Riot seems to be picking up the pace when it comes to releasing new champions in its popular MOBA, League of Legends. Eccentric serial killer Jhin went live early in February, and starry space dragon Aurelion Sol hit the Rift in late March. Now, only a little over a month removed, we’re getting a steady drip of information regarding the game’s next new competitor, Shuriman rock mage, Taliyah. Before that, there hadn’t been a new champ since last November.
The first bit of lore was introduced the 28th in the form of the short story “The Bird and the Branch”, which was made available on the League of Legends website. In it, a young Taliyah runs from the consequences of her uncontrollable-but-mighty powers of earth moving, only to meet a wandering Yasuo and learn to establish a semblance of control over her abilities. As with most of Riot’s short stories, the quality of writing is good, and the story overall is compelling and interesting. Without ever laying eyes on the character, I’m fully intrigued.
On May 2nd, Riot upped the ante and released a short, animated teaser video, giving us a solid glance at Taliyah and deepening our understanding of her relationship with the Shining City of Shurima. She’s traveling to it, using her powers to fly her towards the desert city that looks to be in trouble. “Home,” she calls it – but what’s happening to it? Does it have something to do with Azir’s return, who’s debut back in 2014 was the last time the lore of that region was really elaborated on?
Based on ancient Egyptian religious mythology, Shurima very conspicuously reflects some of the most popular themes from that area of our real world – the marriage of animals and humans in one physical form, the fear/respect for the Sun as a mystical being, and gaudy greed crumbling to dust. What is known of Shurima’s lore is pretty fascinating in its own right, though.
In Runeterra’s present, Shurima has long been destroyed and any recollection of it found in bits and pieces in the sands. Archaeologists and explorers only knows of its history thanks to what they could piece together in their expeditions.
Long ago, Azir ruled the prosperous capital city with a Xerath as his magus, almost a Jafar sort of counselor. With Xerath’s persuasion, Azir would attempt to invoke the Ritual of Ascension, a process that would transform mortal men into demigods, granting them near eternal life and power beyond compare. It had been done already, by brothers Nasus and Renekton, who used their powers to protect Shurima from threats both internal and external. When Azir approached the Sun Disk – the all-powerful, man-changing Maguffin – to become a god, he was betrayed instead by Xerath, who attacked Azir and gained the arcane powers himself, transforming him into a being of raw energy. Azir was left utterly obliterated by the interruption, and the city around them would be swallowed into the sea of sand. Nasus and Renekton moved quickly to put Xerath down. Xerath was chained to a sarcophagus, but broke free (hence the chains and stone pieces) and had to be dragged into a tomb, where Renekton sacrificed himself to keep him inside.
A thousand years later, a noble Noxian woman named Cassiopeia takes an adventuring party, lead by mercenary and local legend Sivir, to the long rumored ruins of the city in search of treasures. They come across the tomb and make the terrible mistake of opening it. As they wander through the tomb, they are amazed at the granduer of it all, until Sivir’s men start triggering traps and getting slaughtered. Cassiopeia betrays Sivir, who attempts to cut her losses, and in turn is maimed by a sinister poison trap from a great snake statue.
Outside of letting Xerath and Renekton (who was driven insane thanks to a 1000 years of captivity) free, Cassiopeia would succomb to the poison. Instead of killing her, the curse would turn her into the gorgon-like creature she is today. Sivir was left to die in the tomb, but before taking her last breath, something miraculous happened. Her blood activated magics in the cave that would bring Azir, ascended from the ritual, back into being. Sivir was, apparently, the last of Azir’s bloodline, and she was the missing key to bringing back the lost emperor. Azir saves her life, but Shurima’s revival has become a point of skepticism for everyone involved. Azir wants his city back, but at what cost? Xerath is free, and time hasn’t exactly lightened his mood. Meanwhile, Renekton is powered by misguided rage and hunts his brother, Nasus, in a tireless search for vengeance. Cassiopeia was already twisted, and with her new found powers, probably has no interest in using them for charity. Sivir is torn between just washing her hands of the situation and fufilling some sort of presumed duty that would come with being an heir of Shurima’s last emperor.
And then there’s Taliyah, going back to that desert city for what I hope is a really, really good reason.
Circle back to the Leaguepedia for consistent updates on Taliyah’s roll out, and let us know what you think about her so far on Twitter and Facebook.