Boram, The Forlorn Tyrant

Skip this introduction if you want, all I'm going to do is just blabber on about the idea of champion concepts and how mine fits into it. I don't want to say much, only that what is here is not really something I expect to end up in game, nor is it a proposition that Riot should take or even a source of inspiration for them, even if it would be great if it reached so far. This is my take on what could be a possible story development for the once Grand General of Noxus, Boram Darkwill. The character is one of the many that have received some small elements in the new lore that could point towards a certain direction lorewise, and I wanted to try and do something with what was given. It goes more in the lines of being something that helped me out of a stalled corner and something I really enjoyed doing for the fun of it. But more than anything, I hope it is a way of showing just how much potential the lore of this game has in the way it can grapple people, as it grappled me. I for one know I have a greater interest and curiosity for the lore of League of Legends than what I had before starting this.

Extended Lore

Denial

Death. A simple, concise, terrifying word. Through it, the man had ruled for decades. He had brought it to allies and enemies alike, putting all those who threatened his rule on the edge of a blade or the end of a rope. At least the lucky ones. It had been a means to get rid of many other words that no longer served him any purpose.

And yet this word was far from being a comfortable ally. It was a looming threat. It meant the loss of knowledge and experience that only a lifetime could bring. It meant that one day he would leave behind an defenseless and orphaned nation. As his life's mission had been to raise his craft to a glory his ancestors could only dream of, his death would come as an omen of the fall, and he knew deep within his heart that he would take his life's work to the grave with him. Surely, it wouldn't happen instantly. It would take copious amounts of time. Of betrayal. Of doubt. Of rivalry. And as once one reaches the zenith, all that remains is time before the dusk, his passing would mean the beginning of the end for something for which his life had been shaped. And he couldn’t have it be that way. He wouldn’t have it be that way.

Ruling was more than his desire. He knew it from the moment he held the reins within his grasp. It was his duty. His destiny. He had employed every mean at his disposal to lengthen his lifespan and ensure the protection of his work. But it wasn’t enough. The realization hit him when his greatest warrior fell in battle. A living legend, the most exemplary soldier in his army and a man that was almost a son to him. And yet there he was, limp and cold. Powerless. As his last faithful friend and most trusted champion was lowered into the ground, he realized it was all slipping from his hands as murmurs of his weakness started to grow. And anxiety brewed within him like it had never before. He had not risen from the dirt to such heights only to lose it all to old age. He needed more time. More support. His country was still not ready to lose his leadership.

Anger

So it was that when the Rose made an offer, he listened. They would restore a pillar of stability he had just lost. A pragmatic man before anything, he gave them absolute freedom. Yet when they fulfilled their promise, his horror was beyond words. The hulking beast that now loomed over his armies was only a shadow of a great man. A monstrous, horrid, titanic shadow that took over his dreams in the brief, shaken nights that had become custom. Realizing too late the mistake he had made, he cursed the Rose for he knew the atrocity of this act was for his conscience alone to bear. And so he buried it; hid it away, erased every report and story, every memento and portrait. Buried it so deep that only one who truly searched would come upon it. And yet, he could still could hear its vicious growl. It reverberated in the depths of the city that, once, had been his pride. It spoke to him, and to him only. As the long nights stretched, it became clear to him. In every corner, where before the fears of an unworthy successor lied, now were those disdainful red eyes. In the dark passageways no longer resided spies and assassins plotting his end. Only that scornful memory of his greatest failure: his betrayal to the one man who had died for him without a moment's hesitation.

Some say guilt is the most powerful amongst the diseases of the mind. It corrodes reason and principle, it breaks the spirit and bends the will. There was no turning back. The witch had made sure of that. Nothing could put his tormentor to rest. And yet, unwilling to surrender, he searched. Far and wide, high and low, all of Valoran was scoured for clues. For a mean of redemption. Curiously enough, it was within his own city that he found the greatest clue. Scriptures speaking of an ancient warlord, once lord of the great fortress he presided. One unbound to death and said to be undefeatable. And so, reading tomes and delving into research, within the locked quarters of his fortress he aged years in months, frantically trying to satisfy his conscience. His counselors and generals were convinced he was losing his reason, and his displacement was inevitable. And it would have been so if, in one of those long, tortuous nights of research, it had not come to him. What is, without a doubt, the one sickness that rules over all those within one's skull, one not even anger or guilt could stand up to: hubris. And so a comically simple, yet unspeakable thought slithered into his mind.

Why should he need more time?

Why not all of it?

Forever?

All around him was the proof that death was no barrier. It was just another hurdle. Another challenge. One he could overcome. One he would overcome. Slowly, thoughts of redemption were displaced by the ambition and the thirst for power that had always been his natural allies, and the motives that had built his nation into the force of reckoning it now was once again echoed in his own words. The accusing eyes and reproachful whispers drowned in the desire that now growled within him. His crime had been a necessary step. One he would repay by elevating his tale to the most absolute of all greatnesses. He resurfaced to the public eye, maintaining his posture while redirecting his powers to quell his new thirst. Death was, after all, nothing more than a word.

