Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

Lore Investigation: The Wonder Above

GenoXx·2/20/2015, 5:29:02 PM·16 votes·6,188 views

http://www.newsoflegends.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Teaser-1.jpg So we got a new champ coming guys, as well as new LORE. So I thought I should investigate to get a better meaning of it and maybe reveal ome things before the champ comes out.

So it starts out as group of folk surrounding a fire. But if u look in the background, they are in the mountains. Not only just the mountains, mountain peaks. At first i though: Mount Targon. But then I look at the clothing of the group, and it seems to be Ionian. Well, it is very simular to how karma and Yasuo dress. So I gonna make a possible deduction that there are in Ionia.

http://news.cdn.leagueoflegends.com/public/images/pages/2015/bard/img/Promo_Bard_TeaserSite_Constellation_Watcher.jpg

Now thats my input on where they are. FINALLY, we get to see what a Watcher Looks like. It IS a cyclopian creature, and also has six arms. Weird. But at least we get to see what threatened or is threatening the Freljord. I am very surprised that others other than the Freljord know about the Watchers. This also means other people know how important the battle against the Frozen Watchers. They even have a constellation for it.

http://news.cdn.leagueoflegends.com/public/images/pages/2015/bard/img/Promo_Bard_TeaserSite_Constellation_Shurima.jpg

I would guess a lot of people in Runeterra would know about the Great Ancient Society of Shurima. But it seems the folk llok at th different constellations often. I suppose that some one or people in their mentioned tribe is capable of Clairvoyance of some sort. To know about what actually happened. The story is past down. Or it could be the survivor of Azir's family who had passed down this story. who knows?

http://news.cdn.leagueoflegends.com/public/images/pages/2015/bard/img/Promo_Bard_TeaserSite_Constellation_Crown.jpg

Next is my favorite topic. There is a constellation that tells the story of the Shadow Isle's king. So people do know what happened there other then the inhabitants them selvesKalista The Broken Crown was it? That also sounds like it could be a future item, maybe. Either way its cool that Runeterra have people who is capable of recording History by reading constellations.

http://news.cdn.leagueoflegends.com/public/images/pages/2015/bard/img/Promo_Bard_TeaserSite_Constellation_Mask.jpg

The Mountain shrines or the Great Caretaker huh. Hm, not too much to actually deduce from that. But theres few places we can think of, when we hear "Floating Villages". Something like that would only be in Ionia. OR could be some where near the Jungles- I doubt the latter seeing how theres a lot of mysterious dangers in the jungles. But I think the surrounding character's name is Bard. Either that or the constellation.

TD:LR- People can record what happens around Runterra or Find out via constellations. Maybe some people similar to Soraka? How was it possible for Warwick to talk to Soraka is she was deity of some sort? I think he found her in the same location these folk are; Mountains of Ionia.

Whats everone else's take on this?

50 Comments

Dotintheparadox2/20/2015, 5:54:37 PM14 votes

Until otherwise, I will assume Bard will be the "narrative" team's attempt to replace the IOW narrative with that of a singular entity, or just moving it to "Oh you guys are technically astral beings now, so we're attempting at placating the people who disagree with our decisions by giving them an illusion of connection to the world again, just in a much less satisfying manner."

With what showed up on the new SR map, that's probably going to be what happens, League is being made into literally just a game for gods that have no real influence over the world, we're being made into passive observers, not active instigators.

::Edit:: I just realized, http://news.cdn.leagueoflegends.com/public/images/pages/2015/bard/img/Promo_Bard_TeaserSite_Constellation_Mask.jpg is very close to Pantheon's shield, and three points on it are meant to represent Diana, Leona and Pantheon, which as I have said represent the moon, sun, and earth. Targon takes inspiration from Greek myth, wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that Bard is related to Targon. (Constellations guys, what do we use their names from?)

Those three previous parts were just referring to past storylines by the way, because that's just how they've been laid down time wise. The narrative team is not smart or creative enough to come up with something better.

Trumpet2/20/2015, 8:52:12 PM6 votes

My take on it is the Four Seasons (Shurima is Summer, Freljord is Winter, Shadow Isles are Fall, and Ionia is Spring). The floating villages is a really strong allusion to Ionia as most of their villages are high in the mountains.

Which leaves one last clue that a lot of people seem to be missing about the Bard constellation that it "disappeared recently and now resurfaced" which is almost a direct parallel to how Ao Shin's design went. The constellation also looks kind of similar to his tail (from the concept leaked years ago).

The new champ is going to be Ionian and hopefully be Ao Shin as he has been working his way into the background of a lot of things in the game recently.

Just a wishful theory.

BakedLotion2/20/2015, 9:41:07 PM5 votes

What is Lore??? Is it that thing that no longer exists?

Stars Shaper2/20/2015, 7:00:05 PM4 votes

My reading of the matter is that there is this sort of gypsy story tellers group which are the ones telling of the legendary tales of Runeterra.

What they have learned is to read those stories in the sky because books, manuscripts and scrolls are to be either lost or destroyed and, of course, less comfortable to bring in the journeys.

They got their name of Bards from their "Master". An oracle like entithy of which we still know nothing but he could either discern the past in the stars or have the ability to even write those in the night sky.

JJ H0G2/21/2015, 1:04:41 AM2 votes

New champ is probably gonna be Soraka 2 Electric Boogaloo: It Has A Dick Edition.

On the lore side of things, it's probably a roaming oracle kinda thing that likes to tell stories. Since that's basically what bards do, minus the oracle part.

The setting of the picture doesn't matter to me, as the storyteller is a bard himself, telling these things to the people around him.

