Looking for some lore experts to assist with Factions lore

CupcakeTrap·Mar 17, 2015·13 votes·3,288 views

Looking for lore staffers for the Intermission team

(Note: If you've never heard of Factions, the tl;dr is that it's a community-run game mode based on matches fought with faction-specific rosters. The outcomes of these matches, which might for example pit Demacia against Zaun, determine the course of a developing storyline.)

For a while now, the Factions lore team has been somewhat understaffed. We're also taking a prolonged break ("Intermission") between storylines so that we can do some housekeeping and get everything set for the next story. A big part of that is lore: not only finishing up some lore from the Nyroth arc that's still in draft form, and polishing up some prior lore, but also (e.g.) building a lore wiki that will serve both as a Factions lore encyclopedia and as a general source of community lore for those who prefer their League of Legends universe to contain a League of Legends.

Here's my confession: although I consider myself an advocate for the lore community, and I've written a lot of Factions lore, I don't actually know that much about League of Legends lore. That's not false modesty; I really just don't have anything close to the in-depth knowledge that many of this board's community members possess.

I wasn't happy with the Great Retcon, but I think it did help to bring the lore community together, and give us a common sense of purpose. I'd like to ask for your help in turning that shared purpose and those stoked passions into something substantial. If you can, please consider sending in an application to join the Factions lore Intermission team. Although we're always happy to pick up some more authors, I'm posting this here (rather than in Community Creations) because I think it's even more important for us to get some lore experts with strong, developed opinions on League lore onto the team.

41 Comments

DotintheparadoxMar 17, 20154 votes

Hello Cupcake! You contacted me a while back about my lore examinations, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you for a while, but would I still be allowed to apply to your group at this time?

Also, I was looking at the champion factions, and I noticed there were a few champions missing from the city states. Most of them I understand as they are considered wanderers and factionless, however, is there any way to choose them regardless?

CupcakeTrapMar 17, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Hello Cupcake! You contacted me a while back about my lore examinations, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you for a while, but would I still be allowed to apply to your group at this time?

Of course! You're not only allowed but encouraged to do so.

{quoted}

Also, I was looking at the champion factions, and I noticed there were a few champions missing from the city states. Most of them I understand as they are considered wanderers and factionless, however, is there any way to choose them regardless?

Although we want to have nice big rosters that make it easy for people to participate, it is not necessarily our objective to place every single Champion on a faction. In-universe, many Champions are stateless drifters and mercenaries without strong ties to any particular faction. These Champions are sometimes available as "Tertiary" pickups during arcs. To explain that a little more: we use a tiered system to describe faction allegiances, with "Core" Champions being those with an extremely strong, "would be weird not to have them on the roster" link to the faction, "Secondary" Champions being those with a strong but not compelling link, and "Tertiary" Champions being those with an extremely tenuous, "I guess it's not THAT weird" connection. The Quest system (still under revision) will allow factions to temporarily expand their default Tertiary lists with new Champions. In short, although it may take some doing, the goal is to make it so that a faction can recruit pretty much anyone they like. To prevent rosters from getting crazy, Tertiary pickups are made somewhat more costly than other pickups, so a faction can only be expected to recruit perhaps one or two such Champions per arc.

DotintheparadoxMar 17, 20151 votes

Well I was wondering about these guys, if I can have some quick answers here?

Brand, and Ryze?

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Well I was wondering about these guys, if I can have some quick answers here?

Brand, and Ryze?

Neither of these characters have appeared in Factions in any significant capacity so far. (Actually, I don't think they've appeared at all.) I'd want to talk with the Factions community about them before they made their debut. Still, I could give some off-the-cuff initial answers.

Brand

I sketched out some possible ideas for Brand in this thread. He's an awkward character in that, as written, his motivation is basically "DESTROY EVERYTHING". He also has a super-vague backstory that leaves his origins quite mysterious. I think sorting these elements out would be important to figuring out which factions he might fight for.

If he's a prisoner of the League, then that provides one easy way to fit him on pretty much any roster as a Tertiary pickup. More elaborate solutions would involve answering some questions about his backstory. One possibility that I rather like is that he's a kind of fire elemental that was mostly annihilated during the Rune Wars. Factions canon implies that what makes rune magic "rune magic" is the direct use of magical leylines. Ordinary spells may be woven to align with leylines or draw on their ambient power, but the rune spells that made the Rune Wars so terrifying tear leylines open and use their raw power, allowing mages to deliver destruction orders of magnitude above and beyond what would be otherwise possible—but often with horrific consequences, especially for those ethereal beings that rely on the planet's energy flow to survive. I was thinking that Brand might have been a fire elemental sucked into a ruptured leyline during a spell, pulled from wherever he was before (Shurima?) to the Freljord, where the spell was being cast. Being used as fuel for a battle-spell could have left him broken and insane, filled with the brutally destructive ambition behind that rune-spell; he might then have been locked away in True Ice, either to protect the Freljord or (in a show of contrition) as an effort to save him from completely falling apart.

