Summary
Despite being “just a MOBA,“League of Legendspossesses adeep and rich lorethat keeps growing every year. With the addition of new champions comes new stories, new tie-ins, and, unfortunately, some retconning, too. One of the recent updates to the lore revolves around the unique race called theDarkin.
Though introduced as early as 2012 withVarusandAatroxin 2013, the Darkin did not have much established lore until the introduction ofKaynin 2017 and the recent expansions within the card gameLegends of Runeterra. 2023 saw the most recent Darkin introduction into the successful MOBA fromRiot Gamesin the form of Naafiri. But who are the Darkin, and which Darkin are the strongest inLeague of Legends?
This article does not include the Darkin available in the Legends of Runeterra card game.
Progenitors Of Blood Magic Brought About By PTSD
Darkin are corrupted Ascended from Shurima whose minds have deteriorated due to the blood magic corruption.In order to fend off the Void, Shurima leveraged God-Warriors or Sunborn, ascended beings with longer lives and enhanced powers. However, the trauma of the Void War, the fall of Shurima, and the desire for self-preservation corrupted some of these Ascended (like Aatrox) who were destroyed or imprisoned in weapons. The corruption came fromhemomancy, or blood magic.
Part of the appeal of blood magic and the Darkin way is immortality. The body persists despite injury and death; however, the minds of those who became Darkin did not fare as well as their corporeal bodies. In fact, theDarkin Civil Warstarted over arguments between Xolaani and Aatrox, who had both gone a bit mad due to the Darkin degradation. Xolaani’s thought was that, to stop the chaos of the Darkin, she had to control them all. It’s a bit of a Roman Emperor scenario, but the other powerful Darkin like Aatrox were not into the idea.
5Rhaast (Kayn): The Shadow Bearer
Varus' Brother, But Also The Darkin Scythe
Like many Noxian youths, Kayn was a child soldier. As he grew up, one of his missions led him to the Darkin weapon beneath Noxus. Imprisoned in the scythe was Rhaast, one of the Darkin prophesied to end the world. His power was too enticing for Kayn to walk away from, but he keeps Rhaast in check most of the time. In fact, players canchoose the fate of both charactersin a game. Kayn can become the Shadow Assassin, or succumb to the Darkin influence. Either way, as far as the lore goes, Kayn leads Master Yi’s apprentice to turn to the Darkin Bloodletters, allowing Xolaani to take over her body.
As for Rhaast, he’s a bloodthirsty, arrogant killer, except when it comes to manipulating Kayn. He believes that he can overtake Kayn and assimilate him, despite Kayn’s continual management of the Darkin. It’s unclear what direction the lore may commit to in years to come, but Rhaast’s lack of will and vision render him the weakest Darkin inLeague of Legends.
4Varus (Kai And Valmar): The Arrow Of Retribution
Rhaast Calls Him Demon Pants, But He’s Also The Darkin Bow
The queen who wielded the Darkin Bow imprisoned herself and Varusbeneath Pallas temple in Ionia. A mortally wounded Ionian hunter named Kai and his partner Valmar gave Varus new life by descending into the well of Pallas amid a Noxian attack. Varus used their flesh and souls to forge a new body that was a Darkin/human hybrid. He can still hear the cries of the two hunters in his mind, and the two prevented Varus from killing Ionians as he went on a killing spree. Afterward, Varus went searching for his chosen sister, Naafiri, with the help of a Baccai — spurned God-Warriors deemed not good enough to be Ascended.
Varus has begun an internal return to his old self thanks to Kai and Valmar’s influence. The noble sense of justice he possessed while alive persists in spite of the resentment he harbors towards the world. In this regard, Varus is unlike any Darkin, and could be persuaded to side against them in a future battle. However, this flexibility puts a limit on Varus' power.
3Naafiri: The Hound Of A Hundred Bites
The Darkin Daggers… And Also A Dog?
Despite her appearance now, Naafiri was not a dog before she became a Darkin weapon. She was a Shuriman Ascended who fell into corruption after Azir’s death. In that power vacuum, Naafiri sought to organize and lead the Darkin, but wasimprisoned in a steel throwing daggerby the Aspect of Twilight. She came to be a series of dogs because of a treasure hunter who, though he wouldn’t touch the dagger, attracted ravenous hounds who allowed Naafiri to use them as host bodies.
Naafiri’s goal is to make Darkin the dominant race in Runeterra, but not necessarily to be the ruler of everything. Having her consciousness separated into several bodies has allowed Naafiri to forgo ego, even if she acts more instinctively due to her new beast form. With her prowess in battle and her leadership skills, Naafiri remains aformidable Darkin force.
2Aatrox: The Blade Of Icathia
Some Know Him As The Darkin Blade
One of themost powerful championsinLeague of Legends, this guy has a grudge against the world, a thirst for destruction, and the skills and acumen to inflict ruin. Aatrox was the most celebrated warrior in Shurima. He took out Spirit Gods, but did not possess the mental fortitude to fight against how the Void Wars scarred him. Azir’s death led to Aatrox’s corruption as he declared himself a General of the Darkin and led one side of the Darkin War. His original mortal host’s identity is unknown, but he has possessed many people over the years in search of a way tofree himself from the cursed blade.
Since Aatrox cannot free himself, he plans to inflict disaster on the rest of the world instead. He attacked Demacia at one point, even defeating Morgana and Kayle. He went on to take down the Aspect of War in Targon and massacre Tryndamere’s clan in the Freljord. He’s a brutal and clever military mind who, like Rhaast, has come to view mortals as disposable. He may claim superiority and leadership, but all Aatrox really wants is the freedom of death. He’s going to make that everyone else’s problem until it happens.
1What Darkin Will Be The Next Champion In League Of Legends?
Is It Still Limited To 5 Darkin Maximum?
The card gameLegends of Runeterraadded abouta dozen new Darkin cardsover the last few years. One of the most compelling Darkin added was Xolaani, a legendary healer in Shurima and the creator of blood magic.The Faceless Godsdebuts her backstory, which is inextricably linked to Taarosh, another potential Darkin champion. Taarosh, the Darkin Halberd, appears as a Darkin centaur of sorts, despises Xolaani, and serves “The General” instead.
There is also a sentient Darkin Ballista known as Naganeka of Zuretta who appeared inThe Twilight of the Gods. She escaped destruction and gained corporeal form once again thanks to an unwitting chicken. Lore states that there are five total Darkin prophesied to bring “ruin to the whole world”. This group includesthe previously mentioned Darkin and an unnamed fifth. Only time will tell which character makes the cut.
