Until
only twenty years ago, Runeterra was on a collision course with
disaster. As quickly as Runeterra's denizens would band together in
ancient times as tribes, opposing tribes would war to settle their
disputes. No matter the era, the preferred choice of warfare has always
been magical. Armies would be enhanced or decimated by spell and rune
alike. Champions made the most of magical items forged for them as they
led or supported armies. Summoners
– often the de facto leaders of Valoran's political forces – would
unleash mighty magical powers directly against foes and their holdings
with little regard for consequence. With such an abundance of raw
magical power at their disposal, there was little motivation for
summoners to explore more environmentally-friendly forms of warfare.
Within the last two hundred years, however, the dangers of unchecked
magical warfare began to expose the fragility of Runeterra to everyone
residing in Valoran.
The last two Rune Wars drastically altered the geophysical landscape of
Valoran, even after magical energy was focused on restoring it. Violent
earthquakes and horrific magically-fueled storms made life on Valoran
challenging, even before factoring in the horror of warfare on the
populace. It was theorized that another unchecked Rune War would tear
the world asunder.
The Institute of War
As
a direct response to the world's growing physical and political
instability, Valoran's key magicians – including many powerful summoners
– came to the conclusion that conflicts needed to be resolved in a
controllable and systemic way. They formed an organization called the League of Legends,
whose purpose was to oversee the orderly resolution of political
conflict in Valoran. Housed in the Institute of War, the League would be
given the authority by Valoran's political entities to govern the
outcomes of the organized conflict they would administer.
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Locations
Map of Valoran and its surrounding islands
Map of Freljord
Though many regions and settlements on Valoran, the rest of Runeterra remains largely unknown:
Snowy slopes, cold winds, and scarce sources of food makes Mount
Targon a harsh landscape for survival. The mountain can be seen all
across Valoran, and many believe its peak to be the highest point on Runeterra.
Pantheon in battle
The Rakkor Tribe
Far above the clouds on Mount Targon resides a stalwart tribe of
people known as the Rakkor who still revere combat and war as ultimate
artforms. They live and breathe only for battle. Each member of the
tribe is bred to be a disciplined and vicious warrior, preferring to
battle soldiers of either the Noxian or Demacian
armies only when outnumbered at least ten to one. Rakkor warriors are
trained not only to be as lethal with their bare hands as the most
capable martial artists, but also to fiercely wield the many
relic-weapons of the tribe. Such treasures have been handed down from
generation to generation, and have harnessed the mystical nature of
Runeterra in their very cores. These relic-weapons are among the most
dangerous in existence. The stone-faced warrior Pantheon, the Artisan of War, is considered the paragon of his people.
Before the solstice of their 16th year, each member of the Rakkor
tribe must participate in the Rite of Kor, a ceremony in which two
Rakkor teens battle to the death for the right to bear a relic-weapon.
It is a grisly event, though due to Targon’s limited food supply, a
necessary one. Every child is trained and taught in preparation for
their momentous battle. Should a participant refuse to fight, they are
sentenced to death by the Rakkor leaders and are immediately executed.
The name of the current Kor leader is Jagen.
The Solari Tribe
Leona emerges
Iron Solari Crest
Rather than a pursuit of war, Mount Targon’s peak is reserved for a
special group of Rakkor who answer to a “higher” calling. Members of
this group, called the Solari, retire their mantles of war, choosing
instead to devote their lives to reverence of the sun. According to
legend, the Solari were formed by a warrior who could call the raw might
of the sun down upon his enemies in combat. He claimed Mount Targon’s
summit, the point on Valoran closest to the sun, for his solar devotion,
a tradition which generations of Solari have preserved to this day.
Though they maintain their reverence, no other warrior possessed the gifts of the founder – until Leona, the Radiant Dawn.
The Solari elders claimed Leona from the Rakkor tribe and assisted in
focusing her abilities. When she was ready, Leona donned the golden
armor of the Solari and they bestowed upon her the sword and shield
passed down from the ancient sun-warrior of legend.
Diana's discovery
The Heretic
Though she was born to the Solari, Diana's
inquisitive nature set her apart from her brethren. She had always
found solace and guidance in the night sky, and questioned the dominance
of the sun in her society. The Solari elders responded to her
challenges with only derision and punishment. Diana remained convinced,
however, that if she could find evidence of the moon's power, the elders
would listen to reason.