Going with that sort of fire elemental backstory, maybe Azir and the new Shurima would be appealing to him; maybe they could help restore him to some semblance of sanity, and mend his wounds. They seem to be into sun magic, and that's probably related to fire magic in some way.

Ryze

I actually don't know anything at all about Ryze other than that he's a "rogue mage". Time to open up his wiki page. Oooookay. So he's a rogue mage, he roguishly travels Valoran to learn magic, he's a rogue, he doesn't like established magical academies, he's a rogue, he's a mage, and he's a rogue mage. Also, he picked up a magical scroll that he calls an "abomination", and says he carries it to protect it from the world (or the world from it?), so that's something. He joined the League because, well, it's a really good place to learn magic.

Ryze strikes me mostly as a classic mercenary Champion, who'd probably be available to just about anyone as a merc. (If recruited.) His scroll is apparently dangerous. Demacia and Ionia come to mind as two factions especially interested in controlling dangerous magic, though Demacia probably isn't that keen on signing up a "rogue" anything.

So, tl;dr, they're both good merc Champs. We could do all kinds of things with them, but prima facie, they could be Tertiary pickups for just about anyone.

NarasimhaMar 18, 20151 votes

I'm more interested in how you're going to incorporate Bard . He's essentially the one champion that CANNOT exist with the IoW. Intentional or not, he's the deathblow to the old lore.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20152 votes

{quoted}

I'm more interested in how you're going to incorporate . He's essentially the one champion that CANNOT exist with the IoW. Intentional or not, he's the deathblow to the old lore.

Why do you say that? He seems to be a quirky mystical interloper who meddles in mortal affairs to maintain the cosmic balance. That actually makes him sound like a pretty good fit.

I'm guessing that your objection has to do with why he would join the League. But that doesn't seem all that difficult: his motives are inscrutable, and who are we to say that they wouldn't lead him to join the League of Legends, the center of arcane studies on Valoran? Also, if he's concerned about cross-dimensional disturbances, Rune Wars-level magic has shown an ability to tear through dimensions and bring catastrophe on a truly cosmic scale. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he played a role (without revealing himself) in the founding of the League. This chimey dude got really worked up over some old guy in Ionia blowing up a mountain: that's child's play compared to the insanity that happened during the Rune Wars.

I'd be curious to hear more. If absolutely necessary, we could tweak his lore for Factions purposes, but my approach thus far has been to find a way to fit new canon material in whenever possible. Personally, I find it a rather enjoyable creative exercise.

And hey, toss your name in the hat, and maybe we can bring you in to write his Judgment. :)

NarasimhaMar 18, 20151 votes

He seems to be a quirky mystical interloper who meddles in mortal affairs to maintain the cosmic balance.

Maybe we view him differently . I don't see him as an interloper, as that seems to indict more of a constant thing. At BEST it seems he pops up around once a century, to stop an event, and then leave. His entire spiel is about the fact that he DOESN'T spend time on Runeterra, that he doesn't really see mortals as entities worth interacting with. Why join the League? To him, it wouldn't even be something he'd think about. It'd be like an professional baseball player joining the Little Leagues. If he wants to stop a Rune War, HE can stop a Rune War. Why would the League even be involved?

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Maybe we view him differently . I don't see him as an interloper, as that seems to indict more of a constant thing. At BEST it seems he pops up around once a century, to stop an event, and then leave. His entire spiel is about the fact that he DOESN'T spend time on Runeterra, that he doesn't really see mortals as entities worth interacting with. Why join the League? To him, it wouldn't even be something he'd think about. It'd be like an professional baseball player joining the Little Leagues. If he wants to stop a Rune War, HE can stop a Rune War. Why would the League even be involved?

I think we might be making different assumptions about his power level. I see his power as somewhat limited, and not grossly different from that of an ordinary Runeterran Champion. His "vision" is much broader, and he has a much greater understanding of the balance of the cosmos, but in terms of raw power, I don't get the impression that he could single-handedly halt a Rune War. Not with a brute show of force, anyway—though perhaps by, say, adjusting things just so, so that over the centuries the nations of Valoran come together and found, I don't know, some kind of organization, or perhaps a "league" of sorts.

If he's basically a god, then I think we have some serious story problems. But nothing in his lore seems to demand that he have godly powers. He's just a powerful, Champion-level spirit who's attuned to the cosmic balance and strives to keep it in check. Maybe he's more of an "angel" than a deity, so to speak. (Alternatively, maybe his power is significantly greater than that of an ordinary Champion, but he follows certain rules that often prevent him from exercising his full power.) If he's not seen as an all-powerful being, then joining the League makes a lot of sense.

