Mount Targon- New Lore, Champion Tie-Ins, and Relics (LONG)
Hello lore junkies! For those of you who enjoy reading copious amounts of text, please read on. This is my own take on adding some flavor and depth to Mount Targon, as well as finding lore roles for some more obscure or oddly placed champions. A TL;DR included at the very end, if you prefer. Read on, and C/C is always appreciated!
-Mount Targon- Before Demacians knew of justice and before what would become Noxus had just risen from bloody gutters, there was Targon. The greatest peak in Runeterra, there is no place from which its majesty cannot be seen. Its people had long immigrated from the harsh Shuriman deserts to the South; only a people hardy as they could endure the trials Targon put forth. What few plateaus there were offered safety. The remainder of Targon’s face is jagged and sharp, its pathways treacherous. Only a single route leads to the highest point of Targon. It was here where the first Solari was born. -Coming of the Solari- The Mountain was not forgiving to its new inhabitants. While the Shuriman deserts no longer parched their skin and bleached their bones, new threats arose. Settlements were destroyed by rockslides and Targon’s violent fauna, from starvation and exposure. With none but themselves to turn to, the Targonites soon fell to infighting. Violent civil wars racked the Mountain’s peaks for years. Minor communities were destroyed by shield and spear, thousands slaughtered: only the strongest would be allowed to survive. Soon, power fell to the three largest cities: Solaris, Apris, and Lunnam. Realizing that their people would not live, a drastic chance was taken. Three champions, one from each city, were sent to Targon’s peak. There, the eldest and wisest of the tribes hoped, there could be found some salvation. Nothing was heard of the three for days, which stretched into weeks. The three cities themselves were at the very brink of collapsing into complete civil war. Prayers were sent to the sky.
An explosion erupted from Targon’s peak, sounding like the death cries of a god. Heralded as the coming of the final death, Targon’s inhabitants were driven into panic. Below, as their world crumbled around them, the leaders bowed their heads. Everything they had built began to fall around them. Targon’s final vengeance would be total.
But not all was as it seemed.
The day did not turn to night and seal the tombs of the Targonites. High above, the sun burned with radiance enough to cast all shadows aside. Solaris, the city highest on Targon’s stone, was the first to receive them. Though names have long been lost to history, the three returned triumphant. Before the Targonite people they stood, images of absolute power. One bore a shield that glowed like the sun itself and held a sword whose golden blade blinded all who stared. The second held a glowing spear of fire in one hand, and a shield black as night in the other. A heavy tome was borne by the third, draped in rippling cloth of gold and silver. When asked by the assembled who they were, the three replied as one:
“We, as are you all, are the Solari, the children of Targon.”
The explosion upon Targon’s peak is well recorded in the libraries of Demacia and in the tablets of Noxian private estates, in runic Freljordian carvings and strange gem-pictures long covered by Shuriman sands. Few dared venture to investigate the matter. Each empire was fledgling, fending off threats both internal and external. Targon was viewed with superstition. In its isolation, the Solari began to rebuild their society. United by the three Solari Champions, the Targonites turned their complete devotion to the sun and sky. Golden-domed temples were built in every city large enough to house one, and small road-shrines ensured protection while travelling the dangerous pathways. Those with original claims to the thrones of Solaris, Apris, and Lunnam rescinded their seats. So was born the Triumvirate. By ruling together, the Solari Champions united their people under one banner. Impossible knowledge passed from Solari lips to the ears of craftsmen and mages, priests and advisors. The Solari would be the greatest people ever to rule Valoran. They had endured. They had been destroyed. They had been reborn through the Sun.
-Forged In Magic- Many clumsy attempts had been made at binding magic into a weapon. Few ended well, and fewer were successful. Of these amateur creations, the Solari laughed: they had been gifted with the knowledge of forging magic and battle into the same form. While it required tremendous power and focus, many relic weapons were produced. Only the Solari possessed knowledge to properly construct such items. Minor cantrips and glamors could be melted into the steel of a common soldier’s weapons. Great contests and battles were held every year in Solaris. Here, the greatest warriors could prove themselves against their kin and peers, in hopes of gaining a powerful relic artifact, or a station by a Champions’ side. Every able-bodied Targonite trained for years, perfecting their martial and physical skills. The weak were not seen as useless; craftsmen and smiths were highly revered, as too the common farmers and shepherds. To all Solari, the greatest call would to become chosen of the Sun.
