Shurima Story Q&A [COMPLETE]

RiotA Small Man·5/5/2016, 7:54:19 PM·40 votes·111,535 views


Hey folks!

We've nabbed a few members of the Narrative and Foundations teams for some Q&A about the just-released Shurima story page! Whether you're interested in Shurima, its champions, or the latest thinking behind League's background, ask away and they'll be happy to answer!

On hand for questions today we have:
  • Anthony "Ant in Oz" Reynolds - Foundations Lead
  • Ryan "Riot Rubinio" Rubin - Foundations Dev Manager
  • Scott "Jaredan" Hawkes - Narrative Lead
  • Graham "Dinopawz" McNeil - Senior Writer
  • Chanel "Riot Tiger Lily" Dawnee - Writer / Editor
  • Rayla "Jellbug" Heide - Writer
  • 787 Comments

    Lanceworks5/5/2016, 8:26:42 PM39 votes

    Any chances of releasing a new map of Runeterra or at least of Shurima? Nice to see that oval supercontinent gone.

    Crovax II5/5/2016, 8:54:46 PM25 votes

    Is there some kind of schedule of when more stories are going to be released? I also noticed in Aurelion Sol's story that he flew over an event in Shurima that sounds suspiciously like Azir's Ascension ritual. Can you confirm if this is the case?

    Drunk On LP5/5/2016, 7:56:17 PM23 votes

    Please tell us we are going to get more lore on azir on what he does after he is reborn. Also, will we ever get another lore event like Gankplanks where he died and got that new spicy skin. (I.E. Graves went off to get a new gun, still waiting on that btw)

    Also, when are we getting an azir/xerath movie about their lives? (The ending scene is him walking with all the sand people next to him and grieving and the ending lines are "Xerath, you crimes will not go unpunished"! Roll credits)

    BardTheBard5/5/2016, 8:38:50 PM19 votes

    Will there be a similar lore event like this one and the mount targon one but with the main theme being the void? In my opinion void champions are the most interesting ones and they need more lore.

    Fuzzyears5/5/2016, 9:41:49 PM17 votes

    I don't actually have any questions. I just wanted to say that these new stories are really cool, and thank you, Riot Lore team! (Lore was a huge part of why I started playing League.)

    Sharjo5/5/2016, 8:03:05 PM15 votes

    Well...this came outta left field! Alright then! Ok here goes:

    1. Why did you make this now and not when all the lores were released to the Shurima story page? Also WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN US I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.
    2. One big question I've had about the Ascended in particular is how many have there been; Nasus and Renekton couldn't have been the only ancient Ascended to exist after all, so the main questions here are how many people actually became Ascended and are any of them beyond our the two brothers we have still alive?
    3. Given how the Brackern have shifted to Shurima I'll take it that it was Shurima that was responsible for them burying themselves underground. My question here is more expanding off of that; in the old lore the Brackern were born and ruined by two different Rune Wars, so did Shurima get involved in Rune Wars, or was the stuff that birthed the Brackern and then sent them below the sands a different event entirely?
    4. So Ascension transforms you in to something very distinct and everyone has their own forms, so is there some kind of correlation between who the person was as a mortal and what their Ascended form would end up being like?
    5. Nasus has the form of a jackal and was always touted as a guy who understood the cycle of life and death. I know it was probably more coincidental but I can't help but wonder; does Nasus's form and his deathly powers have some kind of connection to Kindred, particularly Wolf, in any way, be it major or even in universe coincidental?

    Bah this was spawned on me so suddenly I haven't formulated more questions! I'LL BE BACK WITH MORE AT SOME POINT I SWEAR.

    Helmight5/5/2016, 9:44:50 PM14 votes

    See, now this is the kind of stuff that got me to play League of Legends in the first place. Glad to see that you guys are finally doing more lore-related stuff - thank you so much.

    As a side note, we've now gotten a mini-site for Bilgewater, the Shadow Isles, Targon, and now Shurima. My question is this: will these sites be the norm for lore updates, and will they ever be compiled somewhere so we can access them quickly?

    Zackeryss5/5/2016, 8:28:31 PM9 votes

    I'd like to ask if there is any connection between the magic Xerath and Ryze use. They both are blue with bolts of lightning and as I read, Xerath scoured the land to find magic very similar to Ryze. Could Ryze have possibly picked up something that Xerath also read, Since Ryze's lore states that he contains pure magical energy similar to Xerath.

    javiermetal665/5/2016, 8:27:50 PM8 votes
    1. Is Azir Azir still a nice guy? what will happen when Taliyah meets him at last?
    2. Is Amumu Amumu one of Azir's death young brothers? or is he a Yordle?
    3. Weren't Malzahar Malzahar and Kassadin Kassadin Shurimian too?
    4. Would Taliyah be in the Azir teamAzir or the Xerath team Xerath ?
    Fasmodey5/5/2016, 7:57:02 PM6 votes

    Is there any connection with Xerath and celestial magic?

    And why did Xerath ascended in different way compare to others? Story doesn't say anything about changing the ritual.

    Was the human form of Xerath master of arcane magic or black magic? Story says he is the master of black magic but he doesn't seem like a black magic user.

    Who is the fire bound in a sarcophagus? Is it Brand?

    How do you grant the ascension? What does make you the chosen? I dont think serving to Shurima is the best answer it seems like this ritual is more than Shurima. That should be much more ancient than Shurima. It is something celestial.

    tabata1885/5/2016, 8:43:04 PM5 votes

    I'm curious about this, Xerath's part that still feels that it's wearing chains is the same as the one that wanted to back off when he was at the verge of betraying Azir? Like if that chains were a metaphor of that side of him that feels guilty towards the betrayal that he commited. Also, he still feels some kind of affection toward Azir (he cried while pushing him to his death) or that kind of feelings had died while he was locked for so long?

    Ryugi Kazamaru5/5/2016, 9:16:28 PM5 votes

    Jaredan has mentioned, via half-answers and contextual clues, over on his AskFM that Ionia is effectively its own continent on Runeterra, just like Valoran, though smaller. In the introduction on Shurima's lore page, we are told Shurima is trading with lands across the seas, and it is part of the "southern continent." Does that mean that, so far, we can confirm that there are at least 3 continents on Runeterra, those being Valoran, Ionia, and the "one that contains Shurima"?

    Solideus5/5/2016, 8:18:24 PM3 votes

    If the Ascended live forever, where have all the other Ascended gone? :( Or has there just not been any others outside of those we know of?

    Solideus5/5/2016, 7:59:43 PM2 votes

    Was the first ever Ascended long before Nasus and Renekton? What are some examples of long gone Ascended from ancient times?

    Hydrac5/5/2016, 9:15:38 PM2 votes

    idk if this question will be answered here or in Talyah's Q&A, but what is the relationship between her tribe and Azir's empire?

    Solideus5/5/2016, 7:57:11 PM2 votes

    This is great, but we can't read any of the new champion stories yet! What if we'll have questions about those? :(