Ya know, it's interesting that in a game with a species of part animals and a lore/history heavily featuring people who ascended to become gods that are part animal, those two things are not remotely related.
The fandom discourse differences between Azir's modern Shurima vsv Noxus is really quite funny in a sad kind of way.
Azir has been standing there in the lore doing nothing particularly problematic for 10 years now and people still get themselves into hysterics over how Riot is white washing imperialism.
Meanwhile any time Noxus shows up it's like a meme of "The leftism leaving my body the moment Noxus start doing imperialism" because people always act like no they're doing an imperialism with yassss qween energy so it's alright.
Right now twotter dot com people are complaining about Taliyah’s new Wildrift design and how it is too "shuriman empire-y" in a vague kind of way. And because Taliyah is "anti azir" that must mean that riot is trying to make you think Azir is good...?
Meanwhile last year Riot actually retconned Rell's entire lore (one of the few that actually critiques Noxus in a way that isn't an underhanded complement) so that it actually cut out all of the anti-noxian stuff and just blamed everything bad on the Rose and I didn't see near as much a peep.
Because I now have Demacia/LoL brainrot courtesy of the new cinematic, ship ideas I merely want to hear your opinion on:
Garen x Quinn, Jarvan x Quinn, and maybe Jarvan x Sivir?
No rush, I apologize if this upsets you, and have a good day!
Garen x Quinn I don't really buy, specifically because they are too similar in some ways, but also don't have that much to offer each other. They're both patriot soldier types, both emotionally constipated, they both have some serious complexes about their siblings, but their differences don't really lead to interesting tensions. Quinn prefers to be way out in the wilds, mostly alone, with her bird, and Garen is most at home during drill practise with his band of brothers.
Jarvan x Quinn makes more sense, at least from Jarvan's perspective that Quinn represents both an escape from his royal duties and a real chance at freedom, while still soothing his guilt that if he was out there with her, he would still be of service to his country. A desertion without deserting, you can see why he would find her perspective and worldview compelling and want to know her better. What Quinn would get from Jarvan though... hm, I mean she might be charmed just by the fact that he is The Prince, he might represent a sort of youthful fantasy of being a princess swept off her feet, and certainly there's a class tension between them there where he could give her access to the highest echelons of Demacian high society, a world she has never known before. Luxury and comfort. She would grow to hate it if she was stuck there, but I can see why she would be enticed by the idea of being able to visit it.
Jarvan x Sivir makes TOTAL sense to me, though. Jarvan would be attracted to her for similar reasons why he might be attracted to Quinn, but even more so. If Quinn is a fantasy of escaping his royal duty while still serving his country, Sivir is the forbidden fantasy of just fully running away from it all, escaping into the great wide world and making your own way, living on your wits. Sivir is herself a princess running away from her royal family (Azir, in her case), and BOY could that be a seductive fantasy to our erstwhile princeling.
Meanwhile Jarvan would be attractive to Sivir... well, without putting too fine a point on it because he is rich. He represents access to a whooole lot of money, influence and power, and Sivir is a practical woman. But also, Jarvan with his upper class noblesse obligé attitude and relentless moral character represents an interesting tension with Sivir. For all that she is running away from Azir and his blather about her "imperial duty to Shurima," Sivir isn't a heartless woman. She does care about the people of Shurima, and the idea that maybe as a leader she could do something to make a better country...
She is far too cynical to believe in that kind of nonsense, but I think somewhere in her heart she secretly wishes that such things would be possible. And Jarvan would be exactly the kind of man to encourage that hope in her, to encourage her to believe in ideals bigger than herself. And that can be seductive to a cynic, even as it is incredibly annoying. I think she would enjoy the thought of fucking the stupid idealism out of him, there's a darkly kinky thrill to corrupting a stupid privileged princeling by exposing him to the real gritty muck of the world.
It's no secret that I've pretty-much developed my own canon divergent from Riot's own when it comes to League lore, especially where Shurima is concerned, so I decided to make a list of my own Ascended characters and their bios. With that said, enjoy.))
Setaka
Status: Deceased
Bio: Once regarded as the "Warrior Queen" of the Ascended Host. Setaka was brave, loyal, and fierce beyond measure. She wielded the Chalicar, a weapon of Targonian origin that had the power to absorb various energies and convert them into Celestial power. She gave her life in the first Void invasion of Shurima to help seal away the Eldritch horror.
Nasus
Status: Alive
Bio: A scholar and tactician of the Ascended Host. Nasus was regarded as one of the wisest and most cunning generals of Shurima's army well before his Ascension, and the Rite only gave him greater insight into the laws of life and death. He wields various arcane powers relating to the soul, though such revelations have only made him more sentimental in regards to wanton slaughter... He has spent ages in isolation following the downfall of the empire, and only recently reemerged.
Renekon
Status: Alive
Bio: The Butcher of the Sands is one of the deadliest warriors the Ascended Host had ever seen. Though not initially chosen for the Rite, Renekton nonetheless joined in brother in the light of the Sun Disc in an act that should have been self-sacrifice. Following this, he became a nigh-unstoppable force of carnage in Shurima's conquest, seemingly able to detect the wickedness in those around him. Renekton again sacrificed himself to seal Xerath in the Tomb of the Emperors, only to have his sanity whittled away by the Magus. He is now a broken husk of his former self, wreaking havoc upon a world he believes betrayed him.
