Calm your titties and hakuna your tatas, there's a reason for Kai'Sa being sane

Altiverse·Feb 23, 2018·21 votes·5,727 views

As stated here, so just wait for her bio to be released instead of making a new discussion about it every hour that makes it to the front page.

35 Comments

RiotReav3Feb 23, 201835 votes

There is indeed more void lore coming soon. The void is probably different then most people currently think it is, but that should be revealed soon.

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOFeb 23, 20182 votes

Oh I can’t wait for the boards’ reaction, anything you can tease?

Linna ExcelFeb 23, 20182 votes

All I know about the void is at one time, it was the place where all the hungry things came from.

ForgottenLuckFeb 23, 20182 votes

F*ck given the context this could be a line of a character from a horror film

saltranFeb 23, 20183 votes

Wait, are you saying that the Void I imagined is not canon?

Ok I'll go write 6 threads about how boring it is.

Reaper SorakaFeb 23, 20182 votes

Soontm. Always soontm.

Edit: it's the first time I've been a little excited for lore. I can't wait to see it.

RebonackFeb 23, 201812 votes

{quoted}

There is indeed more void lore coming soon. The void is probably different then most people currently think it is, but that should be revealed soon.

Shouldn't that sorta be a red flag, though? That you've changed the Void so much the expectations everyone has are mostly invalid?

I have the sneaking suspicion I know how things have been changed, but I'm still holding out hope that I'm wrong.

midnight oil24Feb 23, 20182 votes

I mean, things have been changed about it for a while now, they're just finally expanding on it. People need to look at the universe page, the Void hasn't been lovecraft land for a while now.

RebonackFeb 24, 20182 votes

[{quoted}](name=midnight oil24,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=bZkgJk8y,comment-id=000100040000,timestamp=2018-02-23T20:54:22.177+0000)

I mean, things have been changed about it for a while now, they're just finally expanding on it. People need to look at the universe page, the Void hasn't been lovecraft land for a while now.

Or changing, rather. Less Cosmic Horror more Alien Invader. The bio-mechanical description of the Void in its blurb is pretty telling.

I'm mostly hoping that tentatively physical nature of Void beasties sticks around. Like what we see of them in Diana and Sol's color stories. Things that shouldn't exist. Things that stop existing as soon as there isn't a will holding them coherent anymore. Things that don't quite get physical laws and react in counter-intuitive ways sometimes.

It's been clear for a while now that Riot has been shifting the Void toward 'Not-Tyranids' and I've more or less made peace with that. I'm just hoping they don't totally lose the Cosmic Horror vibe. You know what I mean?

midnight oil24Feb 25, 20181 votes

I think I do. I think they've still got some aspects of it (the way the flesh folds open and closed on Kai'sa's symbiote doesn't look like it's really natural in any sense of the word), but I think they're also trying to strike out in a more unique direction. Old lore void mostly felt like they took the evolution part of the Zerg while abandoning the rest of the cool stuff, then put them in the aforementioned lovecraft land. The new void feels more unique.

RebonackFeb 25, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=midnight oil24,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=bZkgJk8y,comment-id=00010004000000000000,timestamp=2018-02-25T14:05:38.491+0000)

I think I do. I think they've still got some aspects of it (the way the flesh folds open and closed on Kai'sa's symbiote doesn't look like it's really natural in any sense of the word), but I think they're also trying to strike out in a more unique direction. Old lore void mostly felt like they took the evolution part of the Zerg while abandoning the rest of the cool stuff, then put them in the aforementioned lovecraft land. The new void feels more unique.

And I don't mind that. I'll mention again, my main worry was that several of the important 'Void Facts' I had mentioned above were going to just go away. Now that I know some of the Cosmic Horror elements are sticking around, I think I can be at peace with whatever direction Riot takes.

As an aside, I suspect we may be learning soon that the Void has areas of varying intensity in terms of its mutagenic awfulness. That's probably going to factor into why Kai'Sa was able to persist long enough to find her voidfriend while Kass got messed up pretty quick in spite of his ample prep for the trip.

