? Their only use being placed upon our soil is to be ground into fertilizer, to let any of them escape is a mockery of the thousands of Ionians who have perished. Each Ionian is worth at least 3 of those pests."

— @witchcraftandburialdirt

Another might recoil at the contempt that drips from every word, that an entire people would be described as a disease. Irelia does not. She listens, silent while the vastaya speaks, catches the small bracelet he throws her way. Blue eyes study the bloodstained beads, fingers running over each of them; this time, the impassiveness is more disguise than reflection, an odd sense of uneasiness settling on her stomach. He needed not to finish his speech for the dancer to know the lesson he tried to impart to her, and still, the dancer does not cut him off.

Her gaze returns to Haruko at the mention of Kayn. Was that truly what he believed? That the assassin alone had been chosen by the Spirit itself, and the taint of being Noxian was thus cleansed? Irelia knows better than to be as skeptical now as she was as a child, doubtful of the many ways people affirmed the Spirit to manifest, and yet that seems a farfetched notion. Zed was likely more responsible for ridding Kayn of Noxian influence than spiritual intervention.

True enough that, whatever he had been born, Kayn was Ionian now; but was he the sole exception? Couldn't there be others in whom the Noxian taint had not taken root, its poison not yet killing anything human in them?

Could she kill a child desperately trying to survive, abandoned by that nation of monsters, when that was exactly what had been done to him?

And yet she listens, not entirely dismissive of what the vastaya says. A mockery of the lives taken by Noxians, Haruko affirms, and indeed, what mercy had been shown to their people, slaughtered in their homes, most of them incapable of fighting back? What mercy had they offered to Ionian children even outside the battlefield?

Irelia thinks of Ruu, then, and the thought alone is a cold stab in an old wound, unhealed and festering. She had never seen her younger brother dead, had seen none of the bodies, only her family's graves, one of them so small she wouldn't have fit in it even at eleven. It wasn't always like that in her nightmares; those often painted bloodier pictures, a mix of truth and illusion based on the carnage she knew their enemies to be capable of. Unlike to be far from the truth. She hadn't seen what they did to Ruu, but she had seen plenty of other children slaughtered.

Her brother was among some of the youngest victims the empire had made in her homeland, nevertheless. Ruu had been barely four. They slaughtered him all the same, as if a four-year-old boy could be a threat to several armed soldiers. It was never about how much of a threat they were, though. It was about the only language the monsters understood: power, and exerting it through intimidation, strength and violence.

Irelia thinks of Ruu, and Haru's words do not sound as harsh as initially perceived. Her grip on the bracelet, tightened without noticing, relaxes then. "There is no comparison to be made between Ionian lives and theirs," Agreement comes easy; the Noxians have no worth to her, as she knows they do not have to the Spirit. The First Lands themselves fought them back, often cruelly. Honor and respect are for the beings who deserve it; the only thing the tyrants would have from her is contempt, venom tinging her every word. "Each person, creature and plant, each spirit and living being that inhabits our land is worth infinitely more than all the invaders combined."

And yet.

While the idea of harming children always made her recoil, those serving the empire as its soldiers and spies and saboteurs would not have been met with mercy, should she come across them. Not before, at least. The line seems blurrier now, knowing at some point Kayn had been one of their child soldiers, knowing what he was now. Irelia is uncertain she would ever be capable of extending kindness to any Noxian, but she hesitates to sentence all of them to death without second thought, the very weakness the vastaya warns her against.

"Blood and birth are not what makes them monsters, though. There are plenty among their ranks not Noxian born, some of the worst, even — the Hand of Noxus is from one of their annexed territories, and there's arguably no better example of Noxian brutality." Darius was almost as infamous as Swain himself, and both were part of the Trifarix that ruled the empire and exemplified their beliefs. Loathing colors her tone, the mere thought one would embrace their barbaric ideals after having their own land taken by the tyrants stomach-turning. They are no more deserving of mercy than those born Noxian. They are worse, in a way; at some point, they actively chose to leave behind what they were and embrace the empire and what it means, to bow their heads and serve the invaders.

"Everywhere Noxus takes root is tainted, and its disease kills anything that might have made their soldiers people, once. Children are not immune to it by virtue of being children, some of them serving in their armies most willingly, dreaming of being like those responsible for the slaughter," This she concedes, having witnessed the wickedness even their young were capable of firsthand. They're not all innocent; Noxian brutality isn't reserved for their enemies alone, and what the empire does not destroy, it corrupts. "Not all of them, though. Not all of them are irrevocably infected." Kayn wasn't. "Just like a Noxian needs not to have been born that to be one of them, birth alone doesn't make them Noxian."

"Don't get me wrong — anyone who threatens our land and our people will be swiftly cut down, regardless of age," A cold statement to some, perhaps, but one she means entirely. Ionia and Her people mattered more than any notion of mercy toward Noxians (And if it seemed unfair to turn her blades against those who could not fight her back on equal grounds, what of it? Noxian cruelty had honed her edges, Noxian violence demanded her to learn to fight on uneven grounds. How many of her people never had a chance against their attackers?). "But some of them could have that blight stripped away before it destroys what humanity they have left."

"Unlike most seem to have by now, I have not forgotten what Noxus did — what it still tries to do. Nor have I forgotten the cost of peace, or the blood debt they could never hope to repay," No number of dead Noxians would make up for the Ionian lives lost. Sparing Noxian children would never be an option if the choice was between them and her people. "I simply think rooting out the active threats first seems a more dire priority than hunting down children for what they might eventually become."

[songofdeath]

“My friend has passed.” The young man spoke solemnly, dark eyes staring down at the ground, uncertain if his decision to visit the tally-men was right. Patricians had their own rituals and worked with renowned morticians who had honed their craft for generations, but the tally-men were for everyone and Jericho knew word wouldn’t get back to his parents this way.

“He was a Vastaya. I don’t know what his family believed in.” He sounds a little embarrassed at the admission. “I can’t go to his funeral and I don’t know if he’ll even have one, so…” He finally looked up at the other man, realising he was perhaps only a little older than Jericho himself. “If you could hold a farewell for him of some kind, I could pay you as much as you like.” He hurriedly reassured the other, taking a rather hefty coin pouch out of his pocket and extending his hand to the young tally-man. “His name was Ina’Sae Mehr.”

The tally-man withdrew his mask from his face, as a show of respect to the man who still lived and deemed to visit them. Indeed from his attire it was clear he didn't belong here. It makes Karthus a little nervous, gore and the scent of rot is still on his clothes from today's haul of bodies. He usually spent a long time laying them out neatly for their rituals, and he never actually had to schedule a meeting with someone before.

