It won't be long until the release of Naafiri, the newest League of Legends champion. According to Riot, we'll be treated to another Darkin champion. What do we already know about Naafiri's origin story?
The hype train is rolling, guys! Naafiri's release is inching closer and closer by the day. We'll not only get a new Darkin champion in League of Legends, but also a true Mid Lane Assassin! If you ask me, all the hype is completely justified.
But gameplay aside – what do we even know about Naafiri? League of Legends is a game with a vast and ever-growing lore, so thankfully there are a few interesting things we can already tell you about Naafiri, the Hound of Hundred Bites!
LoL Champion Naafiri Lore: The Story of the Darkins
Before we'll tell you more about Naafiri, there's one thing we need to clear the air on: What even is a "Darkin"? Maybe you've heard this word before, since there are a few of their kind as champions in League of Legends. There is Varus, Aatrox and Rhaast, one of Kayn's "forms" – the three Darkin champions that already exist inside the game.
Darkins are ancient, godlike beings, who were part of the Ascended many millennia ago. They participated in the war, that the people of Runeterra waged against the Void, but they were left traumatized and without a leader. After the war, they used the power that they held to enslave the people they once protected.
They used evil blood magic to enhance themselves and their weapons further and further, until the Aspects, mighty celestial beings, put an end to their reign of terror. The Aspects bound the Darkins to their weapons and scattered them all across Runeterra.
New LoL Champion Naafiri: Origin Story
Now you know all about the Darkins! Naafiri is one of them as well, a female Darkin at that. She was bound to a dagger and was trapped inside one of the countless desert ruins across Shurima. After many centuries, though, Naafiri was unexpectedly released from her grave.
A grave-robber managed to break into Naafiri's tomb, and the Darkin finally saw her chance to return into the world inside a new vessel. The robber knew what he was dealing with, though, and was very cautious about never touching the Darkin dagger with his bare hands.
In the end, his caution turned out to be his demise. Upon leaving the tomb and embarking on his journey back through the unforgiving Shuriman desert, he fell victim to a pack of hungry dune hounds. In their thirst for blood, they tore apart the poor grave-robber and with him all his belongings.
This is how Naafiri, the Darkin dagger, found a new, but unexpected home: A pack of dune hounds.
- Naafiri also has some great sound effects, so you need the best gaming headset to be able to hear it loud and clear.
Naafiri's Relationship With Other Darkins
That's what we're most excited about! What about the relationship between Naafiri and the other Darkins? All the Darkins we know from League of Legends have a human vessel, or are at least in close relation with a human.
Varus took over and merged the bodies of Valmar and Kai, two lovers and Ionian monster-hunters. Aatrox had countless vessels over the course of his life, and Rhaast has Kayn, a human who is able to withstand the power of the Darkin.
Thanks to the new voice lines Varus will receive in Patch 13.13, we already know what he thinks of Naafiri and her pack of hounds:
Hounds, Naafiri? You make me grateful for my vessels.
Seems like Varus is kind of looking down on Naafiri's vessels. Nevertheless, he knows about the power Naafiri holds and tries to motivate her to fight the enemies of the Darkin together with Varus.
We hope to find out even more about Naafiri and her lore, the close her release will come. Maybe there are even more Darkins she already crossed paths with?
Decorate your gaming room with League of Legends Collectible Figures! Hopefully Naafiri will join the collection at some point, right?
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