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A lost civilisation and the Black Mist
Shadow Isles
Once the Blessed Isles, this land was transformed by a magical catastrophe. The Black Mist binds restless dead to a ruined civilisation, while some survivors still resist what it has become.
A clearer way into the lore
The story, step by step
Follow the relative order of the story. These stages do not assign calendar dates or imply that every linked biography shares one exact chronology.
- Riot Games · World artwork
Riot Games · World artwork
Riot Games · World artwork
Artwork sets the scene; it does not depict each event. Stage numbers show reading order.
More regional history and context
A past that shapes the present
History of the region
The Blessed Isles once offered sanctuary and preserved knowledge. The catastrophe known as the Ruination transformed that legacy into the Black Mist and a landscape of restless dead. Survivors and spirits do not share one purpose: some exploit the curse, while others struggle against it.
The story beneath the scenery
What is at stake?
The name hides an earlier identity: the Blessed Isles. Knowledge and sanctuary gave way to the Ruination and the Black Mist. Viego and Kalista connect to the catastrophe, while Maokai and Yorick show why the region's story is also one of resistance.
Names worth knowing
Places in this region
Lost capital
Helia
The coastal capital of the Blessed Isles became part of the catastrophe that created the Shadow Isles. Ruined libraries and vaults preserve traces of its former pursuit of knowledge.
Explore this placePeople of Runeterra
Champions connected to this region
These are regional story connections, including origins and affiliations. They do not confirm where a character is now.
EliseTheir place in the wider story
Elise's power begins in Noxian high society, where status and influence conceal a predatory ambition. Her connection to a spider demigod transforms the methods she uses to preserve that privileged life.
GwenTheir place in the wider story
Gwen began as a handmade doll, carrying the care of her creator before she could experience the world herself. Becoming alive transforms that inherited affection into something she can actively choose to express.
HecarimTheir place in the wider story
Hecarim's mortal life was bound to cavalry, ambition and violence. The catastrophe of the Blessed Isles fused rider and mount into a single spectral form instead of bringing an ordinary death.
KalistaTheir place in the wider story
Kalista served as a warrior before becoming the spectral figure known for vengeance. Betrayal surrounding the fall of the Blessed Isles transformed duty and loyalty into an enduring demand for retribution.
KarthusTheir place in the wider story
Karthus approached death with fascination rather than the fear most people feel. The Shadow Isles offered him a way to pursue the union of life and death that his songs celebrate.
MaokaiTheir place in the wider story
Maokai knew the Blessed Isles before the Black Mist transformed their landscape. As a nature spirit, the loss of that living home was part of his own being rather than a distant political disaster.
ThreshTheir place in the wider story
Thresh kept arcane secrets on the Blessed Isles before the Ruination. The cruelty associated with his later existence was not simply an innocent personality created from nothing by the Black Mist.
VexTheir place in the wider story
Vex's dissatisfaction with Bandle City's cheerfulness draws her toward the Shadow Isles. The place others regard with horror offers the gloom in which she feels more comfortable.
ViegoTheir place in the wider story
Viego inherited a kingdom without the judgement to place its needs above his own attachment. Isolde's death turned love into a refusal to accept an ending, regardless of what others might lose.
YorickTheir place in the wider story
Yorick's religious calling placed him close to death before the Ruination destroyed the world around his order. Survival left him with an ability most people would regard as a curse.
SennaTheir place in the wider story
Senna's childhood was haunted by the Black Mist long before she joined the Sentinels. Fighting it became a chosen purpose, but did not prevent Thresh from imprisoning her soul within his lantern.
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Official Riot artwork. The gallery includes the regional setting; not every image depicts this exact landmark. Open an image to see the full composition.
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View full artworkSources and story contextOfficial stories, artwork credits and reading notes
Where the stories come from
VRC.LOL writes the introductions, reading notes and connections using linked Riot Universe biographies and regional guides. Short champion summaries use Data Dragon version 16.20.1. Longer histories link to the official story used; some champions currently have a shorter official overview.
What the pictures show
Artwork belongs to Riot Games. Scenery comes from Riot's Runeterra world map; champion art depicts the character. A regional illustration sets the scene when a landmark has no dedicated image. It does not show a confirmed event at that exact place.
A world still being written
Older biographies and newer adaptations can differ. These guides introduce connections rather than declaring a final chronology or a character's current whereabouts. Translations help you explore and may keep original proper names. Follow the official sources for full context.