"Vastaya..." Karthus had seen a few vastayan bodies, but he was unsure he could identify the person the stranger was looking for.

"The vastaya are long lived. Some claim deathlessness. I hear that a tribe in Shimon turn to rocks when they die, so they can return to the earth they came from." The quip is unwarranted, a simple fact he remembered of one of the vastayan tribes.

Karthus stops when he sees the pile of money offered. There is an... inkling of temptation, but in the hallowed halls of Kindred, he feels a bit... guilty. So he holds his hand up, his long slender fingers wrap around the sack of coin, and Karthus pushes it into the stranger's chest.

"The tally-men do not accept payment. Death is natural, and we must ensure peace of the dead who cannot pay for burial." That was, naturally, the deal with them, and why nobility did not use their services. Only those who had no where else to send their beloved would send them this way.

"Ina'sae Mehr..." Karthus repeated the name. "If this person came through here, I am sorry, we don't know the names of the people buried here. If you like, I can take you to some of the graves of the vastaya. I remember the last one that came here. It was about two months, 5 days ago. Buried in the 347th row, maybe... 36 graves deep from the left? Or 35."

"Oh." Karthus bowed his head. "If you want to make a donation however, you can place money in the alms boxes." Karthus gestured to a black metal box covered in dust, welded to the wall.

"... You want a farewell for him, yes?" Karthus finally came together and recognized what the man was asking. "We can place his name on our wall." Karthus walked back a bit, and carefully lit a few candles to light up the back wall behind the altar. Behind it were thousands of names, from ceiling to floor, written in small scrawl, all in Karthus's handwriting, carved with a small metal tool. "... Is there something else you want me to do?" Karthus looked him over.

"I can light a candle. Or send out a paper boat. Or place coins. We have an empty graveyard, you know, for people whose bodies don't make it here. The cenotaphs have to be brought by other people, though, I don't make gravestones, although I could try."

[rexcat]

The full version of my banner art, I finally decide to post it :D The theme is “Duo Queue” from Legends of Runeterra- I submitted this to a fanart thingy so it actually motivated me to “finish” a piece, which happens extremely rarely (although there are rough bits all over the place I had to live with...) First time using Krita for digital art since I don’t have photoshop anymore.

Although Graves is not in LoR yet, I can't imagine TF playing with anyone else, even if he might not have let Graves in on his strategy for this game.. He’s got it alll under control ;] I really hope Graves gets added to LoR- I can almost hear his voice lines, bickering at an enemy or ally TF on the board.

Something I would like to improve is working on settings/background and lighting, but there are little details throughout inspired from the character’s splash arts. I really like the Bilgewater followers in TF’s set- They are so rich in personality. My favorite is Slotbot- I imagine that he is originally from Piltover and somehow made his way to Bilgewater and is *thriving*, absolutely living for the chaos and the thrill of taking people’s coins for a spin >:] The way hits on the other robotic followers is also peak class. I doodled the verrry rough beginnings of an OC next to Slotbot, likely a Vastaya who is working as the ‘muscle’ in their racket. I might revisit. LoR splahart: Brash Gambler by JiHun Lee Pool Shark by Dao Le Slotbot by Kudos Productions

[infinite-xerath]

Xerath Interactions For Every Champ

I’ve done this before, but since we have some new characters and reworks, I figure I’d go and give this another shot.

Aatrox: “Just like the empire you served, Aatrox, you are now but a shadow of greatness.”

Ahri: “The temptations of flesh do not sway me, fox.”

Akali: “Flee into your smoke, girl; it will not hide you from me!”

Alistar: “You are not yet free of your chains, minotaur; join me, and reap your revenge!”

Amumu: “Friends will inevitably betray you, child...”

Anivia: “I needed only one rebirth to achieve greatness!”

Annie: “You hold great potential, child...”

Aphelios: “You conjure weapons from another realm? Show me more.”

Ashe: “You would unite your homeland, but I shall unite the world!”

Aurelion Sol: “I acknowledge your strength, star dragon, but I am power incarnate!”

Azir: “Cling to your precious Sun, Azir; I have no more need of it!”

Bard: “You may witness my triumph, storyteller, but do not interfere!”

Blitzcrank: “Such a crude golem...”

Brand: “A power rivaling even my own... I think I shall take it!”

Braum: “Cower behind your shield; it makes no difference!”

Caitlyn: “Mine is the only law that matters!”

Camille: “I will tear that gem from your chest, machine...”

Cassiopeia: “You sought power in the tomb, serpent, and you found me.”

Cho’Gath: “You think to devour me, beast? I welcome you to try!”

Corki: “I shall blast that infernal machine from the sky!”

Darius: “You are the mightiest warrior of Noxus? How underwhelming.”

Diana: “I tore the Sun from the sky. Shall I treat the moon in-kind?”

Dr. Mundo: “Abomination! You dare to approach me?”

Draven: “Look upon me, mortal, and witness TRUE greatness.”

Ekko: “The power to control time, in the hands of a mere child!? I shall rectify this at once.”

Elise: “You think yourself immortal? Allow me to enlighten you.”

Evelynn: “I will teach you TRUE agony, demon.”

Ezreal: “Surrender that gauntlet, boy, or I will claim it from your ashes.”

Fiddlesticks: “Fear? I have cast such emotions aside.”

Fiora: “Nobility means nothing to a god.”

Fizz: “Your childish antics end here, creature!”

Galio: “You consume magic, but even a titan has limits!”

Gangplank: “Yet another dethroned king, grasping for his lost throne...”

Garen: “Crushing Demacia will be child’s play compared to Shurima.”

Gnar: “A primal rage stirs in this whelp... Interesting...”

Gragas: “Such simpletons are beneath my notice.”

Graves: “Another mercenary? Let us put your skills to the test...”

Hecarim: “A horse without its reigns? I shall soon correct that...”

Heimerdinger: “A dull mind with delusions of brilliance.”

Illaoi: “I claimed what was mine. Now, the world will move as I will it!”

Irelia: “Entertain me, dancer. That is your purpose, is it not?”

Ivern: “Your influence in the desert is lacking, ‘green father.’”

Janna: “A guardian that relies on the strength of others is meaningless...”

Jarvan IV: “What is a king to a god, Demacian? Just a man with fleeting authority.”

Jax: “Join me, Icathian, and I will see the Void itself burned!”

