Captain Teemo and The Plague Jungle - Teaser

Upon the southern tip of Valoran, beyond the comfortable cities, villages, and bastions of safety, there exists a tropical area known as the Plague Jungles. It lies beyond Kumungu, and is shrouded in the aftereffects of ancient sorcery.  It is said that the Plague Jungles were ravaged by the destruction caused during the Rune Wars long ago. Saturated with residual magic, this is a place where the local flora and fauna have become assiduously warped beyond recognition. The leftover magic has tampered with evolution itself, and has created living organisms that should not exist. Much of the land, where even the most cunning and resourceful travellers dare not to enter, is covered by twisted vines and festering rot, so that even gaining passage to this land is treacherous and daunting.

On this day, however, the ever brave Teemo steps forward undaunted, for he is determined to acquire poisons, reputed to be the strongest and most potent in existence, for his specialized mushroom traps. He is accompanied by Nidalee, the Jungle Huntress, whose knowledge of the surrounding area has proven to be most valuable thus far, but safety in these lands tends to depend on luck rather than experience, and no amount of resourcefulness can prepare them for what awaits within...

Here's something I wrote up over the course of today. It is more or less a sketch of something in development, but I thought it a good idea to share with LoL-Lore enthusiasts. 

Enjoy 

Part 1: The Plague Jungle.

Upon the southern tip of Valoran, beyond the comfortable cities, villages, and bastions of safety, there exists a vast tropical area known as the Plague Jungles. It borders Kumungu, and is scarred by the aftereffects of ancient sorcery. It is said that the Plague Jungles were ravaged and destroyed by the the Rune Wars long ago. Saturated with residual magic, this is a place where the local flora and fauna have become assiduously warped, beyond all recognition. The leftover magic had tampered with evolution itself, and organisms that should not exist were created. Even the most cunning and resourceful travelers dare not enter here, as the land is covered by twisted vines and festering rot, so that even gaining passage through it is treacherous and daunting.

On this day, however, the ever brave Teemo steps forward undaunted, for he is determined to acquire poisons reputed to be the strongest and most potent in existence, to be used in his specialized mushroom traps. He is accompanied by Nidalee, the Jungle Huntress, whose knowledge of the surrounding area has proven to be most valuable thus far, but safety in these lands tends to depend on luck rather than experience, and no amount of resourcefulness can prepare them for what awaits within... 

~*~

As Nidalee tried to suppress her rapid breathing, a cold fear caused her senses to heighten. The midnight mist was calm and cool against her perspiring body-she shivered, and the feeling of uncertainty sat uncomfortably in her racing mind. The rain pattered lightly upon nearby rocks, and when she gazed up, the moons' light became briefly visible amid the dark clouds, and azure hues of deep blue and purple shone across the nearby vine-coils and treetops. The temperature had dropped too quickly-an uncomfortable chill- and Nidalee wasn't exactly dressed for drafty weather. She glanced down at her revealing fur outfit, let out a brief sigh, and continued to jog at an even pace. However, these thoughts were an acceptable distraction from her feelings of uncertainty. Her quick, controlled breaths were accompanied by visible bursts of condensation.

As night sky continued to appear foreboding, it seemed obvious that this was not the time to be traversing the inner depths of the Plague Jungles, where few had ventured before, and far fewer had returned alive. However, Nidalee's Yordle companion, Teemo, had specifically recruited her for this dangerous task, as her knowledge of the area was far superior than most. This was a mission of the utmost importance, and the pair would not leave until they found what they sought; the most destructive mushroom poison in the entire world! Teemo had caught word of this extraordinary poison from Rammus, who said to have observed the virulent concoction upon making his way to theAlter of Ubermagix, whereupon he received life-altering powers that granted him the strength to enter the League of Legends.

