Ethnology

EthnologyRaces, breeds and peoples
This thread will provide you with all required information about the races in Runeterra. The races listed here are mostly of higher intelligence, while those from the Flora and Fauna are rather considered animals or plants. It is not clear where to draw the line between human like and animal like creatures.


Table of Content

HumansIn all colors and their many faces.
They are the dominant sapient life forms of the world. They have a great variety of appearances, strengths and magical power. Also, cultural they vary strongly, making each and every one of them quite unique. Their age is about 60 years on average, while their size and weight can differ a lot, between 50 - 250 kilogramm for an adult human and a size up to 2 meters.

Origin: Runeterra


IcebornThe Iceborn are a rare magical subtype of humans from the Freljord, capable of manipulating both True Ice and Dark Ice. Very few Iceborn exist today, though the title and ability to work with ice are both heritable. Thought a rare phenomenon indeed, the blood of the tribes have been known to carry the power of an ancient and terrible bargain. From mother to child, the Iceborn is stronger, tougher, more resistant to cold—and they alone are capable, with great effort, of wielding weapons of magical, unmelting True Ice.

Though otherwise human, Iceborn have light blue or pale white skin. Some Iceborn, like Lissandra, are biologically immortal, as they do not physically age. However, Iceborn do not have self-healing abilities, which makes them vulnerable, just like any human, to physical injuries.

It is rare for Iceborn women not to bear children with the Iceborn trait, even if their father isn’t an Iceborn. However, the same is not true for Iceborn men, which is one of the reasons Freljord tribes organize, mostly, in matriarchies.

Origin: Freljord



SpiritwalkersSpiritwalkers are individuals with a high affinity for the Spirit Realm. This affinity allows them to connect with animals on a spiritual level, transforming their bodies and spirits to match the creature in question. In most cases this requires the direct presence of an animal, but with enough experience a Spiritwalker can channel the form of animals through powerful spirits such as the Volibear.
The process of transforming involves allowing the chosen spirit in to the user's body, and as such utmost concentration is required, lest the Spiritwalker lose themselves. This can lead to the Spiritwalker spending time living as an animal, forgetting their humanity until they manage to pull themselves back, or are broken out of their transformation by something or someone. In some cases this can be permanent, as is the case with many among the Ursine.
While the Spiritwalker will take on physical and behavioral traits of the animal, such as claws, fangs or a fine sense of smell, the Spiritwalker can also experience the senses of the animal directly, feeling what the creature does at a given moment, such as the cold chill of a deer drinking from a stream.

Origin:  :freljord:  Freljord, Ionia



Altered by magicIn a world full of magic it is not very untypical to be altered by such magic. There is no known formula that can be applied but these outcomes are more of an accident. The outcome can be quite different. For some its a curse, for some a blessing. Some are inbetween.

Origin: Runeterra



Altered by TechnologyPeople around the twin cities fathered the knowledge how to improve their own body with technology. While those in Piltover use elegant design and hex-tech technology to enhance themselves, people in Zaun tend to use what they have which is often scraps and whatever is left over to use.

Origin: Piltover, Zaun

VastayaWe named the world. We named the trees, the wind, the mountains. We know their power.
In an age lost to myth, the harmony of the First Lands was shattered by war between mortals and a race of titans that had come from the skies above. Calling upon the wisdom of their ancestors, the most enlightened mortals took the power of the spirit realm into themselves, becoming Vastayashai’rei—deathless shapechangers who could wield the natural world itself as a weapon.

The titans were eventually defeated, and the Vastayashai’rei were hailed as the heroes of the age. Even so, they refused to put themselves above their mortal kin, choosing instead to live among them as equals.

Their descendants were known as the Vastaya. These were mystical, chimeric beings, neither mortal nor truly immortal, and greatly attuned to the magic of Runeterra.

In time, as the balance between realms was restored, the power of the Vastayashai’rei began to wane, and the Vastaya left to form their own tribes. They proudly took their names from those who had defeated the titans—noble Kiila, dutiful Chyr, cunning Lhotl, and countless more besides. For thousands of years, the Vastaya have sought to uphold their own spiritual legacy, even when it would bring them into conflict with one another.