Jayce: “You will not be the first hero I crush, nor the last...”

Jhin: “Mad though you may be, I could offer you a greater stage...”

Jinx: “You think you know chaos, girl? Your rampage is but child’s play.”

Kai’Sa: “If a mere mortal can survive the Void, then destroying it will be easier than I imagined...”

Kalista: “Azir made an oath he could never keep; HE is the betrayer!”

Karma: “They say your wisdom is unrivaled, yet you are still foolish enough to stand against me?”

Karthus: “You mistake eternal damnation for eternal greatness, lich.”

Kassadin: “You fight a battle you cannot win; surrender your relics, and I will finish it in your stead.”

Katarina: “Your sister proved most useful, assassin...”

Kayle: “I answer to no judgement but my own!”

Kayn: “You struggle endlessly for control of one-another; I shall put you both out of your misery!”

Kennen: “You are swift as lightning, yordle, but my fury is the storm!”

Kha’Zix: “I stand at the apex of life; you can never hope to reach my level!”

Kindred: “When next I strike down Azir, ensure he does not return!”

Kled: “A mad yordle on a frightful drakalops? Is this meant to be a threat?”

Kog’Maw: “I shall end your hunger... Along with your existence!”

LeBlanc: “Your petty tricks cannot deceive me, witch!”

Lee Sin: “A pity you cannot see the error in opposing me...”

Leona: “No matter how many avatars of the sun stand against me, I shall strike them all down!”

Lillia: “Dreams are but fleeting fantasies; I have no need of them.”

Lissandra: “You think a prison of ice can hold me? You are sorely mistaken.”

Lucian: “Your weapons may banish the dead, but to me, they are little more than toys!”

Lulu: “I sense the most primal of magics within you, yordle. Where did you obtain it?”

Lux: “Your light is but a spark next to me, girl!”

Malphite: “What sort of imbecile gives life to a mountain?”

Malzahar: “You are no prophet, Malzahar; you are merely a puppet!”

Maokai: “You seek to liberate your home from the dead? That can be arranged...”

Master Yi: “A master of the blade is no match for a master of the arcane!”

Miss Fortune: “Your city requires order, and I alone can restore it.”

Mordekaiser: “You may rule the realm of the dead, but Runeterra is MINE!”

Morgana: “If you would embrace chains, then perhaps you may have mine.”

Nami: “A civilization beneath the sea? Interesting...”

Nasus: “Come to face me again, Nasus? It will end no differently than your prior attempts!”

Nautilus: “I do not pay tribute to false gods!”

Neeko: “My essence is too great for you to handle, trickster.”

Nidalee: “Human, beast, it matters not; you will bow all-the-same!”

Nocturne: “My nightmares ended long ago, demon. Now, yours begin!”

Nunu and Willump: “Naive child. You are merely a pawn, just as I was once...”

Olaf: “No death will immortalize your name, fool; I alone am eternal!”

Orianna: “To preserve your life, you became a mere husk... I almost pity you, machine.”

Ornn: “Forge for me a weapon to shatter these chains, mountain god!”

Pantheon: “You will fall before me, Targonian, just as Asose did...”

Poppy: “The world I create shall have no need of heroes.”

Pyke: “Your mind is already shattered. Now, I shall break the rest of you!”

Qiyana: “Power? Authority? Let me teach you what those words truly mean, child!”

Quinn: “Tell Demacia what you have found, scout. Whatever defenses they prepare, I WILL break!”

Rakan: “Human, vastaya, it matters not; I shall reign over both!”

Rammus: “The beast of legend... Come, let us see if your stories hold true!”

Rek’Sai: “When I am rid of you, the Great Sai will be mine!”

Rell: “Pledge your power to me, child, and let us dismantle Noxus together...”

Renekton: “Do you still recall who imprisoned us, Renekton? Do not forget the root of your hatred...”

Rengar: “I can offer you elusive prey, hunter; her name is Sivir...”

Riven: “You would challenge me with a broken blade? Are all Noxians so foolish?”

Rumble: “Yordles are said to be honored creatures. Looking upon you, I fail to see why.”

Ryze: “The World Runes must be kept from mortal hands... That is why I shall harness their power!”

Samira: “You say I destroyed your home? You will have to be more specific...”

Sejuani: “You survived the harshness of your homeland, just as I survived mine...”

Senna: “Darkness, light, it matters not; no power can rival my own!”

Seraphine: “You seek to unite your home? I will unite the WORLD, child.”

Sett: “You fight for entertainment? Very well... Entertain me.”

Shaco: “I will not indulge your twisted games, jester. Perish!”

Shen: “I alone can bring stability to this world.���

Shyvana: “Such power... Why do you waste it in service to imbeciles?”

Singed: “You are little more than a walking corpse; I will return you to the grave!”

Sion: “You think you know rage? The Butcher shall enlighten you...”

Sivir: “The kin of Azir, wielding the Chalicar... You cannot be allowed to live!”

Skarner: “So the Brackern are more than a fable... But only just.”

Sona: “A fine instrument... Go on then. Play for your emperor.”

Soraka: “You bound yourself to flesh and blood, but I have surpassed it!”

Swain: “Vision, might, guile... I am the embodiment of your ideals, general.”

Sylas: “You and I are much alike... Stand with me, and Demacia WILL fall.”

Syndra: “Your magic is potent, Syndra, but your mind is dull and clouded!”

Tahm Kench: “You have nothing to offer me, demon. Begone from my sight!”

Taliyah: “You will tell me where she went, child, or I will pry it from your dying breaths!”

Talon: “You are not the first assassin I have faced...”

Taric: “My radiance far surpasses any gem, Targonian.”

Teemo: “Your tricks cannot hide you forever, yordle...”

Thresh: “No prison can hold me, least of all your frail lantern.”

Tristana: “You wish to become a soldier? That can be arranged...”

Trundle: “You think yourself clever, troll? That you would provoke me says otherwise.”

Tryndamere: “Mightier warriors have failed to best me. You shall fare no better.”

Twisted Fate: “You confuse petty tricks for magic, gambler. That was your greatest and final mistake!”

Twitch: “It seems the Voidborn are not the only vermin I must exterminate...”

Udyr: “Do you truly control the spirits within, or do they control you?”

Urgot: “I am the ONLY one with the might to stand above all others.”

Varus: “A mighty Sunborn, reduced to a squabbling trio of corpses...”

Vayne: “YOU are Demacia’s protector from darkness? This will be easier than I had imagined...”

Veigar: “You think yourself evil incarnate? How amusing...”

