Which Region Is Your Favorite?
I left out Mt. Targon and The Void due to space issues... But lets talk about it. Mt. Targon is my personal favorite.
35 Comments
Bilgewater has the single most interesting story event that has happened in the game’s history. Even if the more recent work has been taking it to be about stuff I don’t care about.
Demacia has all the trappings of a setting I want to see explored. The only problem is so far it isn’t interesting. I want to read about soldiers, knights, economic struggles, and war. Instead they've mostly focused on Lux and how bad mages are treated. And I don’t really care. It’s not helped by the fact that J4 is probably the least interesting leader character in the game. When compared to Swain, Azir, Gangplank/MF, and the 3 Queens the only thing I can say about J4 is that he has a dragon girlfriend. So... good for him, I guess.
North America. The story is really fleshed out, there's lots of interesting conflict within the region, and there's some hidden gems underneath the thickening plot.
So, I like Runeterra as a whole (I'm the definition of biased) but getting down to region level, I'd have to go with Zaun, Bilgewater, and Shurima, in that order. Everything else is a bit further behind than those three.
Zaun for its bruised pride, irreverent youth culture, and bottomless ingenuity. I like how Zaun is just so bloody minded about living. Bilgewater for its mix of outsiders and the Buhru people, for its precarious livability, and for its depth of superstition and traditions. Shurima for its incredible history (hrm, maybe bruised pride again?), its harsh and beautiful landscape, and the sheer potential of its people to return to their cultural, intellectual, and societal greatness (and then surpass it).
I am shook that I am the first vote in Bandle City. Fine, the whole thing is shrouded in mystery and not much art has been released on the subject BUT the whimsical feel of it all, doesn't it attract anyone else? https://c-6rtwjumjzx7877x24i6z0u8q9bufd8px2ehqtzikwtsyx2esjy.g00.gamepedia.com/g00/3_c-6qtq.lfrjujinf.htr_/c-6RTWJUMJZX77x24myyux78x3ax2fx2fi6z0u8q9bufd8p.hqtzikwtsy.sjyx2fqtqjx78utwyx78_lfrjujinf_jsx2f8x2f81x2fGfsiqj_Hnyd_9.oulx3fajwx78ntsx3d05270158f447gg48j0ghkfi02826049ix26n65h.rfwpx3dnrflj_$/$/$/$/$ It reminds me of Arthur et les Minimoys. It's mysterious, rebellious, colorful. Going there would be a trip. [slayer-pantheon-rainbows]
Shadows Isles. Because i'm thirsty of knowledge. And Shadow Isles has a history that i want to know so much. Goddam, every single champion from that place it's something i enjoy playing/watching/reading about it. (Yorick ftw). It gives you only a small glimpse of the truth behind these Isles. Where most things are in present , and mostly not ruined as the Isles are.
- i like that Dark/Sad theme behind them. The music that defines this "realm" it's identical to Yorick's Login Screen Music (also Ult music) I like the things that are said about them; Quote:
"The isles were once paradise; now they're a prison."
Also , directed taunts to the 
Ruined King. (Both from Yorick;The Maiden of the Mist/Kalista's perspective).
Maiden: "The sword of a great man." Yorick: "The sword of a fool."
Maiden: "The king will return for it." Yorick: "Then I will strike him down."
Maiden: "The blade of the father." Yorick: "A tyrant who will pay for his crimes."
Maiden: "This blade has performed great feats." Yorick: "And I will use it to undo them.
Kalista: "Once, he was a noble king, until grief overcame his reason." Kalista: "In the end, it was not his blade that stole our lives." Kalista: "As once it symbolized hope, so now shall it incite despair!"
Really hard to chose between Piltover and Zaun, I love them both. I wish they would give Piltover more champions, I love the Victorian and steampunk thematic and there is so much they could do with it. I will just give Zaun the edge here since it is more defined (more champions and therefore more stories told).
Noxus satisfies both my craving for dark fantasy and my passion for the problems of postmodernism. I think the storytelling opportunities it offers are infinite, unfortunately not that well explored yet.
Second place and first place for a very long time was Icathia.
