Why are all the Noxians so Homogenous?

Merxamers·12/12/2014, 4:21:21 PM·30 votes·7,326 views

The Riot lore team has stated repeatedly that Noxians aren't meant to be the 'bad guys' of Runeterra, and a key part of their social structure is that anyone can advance to positions of authority through displayed competence, regardless of background. However, this does not hold up when one actually looks at the Noxian champions.

Let's list the champions from Noxus (or affiliated with the nation at some point) real quick: Cassiopeia Darius Draven Katarina Leblanc Riven Singed Sion Swain Talon Urgot Vladimir

Notice a similarity between them?

On one had, the varyious champion lores indicate that many of these champions rose from humble beginnings to become respected mass murderers (Swain, Darius, Draven, Riven, SInged, etc.), but if background truly doesn't matter, where are the nonhuman, or even non-white Noxians? It would be one thing if Noxus was just a city where everyone happened to look the same (unlikely), but Noxus has military and political influence over much of runeterra. If the Roman empire easily incorporated Gauls, Africans, Persians, and other various peoples into their armies, why can't Noxus? Otherwise, Noxus comes across just like the Empire from Star Wars, just with more women.

All i'm saying is if Demacia can have Poppy, Shyvana, and XinZhao to break up the monotony, it would be nice to see the same from Noxus. Maybe someone who looks Ionian? A creature whose species is from Targon? Heck, why not a Yordle?! I'd love to read about a yordle who somehow ends up in the Noxus military.

PS: It is nice to see Noxus give so many opportunities to the disabled (Cassiopeia Sion Urgot )

108 Comments

Sneak Dog12/12/2014, 4:47:26 PM26 votes

Noxus is actually quite xenophobic. They'll treat unproven yordles significantly worse than unproven men. After proving themselves competent or intimidating they'll be treated with some respect (not sure if there's still discrimination after proving themselves).

This means that non-human noxians will have seen the worst Noxus has to offer. They can still climb up in rank as such is the Noxian ideal. Anyone can work their way up if they are strong (or rather, competent).

The roman empire just assimilated any other country in their empire and stole anything from their culture they thought useful to have. I don't think it's entirely fair to compare Noxus and Rome honestly, they are very different.

I'd like Noxus to be portrayed a bit more like 'strength above all' (though really it's more like 'competence above all' I believe, ah well) and less evil and honourless. Perhaps it's just Darkwills legacy. He happily cooperated with the ethicless Singed during the Ionian invasion. We haven't seen much from Swain safe for his grand scheme at Kalamanda.

FiendOfOne12/12/2014, 4:36:24 PM17 votes

I love how you counted Sion as 'disabled.' I suppose death is kind of a disability.

BlackSunNocturne12/12/2014, 7:31:25 PM13 votes

If we're looking at Noxus as a whole Alignment from a D&D Perspective, they're actually more like True Neutral going into Neutral Evil at some points. Demacia is a weird combination of Chaotic good and Neutral Evil (Serious, Demacia is a Fascist State and Noxus is a Meritocracy. Both would not work IRL, as proven by history).

The Alignments of the Champs shown run the gamut of the Law/Chaotic Good/Evil spectrum too. Cassiopeia: Chaotic Neutral/Evil Darius: EXTREME Lawful Neutral, sliding closely to Lawful Evil Draven: The EPITOME of Chaotic Neutral Katarina: Lawful Neutral/Evil Leblanc: Neutral Evil Riven: Lawful Evil (Formerly when she was serving Noxus)/True Neutral (currently) Singed: Chaotic Neutral/Evil Sion: Neutral Evil Swain: Lawful Neutral/Evil Talon: Lawful Neutral Urgot: Lawful/Chaotic Neutral Vladimir: Chaotic Neutral

So if we're going to assume Noxus' alignment as a whole is represented by their champions in-game, it's firmly in the "Neutral" sections.

Maple Crusader12/12/2014, 4:29:09 PM11 votes

Singed is from Zaun, not Noxus.

Lumus Avatar12/12/2014, 4:25:47 PM6 votes

With Zaun by their side, death is merely a temporary inconvenience in Noxus.

Dr Clueless PhD12/12/2014, 4:37:24 PM6 votes

By my recollection, some old LoL writings (the JoJ, maybe?) told that Noxus was pretty racist against non-humans. I don't know if I could actually find it again, but I seem to remember reading it at one point.

Rebonack12/12/2014, 5:54:18 PM5 votes

See, I always wondered about that when people tried to argue that Noxus wasn't your standard Lawful Evil nation.

The human city-state of Noxus is in many ways the moral antithesis of Demacia; it is a settlement where the physically and mentally strong acquire power through any means, regardless of the consequences to their fellow citizens.

That's pretty much your classic D&D definition of Evil right there. So did Riot just drop the old lore descriptions of Demacia and Noxus in the retcon?

m2ua34Hs6j12/13/2014, 5:20:42 AM4 votes

I don't agree that just because Noxus is a xenophobic meritocracy it is somehow inherently evil. I would prefer that over a fascist monarchy any day. At least in the xenophobic meritocracy I have a chance no matter what to rise to the top on my capabilities. To me, Demacia represents a worse kind of evil, control.

Matezoide12/12/2014, 10:53:24 PM4 votes

Riot: Noxians arent the bad guys, guys!

Proceeds to write Noxians as bad guys every single time

GreenLore12/12/2014, 6:56:28 PM3 votes

Well Morgana actually lives in noxus,but she is up for a complete retcon,so who knows what'll happen.

Anyway I'd really like to see someone non-human who rose through the ranks of noxus and gets as much respect from the noxians as anyone else.

Der Lindwurm12/12/2014, 7:38:03 PM3 votes

With the way the lore is currently, you've got to love how Morgana decries Kayle's tyranny but then sides with the most tyrannical faction on Runeterra.

JoeDerp12/12/2014, 10:13:30 PM3 votes

You don't feel a snake lady or an undead mechanical crab man breaks up the monotony?

Wheatloaf12/13/2014, 5:31:13 PM1 votes

Political Correctness doesn't scream "NOXUS" to me.