More recently, as humans have continued to disrupt the currents of magic in the world, relations with the tribes have soured. No new Vastaya have been born in several mortal lifetimes, and it could be that this ancient race now perceives another time of great change approaching…

Origin: primarily Ionia, but also in Valoran and Shurima


PhysiologyVastaya are a group of sexually dimorphic races of various shapes and sizes. Their animalistic appearance depends on the location in which they adapted. However, disregarding distinctions between the tribes of land, sea, and air, there are three types of Vastaya:

Animal-like vastaya resemble other animals, but are bipedal or otherwise mildly humanoid.
Human-like vastaya closely resemble humans, especially in terms of facial features, but still retain a modest level of animalistic elements: for instance, feline or foxlike ears, tails, or feathers.
Shapeshifters retain either a human or animal appearance of their choosing, but they are able to shapeshift in and out of each form.

Each type of Vastaya greatly differs from the others in appearance and abilities, but they are all in tune with the natural magic of Runeterra to some degree. Vastaya of different tribes can reproduce. Tribes like the Sodjoko are made up of various tribes coming together. What a child would look like would depend on the parents, the nature and amount of magic the child grew up near, the customs of the tribe it grew up in, and the child’s own personality - especially its connection to the various animal spirits. Vastaya with egg-laying animal spirit does not lay eggs.

While most Vastaya need a supply of magic to thrive - they don’t need massive amounts of it and can go extended periods without magic (think of humans’ relationship to water). Vastaya tend to settle near the “springs” where magic comes into our world or near the invisible “streams” of magic that flow from these springs and snake through the world (comparable to ley lines). They can travel beyond though, just as humans don't all have to constantly live near freshwater rivers.

Most Vastaya have some ability to change shape. Most arrive a shape that is comfortable, reflects the animal spirits connected to their tribe, and their own personality (their needs and desires). They can change shape depending upon the availability of magic, the amount of time required for the change, and in the depth of their connection to their ancestry (Vastayashair'ei).
So it might take Rakan a few minutes to change the color of his cloak-- or a few hours to give himself stylish new horns, while a radical change that might take him three days, totally exhaust him, and be hard for him to hold for more than a few minutes... But he will always be kinda flashy looking -- because subconsciously he wants attention, and vaguely griffon like because that is what family and tribe reflect.
Neeko is better, faster at shapeshifting than other Vastaya types thanks to her more powerful connection to magic and being attracted to an animal spirit that is good at changing. Neeko could change her appearance dramatically in 2 seconds and hold it for several days. The Vastaya generally avoid looking purely human or animalistic because it's uncomfortable and not ideal for fighting. But this does mean they excel at spying and intrigue.

All true Vastaya individuals are at least about 180 years old. This is due to the fact that they spend most of their lives in places where time is more "fickle". Hybrids of Vastaya and humans as well as their far-flung descendants may not share this trait.


Culture and MagicNot much is known about their culture due to the mysterious nature of this race. However, we do know that many significant acts (like reproduction) involve heavy use of magic.

The Vastayan culture's relationship and marriage rituals are somewhat different than ours-- in part because magic is literally a part of them and their landscape. Their culture is big on declarations. Symbolically when you declare something it becomes true-- but with the magic the Vastayan use-- those sort of declarations also form a weak charm. Reinvoking it maintains its status and makes others aware. From a human perspective Xayah and Rakan are not married or even engaged, and would self-describe as "a couple." --But for a Vastaya declaring someone your boyfriend/girlfriend is a much bigger deal than for humans. It means you are allowing your magics to entwine.



TribesSome vastaya tribes have a leader, or a hierarchy, but not uniformly, and not across the entire species.
Certain tribes, like that of the Ionian wolverine-like vastayan which Sett's mother hailed from, consider having children with non-vastayan a taboo, and expel those violating the norm.


Landwalker Tribes

⇨ Kiilash, from the Shuriman desert (feline; most notable member being Rengar)
The Kiilash Vastaya reside in Shurima. Their entire society revolves around the honor and glory of the hunt. Due to Shurima having a wide infestation of Voidborn creatures, the Killash see them as one of the most venerated and sought after prey.

