@Riot: What's going on with Alistar, the Minotaurs, and the Great Barrier?

SSmotzer·Aug 1, 2017·15 votes·2,188 views

Alistar is and feels old, in nearly all aspects, including his lore, and I do like that you do keep patching him, but at this point, Alistar might be more band-aid than champion.

Now gameplay aside, what is Alistar's place in the world? What is the significance of the Great Barrier? Is it still canon? Where are all of the other Minotaur? He is called "The Minotaur" does that mean he's the only Minotaur? Is the Fleshing Arena even still a thing?

10 Comments

EpicurusAug 1, 201711 votes

I don't think the Great Barrier is canon anymore. But on the Piltover trade map there is a city called "Krexor" that features art of a minotaur working with a human at a blacksmith forge. An important thing to note about Krexor is that it is surrounded by Noxian territory, but _isn't _ part of Noxus itself. Somehow this independent state is resisting the combined forces of the entire Noxian empire.

So Krexor is state where Minotaurs live peacefully with the humans, and has resisted Noxian invasion. From this, we get hints of Alistar's story. If Krexor is still standing, then maybe Alistar is still defending it and hasn't been captured yet? Perhaps his lore update will coincide with the fall of Krexor? Or perhaps he has been captured, escaped, and is trying to reclaim his home?

As for the Fleshing Arena, I swear I've seen new concept art for the arena, even though its not on Universe. The Fleshing doesn't really contradict anything we know about new Noxus, so I think it's safe to assume it still exists.

GreenLoreAug 1, 20172 votes

Another thing to note is the fact that Jayce was actually attacked by a minotaur who was sent by viktor,so it looks like there are a few minotaurs who live in Zaun(and maybe even Piltover)

SolarisCorvusAug 1, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Another thing to note is the fact that Jayce was actually attacked by a minotaur who was sent by viktor,so it looks like there are a few minotaurs who live in Zaun(and maybe even Piltover)

Wait. I thought they were just called minotaurs because of their augments or that was their gang name not actual bull people. Damn now i gotta reread it.

RiotBioluminescenceAug 1, 20177 votes

{quoted}

Another thing to note is the fact that Jayce was actually attacked by a minotaur who was sent by viktor,so it looks like there are a few minotaurs who live in Zaun(and maybe even Piltover)

I went and checked in with the writers - the 'minotaur' in the story was a mechanical thing that looked like a minotaur, not a real live member of the minotaur species.

To Epicurus' earlier point, the Great Barrier is still the name of a mountain range in Runeterra.

La BelloAug 1, 20171 votes

are there female minotaurs? or like ... cow women? Or do gigantic minotaurs like Alistar....errr.... you know?

[zombie-brand-clap]

with normal women? How do they reproduce if they reproduce at all?

FasmodeyAug 1, 20172 votes

With milking.

EpicurusAug 2, 20171 votes

Thanks for chiming in. Am I on track with my speculations about Krexor?

kagepaladinAug 1, 20171 votes

if anything I think the minotaur's might be allied with demacia due to xin zhao being in the fleshing arena the same time as alistar. Also the whole reclaiming their home scenario already applies to mordekaiser's lore ( who wants to take down noxus) and maokai who wants to return the shadow isles to what they looked like before aka the blessed isles.

EpicurusAug 2, 20171 votes

But Xin Zhao isn't a Demacian by birth. He only joined Demacia after Jarvan II rescued him (in the old lore anyway). We can speculate that he is an Ionian due to his Asian appearance, but we don't know for sure. Noxus is big, and can be taking prisoners many different places.

kagepaladinAug 2, 20171 votes

yeah that is very true specially since noxus has had conflicts in almost every major nation except maybe bilgewater.