Bargaining The man walked in an unsteady fashion. His pale face was as the moon over a dark night. It was only natural, given the amount of blood necessary for his last masterful trick of deceit had driven him to the brink of his strength. But he had succeeded. For years he had waited, learning every secret there was to learn about the darkest magic the world had ever seen. Through it, he had mastered the illusion of the everlasting youth that he once barely toyed with. And now he had lived several lives' worth of an existence, seen hundreds of seasons pass and sons become grandfathers. But it still wasn't enough. Not only that, but his research had led him to a different goal than what he had once expected.

In order to advance, however, he could no longer indulge to remain in his position of power. And so he dedicated himself to carefully creating an intricate schedule that made him a most challenging target, while making sure everyone knew he had no intention of ever relegating his position. And he then riddled it with a select number of opportunities to be taken. For years he had waited for the day where his assassination would occur. He had rigged just so it seemed all had gone well, to make sure even ones as aware as those within the Rose would be eluded. And if careful eyes did in fact look into it, the power struggle his death would cause would most likely turn their attention from it for a while. Indeed, his independent initiative had paid off, and his satisfaction was fuel enough to allow him to proceed, knowing no one would interfere.

He reached the small hut just as the sun rose. There he found the collection of tomes and parchments years of searching had provided him with. He had invested a substantial fortune and spent an even greater amount of time hunting down the ragged, saggy and wrinkled relics. But it was worth it. They spoke of many things: the ultimate spell of necromancy, the fall of a kingdom and the ruin of a sacred place. As he restored his health, thoughts of nostalgia began to creep up only to be utterly crushed by the cold logic of his new reality. There was no way back. This was now a road that he would follow to its end, and he would do so alone. Necessity demanded that he kept it that way as none would be those there to help him at the most crucial moment of his quest. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. It would take a long time to prepare and learn all that he could before the next step. Long travels and longer searches would be needed.

It was a bright night of festivities in Ionia. Celebrations had been underway. After many years of oppression, the foreign occupation was finished. The man reflected how quite ironic it was that he had known this would happen. After all, it was his nation, and he left it the moment he felt its decline had started. He had raised it from the dirt and made it grand, but the strong and courageous hearts that had helped him do so were long since gone. The newer generations were different, all too eager to battle, careless and prideful of something to which they had not contributed. Not true Noxians. And the few who still knew the true value of strength, the true meaning of putting one’s will to something, had been the ones invested in obtaining their own ascension and legacy through his fall. Either way, the new generations had shown their true colors, and now they hurriedly left his legacy behind while letting the country slip from its former glory. Now he saw clearly that his own nation would never achieve his ideals. It was only an image of what it had once been, a joke filled with pompous aristocrats born into comfort, self-important inheritors of traditional families in the military or scoundrels that had stolen, bribed and lied their way into power… All scum that twisted his ideals into their own little agendas. And as he stepped on the docks before embarking and looked back at the fragile nation of artists, monks and scholars that had bested his Noxian legions, this reality struck him even harder.

Once aboard another ship, headed to Bilgewater, he came to terms with the facts as the waves broke on the ships' hull. His longevity had offered him plenty of time to ponder and observe that his was a nation amongst others. Over the years he had realized that, as all others, it was also doomed to fall. But he cared for that no longer. He had outlived whole generations. He was a born ruler, and rule he would again. So were the thoughts that basked in his mind upon arriving at his destination. There he bought off a desperate captain with more gold than the man had seen in his entire life, setting off towards a clouded horizon. For him, there was only one thing worth striving for in this world. And it was to rule the one and only one realm that could fulfill his expectations.

Depression

To his surprise, the ferryman had been waiting. As the shadows swirled around his pirogue, the sunlight had slowly faded away. He had taken him to the shore and then showed him the way unceremoniously. The stories spoke of horrors that no sane imagination could describe. Yet on his path nothing was to be found. Only a cold breeze hitting the branches of long-shriveled trees kept him company. Yet he knew it wasn't only the wind. The island folk said it was never only the wind in this place. Outside the great fortress, no guards were to be seen. The great doors opened, moved by the dark clouds that hovered around the whole island preying upon the living, and yet did not touch him.

As he stands in the darkened hall, all sounds are silenced. He takes a step. Then two more. Nothing changes. He crosses the hall and pushes the doors at its end. He now stands within a great dining room. Relics and shattered trinkets cover the walls, and all furniture lies in shambles on the ground. And at the center of it lies an old, broken chair. And sitting on it is an old, broken man. Long, white hair falls on his back, and settled dust colors his attire in grayish tones. Something in his marrow tells him the man is older than anyone he has ever seen. He strides slowly, shooting glances at the obscure depths of a ceiling his sight cannot reach. He looks towards the old one. His eyes are closed.

"This was beautiful once. Peaceful ceremonies would take place amongst cheerful, yet serene festivities. Wonderful people would celebrate their prosperity and their chance. They were indeed blessed. And so were we."

"Nostalgia can be a poison, I've been told."

"Those that do not relive their memories are easily stricken of amnesia. Who would want to forget all the joy in one's life?"