People were reacting sourly because the short lore bits we got are suggesting it was JUST a matter of force of will (and voidfriend), which feels a little cheap.

midnight oil24Feb 25, 20181 votes

One theory I have about the Void, thinking of corruption and varying intensities, is that I think part of it might be less willpower and more one's general mindset. From what we know of Kai'sa, she was forced to adapt inside the void, changing how she did things so she could survive. Kassadin's new short lore, on the other hand, says that while he may have gotten artifacts to ward off Void corruption, he didn't exactly work to prevent it beyond those basic countermeasures. I think that one's state of mind may influence how the void affects you as he was probably rather desperate and broken over the loss of his daughter, so when the Void breached his magic artifact barrier he didn't put up much of a fight, whereas Kai'sa couldn't really just succumb to the void if she wanted to survive. And even if they do get corrupted (Kai'sa is definitely corrupted, it just takes a different shape in the form of Voidfriend), they still seem to maintain some sanity. For all his serving the Void, Malzahar seems as sane as any other Runeterran, he's just working for a different faction.

The other pieces of evidence I have for this are Jax, who seems to be the most corrupted yet also the most sane of all the survivors of Icathia, which suggests a stronger willpower after an initial breakdown, and Zilean, who despite being from Icathia is unscathed. It seems like just being exposed to the Void isn't an automatic trip to the mountains of madness, and physical corruption is more caused by panic or moments of weakness rather than just being near the void.

You make a good point about why people were reacting negatively, I just wish people could wait for all the details or think about potential explanation for things before saying that Riot has ruined the Void. I hope you enjoy the new Void lore!

(side note: until given evidence that Kai'sa and voidfriend hate each other and only work together out of necessity, I'm totally going to imagine that when they're not fighting they just hang out together)

Chromatic EagleFeb 23, 20182 votes

Are you worried that it’s more alien than lovecraft?

RebonackFeb 24, 20183 votes

[{quoted}](name=Chromatic Eagle,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=bZkgJk8y,comment-id=000100040001,timestamp=2018-02-23T21:20:06.025+0000)

Are you worried that it’s more alien than Lovecraft?

Basically, yeah. That's been the direction it has been creeping in for quite a while now. Less Azathoths court and more Zerg.

Now let me tell you, I love the Zerg. They're great. But cosmic horror has always been one of my favorite genres and the Void was the big thing that initially drew me to League.

I'm really hoping some of OTHERNESS aspects of the Void are still canon, especially what we saw in Sol and Diana's color stories.

RiotRiot ScathlockeFeb 23, 201810 votes

If you have developed the ability to see into the future, please teach me. That would be hella useful.

ModThe DjinnFeb 23, 20186 votes

{quoted}

If you have developed the ability to see into the future, please teach me. That would be hella useful.

The trick is peering really hard.

RebonackFeb 24, 20184 votes

{quoted}

If you have developed the ability to see into the future, please teach me. That would be hella useful.

You flatlanders still haven't noticed that the universe doesn't happen. It's pretty cute.

Tomoe GozenFeb 24, 20182 votes

We never even had a full picture of the Void. Because the Void lore hasn't existed at all. The only tidbits we ever got was Icathia, Malzahar, Kassadin, Vel'Koz, Kha, Cho, Rek'Sai and Aurelion Sol. Tidbits. Some vague pointings to the Void but never how the place actually looked. We only knew of it by the abominations it produced in incursions and Void creatures are extremely rare sightings and very dangerous. Aspects of the Targon have fought against it.

RebonackFeb 24, 20182 votes

[{quoted}](name=Tomoe Gozen,realm=EUNE,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=bZkgJk8y,comment-id=000100040003,timestamp=2018-02-24T01:29:27.835+0000)

We never even had a full picture of the Void. Because the Void lore hasn't existed at all. The only tidbits we ever got was Icathia, Malzahar, Kassadin, Vel'Koz, Kha, Cho, Rek'Sai and Aurelion Sol. Tidbits. Some vague pointings to the Void but never how the place actually looked. We only knew of it by the abominations it produced in incursions and Void creatures are extremely rare sightings and very dangerous. Aspects of the Targon have fought against it.

And from the lore, there were a few things I would have been able to tell you pretty confidently.

It's dark there (Cho, Vel)
Things from the Void manifest (Kog, Vel, Diana)
Things from the Void can also come through portals (Sol)
Portals sometimes open randomly (Sol)
Sometimes they're WILLED open (Sol)
Things from the Void don't obey normal physical laws (Kog, Sol, Diana)
The Void isn't a hive-mind (Vel zapping other void critters)

And one of my favorite bits to draw from was Cho's selection quote implying that Void critters don't strictly kill things when they nom them. We got some backup for this from Rek's new(ish) color story, where she uses that poor kid's void-corrupted soul to continue her work on a Void portal.

With the addition of the Void's faction blurb, it has moved away from a Dungeon Dimension sort of scenario and more toward a bio-mechanical hellscape with a pretty strong Zerg/Tyranid flavor.