Vel’Koz: “Not even YOUR twisted mind could fathom the secrets I possess.”

Vi: “To think a city that prides itself on brilliance would birth a brute such as you...”

Viego: “You are but the shadow of a man clinging to petty emotions; you are CERTAINLY no king.”

Viktor: “I alone have achieved perfection, and perfection cannot be copied.”

Vladimir: “I congratulate you on your mastery of the most primitive spellcraft known to man.”

Volibear: “Even the storm bends to my will!”

Warwick: “Another dog to hound me? I shall return you to your leash!”

Wukong: “No level of skill may rival pure power, ape!”

Xayah: “Human, vastaya, it matters not; I shall reign over both!” 

Xin Zhao: “They say your will is unbreakable... I beg to differ.”

Yasuo: “What do you know of the girl called Taliyah?”

Yone: “You come to me seeking answer? Prove you are worthy of them!”

Yorick: “You would fight the undead... By raising the undead? Imbecile.”

Yuumi: “The book shall be mine, cat!”

ZAC: “What manner of twisted sorcery gave rise to an abomination such as this?”

Zed: “I will burn away your shadows and armor, and expose you for the weakling you are!”

Ziggs: “I may have use for weapons such as yours...”

Zilean: “You saved your people from the Void, only to imprison them beyond time? Icathia truly was a land of fools...”

Zoe: “Celestial magic is not a plaything, girl!”

Zyra: “The desert is no place you. Return to the jungle, or be pruned.”

[vulpesse-arc]

GRAVE SUGGESTIONS meme starters ! ✿   not accepting. @quartlet​  has whispered:  ‘ no motive other than pleasure, my dear. ’

SHADOWS twist and bend into monstrous shapes whilst the foxen creature, albeit set aflame by feelings oh so bestial and unholy, remains painfully still   ───   A pleasant shiver down a proudly arched spine, the dulcet taste of elation ‘pon a venomous tongue, the entire world blurring into nothingness as her attention remains faithfully focused ‘pon HIM and him alone. The DESTRUCTION and CARNAGE sired by his  (  so-called  )  art feeds and nurtures the vulpine predator’s INCARNADINE APPETITE and with the incessant passing of seconds, it becomes painfully arduous to cling onto any semblance of apathetic tranquility: she wants to drown in the horrors evoked by his tempestuous soul as much as she wants to demonstrate him that she, too, could be just as sublime and picturesque in the generous delivery of the ultimate end, in the performance of a MELANCHOLIC SWANSONG that accompanies the demise of her victims   /   A honey-sweet kiss ‘pon starved lips, a gentle caress to lacerate flesh and break bones with the strength of primal claws, a sacrilegious prayer whispered to kindle the flames of damnation.

   ❝  This is certainly a lot of work to be considered naught but an outlet for your pleasure. I commend you, you’re quite the inspiration.  ❞   PURRS in response the vastaya, vocalization leisure yet mellifluous, sickeningly dripped into honey & vanilla to conceal the BITTER TASTE of the poison underneath. The sudden swish of fur-coated appendages breaks her previous state of physical inertia, expressing through instinctive gestures all the RAVENOUS EMOTIONS that she has yet to roll ‘pon the edge of her tongue.   ❝  And yet, I wonder... How long will it take, before you begin to destroy YOURSELF in order to attain the greatest pleasure of them all ?  ❞  

[sonofshin]

Try: Zed

SEND  TRY + A CHARACTER  YOU’D LIKE TO SEE ME ( ATTEMPT ) TO WRITE !

The sound of knives being unsheathed, and sheathed again sounded through the halls of the former Kinkou monastery. Zed knew the place like the back of his hand. Although now under a new name, Zed considered it his undeniable home. Just like the students he had enmassed over the years that now trained and slept here. He looked at the group of trainees practicing their speed. From one of the higher levels of the monastery he had a perfect view of all of them. How they moved, how they worked, if their teacher properly taught them. Zed had to know for himself. The Order had to remain strong on all fronts.

After an indefinite amount of time staring at the students, he realized the passing of time. The wasting of opportunities. Time he could spend analyzing clues about Jhin, about Ionia, about Shen, Irelia, Akali, Kennen, the vastaya. Those two that kept messing with his plans. Did they not see his purpose? Were they so blind that they did not understand a small sacrifice could greatly increase Ionia’s chances to win against Noxus? Probably not. Why should they. They lived in the forest, not caring about politics, military forces, empires.

He scoffed in silence as he wandered through his home. Their numbers, the Order’s numbers were finally starting to look promising again. For a while, his acolytes ad dwindled. Either through sickness, bad luck, or interference from outside causes. Ionia seemed to become more aggressive. With a rogue assassin murdering as she pleased, the blade witch whipping people up, and the vastaya gladly going against his order at every opportunity, it seemed violence was only going to spread. 

While it was not an aspect Zed disliked, it was rather annoying it got used against him. Instead of joining him, using that anger they all had inside for something worthwhile, they chose to waste it on small battles. On meaningless fights that would be a mere drop in an ocean. No, Zed’s ambitions were far greater than they could think.

He opened the door to his quarters with a slam, frustrated by thr thoughts of so many worthy individuals wasting their talents away in favor of doing nothing. Just... like Shen. Although Zed did suspect a change in him. Last they spoke, in the inn, he had seen Shen’s reaction. He felt his anger boiling. Yet once again, Shen did nothing. Admittedly, it took strength, but Shen had yet to realize when it was wise to let go of restraint. Even inaction had consequences, however much the other ninja wanted to deny that.

With a deep sigh, the master of shadows sat down at his table. If he did not act soon, Ionia would be overrun by Noxus again. And this time, they likely would not stop at the borders. They would hit back harder, fiercer, dirtier. Who knows what Zaun would would bring this time around.

While Zed’s pride wanted to stop him, his experience urged him to continue. He took a brush, ink, and some scraps of paper and placed them in front of him. Now, he had to choose his words carefully. No doubt Shen had strengthened the Kinkou’s numbers as well. While Zed did not at all approve of Shen’s way of dispassion, he did agree that Shen was a good teacher. Not to mention Kennen still being by his side to ensure the students did not grow dispassionate as well.

The strokes danced over the sheets, rapidly filling them with information about his search for Khada Jhin and the state of the province he lived in. While their accord was shakey at best, he did need to strengthen their bonds and, above all, ensure Khada Jhin would be captured again. Preferrably, killed. Actually, he would make SURE Jhin would be killed.