Another angle: maybe he joins the League because he thinks it's fun. I don't know what concept of entertainment or happiness he might have, but he might not just be an obsessive balance-fixer with no comprehension of anything else. Maybe maintaining the cosmic balance is his primary cause, sure, but who's to say he doesn't have other, lesser motivations? Perhaps he and the meeps enjoy brawling on the Fields and experiencing the crazy kaleidoscope of magical energy that plays across them.

NarasimhaMar 18, 20151 votes

When the unknowable structure of the universe is threatened, Bard steers all existence away from utter annihilation.

I would say this one line sums up his power level quite nicely, honestly. They flat out say he doesn't just change the fate of Runeterra, but of its entire universe as well.

Also, from the Q&A

The green ball that sits in Bard's horn is a harmonic key that splits layers of reality and taps directly into the magical friction that all worlds emit.

That doesn't sound like something an ordinary champion would have.

Actually, another interesting point from the Q&A

This is actually a question I struggled with a lot making his kit. What brought him to Summoner's Rift? Why is he fighting? He can travel through dimensions, how can he ever LOSE?

The answer is that Summoner's Rift is just an idea, it's a stage to present the abbreviated stories and personalities of these characters who belong to a larger, longer story.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, if you can find a reasonable way to use Bard, that'd be awesome. But making a stretch or forcing changes to him just to fit him in doesn't do credit to Factions or his creators.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20152 votes

{quoted}

"When the unknowable structure of the universe is threatened, Bard steers all existence away from utter annihilation."

I would say this one line sums up his power level quite nicely, honestly. They flat out say he doesn't just change the fate of Runeterra, but of its entire universe as well.

I don't read that to mean that he "himself" (i.e., this manifestation of Bard, with the meeps and so forth) is "personally" responsible for protecting the entire universe, but rather that this is the larger mission he works toward. That doesn't mean he has to be restricted to Runeterra—Runeterra is, after all, part of the larger universe—but it does indicate that he might not himself have access to truly unlimited power. To use a rather more mundane analogy, Caitlyn might be described as "protecting all of Piltover from crime", but that doesn't mean that she personally is the only thing standing between Piltovian society and lawless anarchy. Rather, it simply means that she considers all of Piltover her domain, and considers her duty to extend to protecting every citizen of Piltover, even if she can't actually protect everyone all the time. Perhaps Bard is, similarly, a sort of cosmic cop, who happens to be "assigned" principally to Runeterra. Maybe that's his "beat".

I'm not saying you're wrong to read it differently. Sure, you could interpret his lore to make him basically God with a Capital G, omnipotent and omniscient. But I don't think one must read his lore that way. I would further add that reading Bard to be, well, God would pose some serious story problems. If someone from Narrative comes by here and declares that Bard is in fact the Almighty, and that his power knows no bounds, I suppose I would indeed have to modify Factions Bard to diverge from Riot Bard in that sense. The alternative would be to leave Bard out of Faction matches, and state that in the Factions canon he's not in fact a Champion of the League, nor does he ever interact with the League (or at least not with League matches). I find that less interesting. If it came to that—if Riot declared that Bard is all-powerful—I would not be particularly troubled about implementing that deviation, so as to allow Bard to participate in Factions matches and be part of the League. I think he's actually much more charming as an "angelic" figure who bops around with his meeps and takes people on magical journeys, doing his best with his limited powers to keep the universe together.

{quoted}

Also, from the Q&A: "The green ball that sits in Bard's horn is a harmonic key that splits layers of reality and taps directly into the magical friction that all worlds emit."

That doesn't sound like something an ordinary champion would have.

Sounds fine to me. Zilean can warp time, for instance. The Void Champions can tear dimensions apart to nullify mortal magic. Soraka can call down astral magic to restore people to life. Aatrox can manipulate the currents of destiny. And Bard is in tune with the dimensions, and can manipulate that dimensional fabric. So long as there are some limits on this power, I see no problems there.

{quoted}

Actually, another interesting point from the Q&A:

"The answer is that Summoner's Rift is just an idea, it's a stage to present the abbreviated stories and personalities of these characters who belong to a larger, longer story."

Well, yes, that's the official Riot line: that the League of Legends doesn't actually exist in the League of Legends universe, and that the game we play is a Smash Bros. "what if" illustration. I think that works well for their purposes, but this is the one point on which Factions has dramatically parted ways with Riot's lore: in the Factions universe, Summoner's Rift is not a daydream, but a real place. Now, it's not necessarily the case that every match that's played in our world corresponds perfectly to a match that takes place in Runeterra, nor is it necessarily the case that every RL "Summoner" exists in the Factions universe. (That would be quite a lot of Summoners, and I don't think Runeterra's population is quite that massive.) But the core idea of Factions is that there is a League of Legends and that matches are fought on the Fields of Justice.

