Arcane Receives Its First Spin-Off Novel

Key Takeaways

• Arcane’s second season marks the end of the current story but there will be more from the world.
• The tie-in novel, Ambessa: Chosen Of The Wolf, focuses on Ambessa Medarda’s rise to power in Noxus.
• Ambessa is the first Arcane original character to be introduced into League of Legends.

The release of Arcane’s second season is just weeks away and is set to be the end of the story as fans know it. However, the world of Arcane is only just getting started, as is evidenced by the announcement of a new tie-in novel that is hitting shelves soon.

Arcane is an animated series adapting Riot’s popular online video game, League of Legends. The story brings many familiar League of Legends characters and settings to the screen as the series examines the conflict between Piltover and its undercity, Zaun, and each of the champions who sit on either side of the divide. The series is animated by French studio Fortiche and has become widely beloved for its unique and visceral style. The Netflix series has proven to be popular in a variety of different mediums beyond just the TV series. Arcane’s original soundtrack was a hit, and the series was recently one of few Netflix titles to receive a physical media release on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s clear that audiences are hungry for more content from Arcane, and they’re going to get plenty more of it.

Arcane’s First Tie-In Novel Features A Surprising Character

It’s been revealed that Arcane will receive its first tie-in novel in 2025, titled Ambessa: Chosen Of The Wolf. Publishing house Orbit Books made the announcement, revealing that the novel will be written by sci-fi and fantasy author C.L. Clark who is known for writing the Magic of the Lost trilogy. The plot of the book will surround Ambessa Medarda, a character who was introduced at the end of Arcane’s first season and will have a much larger part in the second season. Ambessa is Mel Medarda’s mother and a warlord from the nation of Noxus.

The synopsis for Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf reveals the novel will be a prequel exploring Ambessa’s rise to power in Noxus, and will also explore her relationship with her daughter, before Mel is disowned. It will also introduce a war within the family, as Ambessa faces her cousin, Ta’Fik, to become head of the Medarda clan:

Ambessa Medarda: Warrior, general, mother. She is a woman to be feared, and the Medardas are unrivaled in their pursuit of glory. She has led conquests and armies. She has slain legendary beasts. She has made grave sacrifices in her ascent up the ranks. And for this she was rewarded: She entered the realm of death and was granted a vision of herself upon the throne of the vast Noxian empire. But before she can lead her empire, she must become head of her own clan. Yet the title is contested by her cousin and former confidante, Ta’Fik. He knows the bloody sins of Ambessa’s past. And he knows he cannot allow her to rise.

They will fight a war for the very soul of the Medardas.

But the war won’t be fought on battlefields alone. Ambessa’s daughter, Mel, can deftly break through the walls around anyone’s heart, and she’ll put her talents to use for her mother. Yet despite Mel’s strength, Ambessa sees only a child who lacks her killer instincts. Mel knows she can be the leader Ambessa wants her to be, if only she gives her time.

With her family betraying her, enemies closing in on all sides, and unseen forces moving in the shadows, every day proves more dangerous than the last. But Ambessa will not bow. She will burn the world down to claim her place in it.

Ambessa: Chosen Of The Wolf will arrive a few months after the end of Arcane, with the novel set for release on February 18, 2025. The story will be available in physical copies as well as eBook and audiobook versions. Ellen Thomas, the voice of Ambessa in Arcane, will reprise her role to narrate the audiobook edition. Riot is focusing heavily on Ambessa at the moment as the studio recently introduced her as a playable champion in League of Legends. This will be the first time a character from Arcane has been introduced into the game world, rather than the other way around.

Ambessa: Chosen Of The Wolf is the first tie-in novel in the world of Arcane, but it likely won’t be the last. Season 2 will be the end of Jinx and Vi’s story, however, co-creator Christian Linke has already confirmed the team is working on more stories in the world of Arcane, some of which may be continuations of stories for familiar characters.

Arcane Season 2 will be released on Netflix in three parts, starting November 9, 2024.