VRC.LOL

Champion backstory

Xerath

the Magus Ascendant

Read the backstoryAbilities and gameplay guide
3Story chapters
2Story connections
1Named place connections

The person behind the champion

A story to start with

Xerath is an Ascended Magus of ancient Shurima, a being of arcane energy writhing in the broken shards of a magical sarcophagus. For millennia, he was trapped beneath the desert sands, but the rise of Shurima freed him from his ancient prison. Driven insane with power, he now seeks to take what he believes is rightfully his and replace the upstart civilizations of the world with one fashioned in his image.

Short biography by Riot Games · Data Dragon 16.20.1

What shapes their story?

Enslavement gives Xerath's resentment a history that imperial celebration can obscure. His later domination does not repair that injustice, making the story a confrontation between the denial of freedom and the destructive choices made in pursuit of power.

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. Risen from the SandsRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    An enslaved companion seeks freedom

    Xerath's history begins in the inequalities of ancient Shurima, close to an emperor whose promises did not end his servitude. His hunger for freedom becomes entangled with a hunger for absolute power.

    Shurima
  2. The RebirthRiot Games · Regional world artwork

    The Ascension ritual is seized

    Taking control of the Ascension ritual destroys the boundary between the man and the magic he seeks. Imprisonment delays the threat without resolving the ambitions behind the catastrophe.

    Shurima
  3. AzirClassic champion artwork · Riot Games

    The freed power keeps the old ambition

    Escape from the tomb restores Xerath's reach without restoring the world his betrayal destroyed. Renekton's manipulated hatred and Azir's return bring ancient relationships back into conflict. The demand for freedom that began his story has become a claim to authority over other lives.

    AzirRenektonSun DiscShurima

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.

Atop the DormunView full artwork
Atop the DormunRiot Games · World artwork
Dormun RidersView full artwork
Dormun RidersRiot 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

Friendship and betrayal

Azir

Azir gave his enslaved childhood companion the name Xerath. Their unequal friendship ends in betrayal at the Ascension ritual and Shurima's catastrophe.

Read their story Official story ↗

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

Shurima

Xerath's seizure of the Ascension ritual turns the imperial monument into the centre of Shurima's catastrophe.

Explore the regional timeline
More about the region

The remains of a vast empire lie among desert settlements and ancient ruins. The return of Ascended powers brings old betrayals into the lives of mercenaries, wanderers and people fighting for a future of their own.

Ascension landmark

Sun Disc

The great disc is central to Shurima's imperial history and the Ascension of its god-warriors. Azir's return makes the lost capital and its legacy important again.

Why this place mattersXerath's seizure of the Ascension ritual turns the imperial monument into the centre of Shurima's catastrophe.
Explore this place

Another perspective

Stories to read next

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

Azir

the Emperor of the Sands

Read backstory

Nasus

the Curator of the Sands

Read backstory

Renekton

the Butcher of the Sands

Read backstory

The character, in detail

Champion artwork

XerathClassic champion artwork · Riot Games
View full artwork
Explore the wider settingShurima

The story beneath the scenery

What makes this place matter?

The empire's fall did not end life in Shurima. Settlements, trade and local cultures continued among its ruins. Azir's return reopens old imperial ambitions, while Sivir and Taliyah offer perspectives shaped by the people living in the desert today.

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.

NashramaeView full artwork
NashramaeRiot Games · Runeterra world map
The RebirthView full artwork
The RebirthRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Atop the DormunView full artwork
Atop the DormunRiot Games · Runeterra world map
Dormun RidersView full artwork
Dormun RidersRiot 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 ↗