I certainly wish Narrative luck in telling their "larger, longer story", and I look forward to seeing it whenever it arrives. In the meantime, the Factions story continues along a somewhat different path.

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

I would say this one line sums up his power level quite nicely, honestly. They flat out say he doesn't just change the fate of Runeterra, but of its entire universe as well.

Also, from the Q&A

That doesn't sound like something an ordinary champion would have.

Actually, another interesting point from the Q&A

Edit: Don't get me wrong, if you can find a reasonable way to use Bard, that'd be awesome. But making a stretch or forcing changes to him just to fit him in doesn't do credit to Factions or his creators.

Bard comes to save the day like normal but Noxus came prepared, in fact their doomsday weapon designed by Signed was just a decoy to bait out Bard and capture him with a secondary device that was stolen from Heimerdinger. (Yes as stated by the Q&A, you can imprison Bard.)

Its like something out of a comic book. Superman comes to save the day and stop lex luthor's doomsday weapon but is tricked by Lex for that wasn't his plan at all, it was to trap superman and drain him of his power in order to actually power up his doomsday weapon.

DG AshabelMar 18, 20151 votes

On the other hand, do we really need to see him captured? Bard could do like Cho'gath and sneakily slip into the summoning rituals on his own terms, aligning himself with whatever summoner he considers most appropriate at the time. The League knows about him, heard the legends but also cannot really stop him because of how his powers work (much like they can't stop Ezreal's gauntlet from getting him summoned).

On the matter of his infinite powers, he doesn't actually need those; in fact, it would be poor writing for him to have that much power. The idea about changing history effectively is the butterfly effect. Bard doesn't need to change the entire event, he only needs to tune a single lever (much like he did during what is supposed to be the Noxus/Ionia war).

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=DG Ashabel,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=00020000000000000000000000000000000000010000,timestamp=2015-03-18T03:54:53.299+0000)

On the other hand, do we really need to see him captured? Bard could do like Cho'gath and sneakily slip into the summoning rituals on his own terms, aligning himself with whatever summoner he considers most appropriate at the time. The League knows about him, heard the legends but also cannot really stop him because of how his powers work (much like they can't stop Ezreal's gauntlet from getting him summoned).

On the matter of his infinite powers, he doesn't actually need those; in fact, it would be poor writing for him to have that much power. The idea about changing history effectively is the butterfly effect. Bard doesn't need to change the entire event, he only needs to tune a single lever (much like he did during what is supposed to be the Noxus/Ionia war).

Was just throwing it out there. The only other way I can think writing Bard besides him getting directly involved in stealing say a doomsday weapon is a Chekov's Gun effect similar to A butterfly effect in Chaos Theory. Like Bard whittles down part of a large stone wall and through time and eroison that part will cause a giant slab of stone to break off and fall which might stop an army like it took out an important state of the art siege weapon.

TheUntitledKingMar 18, 20152 votes

{quoted}

Why do you say that? He seems to be a quirky mystical interloper who meddles in mortal affairs to maintain the cosmic balance. That actually makes him sound like a pretty good fit.

I'm guessing that your objection has to do with why he would join the League. But that doesn't seem all that difficult: his motives are inscrutable, and who are we to say that they wouldn't lead him to join the League of Legends, the center of arcane studies on Valoran? Also, if he's concerned about cross-dimensional disturbances, Rune Wars-level magic has shown an ability to tear through dimensions and bring catastrophe on a truly cosmic scale. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he played a role (without revealing himself) in the founding of the League. This chimey dude got really worked up over some old guy in Ionia blowing up a mountain: that's child's play compared to the insanity that happened during the Rune Wars.

I'd be curious to hear more. If absolutely necessary, we could tweak his lore for Factions purposes, but my approach thus far has been to find a way to fit new canon material in whenever possible. Personally, I find it a rather enjoyable creative exercise.

And hey, toss your name in the hat, and maybe we can bring you in to write his Judgment. :)

I considered Bard Riot's way of finalizing the death of the IoW. He's the new storyteller. Everything you've heard about all the Champions? He said it.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

I considered Bard Riot's way of finalizing the death of the IoW. He's the new storyteller. Everything you've heard about all the Champions? He said it.

I think that may in fact be part of what they're going for. And who knows: maybe even in the Factions universe, it's Bard who will tell the story of what happened, thousands of years in the future. I played around with a more modest version of that in Against Apocalypse, and I'm thinking I might return to that retrospective framing as part of the Nyroth wrap-up.

DG AshabelMar 18, 20154 votes

Man, I've grown to really like Ryze recently. He's very interesting once you sit down and consider his identity. I really want to compare him a bit to Marvel Comics' Wolverine, a bit to Fables' Bigby Wolf (with whom he shares his voice actor) and, most importantly, to the old TV-series interpretation of Bruce Banner/Hulk. He's very much a lone gunman character, a benevolent jackass who roams the world and helps people on his own terms. The catch here is that as you might notice from both examples, most characters of his type are bruisers whereas Ryze is a kung fu mage.

