Was Nidalee born in Ixacoan ?

Zahtar·Jul 9, 2019·8 votes·8,928 views

No one knows how Nidalee came to be alone in the heart of the jungle. Dressed in little more than rags, the infant child sat alone on the leafy soil, her cries echoing between the trees.

This is everything we know about her childhood, from her bio. Now that Ixtal was revealed and we know that's where she comes from, I would love to learn more about her infancy. Where was she born ? Why was she abandoned in the jungle and by whom ?

Also, the mystery behind her lineage and her link to the Vastayashai'rei remains unsolved.

Even now, the dense forests remain the last truly untamed wilderness in the known world, and something of an enigma even to Nidalee. Still, in rare, quiet moments, the huntress finds herself dwelling on her own origins—and her encounter with the Kiilash—and whether she will learn the truth behind any of it…

Finally, are we going to learn more about the Kiilash ? ~~Is it likely that a Kiilash champion will eventually join the League ?~~ Edit : Rengar is a Kiilash.

Also, is it likely that a reptilian / lizardlike Vastaya (as seen in her short story) will eventually join the League ?

16 Comments

LordRedStone Nr1Jul 9, 20194 votes

Possibly? I think it's going to stay a mystery, like Ahri's origins.

Also, there is a Kiilash champion: Rengar.

ZahtarJul 9, 20192 votes

I like mysteries in the lore but I feel like it's an opportunity to explore Ixtal's background !

And indeed, Rengar is a Kiilash. Actually I mistook the Kiilash for the reptilian Vastaya from her short story, which I would love to see in game !

NaalithJul 10, 20194 votes

I don't believe so. Shapeshifters are the result of Vastayashai'rei and humans interbreeding after the humans ran for their lives to escape a series of Rune Wars, Void Wars, Darkin Wars, remote controller with your little brother wars, etc. The resulting Vastaya are a species we all know, but basically the Vastaya DNA/magic in continued interbreeding with humans needs to become so small that the person is basically entirely human. These 99% human people with very little Vastayan blood can then sometimes learn to shapeshift into their ancestral animal.

Ixacoan's people decided that rather than submit to these powers, fight against the evil, or run for their lives, they would fade into obscurity by hiding inside the jungle with their elemental magic. If Nidalee was born in Ixacoan, it would mean her ancestors left the nation at one point which no one should do during a magical holocaust, interbred with Vastayashai'rei at the ends of the world, then decided to come back even though many generations down the line Ixacoan would basically be forgotten, likely even by the descendants of people who originally left the city. I think it's far more likely that Nidalee is of another Runeterran descent, basically any other region (excepting Frejlord, it's far away from Shurima where much of the chaos was happening and its inhabitants are white) are candidates.

My guess would be that she's either Shuriman, a small village not incorporated into a nation, or MAYBE an island like Neeko. If she was Ixacoan I doubt it's because she was born there, but rather because her parents heard legends of their ancestral lands in the jungle and died on the journey to find it.

Demacian SaintJul 9, 20193 votes

So I know this is a long shot, but is it possible Nidalee is Killash? She transforms into a cougar which is a feline (Rengar is a feline). And then that begs the question: was one of Nidalee's parents Killash (again, in this case, feline)? If they were and they didn't know, this would explain why Nidalee was abandoned. But, as another possiblity, what if her mother wasn't aware of having been Killash and, after an infant Nidalee transformed into a young cougar cub, Nidalee was abandoned in that dense forest because that's where her parents met after her mother was rescued by her father. And Nidalee's mother knew her father would watch over the young child as if drawn by maternal instinct (or in this case, Killash instict)? It's a long shot but it does explain a few things but new questions will need answers.

Thoughts? Or am I just losing my mind?

GreenLoreJul 9, 20195 votes

She is likely half-kiilash as it was noted that half-human-vastaya hybrids tend to be shapeshifters, which is exactly what Nidalee is doing(also she herself isn't counted as a vastaya on the universe page, so she is definitely not a full one).

And judging by Rengar the kiilash are based on big cats, so one of Nidalees parents was probably a vastaya in the form of a cougar-human.

ZahtarJul 9, 20191 votes

I love this theory and it totally makes sense! That's the kind of think I would like them to clarify.

14daysuspensionkJul 10, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=Demacian Saint,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=lspRXZrW,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2019-07-09T19:04:02.422+0000)

So I know this is a long shot, but is it possible Nidalee is Killash? She transforms into a cougar which is a feline (Rengar is a feline). And then that begs the question: was one of Nidalee's parents Killash (again, in this case, feline)? If they were and they didn't know, this would explain why Nidalee was abandoned. But, as another possiblity, what if her mother wasn't aware of having been Killash and, after an infant Nidalee transformed into a young cougar cub, Nidalee was abandoned in that dense forest because that's where her parents met after her mother was rescued by her father. And Nidalee's mother knew her father would watch over the young child as if drawn by maternal instinct (or in this case, Killash instict)? It's a long shot but it does explain a few things but new questions will need answers.

Thoughts? Or am I just losing my mind?

If I remember correctly Rengars NEW story mentioned that he was smaller and weaker than the other Kiilash, and he's obviously a lot bigger than Nidalee. Plus he sorta killed her (cougar adoptive) mother I believe. So I don't think she is a Kiilash, I might be wrong so feel free to crrect anything.

4 Step CadenceJul 9, 20191 votes

We already have a lizard Vastaya too.

RektagonJul 9, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=4 Step Cadence,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=lspRXZrW,comment-id=0002,timestamp=2019-07-09T23:25:38.262+0000)

We already have a lizard Vastaya too.

4 Step CadenceJul 9, 20192 votes

She's not. The Vastayashai'Rei are extinct. However, the Oovi-Kat, due to their isolation, have had little contact with humans, thus their blood isn't as diluted as the other Vastaya. However, tribe mixed with humans at least once, making them Vastaya. I believe Riot confirmed this somewhere.

ZahtarJul 9, 20191 votes

Interesting remark. That's not what I meant, but I feel like there is room for a reptilian vastaya in the League other than Neeko. And since she's the closest there is to the vastayashai'rei, it could be a shapeshifter for instance!

ZahtarJul 9, 20191 votes

Neeko ? I mean... you're right. That said she doesn't feel like an actual reptile imo... idk

4 Step CadenceJul 9, 20192 votes

Cause she's a chameleon/shapeshifter. She's trying to look human, presumably so people aren't afraid of her.

ZahtarJul 10, 20191 votes

You're absolutely right, I had forgotten about that!

Edit : but then don't you think we could also get another vastaya that feels more reptilian ? Either like Rengar (very bestial) or like Nidalee (a humanoid that turns into an animal) ?

EdgeLadyJul 10, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=4 Step Cadence,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=lspRXZrW,comment-id=000200010000,timestamp=2019-07-09T23:48:15.849+0000)

Cause she's a chameleon/shapeshifter. She's trying to look human, presumably so people aren't afraid of her.

We're playing as Neeko's default form though. I'd assume the other Oovi-Kat looked (or look, if any of them survived the disaster) similar to her in their default forms, even though they would shapeshift a lot.

Also, since it was implied that vastaya can look more humanlike if they concentrate (and if it suits their needs/personality), it might be possible that whichever of Nidalee's parents was human didn't know the other was a vastaya. Or else they could have put aside their differences, but it's possible that whichever of Nidalee's parents was a vastaya, he or she was a pretty good shapeshifter.

14daysuspensionkJul 10, 20191 votes

Ah, a post about my main.