At the moment, the little Yordle was fighting to keep up with Nidalee's lengthy strides, though sofar his efforts had been commendable, for a Yordle. He trailed behind her avidly, bouncing to-and-fro upon his stubby Yordle legs, utilizing his expert scoutsmanship to avoid the pitfalls amid the darkened jungle terrain. The swiftness of Nidalee's reflexes was honed, precise; a product of prolonged endurance training and long nights spent on the hunt. While Nidalee was too modest to admit it, she'd acquired quite a name for herself on the hunting circuits throughout Valoran, and it was unlike her to pursue her prey for many hours, even days, before zeroing in for the kill. Teemo. however, was far too impulsive to appreciate such patience, and he'd rather dispatch his enemies as quickly as possible.

'Are you sure you know the way, Miss?' Teemo inquired, barely able to catch his breath.
'Just stay close, and follow,' she replied, not looking back for a second. She imagined for a moment that the golden aura of natural light emanating from her lantern seemed to act as a beacon for night-dwellers, who, would like nothing more than to stalk some easy prey. 'It can’t be much farther... if only I had the stars to guide me' she whispered faintly, glancing up to the shrouded sky.
'Are we there yet?' he insisted.

'No' she shot back, with a hint of annoyance. 'Please - stop asking.' It was hard to carry on a conversation in the rush of their rapid movement, and she didn't want to alert the entire Jungle of their location. Unlike Teemo, she lacked the abilities to stealth.

Ancient trees creaked and swayed in the wind. The jungle seemed to close in around. Almost there, thought Nidalee,just a bit longer... oh please. The yordle was beginning to seem too persistent and annoying for his own good.

~*~

After what seemed like hours of covering ground, they pair decided to take a brief break, and eat some candy corn-rations, specially provided by Teemo.

Teemo was in a good mood altogether, so he didn't let the ill weather detract from his exuberance. It became obvious to him that this expedition would enable him to construct some of the most powerful mushrooms ever conceived of, so there was little time to consider the matters of cloudiness and rain. He'd never before ventured further than the Kumungu Jungles, which were also the birthplace of Nidalee. In fact, she had rarely exceeded the borders of her native Jungles as well, though from having grown up there, all those night she spent staring over the treeline at dusk, she had a curiosity about the Plague Jungle that needed to be sated. 

The unlikely pair waded through pools of mud and protruding underbrush. By now the rain had subsided, causing a thin layer of mist to circulate at ground level. As the champions progressed deeper into the abyss, the amount of dangerous obstacles increased, becoming ever difficult to avoid. Rotten branches and twisted, wicked vines groaned and snapped underfoot-there was no time to stop.
'Oh, why do these things always happen!' complained Teemo, 'I just want my poison. It's the best poison in all of Valoran!' His he became more and more out of breath, his words were less coherent. Nidalee ignored the banter, and instead focused on finding the best available route.

While deep in thought, she heard a sound that caused her to stop dead. A spine chilling howl pierced through the entire jungle, followed by a torrent of flapping that came from the wings of terrified birds. The cry was wolf like; it was probably tracking her scent. Not knowing to either hide beneath the forest floor or to sprint away, she began to panic....

'What is it?' asked Teemo, a slight inflection of nervousness in his shrill voice.
'Quiet!' she snapped. Nidalee crouched low, made her body as still as possible, and motioned to Teemo with a finger to her lips. The tiny Yordle waddled over as quietly as possible, his miniature feet pattering effortlessly across the jungle floor. Had he been better prepared, he would of silently circulated the area, placing destructive, poisonous mushrooms everywhere possible...

Ember Isle Lore Segment (updated)

 To understand the Lore relations between the Ember Isle and Telara,  I have tried to provide a brief synopsis of key events in Telaran lore.

As a major component to the Ashes of History, the Ember Isle will reveal some important insights on the forging of Telara. On the Ember Isle, an alliance will form between the dragon cult of Laethys (dragon of earth, represented by the Golden Maw), and Maelforge (dragon of fire, represented by the Wanton). The cultists have been overpowered by the influence of these dragon aspects, and it is from the Isle that they intend to build their forces in secrecy, so that they might prepare an invasion force capable of conquering Telara.

