Riot Games releases two more Tales of Runeterra cinematics
Riot Games is certainly not pacing themselves with their Tales of Runeterra cinematics as two more videos were released in another single week period. The Ionia video from the original announcement video as well as Piltover & Zaun’s remain as the only ones left to take stage.
We first descend into a darker side of Runeterra with “Tales of Runeterra: Shadow Isles | ‘None Escape’.” The lore team guides us through the Ruins of Helia in the Shadow Isles as a Buhru priestess and her son land ashore. The temptation of hope takes a hold and the young acolyte meets the sinister mascot of the Shadow Isles: Thresh, the Chain Warden.
Home to Illaoi from League, the Isle of Buhru makes up part of the Serpent Isles archipelago off the southeastern coast of Valoran, which is the northern continent of Runeterra. As the isles have been under attack by the Shadow Isles, the wards in the video are most likely protective in nature against the Black Mist. It’s uncertain whether these videos hint at prospective new champions in League of Legends or if they are simply vehicles for pushing Runeterra’s lore forward and will be relatively separate from League. What we do know from this video, however, is that mortals who step forth on the Shadow Isles without being “ready” — whatever that may mean — are prime targets for making Thresh’s lantern their new home as a lost soul.
With “Tales of Runeterra: Noxus | ‘After Victory’,” we meet a younger Darius and a justice and equality-seeking side to the characteristically ruthless nation of Noxus. Taking place in Urtis, a northern frontier of Noxus, Darius and Captain Farron march their way into the throne room of its king and demand he turn over his crown and stop the bloodshed. While we may initially be sympathetic to take the king’s side, the culmination of the scene quickly turns that empathy around. Moreover, the resulting twist allows Darius to drop some particularly revealing lines about Noxian values.
“Kings demand you kneel before their heirlooms and unearned titles. Noxus wants you to stand. So you can be reforged in a glory shared by all.”
A bit of an Easter Egg here as Darius delivers this line to the woman who will eventually become the Trifarian Gloryseeker; she appears in the Noxus set of Legends of Runeterra with Captain Farron in the background.
The puzzle pieces are coming together, and with the rate that Riot is releasing these videos, we can expect tales of Piltover & Zaun and Ionia to round out the current set very soon.