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So about Baron Nashor...

Peridition·3/24/2015, 6:37:23 PM·20 votes·4,478 views
Baron Nashor

I think its time we talk more about the Baron and what his origins are

The Lore Conundrum

I know recently in the Latin America Rek'Sai Q&A, a Riot poster said that Baron Nashor is from the Void. And superficially this makes a lot sense. However, this is also a bit conflicting with what we previously know about the Baron.

Prior to the removal of the League and the IoW, the Baron was a artificial construct modeled after the real Baron Nashor, a legendary worm that resided in the Serpentine River (Summoner's Rift). We obviously know, as with many things, that this lore is now void (haha). But there's another small piece of lore that points to Baron Nashor being the legendary worm, and not a void creature.

When Spirit Guard Udyr was released, we was given a bunch of special lines for interacting with creatures in the Rift. The most intriguing one is the line he has after killing Baron Nashor:

"We've destroyed the baron. His spirit is free."

This line is interesting. If the Baron is from the Void, why would he have a spirit? And why would Udyr say its free after killing him?

Heavy Speculation Hereafter

In the SGU comic, Udyr is seen in a rather confusing confrontation with Ao Shin, a powerful storm dragon and guardian of Runeterra. Now its heavily implied from this comic that Ao Shin must have been corrupted and that is why he is surrounded by demons and about to engage SGU.

This eludes that SGU's purpose is protect and possibly cleanse the ancient guardian spirits of Runeterra. Which going back to the previous quote, "We've destroyed the baron. His spirit is free.", would mean that Baron Nashor is possibly a counterpart to Ao Shin. And going with the old lore, this would make a lot of sense.

Ao Shin is a legendary storm dragon and guardian of the skies. Baron Nashor is a legendary giant worm and guardian of earth and the subterranean world.

TLDR Version: Baron Nashor is either a Void creature or possibly an ancient, corrupted guardian with a connection to Ao Shin and possibly other ancient spirits too

34 Comments

The Red Warden3/24/2015, 6:55:14 PM9 votes

I would prefer it if he was a void creature, we don't need to have a guardian for everything in game.

Besides it would encourage bad fan fiction for Bard x Baron, and I think we all can agree that the world doesn't need that.

Sharjo3/24/2015, 10:39:55 PM7 votes

I like the read, but honestly who's to say creatures born of the Void don't have souls?

If Spirit Guard Udyr's a guy who looks for balance in things, wouldn't it make sense for him to say "his spirit is free" in regards to him being free of Runeterra? The land he exists in is called Summoner's Rift, so perhaps the mighty Baron was summoned accidentally or against it's own will. His spirit being free is his essence returning to the Void, where it belongs.

Destínum3/25/2015, 9:20:47 AM5 votes

I actually have a theory about both Baron and Rek'Sai. You know how both of those seems to have been around on Runeterra for waaaaay longer than the other Voidborn and are also the only ones who seem like beasts rather than sentient beings? I actually don't think this is a coincident.

I think these two belong to a much older generation of voidborn than the rest of the voidborn we know of (Chogath, KogMaw, Khazix, and Velkoz). There are a lot of hints that a Void invasion might have happened in the past (the reason why Nasus and Renekton ascended), and I think Baron and Rek'Sai were part of that invasion, whereas back then were as intelligent as the other voidborn. However, that invasion seems to have failed, and when it did, a lot of voidborn were left behind (including Baron and Rek'Sai).

I would actually also guess that the void functions as some kind of hivemind, since each voidborn seems to have a clear, specific purpose and posses instincts without any real logical explanation. When Baron, Rek'Sai and possibly the other voidborn were left beind, they eventually lost their connection to this hivemind, thus loosing their purpose and eventually turning into no more than beasts.

What Udyr would then mean by "freeing Baron's spirit" is that he's a lost creature without purpose, and killing him is simply doing him a favor.

junglerboy163/24/2015, 11:38:58 PM4 votes

Why the heck can't an ancient worm creature be a holdover from the primitive days before the void creatures were banished to the outer abyss? According to Cho'gath's lore (which is the original Void related lore and the origin of all facts established in later void lore): "It is rumored that the Voidborn command vast armies of unspeakable creatures on other worlds, that they were once driven from Runeterra by powerful magic lost to antiquity." (emphasis added by me). Just because Baron is an ancient guardian like creature (or the antithesis to such a guardian) doesn't mean that he cannot be from the void, nor that he couldn't simply pre-date the banishment of the other void creatures, and is simply lumped in with them because he is one of them, even if he himself never was banished or spawned from the void.

Tesla Effect3/24/2015, 9:44:14 PM3 votes

A+ for interesting theory.

Derpy Mike3/24/2015, 10:52:41 PM3 votes

Maybe Baron was a Legendary Guardian creature who was corrupted by the void, like Kassadin was? Maybe he dug too deep and he just sorta fell in lol. Or perhaps he stumbled upon Rek'Sai and she ported him there.

I love the speculation and I'd be really love to see how Ao'Shin (provided he ever gets released) would react to seeing his earthbound counterpart corrupted by such unspeakable forces.

Truth be told though, I really don't believe the narrative team is capable of creating such deep lore. It's more than likely just something they've done by accident and we're over-analyzing it.

Only Play Darius3/24/2015, 9:52:28 PM2 votes

".....should not be confronted alone."

Warwick "Bitch Please!"

Sinister Snail3/25/2015, 1:28:15 PM2 votes

He'd be the first Void creature with a title: Baron Nas'Hor.

Tesla Effect3/24/2015, 10:23:18 PM1 votes

Well Ill be damned. Tell the necessary WW build for that.

CursedByLight3/27/2015, 1:28:22 PM1 votes

#What if he was... An ancient guardian corrupted by the void?

Malzahar you did it again!

goldensilver093/25/2015, 9:52:28 AM1 votes

Baron IS a Void Creature: http://br.leagueoflegends.com/pt/news/community/q/tira-duvidas-da-reksai (Look with Control+F "Void", it will show you that both Rek'sai and Baron Nashor are from there.

4nth0l0gy3/25/2015, 10:47:11 AM1 votes

No no no, you misunderstand. He is the Baron of Nashor, a small island nation off the coast of Urtistan. He's a celebrity in the area, best known for his crazy parties. (one time, legend has it, he swallowed 200 riding poros imported from the Freljord, simply to prove he could; however, his guests disapproved, and he regurgitated them in turn...though they came up pink, if the tales are to be believed). His financial wizardry with the island-nation's economy has garnered him much respect; he attributes this success to his negotiating skills and his charming smile, often laden with the meat anf bones of his political adversaries. His approval rating rests around 80%, though it has been steadily climbing since the implementation of his "say yes or digest" policy.

While not busy attending to his people, he formerly was in the habit of removing his seven monacles and slithering on to the rift to duke it out with the various champions of the League of Legends. With the lack of summoner magic to influence the events of the rift, however, he fears injury. With his lovely wife Ruilla and three strapping young serpents to think about at home, one can hardly blame him for this worry. As such, he has permitted the current league caretaker, Jax, to use his tecmaturgically-rendered likeness as a fill-in. "SCREEEEAUUUUURH", he quips, thanking Viktor for creating such a stylish and flattering model of him.

Keagn3/26/2015, 11:10:39 AM1 votes

Hey, I hope you don't mind me popping in!

Baron Nashor has been clearly stated as being a Void Creature, but your confusion is about him having a spirit. I do not recall anywhere that void creatures do not have spirits, after all, they are beings too, most of which are sentient.

I also like the point Destinum brought up, it sounds pretty cool to me, and explains some points of interest :P