The forgotten lands of Runeterra

Since Riot announced that the old lore isn't canon anymore, we have heard about all the different factions of Runeterra and know that Demacia, Noxus, Shurima, Ionia and all the other factions where our beloved champions originate from still exist...but wait, some champions don't really find a home in these factions. Thats because there old homes weren't announced as canon yet. So with this post I wanna talk a bit about 3 of those forgotten lands and the champions, who would feel home there.

The Plague Jungles The Plague Jungles is (according to the old lore) a tropical landscape, which got heavily influenced by the Rune Wars. This resulted in the creation of abnormal flora and fauna.

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/MonkeyKing_0.jpg The only champion we got from the Plague Jungles is Wukong, the Monkey King. A look at his lore reveals that a Runestone got lost in the Plague Jungles during one Rune War and it's magic infused the nearby wildlife with sentience and vitality. A group of sentinent monkeys tried to perform a ritual with the runestone to achieve immortality, but ended up destroying it and creating Wukong (first called "Kong"). An unquenchable desire for greatness led him to Ionia, where he met Master Yi and got taught in the art of Wuju style.

Knowing these informations I think the Plague Jungles would still fit into the current lore. Looking at Wukongs lore, makes me asume it would be placed near (and ofc on the same continent as) Ionia. And it could not only give home to Wukong but also to one other champion:

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Ahri_0.jpg Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox. According to her lore, she was living in the woods of Ionia and had a strange connection to the magical world. Deep inside, she felt a strange desire of becoming a human. Placing her into the Plague Jungles feels just right for me, as her connection to the magical world and her strange sentinent could be explained by the runestone lying deep in the jungle. Following her lore, she than turned human after consuming the life essence of a man during a battle (Noxus invasion of Ionia?). Another thing that connects her to the Plague Jungles is that her only friend listed on her lorepage is Wukong. (Also Rammus, the Armordillo gained his powers in the Plague Jungles, but this is his old lore and since Ionia and Shurima no longer share a continent, I don't think this would make much sense now.)

The Kumungu The Kumungu also is a jungle landscape and on the old (and now noncanon) map of Runeterra was placed right next to the Plague Jungles. The Kumungu Jungle is an unforgiving place, where many left their lives seeking the treasures deep inside it (and it's also scared by the Rune Wars).

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Nidalee_0.jpg One of the 2 champions we got from Kumungu is Nidalee, the Bestial Huntress. In her old lore she and her parents were traveling through the Kumungu Jungle, seeking treasures, but lost their way. Nidalee than had to watch her parents die from a mysterious disease. She somehow managed to survive and was raised by a family of cougars as one of their own. She grew and absorbed the magic surrounding her, evolving beyond her human physiology and her feline affection. One day, after encountering a Noxian squad of woodcatters, Nidalee chose to return to the human society, in order to protect her home - the Kumungu Jungle.

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Zyra_0.jpg Zyra, Rise of the Thorns, is the second champion originating from the Kumungu Jungle. Zyra and the other of her kind once dominated the Kumungu, consuming every animal that set foot in their territory. But the food became rare and one by one the plants withered away until Zyra was the last of her kind. Thinking she would perish alone, Zyra was surprised by the appearance of an unwary sorceress. Quickly devouring her, the memories of a jungle made of metal and stone invaded Zyra and making her devising a risky plan in order to survive. Using her newfound magic she created a human-shaped vessel, knewing that there was so much now within her grasp.

(Also the Kumungu Jungle is the place where Teemo, the Swift Scout obtains the poison he uses, but I don't think this is very relevant.)

After reading through these lores, I think the Kumungu can find a home near Noxus, as Noxians were clearing the jungle in Nidalees lore and the "jungle made of metal and stone" in Zyras lore would be (ofc) Noxus. Nidalee and Zyra could also be placed in the Plague Jungles, but I think having two tropical, but dangerous jungle in one world isn't very unlikely. Also I don't see Ionians clearing forests, as I think they respect their nature, so if Nidalee would originate from the Plague Jungles the last part of her story (turing back to human society to protect her jungle) would drop out. But there are 2 other champs, of which I think can find a home in the Kumungu Jungle.

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Rengar_0.jpg Rengar, the Pridestalker is one of them. His lore doesn't reveal much of his origin. He never knew his parents and was raised by a legendary hunter. Growing up, he set off and claimed a wide territory for himself. Unable to find challenging prey he feared that he never again would feel the thrill of the hunt. Until the day he met

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Khazix_0.jpg Kha'Zix, the Voidreaver and the second champion I also would place in the Kumungu (of course with the void as birthplace, but the Kumungu as a residence). A creature from the void, devouring the lands most promising creatures, to evolve more powerful. When Rengar and Kha'Zix met, they fought from sunset to sunrise, before both had to retrieve. Healing there wounds they both only had one thing in mind - killing the other and becoming the ultimate hunter.

Rengars residence is unknown, his lore just reveals that he lives in a den. Kha'Zix originates from the void, but it is unknown where he entered Runterra. So I would put them both in the Kumungu Jungle, as it seems to be a fitting place and also Nidalee and Rengar are listed as rivals.

The Voodoo Lands The Voodoo Lands are an unforgiving barren wilderness, colonized by political and social outcasts of Noxus ("the Gray Order"), to leave their neigbors in peace as they pursue dark arcane knwoledge. The leaders are a married couple: Gregori Hastur, the Gray Warlock, and his wife Amoline, the Shadow Witch. And they had a daughter...

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Annie_0.jpg Annie, the Dark Child. She is the only champion we got from the Voodoo Lands. Born in the Voodoo Lands, Annie allways was something special. Being able to control fire and ensorcelling a ferocious shadow bear, turning it into her pet (Tibbers).

A very short, but definitly interesting story! It reveals that not every Noxian agrees with the Noxian High Command. So a place for outcast-Noxians was created in the harsh enviroment of the Voodoo Lands. And because Annie was born there she posseses the magic of her surroundings. And again I have two champions, who I think would fit in the Voodoo Lands!

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/FiddleSticks_0.jpg Fiddlesticks, the Harbinger of Doom

and

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Nocturne_0.jpg Nocturne, the Eternal Nightmare. Both their old lores are connected to the Institute of War and thereby don't make any sense now, since the Institute got deleted from the lore. Of course I think somehow they both could be placed in the Shadow Isles, but the Voodoo Lands sounds more fitting to me. The Shadow Isles is a place where the dead comes back to live, but the Voodoo Lands sounds like a place where the unliving comes alive (like a nightmare or a scarecrow). And since the Voodoo Lands doesn't have much lore, a big room for some ideas and explorations exists!

Soooo...sorry for this wall of text and thanks to all who read this far :P What do you guys think about my ideas? Do you think the Plague Jungles, Kumungu and the Voodoo Lands should stay canon? Do you agree with the champions I put in their? If not, what and how would you change it?

Thats all! xScarfy

Edit: Oh and I guess Gnar, the Missing Link also lives in the Kumungu Jungle then, since he met Rengar in his lore.