"And who could be lucky enough to forget the sins of a ruined past?"

A faint, sad smile bends the old man's lips:

"A sharp child. What gave it away?"

"It is not the craft that makes the throne but who sits upon it."

A chuckle. The sound is like that of dry leaves rustling against the ground.

"In a place like this, the king never forgets. He is not allowed to. Everyone else is, but him." His words drip sorrow, like tears of a father having lost his child. A brother having lost his sibling. A husband having lost his wife.

He turns his head towards the newly-arrived:

"You are not the first. The mist is very demanding, but sometimes it lets one through. It tires of me, I keep it under too tight a noose." He gestures to the ceiling, and as he does the clouds slowly twist and descend. "You all come wishing for something that is completely different from what you will find. It is not power. It is not a way to escape death. It is a curse, one beyond any curse this world can offer. One I have taken upon myself to shoulder. As penance for my crimes."

"I do not come for penance."

Another chuckle.

"Yes, you do. You come because you think you can repay your mistakes through greatness. And you come because you are terrified of dying. But you won't find any greatness here, and neither will you find immortality. Only the cold embrace of nothingness."

"You do not intimidate me with your sulky words, Ruined King. You will have to try harder."

The grim laugh that now reverberates the walls is nothing like the earlier chuckles. The old man remains a moment in silence, then opens his eyes. The whole rooms is now lit with eerie green lights. Revenants and ghouls, ghosts and specters, wraiths and banshees cover the rows and rows of terraces in the ceiling. The mist shrouds the old man, and from it spawn two hands of ghastly bone that rip his coat open. An absolute pit of darkness lies where his torso should be. Not even a hint of light should be perceived. Yet within can be seen a battalion of ethereal horsemen, led by a dark knight bearing a double-edged spear whom he knows to be the Shadow of War. Chains rattle as hundreds of souls scream in agony from within the Warden's lantern, their yells confounded with the nightmarish chorus of the Deathsinger. The Spider Queen smiles from the depths of a cave in company of her god. As he looks deep into the old man's empty innards, he realizes all their gazes are upon him. Through his sight the dead observe. And in turn through them, he watches.

"You have come craving for my crown, yet you know nothing of what it entails. The whimpers of the dead will forever be ringing in your ears, their broken wishes and hopes thorns on your very existence at all moments. They will blame you for their fate and do everything in their power to punish you. The only memories they will allow you are those you want to forget, and all you ever loved and cared for will fade away from your mind…"

"I've had my share of guilt, old man."

Ghastly arms emerge from the ground, grasping at him. The man sweeps with his blade, invoking dark curses that push them away. Ghouls shriek while charging against him, only to be mercilessly cut down by the weapon.

“Your magic is no mystery to me… I’ve dedicated more than a life’s worth to learning what you learned.”

"Fool! You believe to have mastered necromancy? Alas you wish to take my mantle, yet you know so little of death. The mystery of it remains as unclear to you as when you were a newborn.”

A host of ghosts surrounds him, clinging to him while their wails pierce through his ears. He struggles, but manages to fend them off.

“Do you know the hardship that is keeping the Harrowing from spreading like wildfire? To keep the most daring amongst the undead under your command? To handle the thousands of tortured souls that roam these Isles? To battle against the Iron Revenant for supremacy upon them?”

“Do not doubt my capacities!”

He starts intonating a chant in an ancient tongue. Seeing that it keeps the spirits at bay, he then dashes towards the king, a dagger of pure Demacian steel coated in True Ice in his hand. However, before he can reach him, tendrils of darkness grapple his legs. The king shakes his head.

“You do not understand the horror it can bring, the power it has… The only reason that damned wraith has not taken over it yet is because it has a will of its own.” He lifts his eyes, now dark holes emanating the iridescent fog. “The Black Mist may have let you get here, but it will bend to my order as it always has. I'll have it take you like it took all the others. I will not risk the mistakes I've made being repeated, nor let this power become a tool for more sorrow. You do not have in you to take my crown and bear this weight. No one does."

Thick clouds pour from the ceiling, surrounding the man and suffocating him slowly. As the dead laugh the cacophony of souls reaches its climax. His life passes through his eyes over and over again. Every mistake, every resentment, every painful decision stinging his mind with the ferocity of a bee swarm. Thoughts emerge, thoughts he truly believed he would never have again. The dark surrounds him.

How could I have been so close to only fail? Damn that old fossil! Maybe he will listen to reason... It’s hopeless. There's no way out, he is too powerful. I could never amount to that.

Yet, as everything fades away, within the orchestral horror of the dead a voice calls to him, from the lowest depths of the abyss:

"If you die, do so gloriously. Make the world falter at your loss. Those are your owns words, Boram. I defeated a King. I expect nothing less from my Grand General."

After all those years...

Acceptance

He knows what he must do. With the last of his strength he reaches for the dagger that was meant for the King, and in a swift movement he brings it to his chest. As the blood pours, he grin, and whispers:

"And so, my kingdom comes".

