Dropping by real quick to yap about the new voicelines for Eternal Aspect Leona and Diana, because Targon lore my beloved, and it is extremely relevant to both my OC (Targonian, related to an Aspect) and her relationships (voicelines about the Ascended/Darkin).
"For a moment... Ascended once more"
This line in particular has me screaming, because it is pretty much a part of the relationship between my OC Ursa and Zaahen. Because of what she is, he can feel closer to what he used to be and it is bittersweet, as Zaahen still feels regret and guilt for what happened under his guidance, yet feels reassurance at the familiar feeling of a Celestial presence willing to support him even in his fall. Ursa brings him a bit of peace, in a way, and rather than being the guide, he becomes the one guided for once, such is Ursa's own calling - through the motherly embrace of the Aspect of the Witch, she becomes starlight and the darkness between, and remains a guiding light even when it feels like nothing else remains, torches in the night, a barking guard dog, a comforting threshold waiting beyond a crossroad.
"A desecration of my divine fire"
This too, works well with the way Zaahen feels as a fallen Ascended - he says so himself, "divine and profane". Although he is honest when it comes to it, he still wages an inner battle to not surrender to the profanity himself, so it's funny to see Aspect!Leona be much more salty about it (although with good reason).
"If all else fails, I will yet raise; the last beacon that burns against the end of all things"
This line expresses really well Ursa's attitude towards Leona. The Aspect of the Sun perceives herself as the last light facing the darkness, the Aspect of the Witch I imagined is quite similar in that regard as well, although she is acting more in a "I can live in the darkness and offer a guiding light" (the way constellations and the North Star have been historically used for people to find their way at night), rather than the Aspect of the Sun's more belligerent stance.
In that regard, Ursa is deeply disappointed by the way Leona has been leading the Rakkor, her refusal the reconsider the very religion both of them grew up in. Because Ursa understands Leona's role, she leaves Targon to make decisions where both Leona and Diana are stalling, to actively fight zealotry, offer clarity and provide a different choice. Ursa has the tools for this and can act even from half a world away - her exile stems from the fact that being away makes her unfettered. In her slumber, the Witch stirs, and so Ursa walks through dreams and Time.
"The Aspects deliberate the eons away, while the Abyss devours without pause"
This right here is the reason why I have the Aspect of the Witch be one of the meddling Aspects. She sees what is happening, and she makes her own move to force the hand of the Aspects of the Sun and Moon. By adding her own Star, she intends to get things back on track with the current hosts, by way of her dear daughter.
"Let the Ascended remake the Sun Disc in their image. They are capable of wisdom."
Unrelated to Ursa and somewhat related to Zaahen, but man do I have good news for you, Aspect of the Sun! (In 990AN iirc, Azir comes back and the Sun Disc is rebuilt, thus bringing life back to the ancient capital of Shurima).
"Immortals are feared - for our strength, and for all we remember"
This bit is interesting, because one of the reasons why Zaahen managed to keep such a good hold of himself is by remembering. My take on it for Ursa is, however, a bit different: her first birth was as a mortal, her second birth was to bind her to the Aspect of the Witch, in a way somewhat akin to what the Sun Disc would do to the Ascended, except this time it has been directed by the Aspect herself - effectively making Ursa the Daughter of the Witch. As such, her memory is linked to her perception of time - it is not linear. Time falls around her, and she sees what was, is, could have been, could be. Because of its overwhelming nature, this gift of sight makes her very selective about what she remembers, and she has to actively research through time for answers. Having a full grasp on all of it at once would simply be too much. And so, Ursa stirs in her slumber.
"Mortals chase embers to stave off the darkness"
This line is interesting, because it could work to explain the strange conflict between Leona and Ursa - Ursa would definitely be seen as a new heresy, and all the questions she had before her exile did brand her as a borderline heretic already. Leona could definitely see her as embers in the dark, which is what stars could evoke indeed. And yet, she can shine where even the Sun fails to reach. There is great hope in that thought.
"It's not enough to move, I hold the front"
Again, a line that can be an example of the way Leona and Ursa differ, with a more belligerent and fiery Leona at the front, while Ursa schemes and acts from further back. These different stances inform the way these two think and behave. And yet, Ursa can get much more up close and personal than even Leona would expect.
"Though the Disc was buried, the sun continued to rise"
"For too long I marveled at the splendor of our Sun Disc"
I just love how she is super fan of Shurima's Sun Disc. I mean, of course she is, but it's really charming.
"Let the lesser wars rage, I pass with purpose"
It's one of those voicelines that makes me wish she had lines specifically with Zaahen, because I have a feeling she'd love the guy lol Her voicelines give some insight into the way Sun Priests could have conducted themselves - especially someone like Zaahen, who seemed to have a particularly good grasp on the Celestials, considering he would also advise on Eternity before each Ascension ritual he was involved with.
"Do not let the splendor of the sun blind you to your calling"
The Aspect of the Moon 🤝 Ursa and the Aspect of the Witch
This same reproach is made by Ursa to Leona, basically, although in her case, there's also an underlying reproach towards her zealotry, which Ursa finds unproductive (and Ursa had a solid taste of what zealotry results to, with both the Lunari and the Solari).
"You seek my moonstone, tidecaller. Prove yourself worthy!"
Unrelated to my OC yapping, but NAMI LORE MENTIONED, let us rejoice.