I think that could be played up in his lore very well. He isn't on anyone's side in particular but he is a force of good who already showed a willingness to make hard choices (he stole the scroll from a woman he deeply loved) and a lack of a strong ideological standing. He is essentially good for the sake of good; willing to help people on impulse rather than because something drives him to do so.

I think he could sit well as a surrogate father figure for younger champions like Annie and Amumu, because he's old, world-weary, has more than a little experience with being a freak who has nowhere to go, and he had likely seen the world at its best and worst during his journeys. I would also plant him as the one mage who wouldn't get along with other mages because of how his understanding of the craft is shaped, but also strangely easier for other champions to approach.

( I'm also going to say right now that I happily Ryze/Ahri and you won't be able to stop me. )

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=DG Ashabel,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=00020000000000000001,timestamp=2015-03-18T03:41:20.818+0000)

Man, I've grown to really like Ryze recently. He's very interesting once you sit down and consider his identity. I really want to compare him a bit to Marvel Comics' Wolverine, a bit to Fables' Bigby Wolf (with whom he shares his voice actor) and, most importantly, to the old TV-series interpretation of Bruce Banner/Hulk. He's very much a lone gunman character, a benevolent jackass who roams the world and helps people on his own terms. The catch here is that as you might notice from both examples, most characters of his type are bruisers whereas Ryze is a kung fu mage.

I think that could be played up in his lore very well. He isn't on anyone's side in particular but he is a force of good who already showed a willingness to make hard choices (he stole the scroll from a woman he deeply loved) and a lack of a strong ideological standing. He is essentially good for the sake of good; willing to help people on impulse rather than because something drives him to do so.

I think he could sit well as a surrogate father figure for younger champions like Annie and Amumu, because he's old, world-weary, has more than a little experience with being a freak who has nowhere to go, and he had likely seen the world at its best and worst during his journeys. I would also plant him as the one mage who wouldn't get along with other mages because of how his understanding of the craft is shaped, but also strangely easier for other champions to approach.

( I'm also going to say right now that I happily Ryze/Ahri and you won't be able to stop me. )

Thank you for writing this. I'm really digging this reading. (The only catch might be that it's starting to sound a lot like my version of Jax, albeit less spooky and weird.)

I also just realized I hadn't read his Judgment.

Let's have a look-see.

Slung over his powerful back

hawt

Every muscle in his body tightened like a coiled spring.

dude lifts

"Lilith?" he gasped, "How did you find me?"

Wait, her name is actually Lilith?

She reached out a slender hand, lightly drawing her long nails down Ryze's bare chest.

pls 2 sexy 4 me

"Ryze," she purred, "You cannot hide from me." She drew in closer, catching him in her embrace. "I have a secret," she whispered, pulling herself close to his cheek. "I will never let you go!"

(overly attached girlfriend)

biting his earlobe suggestively.

this is making me uncomfortable

catching himself on pure, unmarked hands

Mmm, Ryze, baby, your hands are so…pure…

He hadn't seen his bare flesh in years.

Never-nude?

"Pardon, mistress,"

her desires are…unconventional

"I am weary and in search of shelter for the evening. The Howling Marsh is no place to be caught after dark."

I'm liking this, actually. That's quite flavorful.

"I do not shelter insufferable wayfarers," she replied,

"I've had enough of your snide insinuations," she snapped.

She dug her fingernails into the shirt over his chest, "Why, pretty thing? Why should I spare your life?"

She likes the nails.

He inhaled sharply through the pain in his chest, "Because I have been searching for you for my entire life," he stammered, "and it would break my heart to die, now."

She climbed onto the bed with him, straddling his lower back.

I was genuinely not expecting this. I need an adult.

"Don’t squirm!" Lilith shouted, bringing a hand down hard on his shoulder with an audible smack.

On his…shoulder…

She freed his limbs. "Now roll over," she snapped, another needle clutched lightly in her fingers, "I haven't finished."

I think my neighbors are going to come knocking after hearing that last outburst of laughter from me. "ROLL OVER. I HAVEN'T FINISHED."

Lilith scoffed. "Why do you want to join the League, Ryze?"

Wait, so this was a Summoner cybering with him? Um. Hostile work environment?

Okay, so that was a pretty…unusual…Judgment. But yeah, it's interesting that he got the scroll from someone, and betrayed her to do it.

From this, and your post, I'm getting a vibe along the lines of "rough-and-tumble loner, heart of gold, gruff, has had to make some hard choices and grow up." Again, my main concern would be differentiating him from Jax.

DG AshabelMar 18, 20151 votes

I love Ryze's judgment. It makes it clear that he's been to a lot of places, literally, figuratively and euphimistically. :9

Again, my main concern would be differentiating him from Jax.