Once he read over his letters, he nodded to himself and neatly folded them. After putting them properly in a scroll, he went down, to the birds keep. He needed one that could fly long distances fast.

“Oh, master.” He heard Kayn’s voice ring out as he entered the keep. He turned to face his acolyte. The boy he had seen growing up and change into an almost uncomfortable mirror of himself. Except for the recently acquired darkin arm as a result of disobedience.

“What is it, Kayn?” He responded with his gravely voice.

“I was just about to look for you. I got reports from the squads you sent out to investigate.” Clearly, Kayn was trying to lick his heels. No wonder, after Zed exploded about the millennium blade incident he had temporarily demoted Kayn to take care of the birds and little else. While the young man would be the next successor, he still had much to learn. And Zed would not go easy, not even on his most prized student.

Kayn handed him the reports, which Zed took from him. “Good.” He held out his own letters. “Find an animal that can deliver this to the Kinkou as soon as possible.”

“The Kinkou? To Shen?” Kayn asked with a sneer. “Why would you-”

He was cut short by Zed, who now glared at him. “Not another word from you, boy. I’ve taught you better than to keep old convictions like this. No, I don’t like Shen and he does not like me, but they are a force that I have to work together with to achieve our goals.” He tapped the reports he got to strengthen his words. “The situation in Ionia is more complex than you think, and reaching out to your foes is sometimes necessary. You will learn as you get older, I’m sure.”

With a lightpat on the shoulder, Zed left a very disgruntled Kayn to go about his job. Sometimes, being a teacher of some odd-hundred students was pretty difficult.

[shadow-acolyte]

That was the day I rose from the Epool’s mud as all those around me died forgotten. Fate claimed me, free from the shackles of the meek. 

Yes! I was destined for greatness!

Our so called battle was a message to be written in the blood of the innocents. We were a group of disorganized children, a sacrifice in the name of a nation addicted to war, a nation desperate to prove their supremacy before the unwilling and the peaceful.

And so they sent us to the shore after a brief speech attempting to bolster pride and the feeble determination. How to forget those words assuring even the youngest of Noxus could conquer this land? Many died so blissfully believing, brandishing weapons they could barely wield, while a few others had only started to understand the purpose of that bloodshed.

I was one of them.

Ionia welcomed us with its pristine landscape, a bay and a village surrounded by a lush valley of tilled farmlands. So harmonious, so foreign to war, so soon to be dead.

It was an easy target, even for the children of Noxus. Or at least, that was what we were lead to believe. Our opportunity to rise, just like that Riven had. Ionian blood would anoint us the new vanquishers.

But such courage only lasted until we faced the defenders, a confused group of farmers, peasants, vastaya. We were no different. There was reluctance in their eyes and doubt in their grip, they refused to believe us enemies, just as the commander had predicted. The moment they hesitated to strike, we did. Or at least, I did. The first blood was mine, a shambling hunter with a spear. The crunch of bone and sinew, the weight against my shoulder, the bubbling warmth staining my hands. That was the first time I killed, the first of many. And I can tell that hunter had never seen a child kill either, I saw my face reflected in his fading eyes.

One of us was meant to die anyway… He was weak. (...)

Fear spread like a disease among the troops as the first started to fall, none had ever seen a man impaled by a sword, none had ever heard that distinctive sound of death. None had ever killed, until now.

As the Epool’s sand turned into a mire with our blood, I understood. All I had learned of the Noxian might and the empire’s power crumbled into a pile reeking of weakness, just like the bodies of my comrades scattered around me.

That wasn’t a war, it was a mockery.

That wasn’t strength, it was cowardice. A strategy woven with infamy and lies, meant to feast on what the Ionian regarded the most, on what made them fierce in ways Noxus had forgotten. But that wouldn’t stop me, I was wounded, I was beyond mercy and humanity. I kept fighting until the Noxian steel dulled, and had to be replaced with a sickle I swung as if it was the finest Krexorian blade. I felt nothing, not even the slick blood in my hands or the reddish mud around my ankles. Not fear, not compassion, not satisfaction, not the aching weight of sleep or fatigue. Nothing could stop me from surviving. I was better than them, I knew it.

By the time of the second sunset, a disturbing peace had returned to the shore. The sky, the sea, the marsh, all red, just for myself, it had become my privilege. I had survived, they had not.

I was different, I was strong unlike those around me, dead and sinking in the mud of their weakness. But I knew no one would come for me, I was meant to die, just another sacrifice in the altar of Noxus’ broken greatness. I realized they thought me nothing, a tool to be controlled, used, and discarded. I saw through their deception, their lies, their defects and fragile ideals.

Hate kept me alive. That hate which allowed me to rise from the grime and stand on my grave, defying death itself garbed in shadows. No, it was a man wearing the face of death. He studied me, he judged me…, he deemed me worthy, even if in that moment I leveled my useless weapon at him with whatever determination remained in me. I knew he could kill me...

But instead, he told me it had not been despair what had turned that sickle in my hands into the deadliest weapon. It had been my will, my fury, my talent, my own tenacity, my natural hatred towards everything that was inherently weak. Just like Noxus’ dishonor.

They had tried to control me. And failed.

[analligatorr]

Lhotlan Graves??👀

(+ feathers on the beard and hair)

[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.

[fatings]

i never infodumped about vastaya T.F but tl;dr his family is like lhotlan adjacent in that they’re birds but more waterfowl based && probably some influence of aquatic mammals like otters T.F is the one motherfucker in a blue moon that’s not quite so waterproof but his family was fine with it until they weren’t (read: his normal backstory happened) & then he got left behind and also accused of not really being one of them ANYWAY which is just added trauma really djkfnsfkfnk

everything proceeds as normal T.F is just outwardly more magical than he already is && he is SO pretty. also i think this AU T.F is less fucking stupid about how much graves means to him (which is funnier yet bcoz like while he KNOWS he doesn’t have the same concepts of relationship as humans do so as far as hes concerned theyve been the equivalent of married for like YEARS & goes ? when this is news to graves) idk if ppl would actually wanna interact in that verse but it exists in my heart :)

[lightshielded]

☭ !!

prompt / battle quotes!