For years, she studied Solari archives in solitude until she
discovered an encoded message hidden in an old tome. This clue led her
to a secluded valley on Mount Targon where she unearthed the hidden
entrance to an ancient, sealed temple. Inside, among aging relics and
faded murals, she found an ornate suit of armor and a beautiful crescent
blade, both inscribed with sigils of the moon. Diana donned the
armaments and returned to the Solari elders that night. She declared
that the artifacts proved others had once worshipped the moon as she
did. Her discovery of evidence challenging Solari dominion shocked the
elders.
To Diana's horror, they pronounced her a heretic and condemned
her to death. As the elders prepared her for execution, Diana's anger
and sorrow overwhelmed her desire for acceptance. She lifted her gaze to
the sky, calling upon the moon for strength. Lunar power surged within
her and she shattered her bindings. Raising her relic blade, she turned
and slaughtered the elders. With the temple in ruins behind her, Diana
resolved to destroy all those who would deny the power of the moon. Now
an unyielding avatar of the moon's power, Diana wages a dark crusade
against the sun-worshiping Solari.
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Trivia
The name of the Kor leader, "Jagen", is a German word and means "hunting".
Along the western coast of Valoran, the human city-state of Demacia
shines as the continent's paragon of virtue amongst all the other human
settlements. The residents are always striving to sharpen their bodies
and minds in the pursuit of absolute justice.
Culture
The people of Demacia are driven by their common cause to disseminate
benevolence and order for the betterment of all beings throughout
Valoran. They view malice and selfishness as a disease which should be
expunged from the psyche of humankind. Those who come to Demacia and
choose to settle within the borders of the city-state are expected to
share the ideals and virtues of its citizenry. Those who seek personal
gain at the expense of others quickly find themselves ostracized… or
worse.
Life in Demacia is not one of placid utopian dreams. Since the
Demacian people pride themselves as the moral vanguards of Valoran, they
adopt seemingly draconian measures to ensure that their moral code
remains the only code by which one may live within the city-state. Crime
in any form is harshly punished: there are no misdemeanors within
Demacia. Some detractors of Demacia (who criticize far from the reaches
of the city-state) claim this as proof of its inherent hypocrisy.
Demacians counter this argument by pointing out that their justice
system incorporates benevolence and mitigation into its verdicts. No one
is punished without fair and just consideration of the circumstances
involved. While others may continue to criticize the harshness of
Demacian law, the Demacians stand by their convictions.
Demacian crest
Government
Demacia is run by a constitutional monarchy, wherein the King of
Demacia serves as the head of state and an elected council serves as the
legislative body. While the king is a strong ruler, he is kept in check
at least partially by the Demacian Council. The current King of
Demacia, Jarvan III (a.k.a. Jarvan Lightshield the Third), works
earnestly with the Demacian Council to ensure that the sanctity of the
city-state remains pure and true. Since the rule of Jarvan I, there has
never been an attempted coup or rebellion of any kind in Demacia. The
king serves not only as the political leader of the city-state, but also
as the commander-in-chief of its military.
Noble Houses
As a monarchy, Demacia is governed by various royal families,
regulating the city-state primarily as members of the Demacian Council.
While many of the Noble Houses have ruled for generations, they are
treated as any other citizen under the nation’s strict laws and are not
exempt from them. They may even be treated more harshly under the law as
they are meant to serve as shining examples of how Demacian citizens
should conduct themselves, publicly and privately.
House Lightshield
House of King Jarvan III and his son Prince Jarvan Lightshield IV. They have been the royal family of Demacia for over a century.
House Spiritmight
One of the most influential political forces in Demacia. Notably the prince's mother Lady Lightshield, formerly Lady Catherine Spiritmight, belong to this family.[1]
Lestara Buvelle notably adopted famed musician Sona Buvelle into the family.
House Vayne
The famously tragic murder of her family left the controversial figure Shauna Vayne with the family fortune which she invests in her vengeful crusade against evil creatures and dark magic.
House Laurent
A family known for its long line of elite duelists. It is currently headed by Fiora Laurent after she caught her father cheating for a duel.
The
Demacian military is one of the strongest in all of Valoran, and until
recently it was the only force capable of holding back the hunger of the
military machine that is Noxus.
