VRC.LOL

Champion backstory

Brand

the Burning Vengeance

Read the backstoryAbilities and gameplay guide
4Story chapters
1Story connections
1Named place connections

The person behind the champion

A story to start with

Once a tribesman of the icy Freljord named Kegan Rodhe, the creature known as Brand is a lesson in the temptation of greater power. Seeking one of the legendary World Runes, Kegan betrayed his companions and seized it for himself—and, in an instant, the man was no more. His soul burned away, his body a vessel of living flame, Brand now roams Valoran in search of other Runes, swearing revenge for wrongs he could never possibly have suffered in a dozen mortal lifetimes.

Short biography by Riot Games · Data Dragon 16.20.1

What shapes their story?

Kegan's former vulnerability and his later hunger belong to one history. Ryze's apprenticeship offered another path, which makes Brand's pursuit of the Runes a broken relationship as well as a warning about power without restraint.

Reading note by VRC.LOL
Read Riot's full biography ↗

Follow the story

Story timeline

Follow the main developments in order, then explore their consequences. Use each chapter's links to explore the people, regions and places involved. Artwork shows the character or wider world, not an exact reconstruction of each event; calendar dates are not assigned here.

  4. Pilgrim Site of RakelstakeRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    A former pupil becomes the warning

    Brand's pursuit of further World Runes puts him against the teacher who tried to keep their power contained. The transformation did not satisfy Kegan's desire. It made that appetite dangerous to entire communities, giving Ryze's caution a personal history as well as a global purpose.

    RyzeRygann's ReachThe Freljord

Story guide by VRC.LOL, based on the linked Riot stories. Older biographies and newer stories can differ; no exact date or current whereabouts is implied unless stated.

Picture the setting

A world behind the story

Official Riot setting artwork, not illustrations of these exact events. Open an image to see the complete composition.

Freljordian VillageView full artwork
Freljordian VillageRiot Games · World artwork
The AvarosanView full artwork
The AvarosanRiot Games · World artwork
Explore the wider region

People who shape the story

Relationships and allegiances

Discover the companions, communities and powers that matter to this champion. Each card explains the connection, rather than treating every nearby character as a friend.

Champion connections

Connections describe the linked official stories. A shared history does not establish a current alliance or location.

Follow the story

Known places and connections

Origins, journeys and documented events. A connection here does not mean this champion lives there now.

Regional connection

The Freljord

This community belongs to Kegan Rodhe's human past, before Ryze's apprenticeship and the World Rune changed him.

Explore the regional timeline
More about the region

A northern wilderness where rival tribes, Iceborn leaders and old gods struggle over survival and the future. Its enduring legends conceal threats much older than the wars between its people.

Coastal community

Rygann's Reach

Before becoming Brand, Kegan Rodhe grew up on the margins of this Freljordian community. Rejection and isolation here belong to the human history behind the creature's later hunger for magical power.

Why this place mattersThis community belongs to Kegan Rodhe's human past, before Ryze's apprenticeship and the World Rune changed him.
Explore this place

Another perspective

Stories to read next

Continue with related characters, regional stories and other perspectives on the same themes.

Ryze

the Rune Mage

Read backstory

The character, in detail

Champion artwork

BrandClassic champion artwork · Riot Games
View full artwork
Explore the wider settingThe Freljord

The story beneath the scenery

What makes this place matter?

The landscape holds several layers of history: tribal survival, the legends of demigods and the secret of the Watchers beneath the ice. Ashe, Sejuani and Lissandra represent competing futures, while Ornn, Anivia and Volibear connect the region to older powers.

Look closer

A window into this world

Official Riot artwork. The gallery includes the regional setting; not every image depicts this exact landmark. Open an image to see the full composition.

Frostguard CitadelView full artwork
Frostguard CitadelRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Pilgrim Site of RakelstakeView full artwork
Pilgrim Site of RakelstakeRiot Games · Runeterra world map
The Winter's ClawView full artwork
The Winter's ClawRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Freljordian VillageView full artwork
Freljordian VillageRiot Games · Runeterra world map
The AvarosanView full artwork
The AvarosanRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Sources 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.

Sources reviewed 18 October 2026

Explore Riot Universe ↗Open Riot's world map ↗