Freljord

Freljord is a tundra city-state on the northern part of Valoran.

Lore
""The Freljord; a home to some, a grave to countless more. Lesser clans have scrambled for the right to rule this frozen land for millennia - all have failed. Now, finally three great leaders have emerged to rally the lesser tribes beneath their banners. The storms of war will cloud when their paths cross, but once this battle is over, the people will find just one tribe left, to rule the land.""

Freljord is an unforgiving place. A mountainous land covered in snow and ice, it is home to many vicious ice storms. Travel, especially in the winter, can be very dangerous. The elements often claim even those who have spent their entire lives there. Only one storm exceeds the ones found in Freljord: the Gelid Vortex - a swirling, icy maelstrom which circles the northern hemisphere of Runeterra.

Locations
There are 6 currently known areas of Freljord. Rakelstake, once a village where the Tribe of the Ice Dervish lived now serves as the capital of Freljord. The Gelid Vortex, a powerful maelstrom located north of Freljord, surrounded by mountains. The Ursine Village, found just below the Gelid Vortex's mountains. The Ironspike Mountains, a mountain range that surrounds Freljord. It is also the location where has made her home. The Avarosan Iceflow Glacier, somewhere beside the Gelid Vortex in the Ironspike Mountains. The Howling Abyss, a landmark where the Iceborn overthrew their oppressors now used as a Field of Justice by the Institute of War.

Culture
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. 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. The tribes are ruled by the three Princesses: ; ; and.

In more recent times, with the crowning of their new, the Freljordians have started the process of mending the bonds between their fractured tribes. Sentient creatures that were once marginalized and secluded, such as the Yetis and the Ursines, were now given a voice in city-state's government. In addition, through the alliance established by their foreign, the barbarian tribes of northern Valoran have migrated to Freljord and have begun integrating their own traditions into the Freljordian society.



Factions
Freljord has become a land of endless conflict since the "War of the Three Sisters" broke out. Even though Freljord already has a sovereign, tribal leaders still fight for it bringing with them their tribes.
 * The ProfileIcon_Winter's_Claw.png Winter's Claw tribe is led by the ferocious . Sejuani wishes to conquer the Freljord through absolute strength. In her eyes, the Freljord is a place where only the strong deserve to prosper. As she raids, her warriors allow the stalwart to live under her banner while they pillage the weaker tribes, leaving them without the means to sustain themselves. Once her work is done, only the mighty will be left in the Freljord. Champions that have allied themselves with her are:, , and.
 * The ProfileIcon_Avarosan.png Avarosan are those whom are loyal to . While others war, Ashe works day and night to establish a single alliance throughout the Freljord. Though her methods are peaceful, she is still backed by a powerful and committed army. Champions that have allied themselves with her are:, , and
 * Hidden beneath an eternal winter, The ProfileIcon_Frostguard.png Frostguard dwell deep in the ruins of the ancient Freljord. The Frostguard obey their leader; . Concealed from the world in the far North of Freljord, the Frostguard archive of all Freljords archaic history. Though seemingly peaceful, the truth of the Frostguards allegiance is far more disturbed. The world had forgotten the terrible enemy that ruled the Freljord long ago and was cast into the depths of the Howling Abyss following a long and brutal battle. And now, whilst the ignorant sleep, Lissandra plots to return her masters to their former glory. Only the trolls and their king, have allied themselves with her.

Demographics
There is a city known as Rakelstake in Freljord, which was inhabited by the Tribe of the Ice Dervish. It is believed that the city now serves as the capital for the united city-state.

Relations with Noxus
In light of the protections that the League has extended to Freljord - and consequently to the barbarians - Noxus issued a "stand down" order to troops dispatched to their Northern Barbarian Pacification Campaign. , delivered the command herself. She stated that Noxus abides by the rules of the League, but that her people would not forget the offenses perpetrated by the barbarians.

Relations with Demacia
Demacia and the people that now make up Freljord have had a history of conflict, albeit nowhere near as grievous as the conflict between Noxus and the northern barbarian tribes. Both and  have been highly critical of Demacia’s neutrality during Noxus’ Barbarian Pacification Campaigns. In fact, Demacia had been quite protective of its territory, turning away refugees during the campaign’s more bloody episodes. Likewise, Demacia’s northern homesteads were often times targeted by barbarian raiding parties. Both city-states have a great deal of diplomatic work ahead of them before they can bridge the gap that spans decades of distrust.