I think that's the easiest part. Make Jax more of a Large Ham. He certainly fits the trope because unlike Ryze, he is invariably friendly. If we go back to that earlier Marvel Comics comparison, he could be Thor to Ryze's Wolverine. Both are similar characters in terms of world-weariness, but they balance each other well in stories they share.

Yes, it would make Jax more of a comic relief, but I don't think that's a bad thing. League does need more comic relief characters and it's fine for him to be that. He could really benefit from being a slightly less hammy Grimlock.

As a bonus benefit, you can play up Jax's mysteriousness by sometimes making him not quite remember who, where and when he fought in his long career of beating people with blunt and moderately sharpened instruments, much to the frustrations of people who wanted him for specifics of battles in which he participated.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=DG Ashabel,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=0002000000000000000100000000,timestamp=2015-03-18T04:14:22.548+0000)

I love Ryze's judgment. It makes it clear that he's been to a lot of places, literally, figuratively and euphimistically. :9

I think that's the easiest part. Make Jax more of a Large Ham. He certainly fits the trope because unlike Ryze, he is invariably friendly. If we go back to that earlier Marvel Comics comparison, he could be Thor to Ryze's Wolverine. Both are similar characters in terms of world-weariness, but they balance each other well in stories they share.

Yes, it would make Jax more of a comic relief, but I don't think that's a bad thing. League does need more comic relief characters and it's fine for him to be that. He could really benefit from being a slightly less hammy Grimlock.

As a bonus benefit, you can play up Jax's mysteriousness by sometimes making him not quite remember who, where and when he fought in his long career of beating people with blunt and moderately sharpened instruments, much to the frustrations of people who wanted him for specifics of battles in which he participated.

Well, perhaps the distinction is also that whereas Jax is implied to be some kind of Darkin or other supernatural being trying really hard to pretend to be some glib merc so that he doesn't go all Aatrox, that's really who Ryze is. That might make for a nice contrast. Not sure I'd want them in the same lore update, still, but I think that would work.

DG AshabelMar 18, 20151 votes

Well, perhaps the distinction is also that whereas Jax is implied to be some kind of Darkin or other supernatural being trying really hard to pretend to be some glib merc so that he doesn't go all Aatrox, that's really who Ryze is. That might make for a nice contrast.

That is only one reading of Jax's lore though. Another good thing about Jax is that much like with his career as a mercenary, you can use theories about his true nature as red herrings that drive his personal story arcs. Turn his shapelessness into his shape, so to speak.

Not sure I'd want them in the same lore update, still, but I think that would work.

That's completely fair. A chemistry of two grizzled veterans can be hard to keep engaging. On the other hand, their contrasting personalities mean they would build completely different personal circles. Characters like Ashe would sooner gravitate toward Ryze because his weariness makes him easier to take seriously, while Jax would be sooner approached by people like Gragas, who are in it for a good time. There would obviously be crossovers in their relationships, but they can and should be nudged into different spots within the cast.

Make their stories where they do come together into something like those loud "BATMAN VS. WOLVERINE" crossovers, where their stories are given weight by the sheer amount of badass motherfuckery involved.

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20151 votes

If you haven't read Brand's judgment, you should. Hes actually fairly lucid for an elemental of fiery destruction. Sure he is *shoot first ask later *but he can be reasoned with if fire doesn't seem to work.

*"I am a creature of ever-lasting fire. I am a creature who burns away what needs to make way for what will be. I am a creature born to renew the world." * - Brand (Judgment)

Basically consider here a mercenary by trade just like Ryze. Brand is basically a flamethrower. Just point towards the direction you want for destruction to happen and don't get caught in the flames. However just like a fire he is chaotic and neutral, he can hurt those who think they can control him.

Only reason they even put him into servitude was because of the league caged him and threatened Brand, the actual elemental not the host, would be stripped from the body and trapped again if he didn't comply. The cage is also the only reason he didn't just burn the Summoner alive where he stood.

DG AshabelMar 18, 20151 votes

Only reason they even put him into servitude was because of the league caged him and threatened Brand, the actual elemental not the host, would be stripped from the body and trapped again if he didn't comply. The cage is also the only reason he didn't just burn the Summoner alive where he stood.

Also worth noting that the cage doesn't actually hold him. The very last line of his judgment is badly written in that regard, in that it implies resignation to his current state whereas everything else implies a subtle rebellion.

The thing is that Brand did call the bluff on the summoner's part, both in terms of the cage's power and the knowledge of the ancient ritual used to contain him. It is very likely that he stays in the prison not because it actually contains him, but because it's a good place for him to be while he surveys this new era, gathers power and decides on his best course of action.

Brand is old and far from a fool. He can use the League to protect himself while the League thinks they're protecting the world from him.