⇨ Lhotlan (birdlike; most notable members are Rakan and Xayah)
The Lhotlan vastaya have cultural and existential ties with Ionia. Being one of the oldest Vastayan tribes in existence, they have deep ties with their ancestral roots and protect their cultural heritage from the ever-encroaching human population of the continent.

⇨ Shimon (monkeylike; includes Wukong)
The Shimon vastaya reside in Ionia. These apelike Vastaya are a wise, cautious people, and as pacifists, chose to build their society away from landwalkers, cultivating their society atop the tallest trees in Ionia. The Shimon see life as an evolutionary climb to wisdom, thus upon death, the Shimon believe they become stones, returning to the soil to begin the climb of life again.

⇨ Oovi-Kat (chameleonlike; most notable member being Neeko)
The Oovi-Kat looked at the shedding tails as milestones in maturity, like birthdays. This does not occur annually, but is linked to growth in the spiritual realm.

⇨ Unknown humanoid foxes (includes Ahri)
⇨ Unknown humanoid wolverines (includes Sett's mother)
⇨ Fauhwoon (goatlike)
⇨ Khonlui (rhinobears)
⇨ Ottrani (otters)
⇨ Ophelis, charming (snakelike, reptilian?)


Tribes of the Sea

⇨ Marai (mermaid-like; most notably member is Nami)
The Marai vastaya have cultural ties with Mount Targon. The Moonstone protects its people from Voidborn, which come from the dark depths of the Guardian's Sea. However, the moonstone's energy needs to be replenished over time, so a Tidecaller of each generation is tasked to retrieve a new one from the contemporary vessel for the Targonian Aspect of the Moon.

⇨ Makara, carnivorous, ever-smiling (crocodiles?)
⇨ Raylu


Tribes of the Air

⇨ Besheb
⇨ Chyra, the Silent Chorus
⇨ Strig, Reptilian butterflies



Vastayashai’reiThey are enlightened humans that took the power of the spirit realm into themselves. This granted them near-immortality, potent shapeshifting powers and the ability to use the natural world as a weapon in order to fight a race of titans from the sky that threatens The First Lands. It is unknown what happened to them after ancient times.


Not all tribes are currently accessible, as it is not known what kind of animal they represent. These are Ophelis, Besheb, Chyra, Strig, Makara, Raylu.
Vastayashai’rei are not playable, for now this includes Oovi-Kat.

MinotaursMess with the bull and you get the horns!

They live in great tribes in the vicinity of Piltover and Noxus, and are quite noble and valorous in their ways. Many Minotaur clans joined the Noxian war machine; those that opposed the empire have been enslaved and forced to fight as gladiators in the brutal Noxian event known as the Fleshing. Alistar, the Minotaur, is a survivor of this game and seeks to protect his people from the harsh treatment he endured. Some minotaurs migrated to Demacia and integrated into the kingdom's society; there are even some in the Dauntless Vanguard.

Origin: originally from eastern Noxus , but now also in Piltover and Demacia



PhysiologyWhile minotaurs come in various shapes and sizes, all minotaurs have commonly shared physical features. Minotaurs are a bovine anthropomorphic race, often mistaken for Vastaya or Shuriman Ascended. They are massive and muscular and have horns. Minotaur horns come in various shapes and sizes; some individuals even have horns with multiple points. Their entire bodies are covered in hair, which can come in various colors; brown, cyan, and even purple minotaurs. This hair can be short or long, and peaks in a ridge down a minotaur's spine, looking a bit like a mane. Like other bovines, they have digitigrade legs with hooves instead of human-like legs and feet. Minotaurs have eyes that appear to glow red. Powerful enough to shake the ground they stomp on, minotaurs are an imposing race often sought after as reckoners and soldiers. They often use their horns as additional weapons, though these are not able to grow back after being damaged.

