The Lore of League of Legends’ Noxus Explained

This article contains spoilers from the finale of Arcane Season 2.

The League of Legends TV show Arcane has officially reached its conclusion after two seasons. Arcane made history as the most expensive animated show to date and climbed to the top ten most-watched series in nearly 90 countries. With a perfect rating of 100% from RottenTomatoes critics, it’s evident that Riot Games’ first League of Legends show was well worth the investment.

Though November marked the end of Arcane‘s story, Riot Games and Fortiche Productions have confirmed they are continuing to collaborate on future League of Legends-inspired shows. With Noxus and the Black Rose playing a pivotal part in Mel and Ambessa Medarda’s storyline, particularly in Act 3, it’s very likely the next show will focus on the Noxian Empire. As such, this will cover the fundamentals despite the history of Noxus being ever-evolving and complex. It’s worth noting that Arcane is now canon to League of Legends, which means that previously established lore may now contain inconsistencies that will potentially be cleared up in future spin-offs.

The History of Noxus Explained

Noxus’ Core Principles And Ongoing Conflicts

Riot Games confirmed that three more regions, Demacia, Ionia, and Noxus, will be highlighted in future series. Noxus is one of the most influential empires in the world of Runeterra, and civilizations beyond its borders often view them as brutal warmongers. The Noxian Empire can be likened to the Roman Empire, which forced conquered nations to assimilate to its rule and way of life. The critical difference is that Noxus’ desire for conquest traces back 1,500 years to the warlord Sahn-Uzal, later known as Mordekaiser.

News outlets initially misinterpreted Fortiche’s announcement to mean it was working on three new shows, each highlighting different regions. Marc Merrill, President and Co-Founder of Riot Games has since clarified that they meant they are exploring three regions that will not necessarily be separate shows.

Noxus was initially portrayed as a classic antagonist to the virtuous and law-abiding nation of Demacia, but the narrative has since developed into a more complex and morally ambiguous tale. Noxus is primarily motivated by the three Principles of Strength: Vision, Might, and Guile, which Ambessa references in Arcane Season 2. Strength for Noxians isn’t limited to the physical; they also respect this manifesting in other forms.

The conflict between Noxus, Demacia, and the land of magic, Ionia, is reminiscent of the rivalry between Piltover and Zaun, which explored themes of oppression and war. However, Ambessa’s demonstration of Noxus’ military might is just a taste of what they are truly capable of. As the warlord stated in Arcane, Noxus believes most issues can be solved on the battlefield.

The military might of Noxus, demonstrated by Ambessa, is just a taste of what they are truly capable of.

League of Legends’ Noxus Region Is Home To Several Champions

League of Legends currently boasts over 160 champions. Noxus is presently home to 18 playable champions, not including Mel Medarda, who many fans expect will join the League of Legends roster in Q1 of 2025. The list is as follows:

• Ambessa
• Briar
• Cassiopeia
• Darius
• Draven
• Elise
• Katarina
• Kled
• LeBlanc
• Mordekaiser
• Rell
• Riven
• Samira
• Sion
• Smolder
• Swain
• Talon
• Vladimir

Other prominent Noxian characters that aren’t playable include Boram Darkwill and The Faceless.

A Brief Overview of Noxus’ Timeline

Mordekaiser’s Age of Tyranny

Mordekaiser is one of the strongest champions in lore, though he was once a mortal before he eventually became known as Sahn-Uzal. Hundreds of years before Demacia or Noxus were conceived, he ruled the continent of Valoran. He was motivated by the belief that his conquests would earn him a place at the gods’ table, an afterlife called the “Hall of Bones,” but upon death, he realized that his faith was a lie. Refusing to succumb to the gray oblivion he found himself in, he vowed to forge his own path.

According to Runeterra’s official website, Mordekaiser “began to whisper temptations across the veil between realms, promising his indomitable strength to any who dared listen.” During the Great Darkin War, a group of sorcerers brought Mordekaiser back to life, albeit encased in a metal-plated body. After slaying the mages that resurrected him, Mordekaiser began his second conquest of Runeterra with his newfound necromantic powers while raising a tower called the Immortal Bastion at the center of the empire.

His tyranny eventually led to an alliance of Noxii tribes, who banded together to betray and kill him once more. Unbeknownst to them, Mordekaiser had planned for this: those he killed during this period were bound to his will in the afterlife. Centuries have passed since his reign, but the inhabitants of Runeterra fear the day he finds a way to return with his eternal army at his side.

Swain’s Reign And The Defeat of Darkwill

In current lore, Jericho Swain is one of the rulers of Noxus as a founder of the Trifarix, a council that consists of The Faceless, Swain, and Darius. The timeline of Noxus leading up to his reign is as follows:

1. Mordekaiser’s era.
2. Warlord Sion’s war against Demacia before he was killed in battle.
3. Boram Darkwill’s reign as the last empower of Noxus before being dethroned by Swain.

The identity of The Faceless, also known as the Principle of Guile, has yet to be revealed. In 2020,
League of Legends
Narrative Director Laurie Goulding confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that it was not LeBlanc.

After losing an arm to Irelia during the first war against Ionia under Darkwill’s reign, Swain seized the power of the demon Raum. Raum grants him unnatural power, restoring his missing arm and providing him with the dark magic he needed to overthrow Darkwill and take control of Noxus. This demon can manifest as a flock of ravens like the one seen in Arcane Season 2, Episode 9; Swain can also see through the ravens’ eyes, granting him near-total surveillance of Noxus and potentially even insight into the events of Arcane.

The Lore of The Black Rose

Seen in Arcane, the Black Rose is a secret cult that wields dark magic and was directly involved in the death of Mel’s brother, Kino. Dating back at least as far as the Noxii’s war against Mordekaiser, the cabal has influenced the Noxian Empire’s decisions from the shadows for centuries. As rivals to Grand General Swain, they continue to secretly guide Noxian politics and society.

LeBlanc is one of the most mysterious characters in League of Legends lore, as she can appear in any form and often uses illusions to her benefit. Her identity is even kept secret within the organization. Knowing that Mordekaiser will inevitably return, her primary goal is to grow powerful enough to defeat him. This led to her allying with Vladimir, a powerful mage known for his use of blood magic who used this power to resurrect Sion as an undead instrument of war.

Members of the Black Rose include:

Other notable Noxian characters include Katarina and Riven, with the latter forever scarred after Singed gives the Noxian Empire a toxic substance meant to help them invade Ionia. For Arcane and League of Legends fans interested in learning more, delving into the Realms of Runeterra book, cinematics, and short stories released by Riot Games since 2009 is a solid place to start. While the events of Arcane may alter some of these narratives, it’s still worth diving into while awaiting the next show.