An Expedition into the New Rift!
Good day, fellow adventurers! Explorer, Animal Enthusiast, and all around Gentleman Gaston at your service. I have spent much of my time traveling Runeterra’s exotic locals, discovering and cataloging its richly fascinating flora and fauna. It seems, however, that our very own Summoner’s Rift is changing environments, and with that change comes a wide variety of new and dangerous species to encounter in its dark jungles. At hearing this news I have jumped at the chance to encounter these as of yet undiscovered creatures! Grabbing my equipment, journal, and trusty sketchbook I will set out to find these yet undocumented beings posthaste. As of the time of my journey, this new Rift is not yet able to be accessed by any but the most elite of Summoners and Champions. However I would not be made out as some casual! The great Gaston goes where the wind of adventure takes him!
Unfortunately the “wind of adventure” took me up a very steep climb. Winded, indeed I am! However, once my climb had ended at the top I marveled at the breathtaking landscape before me. Before I could begin my journey into the deepest reaches of the Rift’s jungle, I noticed a swift dark blur whip past the lower treetops. Could this be one of the creatures that call this forest home? I cannot wait to uncover the answer! Adventure awaits!
##The Blue Sentinel Behold, the great Blue Sentinel! Much like the “Ancient Golem” many are familiar with, this Blue Sentinel contains a powerful magical spirit which animates its stone body. While it will defend the spirit within its body when provoked, the golem will remain in a form of “hibernation” otherwise. Additionally, the Sentinel is guarded by two smaller stone Sentries. While the Sentinel seems to be limited to only the most smashing of attacks with its stone fists, these Sentries will fire out a blue pulse that burn the skin with a sting not unlike a Kumungu Wasp! While possession of the Sentinel’s spirit is said to increase one’s mental stamina for a short while, it is not to be trifled with!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFIC3B70RtA/U6KVh2y13zI/AAAAAAAAAKw/EmAbqFlexeg/s1600/Gromp+sketch.jpg
##Gromp, a Toad of Unusual Size Near the alcove of the Blue Sentinel I found myself upon a patch of incandescent lavender mushrooms. Closer inspection revealed that these fungi had become infused with the latent magical energy prevalent throughout the Rift. I found myself wondering what effect this arcane flora had on the more mundane wildlife, and to my surprise I found myself face-to-face with a toad! While I had been busy studying the mushrooms, the little fellow had crawled out of his hiding hole. While I was removing my sketchbook from my nearby pack to catalogue my new amphibian friend, he leapt upon one of the mushrooms. As if cursed by a fae, in a flash of purple smoke the toad transformed into a giant mushroom covered beast! I quickly hid behind a boulder and marveled at this creature. Mushrooms had grown from the creature’s back, and it seemed to have gained two small tusks protruding from the corners of its mouth. However, as soon as finished sketching this specimen, several large wolves appeared from atop a rocky outlook. They bounded down and began attacking the poor creature. I must say, I was greatly surprised when the toad began to fight off the wolves! Using its enormous razor-sharp tongue, it lashed out from afar and kept the wolves from getting to close to its vulnerable body. Then, just as quickly as before, a wolf struck the mushrooms on top of the toad and it instantly shrunk down to normal size. Before the wolves realized what had happened, the toad hopped back into his nearby hole. The combination of magic and natural life is truly fascinating!
##Murk Wolves While making sure to stay downwind, I followed the wolves back to their den. Hiding a short distance away I spied on the pack, sketchbook at the ready. From there, I was able to discern that these are the largely unseen Murk Wolves, most notable for their extremely muscular forelimbs, a unique aspect of their species amongst wolves. The Murk Wolf uses these powerful “arms” to help them scale the many crags and cliffs of their mountain habitat. These powerful limbs also make for deadly weapons, allowing the Murk Wolf to firmly grab onto their pray before using their mighty jaws to crush their neck. Two of the smaller wolves wrestled with a large rib. The corpse nearby seemed to indicate their most recent kill had been a large bird, and judging from the types of bones that littered the birds consist of their main pray. One aspect of the Murk Wolves on the Rift is the clear influence of the magical energy throughout, resulting in a bizarre case of polycephaly, or multiple heads, amongst the alpha of the group. As of yet, I am unsure if the wolves that are born with this condition automatically become alphas upon reaching adulthood, or if an alpha will then grow a second head. Truly the question of whether leaders are born or made could not be better asked in nature! These creatures will need to be further observed to uncover the truth.
##***Razorbeak *** The Razorbeak are a species of flightless birds native to the mountaintop forest of Summoner's Rift, and evidently the most consistent pray of the Murk Wolves that roam the forests. These birds nest between the various rock formations of the mountain top and the thick roots of the surrounding trees. While their massive beaks are certainly a hazard to any provokers, these birds are primarily nucivores, or nut eaters. I have observed them harvesting the large nuts from the forest floor and using their massive beaks to crush the outer shell before eating the nutritious seeds inside. They also seem to feed on berries and will jump at the occasional grub they manage to unearth. A single flock of Razorbeak seem to consist of a large Crimson Razorbeak, and three lesser Razorbeak. At first I believed these to be a mother and her chicks, but on closer inspection it seems as though the smaller Razorbeak are full-grown adult males! It seems that while the female spends most of her time foraging the male Razorbeak serve as bodyguards, defending their queen with their blade-like lower beak. The matriarch of the group also seems capable of a powerful spit-like projectile, although whether this adaptation is due to magic I am yet unsure.