So there was stuff we could infer. Trying to piece the bits together to form a more coherent picture was part of the fun. It's less fun when the pieces get tossed out and the conclusions people drew based on those now retconed pieces evaporates like dead voidmeat.

Tomoe GozenFeb 24, 20181 votes

We never had a full picture of how the Void actually looked like but we had some pieces of the puzzle scattered around. The fun part was the we could gather these up and see where how it fits and where but the bigger issue still remained - we had only a few pieces while the majority were still unknown.

It's natural that players do start their theories and this is also a major part of the fun but it doesn't mean that Riot now has to adapt their story to our most popular fan-made canon. Which means that even if people don't see how Kai'Sa fits into the Void, she comes from the unknown pieces of the puzzle that we previously never had or hadn't considered before.

I'm very excited about the actual Void lore because that place really got my attention because of Vel'Koz. I think he's a really cool champion in itself and i also consider Kai'Sa to be one as well, despite what others think of her.

RiotRiot ScathlockeFeb 24, 20185 votes

All of that is true (and well researched/referenced!)

But it's not the complete picture. Would you automatically assume that anything you can imagine based on those truths, to fill in the the blanks, is always going to be better than anything Rioters could imagine?

We're always striving for the "both/and" solution, not an "either/or" solution.

Chromatic EagleFeb 24, 20181 votes

For some, theories will always trump canon, but I am curious on what the void actually is now. I feel like some changes have been either/or, but can’t think of any right now.

RebonackFeb 24, 20181 votes

{quoted}

All of that is true (and well researched/referenced!)

That actually makes me feel MUCH better about the upcoming Void reveal. My biggest worry was that some of those key points were going to get discarded.

But it's not the complete picture. Would you automatically assume that anything you can imagine based on those truths, to fill in the the blanks, is always going to be better than anything Rioters could imagine?

Absolutely not. That would be an absurd position to take. Obviously I'm fond of my pet theories and head-canon, and I'm curious to see how it falls in line with (or doesn't) the new material we're getting. Most of my anxiety has been stemming from from the impression that Kai'Sa's experiences erode the existential threat that the Void represents, shifting the threat from the Void itself to the nasty things that live in it. Pushing it from Cosmic Horror to Space Invaders, so to speak.

We're always striving for the "both/and" solution, not an "either/or" solution.

That's what I like to hear. I personally prefer a side of Zerg with my Shoggoths rather than a side of Shoggoths with my Zerg, but so long as the Cosmic Horror elements are intact to some degree I think I can be excited about whatever is on the way.

midnight oil24Feb 23, 20181 votes

I'm super excited for it. From the Universe page the void seems incredibly intriguing, I can't wait to see what you do with it and how you work with the new thematic going forward. It would hopefully also push for a VGU on some of the older void champs (looking at Cho'gath mainly) who don't fit with the new color scheme and apparent organic machine thing the Universe describes the Void as.

RiotReav3Feb 23, 20184 votes

Cho'Gath is on our VGU list for sure

NaalithFeb 23, 20181 votes

That's interesting. His kit and model could use some work but his face is kinda iconic now, to the point where there is a Cho'Gath Junior in Kai'Sa's splash. Hopefully you guys keep his overall look kinda similar unlike many VGUs.

midnight oil24Feb 25, 20181 votes

They could keep his face the same general design, but make it more mechanical and metallic instead of just meaty jaws splitting off from more meat in a machine world.

RmlthlFeb 24, 20181 votes

Hey, Reav3, it is offtopic but what is your opinion on Tryndamere and Vayne? Do you think that Trynda deserves a full VGU?

RaxistaichoFeb 24, 20182 votes

I don't particularly mind her still being sane, what I have a problem with is the girl doesn't look like she's had a hard day in her life, let alone a desperate life under constant threat of attack by extra-planar monstrosities.

AbibyamaFeb 23, 20181 votes

At least I’m the guy who couldn’t give two shits about her personality/lore/character.

What I care is her gameplay which is fun as fun

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOFeb 23, 20181 votes

What role do you play her in?

AbibyamaFeb 23, 20181 votes

Did not get to play her, she looks pretty fun from the streams and gameplays

Would play probably jungle because range reigns supreme

Pierce The VealFeb 23, 20181 votes

I think I’ll be playing her midlane/toplane, just because I dislike botlane and her scaling with level seems to be pretty strong, and jungle gold won’t be enough to get her 100 AP and AD fast.

KennysDreamGirlFeb 23, 20181 votes

im upvoting for the title