Lissandra/Background

Lore
Lissandra’s magic twists the pure power of ice into something dark and terrible. With the force of her black ice, she does more than freeze – she impales and crushes those who oppose her. To the terrified denizens of the north, she is known only as "The Ice Witch". The truth is much more sinister: Lissandra is a corrupter of nature who plots to unleash an ice age on the world.

Centuries ago, Lissandra betrayed her tribe to evil creatures, known as the Frozen Watchers, in return for power. That was the last day that warm blood ran through her veins. With her corrupted tribesmen and the strength of the Watchers, she swept across the land like a terrible blizzard. As her empire spread, the world grew colder and ice choked the land. When the Watchers were defeated by ancient heroes, Lissandra did not lose faith and swore to prepare the world for their return.

Lissandra worked to purge all knowledge of the Watchers from the world. Using magic to take human form, she masqueraded as numerous seers and elders. Over the course of generations, she rewrote the stories of the Freljord, and so the history of its people changed. Today the fragmented retellings of the Watchers are seen as children’s tales. But this deception wasn't enough – Lissandra also needed an army.

She set her sights on the noble Frostguard tribe. Lissandra knew corrupting the Frostguard would take centuries, and so she launched her greatest deception. She murdered and stole the identity of the Frostguard leader. Then she slowly began to warp the tribe’s proud traditions. When her human form grew old, she faked her own death and then murdered her successor to steal her identity. With each generation, the Frostguard grew more insular, cruel and twisted. Today, the world still sees them as a noble and peaceful tribe that guards against evil creatures like the Ice Witch. In truth, they now serve the witch and long for the glorious return of the Watchers.

Lissandra knows that on that day nations will fall and the world will be reborn in ice.

""We are the chosen, destined to receive the gifts of the Watchers. Our faith is tested by bitter cold and endless winter. A crucible that separates the worthy from the unworthy, purging doubt, and leaving purity behind. The others fight like neglected children, petty squabbles that will amount to nothing in the end. We have purpose, to prepare this land for new masters. The Watchers return. Our ascendance is at hand.""

- Lissandra

""The Freljord, a frozen, desolate place. War is coming to the Freljord. The Avarosan, the largest and strongest of the tribes. Led by, they seek peaceful unification. The Winter's Claw, the most warlike and brutal of the tribes. Led by, they think peace is another word for weakness. Sejuani has sworn to purge this weakness. Through war, the Freljord will be purified. Far in the north, the peaceful Frostguard protect Freljord's ancient secrets - or so the world believes. In truth, the Frostguard protect me, Lissandra. While others bicker, we prepare. When the time is right, we will strike. They cannot withstand us, they are only human. And when the war is over, the world, our world, will be reborn - in ice.""

- Lissandra

""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.""

- Lissandra

Turmoil in Freljord

 * Note 1: "Turmoil in Freljord" and "Barbarian Conclave Arrives in Freljord" are from the Journal of Justice and written before Lissandra's release and biographical lore.
 * Note 2: According to Riot's forum posts, Mauvole was another one of the Ice Witch's forms. She faked Mauvole's (her own) death while Princess Lissandra mentioned in the lore below was killed and her identity stolen by the the Ice Witch. Lissandra is in fact the real name of the Ice Witch, confirmed here.

Bob Nashahago reporting from Rakelstake, Freljord
 * Nomad Princess Mauvole dead; new leader swears fealty to Ashe

The freezing tundra of Freljord is rapidly boiling over with a tense confrontation, as the current standoff between the three tribes that have dominated the region for decades suddenly finds itself at a possible conclusion.

One of the rulers of the three tribes that control this region – Princess Mauvole, the Ice Dervish – was found dead in her quarters three days ago 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 addition to her royal status, Ashe is a well-known champion within the League of Legends.

In her coronation speech, Lissandra pleaded with her people that the time had come to unite Freljord under a single banner. "For too long, we have endured hardships from external politics and internal strife. Today is the day that the citizens of the Freljord choose to end this madness, and it begins from within. It begins when we, the noble tribe of the Ice Dervish, put the needs of our people above the needs of our pride and recognize Princess Ashe... as the true power to lead Freljord, united and strong."

Lissandra's words have seemingly swayed her kin; her coronation speech was warmly received by her tribe, and her tribe’s elders have each signaled their solidarity with their Princesses’ desire for unification. Plans have been made for Lissandra and Ashe to convene in Rakelstake within the month.

The road to Freljord unification is far from secured, as the third of the Freljord Princesses – – remains fiercely adamant in her opposition of the other two. "It's clear the Ice Dervish has lapsed in judgment and succumbed to the manipulations of the Frost Archer. The 'united Freljord' the naive Lissandra speaks of is nothing more than a totalitarian state wherein she kneels at the right hand of the tyrant. So long as I draw in breath, the tribe of the Winter's Claw will never sully its name next to those of such conspirators."

Upon issuing this announcement, Sejuani retreated to isolation with the elders of her tribe. This has caused concern amongst the members of the other tribes in that she may be readying for war. When questioned about the matter, Ashe issued the following comment: "We pursue a future in which our children do not have to fear their far-removed kin, and we may live again in peace in this land. Nevertheless, we Freljordians have borne the bite of countless winters, and we have not forgotten how to endure."

