I'm currently writing a script for a voice over for Yorick's skin and it'd be awesome if someone on skins team could fill me in on any lore or tidbits about Arclight and Yorick's part in the universe. I read on the PBE board that he was a king that lost his wife which is a good story thread but if there's any more information it would help a ton! Maybe Kindlejack or someone who worked on the skin could help?
Hey Nintendo625! +1 to Kindlejack's info about Vel'Koz and his hefty contribution to the Arclight thematic lore. The way we try to approach skins nowadays is to fully flesh out what X champ's story is within a given thematic, with the intent to let that then inform design throughout the entirety of the skin from Concept all the way through to VFX and SFX. Ideally we treat the story as sort of a creative North Star. So we started there.
In this thematic, Yorick is essentially a king of a great and prosperous land, and when darkness descends upon his kingdom he is tested by the divine light of VelKoz's gaze. Passing the trial, he gains power and dominion over light, becoming a paladin of the Arclight Order to protect the mortal realm from the dark threat. In doing this, however, he also loses his mortality. Yorick outlives his beloved queen, his children, grandchildren, his kingdom and it's people. In taking on the light he ends up still losing the very thing he vowed to protect with it's powers. The last remaining humanity left in him uses the light to create constructs, monuments to his fallen queen. For flavor, I imagined that the collective vision of the Arclight would skew time, pulling you back out of your linear mortal view of it and replacing it with a harsh birds eye view of everything before and after. The overall idea is that while we were going for a 180 degree turn for the aesthetic of the skin, the story would still be tragic and dramatic.
I appreciate you reading this far, would love to read whatever you come up with. I used to create stories around existing skin thematics and new ideas for skins for hours as a player, and literally never tire of seeing and reading player created content. GG amigo!
Arclight Vel'koz probably introduced the most lore; where he is the god that bestows the power of arclight upon mortals in times of darkness. His splash depicts him manifesting before a church to 'test' warriors hoping to become his chosen archangels. Those found worthy will become arclight, and spend eternity doing his bidding in the mortal realm. Those not worthy, well, disintegration and oblivion await. Varus and Vayne were found worthy and granted righteous power and immortality.
Rioit DrPh8 would know the full story for Yorick as he worked on his concept with Aleks Nikonov, but I know that a King made arclight would eventually have to watch his queen, his family and even his kingdom fade to nothing as the ages wheel. I wonder what Vel'koz would make of his fixated worship of his lost love, is it divine or blasphemy?
Riot doesn't release their internal lore for the skin themes, if they have any.
They'd rather have you guys do all the hard work for them so they can steal it and not pay anyone.
I haven't heard of a general lore for the Arclight theme, but we know a bit about each individual skin thanks to their release post: Varus: This alternate look for Varus emanates bright power. Rediscover the Ionian warrior just after he embraces the corruption he once guarded, but before the darkness consumes him. New animations and spell effects shine fresh light on the Arrow of Retribution, and you'll hear an uncorrupted treatment of his voice. Vel'Koz: One eye, piercingly blue, coolly stares from behind Arclight armor. A man cowers before it. All the light in the cavernous hall suddenly rushes toward the unblinking eye, refracting off its cornea and generating enormous, purifying power. The man’s body lifts from the stone beneath his feet. His skin blisters before his body disappears in the blinding light. Vayne: A pair of golden wings speed her through the air as she slings bolts of light from a heavenly crossbow, smiting the fools who question her supremacy. True warriors dream of testing their skills against her divine power. The lucky ones wake up before they do.
I think this is all we got about the Arclight theme. And there is the theory, that Vel'Koz transforms people into the Arclight warriors (so the man in his story gets transformed and not killed). So maybe Yoricks release post will bring some lore for his skin.