The mist blows off and splinters as if taken by a giant's gust. The tendrils holding him down break apart. The lights tremble and the spirits swirl in the ceiling, running as if they had forgotten their condition, as if death had yet again come for them and they truly knew fear once more. The old man trembles as the light within his eyes flickers faintly.

"Why would any sane man take upon himself this horrible burden that I have come to bear? How can being an unnatural monstrosity like me satisfy your ambition? How can you be willing to sacrifice everything you ever were for this forlorn place?!"

The man stands still. Around him the room has returned to how it was. But now not a single heart beats.

"Death is but a word. You were taken by sadness and embraced it, old man. In your madness and grief you let it consume you. You lost yourself within it. But I didn't. I turned it into a fuel for my will. A reason to persist. Sure you twisted these Isles bearing death's banner. But you did not do it willingly. You rot here coated in regret, barely holding onto the last remains of your weak old self by letting this orphaned kingdom you never really adopted wait in apathy as the energy you so avidly try to control pours into the oceans, doing what it naturally needs to do. No, believe me, I will do so much more."

Not a single sound is heard, and as the lights fade he gazes back into the old man's eyes, now flames of a candle within hopeless, tired cavities. His own are kindled opals worthy of nightmares surrounded by a darkness to shame the void itself.

" I will take this kingdom and make it mine, bend your people and make them mine. And when I have, I will bring about the greatest Harrowing this world has ever seen…"

He now stands alone in the darkened room. No sign of the old man. Where he once sat, now lies a shattered object of pure, malefic, gruesome darkness. Holding it within his hands, he murmurs:

" And build an empire upon it."

Context

On the wake of the recent Shadow-Isles event I dug up an idea that originally spawned from something different: Sion's rework. The sheer amazement it gave me led me to many wiki readings and began the archaeological research for a name, a single name practically devoid of meaning that I, for some reason, wanted to understand: Boram. Given that his state in the lore still remains vague after the restart of the lore (as it was mainly around the events around Kalamanda that his development was focused) I decided to give it a try and put together a story for him, adapting elements of his previous lore and using what was shown in the lore of Sion's "Reborn" teaser. I never ended up having the courage to submit it until the "Shadow and Fortune" event popped up, and I realized the new lore developments could fit surprisingly well with what I had made and thought "what the heck, might as well do it anyway", so I readapted the story to them and decided I would send the result. And before I knew what was going on, I was dropping head first into a character concept based on the lore. So here it is! I hope you like it.

Champion Overview

As this is the first champion concept I'm doing, I won't be pretentious to the point of thinking I have any idea on how to make a balanced a champion, which is why I'd be very thankful for any advice and improvements on the abilities, specially on scaling, areas of effect, cooldowns, etc. Also, I'd like feedback on how you think he would perform within the game as my relative lack of experience in high level games might mean I am not doing Boram's kit justice or, on the contrary, I might be largely overestimating his capacities. As for a lane, I was mostly envisioning him as a midlaner, though that really doesn't mean anything at this point. Note: Values and ratios were mostly made by taking from other champion's abilities and restructuring them into Boram's ability sheet (I used mostly Viktor, Zyra, Vel'Koz, Lissandra, Mordekaiser, Karthus and Morgana).

Summary

Primary Role: Mage Secondary Role: Fighter Gender: Male Race: Wraith (Formerly human) Resource: Mana and health

Shortened Lore

Once the Grand General of Noxus and the man behind the nation's ascension to greatness, Boram Darkwill became obsessed with the idea of death doing him apart from his legacy and glory. A lifelong research led him to the conclusion, after prolonging his lifespan through the most twisted ways, that his aims could never be achieved with Noxus holding him back. For this reason he set his aim on the Shadow Isles, driven by the promise of undeath and its limitless, endless potential for power. There, he has overthrown the Ruined King and begun a civil war to claim the Isles as his own in order to edify an undying legacy.

Statistics

HEALTH 777 – 2086 (+77) HEALTH REGEN. 11.5 – 22.72 (+0.66) MANA 575 – 1245 MANA REGEN. 10.0 – 21.7 MELEE 75 / RANGED 550 ATTACK DAMAGE 40 – 159 (+7) ATTACK SPEED 0.897 (+2.5%) ARMOR 25.7 – 60.7 MAGIC RES. 35.7 MELEE 75 / RANGED 550 MOV. SPEED 275

Abilities

Desecrated Ground / Ruinous Blessing [img]http://i.imgur.com/s9Jnpci.png[/img]

Desecrated Ground

Boram desecrates the ground where he walks and the area where his abilities are casted, rendering the area cursed for 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 seconds. Enemies cannot lose their stacks of Ruinous Blessing as long as they stay within the area. Additionally, if any ability kills a unit, a slowly expanding blot of desecration will appear. This zone lasts for twice as long with neutral monsters and siege minions, and duration triples for champion kills. Drake, Rift Herald and Baron Nashor kills last the same amount of time as champion, but affect a significantly larger zone. Base desecration time increases every 2 levels.