The cultsts' enslavement by the dragons has lead them to this place. Due to Akylios's death, the Telaran sea (currently impassible), has been made accessible to the Telarans via enchanted Travel Stones. And it is reported that the dragon cults joined forces to transport mysterious artifacts across the sea, though the purpose of this activity is current unknown the the Ascended.

It is speculated that Maelforge himself is imprisoned within a menacing Volcano near the Isle, and it is the objective of the Wanton to free him. Just as Prince Hylas sought to dispel the magic that confined Lord Greenscale, so are the cults becoming ever more successful in their quest to free the dragons. Should these activities continue unhindered, all of Telara will be consumed by the same warfare and destruction that threatened to destroy it a millenia ago...

          Background

When the gods formed Telara from Sourcestone (a material capable of converting elemental energy to mass), at the nexus of the elemental planes, they were pleased by their creation. Much to their dismay, however, the newly formed planet attracted the unwanted attention of the gods of The Blood Storm. These malicious gods were a pack of intergalactic invaders who, in their mission to conquer, consume, and annihilate, sought to plunder the world of its Sourcestone, leave it in ruins, and move on to the next healthy host. These invaders embodied the six essential forces represented by the elemental planes: life, death, air, fire, water, and earth.

Upon reaching Telara, the gods of the Blood Storm manifested the attributes of great and powerful dragons. Their leader, Regulos, Eater of Worlds, represented the force of death. He was a harbinger of darkness who traversed the cosmos in search of more Sourcestone to devour, and his Blood Storm assisted in this goal by disregarding all forms of life.

At the height of their assault, however, the malefic gods decided not to consume Telara, but rule over it instead. As members of the Blood Storm quarreled over who would assume the leadership of the Sourcestone-rich world, this decision lead to dissension. Relentlessly, the members fought one another to assume control, resulting in a rebellion against Regulos, who simply wanted Telara to be destroyed altogether.

Divided, the Blood Storm was heroically driven back by the stalwart denizens of Telara, and, being too strong to vanquish them outright, the gods were imprison by elemental bindings within the world itself. It is known that Laethys and Maelforge, participants in the Blood Storm, are currently imprisoned within Telara, and their power increases in proportion with that of their native elemental Planes...

       Defiant Perspective

It is important to note that during the early years of the rifts, Ember Isle had been a Kelari capital city. They had thrived here before the Blood Storm, and were making bonds with the resident elemental powers for hundreds of years. When their sacred bonds became influenced by the imprisoned Planar dragon aspects, wherein the goal was manipulation, the spirits of these Kelari became corrupted, dismayed, and altogether consumed. Fortunately, not all the Kelari had succumbed to this malign influence, despite the temptation of increased power that it offered.

  

As the corrupted Kelari gained more and more power this way, their minds became warped, their spirits changed, and they were Kelari no more, but Pyrkari- ones who had sacrificed their will to the destructive influence of the dragons. Eventually, the normal Kelari who'd remained, lead by the High Priestess Anthousa Mona, began to take actions into their own hands. Together, Anthousa lead a force opposing and fighting back against the Pyrkari. Unfortunately, the outcome of this conflict did not sway in her favor, and eventually she ordered her people to flee the Isle, so that they might seek refuge and find a new home for themselves. This lead the Kelari to Freemarch, where they allied with General Catari. However, the High Priestess is still quite adamant that the Kelari are her people to lead, and no one is willing to question that authority.

And so, the renewed focus on the Ember Isle, for the purposes of suppressing the dragon cults, serves a dual role for the Kelari, as this also gives them the opportunity to reclaim their homeland.

Guardian Perspective

Hundreds of years ago, a rag-tag band of Dwarven heroes came from all around Telara to settle on the island. As dwarven ingenuity would suggest, they quickly established a society with what little means were available to them. When faced with diversity, it was due to their dwarvish creativity and knack for improvisation that enabled their. Throughout the years they prospered, but conflicts arose with their Kelari neighbors on more than one occasion. Being the dwarves that they were, it would have been their initial intention to share stories and alcohol with the Kelari, though it did not appear as though any mutual cooperation might have arisen from these actions.

