"Those horrifying, sentient weapons known as Darkin."

Ralanr·Apr 3, 2017·35 votes·3,975 views

Well I suppose that kills some theories.

If this in setting theory is true, does that mean Varus's bow is a Darkin?

86 Comments

ExtrasolarApr 3, 201717 votes

Wait, so if we're talking about the sword itself being the Darkin rather than the super tall, taloned and winged dude holding it... Then what exactly is Aatrox?

Is he some sort of demonic being that the sword has mind controlled into carrying it around and using it so that it may sate its bloodlust? Is Aatrox's fondness for war and conflict really the influence of the sword on his mind rather than the guy holding it's will? What exactly is their relationship? Can Aatrox part with the sword should he choose to, or...

Now I'm really curious for that updated Aatrox lore, and I thought I'd never type that sentence.

But as for Varus' bow, I don't really think it would be a Darkin, considering it's a normal bow (in his old lore, he used it before tapping into the Pit of Pallas in order to kill Noxians that were around). The corruption in and of itself is a different entity, I believe, that slowly transformed him and by extension the bow that he always used.

So yeah, I don't think the Darkin and Varus' bow are related just going off of old lore.

Though with this revelation, them changing his lore and making it so that Varus stumbles upon a mysterious, dark and magical bow that aggravates his more aggressive and vengeful tendencies after his village is destroyed (going off of the assumption that the new lore will at least keep that bit) would definitely make sense. I sort of dig that direction, actually.

RalanrApr 3, 201718 votes

You know how Varus is getting corrupted by his bow? I think the guy holding Aatrox (who I think is the sword now) is the finished example of that corruption.

5000000000000000Apr 3, 201721 votes

Oh, so basically it's not literally the weapon itself, but some symbiote-like being that turns the weapon and its wielder as one weapon being? That could work.

ExtrasolarApr 3, 20173 votes

Yup, I really like that idea. It would definitely make sense, since Varus' corruption progression (his lower body) does bear some resemblances to Aatrox (used in the sense of the being holding the blade, since I don't know what else I'd call him now that the blade itself is the Darkin). I imagine that one it would be complete, he'd turn into a demonic being reminiscent of Aatrox.

AwoofApr 4, 20176 votes

{quoted}

Yup, I really like that idea. It would definitely make sense, since Varus' corruption progression (his lower body) does bear some resemblances to Aatrox

And they both wear no pants. That's surely a clue.

AzteryzApr 4, 20173 votes

some weapons corrupt differently perhaps

aatrox sword gave him wings and scales

maybe varus will finish and give him a crow/raven feathered look

BLACK REALM GODApr 4, 20171 votes

maybe zac is a failed darkin.

HalcyonDwellerApr 4, 20171 votes

Not sure about that, he was designed to act on his own rather than to be wielded by another.

BLACK REALM GODApr 4, 20171 votes

i meant as in hahahaha weapon x hahahaha funny joke hahahaha darkin weapon hahahahaha... get it?

WheatloafApr 4, 20171 votes

Call me a party pooper, but I feel I should point out you can be a living weapon and be humanoid, and even wield another weapon that may and/or may not be part of yourself.

RalanrApr 4, 20172 votes

And that honestly sounds rather boring and generic (at least very generic).

ExtrasolarApr 4, 20173 votes

Sure, creatures and people are referred to as living weapons, but the key word there is "sentient." Why refer to something that's obviously sentient as sentient?

When you're talking about, say, an assassin or the demonic being that's holding the blood-drinking blade, those two are obviously sentient, so saying it again is redundant.

If we were talking about a sword or another weapon, though, those most often aren't sentient, and those that are sentient are unusual, thus warranting the mention of the word. Hence, it seems more likely that the weapon itself is what Santangelo is referring to.

WheatloafApr 4, 20171 votes

Hmm... I see your point. Theoretically it could have been Santangelo spicing up his syntax for the sake of it (which seems to be well within his character), but this being the first official mention of Darkin in a long time, and the first time Riot has really given us a clue as to what they are, I'll agree the choice of words is probably important.

BLACK REALM GODApr 4, 20171 votes

party pooper

Sahn UzalApr 3, 201714 votes

Is Jax's Jax Lamp Post a Darkin? :O

Jokes aside, Varus could be legit tbh

AwhegarkApr 3, 201718 votes

Jax's Lamp Post is the mastermind Chief of the Darkin. Aatrox's sword bows down to it every time they meet.

AmazoXApr 3, 20172 votes

Thanks for the laugh!

MelledoneusApr 4, 201714 votes

Sword: I am the Darkin Blade. Who dares challenge m- Lamp Post: :) Sword: Oh, it is you, my master. Is it time to lay waste to this world? Lamp Post: Eh, give 'em a couple hundred years. See if they can clean this up.

Ivern and IreliaApr 4, 20177 votes

Lamp Post: im going to call you hawkeye Varus' bow: your funeral... Lamp Post: :( -> :l -> :) I like you

NarasimhaApr 4, 20172 votes

Pecking Order

RastaBrothaApr 5, 20171 votes

a dbza reference...never thought I'd get to see that

Big LincolnApr 3, 201714 votes

Bard meeps are a Darkin

Chromatic EagleApr 3, 20177 votes

I feel as if the two are one, that the body is an extension of the weapon.

Real question is, Darkin Marksman when?