Ruinous Blessing

Boram's spells and melee basic attacks inflict enemy units with stacks of the curse Ruinous Blessing. While afflicted by Ruinous Blessing, enemies continue to take stacks each time they are hit by Boram’s spells or melee basic attacks, to a maximum of five. Upon reaching five stacks, they apply Desecrated Ground to the terrain they walk over for 10 seconds. After that, the stacks are consumed, revealing the enemy champion.

Extra effect: Denial: If the champion afflicted by the fifth stack of Ruinous Blessing is isolated, during the first 3 seconds they are slowed for 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 % of their movement speed and are revealed. Slow percentage scales with level.

The curse lasts for 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 seconds after leaving blighted ground if under 5 stacks. Duration scales with Harrowing Rites’ rank. Re-entering blighted ground before the curse is over or being hit by Boram's ranged basic attack refreshes the duration of the same stack.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/ZRqQW2c.png?1[/img]

Mortuary Sweep [img]http://i.imgur.com/Qo472xP.png[/img]

RANGE: 50/360º - 350/60º COST: 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 (First cast) 20 / 20 / 25 / 25 / 30 (Second cast) MANA COOLDOWN: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9/ 8

PASSIVE: Anger: If the ability is not reactivated, Boram’s basic attacks become melee attacks that deal 10 + ( 5% / 7% / 9% / 11 % / 15 % AD) extra magic damage and apply stacks of Ruinous Blessing, but each expend 3% of his total mana. However, if the target hit by the basic attacks is standing over Desecrated Ground, the mana cost is reduced by half.

ACTIVE: Boram unsheathes and swipes his blade, dealing 60 / 80 /100 / 120 / 140 (+ 70% AD) physical damage to enemies around him. Within the next 4 seconds, Boram can expend extra mana and reactivate the ability to deal 80 / 105 / 130 / 155 / 180 (+ 80% AP)magic damage to all enemies in a arc in the selected area, sheathing his blade. Any unit killed by the swipe will extend the damage in an inverse cone behind it and interact with Desecrated Ground.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/AaKShJj.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/OtRmyFU.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/qVnFk9q.png?1[/img]

Swirl of Darkness [img]http://i.imgur.com/p7XFv8o.png[/img]

RANGE: 600 COST: 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 MANA + 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 HEALTH COOLDOWN: 17 / 16 / 15 / 14 / 13

PASSIVE: Bargaining: Whenever ally or enemy units die over Desecrated Ground Boram gains extra lifesteal and spellvamp when damaging enemy champions for the next 5 seconds. The increase is of 5% per enemy unit killed or ally unit dead, to a maximum of 25%. This effect is then put in a 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 second cooldown.

ACTIVE: Boram calls upon the souls within the Black Mist to haunt an area. The area is immediately desecrated, and after a 1.5 second delay, the area is shrouded by the mist, progressively filling up with souls that will grapple all enemies, rooting them for 0.8 / 1 / 1.2 / 1.5 / 2 seconds. If enemies have 5 stacks, they are rooted for twice the amount of time. Lasts for 3 seconds after casting. The passive effect (Bargaining) is deactivated during this time.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/MageCYq.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/xDxrmZy.png?1[/img]

Ruler's Domain [img]http://i.imgur.com/xDJFujH.png[/img]

RANGE: 1050 COST: 80 / 85 / 90 / 95 / 100 MANA + 10% TOTAL HEALTH COOLDOWN: 24 / 22 / 20 / 18 / 16

PASSIVE: Depression: Enemies are feared for 0.25 / 0.5 / 0.75 / 1 / 1.5 seconds if facing Boram while within the wall of mist, depending on the amount of stacks of Ruinous Blessing they have.

ACTIVE: Boram enters the black mist, channeling for 1 second while becoming untargetable for the first 0.5 seconds. He can then reactivate the spell to move to the selected desecrated area within range. If cast upon himself, he creates an expanding circular blot of desecration that, after 1 second, becomes surrounded by a circular wall of mist. The wall acts as solid terrain and lasts for 2 seconds.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/RBb4zAg.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/EjRhBhN.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/tAgAwvz.png?1[/img]

Harrowing Rites [img]http://i.imgur.com/fLoJZGK.png[/img]

RANGE: 1050 COST: 150 MANA + 30% HEALTH COOLDOWN: 130 / 110 / 90

PASSIVE: Acceptance: Enemies below 15% of their total health receive 30% reduced healing from all sources if standing over desecrated ground, and are slowed by 10% when moving away from Boram if within his base vision range at all times.

