Welcome to Valoran, a continent on the world of Runeterra.
There are many regions and settlements on Valoran, but before I tell you about these, let me tell you a little about Runeterra.
Runeterra is the world in which the continent of Valoran exists, along with the League of Legends and all its champions.
Though there are many regions and settlements on Valoran, the rest of Runeterra remains largely unknown.
Until only twenty years ago, Runeterra was on a collision course with disaster. As quickly as Runeterra's denizens would band together in ancient times as tribes,
opposing tribes would war to settle their disputes.
This is also known as the Rune Wars.
As a direct response to the world's growing physical and political instability,
Valoran's key magicians, including many powerful summoners,
came to the conclusion that conflicts needed to be resolved in a controllable and systemic way.
They formed an organization called the League of Legends,
whose purpose was to oversee the orderly resolution of political conflict in Valoran.
Housed in the Institute of War, The League resolved that all major political conflict would be settled through the use of specially prepared arenas strategically located throughout Valoran.
Summoners representing a particular political allegiance would each call forth a champion.
The fights in the various Fields of Justice over which the League presides are not only of great political interest to Valoran, but also of great social interest.
Shortly said, the League was created to prevent wars.
Now let's go through the most well-known regions and settlements.
Demacia, Along the western coast of Valoran, the human city-state of Demacia shines as the continent's paragon of virtue amongst all the other human settlements.
The residents are always striving to sharpen their bodies and minds in the pursuit of absolute justice.
Noxus, a city-state on the eastern part of Valoran.
The human city-state of Noxus is in many ways the moral antithesis of Demacia;
it is a settlement where the physically and mentally strong acquire power through any means,
regardless of the consequences to their fellow citizens.
Noxus has been the sworn enemy of Demacia since both settlements were founded hundreds of years ago.
Bandle City, a city-state on the southeastern part of Valoran.
Bandle City resides in Yordle Land and is the home city of the yordle race. The vast majority of the yordle society dwells in the southeastern part of Valoran,
behind the safety of the Sablestone Mountain range.
Centuries before, the yordles were a nomadic race, traveling around the continent for many years.
They eventually settled themselves within the Ruddynip Valley where modern day Bandle City is now located.
While their society may seem like a simple rural community, the city itself holds a great deal of intrigue and mystery.
Piltover, a city-state on the northeastern part of Valoran.
Also known as the City of Progress, is the leading center of ecologically-minded techmaturgical research on Valoran.
The city's great academies and their contributions to science are known across the land, rivaled only by the eccentric colleges found in Zaun.
Strangely, the coastal nation is situated atop a relatively small mountain in a vast greenish marsh.
The denizens of Piltover appear to be utilizing the liquid and gases emitting from the marsh as a viable source of energy in order to power the city.
Zaun, a city-state on the northeastern part of Valoran.
It is both supported and ruined by unchecked industry, mercantilism, and magic run amok.
The pollution from the countless factories and laboratories is constantly spewed into the environment.
The urban heart of the city-state is often choked with smog that blocks the morning sun and drains the sky of its pastels.
Visitors have called the sky the "Zaun Gray", and describe staring up at it akin to seeing the beginnings of a cosmic disturbance.
As polluted as Zaun is above-ground, its subterranean levels are far worse.
All of Zaun's runoff waste pools together in its sewers, mixing together into toxic and mysterious concoctions.
Ionia, an island city-state off the east coast of mainland Valoran, northeast of Noxus.
Ionia is a naturally beautiful island nation full of ancient trees, tall mountains and tranquil rivers.
The entire landscape is covered with large patches of forests teeming with life.
The island city-state of Ionia is a haven for beings who seek spiritual evolution and enlightenment.
Bilgewater, a port city-state on Blue Flame Island off the southeastern coast of Valoran.
Bilgewater, over the years, has become a vital stop for trade ships traveling near the Blue Flame Island.
While this increased the nation's wealth and influence over Valoran,
it has also made the city-state a major refuge for piracy, and the island itself a tempting target for pirate raids.
Rum is the city's major export, which is made in the various pubs and taverns down the Fleet Street.
Before sailing into the port, onlookers can see the image of a white skull on the large rock behind the city.
Freljord,a tundra city-state on the northern part of Valoran.
Freljord is an unforgiving place. A mountainous land covered in snow and ice, it is home to many vicious ice storms.
Traveling, especially in the winter, can be very dangerous.
The elements often claim even those who have spent their entire lives there.
The Freljordians were once a divided people with "The War of the Three Sisters" having left the denizens splintered for generations.
The region was divided and dominated between three nomad tribes:The Tribe of the Frost Archer, The Tribe of the Ice Dervish and The Tribe of the Winter's Claw,
now known as The Avarosan, The Frostguard, and The Winter's Claw respectively.
The tribes are ruled by the three Princesses: Ashe, the Frost Archer; Lissandra, the Ice Dervish; and Sejuani, the Winter's Claw.
Over the years the tribes would have occasional skirmishes with one another, though the reasons for why they continued fighting had been long forgotten by most.
As you can see, there are alot of things going on in Valoran outside of the Fields of Justice.