The ghost of Karine, the first Bard, has reached out to the Ascended, and the Guardians are unrelenting in their resolve this mission, for it was Karine who was part of the force that would guard Maelforge's prison within the Volcano. Very few Guardian dwarves are even aware of the existence of this island clan, and very little is known about them. What is known of these dwarves is that they've unlocked secrets regarding the forging of Telara, and what they have done with this power in the meantime has yet to be determined. If anything, progressing through the Ashes of History will hopefully culminate in a reunion between long-lost peoples, and many drunken celebrations are anticipated.

Summary


The Ember isles are rich in Telaran lore. First and foremost, the Isles represent an allegiance between the  Wanton and Golden Maw cults. One might recall that the wanton are a dragon cult associated with Maelforge, the dragon of fire, and the members of this cult are chaos-seeking pyromaniacs. Maelforge simply wants the world to be bathed in eternal flame, inasmuch the Ember Isles provide a perfect outlet for this cult’s thirst for destruction.

Members of the The Golden Maw cult, associated with Laethys, the dragon of earth, are a backstabbing, corruptive people overcome by greed and sinister intentions. They prize wealth and resources, and are captivated by the acquisition of material profit. They will stop at nothing to hoard their way to ultimate riches. The Ember Isle is where the forces of Laethys and Maelforge unite to combat the Ascended, so that they may escape from their prisons and wreck havoc upon Telara.

Who among the Ascended are brave enough to stop them?

(all images courtesy of http://rift.mmosite.com/patch1.5/gorgeous_screenshots_from_ember_isle.shtml )

(Kelari image provided by me).

LoL Novel Excerpt #1

Noxian Champions weren't often known for their subtlety. Talon, one of Noxus’ finest assassins, was reputed to enter a blade shops one moment, and leave with half their inventory the next. He was a blade collector, and his hobby was obsessive.

Wafts of cool autumn air circulated through The Blade and Bludgeon. At the moment, Talon was observing a fine selection of wall-mounted weaponry within the shop. He eyed the gleaming weapons as a masterful architect would examine a building. Considerations of blade geometry, differential heat-treating, taper, blade harmonics, and points of balance circulated through his mind. No compromises were to be made; only the finest would do. Behind the counter, a middle-aged shop-keeper stood. The man’s visage was interlaced by precise facial scarring, indicating that he was a veteran blade-master. As the man cleaned the intricate hilt of an ancient rapier, it became obvious that his hand-eye coordination had deteriorated throughout the years, which probably explained why he managed a shop now instead of blade-dancing with Noxian dualists. Those days were long behind him.

‘How much for that one?’ Talon mused, motioning to the serrated micro-blades. The rune-inscribed weapons had wrist-mounted straps. Perfect for close range assassination, he thought.

‘For the whole set, or just the display model?’ replied the shop keeper. Ignoring the question altogether, Talon said nothing. It should have been clear to the keeper that display models were not to be considered.

‘Actually, it’s sold out,’ hinted a familiar voice. ‘I’ve already claimed that model.’ Talon turned to face Katarina, and furrowed his brows. The assistant shopkeeper, who'd been dealing with Katarina at another area in the shop, had several ivory-coloured boxes under one arm, and was totalling up costs with a pocket-book and quill in the other.

‘Cute,’ said Talon in an uninspiring tone. Katarina’s actions were often less than amusing to him. ‘And you intend to use all of them at once?’ 

‘Of course not,’ she replied condescendingly, ‘one must use backups for when the others break.’ She smiled coyly, and reached into a small brown sack of gold, retrieving far more than was needed to purchase the weapons. Talon simply stood there, observing the exchange, and the Shop owner, looking slightly bemused, scratched his head.