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=DG Ashabel,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=00020000000000000001000000010000,timestamp=2015-03-18T04:49:29.953+0000)

Also worth noting that the cage doesn't actually hold him. The very last line of his judgment is badly written in that regard, in that it implies resignation to his current state whereas everything else implies a subtle rebellion.

The thing is that Brand did call the bluff on the summoner's part, both in terms of the cage's power and the knowledge of the ancient ritual used to contain him. It is very likely that he stays in the prison not because it actually contains him, but because it's a good place for him to be while he surveys this new era, gathers power and decides on his best course of action.

Brand is old and far from a fool. He can use the League to protect himself while the League thinks they're protecting the world from him.

I agree he is rebellious, most fire-based characters are that. I also agree that he is just bidding his time and is looking for as much freedom as possible "A leash was far better than an eternity caged."

I also concur that Brand did call the bluff, however he was caged by the summoner in a different manner. The cage of light while in the IoW.

"*Knowing that violence was no longer an option, he sat cross-legged in the pool of light and willed the flames that played across his body to burn even more brightly. *"

GenoXxMar 17, 20153 votes

Interesting

LoL Ergo UrgotMar 17, 20153 votes

Bump, not a writer but I do love lore.

Iceborn PippinMar 17, 20152 votes

It does sound like an interesting prospect and I usually have my head filled with a variety of scenarios for characters.

ModCaptainMårvelousMar 17, 20152 votes

Good luck finding what you need, Cupcake!

NorthernDruidMar 17, 20152 votes

Damn, gotta hurry up and read what's on the lol wiki, so I can help out.

Sneak DogMar 17, 20152 votes

I erm, know Trundle for... reasons. If you've any questions about the old one or wondering how to fit the old Trundle in the new story, I'm happy to help (though I'm no writer I fear). Not sure which troll Factions rolls with.

I know the general lore too, having read the JoJ and most if not all judgements, but there's probably people that know that and are better at writing out their stories/arguments than me.

Bunb0tMar 17, 20152 votes

I'm not as well versed on the new lore, but having played since lux's release and my adoration for the old lore, any champion interaction related questions i can help with, as well as a general knowledge base for most lore related league things :)

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20152 votes

Just been reading up on the stories for Factions. So far its got me hooked.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Iceborn Pippin,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=0009,timestamp=2015-03-18T05:47:11.295+0000)

Just been reading up on the stories for Factions. So far its got me hooked.

Thank you! If you have any specific comments, I'd love to hear them. Feedback is always helpful.

Iceborn PippinMar 18, 20152 votes

{quoted}

Thank you! If you have any specific comments, I'd love to hear them. Feedback is always helpful.

I am personally happy that Story Arcs 4-6 have between 12 to 10 updates compared to Story Arcs 1-3 Which had about half for what Story Arcs 4-6 get. Much nicer to be able to read more about what is going on in the Story Arc.

Story Arcs 1-2 felt like the Beginning/End of a story yet the Middle seemed to be missing. Story Arc 3 actually felt like it had a solid Beginning, Middle and End.

It is getting a bit late for me as well so I will post-pone reading story arcs 4-6 (Shon-Xan, Hextech Revolution, Nyroth) till tomorrow.

Aside from a few tiny criticisms I had, I have been enjoying reading it. I feel the character's personalities were captured very well and felt believable.

In fact I like it because it does remind me of the Journal of Justice and how it feels like STUFF is going on in Runeterra. The fact that the factions are fighting each other and otherworldly threats along with the fact they are contesting over various things like materials/land makes the world feel ALIVE.

The SoulforgedMar 18, 20152 votes

Decided to send in an application, but I'm not sure how much time I'll really spend on the lore. I'd love to help with lore direction and give ideas though :).

GenoXxMar 19, 20152 votes

Sorry for double posting but I'm interested in assisting with anything.. I know alot about the lore that was given. I studied it all pretty much

Melancholy ExileMar 18, 20151 votes

I would certainly be interested in applying for this but I have to admit that the four mandatory lore snippets on the application are doing more than a little to sap my will to do so. Writing fiction isn't a problem for me per se (I've managed numerous LoL ask and roleplay blogs on tumblr) but it's something that always manages to bog me down and drag things out to an interminable length. It just seems a bit strange to me that you ask here for 'lore experts' but have an application form which seems orientated around those who write fiction rather than allowing applicants to provide some sort of character analysis or similar piece to demonstrate their ability to analyse and draw meaningful conclusions from the lore. I'm certainly willing to give it a shot, but it feels like anything I produce wouldn't strictly show you my ability in the field I'm applying for.