ACTIVE: Boram loses 30% of his current health and becomes empowered by the Black Mist for 5 / 6 / 7 seconds. He harrows the already existing desecrated ground and all he creates while empowered, covering it with mist and preventing it from reverting to normal ground for 9 / 11 / 13 seconds. Desecrated ground deals magic damage over time to enemies standing over it during this duration, and heals Boram for 50% of the damage dealt. If 5 stacks are applied to an enemy champion while Harrowing Rites is active, the damage dealt to them by the harrowed ground ignores 35% of the enemy's magic resistance. In the case no units die within the zone, Boram loses 50% of his current health. If Boram dies during the duration of this spell, a vortex of darkness will surround his body, denying vision to enemy and ally champions within the area. This spell cannot be cast if Boram is below 35% health. MAXIMUM DAMAGE PER HALF SECOND: 6 / 10 / 14 / 18 / 24 (+ 10% AP)

[img]http://i.imgur.com/n9LbKBP.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/1iXRRiD.png?1[/img]

Boram is a hybrid control mage that incarnates the meaning of a double-edged sword, as his passive's strong versatility is also what makes him a high risk champion, with a myriad of weak spots that need to be covered at all times. Expending both health and mana, Boram's abilities will punish him for failing to achieve certain goals but reward him greatly in case they are attained. Boram can be built in a variety of ways to interact with his twin-sided passive, however always retaining his mistake-punishing, high-risk profile.

Early game: While he can fulfill several roles and deal hybrid damage, Boram has the disadvantage of not having a strong identity in the laning phase, which means he cannot fulfill those roles as well as those specialized in them, making his trades excessively skill-reliant in certain cases. While having good defense mechanisms against assassins, he lacks the means of overpowering them in burst; the wide size of his spells is limited by his short range and health costs, showing his shortcomings as a poke mage; the lack of items means the high toll of his spells limits his usefulness as a utility mage; and as a damage over time mage his potentially overwhelming damage is shortened by his necessity of late game scaling and by the relative ease at which his passive's more dangerous effects can be avoided by champions with a minimum of mobility. In summary, Boram is most likely to play the waiting game in lane, that is to say he is unlikely to overwhelm in this phase unless his opponents make big mistakes and underestimate his damage and crow control once his passive stacks up. Which is why, while he can fend off most assassins, he particularly struggles against long-range casters and high mobility ranged champions that can evade his passive to trade more favorably.

Mid game: As soon as fights for objectives and skirmishes in the jungle begin, Boram starts to play in his element and exert his zoning potential. This is only accentuated by his ultimate's passive, which turns Desecrated Ground into a solid source of constant damage that both increases the dissuading factor and allows for Boram to push lanes with ease, all this while giving him more backbone while in lane. Ruler's Domain also enables some eventual ganks to other lanes, especially if combined with Swirl of Darkness. All in all, the increase in the duration of his passive ground-modifying, the progressive lowering of his cooldowns and the massive territorial potential of his ultimate mean Boram will be increasing his zone of influence greatly all over the map. However, he will still be very fragile and will need protection to efficiently set up the terrain to his advantage and if his team is lacking engage tools he will be doing more dissuasive work than bringing the fight to the enemy, especially in team fights.

Late game: It's in the late game that the Forlorn Tyrant finds his calling, as he excels in situations of combat that no longer extend themselves beyond his spending capacity and allow him enough time to deploy his arsenal of devastation to either zone out or slowly massacre the enemy team through the coordination of his passives, as his abilities have enormous advantage increases when maxed out. His cooldowns being on their lowest, he shifts from a zoning annoyance to a force of nature ravaging wherever he goes if his stacks are allowed to pile up and no one puts an end to him before the ultimate is used to its greatest extent. Killing Boram during the team fight might seem like a priority, but then again one must consider his duality even in death: killing him while Harrowing Rites is active has a side effect that, if done at the right time, might cover up your escape and maybe even turn the tide of the team fight in your favor. However, it can also leave you sightless and helpless as the enemy team comes in to take their revenge...

Synergizes well with:

• Galio: Galio can provide defense with Bulwark and mobility with Righteous Gust, giving Boram what he lacks on his own, however it's the construct's ultimate spell that says it all. Locking down a whole enemy team within Desecrated Ground area with Idol of Durand is easily one of the worst-case scenarios for the enemy team while playing against Boram.
• Ashe: One of the greatest weaknesses of the Forlorn Tyrant is getting the crowd control through, and a perfect example of a character capable of bringing this to the fray is the Frost Archer. Ashe's whole arrays of spells are optimal for preventing enemies from running away and allowing long-lasting skirmishes to take place and enable the full employment of the horror that is Ruinous Blessing.
• Soraka: The Starchild's heals compensate for Boram's high expense of his own health and allow him a bigger leeway within combat. A good Equinox can also potentially lock enemies into an unpleasant position if combined with Swirl of Darkness.

Struggles against:

• Quinn and Valor: Minimum mobility within the enemy team is not essential for Boram to achieve greatness, but it helps. Needless to say, Demacia's Wings dance around the Forlorn Tyrant's passive and can easily displace him from his control position with Blinding Assault before bursting him down without giving him a chance to perform retribution due to his spells necessitating time to activate.
• Viktor: Amongst many excelling at the art of poking from afar, Viktor is a perfect example of the specialists in the ranged-high poke champion that compose the Forlorn Tyrant's weakness. Through his long range poke safety, effective farming capacities and Gravity Field's complete denial of any aggressive action, Viktor can set up gank situations with ease while forcing Boram to push and punishing him for every minion he takes.
• Gangplank: If versatility is the word, none beat the Saltwater Scourge. Gangplank can shrug off all potential threats from Boram with his Citrus Delish and punish the Forlorn Tyrant with absolute impunity through his Powder Keg, while Cannon Barrage constitutes an instant, cost-efficient zoning of much greater area and quicker reaction than anything Boram can muster before the late game.

