9.5: Lore Update

Riot·Mar 5, 2019·1 votes·39,978 views

Hey everyone! Last time we escaped the clutches of Volibear and the Ursine and now we’re on our way to Demacia for today’s Lore Update!

New stories have come to light that should give a bit more color to Kayle and Morgana. Alongside those, we also have a long lost epic poem about the twin sisters that was recently discovered in the Crownguard Family Library in High Silvermere. Finally, we have updated biographies for two other Demacian favorites: Galio and Shyvana.

Let us know what you think in the comments, we’re always looking for feedback on how these Lore Updates are written.

Let’s dive in!

Ashekandi

Color Stories

new

Canticle of the Winged Sisters

Born beneath the vault of stars,
one in Light, one in Shadow.
Kayle and Morgana,
Sisters by Fate, joined hand in hand.

Kayle, Morgana, Demacia, Epic Poem

new

In the Fires of Justice

- by Rayla Heide

But most fearful of all was the burning in her eyes, gleaming and grave with uncompromising wrath.

Kayle, Demacia

new

Prayer to a Crumbling Shrine

- by Rayla Heide

Guilt can teach many things to a heart humbled by intent.

Morgana, Demacia

Bio Updates

Galio: Updated Bio

Get behind me, Demacian! You may not have noticed, but I’m very large.

We've streamlined Galio’s bio to help better position him in the world of Runeterra as the protector of Demacia. With this, we’ve also worked to add more descriptive language which should help to give more life to the great winged, stone protector.

Galio, Demacia, Bio

Shyvana: Updated Bio

I am of two worlds, yet I belong to neither.

An update to Shyvana’s bio keeps the main story intact, expanding on the circumstances of her birth and her timely encounter with Prince Jarvan, which would ultimately lead her to earn a place as one of Demacia’s most trusted guardians.

Shyvana, Demacia, Bio

114 Comments

KillSoMar 5, 201948 votes

Talon would like some lore please :)

KomogoMar 6, 201920 votes

malphite would like some lore please

KAOSRITTERMar 6, 201917 votes

Malphite is a rock. Job's done.

Mistborn314Mar 5, 201933 votes

I don’t want to be the annoying person that only cares about the lore of their favorite champ, and I know Riot is always working on tons of awesome things, but can we please get more stories about Shen?

I LOVE Shen and his concept. His duty to maintain the equilibrium, to value balance over emotion, is a concept I love to read about and ponder. He has such a clear cut motive, yet so many complex ideologies to work through in places like Ionia.

Yet we only have one story just about him, and a few that mention/involve him (biggest example is Jhin.) We’ve seen so many stories recently about the Noxus vs Ionia struggle. I know Shen is still trying to rebuild the Kinkou Order, but the Kinkou Order is the organization literally dedicated to maintaining the Peace of Ionia. And obviously the Kinkou Order is active, seeing Kennen in Awaken, but we haven’t gotten anything involving Shen himself in so long.

TL;DR giv moar shen plz

WutsKrakenMar 5, 201926 votes

I agree, where's our badass ninja we know and love? Akali , even Zed got some love

But nothing about the true OG badass ninja Shen ? Damn even Kennen 's been left in the dust.

It's hard for me to accept that Shen just went "ok" and chilled back at home while Akali and Kennen chose to fight Noxus when SHEN is the one who would be the guardian of Ionia. When Akali showed in AWAKEN and Kennen after I was just waiting for Shen to ult in...and was massively disappointed when even Yasuo the "hated exile" showed but not Shen

Mistborn314Mar 5, 20193 votes

I'd love to see a story at least explaining his motives without Kusho; Is he still obeying the previous decisions of his father, like the choice to stay out of the Noxus invasion? Now that Jhin is killing again, will he set out on a trek to stop him once more? (Maybe teaming up with people like Camille on the way? That'd be a cool way to incorporate Awaken into a story, that she is being informed by Shen on the way Jhin kills.) Shen's bio offer's a small bit of insight to his current situation, but now that Riot has announced plans to continue the story of Runeterra as a whole, I neeeeed to know what he does next.

What if Noxus starts affecting the spirit world in their invasion? Will Shen finally step in and lend his aid? Riot, tell me about his countless clashes with the Seven Demon Clan. Tell me about his journey's through the Freljord. Tell me all of those countless legends about the Eye of Twilight, the man who blinks in and out of existence while he battles the spirits. He is so incredibly cool, and I want to know so much more.

nosafterburnMar 5, 20197 votes

he didn't show cuz him and Zed are looking for Jhin and Jhin is hanging with his new bae Camille

WutsKrakenMar 5, 20195 votes

It looks like Awaken is set after Jhin's escape and after Akali left the Kinkou order meaning Shen and Zed should now be enemies and doing their own thing

NovaAlexanderMar 5, 20193 votes

screw all those champs but shen

Hot Dog DayMar 6, 20193 votes

Shen Is not the "Guardian of Ionia", he is the Eye of Twilight. He is not there to defend Ionia because he cannot act in self-interest or act with bias. Also, his whole purpose is to keep the balance between the physical realm and the spirit realm. A simple read of his bio states this in full detail. Yasuo hasn't been the "hated exile" since Riven's trial in Tales of a Broken Blade when it is found out by Ionians that Yasuo is not guilty. Would've been really cool to see Shen there but it just wouldnt have made any sense, Yi though? where is Master Yi?