League of Legends: The Story of AUTOTunnelGG (My Struggle)

'I'm mad' - Shiftymcgrif

Here’s a story about how I connected to League of Legends, after being beset by firewalls and filters for the past week. It was a horrible time, and every day I wanted to throw my computer out the window. I wanted nothing more than to connect, play with my friends at a reasonable latency, and be merry, but this public internet filter system had done all in its power to prevent this from happening.

My frustration reached epic levels after going back and forth in emails with the front desk staff in the building I live in. They did not want me to connect to my online games. They wanted their network free of all gaming period. The additional bandwidth needed for my treasured pieces of programming was far too high, and there was no way they would relent. I was in hell. My mind raced to search for alternatives, and in an act of desperation I sought other means.

Little did I know, there was a way to connect, via proxy servers, which I had little to no experience with. Some guy on an internet forum told me of a special proxy service that re-routed my internet through a west coast US server, thereby circumventing all traffic handlers, courtesy of the front-desk staff, placed on my network.

Finally, I would be able to play my favorite video games on the internet once again! 

Well, this avenue was not without some tragedy. There was little doubt in my mind that the solutions to all my problems had been discovered, and that never again would I suffer behind a firewall so malicious as to deny all precious video-game resources. It was going to be an epic celebration as I clicked the Play button and ventured forth into the Crystal Scar and Summoner’s rift unencumbered by the stygian shackles of modern security implements. The reckoning was at hand! Indeed, I had thought such ridiculous things, and little did I know that this would only be the start of my problems.

For one, the internet blocks only cut out the ports I needed to game through, or gaming ports, as I call them. If these magical ports existed in a realm not unlike what you’d encounter in an underground subway littered with pedestrian bystanders, which in this case could be represented as particles of data being emitted through streams of non-existent energy, taking on the form of light-speed transmissions observable to those methodical enough to detect photonic bursts, would time slow down?

My first inclination would be to suggest that, just as with the effects of a gravity well inside a black hole, time does not slow down, but is stretched to the realms of infinity, never to cease from reaching the point at which it indefinitely stops, frozen, invisible, removing all semblance of a dimension responsible for keeping us up to date with current events both within and without.

It occurred to me that in this technological landscape, there existed neon forests of cell-shaded brilliance, coalescing in masses of pixelated form, reshaped and modeled to exhibit distinctly human features. It was all quite nostalgic, and is not without a sense of interest. Curiosity is what leads one to the secretive and unknown, at it is this sense primarily that lead me to contemplate things as they interacted in transitive motion, that is to say, became visually represented by a data-structure matrix bound by variable inputs. What does it all mean?

There were situations not unlike this that arose during times of intense mental stimulation, wherein the interaction of videogames was not without its appropriate presence, an illusion wrapped in worlds of pixel and colour, overlaying invisible structures of interactive physics, echoing within nearby platforms of electron transmission, divided by transistors being processed, rerouted, and signaled by their respective logic gates.

It was only then that I realized the significance of maintaining a train of thought directed against high latency. The millisecond response of keyboard to server and back required real-time calculation. Visual feedback produced itself in the form of abilities designed to eviscerate and slay the points being represented by enemy players, and it is their defeated corpses that littered the ground in pools of animated blood, so there’s little reason to describe why and how this situation is improved by latency operators conducive to lag-free gameplay. It’s kind of self-evident.

And then there came a day when AUTOTUNNELGG entered the arena. It arrived in the form of a simple executable, and installed itself with seemingly little effort, an automatic operation imprinting itself upon magnetic disks and virtual spaces for the purposes of retrieval and manipulation. It interacted with my network by ignoring the fields of data incineration, and circumvented the metaphorical brick walls with the elusiveness of a tunnel rat. It possessed no internalized opinions about the actions taking place, and regarded all forms of measured security to be non-existent, inasmuch all forms of joyous gameplay flooded said communication lines.


'In Perfect Harmony' - Janna