battle intro: ‘ this land will damn you as much as this fool’s battle will. ’victory: ‘ as expected. ’half HP: ‘ got some fancy foot - work there. ’low HP: ‘ i’ve defeated far worse than you. show me what your kind is made of. ’defeat: ‘ i was never much of a dancer. ’death: ‘ is that … an … angel … ? ’assist: ‘ i’ve a tendency to attract such curious folk to my aid. ’taunt: ‘ you’ll make a fine feather duster for the palace’s service - staff. ’reacting to taunt: ‘ must you talk so much. this is combat not a dinner party. ’flee: ‘ i’ve no time to waste on this nonsense. ’reacting to flee: ‘ fight or flight? you’re more a bird than you look. ’tie: ‘ met step for step. though it seems our waltz is at its end. ’perfect victory: ‘ this land fights you. you were a fool to think this was a fair duel. ’low HP victory: ‘ i admit, you fought well, but it is i who shall take this bow. ’finishing move: he need not magic to move the earth with his strike, his lance cutting through its victim. the vastaya writhed on his lance, he could not imagine the agony of a death on two fronts—of draining magics and flowing blood. he pierced it deeper, searching for a swifter death, before rending the blade clean of him. ‘ as unwelcoming as this land is to those such as you, might you find peace in its graves. ’

[captured-and-caged]

"Whoa.." ZAC said as he looked into a cage. He heard that a murderer came into Zaun, and he heard the tales of... "beautiful" graves that haunted some of Zaun's sectors to the point where some people are even scared to go outside. There are few of them and hard to track, but very far-fetched rumors spread widely. He just never expected.. this. The blob never saw a Vastaya before. "Hey.." Zac said. "Never seen someone like you before. Whatever you are, you're not from Zaun aren't ya?"

The Vastaya was a bit startled. Not by the being itself but more by the fact that it could… speak. “Uh… no, I’m not” he admitted slowly as he kept starring back. “And I’m a Vastaya. But what are you?”

[infinite-xerath]

Runeterra Retcons 6: Shyvana

I’ll be honest: before doing the research to write this script, even I had no idea how complicated the history of Shyvana’s character was. Counting her current lore state, Shyvana has had no less than five different bios over the course of her existence, putting her in the same league as Warwick in terms of retcons. While I personally think that her current lore state is relatively fine as-is, there are definitely some aspects of her story that could use a little polishing up.

As always, though, we need to first take a look at Shyvana’s history in League and see what the core of her character concept is. With that established, we can try and build a more solid foundation for Runeterra’s resident half-dragon. So, without further ado, let’s see how she was originally envisioned in her very first bio.

Alright, so, Shyvana is a straight up human-dragon hybrid, conceived through… Well, the traditional means. I do think it’s interesting to note that this is actually the first mention of Celestial Dragons we get in the lore. Apparently, the concept for Aurelion Sol goes back all the way to the early days, though I doubt Celestial Dragons were anything like what we know them as today. Hard to say, given that this was the only mention of that entire subspecies in the old lore.

But, enough beating around the bush. As a whole, I think this bio is fine, all things considered. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions, sure, but it’s a decent basis to build her character off of. Most importantly, this bio establishes Shyvana’s connection to Jarvan IV: something that has remained consistent through every iteration of her character. While Warwick’s ties to Soraka were constantly fluctuating and eventually severed in his recent bio, Shyvana’s relationship to the Demacian prince is something all her future incarnations would carry over. Speaking of, let’s check out her second bio and see how her first retcon was handled.

So, Shyvana’s no longer Celestial in nature, which is probably for the best given that her element was always aligned more with fire than space. What’s more, it’s now established that half-dragons like her are hated by both humans and dragon-kind. Also, apparently most, if not all dragons can shape-shift now. Frankly, there are still a few mysteries left by this bio, such as who killed Shyvana’s father and what even happened to her mother. Still, it’s not awful, though Riot apparently decided that they wanted to give her a more active role rather than just being saved by Prince Jarvan. Thus, do we receive her third bio.

Alright, so once again, no real mention of Shyvana’s mother, and her father’s identity is still kinda vague. By this point, another recurring theme of Shyvana’s story should be evident: tragedy. Riot seems quite insistent on giving her the whole dead parent trope for her backstory, yet that’s never REALLY brought up in her character besides a single voice line: “By the blood of my father, I will end them!” Once again, we know nothing beyond the fact that her father was a dragon and her mother was inhuman. It might also be worth noting that no mention of shape-shifting is present in this version of the story, so… Take that how you will.

Still, I like this story because it helps to better establish a bond between Shyvana and J4, having them fight together to bring down a mutual enemy. This, in turn, turns the initial concept of Jarvan merely saving her out of pity to a relationship born of mutual respect. This was Shyvana’s backstory when I started playing League, and so this is the version of the character that I grew most familiar with. Still, Riot would retcon her again after the 2015 reboot, leaving us with her fourth bio. Buckle in folks, because this one is the longest by a landslide and there’s a LOT to go over here.

Phew! OK, that was a LOT to take in. Frankly, you could make an entire analysis about this version of the lore alone, but let’s just go over some of the major talking points, shall we? For the first time, Shyvana is no longer the offspring of a human and a dragon, but rather the result of a human using magic on a dragon egg. The reason for this direction is most likely because dragons in Runeterra can no longer shapeshift, so they needed to find a new way to justify her existence.

Once again, we touch upon the Vastaya Problem, where we have an entire race of half-human creatures that Shyvana could have easily been slotted into. Would the existence of dragon vastaya really be that much of a stretch, Riot? Well, I already harped on about that quite a bit with Warwick, so let’s just move on, shall we?

The fourth version of Shyvana’s bio is the first time in which her mother actually takes a prominent role: that of an antagonist. Yvva is actually pretty compelling as a villain, antagonizing Shyvana all her life while her father tries to protect her. The one major issue I have with this is that, if Shyvana’s dad knew about Demacia and that its petricite could conceal his daughter, why did he not think to bring Shyvana there sooner? I suppose he needed to train her to control her power first, but could the petricite not have also helped with that? Oh well. That’s a bit of a nitpick in the grand scheme of things, I admit.

The other major change here is that now the dynamic between Jarvan and Shyvana has been changed once again. Now, SHE is the one saving HIM, a complete reverse of the original story. While I don’t exactly have a problem with this, I do think Jarvan agreeing to help her fight Yvva comes off as a bit abrupt, and the Demacian soldiers seemed a bit too ready to accept her into their home. I mean, yes, she saved their prince, but fear of magic is rooted DEEP into their society. This is the same nation that would rather let entire fields succumb to disease and rot than rely on mages to sustain the crops.

While there are some other small issues I could nitpick about, I honestly think that the way they handle Jarvan and Shyvana’s team-up is the biggest by far. For a little context: Jarvan’s whole backstory is one of repentance. He gets cocky and tries to retake some land from the control of Noxus without the sanction of the king, and his recklessness and inexperience wind up getting his men killed and himself gravely injured. This is what leads to him being found and saved by Shyvana.

