A Comprehensive Rundown of Shuriman Ascendants

So recently, I wound up making a list of Shuriman Ascendants with brief summaries of their roles in the lore for a friend of mine who's getting into the story of League, and... Well, I thought I'd just share what I have here.

Aatrox: Said to be among the most powerful warriors among the Ascended, as well as one of the proudest and noblest. His form pre-Darkin is unknown, but the common theory is that he was a dragon. His weapon of choice was a great-sword, but, like many others, he taught himself forbidden magics during the Great Darkin War. Currently, his essence is bound to his own blade and he is forced to use blood magic to take on mortal hosts in his desperation to escape his fate.

Varus: Once a mortal archer, Varus helped play a huge role in defending Shuriman territory from an Icathian assault, and was the only survivor of this battle. For his loyalty to Shurima, he was chosen to Ascend, but wasn’t particularly well-liked due to his somewhat cruel nature. It’s unknown what form he took or what his role in the Great Darkin War was, but currently, he is bound to his bow and attempting to take control of a host body made from two Ionian lovers.

Rhaast: We know next to nothing about Rhaast’s past, nor even what form he took as an Ascendant. Currently, he is bound to a scythe (presumably his weapon of choice) and trying to take control of the Ionian shadow ninja who wields him.

Nasus: One of the wisest scholars and most brilliant tacticians of the Shuriman empire. Nasus helped lead Shurima’s army to victory in countless battles, even before his Ascension, which is why he was chosen to undergo the Rite before his death. Nasus’s strategies often focused on minimizing casualties and destruction in conquests for the sake of preserving knowledge to add to his library. After locking his own brother away with Xerath, Nasus went into isolation, and was absent during the Great Darkin War. Recent events in the desert, however, have forced him out of hiding. His form is that of the jackal.

Renekton: A fearsome warrior, and brother of Nasus. Known for his ferocity on the battlefield, Renekton earned a reputation for himself by carrying out his brother’s strategies during conquests. While not initially chosen for Ascension, he was forced to carry his ill brother into the light of the Sun Disc, which many thought would lead to his death. Instead, he took the form of a crocodile and continued to fight in Shurima’s name until the day he sacrificed himself to seal Xerath away. Currently, he serves the Magus Ascendant, who has driven him mad after centuries of torture and lies in the isolated darkness of the tomb.

Azir: The last reigning emperor of the Shuriman empire. While not initially chosen for Ascension, he was convinced to undergo the Rite by his childhood friend, Xerath, and ordered preparations to be made. Xerath betrayed Azir, however, and killed him to take Ascension for himself. Centuries later, though, Azir was resurrected via ancient blood magic, and after saving his descendant from the brink of death, completed his Ascension to take the form of a falcon. Azir currently seeks to rebuild the Shuriman empire.

Xerath: The Grand Magus of Shurima, and also a former slave. He is special among the Ascended in that, in his desperation to usurp his oppressors, he absorbed all the magic of the Sun Disc to Ascend into a being of pure arcane energy. Despite this, though, he was still tricked and locked away for centuries by Nasus and Renekton. Recently, though, Xerath has been released, and aims to use his unrivaled magic and the corrupted Butcher of the Sands (Renekton) to conquer Runeterra.

Setaka: Once the warrior-queen of the Ascended Host, she was respected by all the Sunborn and looked up to as a leader, arguably more-so than the emperor himself. Setaka also possessed a legendary Celestial weapon known as the chalicar, which many of the Ascended coveted during the Great Darkin War. Setaka died while leading her allies against the Void, and her chalicar and remains were both buried in a secluded, secret location for centuries. Her form seems to have been that of a large desert cat.

Horok: Little is known about Horok, aside from the fact that he was the first Ascendant to willingly enter the Void and survive. He used the knowledge he gleaned from staring into the Great Abyss to develop countermeasures against it, such as the Nether Blade and a stone that harnesses the power of oblivion itself. His fate after the war is unknown.

Ta’anari: A warrior Ascendant, whose most noteworthy actions took place during the end of the Great Darkin War. Manipulated by the Aspect of Twilight, he lead his fellow Sunborn into a trap with the recently-recovered Chalicar to end the age of death and bloodshed his kind had caused. His form was that of a great desert cat.

Xuyaan: A warrior Ascendant. He takes the form of a turtle and wields a mighty axe, with which he crippled Ta’anari during the Great Darkin War. He perished in Nerimazeth during the Moonfall.

Shabaka and Shabake: The raven-feathered twins. More than any other Ascended, these two were known for their ability to divine the future through seer-craft. Once regarded as wise sages, these two went mad during the course of the Great Darkin War, and their final prophecy was a muddled foretelling of the Twilight of the Gods, during which they met their end.

Cebotaru: A warrior Ascendant who took the form of a great wolf. His prowess in battle had once nearly been enough to break the stalemate between the Sunborn and triumph in the Great Darkin War. He perished during the Moonfall at Nerimazeth.

Enakai: A warrior Ascendant who had undergone the Rite alongside Ta’anari. Together, they fought in countless battles, including the Void Invasion. He took the form of a tiger, and perished during the Moonfall in Nerimazeth.

Naganeka: Not much is known of Naganeka. She took the form of a serpent upon Ascending, and while capable of speech, rarely if ever deigned necessary to do so. When she did, she forced one of her blind servants to convey her words for her. She was wounded during the Moonfall in Nerimazeth, but managed to barely escape with her life. It is probable her venom was what transformed Cassiopeia centuries later.

Zigantus: Little is known of Zigantus, other than that he attempted to continue Azir’s legacy after the Fall of Shurima. He perished during the Moonfall in Nerimazeth.

Valeeva: Little is known of Valeeva, aside from that she and her brother fought together during the Great Darkin War, and sought to strike down anyone they perceived as a threat. She perished during the Moonfall in Nerimazeth.

Syphax: A warrior Ascended who took the form of a lizard. Little else is known of him. He perished during the Moonfall in Nerimazeth.