-Birth of Kayle and Morgana- Many prophecies did the third Solari Champion bring with her from the peak. The tome she held appeared blank, but the woman read from its glowing pages words only she could see. Her apprentices copied the words she spoke. Of one particular prophecy would the Third Champion never speak. There were only hints, fragments that were hidden to even the Sun’s champion. After her death the pieces were slowly assembled. It spoke of three births, almost as monumental as the coming of the first Solari. These three would be eternal, a gift to the Solari for their faith and zeal. Alongside this hope and glory was a shadow, a darker verse. Targon would be tested, as it had been before. The next three would mean destruction, or salvation.
For years the prophecy was forgotten amidst Targon’s politics, martial contests, and growing power. All semblance of civil war had long bled from the Solari. They were now a unified people, prospering and growing under the Sun’s guidance. It was during an eclipse that the Third Champion’s words were fulfilled. In the three cities, there were reported each a single, miraculous birth: in Solaris, an infant girl with feathery white wings; in Apris, a girl with wings the color of dawn; in Lunnam, a creature with wings broken, and warped. Word of these three was sent to the High King in Solaris. Quickly, the three girls were brought to him.
Yet tragedy struck- Apris’s young dawn-daughter had perished en route to Solaris. This was a heavy blow to the city; the girl was to be their champion, to replace the dying shieldmaiden of the First Solari. Amidst such news, the remaining two girls were brought to the High King. Each was a radiant being, marked and blessed by the Sun. To the white-feathered girl of his own city he gave the name Kayle. To the wingless infant of Lunnam, he called Morgana.
-The Rune Wars- For nearly a century, the Solari lived in solitude. Rebuilding what had been destroyed, the Targonites began to embrace their identity as a single people. Only when the Rune Wars began did the Solari make their presence known. Marching to war, the Targonites brought power never seen. Where other armies fought with iron and steel, the Solari used magic and the Sun. Spells of light and blinding were forged into shields and armor, while destructive heat burned from rune-forged spears. Mimicking the original weapons of the Champions, these items brought the raw power of the Sun to bear. Any who faced the Solari in battle were beaten back. Kayle, now since grown into a powerful and angelic fighter, drew more blood than any in her armies. Her sister Morgana tutored and acted with the Solari mages, sending bolts of burning fire down into the ranks of Targon’s foes. Many accounts have the sisters fighting together; when they did so, the pair were as unstoppable as the Sun itself. With Kayle’s every victory, the golden-armored Solari phalanxes were reassured: the Sun was theirs, and theirs alone. Nothing could undo them.
-Solarmancy- After the Rune Wars had concluded, the Solari again retreated to Targon. Though they had seen the world and its changes, many Solari preferred their isolated existence. There, they could perfect themselves into a vessel through which the Sun could speak. As legends were woven and stories told, a small flame of doubt began to gnaw at the hearts of some. In Lunnam, the Third City blessed with the power of solar magic, Morgana and her mages began to question the blind zeal of their kin. Death and pain on an incredible scale had been wrought during the Wars- the Sun’s power was great, but could only blind and burn. Morgana felt remorse and grief, but so too did she feel jealousy. Her sister had received all of the glory during the Wars; magic was seen as an extension of the Sun, not an embodiment of it. The sorceress and her students had often been ignored as Solaris’s military claimed the bounty of glory. So it was that Morgana and her students began to delve deep into the history of the Solari, to try and uncover some power that would make their strength exceed even that of Kayle and her warriors.