Though Shyvana’s bio would be rewritten one more time, the way in which she and Jarvan meet and team up to take on Yvva remains more-or-less the same. Frankly, I’m not a big fan of this. I like the idea in concept, but the fact is that Yvva isn’t really Jarvan’s antagonist. She is a threat to Demacia and Jarvan does redeem himself by helping to bring her down at Wrenwall, but it feels more like he’s just jumping in to help Shyvana deal with HER problem out of gratitude.

That being said, this is an analysis about SHYVANA’S character, so let’s take a look at her fifth and final bio to determine her current lore state, shall we?

Alright, so I’ll be honest: I think this might be the worst version of her story so-far. To begin with, it’s not even really clear WHY Shyvana is the way she is. At least the previous version of the lore made it clear that a human mage tampering with the egg is the reason why Shyvana became a half-dragon, but in this story, the baby mutates just because of his proximity? Even then, that may not even be the cause. “Whether it was the act of removing it from the nest, or the last moon of autumn giving way to winter, something had changed.” So, yeah, it’s even really clear what caused Shyvana to take on human qualities.

Also, can we just acknowledge another bizarre line from this bio? “From an early age, she was able to shift her form into something monstrous, akin to the half-dragons of ancient myth.” So, hold on, there have been half-dragons before Shyvana? This is something that’s occurred in the past? Can we get some elaboration on this? No? We’re just going to ignore that. Alright then. Moving on.

This version of the bio tries to reintroduce the tragedy of Shyvana losing her father, but it’s honestly handled a lot less gracefully here, in my opinion. He’s just a random human mage that decided to raise her out of pity, and his death is kind of pathetic, honestly. In the previous lore, Shyvana’s dragon father gave his life defending her, whereas this nameless mage is just killed unceremoniously in Yvva’s rampage. Even his burial feels rushed and anticlimactic.

As for Jarvan’s introduction this time, well… My prior thoughts still stand. Shyvana’s lore has always been connected to his, but I truly believe their relationship was handled best in the third version of the lore, where they had a mutual enemy to bring down. Hell, he doesn’t really even do much in the showdown against Yvva other than have his soldiers fire arrows. It all feels like a hyper-condensed version of Shyvana’s fourth bio, which is understandable given how long it was, but a story like this kind of needs to be properly fleshed out if we’re meant to actually CARE about the individual story beats.

 So, with all that said and established, let’s get into the meat of this one, shall we? Without further ado, I present to you all: my reinterpretation of Shyvana’s backstory. Please, enjoy.

Among the many breeds of dragon that inhabit Runeterra, few command as much fear and respect as the rare elemental drakes. Though they command the primal magics of the world itself, elemental drakes are be reclusive creatures, typically lashing out only when their territory is disturbed. For this reason, the lands near Nockmirch remained untouched by mortal settlements for centuries, as all knew the name of the beast who ruled them: Yvva, the fire drake.

For years, Yvva inspired tales of terror and reverence alike, feasting on travelers and traders who dared to intrude upon her lands. Even her mate, Urgrin, feared Yvva’s power and fiery temper. Unbeknownst to Yvva, Urgrin was no ordinary dragon: in truth, he was a member of an ancient vastayan tribe with the power to take on draconic form. As his kind dwindled in number, what few of Urgrin’s people remained scattered to the winds, with Urgrin himself maintaining his draconic form constantly in the hopes of finding a strong partner.

At first, Urgrin believed himself fortunate to partner with an elemental drake, but as their clutch of eggs began to hatch, he felt himself growing increasingly worried. Only one of these younglings bore Yvva’s primal fire, meaning that the rest would likely be discarded or eaten. When the final egg hatched, Urgrin was shocked to find not a dragon youngling, but a girl with purple skin and horns. He’d not thought it possible, but this child was vastayan just as he was, and her birth would expose Urgrin’s secret to Yvva.

Fearing for both his life and girl’s, Urgrin fled the under the cover of night. Resuming his vastayan form for the first time in decades, Urgrin took shelter in the northern mountains, hoping that the cold of the Freljord would deter Yvva’s pursuit. There, he raised his daughter in secret, naming her Shyvana out of his lingering respect for her mother.

For a time, Shyvana and Urgrin lived in relative solitude. Urgrin taught Shyvana all about her vastayan heritage, but as she grew, it became apparent that Shyvana had inherited something from her mother as well: the primal elemental magic of a fire drake. Urgrin spent years teaching Shyvana how to harness her rage, hoping to keep his daughter from succumbing to the same fiery temperament as her mother. Though this training seemed effective at first, Shyvana’s power only grew with time. This power, in-turn, became a beacon, luring Yvva to the far north in pursuit of her stolen child and traitorous mate.

One day, as Shyvana was returning from a hunt, she was shocked to find her house ablaze. Two great dragons clashed in the skies above, one of whom she instantly recognized as her father. Shyvana tried to join the fight, only for Yvva to turn her wrath on the half-blood child. Urgrin shielded Shyvana from his mother’s fury, astonishing even Yvva with his strength. Even so, Urgrin was clearly losing the fight, and so he bid Shyvana to flee south to a land called Demacia, where petricite walls could dampen her magic and shield her from Yvva’s wrath. Begrudgingly, Shyvana did as told, trekking through the mountains as her father gave his life on her behalf.

After a long, hard trek, Shyvana finally reached the land her father spoke of: Demacia, a kingdom made of petricite. She quickly found herself an outcast, forced to hide from the magic-fearing humans that lived inside petricite walls. And yet, just as her father said, those same walls served to dim her power and hide Shyvana from her mother’s fury. Even still, Yvva would not relent so easily.

For years, Yvva scorched Demacian settlements near the border in search of her daughter, forcing the Shyvana to remain constantly on the move. Hunted by her mother and persecuted by the people around her, Shyvana found herself utterly alone in the world. Finally, after years of dogged pursuit, Shyvana had had enough. Embracing her inner fire, Shyvana took flight on blazing wings and ascended the mountains near Nockmirch, where she found Yvva waiting for her.

The two drakes clashed for hours, primal flame against primal flame. Their battle charred the nearby plains and melted stone, yet for all her ferocity, Shyvana was ultimately no match for her mother’s fury. Yvva sent her daughter plummeting into a nearby river, content to leave her half-breed daughter to drown. As Yvva fled, however, Shyvana dragged herself out of the water, reverting back to her humanoid form as she gasped for breath. Battered and beaten, Shyvana wandered blindly for days, knowing full-well that her mother would likely come for her again soon.