Hot Dog DayMar 6, 20197 votes

some degenerateMar 5, 201910 votes

We're literally getting a comic about Zed chasing down Jhin later this year.

Chances are he'll get lore updates around then, and will likely be a main character in said comic.

theWhispersMar 5, 20192 votes

Wow i didn't even know that! As a Jhin main I can't wait to see this

PhinulesMar 5, 20192 votes

You realize that nothing in Awaken was cannon right?

Pieistasty111111Mar 5, 20193 votes

Actually it all is. It was stated in ask riot.

Runswithsc1ssorsMar 6, 20192 votes

"His duty to maintain the equilibrium, to value balance over emotion"

Its official Shen is Thanos

Sethen DaizeMar 7, 20191 votes

at least you get tidbits about your champ here and there. talon got a full gameplay update, and not even a whisper of a little bit of lore. nothing. we literally only know that hes an orphan that got adopted by the Du Couteau family. thats it.

TalkingbirdguyMar 5, 201914 votes

Fiddlesticks is probably having a good time in his field and all, but he misses the hallways of the Institute of War.

x Lockwood xMar 7, 20192 votes

Yeah he does. Looking forward to his rework, when that day comes. Or at least a model / ability makeover, less of a rework.

'course, we still have pizza-feet Mordekaiser as well.

Wish they'd focus on updating everyone instead of new champs. Preferably without tons of true damage like some people.

-cough- Kayle -cough-

TheShadowSpiritMar 8, 20191 votes

I agree with you on one point. Riot should remodel all the champions so their appearence can keep up with our technology. But to rework fiddle, I can't have that. He's a really balanced champion imo. He's "Broken" according to some players, but when you think about it, not a single champion is broken, the player that makes it look broken is the real danger. Here are some examples :

Irelia is hard to play for a newbie, but TFBlade that has mastered her makes her look terrifying and unbeatable.

Zwag on Xerath is the same. He once had (maybe still has) above 70% winrate in challenger with this champion, getting multiple of his accounts permabanned for scripting, when he never scripted once.

Flyberk on Katarina. With over 6000 hours, he gets pentakills even in challenger.

And last of my example but not least, RATIRL on twitch. I know not many people like him because of his toxicity or because he's one of the founders of the original L9 club. When he plays seriously, he can get from unranked to challenger in 5 days, (he did so at least once when one of his accounts got banned.) making him the best Twitch player worldwide.

TL;DR, don't want fiddle to be reworked, and all champs to have their appearance remodeled to today's technology.

TalkingbirdguyMar 20, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=x Lockwood x,realm=NA,application-id=Ag8jgd8Q,discussion-id=Pebb6m3A,comment-id=000b0000,timestamp=2019-03-07T10:28:18.992+0000)

Yeah he does. Looking forward to his rework, when that day comes. Or at least a model / ability makeover, less of a rework.

'course, we still have pizza-feet Mordekaiser as well.

Wish they'd focus on updating everyone instead of new champs. Preferably without tons of true damage like some people.

-cough- -cough-

They are actually reworking Morde this year, I heard, AND keeping the glorious pizza feet! Mordekaiser

2DeMar 5, 201911 votes

Talon WE WANT A TALON LORE UPDATE S M H Talon

neebzyeetMar 5, 201910 votes

Maybe it's just me but I thought that the old Shyvanna bio was much better? I liked how much more was set up as to how she got to Demacia and how her dragon-father helped her escape. Also the use of Petricite in the final fight was not mentioned as well. Idk maybe just a personal idea but I kinda liked the older story a bit better

CritDogeMar 5, 20196 votes

No, I agree. The whole point of her luring Yvva into the petricite ruins was basically lost, and I feel that's a shame. Also, you know, her ripping out Yvva's heart with her bare hands, which was SUPER badass and one of my favorite parts about the bio because it really emphasized Shyv's dual nature and her struggle to control the dragon inside of her.

Liquid MaleokMar 5, 201910 votes

Shyvana is one of my favorite champions, and has been since about 2012. In my humble opinion I think this lore change is a turn in the wrong direction for her. My favorite part of her past lore is her the love and sacrifice of her Draconic father. There was such a powerful draw knowing that her father gave his life to protect her with everything he had and Shyvana drawing on his strength and inspiration as part of why she fights. I feel like not explaining why she is half human and now just basically saying "hurr de durr her egg was stolen and whoops she's half human and the thief didn't wanna give her up!" does her a serious disservice. Now the only explanation in my opinion for her fury and her origins as a half dragon is to hold onto a version of her tale that is no longer canon.

