Runeterra Archive

League of Legends Lore

Explore champion origins, the regions of Runeterra, factions and the stories that shape the world behind the game — retold in our own words and linked back to how each champion plays.

Champion Stories14 RegionsFactionsTimelineArcane
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The WorldRegions of Runeterra

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KingdomDemaciaA proud, law-bound kingdom that prizes justice, honor and duty — and distrusts magic to the point of hunting it.14 ChampionsEmpireNoxusA brutal, expansionist empire built on the idea that strength — of any kind — is what earns a place at the top.18 ChampionsProvincesIoniaA land of spiritual balance and natural magic, scarred by war and still searching for harmony.23 ChampionsFrozen NorthFreljordA harsh, frozen expanse of warring tribes, ancient ice magic and old gods stirring beneath the snow.17 ChampionsCity of ProgressPiltoverThe gleaming City of Progress, where invention, trade and hextech ambition drive relentless innovation.9 ChampionsUndercityZaunThe chem-fueled undercity beneath Piltover — inventive, dangerous and alive with toxic ambition.13 ChampionsFallen EmpireShurimaA once-glorious desert empire, now buried in sand, whose ascended god-warriors are stirring back to life.13 ChampionsCelestial PeakTargonA towering mountain that touches the stars, home to Aspects, celestial power and cosmic mystery.8 ChampionsCursed RealmShadow IslesA blighted, ghost-haunted archipelago wrapped in the Black Mist, where death is never truly the end.11 ChampionsPort CityBilgewaterA lawless port of pirates, monster hunters and smugglers, where fortunes and lives change with the tide.11 ChampionsSpirit RealmBandle CityThe elusive home of the yordles — a spirit realm that slips in and out of the mortal world.7 ChampionsHidden JungleIxtalAn isolated jungle nation that masters elemental magic and hides from the rest of Runeterra.7 ChampionsBetween WorldsThe VoidA hungering nothingness beyond reality whose creatures seek to unmake the world one victim at a time.9 ChampionsThe WorldRuneterraThe world itself — home to wanderers, ancient beings and champions bound to no single nation.13 Champions

FeaturedChampion Stories

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IoniaAhrithe Nine-Tailed FoxRead StoryIoniaYasuothe UnforgivenRead StoryZaunJinxthe Loose CannonRead StoryShadow IslesViegoThe Ruined KingRead StoryDemaciaLuxthe Lady of LuminosityRead StoryIoniaZedthe Master of ShadowsRead StoryIoniaYonethe UnforgottenRead StoryShadow IslesThreshthe Chain WardenRead StoryRuneterraMordekaiserthe Iron RevenantRead StoryDemaciaMorganathe FallenRead StoryPiltoverVithe Piltover EnforcerRead StoryPiltoverCaitlynthe Sheriff of PiltoverRead Story

BrowseChampion Lore Directory

173 Champions
Aatrox AatroxRuneterra Ahri AhriIonia Akali AkaliIonia Akshan AkshanShurima Alistar AlistarNoxus Ambessa AmbessaNoxus Amumu AmumuShurima Anivia AniviaFreljord Annie AnnieNoxus Aphelios ApheliosTargon Ashe AsheFreljord Aurelion Sol Aurelion SolTargon Aurora AuroraFreljord Azir AzirShurima Bard BardRuneterra Bel'Veth Bel'VethThe Void Blitzcrank BlitzcrankZaun Brand BrandFreljord Braum BraumFreljord Briar BriarNoxus Caitlyn CaitlynPiltover Camille CamillePiltover Cassiopeia CassiopeiaNoxus Cho'Gath Cho'GathThe Void Corki CorkiBandle City Darius DariusNoxus Diana DianaTargon Dr. Mundo Dr. MundoZaun Draven DravenNoxus Ekko EkkoZaun Elise EliseShadow Isles Evelynn EvelynnRuneterra Ezreal EzrealPiltover Fiddlesticks FiddlesticksRuneterra Fiora FioraDemacia Fizz FizzBilgewater Galio GalioDemacia Gangplank GangplankBilgewater Garen GarenDemacia Gnar GnarFreljord Gragas GragasFreljord Graves GravesBilgewater Gwen GwenShadow Isles Hecarim HecarimShadow Isles Heimerdinger HeimerdingerPiltover Hwei HweiIonia Illaoi IllaoiBilgewater Irelia IreliaIonia Ivern IvernFreljord Janna JannaZaun Jarvan IV Jarvan IVDemacia Jax JaxRuneterra Jayce JaycePiltover Jhin JhinIonia Jinx JinxZaun K'Sante K'SanteShurima Kai'Sa Kai'SaThe Void Kalista KalistaShadow Isles Karma KarmaIonia Karthus KarthusShadow Isles Kassadin KassadinThe Void Katarina KatarinaNoxus Kayle KayleDemacia Kayn KaynIonia Kennen KennenIonia Kha'Zix Kha'ZixThe Void Kindred KindredRuneterra Kled KledNoxus Kog'Maw Kog'MawThe Void LeBlanc LeBlancNoxus Lee Sin Lee SinIonia Leona LeonaTargon Lillia LilliaIonia Lissandra LissandraFreljord Locke LockeRuneterra Lucian LucianRuneterra Lulu LuluBandle City Lux LuxDemacia Malphite MalphiteIxtal Malzahar MalzaharThe Void Maokai MaokaiShadow Isles Master Yi Master YiIonia Mel MelNoxus Milio MilioIxtal Miss Fortune Miss FortuneBilgewater Mordekaiser MordekaiserRuneterra Morgana MorganaDemacia Naafiri NaafiriShurima Nami NamiBilgewater Nasus NasusShurima Nautilus NautilusBilgewater Neeko NeekoIxtal Nidalee NidaleeIxtal Nilah NilahBilgewater Nocturne NocturneRuneterra Nunu & Willump Nunu & WillumpFreljord Olaf OlafFreljord Orianna OriannaPiltover Ornn OrnnFreljord Pantheon PantheonTargon Poppy PoppyDemacia Pyke PykeBilgewater Qiyana QiyanaIxtal Quinn QuinnDemacia Rakan RakanIonia Rammus RammusShurima Rek'Sai Rek'SaiThe Void Rell RellNoxus Renata Glasc Renata GlascZaun Renekton RenektonShurima Rengar RengarIxtal Riven RivenNoxus Rumble RumbleBandle City Ryze RyzeRuneterra Samira SamiraNoxus Sejuani SejuaniFreljord Senna SennaShadow Isles Seraphine SeraphinePiltover Sett SettIonia Shaco ShacoRuneterra Shen ShenIonia Shyvana ShyvanaDemacia Singed SingedZaun Sion SionNoxus Sivir SivirShurima Skarner SkarnerShurima Smolder SmolderRuneterra Sona SonaDemacia Soraka SorakaTargon Swain SwainNoxus Sylas SylasDemacia Syndra SyndraIonia Tahm Kench Tahm KenchBilgewater Taliyah TaliyahShurima Talon TalonNoxus Taric TaricTargon Teemo TeemoBandle City Thresh ThreshShadow Isles Tristana TristanaBandle City Trundle TrundleFreljord Tryndamere TryndamereFreljord Twisted Fate Twisted FateBilgewater Twitch TwitchZaun Udyr UdyrFreljord Urgot UrgotZaun Varus VarusIonia Vayne VayneDemacia Veigar VeigarBandle City Vel'Koz Vel'KozThe Void Vex VexShadow Isles Vi ViPiltover Viego ViegoShadow Isles Viktor ViktorZaun Vladimir VladimirNoxus Volibear VolibearFreljord Warwick WarwickZaun Wukong WukongIonia Xayah XayahIonia Xerath XerathShurima Xin Zhao Xin ZhaoDemacia Yasuo YasuoIonia Yone YoneIonia Yorick YorickShadow Isles Yunara YunaraIonia Yuumi YuumiBandle City Zaahen ZaahenIonia Zac ZacZaun Zed ZedIonia Zeri ZeriZaun Ziggs ZiggsPiltover Zilean ZileanShurima Zoe ZoeTargon Zyra ZyraIxtal