Era of the Frozen Watchers

 * Narrated by



A Kingdom Divided, An Evil Awakened
Upon the rebirth of, she witnessed the time where Freljord was but one great kingdom. She protected them with great pride as they prospered, but such peace could not be eternal. Avarosa, the Frost Archer was the true queen of Freljord but her two sisters, Serylda, the Winter's Claw and, the Ice Dervish, also wished to rule the kingdom. Thus sparked a legendary war known as "The War of the Three Sisters".

Anivia witnessed these events and tried to stop this war from turning the nation into ruins. And as she does this, an ancient, powerful and evil yet familiar began to stir. She felt the pure magic of the land be corrupted by it. She knew that if it was completely corrupted, she too would become corrupted and turn evil. And thus began her journey, to unite the tribes of Freljord and destroy the source of darkness.

During the events of the war, an assassination had happened. Avarosa, the queen of Freljord, had been murdered. Many of her iceborn and human subjects mourned of her death. They buried her, far beyond the outskirts of the kingdom, where no one would find her grave and defile it. They built a cairn atop her grave, within it, her beloved bow, crafted from true ice, and marked the top stone with a single rune, Avarosa.

Avarosa's Chosen
The did not experience a grand childhood. Like any other person that lived in the Freljord, she experienced hardship through her youth.

At the age of fifteen, Ashe's mother was killed during a raid and she had to take on the role as the tribe leader of the Frost Archer tribe. During her rule, she had spoken against the tribe's demands for retribution and instead, broker an everlasting peace. Her warriors, however, did not accept this and thus planned to assassinate her.

They struck while Ashe was on a routine hunt, but their plan was interrupted by the warning cry of a great hawk. Ashe looked back to see her tribesmen approaching with swords drawn. Outnumbered and overwhelmed, Ashe ran for hours. She found herself deep in uncharted territory, her weapon lost in the chase. When she heard another cry from the hawk, Ashe followed it to a clearing where she found the bird perched on a pile of stones - an ancient Freljord burial cairn. With a last glance at her, the hawk screeched and flew away. Approaching the mound, Ashe felt her breath turn to frost and an unnatural cold chill her to the bone. The stone at the top of the cairn was marked with a single rune: Avarosa.

The assassins burst into the clearing. Ashe lifted the runestone from the cairn to defend herself, revealing something hidden underneath: an ornate bow carved from ice. She grasped it and tore the bow from its resting place. Cold flowed from the enchanted weapon into Ashe, awakening a tremendous power that had always lived within her. She drew the bow, and by sheer instinct, willed arrows of pure ice to form from the cold, crisp air. With a single frozen volley, she ended the insurrection. Carefully replacing the cairn stone, she gave thanks to Avarosa for her gift, and returned home. Ashe's tribe immediately recognized the legendary weapon in the archer's hand as a blessing from the ancient Freljord queen herself.

With Avarosa's bow and her vision of peaceful unification, Ashe's tribe soon swelled, becoming the largest in the Freljord. Now known as the Avarosan, they stand together with the belief that a united Freljord will once again become a great nation.

Battle on the Tundra
, was leading a squadron of elite archers, her closest companions, when they found themselves caught in a wintery nightmare at the end of a week-long standoff with a warring tribe. When she came to, Ashe was surrounded by the tattered corpses of friends and enemies alike. Only divine providence had spared her from the whirling shards of ice, and her hair had turned the color of the arctic tundra. After that day Ashe never again wore the traditional Freljord White Garments of Victory.

The Yeti Rider
had only the vaguest memories of his parents or the time before he was part of the reclusive Frostguard tribe. Never welcome among his caretakers, Nunu's wanderlust and compassion often put him at odds with the tribe's elders and the boy frequently dreamed of places far beyond the shadow of the Frostguard citadel. Sometimes he would do more than just dream, much to the frustration of his minders. This was never more apparent than when Nunu was apprenticed to the tribe's beast master and charged with the care of the creatures under his yoke.

The Frostguard held a menagerie of the Freljord's wildlife at their beck and call, but unique among their collection was the Yeti: an uncommon creature with mystical qualities and raw physical strength. The beastmaster taught Nunu that it was only a lean diet of plants and regular whippings that kept the vicious beast tame, but the more time Nunu spent caring for the creature, the more he learned that the Yeti was no feral monster.