##The Red Brambleback Truly, the Summoner’s Rift is a place where magic and nature collide! There is no better example of this than the Red Brambleback. While few have ever been observed in the wild, it is said their fiery cores served as the inspiration for the powers of the “Elder Lizard”. More plant than animal, the Red Brambleback is actually a tree that has been animated by a powerful fire spirit. Its red core is always visibly swirling on its back, from where it derives its name. This particular Red Brambleback seems to have spawned two Cinderlings which are also fostering cores of their own, likely splinters of the parent core. While the adult Red Brambleback will defend its children with powerful claws, the Cinderlings are also capable of defending themselves with minor blasts of fire from a distance. However powerful, these creatures are rare and often sought after for their magical qualities. Under the Summoners’ watch these endangered creatures shall remain protected, only lending their power over flame to those able to defeat them in combat before being revived.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgxyaNVJ5O8/U6KWEQ9CK2I/AAAAAAAAALQ/UXVaSR5FtmE/s1600/Krugs+sketch.jpg
##Krugs Perhaps I spoke to quickly of the Red Brambleback’s “fragility”. No sooner had I finished making my notes did one of the blasted Cinderlings scorch me with a flame from afar. I was barely able to put the fire out before it consumed my whole sketchbook. Fascinating, although dangerous, creatures! Hustling away before the adult decided I needed a good toasting, I came upon a pair of Krugs. These two seemed mildly interested by my presence, but quickly ignored me once they realized I was not a threat. Very little is known about these creatures, primarily because few of them have ever been spotted. While it is not believed that the Krugs are few in number due to any sort of hunting, as there is very little to gain by hunting such creatures, but rather due to their excellent camouflage. The Krug’s head and body are almost completely indiscernible from that of its natural shale surroundings, leaving the Krug with virtually no known predator. In fact, while it has never been scientifically tested, there is no identifiable difference between the rock-like substance covering the Krug and an actual rock. Krugs sport massive mandibles, which they use to both defend themselves and grasp their food. Although, no Krug has ever been observed eating so it is unknown if they do serve such a purpose. A Krug’s age can be distinguished by the size of the rocky shell on its back. The larger the rock, the older the Krug. While no Krug has ever been found of a size larger than a horse, no Krug has ever been found dead due to natural causes which begs the question: how large do Krugs grow if they never die? Ancient myths speak of the mountains themselves being the eldest of Krugs, merely sleeping a several thousand year slumber.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tAm8KinaYzc/U6KWNV0dGVI/AAAAAAAAALY/-AkRTX9MBSo/s1600/Dragon_VU+sketch.jpg
##Dragon All know of the terrible majesty of the Dragon. Often drawn to places of chaos and battle, a Dragon is a rare but not unexpected sight in a place such as the Summoner’s Rift. While the Dragon of old was recently released back into the wild, far away from where it could do any harm to civilization, the League seems to have made use of a yet stronger beast all together. Capable of breathing the deadliest of fires, this dragon would even make the Red Brambleback quake in its roots. And still, this creature is barely older than a hatchling. While incredibly strong on its own, and likely requiring a full team of the bravest Champions to defeat it, this child pales in comparison to the adults of its kind. Even Shyvanna, a powerful half-dragon in service to Demacia, is relatively small for dragon-kind. Never attempt to engage one unless you are prepared for the fight of your life.
##Baron Nashor What have they done?! I pride myself as a man of daring, of a man who is not afraid to face danger head-on. But this is recklessness far beyond even my threshold. The terrifying Baron Nashor well known to the public, the one which claims countless lives on the Fields of Justice, is a mere facade, a puppet created by Summoners in likeness to the true Baron. It is said that the real Baron Nashor once ruled the Serpentine River, the body of water which flows through Summoner’s Rift. So powerful was he that he singlehandedly devastated both the armies of Demacia and Noxus when they erroneously decided to do battle in his land. The legends speak of the Baron gobbling up soldiers by the lot, and those that managed to fall out of his gaping mouths burned from his acid bile. Never again did the two nations battle near the river. However, not long before the original Rift was constructed on the lower regions did the Baron vanish from his home. I do not know to what end, but this is why the League has moved the Rift to this estranged mountain top: they have found the true Baron Nashor. I first saw him as I made to return down the mountain. Out of the corner of my eye a purple flash slithered across the nearby ridge. I froze, guessing that this would be yet another puppet to replace the lost Baron and that it would be best to stay out of its way just in case. But, as the creature began to slowly coil into large cavern in the rocky formation my stomach sank. Puppets do not move with such fluidity. Before the creature could emerge again I bolted into a run. Clearly my splashing gave me away, as the great and terrible Baron Nashor burst from the rocky earth and began to give chase. If I had not begun running when I did…
As I made it back to the northern wall I had originally crossed over I barely managed to climb to the top of it before the Baron was upon me. I decided, at that moment, to face my fate. There was no more running from this monster. However, the beast did not follow. A powerful enchantment, made visible by the Baron’s relentless pounding and thrashing against it, prevented the creature from escaping his new prison-home. With a deafening roar, the Baron turned and slunk back to his pit of death. It does not surprise me that the League would place a dampening field around this mountain top so that they may control the Baron’s strength and freedom, but in doing so they have tempted fate. This one creature was enough to decimate two entire armies. As strong the Summoner’s are, one does not toy with a god.
As I sit here, writing this final entry at the base of the mountain, I wonder what powers at work could possibly gain anything from this risk. I do not know, and perhaps it is better that way.
((If you enjoyed this read check out my other League fiction and character/story analysis on my blogpagewebzone. See you on the Rift!))