-The Lunarii- Deep inside the volumes of forgotten lore and magic, Morgana discovered evidence of another power. The Moon played counterpart to the Sun. If the Sun could harm, perhaps the magic of the Moon could heal? Targon’s armies would suffer enormous casualties- they relied too heavily on their bound magic and on the commanders who wielded such power. Perhaps, if this other half of the puzzle could be uncovered, Lunnam could become a city not only of magic, but also of restoration and healing? The sorceress and her coven began to work in secret, attempting to discover what secrets the Sun’s sister held. They adopted the name Lunarii, for they were now scions of the Moon, not the burning Sun.
Years passed, and the Lunar Cult continued to work in secret. Little progress had been made. Nearly all of the magic of Targon was focused on fire and heat and destruction. Many began to tire and abandon their work, choosing to return to the light and warmth of the Sun. Morgana continued, desperate to prove herself and her people worthy of recognition. Eventually, only Morgana and a few of her most loyal students remained devoted to the Lunarii. Many whispered that their mistress had cast herself too deep into the forgotten lore of Targon. The angelic figure had become pale and sickly, cruel and suspicious of all around her. Morgana understood the weight of heresy her work held; that knowledge did not outweigh her desire to be cast as an equal to Kayle. The sorceress too had strayed from her original path. While Morgana continued to believe she searched for the healing and protection of the Moon, she slowly began to embrace the powers of shadow and darkness of night instead. Unable to see how far she had fallen, Morgana commanded her subordinates to prepare a ritual to craft a set of relics. The Solari had been given three Champions- should not the Lunarii enact the same plea to the mountain’s peak? Then, Morgana reasoned, the Lunarii would be blessed with knowledge unknowable to even the Solar Cult. Of her students, Morgana chose a girl named Diana. The girl had been cast out of Solaris as weak and talentless, shamed during a gladiatorial combat. Morgana could feel the shame and sadness in the girl’s heart. It was a simple matter of offering redemption. This offer did Diana eagerly accept.
-Corruption and Betrayal- No easy feat is it to create a relic, much less two. The artificers from Apris and Solaris could feel a wrongness to the ritual, a corruption of its purpose. All pointed to Lunnam, the smallest city, as the source of such heretic magic. The High King sent his son, the warrior Pantheon, and Kayle to rendezvous with Leona, the defender of Apris, to guide their armies and destroy this threat. Even with the speed of the Solari, they could not reach Lunnam in time. The city’s guard informed the army that Morgana and a small group of her followers had left, to make a pilgrimage to the top of Targon. Realizing what heresy her sister intended to commit, Kayle called on the army to keep the weakened Lunnam safe. She and the Solari Champions raced to try and intercept the betrayer.
When the three came upon Morgana and her cohort, Kayle sickened with fear. Her sister had become a wretched thing, corrupted by dark magic. A palpable aura of darkness surrounded her, and the sickly twin sneered at her radiant sister. Beside her stood the source of Morgana’s treachery; Diana, clad in ornate black armor, a curved blade held loosely at her side. Unlike her mentor, the girl was illuminated by the relics she had. Kayle’s heart broke at the sight; the girl had been a pawn, but a willing pawn nonetheless. Raising their weapons as one, the three Solari issued the charges against Morgana, Diana, and the few mages who followed them: heresy, blasphemy, and corruption against the Sun. In that moment, something inside the remaining Lunarii broke. How could their people be so blind, so unappreciative? Trapped between the mountain’s edge and the Solari, Morgana realized she had no choice. Closing her eyes, the witch uttered a curse of absolute opposition. Where there was light, there would be darkness. Where there was hope, despair, where there was peace, fear. Unable to stop her sister’s incantation, Kayle watched in horror as the Lunarii priests fell the ground, screaming in terror. Their shadows rose. Fear bled from their eyes in black tears. Morgana grinned sadistically; she was now a slave to power and revenge. The Solari watched as the shadows coalesced, a pair of burning white eyes forming. Claws emerged from hands, silvery blades of cruel work held up by the shadow-flesh. The creature hissed in pleasure, released from its prisons and given life by the tainted Solari magicks. It chuckled, clicking its blades together.