As he saw his new friend Willump growing weaker and sicker, Nunu began to sneak the Yeti scraps of meat, hoping to restore his health. Day by day, Willump grew stronger and not the slightest bit savage contrary to the beastmaster's claims. Nunu had hopes of convincing him that the Yeti possessed no danger, but it wasn't meant to be. The next time Nunu came to deliver Willump a meal, he found the Yeti's cage shattered,with only a crude drawing inside signaling the Yeti's farewell. Without hesitation, Nunu rushed into the wilderness in search of his friend.

When Nunu finally caught up to Willump, he found the Yeti cornered by the beastmaster alongside a group of Frostguard warriors. Afraid that the men would hurt his friend, Nunu threw himself between the Yeti and the beastmaster's lash, but the brutal man would not stay his hand. As the furious beastmaster raised his whip once more, the Yeti swelled up with uncharacteristic fury. Even after so much mistreatment, it wasn't concern for himself but for the boy who'd shown him kindness that finally pushed Willump too far. The Yeti raged and left the man bloodied in the snow.

Terrified by Willump's fury, the remaining Frostguard warriors fled. Nunu realized there was no going back. He yelled at Willump to run before the men returned to kill him, but the Yeti refused to leave the young boy. Nunu was faced with a hard choice: abandon his sole friend and lead a life of captivity with the Frostguard,or strike out into the harsh wilds and leave behind the only home he knew. Nunu chose the only path that made sense. Leaping onto the back of the mighty Yeti, Nunu joined Willump in his great escape. The pair took their first steps into the wide world from which they had been kept for so long.

Alliance with the Ice Dervish

 * Note: The original name is Lissandra. When taking over Princess Mauvole, she named Mauvole's daughter Lissandra so when the Ice Witch took her identity, she reclaimed her own name.

One of the rulers of the three tribes that controlled the region - Princess Mauvole, the Ice Dervish – was found dead in her quarters in the city of Rakelstake. The elders of her tribe determined the cause of death to be natural, which cleared the way for the new Princess, Lissandra, to claim her throne and the title of Ice Dervish. In Princess Lissandra’s first act after her coronation, she stunned her new subjects as she swore fealty to another of the three Princesses of Freljord:. In her coronation speech, Lissandra pleaded with her people that the time had come to unite Freljord under a single banner. Lissandra’s words swayed her kin: her coronation speech was warmly received by her tribe, and her tribe’s elders signaled their solidarity with their Princesses’ desire for unification. However, the third of the Freljord Princesses – – remained fiercely adamant in her opposition of the other two. Sejuani retreated to isolation with the elders of her tribe. This caused concern among the members of the other tribes, who believed she may be readying for war.

Alliance with the Northern Barbarians
As weeks passed, the modest population of Freljord were shocked as hundreds of barbarians - including - arrived to pay their respect to the late Princess Mauvole of the Ice Dervish tribe. Ashe was present for the barbarian procession, and she met afterward with Tryndamere and Lissandra for a private dinner. The arrival of the barbarians, some predicted, was due to an invitation from Ashe to Tryndamere in order to deter Princess Sejuani from taking any aggressive action. It later became clear that Tryndamere's visit was not entirely a selfless venture, but for the negotiation of a mutually beneficial opportunity. After weeks of meetings and discussion, Ashe accepted Tryndamere's offer to join forces with the barbarians. Her decision was met with resounding support by the members of the Frost Archer and the Ice Dervish tribes.

Ascension to City-State Status
After examining the turn of events within Freljord, High Councilor Vessaria Kolminye made a proclamation from the Luminary Cloister of the Institute of War, granting sovereignty to Freljord and conferring upon it all the rights and protections afforded to city-states. With its newfound status, Freljord was allotted one League Assembly chair. Their chosen Emissary was entitled to reside at the Institute of War and cast votes in League Assemblies on Freljord’s behalf. Freljord may also appeal to the League for general arbitration of political affairs.

While Freljord had applied for membership in the past, its previous appeal was denied on the grounds that its population was insufficient, and it lacked both a defined governmental structure and the means to police itself. recent ordainment as leader of Freljord's two united tribes, bolstered by the might and numbers of Tryndamere's barbarians, was enough to sway the opinion of the Council of Equity.