Desmond Law2/21/2015, 12:38:48 AM2 votes

The Ruined King attempted to "enslave" the cycle of life and death. Mordekaiser Morde=death, kaiser=king Ultimate enslaves your champion

Lanayurian2/21/2015, 2:01:53 AM2 votes

Alright, so in Spirit Guard Udyr promo page (http://promo.leagueoflegends.com/en/spirit-guard-udyr/comic/), it looks like Udyr is in Ionia. Near the end of the promo page, we see Ao Shin.

http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=775911&d=1378622870

Now you said the setting looks like it's in Ionia. And Ao Shin in the Spirit Guard Udyr promo page was in Ionia, by the look of the setting. So, Ao Shin confirmed?

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xIpQYxnEtWE/maxresdefault.jpg

-::EDIT::- Okay, I just realized that you said

So I gonna make a possible deduction that there are in Ionia.

So what if they're just Ionians traveling and they just set camp on Mt. Targon? Just using this to support my claim ._.

-:=EDIT 2=:-

Welp. It wasn't friggin Ao Shin.

IreScal2/21/2015, 5:05:33 AM1 votes

The blade of the ruined king is all I saw when I read the "king who defied death" thing.

Overall I see an over-arching try at giving each Runeterra nation-state a starting point in the game's contemporary history, with noted exceptions of Noxus and Demacia, here. Ionia, Shurima, Freljold and possibly the Shadow Isles.

Other than that, what I consider the "newer" states just by their feel - Piltover, Zaun, Bilgewater and the Plague Jungles if that counts - could be a whole other arch.

Then of course we have creatures and characters that are not from anywhere well defined, like Malphite, Taric, Kayle and Morgana, and so on. I look forward to these as well.

NOW, as for the symbol of the "bard" itself. Something with sound? eh. We have Sona, and stepping on her toes would be a bit weird. Something to do with song vocally is something not done yet. It seems to be a protector, with temples to it, and seems still to be revered. It must be powerful and mythical, then. So, probably not some "ordinary" champs like Sivir, Ashe, or Darius, who are mortal-mortal. Maybe something semi-divine Ionian style.

It has three dots and symmetrical three ways. It seems very 'designed' or man-made. Since it seems overwhelmingly from Ionia, it probably has something to do with spiritual, mental, and physical discipline. I would count on all three for a cool kit, but that's far fetched. Balance and all that, or more sense than one.

Of course, for all we know, this could be an entirely new area of Runeterra. Doubt it, as it's a bit soon into a total rewrite of the history and lore, but who knows?

LANWhale2/20/2015, 6:13:13 PM1 votes

Actually funny enough, me and other Summoner where discussing about the meaning behind the strange markings on the rift. At the time that's all we had to go by and well what we came up with is, amazing.

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/summoners-rift/nM9WIH3l-strange-symbol-near-blue-buff

It is a bit lengthy but well I would really like to hear what others have to offer to the theory. But to see how close we might have called it..... amazing is all I can say really.

KAAAAAAAYN DO2/20/2015, 9:10:19 PM1 votes

Champions from Ionia that might have a connection in my opinion. Varus had his temple he guarded that had to pit of corruption that made him into the arrow of retribution. Syndra was a student in a temple in Ionia that she used her power to remove from the ground and float away... hmmm, floating villages... look at Syndra's splash art. mentioning a king of the shadow isle, and Kalista's interaction when buying item 3153 makes me feel like this champion will be some sort of historian. Think if Zilean's knowledge was focused on folk lore and local history... maybe the new champ was a vizier to the "ruined king" Who knows, but I'm psyched for lore... call me a lore nerd :P

Thuban2/20/2015, 9:16:16 PM1 votes

Could be something similar to the Tuatha Dé Danann story.

Too far outside the box?

Bard is the name they took for their kind, Tuatha Dé Danann is a mystical story that was often told by Irish bards.

Wouldn't be the first time Riot used other mythologies as a reference in their lore.

Kaipop2/20/2015, 10:46:40 PM1 votes

Talisman of Ascension = Shurima Frost Queen's Claim = Freljord Face of the Mountain = Mt Targon??? They are on top of a mountain in this Champion Preview.

Slushi Simcambi2/20/2015, 11:57:15 PM1 votes

The Crown seems to be referring to the Ruined King obviously.

And there is some hinting that they may get around to explaining what made the Shadow Isles like they are.

LordVeral2/21/2015, 4:00:45 AM1 votes

i personally hope (and think) that it's Ao Shin. First off i believe the name of the constellation is "bard" my number one reason is we never know the teased champions name right off the bat. Secondly when i think of "the mountain shrines" or "the great caretaker" i think back to that comic when spirit guard udyr was released since i believe ao shin was in a page or two there.

Also the way theyre talking about the watchers, the fall of shurima and the shadow isles' broken king, the narrator should be relatively old in order to know in depth about these 3 events.

My take is that Ao Shin was once human sometime before the events with the watchers and that and had eventually ascended into a sort of "godhood" (some people that mention ao shin is ionian and would descend from the skies when Ionia is in trouble or something along those lines) and perhaps if "Bard" is a name it could pertain to the danger Ionia might face?.

One last thing is that Ao Shin looks like a character that would come from a "floating village" being a chinese dragon and having (last time i saw his art it looked like he had a few clouds near his feet). This floating village could also be above the clouds that no one knows it really exists but possibly the ionians themselves (since its part of hteir culture/lore or w/e)

This is my 2 cents and maybe i'm completely wrong because i really want Ao Shin but either way...im pretty excited to see this new champ