Forgive me if I seem a bit tactless here, but I'm not sure how you can gauge if someone has strong, developed opinions on the lore from how they describe a scene from the A New Dawn cinematic.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Melancholy Exile,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=0008,timestamp=2015-03-18T05:23:48.622+0000)

I would certainly be interested in applying for this but I have to admit that the four mandatory lore snippets on the application are doing more than a little to sap my will to do so. Writing fiction isn't a problem for me per se (I've managed numerous LoL ask and roleplay blogs on tumblr) but it's something that always manages to bog me down and drag things out to an interminable length. It just seems a bit strange to me that you ask here for 'lore experts' but have an application form which seems orientated around those who write fiction rather than allowing applicants to provide some sort of character analysis or similar piece to demonstrate their ability to analyse and draw meaningful conclusions from the lore. I'm certainly willing to give it a shot, but it feels like anything I produce wouldn't strictly show you my ability in the field I'm applying for.

Forgive me if I seem a bit tactless here, but I'm not sure how you can gauge if someone has strong, developed opinions on the lore from how they describe a scene from the A New Dawn cinematic.

The application is aimed at both lore advisors and writers; the prompts are mostly meant for the latter. I would have no problem with someone putting just a couple sentences down for each of those questions, or even just writing "I'm just applying to be a lore advisor". As for how the snippets might show one's developed opinions about the lore, I do think that they provide ample opportunity to work in some lore tidbits, e.g. to show one's ideas about how magic works, or a bit of a Champion's personality.

Melancholy ExileMar 18, 20151 votes

Fair enough. I think the problem is more in me and the way that I approach things. You ask me for a brief snippet of character interaction and I'm probably going to spend 2-3 hours producing 500 words or more ... and it's going to probably contain one line of dialogue and be almost entirely spent on internal thoughts and metaphor.

I hope you don't mind, and don't worry if this isn't an appropriate time, but I've sent you a friend request on League because I've always found it infinitely easier to discuss something with someone via IM than over forums like this. I totally understand if that's something you wouldn't be comfortable doing but I think it would help me a great deal.

CupcakeTrapMar 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Melancholy Exile,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=000800000000,timestamp=2015-03-18T05:52:03.060+0000)

Fair enough. I think the problem is more in me and the way that I approach things. You ask me for a brief snippet of character interaction and I'm probably going to spend 2-3 hours producing 500 words or more ... and it's going to probably contain one line of dialogue and be almost entirely spent on internal thoughts and metaphor.

I hope you don't mind, and don't worry if this isn't an appropriate time, but I've sent you a friend request on League because I've always found it infinitely easier to discuss something with someone via IM than over forums like this. I totally understand if that's something you wouldn't be comfortable doing but I think it would help me a great deal.

I totally understand. I know that writing prompts can be kind of awkward.

I'd love to chat in-client sometime. I need to crash at the moment; just finished banging out the lore for this weekend's Featured Matches, and now is sleeptime.

Frosty HoodooMar 18, 20152 votes

[{quoted}](name=Melancholy Exile,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=0008,timestamp=2015-03-18T05:23:48.622+0000)

I would certainly be interested in applying for this but I have to admit that the four mandatory lore snippets on the application are doing more than a little to sap my will to do so. Writing fiction isn't a problem for me per se (I've managed numerous LoL ask and roleplay blogs on tumblr) but it's something that always manages to bog me down and drag things out to an interminable length. It just seems a bit strange to me that you ask here for 'lore experts' but have an application form which seems orientated around those who write fiction rather than allowing applicants to provide some sort of character analysis or similar piece to demonstrate their ability to analyse and draw meaningful conclusions from the lore. I'm certainly willing to give it a shot, but it feels like anything I produce wouldn't strictly show you my ability in the field I'm applying for.

Forgive me if I seem a bit tactless here, but I'm not sure how you can gauge if someone has strong, developed opinions on the lore from how they describe a scene from the A New Dawn cinematic.

Lore expert and lore writer go hand-in-hand. If you have a great grasp of the lore and understand the connections and motivations you can also write about what would happen next.

Melancholy ExileMar 18, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=Frosty Hoodoo,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2ETFrAJJ,comment-id=00080001,timestamp=2015-03-18T05:38:43.570+0000)

Lore expert and lore writer go hand-in-hand. If you have a great grasp of the lore and understand the connections and motivations you can also write about what would happen next.

Personally I actually disagree with this. I'm generally quite good at bringing together concepts, motivations and getting an idea of who a character is and where they fit into the world but translating that into genuine momentum and, perhaps more importantly, actually having the ideas and gumption to forge out into unexplored territory has always been difficult for me.

I've written at least 25-30k words from Riven's perspective (Speaking from Riven's position and mindset but in a more forthcoming fashion) as character analysis and worldbuilding on my aforementioned askblog but I would struggle a great deal if you asked me write the next chapter in her story. My strong suit is reading into and analysing what's already there rather than producing entirely new content, and I feel that I'm infinitely more suited for a supporting role than being the one to drive things forward. I'm someone who simply lacks the self-confidence and drive to actually carry a project at this point in time.