Does this bother anyone else?

RaptorKarr·11/30/2015, 3:15:13 AM·3 votes·785 views

While playing a match as Riven a thought came into my mind, she took part in a war with Ionia that was 20 years ago, but she looks like she's in her mid twenties, by all accounts Riven should be what forty or fifty years old? Why the hell does she look like she look so young then? I have three explanations for this.

The ageing process for people on Runeterra is REALLY slow.
Riven was actually part of a battle over one of Ionia's smaller islands and not the war twenty years ago.
I'm going to keep to myself because that would make for an AWESOME fanfiction. In all seriousness though why is this?

21 Comments

Marbelara11/30/2015, 2:39:39 PM3 votes

In Noxus, any citizen may rise to power regardless of race, gender, or social standing - strength is all that matters.

It was with committed faith in this ideal that Riven strove to greatness. She showed early potential as a soldier, forcing herself to master the weight of a long sword when she was barely its height. She was ruthless and efficient as a warrior, but her true strength lay in her conviction. She entered battles without any trace of doubt in her mind: no ethical pause, no fear of death.

Riven became a leader amongst her peers, poster child of the Noxian spirit. So exceptional was her passion that the High Command recognized her with a black stone rune sword forged and enchanted with Noxian sorcery. The weapon was heavier than a kite shield and nearly as broad - perfectly suited to her tastes.

Soon after, she was deployed to Ionia as part of the Noxian invasion.

Is this helpful? It basically states Riven was so exceptional, she was send into battle as a child, as per Noxian tradition of 'If you're strong enough, you can'.

Think Annie with a giant sword. It's nice to remember her parents were from Noxus, as well.

Sharjo11/30/2015, 3:26:52 AM2 votes

Well given the fact that the IoW's gone, the actual nature of the Ionia invasion is kinda up in the air, ESPECIALLY when it comes to dates. I'd assume that if it's still twenty years ago then Riven joined the war effort late in to the invasion when she was practically a teenager, but even then there's still over a decade of time to fill there.

I assume some things are gonna change about how the war played out when the time comes to visit Ionia in a lore centered event, which I'd imagine is sorta high on the list considering that Ionia has many glaring question marks and is one of the big undefined locales in Runeterra right now. We know so little about Ionia's actual culture and history right now that it's hard to make assumptions.

My own personal assumption has always been that they were just gonna redo the invasion and use Ao Shin as the crux for it to happen and resolve as we'd expect; Ionia repels the invasion after being occupied for many years.

sealust11/30/2015, 12:21:26 PM2 votes

For all of her experience Riven should be middle-aged. Honestly, I would chalk it up to the whole baby-faced bullshit a lot of games pull, even if they did make her look her age the community would be up in arms about how 'ugly' she would be. :/

LankPants11/30/2015, 9:06:13 AM1 votes

My assumption would be that fighting and resistance continued long after the original invasion twenty years ago. Since the retcon it makes sense that fighting would have had to continue for Ionia to regain its independence anyway, since they have no League to fight in.

To me it seems likely that Irelia, Riven and Yi would have fought only in the later parts of the war where Ionia began to turn the tides on Noxus.

Lithium Rosa11/30/2015, 4:12:53 PM1 votes

i don't think it's twenty years ago tho. Where is this stated?