Eventually, Shyvana encountered a young man in charred armor at the base of the Argent Mountains, who himself looked to be barely clinging to life. She learned that this man, too, had sought to challenge Yvva and lost. His soldiers had sacrificed themselves on his behalf, leaving the young man stranded and alone. Sensing an unusual kinship with this stranger, Shyvana offered to bring him to the nearest Demacian settlement, and to her surprise, the stranger agreed. Even after revealing herself to be Yvva’s daughter, the stranger bore her no hostility.

The people of Cloudfield were not so inviting. At first, many were terrified of Shyvana, and yet their fear turned to elation when they realized who her companion was. This man, she learned, was none-other than the prince of Demacia himself: Jarvan IV. Seeking to end Yvva’s reign of terror on his kingdom’s borders, the prince had set out with a handful of elite soldiers, only to return to home in shame and defeat. For coming to his aid, the people of Cloudfield begrudgingly allowed Shyvana to remain amongst them to heal her wounds while the prince .

Though grateful for their hospitality, Shyvana knew her presence would only draw Yvva to her sooner or later. As she made to depart, Shyvana was approached by Jarvan once again, this time with a proposition: alone, they had failed to defeat the fire drake, but together they may stand a chance.

Jarvan and Shyvana traveled to the fortress of Wrenwall, where they began to develop a plan. Jarvan would organize his troops and set traps in place for Yvva, while Shyvana flew ahead to garner her mother’s attention. Though reluctant to place her faith in these mere humans, Shyvana understood that this would be her final chance to avenge her father. Sure enough, when Shyvana neared Nockmirch once more, Yvva’s furious cry shook the heavens themselves as she began her pursuit.

Once again, the fire drakes clashed, but this time Shyvana wasn’t planning to defeat her mother with raw force. Instead, she led Yvva closer and closer to the fortress of Wrenwall, where Jarvan and his soldiers were waiting. Believing her daughter’s retreat an act of cowardice, Yvva was taken totally off-guard by the volley of petricite bolts launched from the fortress’s ballista. As the bolts tore into her scales, Yvva felt her power weakening, and Shyvana was quick to capitalize on this. Once again, their battle was intense, yet Shyvana now had the upperhand as Jarvan himself led a new battalion into the fray.

Even weakened, Yvva fought hard until her last breath. She tore at her daughter’s scales and devoured Demacian soldiers, yet in the end, the fire drake was outnumbered and outmatched. Shyvana sank her teeth into her mother’s neck while Jarvan plunged a spear deep into her forehead. In that moment, the flames of Yvva finally flickered out, and the soldiers of Wrenwall cheered in triumph.

In the aftermath of the battle, Jarvan approached Shyvana once again, this time with another proposition: in exchange for her loyalty, he would offer her a place among Demacia’s elite. Awed and humbled by the prince’s might and valor, Shyvana knelt and swore her loyalty on the spot. Though many still harbor doubts about the half-dragon, she serves her prince with undying devotion and respect. Shyvana’s fire burns for Demacia and Demacia alone, and those who threaten her new home are to learn that even a half-dragon’s fury is not to be trifled with.

Alright, so, the biggest and most notable change from the get-go: I made Shyvana vastayan rather than human. I understand that this might seem a bit controversial to some, but it doesn’t really contradict or change anything. Shyvana is simply called the half-dragon; there’s never any mention of what her other half actually is.

Ideally, I would have liked to keep her half-human as well, but since Riot clearly wants to remove the concept of dragon-human intercourse to produce an offspring naturally, the only option that remains is the contrived method of “it happens because a human was near the egg.” Like, that’s the same sort of logic as Rengar becoming anthropomorphic because he was raised by a human hunter as a cub. It’s just silly, if we’re being honest, and the human “father” in Shyvana’s last two bios has been such a non-entity that they don’t really even bother to give him a name.

So yes, I’m making Shyana half-vastayan, not unlike Sett in a way. Again, I get why some might take issue with this, but I feel like that’s a much easier and simpler route to go with. Of course, the other big change would mean rewriting a bit of Jarvan’s story as well, though that’s kind of inevitable; the two are so closely intwined that changing one story kind of has to impact the other.

Now, I don’t think J4’s current bio is bad enough to warrant a full rewrite, but as I stated before: I think his story would work a lot better if he also had a personal reason to fight Yvva in the first place. I think that having him lose soldiers to her rather than some random Noxians fits more thematically and gives him more reason to team up with Shyvana. I also wanted to give him a bigger role to play in bring Yvva down, to further emphasize that she’s an opponent Jarvan and Shyvana could only defeat by working together.

Overall, Shyvana’s current lore state isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it could definitely do with some improvements. I hope you all enjoyed my take on her character, as this was possibly the lengthiest retcon to write. As always, though, feel free to share your thoughts down below, and I’ll see you all next time!

[bilgewaterquickdraw]

Graves: -sees something non-human/yordle/vastaya-

Graves: You some kind of hallucination of somethin’? Here I’d thought I’d stayed sane in the locker. My bad.

[vulpesse-arc]

GRAVE SUGGESTIONS meme starters ! ✿   not accepting. @heascended​  has whispered:  ‘ sometimes, you’ll find it hard to keep going, but you always will. ’

Very few have been the instances in which her life seemed to have indeed crumbled down right in front of her feet, like a WOODEN BRIDGE that no longer existed for it had ultimately collapsed underneath the weight of gravity and that, therefore, signaled the ultimate end of her journey   ──   And yet, in spite of their fortunately scarce presence, each occurrence of this type had been precisely carved into the most profound depth of her subconscious as an EVERLASTING MEMENTO for the future: if she had already survived through all this, then she could indeed continue to grab life by the throat. This is why the vulpine woman does not really hesitate before graciously bowing her head in agreement to his previous utterance, a gesture emphasized by the curling of glossed tiers upwards into the vision of a dulcet and genuinely thankful simper   /   TO BE TAKEN CARE OF is something that she rarely, if ever, has the chance to experience ‘pon her own skin. 

   ❝  I will TREASURE these words in my heart, thank you.  ❞   PURRS in response the vastaya, whose usually malicious intentions seem to have been momentarily laid to rest. Head cants to one side whilst silken appendages swish back and forth with leisure movements.   ❝  Do you ever experience this sort of emotional fatigue, too  ?  ❞