RalanrApr 3, 20178 votes

Varus probably.

Warlord DienekesApr 3, 20177 votes

Aatrox, Varus' bow, and if I had to guess Warmog's seem like the remaining Darkin. Assuming Warmog being living armor hasn't been retconned.

RalanrApr 3, 20176 votes

That'd be pretty interesting actually, though it might be weapons only.

Warlord DienekesApr 3, 20172 votes

Might be, I'm banking on calling them all weapons was just being poetic, since saying "those horrifying, sentient pieces of military equipment." Doesn't have the same punch to it.

But Warmogs totally could just be something else entirely. It just seems to be kind of weird if it was. Again, assuming its sentience hasn't been retconned.

SoyUnPrededorApr 4, 20174 votes

inb4 Warmogs is part of the Lightkin, sentient, living armor pieces.

5000000000000000Apr 4, 20171 votes

That may sound dumb but I still like it

PureMysticApr 4, 20176 votes

Am i the only person reading this as the Darkin beings themselves are so horrible he's comparing them to sentient weapons? and not LITERALLY sentient weapons are Darkin.... idk maybe i'm wrong?

KnalxzApr 4, 20173 votes

I have something that might help you see otherwise. The problem with your line of thought is that key word of sentient. The word wouldn't be used in the context of the story if the item in question normally had sentience. It'd be like if someone said,

"That's a sentient human!"

Many questions would be asked with the first being "Are there non-sentient humans?"

Does this make sense?

Hello I am BirdApr 4, 20172 votes

Well, I think that what he means is that typically weapons aren't sentient, but in this case they are living beings that are being reffered to as weapons.

ExtrasolarApr 4, 20171 votes

Eh, I can kind of see your point, but it's still a strange word to use in the context of a non-inanimate object.

If they were really talking about the demonic-looking beings in the vein of Aatrox (or the wielder of Aatrox, since I believe that Aatrox is the sword itself) they wouldn't need to bother with saying "sentient." Just "horrifying, living weapons" would make far more sense in that case.

We get "sentient" because the vast majority of swords and other weapons aren't.

PureMysticApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Hello I am Bird,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=QAY79A68,comment-id=000d00000000,timestamp=2017-04-04T15:36:59.380+0000)

Well, I think that what he means is that typically weapons aren't sentient, but in this case they are living beings that are being reffered to as weapons.

this is basically what i meant, the darkin to this journalist are so horrible he sees them as living weapons

AmazoXApr 3, 20174 votes

Imagine Jhin corrupted/merged with a Darkin...

Could be a legendary or ultimate skin. ☆_☆

Sexy Jack RabbitApr 3, 20174 votes

I'm not sure we'll see much massive expansion on them soon, but I really hope we do.

I have a theory that Morgana and Kayle will be pretty relevant to them though.

An Undead bratApr 4, 20171 votes

Both being Vastaya, but Morg corrupted by Darkin?

Sexy Jack RabbitApr 4, 20173 votes

I meant like, Morgana and Kayle are part of the origins of the Darkin.

Overlord ForteApr 3, 20173 votes

Unless the Pit of Pallas and its daemonic corruption are somehow tied to the Void War / Darkin, I kinda doubt it. Might make sense? The bow doesn't speak to Varus at all, though, it just corrupts.

RalanrApr 3, 20171 votes

To be fair, neither does Aatrox's sword.

Overlord ForteApr 3, 20172 votes

Aatrox IS the Darkin, though, whatever manifestation he happens to take. If there was a person underneath the visage that was still there (or any at all to begin with), then yeah, it'd be the same MO.

AcidTheWarlockApr 3, 20173 votes

Since we'll probably have an Ionian lore update, we'll see about Varus.

And if it's true, I really really want a fully corrupted skin for him too.

It's nice to see Aatrox isn't just a the generic blood demon trope too.

GULAG 4 UApr 3, 20172 votes

So Aatrox is the sword confirmed. So what Aatrox is trying to do is to make tryndamere wield him, as it seems.

ExtrasolarApr 3, 20175 votes

...Did Riot just give us a clear path to Demonblade Tryndamere with this revelation?

Like, it's a "what if" Tryndamere eventually gave in to wielding Aatrox, which merged itself with his being...

GingahBreadApr 4, 20174 votes

I wouldn't call it confirmed. I read it as a metaphor, referring to Aatrox the champion as a living weapon himself.

ExtrasolarApr 4, 20171 votes

It could possibly be a metaphor, but the word choice belies that: Santangelo explicitly using the word "sentient." The being wielding the sword (and any potential race of them) are obviously sentient, so it's odd and redundant to refer to them as sentient.

Swords and other weapons, though, usually aren't sentient, and thus a sentient blade would be an exception, which is likely what Santangelo meant.

Papa AndreiApr 3, 20171 votes

Where did you see this?

RalanrApr 3, 20174 votes

In the new lore that's written like a journal entry. There's a link on this forum.

Papa AndreiApr 3, 20171 votes

Just read it and didn't see any Darkin mention... Huh

ExtrasolarApr 3, 20173 votes

Last paragraph of Santangelo's writing, just before the editor's note.

Still, for now, it is time to move on – I have merely opened the door on vastaya, and it will be the job of another journalist to step through it. Today, I draw my attention to the other creatures of Runeterra whose stories have yet to be told: Those horrifying, sentient weapons known as Darkin.