I think the quotes, both through voice- acting and interactions, are a growing mean of giving more personality to the character, as we could see with the most recently released champions. Honestly, the main reason for them being here was that making them was a lot of fun, so here they are. Also, do comment suggestions on other interactions, improvements on quotes or just point out those you think don't fit the character. This is by far the most moldable part of this work. Also, I couldn't resist asking for a fellow I know to provide Boram with a voice-acting given his voice fit the character like a glove. So thanks for that Felix! You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLNOZ15b2J4

Quotes

Upon selection  "And so, my kingdom comes."

Upon starting a game on Summoner's Rift  "We will know no boundaries."  "This vibrant color shall soon fade from these lands."

Upon starting a game on the Twisted Treeline  "The old man did not tend to his gardens."

Upon starting a game on the Howling Abyss  "Whispers... Echoes... Drowned by the winter wind."

Attacking  "Resistance is childish."  "Your end now faces you."  "Fall and rise again."  "You will serve me."  "Kneel to my rule."  "Nothing escapes me. No one escapes me."  "Consider it an honor to be swept from this world by me."

Movement  "All living things come to their dusk."  "The world shall know peace trough my might."  "My power is absolute."  "No soul can stand in my way."  "They will realize. Eventually."  "Who challenges my law?"  "Rid my path of weakness."  "A King's law is truth."

Joke  "You never know if these souls are laughing or crying."  "I should make a ring, just in case..."  "I lost my weapon somewhere. I guess it runs in the business."

Taunt  "The past attracts you but the present frightens you, because you know what the future brings ...".  "They say walls stand on the path of greatness, yet why do I only find pebbles on my road?"  "No place in this world will be safe for you."  "Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man."

Taunting a nearby Azir  (Enemy) "My empire shall dwarf yours".

Taunting a nearby Darius  (Enemy) "They don't make generals like in the good old days anymore..."

Taunting an enemy Demacian  (Enemy) " Demacians never cease to amuse me."  (Enemy) "A nation born from self righteousness could not hope to breed anything but pretentious children."  (Enemy) "Your determination is a farce that continually fails to make me laugh".

Taunting a nearby Elise  (Enemy) "I should expect nothing less from vermin."  (Ally) "Vilemaw's satisfaction is an interest we share."

Taunting a nearby Fiddlesticks  (Enemy) "You can scare away the crows, but you won't stop the murder."

Taunting a nearby Gangplank  (Enemy) " Your home thinks you gone. Let us keep it that way."

Taunting a nearby Hecarim  (Enemy) "A predictable betrayal by a predictable fool."  (Ally) "I have high expectations of you. Fulfill them."

Taunting a nearby Illaoi  (Enemy) "Fanatic zealots stop being useful the moment they open their mouths."

Taunting a nearby Jhin  (Enemy) "Poets and artists are of limited use, and unlimited arrogance."

Taunting a nearby Kalista  (Enemy) " Let us end this mockery and find your true purpose."  (Ally) "Your previous liege didn't value your worth. I will not make the same mistake."

Taunting a nearby Karthus  (Enemy) "I only see a sickly Noxian with a chariot before me..."  (Ally) "Keep them singing, Lich. The world must beckon the chants of Isles."

Taunting a nearby Kindred  (Enemy) "How many years have we been playing this childish little game of tag?"  (Enemy) "One day, there will be none for you to take. And then you shall be the hunted."

Taunting a nearby Leblanc  (Enemy) "An old acquaintance. Ending you will be most enjoyable."  (Enemy) "I wonder what cheap trick will get you out of this one?"  (Enemy) "All roses end up withered..."

Taunting a nearby Lucian  (Enemy) "You have guts, boy, I'll give you that."

Taunting a nearby Lux  (Enemy) "Wonderful, it's been a while since my last Crownguard."

Taunting a nearby Maokai  (Enemy) "Nostalgic, treant?"  (Enemy) "A sad memento. Just like that old man."

Taunting a nearby Miss Fortune  (Enemy) " How many more Harrowings until your people break?"

Taunting a nearby Mordekaiser  (Enemy) "Nothing more than a shadow of a long since past glory..."  (Enemy) "Do not mistake me for my predecessor."  (Enemy) "You made a misinformed mistake when taking sides. I might let you reconsider, after I pull you apart."  (Ally) "Glad to see we could reach agreement."

Taunting a nearby Nautilus  (Enemy) "Back to the breach with you.”

Taunting an enemy Noxian  (Enemy) "Is this the best Noxus has to offer?"  (Enemy) "You were bred to serve me. The time has come"

Taunting a nearby Shaco  (Ally) "My court needs a jester, you might just do the job."

Taunting a nearby Sion  (Enemy) "Forgive me, old friend..."  (Ally) "We will show them the true meaning of power!"  (Ally) "Stand beside me once more, Sion!"