Barbarian Conclave Arrives in Freljord
Quinton Groat reporting from Rakelstake, Freljord
 * Tryndamere honors the former Ice Dervish’s passing

The modest population of Freljord was in shock this week, as hundreds of barbarians - including - arrived to pay respects to the late Princess Mauvole of the Ice Dervish tribe. Princess Lissandra, her successor, appeared unsurprised by the event, fueling rumors that this may have been part of the discussions in her recent summit with Princess Ashe, the Frost Archer and Tryndamere's fellow League champion. Ashe was present for the barbarian procession, and she met afterward with Tryndamere and Lissandra for a private dinner. The visiting barbarians have conducted themselves with uncharacteristic civility within Rakelstake, offering assistance to local businesses and sharing the spoils of their daily hunts.

Less than one month ago, Lissandra swore fealty to Ashe, inciting malice from the third tribe leader Princess Sejuani, the Winter's Claw. Sejuani retreated to isolation shortly after the announcement, causing speculation that she would respond to the alliance with violence, but there have been no reports of activity from the Winter's Claw tribe in the last month. The arrival of the barbarians, some predict, is a reactionary show of force by the newly united tribes. Sejuani could not be reached for questioning, and no comment was offered by any tribesman of the Winter's Claw.

Tryndamere's appearance in Freljord comes at a strange time, as the barbarians have recently militarized in response to escalating Noxian aggressions, a product of their Northern Barbarian-Pacification campaign. Tryndamere has historically spearheaded the resistance against Noxian incursion, and his absence at such a critical time has raised some eyebrows. When questioned, Tryndamere laughed, "Worry about barbarians? Save your worry for Noxus." His confidence seems not to be misplaced, as an anonymous Noxian source informs us that Pacification efforts have been stymied by unyielding barbarian patrols.

The arrival of League Emissary Gravil Torenk in Rakelstake yesterday further added to the commotion. According to local authorities, he was summoned to the Dervish Crystal Hall for an audience with Lissandra and her League guests. No announcements have been made following the meeting, but the air is charged with anticipation as citizens of Rakelstake await some explanation as to why the small city has received this bizarre influx of visitors. For our part, we were provided only with this statement from the Barbarian King, as he left the Crystal Hall en route to a nearby barbarian camp, "I don’t know why people are so curious. Freljord is a lovely place; the air has the kind of sting we barbarians can appreciate. Besides, would you decline an invitation from the Frost Archer?"

Journey Into The Freljord
Note: Journey into the Freljord takes place approximately two years after the Ice Witch assumes Lissandra's identity.

Quotes

 * Upon selection


 * Attacking


 * Movement


 * Taunt


 * Taunting


 * Taunting


 * Taunting


 * Joke


 * Laugh


 * Upon using


 * Battle for Freljord event start


 * Winning the Battle for Freljord


 * After 30 seconds of winning in the Howling Abyss

Lissandra, the Ice Witch, Revealed
Posted by RiotWenceslaus :  is a flexible, mana-efficient mage with abilities that emphasize crowd control, kiting and mobility over raw damage.

 Abilities :
 * (Passive): After a brief cooldown, Lissandra's next ability costs no mana. Hitting an enemy with movement impairing abilities reduces Iceborn's cooldown.
 * : Lissandra throws a spear of ice that shatters on contact with the first enemy struck, dealing damage and slowing their movement speed for a short duration. Enemies behind the struck target also take damage.
 * : Lissandra freezes the area around her, dealing damage to nearby enemies and rooting them for a short duration.
 * : Lissandra casts a slow-moving, long-range ice claw in a line, dealing damage to all enemies in its path. Re-activating Glacial Path teleports Lissandra to the claw's current location.
 * (Ultimate):
 * On enemy cast: Lissandra freezes an enemy champion, damaging and stunning them briefly. Dark Ice emanates from the target, dealing damage and slowing nearby enemies.
 * On self-cast: Lissandra encases herself in ice, rooting herself in place briefly and becoming untargetable and invulnerable. Dark Ice emanates from Lissandra, dealing damage and slowing nearby enemies.

 Gameplay :

Mid lane:

Lissandra's mobility and crowd control skills make her an ideal choice for aggressive, roaming mid play. By shoving the lane with her AoE abilities, the Ice Witch can create the space she needs to make a move on top or bottom lane. The long range blink from Glacial Path lets her get the drop on enemies from unexpected angles by jumping terrain or by circumventing typical ward locations. Once the ambush has been sprung, Lissandra's potent combination of slows, roots and stuns allows her to stick to an opponent and close out the kill.

Top lane:

Lissandra's passive allows her to be much less dependent on blue buff compared to many of her AP counterparts, making her an excellent, self-sufficient choice for top lane. Despite her low base durability, the long range blink on Glacial Path helps Lissandra stay safe by pulling off daring escapes. If she's caught in a gank, Lissandra can freeze her would-be killers in place with Ring of Frost before disappearing over terrain with a well-placed Glacial Path.

The area of effect damage on Ice Shard also allows Lissandra to guard turrets even when pressured, or press the lane in an attempt to lure enemy junglers into a counter-gank. When an opponent takes the bait, Lissandra can cast Frozen Tomb on herself, ensuring her own survival as she uses her other abilities to set up kills.

Team fights:

Lissandra isn't the type of mage who immediately blows up high-value targets, but instead has the potential to lay down impressive amounts of damage and crowd control on grouped up opponents. The AoE aspect to Ice Shard keeps enemies pinned down through repeated area damage and slow effects while she waits for the opportune moment to unleash her full combo. Once she sees an opening, Lissandra can use Glacial Path to close in and lock down a high-value target with Frozen Tomb. If the opposing team starts to focus her, Lissandra can instead use Frozen Tomb on herself, juking the initial burst before escaping with Ring of Frost.

If you're looking for a mage who favors crowd control, mobility and kiting over raw burst damage, Lissandra is sure to make a welcome addition to your lineup.