It kind of took me by surprise, but I've begun to appreciate Ionia as it's lore has changed. I find its present iteration very fascinating. The Noxian invasion was more than era of violence, it disrupted the entire continent from the physical landscape to its spiritual core. It's people are fragmented, traditions are being challenged by new ideals, and its magical essence has become twisted. It's like a body fighting off an infection, but it's harming itself in the process of recovery.
Noxus is everything I want from a fantasy world. Characters who don't fight for good but for what they believe in, which in turn leads to the question of what is right and wrong. A brutal hierarchy that rewards strength and merit of different forms (the principals of strength), and that while it is flawed, the possibility still exists. The ideas of possible political subterfuge to invade/ destabilize other countries. The characters in Noxus are constantly tested, and I love seeing them rise to the challenge.
Second place goes to Demacia, I really like the insular specialist nation. I really like other regions like Freljord and Bilgewater, but not on the same level as Noxus.
Even though bilge water, zaun noxus and friejlord all have interesting stories i'd go with ionia because there so many fun champs to play as that are there. It's also pretty easy to see how each champ can somehow know each other.
I left out Mt. Targon and The Void due to space issues...
heh.
Mt. Targon is my favorite region as well, I am a big fan of mythology, I really like the idea of gods, demigods and heroes of legend interacting with each other. I'm hoping to see Mt. Targon develop more in that direction as a region, as currently it feels as though they solely exist to oppose the Void.
I also main Pantheon, although the reason was simply because he is a spartan. Even had he not been written into an Aspect in the new lore, I think his lore would have delivered well as a legendary hero similar to Achilles or Jason from actual Greek mythology.
I also really liked the idea of the Sunborn from ancient Shurima as well, so second place may be the Darkin for me, but not Shurima as a whole.
I really liked the Blessed Isles. Before it fell to ruination the architecture and cultural philosophy is just so... elegant, spiritual and mysterious. It really bums me out to know what happened there. Like 
says in game, "this land was so beautiful..."
I'd start out in Bilgewater, exploring the beauty and danger of the sea and her port town. The seafarer superstitions, the sneaky underbelly, the moonlit portside and the seedy gangs. The shipbuilders, the slaughterdocks, the taverns and the waterfalls. The city's unique composition and the old ships reconstructed into it's buildings.
And of course, I'd be sure to pay the tithe
Shurima. The combination of a once-great nation that is starting to grow back to its former glory, the whole Ascended story-arc, and the fact that it has so many interesting things make it my favourite region alongside Noxus
The Void isn't a region, it's a dimension, and Piltover and Zaun are basically together now, so you could have added Mt. Targon.
Piltover, because its the very few places in this setting I would be okey living in, aside from Ionia.
First: Noxus.
Second runner up: Bilgewater
Third: Freljord
(FRELJORD) After living in texas for many years of my life I find that the colder weather suits me, and I like their methodical avalanche feel of an unstoppable force when moved and bother. The amount of cc that the champs have in game is also pretty cool adds to the theme of power and force in my eyes
Personally, it wasn't listed and it technically isn't a region anymore but, Icathia. "Where Icathia Once Stood" was AN AMAZING story. I want to learn so much more about Icathia and Zilean's struggle to resurrect the city. I want to hear about why Shurima wanted the state so badly and I want to hear about the ins and outs of politics and I want to hear about the the mage kings that ruled. I want to hear about the Kohari and Saijax's relationship with others in the city. Just.. god. I wish, I wish, I wish.
Freljord, and specifically the Avarosans. The beauty of its southern, forested mountains. The thousands of years of history. The chance to see a region united by peace and humanity. The lair of the Watchers—and where they must be stopped.
Anyone could live out their lives in one of its valleys. No Demacian or Noxian to trample you. None of Zaun or the Shadow Isles’ gloom and fear. No Ionian or Shuriman mages and maniacs on the loose. Piltover’s for the rich and ruthless, while Bandle City’s for Yordles only. In the Avarosan Freljord, one could have clean air, a clean conscience, and a warm, safe home for oneself and family.
I think it's pretty telling that Bandle City has no votes while Ionia has the most, at the moment. I mean it’s still a pretty small survey (I'd actually be interested in the results of an official Riot one), but as the least and most developed factions, respectively, it may just be that some regions need more love than other more fleshed out ones to truly resonate with more players.
Piltover/Zaun should be one option since they're really sub-regions of each other.