JourneysStory Paths

Path 1

Origins & Heroes

Where champions come from — the births, oaths and tragedies that set them on their path.

IoniaDemaciaChampions
Path 2

Kingdoms & Empires

The great powers of Runeterra and the wars, ideals and ambitions that drive them.

NoxusDemaciaShurima
Path 3

Magic & Ancient Powers

Arcane forces, celestial aspects and the old magic that shapes the world.

TargonIxtalFreljord
Path 4

Shadow Isles & Ruination

The Black Mist, the Ruined King and the champions bound to death and undeath.

Shadow IslesViegoThresh
Path 5

Piltover, Zaun & Arcane

Progress and its price — the divided cities and the stories behind Arcane.

PiltoverZaunArcane
Path 6

Void & Cosmic Threats

The hungering Void and the cosmic dangers that loom beyond the known world.

The VoidKai'SaTargon

ChronicleRuneterra Timeline

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The First Era

Ancient Powers

Long before the modern regions, celestial aspects, ascended god-warriors and primordial forces shaped Runeterra. Their legacy still echoes through Shurima, Targon and the oldest magic in the world.

The Rise of Regions

Kingdoms & Cultures

Distinct civilizations grew across the world — the disciplined ideals of Demacia, the ambition of Noxus, the spiritual balance of Ionia — each forging its own identity and champions.

Ages of Conflict

War & Ambition

Empires clashed and borders were tested. Invasions, rebellions and rivalries defined a turbulent age, and many of today's champions were forged in its fires.

The Ruination

Death & the Black Mist

A catastrophe born of grief unleashed the Black Mist and created the Shadow Isles, binding countless souls to undeath and casting a long shadow over Runeterra.

Arcane & Runeterra

The story of Piltover and Zaun — the city of progress and the undercity beneath it — brings champions like Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn and Ekko together in a tale of invention, family and ambition.

JinxJinxZaun ViViPiltover CaitlynCaitlynPiltover EkkoEkkoZaun JayceJaycePiltover ViktorViktorZaun HeimerdingerHeimerdingerPiltover WarwickWarwickZaun
Explore Arcane Lore
Archive Note

Welcome to the LoLGuru Runeterra Archive, an accessible companion to League of Legends lore. Inside, you’ll find champion biographies, the regions that make up Runeterra, the factions driving its wars, a wide-ranging historical timeline, and an overview of how Arcane fits into the larger world.

Each entry is a summary written in our own words and links back to Riot’s official Universe for the complete canon. Treat the archive as a guide: pick a region, follow a champion’s story, then jump to their builds, matchups and skins elsewhere on the site.

Codex EntriesLore FAQ

What is League of Legends lore?
League of Legends lore is the fictional world of Runeterra — its regions, champions, factions and history, told by Riot Games across bios, stories, comics and cinematics. This section summarizes it in a reader-friendly way.
What is Runeterra?
Runeterra is the world League of Legends is set in, made up of regions such as Demacia, Noxus, Ionia, the Freljord, Piltover and Zaun, each with its own culture and champions.
Where can I read champion stories?
Each champion has a dedicated lore page under /lore/champions/, linked to their region and their gameplay pages. For full canon, we link to Riot's official Universe.
Is Arcane connected to League of Legends lore?
Yes — Arcane is set in the League of Legends universe and features champions from Piltover and Zaun. See our /lore/arcane/ page for a careful overview.
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