Trolls"Did you know sand-trolls are a thing? Turns out—sand-trolls, totally a thing." - Ezreal

Trolls are a grotesque, humanoid species that inhabit the Freljord and Shurima. Frost-trolls of the Freljord are mostly blue-skinned and live in tribes. Lately, the frost-trolls have begun preparing for war, rallying under the banner of Trundle, the Troll King. There are also sand-trolls that live in Shurima and Ixtal. It is unknown how many sand-trolls are still extant, as their kind are considered a myth in modern times.

Origin: Freljord, Shurima



PhysiologyFrost-trolls are enormous and muscular, and they use their size to intimidate and overpower lesser creatures and races. They have blue skin, with wart-like protrusions all across their bodies. While they are mostly hairless, most trolls have long mane-like hair and beards which can be various shades of red, blue, orange, brown, or grey. Their eyes glow blue, obscuring their pupils and irises. They have large noses, which are a different shade compared to their skin color; they also have large tusk-like front teeth that give them a perpetual underbite. Their jaws are able to open up to an unnaturally large angle to crunch on meat and intimidate smaller individuals. Unlike humans, they have three-digit hands and stumpy feet. Frost-trolls are among the very few races that are able to wield True Ice and weapons made of it.



IcebornSome trolls from the Freljord are able to wield True Ice as well.

Dragons

Dragons are sapient winged creatures that can be classified under Celestial Dragons or Terrestrial Dragons in origins. They are a special group of reptiles that may reach near-giant sizes and often with a great lifespan. Dragons of Runeterra have great species diversity, with over 200 types of talking dragons being present in Ionia alone. Some species are both fearsome and majestic, having a society that revolves around strength and might and because of their egoistic and narcissistic pride, mixing their blood with that of races outside of dragonkin is seen as an abomination, cancer that must be eradicated utterly. Many dragons persecute such defiled creations and their perpetrators to no end.
The firstborn female dragons of certain dragon bloodlines have elemental rune shards within them, which gives them their elemental powers. There are over five types of elemental dragons, including cloud, infernal, mountain, ocean drakes and Elder Dragons. While dragons reside across Runeterra, most elemental drakes live in Ixtal and can rarely be found elsewhere.

Origin: most live in Ionia and most elemental drakes are in  :ixtal: Ixtal, but they can also be found all over Runeterra



Half-DragonsThey are very rare but they occur. Not many of them become old, as other dragons will make sure they don't live long enough. They hatch by stealing a dragon's egg. Half-Dragons look mostly human with slightly animalistic features, such as grey or purplish skin, canine teeth or horns or scales.

Yordles

Yordle come from self-contained pocket within the spirit realm, with no direct "mirror" in the material realm of Runeterra. The origin of this race on Runeterra is unknown but can be traced back to a prehistoric time when there were no civilizations on land thanks to the existence of Fizz, an amphibious yordle. Most would agree that Yordles resided on Valoran during its prehistoric times. At that time they were a nomadic race, travelling from one part of Valoran to the other. Records show they had a presence in Ancient Freljord. They lived in tight neat family groups as well as near early humans. Because of their small stature, they were mostly prey for many animals. During prehistoric times they had tails and front canine teeth.
Overtime as human civilizations advanced, so did yordles appearances and capabilities. To easily blend in human areas, yordles at one point started using an ability called "Glamour", which gave them the appearance of a small stature humans.

To this day, most yordles stay inside the mystical spiritual realm known as Bandle City, only venturing out on rare occasions. There are numerous gateways across Runeterra that yordles, and others more knowledgeable and perceptive, are able to use to get to in and out of Bandle City.

Origin: originally from :bandle: Bandle City but also in  :runeterra: Runeterra



PhysiologyWhat differentiates yordles from other magical folk is that their physiology is more consistent between its members.