At least we can say goodbye to the meaning behind her coolest line "By the blood of my father...I will END you."

WendígoMar 6, 20196 votes

Hey, Shyvana’s rewrite was uneeded and is worse than what there before

Sethen DaizeMar 7, 20191 votes

shyvana is uneeded. [katarina-love]

RaiokuMoonscarMar 6, 20196 votes

You guys took all the details out of Shyvana's lore. Now it looks bland, lacking motive, and emotion unlike before. WHY?!?! [sg-shisa]

TOP is LetmeMar 5, 20195 votes

Aatrox summoner 32 [poppy-wink]

GixiaMar 6, 20195 votes

Shyvana's new bio does nothing the patch notes say it does. The main story beats may be the same, but the enormous amount of lost detail changes her lore on such a fundamental level that absolutely does not keep the main story intact. Entire character motivations and personalities are completely different. It doesn't expand on the circumstances of her birth, it does the exact opposite, stripping details away and making the circumstances of her birth completely unexplained. Likewise, it removes a lot of the information about her encounter with Jarvan and how it led her to joinign Demacia. It doesn't expand on anything.

Agent FrostMar 5, 20193 votes

Sugoi

FlameHalbrdOkidoMar 5, 20193 votes

Hope we get to learn some things about the other champions that missed the big Demacian Lore update, like Xin Zhao and Sona, who else is there?

Bukkake PuddingMar 5, 20192 votes

Isn't Sona dead lorewise? I thought Jhin shot her in the throat.

DykesAnDinosuarsMar 5, 20197 votes

That was just a promo for Jhin, none of the images that teased him were real. if they were Vi, Garen, and Zed would also be dead in lore. The only champs to die lore wise are shadow isles champs, and they're all undead so... yeah

OneGramofSaltMar 5, 20193 votes

I would have liked it if morgana and kayle were actually addressed as present characters and not like they were only present a long time ago.

ll Gryphon llMar 5, 20193 votes

See, I am actually interested in the recent actions of them as well. Morgana is someone who addresses her form of justice in the shadows of Demacia. "Morgana truly believes that even the banished and outcast may one day rise again" I feel Riot missed an opportunity to tie her into Sylas, or they could be planning it. I dont know.

VaarusMar 5, 20192 votes

~Looks really nice you guys! <3

KillerB42Mar 7, 20192 votes

PLEASE update Galio G man's ult! only being able to target an ally champ doesn't really help if you don't have a hard initiate champ on the board. Let him at least target allied minions, wards, or towers. I feel this will make him more effective.

Speed TRacerMar 9, 20191 votes

I feel like the problem with that is he can essentially “teleport” back to base from anywhere within his outer towers and stop a backdoor super quickly. Or with Azir he could potentially ult close to enemy base or could cut off a fight escape

KillerB42Mar 11, 20191 votes

Just saying champs like Panth, Bard, and xerath don't have the same restrictions. I see your point though. I'm a solo player and the climb is difficult when i have weak or scary teammates

Kalon Ordona IIMar 7, 20192 votes

So now Kayle is Justice: Punishment and Morgana is Justice: Pennance? That's a little better than the bios' Crazy Kayle vs Mommy Morgana.

Lady O WarMar 7, 20192 votes

So now my "Unmasked Kayle" is useless.. I haven't even seen what's gonna happend with my skin.. item 3070 Kayle Help!?

ParjerrMar 5, 20191 votes

Can we just have the lore story's back in the client from like 7 years ago https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*f9GVTEwJTrA6SM6j6sjWzw.jpeg its the third tab in the top and used to be very interesting and cool

RafnorkMar 6, 20191 votes

Can we have the same lore back?

NathrenMar 6, 20191 votes

No thank you.

RafnorkJul 15, 20191 votes

yes thank you

NathrenOct 11, 20191 votes

I respect your opinion, thank you.

RogueHeathenMar 6, 20191 votes

can we stop completely changing everything that is the lore just because we want to make the champ more interesting!

ll Gryphon llApr 18, 20191 votes

Riot is building a new game that will be almost be entirely lore based in their missions. They are trying to create a world where all characters have a real place, and it feels natural for them to interact. So, yeah changing the lores is going to happen. Also, if the champ is boring, then hell yeah change the lore. Each character should be fleshed out, have reasoning, and should resonate with people out there. uninteresting champs that do not fit in the world they are creating would become irrelevant and forgotten otherwise.

Stars ShaperMar 20, 20191 votes

I don't get why informative threads get downvoted.