Xerath
Status: Alive
Bio: The Magus Ascendant is a unique being, having gone beyond the limits of what the Rite should allow. By absorbing all the power of the Sun Disc, he has transformed himself into a being of pure arcane energy. Xerath's mastery of magic is rivaled by precious few, and he aims to use that power for but one purpose: to remake Runeterra in his own image. Xerath believes that the only way to be truly free is to become master of the world that denied him his freedom, starting with Shurima...
Azir
Status: Alive
Bio: The last emperor of Shurima, returned to life after being petrified by Xerath ages ago. Azir's Ascension was unique, utilizing Celestial power stored within the Chalicar rather than channeling it through the Sun Disc. This has resulted in Azir acquiring a unique power that emphasizes his position as an emperor; all that falls under his authority, he can bend to his will. He hopes to one day unite all of Runeterra under his banner, believing himself the one, true destined God-Emperor.
Tanari
Status: Deceased
Bio: Once a skilled general of the Ascended Host, Tanari led his mortal warriors on the front lines of many campaigns. He is believed to have been one of the eldest Ascended, dating back to the time of Setaka herself. The fall of the empire numbed him to the idea of conquest, as he watched all he fought for across centuries crumble away in an instant. While the other Ascended warred over the empire's remains, Tanari became the Aspects' instrument to end the war, and he proved instrumental in bringing about the Twilight of the Gods...
Shabaka and Shabake
Status: Deceased
Bio: A pair of twins who underwent the Rite of Ascension together. Both were gifted seers; one with the ability to see the past, the other boasting the power to discern the future. Shabaka and Shubake were inseparable, even as their visions slowly drove them to madness. They knew of Shurima's downfall and the deaths of the Ascended Host well in advance, yet they also knew that the empire's sins must be answered for, and so they embraced their fate together in Nerimazeth...
Cebotaru
Status: Deceased
Bio: An Ascended assassin who took great pride in his skill. Though Shurima was rarely subtle in its conquests, even the Ascended Host understood the value discretion every now and then. Cebotaru dispatched many enemy leaders from the shadows, earning him a place in the Sun Disc's light. Though his methods became more direct after Ascension, Cebotaru nonetheless proved to be ruthlessly efficient with claw and fang. His rise to divinity gave Cebotaru near-prescient instincts, yet even those could not save him during the Twilight of the Gods...
Naganeka
Status: Deceased
Bio: An Ascended witch well-versed in curses. Naganeka was never looked upon kindly by the Host, yet her knowledge of the dark arts made her formidable to friend and foe alike. Stories say that she even developed a number of hexes and curses that became instrumental in safeguarding Shuriman holy sites. However, her spellcraft could do little to save her from the wrath of the other Ascended when war broke out among their ranks...
Syphax
Status: Deceased
Bio: A mighty general of the Ascended Host. Syphax took the form of a tortoise, representing his nigh-impregnable defenses. Throughout Shurima's many campaigns, he held strong against entire enemy legions all his own, defending key positions across the desert. The only time his shield ever faltered was during the second-coming of the Void, which saw Syphax's mind forever warped. After this, he abandoned the shield for the axe, and his ability to hear the spirits of the desert waned to almost nothing. He was the first to fall during the Twilight of the Gods, trying in vain to steal the Chalicar from Tanari.
Xuyan
Status: Deceased
Bio: A mighty Ascended warrior known for his ability to shatter enemy defenses. He wielded the legendary axe, Tiamat, which could smash blockades and tear down walls with ease. Some believed he might have even been among the strongest Ascended, physically, in the entire Host. Xuyan crippled Tanari some years prior to the Twilight of the Gods, before losing his life to Cebotaru...
Enakai
Status: Deceased
Bio: An Ascended warrior known for his honorable and courageous spirit. He was among the most loyal to the imperial lineage, even if his combat prowess paled in comparison to other members of the Host. However, his faith in the empire was shaken when Icathia unleashed the Void, and his body was racked with wounds not even his Ascended body could fully heal over the course of the civil war. When the Twilight of the Gods came, Enakai embraced his fate readily...
Ibaros
Status: Deceased
Bio: regarded as the Champion of the Dunes, Ibaros played a key role in defending Shurima against the horrors of the Void. He wielded the legendary Infinity Edge, a sword said to never dull or break, to slay countless abominations. However, for all his might and skill, Ibaros was felled during Icathia's last great rebellion; ambushed by their armies, his head was severed by a member of the Kohari, and his legendary blade lost to the sands...
Zahen
Status: Unknown
Bio: A winged warrior once regarded as an exemplar of the Ascended Host. Zahen was believed to nigh-unmatched when it came to leading troops, inspiring mortals and even his fellow Ascended in battle. For all of that, however, he always lamented Shurima's cruel treatment of those it conquered. When he caught wind of what was to be Icathia's last, desperate rebellion, Zahen was the one who marched upon them, hoping to minimize casualties... Little did he know that the Icathians, in their desperation and ignorance, would unleash the horrors of the Void. Zahen desperately tried to seal the rift, but was unsuccessful. Many believe he perished that day, but rumors of a winged figure stalking Icathia's ruins persisted all throughout the Great Void War...
Nezuk
Status: Deceased
Bio: A brilliant inventor of Ixtali origin, and one of previous few foreigners to ever be chosen for the Rite of Ascension. Nezuk's understanding of elemental energy was unparalleled, and that understanding only deepened after Ascending. He built many war machines on Shurima's behalf, and when the Void returned after Icathia's final rebellion, it was Nezuk who oversaw the creation of the Monolith. However, his greatest inventions were a pair of gauntlets that could channel two fundamentally opposing forces: the raw mana of Runeterra itself, and the Eldritch energies of the Void. These gauntlets proved crucial in sealing the rift, though what became of them afterwards is a mystery...