Yordles are sexually dimorphic and much shorter than humans; both sexes rarely exceed 1 meter tall, with most averaging around 0.8 meters. Their skin texture ranges from being completely smooth to very lightly covered in fur, to ultimately being significantly furry. Their hands have four digits (some yordles are also seen with five digits) while their feet differ greatly depending on the individual (from four to two-digit feet). Their skin tone runs a much broader spectrum of colors than their human counterparts; some consider this to be a sign of the yordles’ attunement to Runeterra’s magical nature; though scientists agree that this evolutionary trait is used by male Yordles (which tend to be furry ) to attract females of their species (which tend to be smooth-skinned and/or lightly covered with fur). Their large eyes feature a large, circular iris with a vertically oval pupil, and they generally have inferior vision in the normal spectrum of light than humans. Yordles nevertheless have much better hearing, due to their large fox-like ears and are able to see into the infrared spectrum of light, whereas humans cannot. Furthermore, they are commonly characterized by their dependence on language, as well as their creation and utilization of complex tools.

Yordles do not age in the same way as beings of the material realm do thanks to being creatures of the spirit realm. Poppy was already alive and independent when she befriended Orlon, on his way west to establish a new, fledgling nation to be eventually called Demacia about 1000 years ago. Fizz and Gnar are far more ancient, though their survival may be due to hibernation.

The yordle race have shown the possibility to be amphibious, such example would be Fizz, though it is possible he is a mutant or a heretofore unknown genetic offshoot.

Yordles can somewhat be considered spirits due to their connection to the spirit realms.



Social & CultureThe Yordle race has innate magic within them which helps them achieve extraordinary things usually impossible for someone of their stature. Also, they require far more social interaction with their own kind than humans do. They generally are a peaceful and amicable race, often marked with streaks of joviality and light prankishness; their moral compass is most often pointed toward goodness and benevolence. Their desire for social interaction drives them toward this ethos, as the mental health of a yordle is very much dependent on the positive company he or she keeps. This does not mean, however, that they are incapable of cruelty and evil. In fact, a yordle who is kept in isolation for too long – especially from contact with other yordles – runs the risk of becoming withdrawn and sullen. Some who already are centred more toward malevolence will become exceedingly so in due course. These yordles will often twist their desire for social interaction into a desire to seek out others to inflict pain and suffering upon them, one extreme example being Veigar, the Tiny Master of Evil. Yordles are attracted to Runeterra cultures and enjoy manifesting around certain human ideals.



Magic: GlamourIn less enlightened parts of the world, a yordle’s appearance could seem frightening or unnatural to mortals. Fortunately, they are adept at blending in, and often protected by a kind of supernatural glamour—subconsciously fading from the viewer’s notice, or being masked as a less remarkable individual.

Yordles do not necessarily control their glamour, and may understand it in a variety of ways. The revered inventor Heimerdinger, for example, crafted unique technological devices for himself and Ziggs, to help them blend into Piltovan society. However, some humans are able to break this charm due to their more perceptive nature.

DemonsSpirits gone rogue

Spiritual beings with no inherent form, who are forged and driven by the thoughts and feelings of mortals. Specifically, demons are malign and manipulate victims to sate their own desires for suffering, such as Evelynn who has horrifically tortured victims of her allure to give herself pleasure from their pain ever since she was awakened by the Rune Wars, and Tahm Kench who traps the desperate in deals that cannot be kept to satisfy his hunger for despair. While moral alignment may stop her from being a true demon (labelled instead as something of a goddess), Janna ultimately falls into the same class of being, as she was born of hope and must cultivate it to sustain herself.

Origin: Runeterra



PhysiologyThe physical appearance of demons are inconsistent. Demons, like most spirits, are known to be shapeshifters. They can change there appearance to better suit their own needs. Evelynn was able to morph her form in such a way so that she could get closer to her prey. Fiddlesticks can seemingly change its appearance as it is described very differently in various regions all across Runeterra. In addition to changing their appearance, demons can mimic the mannerisms of their prey. Tahm Kench and Evelynn are able to sweet talk people into falling into an obsession. Fiddlesticks can mimic the sound of its victims to instil doubt and fear into others.

A demon can not be harmed by weapons created in the physical world, except for weapons created out of petricite. They can, however, be banished or sealed by using a weapon which originates from the spiritual world, such as when Shen used his Spirit Blade to banish a demon or when Yone used his Azakana Blade to seal Kuro'sagol into a mask. Demons can have their power nullified by more powerful magic, such as when Lux nullified Nocturne's possession with a powerful show of light magic.