The New Queen and King are Crowned
Immediately following Kolminye's address, the united tribes crowned the Queen of Freljord. Ashe was the first princess to ascend to the throne since the Three Sisters War divided their people. According to Freljordian tradition, the Queen selects the King to rule by her side. Ashe selected, solidifying her arrangement with the barbarian tribes. On the topic of her choice, Ashe stated that her actions are guided by the needs of her people, not by romantic notions. The union was a pledge to reinforce their commitment to the alliance. Ashe also appointed League Champion, as Freljord's League Emissary, stating that the yetis will for now on be a part of their new society.

Queen Ashe later offered a seat on Freljord’s new Royal Advisory Council. Sejuani emerged from her reclusion to respond, stating that she would never accept Ashe as her Queen, and that anyone who did so was contributing to the perversion of their culture. However, her opinion was not echoed by her people, as hundreds of Winter’s Claw tribesmen journeyed to Rakelstake to attend Ashe’s coronation. There, Nunu accepted his appointment proudly, and the largest contingent of yetis ever witnessed by humanity was present for the celebration. Hordes of barbarians also migrated to their new home, many arriving to view the second crowning of their King. Tryndamere welcomed his people with an inspiring declaration, stating that they finally have a voice in Valoran, and could now be seen as they truly were: proud and noble warriors.

The Avarosa Iceflow Purchase
, made a journey to the Avarosa Iceflow, Freljord’s Northern-most glacier, in search of the purest waters in all of Runeterra. The League champion arrived to Freljord to stake his claim to the arid ice field. Meeting with and, the Rabble Rouser impressed upon his hosts the significance of this locale to his brewing art, imploring them to entrust it into his custody. Seizing the opportunity to capitalize on the development of an otherwise treacherous territory, the monarchs happily obliged.

Gragas signed an agreement to lease the Avarosa Iceflow from Freljord for an astonishing 9,000 years, ensuring that the cherished water supply will be his for the brewing long into the future. His dealings with the monarchs were then concluded appropriately and according to tradition: with a drink. Atop the wellspring, Gragas constructed the first large scale brewing operation for his most famous libation: the legendary Graggy Ice.

Alliance of Sejuani and Volibear
Before ascension as the lone chieftain of the Ursine, was the revered shaman of the tribe. He saw that peace had made his people soft and weak, forgetting the sacred art of war. He felt that the fire of their souls was soon diminishing. He told the triumvirate of chieftains of his misgivings but he was ignored.

Seeking wisdom, he went to the top of their sacred mountain, a place shrouded by the Gelid Vortex. The maelstrom is said to be magical, and it was the one who chooses the chieftain of the Ursine. Upon reaching the summit, Lightning struck him and when he awoke he saw a vision of the Ursine being mercilessly slaughtered by ice monsters. When the vision ended he hurried to the tribe and there the chieftains lie in wait for him. They battled him and before Volibear fell, he summoned the maelstrom's power and defeated them. Because of this, the triumvirate appointed him as the new chieftain. He immediately then began to arouse his tribe from complacency, revived their battle-hardened traditions, and finally forged his alliance with, the warrior who would fight with them against the coming.

Journey Into The Freljord
Note: Journey into the Freljord takes place two years after the Ice Witch assume Lissandra's identity, as detailed in Lissandra's biographical lore.

Trivia

 * The history of Freljord is heavily featured on The Journal of Justice Issues 2 to 5. It narrates the crowning of and  as Queen and King of Freljord, the constitution of Freljord as a League City-State and the general background of the area.
 * The Journey Into The Freljord is written and illustrated by.
 * The "Avarosans" was named after the ancient and most venerated Queen of Freljord, Avarosa, the Frost Archer.
 * The three legendary sisters' names are, Avarosa, Serylda and Lissandra.
 * The Lissandra of the three sisters is the same Lissandra who is now known as "", effectively making her an ancient ancestor of and.
 * The, , , and  are all artifacts that belonged to the "Iceborn", a demonym for those who were given power over ice by the Frozen Watchers.
 * The Guardian's Horn was made to warn Freljord when the Frozen Watchers returned.
 * True ice is a phenomenon that exists only in the coldest depths of the Freljord. A magical matter so cold it can never melt, master smiths have managed to craft this strange substance into powerful weapons and armor.
 * club, Boneshiver, and bow is made from True Ice.
 * There is an event between the three Freljordian leaders,, and , called, "Battle for Freljord". This event  shows the one of the possible outcomes if any of the three were to defeat the other.