How has Piltover/Zaun not taken over the world yet?

Igotlazy·May 21, 2016·6 votes·1,008 views

The level of technological advancement between those two Cities (or one City we're still not too sure of that) completely eclipses any other area so far introduced on Runeterra.

Literally every other location relies off of Spears/Axes/Swords/Katanas to do any of the fighting, granted with a bit a magic sprinkled in here and there. Meanwhile Piltover/Zaun has tech that equals, and in some cases even surpasses, Techology in the real world. How does anyone stand a sliver of a chance? This is like pre-Industrial Revolution Britain vs Modern Day USA. It would be a literal slaughter. It can't be that "they just don't want to expand". That's not how those societies work. They need resources to function, to grow, to further advance their technology for one purpose or another as well as meetig the demands of their consumerist population.

18 Comments

GreenLoreMay 21, 20168 votes

Likely because their states/citys are rather small. They have the superior tech,but not the necessary man-power to overcome the other nations.

And while magic is rare,it is likely that huge states like Demacia,Noxus or Ionia still have enough mages to make up for the technological disadvantage.

NarasimhaMay 22, 20163 votes

I'd add a bit to this.

It's also likely that technology isn't advanced enough to overcome the higher levels of magic. It might be nice that you can snipe down a regiment of soldiers, but that doesn't help when the opposing side throws you a fireball big enough to wipe out an army.

Fondling GemsMay 21, 20162 votes

perhaps they don't have many magical resources on their own, so they are forced into trading with the other ares for magical materials, so they are forced into trading with other countries. Their tech is heavily magic dependent and on average magic beats hextech, hextech just has the bonus that anyone can use it. So they are forced to ally with the other countries for magical resources and don't have enough hextech yet to surpass the natural magic found elsewhere.

IgotlazyMay 21, 20164 votes

Apparently Magic is quite rare in Runeterra (we just see the best of the best all the time). Would there really be enough "magic stuff" going around to get a Magic Trade Network going?

Fondling GemsMay 21, 20162 votes

Magic in people is rare, nothing is said about magical materials. Assuming hextech requires some type of magical substance that could definitely be enough to start up trade, even if it is all black market trading.

Best Darius KRMay 21, 20162 votes

Considering other regions can control magic, i don't think they would get far.

I mean, just look at Targon, they can control the creator of the whole cosmos.

IgotlazyMay 21, 20164 votes

I consider Mt. Targon to be more of an "embassy" for the Targonians (like the body possessing alien empire not the people who live around Mt. Targon). The people of Mt. Targon themselves aren't much better than the Freljordians in terms of Tech. It's obvious that the Targonians (aliens) don't like it when people try to invade the area, but I don't think they would call in Aurelion. He's like the "drop the Nuke" option. I don't know if they would resort to that just to deal with some mortals. The Aspects are strong, but not impossible to deal with.

ArakadiaMay 21, 20161 votes

Wait so are Pantheon and Diana and Leo aliens?

GreenLoreMay 21, 20161 votes

You could say that about Pantheon. He is the celestial aspect of war,who uses the body of a human warrior.

However while Leona,Diana and Taric have aspects like these inside their bodies,they are still themselves and merely gain their powers. Though Leona and Diana seem to be still affected by their aspects(dianas lore describes how she gets filled with hate by her aspect when she uses her moon powers,while leona can at least tell what her aspect is feeling)

IgotlazyMay 21, 20162 votes

Basically there is this space-faring empire called Targon that goes around doing empire things (expands, conquers, takes resources etc.). Targonians themselves seem to be Spirit-like in how they interact with the material world. Mt. Targon is kind of like their bridge to Runeterra. Targonians are able to possess material beings (like humans) and bestow powers upon them, though they only do so to individuals that are able to climb the mountain and pass their tests. Diana has a Targonian inside her that is tied to the Moon, Leona has one that is tied to the Sun, Taric has one based on a constellation named "The Protector" and Pantheon has one based on a constellation named "The Pantheon". Taric, Diana and Leona are still themselves but the Targonian can sometimes influence their actions. Pantheon on the other hand is completely controlled by the Targonian inside. The person that originally owned the body was named Atreus and he basically died when he reached the top of Mt. Targon.

Tl;dr Leona, Taric and Diana have alien spirits living inside them but they themselves are not aliens. Pantheon is an alien controlling the body of a dead guy named Atreus.

ArakadiaMay 22, 20161 votes

Ohhhh ok. Thanks that clears it up. So there's the people of Mt. targon, and Targonians.

Meep ManMay 23, 20162 votes

Because:

A.) Demacia is somewhat an ally of Piltover B.) Noxus is an ally of Zaun C.) The Shadow Isles is near unkillable and can only be countered really by magic and religion D.) Bandle City is an ally of Piltover and the home of likely the smartest person there (Heimerdinger) E.) Shurima has Azir, Nasus, and Renekton in it F.) The Void is insanely powerful G.) Mount Targon is stupidly powerful (Aurelion Sol)

Piltover and Zaun would have to go to war with each other to even begin any kind of world domination, and even then they would likely lose to Mount Targon, Icathia, and Shadow Isles and possibly Shurima. The world would probably end if they went to full on war, so they don't.

KotexMay 22, 20161 votes

Yea i would have to assume that was a huge but expected oversight in the conception of such an inconsistent lore and world. But ive always thought that places like Frejlord, Bilgewater, Ionia, Noxus and Demacia just chose to adhere to a pride of traditional simple life despite they could incorporate the technological advancements that Zaun and Piltover live with. Or like others have mentioned their magical advancement is equivalent to other places technological advancement. But even WITH mages it would seem silly to live in a primitive environment.

Like some small towns and civilizations in the real world choose to live without technology and live on the traditional nature around them. Thats the only way i can see it making sense that two places evolve years ahead of the time other locations choose to stand still in. Otherwise it doesn't make sense to have futuristic and primitive civilizations co-existing on the same timeline for only a couple to evolve without the others.

Palmeiras SerieBMay 22, 20161 votes

coz DEMAAAAAAAAAAAAAACIA

DecritMay 22, 20161 votes

I just think overall that they have an intensive economy rather an extensive one.

It makes sense since it would take a lot of time to exoand their tech on a nee conquered territory for example, and that said tech might not work quite as well like it does usually ( imagine a hextech that feeds on few magic being loaded with LOADS of it. It would probably jam it or something).

Plus there might be threats out there that might not appeal them and being somehow neutral and "peaceful" makes other cultures have commercial trades with them rather subdue them with force

KadavikMay 23, 20161 votes

What Piltover and Zaun have in technology and alchemy they lack in both spiritual and arcane magic.

The Last BalladMay 25, 20161 votes

Ionia is starting to make hextech. Just look at Jhin's armaments. A regular hextech gun may shoot lightning, but Jhin's turns you into a tree. Not much of a contest once they are competent at it...