Morgana screamed in hate, sending forth tendrils of blackness towards her sister.
Kayle spread her wings as her relic blade ignited with the flames of the Sun.
Lightbringer roiled in Pantheon’s grip as Nocturne sped towards him, radial blades dripping with darkness.
Diana looked to her teacher, her savior- once again she had been forgotten and disowned. Allowing the cold Moon to fill her, the woman leapt forward, silver blade flashing.
Leona saw the fear and betrayal in the moon-daughter’s eyes, her own heart aching for her, but raised her sword and shield.
-The Sun Makes Shadows- Targon has remained a watchful guardian over the lands of Valoran. While the Solari themselves are radiant and glorious, there can never be light without shadow. Politics has corrupted the Triumvirate to some degree. Individuals with wealth and influence have found themselves on seats of power. Those bearing the relic weapons from the First Solari are instead chosen as champions and personal heralds, idols for the cityfolk to look up to. Plays for power are frequent; assassination is frowned upon, but single combat is a potent destroyer of reputations. Each noble lives in constant fear they will be challenged for their position in Targon’s peaks, unable to fight with the same vigor as they had in youth. Other Targonites are blinded by their own desire for glory. Warriors often make rash decisions that cost them social status and resources. All save the Champions and High King are constantly in flux, falling in and out of their city’s favor.
Political corruption and control occurs in every nation. Targon houses secrets darker than any other. The manufacture of relic weapons is not entirely understood by outsiders, and the secrets are highly protected by the Solari craftsmen. Those few who have managed poor copies of such artifacts whisper that the process is grueling, and almost impossible to achieve without great sacrifice. The fall of Lunnam and the reemergence of the Lunarii is an unspoken black stain on Solari history. Few discuss the events, and fewer still are seen after mentioning the heretical Cult of the Moon. Diana and Morgana still live, though the two share no great love for the other. Morgana’s creation, the shadow-thing Nocturne, is told in legend and fairytale by Targonite mothers to misbehaving children. ‘The shadows have eyes,’ they say, ‘and will come to take you away if you don’t behave!’ If only they knew the awful truth to such yarns…
The endurance of Kayle and her exiled sister Morgana are discussed in the quietest, most secluded parts of the city’s libraries and temples; how have the pair managed to retain their youthful qualities at odds with their tremendous age? Both Kayle and Morgana are linked, can feel the other’s presence. They have mentioned nothing of their third, dawn-winged sister’s death. Were the pair too young to remember her, or has the city of Apris been holding her in secret for centuries, to be revealed as a political trump card?
Targon’s greatest and most shameful secret is one almost gone to history. It was not the Sun that the First Solari spoke with, but the spirit of Targon itself, a volatile flame-god. How the three managed to kill the deity is unknown. Indeed, it would seem the powers from the Sun stem from this very spirit, locked away deep inside the mountain’s core. Many have mentioned battles during the Rune Wars when a violent flame spirit, in the shape of a charred, burning man, leapt ahead of Solari lines and set his flames upon the world. The dangers of setting such a power lose are monumental, and to coax a wildfire back into its hearth a task harder still…
-Notable Places- Solaris The most prominent and important city of the Solari is Solaris. Carved from Targon’s own skin, buildings of enormous beauty and craftsmanship rise. Golden domes reflect sunlight, shining down on its citizens. Politics and matters of war are handled within the rich halls of the palace, for the Solari have not forgotten their past as a warlike people. Gladiatorial fights and duels of honor take place in arenas and beautiful stages. In Solaris, honor and strength rule above all else. It was here that the Second Herald came to lead. Under his knowledge, the Solari were able to raise the most powerful fighters and champions alive. Commanded by the High King, Solaris’s herald is Pantheon, the Prince of the Sun. He bears the relics of his forefathers- the spear Lightbringer, able to pierce through the toughest metal, and the Blacksun Aegis, a reminder of the Sun’s power.
