VRC.LOL

Champion backstory

Gnar

the Missing Link

Read the backstoryAbilities and gameplay guide
3Story chapters
1Story connections
0Named place connections

The person behind the champion

A story to start with

Gnar is a primeval yordle whose playful antics can erupt into a toddler's outrage in an instant, transforming him into a massive beast bent on destruction. Frozen in True Ice for millennia, the curious creature broke free and now hops about a changed world he sees as exotic and wondrous. Delighted by danger, Gnar flings whatever he can at his enemies, be it his bonetooth boomerang, or a nearby building.

Short biography by Riot Games · Data Dragon 16.20.1

What shapes their story?

Gnar carries a prehistoric life into a world he cannot understand through the same familiar categories. Curiosity and sudden fury coexist, making the small traveller's vulnerability impossible to separate from the danger of his transformation.

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.

  1. The AvarosanRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    An ancient life preserved in True Ice

    Gnar comes from a world long before the familiar politics of today's Freljord. Imprisonment in True Ice preserved him while centuries changed the landscape and its inhabitants around him.

    The Freljord
  2. Freljordian VillageRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    Freedom in a world that has changed

    Freedom places a curious, playful creature in a world full of unfamiliar things. Sudden rage can transform that small explorer into an enormous beast, making emotional shifts physically dangerous.

    The Freljord
  3. The Winter's ClawRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    An ancient survivor discovers an unfamiliar world

    The small things Gnar collects are discoveries in a world that has moved beyond his imprisonment. His understanding remains immediate and playful, while anger changes what his body can do. Knowing his ancient origin does not mean he understands the history that passed without him.

    The 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.

Not everyone important to this story is a playable champion. The reading suggestions below are labelled separately from these story connections.

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

Gnar carries a prehistoric life into a world he cannot understand through the same familiar categories. Curiosity and sudden fury coexist, making the small traveller's vulnerability impossible to separate from the danger of his transformation.

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.

A wider journey

No named landmark is recorded here yet. Explore the regional connections and Riot's story for more context.

Another perspective

Stories to read next

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

Anivia

the Cryophoenix

Read backstory

Ashe

the Frost Archer

Read backstory

Aurora

the Witch Between Worlds

Read backstory

The character, in detail

Champion artwork

GnarClassic 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 ↗