Taunting a nearby Swain  (Enemy) "Use your own generals for cannon fodder, crow."  (Enemy) "You are a disgrace to everything Noxus ever was. Then again, soon it will be no more."

Taunting a nearby Tahm Kench  (Enemy) "A king should have a proprer crown.”

Taunting a nearby Thresh  (Enemy) "I take you’ve become a masochist over the years."  (Ally) "You will have more souls than you could wish for, warden."

Taunting a nearby Urgot  (Enemy) " An act of necromancy, though clearly defective. Nothing I can't solve."

Taunting a nearby Vayne  (Enemy) "A novice hunter of the dark arts. I will make short work of you."

Taunting a nearby Vladimir  (Enemy) "Some things are better left untouched, child. Now it’s too late."

Taunting a nearby Yorick  (Enemy) "I wonder if your ghouls will dare show up."  (Ally) "Your task will be monumental, Mori. I trust you will be able to handle it."

Upon second casting Mortuary Sweep  "Begone."  "Break."  "Fall."  "Decay."

Upon casting Swirl of Darkness  "Surrender."  "Take this fool."  "The spirits who stood in life before thee are again."  "Maim them."  "Mar their hopes."  "Show them the way to the Isles."

Upon casting King's Domain  "Through the dark nights come haunting visions."  "Not one soul escapes my sight."  "The mist is truly a magnificent weapon...".  "Nothing binds me."

Upon casting Harrowed Ritual  "Know true fear."  "Embrace your destiny."  "The Harrowing comes."  "And in those days, men will seek it, and will not find it..."

Upon being targeted by Nocturne's Paranoia  "So you think darkness is your ally?"

Upon killing Baron Nashor  "What is a Baron to a King?"

Upon killing the Dragon  "Spectral dragons make wonderful steeds."  (If Mordekaiser is in his team and kills the dragon) "I should learn to do that."

Upon buying Banshee's Veil  "The howls of the Banshee are the loudest."

Upon buying Blade of the Ruined King  "This blade thrives with desperation."  "For his soul was as broken as his crown, for his face always twisted in a wicked frown, for he ruled a land of pain and suffering, and they called him the Ruined King."

Upon buying Essence Reaver  "It will drink the life out of them!"  "Yes, this shall do wonders..."

Upon buying Frost Queen's Claim  "Find them and bring them to me!"  "All shadows bow before my word."

Upon buying Lich Bane  "It's always good to take countermeasures."  "Betrayal shall be met with baleful retribution."

Upon buying Morellonomicon  "Their wounds shall fester."

Upon buying Will of the Ancients  " Deciphering it will be child's play."

Upon dying  "Death... Is... But... A... Word."

Art Regretfully, this, together with the skill set, is where I start coming short, as you could probably see through the pictures in the ability descriptions. Given that I'm still trying to get familiar with the drawing tablet and that I am nowhere near the level of quality a champion concept artist can provide, I made some visual concepts mostly to try and convey how I saw the champion. I will spare you the list of horrible attempts and only put the four that seemed more appropriate. And yes, I know, the second one looks like a bootleg Thresh.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/BFetDS2.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/DOxbygq.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/keTZSMK.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/AU7u3gy.jpg[/img]

Conclusion

Well, that’s it. If you read even a tenth of all this then it was worth it. It is pretty long, so I won’t expect you to read all of it, but if you did then you’ll have made my day! I’m looking forward to future developments on the lore, and whether we’ll see good old Boram again in the canon anytime soon, or just more on the Shadow Isles. Regardless of that, I’m glad I stumbled upon him, and I hope I managed to do him honor in my depiction. Do share your thoughts on the champion concept and ask any questions you might have.

Also, please answer the poll to help me figure out what he should look like!

**Update: ** 26 February 2016

I've introduced three main changes:

First, there was a blatant need for a rework of the kit, especially concerning the passive. I've now put up the reworked kit, though suggestions for improvement are always welcome. I will leave the champion role/detailed explanation untouched for now, for reference, and change it when I've gotten a clearer picture of what Boram should be like in game.

Second, typos fixed. I'm sure there's more, but I will find them, and I will correct them.

Third, for some reason the poll isn't up so I'm just going to create a straw poll for the images. If you don't mind checking it out, it would be great having your feedback! (Do notice my brilliant originality when naming each picture)

http://strawpoll.me/6922513

Also, there is a high chance I'm going to put up the lore separately from the concept in the "story and art" board because I'm realizing it's too big. Or just post it separately while leaving it here too. Given I am new to this I don't know if it's allowed or acceptable to go between boards like this or if I'm jumping off a cliff with no parachute into a pit of lava. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks to everybody for the support and advice!

Update: 12 March 2016

I moved to lore to the Story, Art & Sound section, as it seemed more appropriate there. You can see it here:

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/vFtAz8LX-boram-darkwills-legacy-a-proposition

Update:* 12 March 2016

Nevermind that! It seems the content is not appropriate for that section, so it was deleted. I'll put it back here. I do want to point out it only took Riot 4 minutes to tell me!

http://e.lvme.me/5aiwm1t.jpg