Demonic ComendiumA fragment of esoteric lore, discovered after the attack on the Noxian fortress at Fae'lor. The author(s) and provenance are unknown. The inscription is written in a currently unknown language, possibly connected to Ochnun or the Noxian writing system, as it was found in a Noxian stronghold.

The compendium shows several types of demons that branch out from three root branches, the primary one being Fear. The types of demons that spawn from Fear are Nightmare, Secrets (which further branches out to Obsession), and Delirium (which further branches out to Bliss and Frenzy), and currently unknown branches. Around the branches, several images can be seen, such as the image of Raum, Fiddlestick's keys, and an image showing 10 circles.

The inscription is written in a currently unknown language, possibly connected to Ochnun or the Noxian writing system, as it was found in a Noxian stronghold.

Known Demons: Fiddlesticks, the Demon of Fear, Evelynn, a Demon of Agony, Tahm Kench, a Demon of Addiction, Nocturne, a Demon of Nightmares, Raum, a Demon of Secrets, ...


AzakanaAzakana are parasitic lesser demons, as they're not full demonic entities like Evelynn or Fiddlesticks. They hone in on a single person or spirit's fear or shortcoming and just absorb the negative emotions until they kill the host. Then they become a full demon or move onto another host that has a more "rich flavor". Azakana can only feed off a very particular emotion. For example, if Fiddlesticks feeds on "Fear" in a broad sense, an Azakana can only feed on a particular fear like "Fear of Being Forgotten".

Treants...
They are are a fusion of nature spirits (or any sapient species) and plantlife. One such species was the Omikayalan God-Willow, which essence was later transferred to the Freljordian warrior Ivern. Other example is Maokai, a nature spirit fused with the plantlife and natural magicks of the Blessed Isles. Besides treants that share humanoid physical and sapient characteristics, there are those that take animalistic forms and behaviors such as those that take form of felines, lizards, or toads. A vast majority of these treants are corrupted by the undead magics of the Shadow Isles and have lost most of their sapience due to the Ruination. Maokai is among the being the very few Blessed Isles treants that survived such a fate.


Habitat: Ixtal and Shadow Isles, but also all over Runeterra

Undead...

Abominable creatures, created when the barrier between life and death is shattered and defiled. They predominantly reside in the Shadow Isles but their influence and manifestations have reached Valoran's shores over the past decades.

Habitat: Shadow Isles  :shadowisle:

AscendedHumans empored by the magic of the heavens, sun and moon.

The term Ascended refers to all humans who were magically altered by a variety of magic but mostly celestial magic. After their Ascension, the Ascended not only retained all of their original magical abilities but also gained more of them. They can channel celestial magic through their connection to celestial entities but do not "gain" celestial magic themselves.

Targonian Ascended are mostly a melding of a Human and Targon Prime celestial know as an Aspect, which primarily retain their human appearance. Shuriman Ascended, known also as the god-warriors or sunborn, are humans magically altered by the Sun Disc of Shurima using the stolen knowledge of Aurelion Sol and the sun's power, their common form is that of anthropomorphized animals.

As an Ascended is created, a celestial concept merges with their mortal body and grants them ascension power. If an Ascended is trapped/removed from reality, the celestial concept connected to them will be trapped/cease to exist.

Habitat:  :targon: Targon or  :shurima: Shurima




Targonian AscendedThe term Targonian Ascended refers to humans magically altered and usually made Aspect hosts of Targon Prime.
It is currently unknown how many of these Ascended ever came to be. Despite their small numbers, the Targonian Ascended remain among the most powerful beings on Runeterra, and have shaped the course of events throughout the planet's history.
Blessed with incredible strength, speed and a strong affinity for mastering forms of magic. The Targonian Ascended are also virtually immune to pain and some have their lifespan dramatically increased, however, they are not immortal. These transcended beings can bleed, be crippled, or even killed with the right weapon, magic, or overwhelming force. After each Targonian Ascended dies, the Aspect finds a new host to take its place.
Aspects can die and be reborn / replaced among mortals who ascended as their hosts. Atreus, whose body was taken by Pantheon, has the potential to become the new Aspect of War due to the Aspect itself dying in an Ascended body.