Apris South-west of mighty Solaris is Apris. Unlike Solaris’s soaring arenas and politics, Apris’s people are those of craftsmen. Arms and armor are produced in the sweltering forges. Here too are the secrets of relic-crafting kept. Only a small number of masters have access to the texts and knowledge, passed down from generations ago. Apris’s ability to bind fire and heat and light to a blade or shield is unrivalled, and it is from this city that almost all of Targon is armed for battle. Apris is protected by Leona, the Radiant Dawn. She bears the Zenith Blade and the Shield of Daybreak, the relics from the First Solari. Leona is the Sun’s power controlled, the resilience and glory of the Targonites suffused into a single, golden form.
Lunnam The smallest city of the Triumvirate, Lunnam still bears the weight of heresy upon its stony walls. It has become a place of foreboding and superstition. Lunnam specialized in raising sorcerers and wizards to utilize the Sun’s power through solarmancy, but now serves as an outpost for astronomers and Targon’s first line of defense against attackers. Currently weakened due to its association with the Lunari Cult, Lunnam has yet to be fully reintegrated into Targon’s Triumvirate.
Targon’s Peak It was here where the First Solari were founded. Considered the most sacred place on Targon, only those completely devoted to the Sun and Solari are allowed to experience its summit. No snow frosts the stones; only radiant sun and warm breezes stir here. Several of Targon’s priests maintain that they can communicate with the burning Sun itself. They say its voice is like fire, embers crackling, begging to be set free and promising great reward to those who worship it.
-Notable Persons- Leona- Chosen Solari, Guards Apris, bears the relics Zenith Blade and Shield of Daybreak. Mostly unchanged from her current state (wouldn’t want to get IronStylus mad!).
Pantheon- Chosen Solari, Prince and Guard of Solaris, bears the relics Lightbringer and Blacksun Aegis. Slightly changed- shield is now black with a sort of sunrise motif towards the bottom, and his spear is made of light/metal. Allows for the continued gladiator theme, but with Targon seasonings. Possible Q change in which the spear becomes a skillshot that ignores large amounts of the target’s additional Armor.
Brand- Major hidden force behind the powering of Targon’s artifacts and Sun worship. Defeated by the First Solari and imprisoned inside Targon. His knowledge led to the creation of relics. His spirit can be bound to a single body and released as a weapon, but the body soon burns away and Brand is re-interred into his prison. Again, mostly unchanged.
Diana- Ostracized daughter of Solaris, tutored by Morgana in Lunnam. Exiled and abandoned Morgana’s dark path. Chosen Lunarii, bears the relics Moonsilver Blade and Armor of Midnight.
Kayle/Morgana- Two angelic sisters born of a prophecy foretold by the First Solari of Lunnam. Both of advanced age, but remain youthful in action and appearance. Morgana began studying the Lunarii as a way to prove herself in the eyes of the Solari, but degenerated into an obsession with revenge and power. Currently exiled, and a master of using dark magic. Kayle serves as a judge for the High King, and bears the relic Halcyon Greatsword.
Nocturne- Summoned by Morgana’s extensive use of dark magic. Current alliance unknown. Minimal changes, with closer ties to Morgana.
Expansion The third sister (or brother) of ‘Dawn’ could easily be adapted into a new champion, or at least the idea of Targonite relics could be applied to future champions’ kits.
TL;DR Targon is mostly the same, with more unique elements that distinguish them as a proud warrior people, bent on personal glory and of their people. Keeps the Greco-Roman-inspired culture (gladiators, councils, the Triumvirate, corruption, secrets), with the addition of powerful relic-weapon bearing individuals and three primary cities. Morgana and Kayle have larger roles in the Mountain’s culture, and Nocturne/Brand are tied in with the secrets of civil war between the Solari and Lunarii. Pantheon and Leona are serving as the heralds for their respective cities and get to wield the weapons passed down to them from the original Solari (who defeated Brand and imprisoned him to use his magic to fuel their own weaponry and magic).
Questions, comments, concerns, I’d love to hear them! Please note of course this is just some quick hypothetical stuff, so view plot holes as either a) secrets or b) fun little puzzles.
