VRC.LOL

Champion backstory

Graves

the Outlaw

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

The person behind the champion

A story to start with

Malcolm Graves is a renowned mercenary, gambler, and thief—a wanted man in every city and empire he has visited. Even though he has an explosive temper, he possesses a strict sense of criminal honor, often enforced at the business end of his double-barreled shotgun Destiny. In recent years, he has reconciled a troubled partnership with Twisted Fate, and together they have prospered once more in the turmoil of Bilgewater's criminal underbelly.

Short biography by Riot Games · Data Dragon 16.20.1

What shapes their story?

A partnership broken by apparent betrayal gives Graves's confidence an old grievance to carry. His history with Twisted Fate matters because cooperation must contend with what each man believed about the other's choices during their separation.

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. HarpoonersRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    A dangerous partnership begins

    Malcolm Graves built his reputation through dangerous work, gambling and theft. He operates outside ordinary law, but follows a personal code that makes trust and betrayal particularly important.

    Bilgewater
  3. Bilgewater BayRiot Games · World artwork

    Partners again, with a past to remember

    Reconciliation with Twisted Fate restores a formidable partnership without erasing imprisonment or the resentment it caused. Their talents complement each other precisely because they approach danger differently. Trust has to be practised through later choices rather than assumed from a single reunion.

    Twisted FateBilgewater BayBilgewater

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.

Buhru TempleView full artwork
Buhru TempleRiot Games · World artwork
HarpoonersView full artwork
HarpoonersRiot 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

Bilgewater

A partnership broken by apparent betrayal gives Graves's confidence an old grievance to carry. His history with Twisted Fate matters because cooperation must contend with what each man believed about the other's choices during their separation.

Explore the regional timeline
More about the region

A crowded port in the Blue Flame Isles where hunters, smugglers and captains make fortunes. Opportunity rarely arrives without a price, and the surrounding sea has its own powers and legends.

Harbour

Bilgewater Bay

Treacherous approaches open into a harbour crowded with opportunity and danger. Shipping, sea-monster hunting and competition between captains shape the city around it.

Explore this place

Another perspective

Stories to read next

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

Twisted Fate

the Card Master

Read backstory

The character, in detail

Champion artwork

GravesClassic champion artwork · Riot Games
View full artwork
Explore the wider settingBilgewater

The story beneath the scenery

What makes this place matter?

Bilgewater's newcomers built a port among the older culture of the Buhru. Captains and monster hunters pursue their fortunes, while Illaoi's faith provides a very different sense of purpose. The harbour and the Serpent Isles introduce both sides of this setting.

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.

Bilgewater BayView full artwork
Bilgewater BayRiot Games · Runeterra world map
The Serpent IslesView full artwork
The Serpent IslesRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Life on the WaterView full artwork
Life on the WaterRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Buhru TempleView full artwork
Buhru TempleRiot Games · Runeterra world map
HarpoonersView full artwork
HarpoonersRiot 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

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