"Your knowledge will serve us, honoured scholar"
Also unrelated to my yapping, but Nasus remains Mr Popular, I see lol
"Mountain dweller, let the divine give you purpose"
Aspect of the Moon 🤝 Ursa and the Aspect of the Witch (again). Although Ursa isn't has directing about it, she prefers giving a nudge and then watching what happens.
"Sunborn, my faith in you wane"
"Betray the Sun, and earn the Moon's fury"
Something I've always liked about the way the Moon is interpreted in LoL lore, is that she is the angrier one. It's such a good angle, and I like how these lines call back to the fact that it's by way of the Aspect of the Moon's power that Darkin can be sealed/destroyed.
As for how it relates to my OC yapping, well, Ursa wouldn't have a thing to say about that, this is how things happen to work, she'll do with what's at hand. She may feel sad when it comes to Zaahen though, but I can definitely see him be accepting of the Moon's judgement. He already gave his power up once, after all.
"Do the stars spurn me for my defiance? Let them."
"I am done waiting. Where I must go, neither the Sun nor Stars may follow!"
These two lines are interesting, because imo they serve to show a play of reactivity between Ursa/Aspect of the Witch and the Aspect of the Moon. Between the Sun, the Moon and the Witch, the latter is definitely the less openly violent of the three, while the Moon is the more aggressive one. I think this works well with my idea that Ursa's initial goal is to spur both Leona and Diana into acting as per their calling, unbound by Solari zealotry and Diana's fear of her own power as a Host. Based on the way the Aspects behave, once their hosts are aligned with them, Diana would likely take over as the one kicking everybody's ass.
"Be not afraid to give your lives. The silver moon shall deliver you onto eternity"
Zaahen uses the exact same words to explain his role in the Ascension ritual, it's very interesting. I think that, despite being a Sun Priest, seeing Moon-like traits also reflected in him is interesting for his characterisation - especially as one who once sealed many of his fallen kin, bearing a power of the Moon to do so.
"I pull the ocean to my side, govern the very stars if I must"
Considering how I've conceptualised Ursa so far, this line is very interesting. While raised in the Solari faith, Ursa does question both the Solari and the Lunari, and her subsequent metamorphosis makes her closer to the night. While her heavenly mother and herself would object to the whole "govern the stars", they are still more entwined with the Aspect of the Moon than it seems, and would ultimately work with her.
"The old ways are dying, a new world cries out in birth. All existence is under siege"
Once again, Aspect of the Moon 🤝 Ursa and the Aspect of the Witch.
"Darkness is not itself wicked. It shrouds my movements and cradles my secrets."
The Aspect of the Witch and Ursa operate under the same belief. The way I conceptualised the Aspect of the Witch is based on Hekate, Greek goddess of Magic, symbolised by night, torches, crossroads, keys and black animals. One of the images I specifically chose for the Aspect of the Witch is the darkest night, during new moon, where stars shine brighter and guide lost souls. As such, Ursa doesn't fear darkness the way the Solari faith tried to impose on her, and it makes her closer to the Lunari beliefs, which also explains her willingness to hear them out despite what they did to her - she understands the cycle of violence that keeps Targon in its hold, and aims to break it one person at a time.
"The moon sees all you have done, and all you shall do"
In LoL lore, the Lunari in particular are versed in divination, and here it is also a quality attributed to the Aspect of the Moon. The Aspect of the Witch and Ursa share this sphere of influence, although with the wider sense of possibilities added to it.
"Cleanse me of strife, O watching stars"
I love this line, because it is a role I was envisioning for Ursa, as someone willing to stand in-between, mediate and soften others. There is a notion of cleansing with her that also translates in her relation with Zaahen and how when Ursa is here, he feels more at peace. It's not just because of the familiarity of her Celestial powers, there's a direct influence on the corruption constantly gnawing at him - it doesn't remove it, but it makes it recede ever so slightly, and Zaahen feels relief from this. Her starlit gaze brings comfort to those in need.
"When all is dark, I emerge aglow"
Again, a line that confirms my decision to put Ursa under a similar sphere of influence as the Aspect of the Moon - although with a twist to it inspired by the Firekeeper from Dark Souls (more specifically, the line at the end of DS3, when the player lets the fire die: "One day, tiny flames will dance across the darkness. [...] Ashen One, hearest thou my voice, still?"). While the Aspect of the Moon is a glow in darkness, if she too falls, then the Witch can take over, starlight whispering still. While the moon's shine is lost, a single star can still guide and give hope amidst deep and silent darkness.
Overall, I think that lore-wise these skins are interesting, we get to learn more about the way Aspects think and behave, and how it relates to the way their hosts behave as well.
It also gave me some more things to muse on even though I'm already done conceptualising Ursa. I did review her design once more not long ago and will probably do a "1st iteration/final decision" comparison, because Ursa went from a more heavily Solari-coded colour scheme to something that leans more into a Lunari-coded colour scheme with references to Twilight as well, since she has a specific relationship with the Twilight/Zoe that uh I did not really talk about here, it probably deserves its own post. But while Ursa seems to lean more into the domain of the Moon, she truly stands in-between Moon and Sun and is an actor of change as much as she is of mediation, and thus her primary relationship when it comes to Aspects is with Zoe/the Twilight.