Noxus has been the sworn enemy of Demacia since both settlements were
founded hundreds of years ago. Their conflict is, at its core, a moral
one. With such a night-and-day division of moral philosophy between
Demacia and Noxus, it is not hard to see why Demacia views its military
requirements as a vital necessity for survival. Every Demacian citizen
is required to serve in its military for no less than three years. Even
after this time, most Demacians remain on active status in the
city-state’s military reserve.
The resolve of Demacia's military is alternately celebrated or
despised, but always respected. Their "zero tolerance" moral code is
strictly upheld by civilians and soldiers alike. In combat, this means
Demacian troops may not make excuses, flee, or surrender by example.
Thousands of great heroes have risen and fallen on the bloody
battlefields between Demacia and its preeminent rival, Noxus.
As an indoctrination tool, the Demacian military utilizes The Measured Tread, a handbook which outlines the city-state's ideology. Quotes from the book include:
"Death is inevitable; one can only avoid defeat."
"To fight for justice in the name of Demacia."
"Victory for our allies, defeat for our enemies, and justice for all."
"When Demacians march forth, ridding Valoran of the evils
of selfishness and greed under the pristine banner of justice, we know
who we are and what we fight for, unapologetically."
"In our eternal forward march, we must stomp out evil all
across Valoran wherever it may grow. Leave no stone unturned: the roots
of one ignored weed will inevitably corrupt the whole of the garden.”
Notable branches of the military include the Dauntless Vanguard and the Demacian Elite Guard.
Appearance
Demacia is a shining beacon of hope for humanity, and as such the
city is the visual representation of this concept. There is a clean and
pristine feel and look to the city. Towering spires litter the skyline
of Demacia. White stone and marble are the materials of choice in the
construction of Demacian buildings. Majestic flags fly high along the
parapets of the city. The city walls virtually gleam with power and
nobility. The capital itself sits next to a natural port, with the
majority of the other towns resting on a plateau.
History
Death of the King
Demacian army led by their King, Jarvan I, had pushed Noxian army to their city walls. Sion
ordered one of his men to bar the gates while the rest forced the enemy
soldiers to fight them for every bit of Noxian soil. He demanded that
they pushed forwards striding as a giant through the Demacian rabble
with one clear purpose: to cut their army's head from its body.
Jarvan's royal guardsmen believed they could halt his charge. They were wrong. He cut them down, one by one, until only he
and the king remained. Battered and fatigued, Sion continued the fight
the king. He battled Jarvan beyond the point of breaking and was finally
bested… but not beaten. With his dying breath, he locked his fingers
around the king's throat and broke the will of a nation. The Demacian
King, Jarvan I, was dead.
Captain Lionel Brickhouse accepting command of the DSS Excursion
Piracy Strikes Demacian Navy
The DSS Excursion - a cargo sloop of the Demacian Navy - was reported
lost at sea, an apparent victim of piracy. All hands aboard are
currently missing, and no demands were made of the Demacian government
for their return.
The Excursion was bound from Freljord
to Demacia laden with unspecified trade goods, according to a
spokesperson for the Demacian Navy, when audiopathic contact with the
sloop was ultimately lost. After twenty-four hours of communications
silence, rescue vessels were dispatched to the Excursion's last reported
location.
The Demacian investigation of the ship's disappearance - led by Demacian Captain of the Guard and Champion of the League, Garen
- reported that some of the logged cargo of the Excursion had been
jettisoned into the Conqueror's Sea approximately twenty kilometers from
the vessel's last reported position. Other debris located near the
jettisoned cargo was divined for analysis, revealing that the Excursion
had been attacked and boarded while en route to Demacia.
Further divination did not reveal the identity of the
perpetrators of the attack, though it was gleaned that the attack
occurred at night when most of the Excursion's crew was in their
quarters. The investigation has further revealed that magic above
maximum potency as dictated by the League was used in the attack, and
necromancy is believed to have been used based on the evidence divined.
As a result, the League dispatched a team of investigators led by League
Champion Kayle, the Judicator.
The whereabouts of the DSS Excursion remains a mystery to this day.
Sivir's Vacation
Sure she's deadly. She wouldn't still have the title “the Battle
Mistress” if she wasn't. Sure she's survived multiple attempts on her
life at the behest of the Noxian High Command. Sure she's hotter than a
summer day – that red and gold outfit certainly provides her with plenty
of space to move. Nevertheless, our lady Sivir may have come up against
a force she won't be able to overcome!