Shuriman AscendedAscension isn't a perfect process. Some were made who were 100% compatible with the process and became the types similar to Nasus, others were failures and became the Baccai. Most were somewhere in the middle, divine and super powerful, but not perfect. They're somewhat more resistant to the power of the Void, what with the cosmic power of the sun-disc enchanting their flesh - though they're not immune. But their minds were exposed as being all too vulnerable to the scars of fighting such horrors which led to many of the survivors becoming Darkin later.
Most resemble anthropomorphic versions of animals and even gain the unique attributes of such creatures. However each individual who rises to Ascension are shaped after the most prominent ideals one strives to embody; some may become far more bestial in form and others could gain extra appendages. Regardless of appearance their gifted powers elevated them to demigod status as a result. It was also revealed that if a non-Shuriman were to go through the Ascension ritual, they would likely not take an animal form as their mental association with certain ideals wouldn't be tied down to the Shuriman symbolic language. For example, the notion of lord/emperor in Shuriman is that of a golden bird, so Azir's ascended form reflects that. However, a Demacian doesn't make the same association, so a Demacian leader would not transform into a golden bird.
As they were previously humans, Ascended still retain their ability to procreate as humans do. However, they may choose to alter their bodies to not have this ability.




BaccaiWhile the secrets of the Sun Disc were fiercely guarded by the Ascended Host, it was not an exact science. Those mortals who underwent an Ascension ritual but emerged flawed or incomplete were known as Baccai, and it was considered a kindness to end their inhuman suffering as quickly as possible.
The Baccai share some physical elements with the god-warriors. Their lifespan is dramatically increased. However they are not immortal and bleed, be crippled, or even killed like other ascended. Unlike their god-warrior and darkin counterparts, the Baccai forms are malformed and flawed so they do not have the same incredible strength, speed, nor strong affinity with different forms of magic.

Like the god-warriors, most resemble anthropomorphic versions of animals and even gain the unique attributes of such creatures. Because the nature of their flawed ascensions their forms are an incomplete as their bodies still retain humanoid features and flaws.


You can only become an Ascended in-RPG.

Darkin"We had another name once... Now, we are Darkin."

A grim legend from a bygone age, the darkin are living weapons that will eventually corrupt and consume any who attempt to wield them. Once great warriors in their own right, they were deceived and imprisoned within the blades and bows they carried in battle, and hidden away so that they could never threaten the mortal realm again. But amid the cataclysmic events of the Rune Wars, the true origin of the darkin—and the threat they posed to all life on Runeterra—was largely forgotten.

In the centuries since, a handful of these weapons have been rediscovered by the ignorant and the ambitious alike, and have already begun to seek out new, stronger hosts. A reckoning is coming, and the darkin will have their vengeance...

Habitat: originally from Shurima but now all over Runeterra.



PhysiologyThe laws of mortal life held little meaning for the darkin. Over the centuries, they mastered many forbidden forms of primal magic, crafting their own flesh and armor with equal ease, until they were completely unrecognizable as the noble warriors they had once been.
Ultimately, they were defeated by the mortals they sought to enslave. With magic and cunning, the greatest of the darkin were forged into living weapons, and used against those that remained—but anyone who takes up such a weapon will become little more than a host, a vessel for the immortal sentience within it.

The Darkin: Aatrox the sword, Rhaast the scyth and Varus the bow, and at least two unknown.

VoidbornOuterworld beings and their spawns.

Voidborn are Runeterran beings constructed by the Watchers of The Void. Their reason for existing is to accept, consume, and learn all the information about Runeterra necessary enough to aid for the eventual return of the Watchers. One of the few known ways to combat the Void is to starve it. With no organic or magical sustenance nearby, the Void’s material growth will slow, until it eventually falls into a dormant state.


PhysiologySome legends suggest that, when they first emerge into the Runeterran air, the Voidborn are generally pale, fibrous and flexible. As they age, sections of their form harden into a darker, shell-like chitin, which can become strong enough to turn aside almost any weapon. Though it has bred many of them, no two horrors of the Void are the same. Their otherworldly forms are as varied as they are terrifying—yet all are driven by an insatiable hunger, with the eerie pulsing of their hearts driving them relentlessly onward.



Hierarchy and IntelligenceVoidborn are shown to vary greatly in intelligence and development: Vel'Koz and Cho'Gath are highly intelligent (In due time Kha'Zix may as well, but requires to assimilate other organic creatures.), while Kog'Maw is rather primitive and Rek'Sai is primeval and non-sapient, more akin to a wild animal. As such there are also different hierarchies, Rek'Sai for example is the queen of her kind and feared by the other Voidborn. Vel'Koz is likely in the higher hierarchy however, as he is allowed and able to execute other Voidborn should they become problematic for him.



WatchersThe Watchers, also known as the Frozen Watchers, are ancient beings of The Void who are the masters above all living Voidborns, and creators of the prototype models of the modern ones. They also once resided in the Freljord, being responsible for transforming Freljord native humans into a new race known as the Iceborn, who would later rebel against The Watcher's rule. The Howling Abyss was built for The Watchers by the Iceborn, in addition to many structures across the Freljord, which now lie in ruins.


Watchers are not playable.
Voidborn are currently not playable.

DivineBeings beyond the human understanding.


AspectsThe Aspects are stellar beings that live beyond the physical and spiritual realms of Runeterra, in the cosmic realm of Targon Prime. These beings embody concepts and celestial magics. They are able to meld with mortals, making them their hosts, or merely imbue them with stellar power. Through these mortals, they are able to traverse and/or interact with the mortal plane with relative efficiency.

The sky around Mount Targon shimmers with celestial bodies: the sun and moon, but also constellations, planets, fiery comets that streak through the darkness, and auspicious arrangements of stars. The people living at Targon's base believe these to be aspects of long-vanished stellar beings, creatures powerful and ancient on a scale beyond human comprehension. Some believe the power of these Aspects sometimes comes down the mountain within the lambent bodies of those climbers found worthy. Such an occurrence is unimaginably rare, and amazing tales of their exploits form around such individuals, who only ever appear once every few generations.

With the exception of the Aspect of Twilight and its hosts, the Aspects rarely interfere with the mortal realm outside of time with great needs. It is incredibly unusual for more than a single Aspect to walk the earth of Runeterra at any given time, so the tales of several Aspects manifesting has spread a pall of fear and uncertainty around the mountain. For what threat might be arising that requires the strength of so many powerful beings to fight?

As originators of all the Targonian Ascended and the Shuriman Ascended, the Aspects have shaped the destiny of the world in ages past.





CelestialsA race of enigmatic beings wielding powers that are said to be godlike, Celestials are the universe's protectors and caretakers, seeding and influencing the tide of the world's past, present and future towards the greater good. Others interfere directly, as with the case of Soraka's crusade of healing and restoration, while others choose to contribute as a hidden hand, as is Bard's way to protect the multiverse from falling to destruction. Most of them are revered as powerful deities or guardians but they share the same mystery and bond with the heavenly firmaments. A few have been named and identified by the people of Runeterra as its patron: Soraka and Bard.
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EternalsEternals are the physical homages of forgotten deities from across Runeterran history. Runeterra has a whole pantheon of deities, whose influence shaped many of the religions, ideologies, and myths across all of the modern Runeterran cultures. While the truths of these deities have been lost to the ages, all are still preserved in the celestial realm, shining down on the world through constellations and archetypes.



Celestial DragonsWith abilities far beyond their terrestrial kin, celestial dragons are capable of shaping certain aspects of the universe like forging new stars. They have incredibly long lifespans and are seemingly immortal. Aurelion Sol has forged stars since the dawn of time, and now unwillingly serves Targon Prime and its Aspects. As matter imitates the shape of greater energies, similar to how a logarithmic spiral is found in a nautilus shell and a galaxy, terrestrial dragons are shaped after their celestial counterparts, even though they have no bloodline connection.



None of the Divine are playable.