For those whose memory is less than stellar, Sivir
was arrested last October after going for an alcohol-induced joyride in
a hex-tech conveyance, terrorizing her two passengers and a host of
pedestrians. She was arrested by Demacian authorities shortly
afterwards, if you remember the hype, and she stood trial just the other
day.
Judge Haley Suede took pity on Sivir's "I'm just a lonely girl
with personal problems" defense and sentenced the Champion to 90 days in
a Demacian penitentiary, with time spent in the Fields of Justice not
counting towards her sentence.
Listen, I love our Champions – they pay my bills – but one thing I
can't stand is the way they're given special dispensation by the
courts. If I'd done the same thing, I would be in jail for the next 18
months, and not in a cushy part of the prison.
Oh well. Position has its privilege, but we'll have to see how a
jail term interferes with her duties to the League of Legends. More on
this as it develops.
Demacian Miners, Trapped in Kalamanda
Rescue parties rush to save the trapped Demacian miners in Kalamanda.
An earthquake rocked the village of Kalamanda
yesterday evening, causing the collapse of a mithril mine and trapping
twelve Demacian miners underground. Rescue efforts began shortly after
the mine caved in, though no announcement of progress has been made by
the village. No other damage in Kalamanda was reported. The collapse
occurred during the early morning work shift at the #1 Loadstone Mining
Consortium (LMC) mine, which is the site of Demacia’s primary mineral
extraction operation in Kalamanda. Reports from miners who narrowly
avoided the accident indicate that there was initially a low rumble that
rapidly grew louder emanating from deep within the mine. Shortly after
the rumbling started, the main mine shaft began to shake, and it
eventually collapsed. The fates of the twelve miners still trapped
underground remain unknown. The tremor also released huge pockets of
magical energy into the atmosphere, prompting immediate concern that the
area is rapidly becoming unstable. League officials descended upon
Kalamanda en masse, studying the causes and effects of the catastrophe.
Finger pointing began immediately across Valoran;
rumors that the quake was caused by the rampant influx of unregulated
mining operations and environmentally unsafe mining practices by Zaun have been raised, along with wilder accusations that the quake was deliberately triggered.
The Loadstone Mining Consortium is a mining company owned in part by
the Demacian royal family. It had just conducted safety inspections of
all its facilities in Kalamanda before yesterday’s events. “There is no
reason whatsoever that the #1 mine should have collapsed at all,”
commented Winston Garnersham, chief overseer of the LMC’s Kalamanda
operations. “Although the earthquake was unpredictable, the magnitude of
the shock was not great enough to cause a collapse. That mine checked
out across the board; were it even remotely unsafe, we would have shut
it down. We are not in the business of risking the lives of our
employees for profit.”
The League has offered assistance to Demacia in its rescue efforts, as have the small contingencies of Piltover and Ionia.
Help has even been offered by the Noxian delegation in Kalamanda – a
surprising move considering the animosity between Demacia and Noxus in
recent years.
Katarina, champion of the League and the Noxian
High Command’s representative in Kalamanda, issued the following
statement in light of the accident: “Our well-wishes go out to the
miners who are currently fighting for their lives in the collapsed
Loadstone mine. Such business is dangerous, especially when companies
may be tempted to risk the lives of others in unsafe working
environments. In the future, Noxus would be willing to share the expert
safety practices of Noxian mining operations with the other city-states
working in Kalamanda.”
The vast mineral wealth uncovered last year in Kalamanda has been
steadily exploited by city-states and independent miners alike. Demacia
and Noxus are the two city-states with the largest presence in
Kalamanda, with both setting up military outposts near the village. The
village’s elders have stated in no uncertain terms that they are looking
to establish an exclusive contract with a single city-state for future
mineral exploitation, though no final decision has been made in that
regard. Both Demacia and Noxus are thought to be the leading contenders
for securing exclusive mining rights in Kalamanda.
Trivia
The city-state motto for Demacians is, "Demacia: now and forever."
A common battle cry among Demacian champions is, "Demacia!"
The pronunciation of Demacia seems to have some ambiguity. Garen,Lux, Galio and Quinn pronounce Demacia as "De-mah-SEE-a" whereas Jarvan IV pronounces it as "Deh-MAH-Si-Ah"
The current sate of Prince Jarvan IV Lightshield are unknown, though there are indication that his blood was used to resurrect Sion for the second time.
