Ascended/Shurima

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History
In ancient times the rite of Ascension was a ritual usually decided upon by Sun Priests, who were a clergy of specialized dignitaries devoted to an all powerful sun deity. Using an enormous artifact known as the, the priesthood would decree which noble citizen had selflessly served their empire and granted them the chance to do so even after what would normally be their time to die. Because of this many warriors of the Ascended Host were once, if not common, then at least much more prevalent during this era.

Eventually two brothers named and  underwent the Ritual of Ascension. Described as 'even ancient then' by Nasus, it bathed the brothers in its arcane energies. Transformed, they took their place alongside the other rare Ascended beings of Shurima, and became its protectors.

But over time, the ritual had become less successful: more and more folk being offered Ascension weren't surviving the ceremony, becoming deformed in the process. By the time of such a ritual had not been undertaken for centuries.


 * The Fall of Shurima



Approximately three thousand years ago, an adolescent emperor named Azir ruled Shurima. A benevolent and well-meaning ruler ― if overconfident - Azir believed the entire world would benefit from Shurima's culture and way of life. The Imperial Magus,, consulted Azir, and presented to him the prospect of Ascension. With the power of the Ascended driving Shurima's expansion, Xerath said their great nation would further flourish and grow to influence the world at large - a prospect ambitiously seized by the young emperor, despite ancient warnings against Ascension in all but the direst times of need.

The ritual went underway soon after.

Atop of the ritual platform, Azir awaited his Ascension as the collected the morning sunlight and began focusing it onto him. The allure of power quickly incited dissension within Azir's ranks: Xerath befouled the ritual at a critical stage, shoving his emperor aside and taking the power of Ascension for himself. The outcome would be either immortality or self-destruction. The violent magics obliterated them in an instant and wreaked destruction across Shurima, but when the dust settled, Xerath re-materialized as an aberration - a being of raw arcane energy.

Free of flesh and bone, Xerath held nearly infinite power at his command. In the wake of his actions, Nasus and Renekton sensed something had gone wrong, rushed to the, and confronted Xerath, fearing his careless disregard for life would bring further ruin to Shurima. A terrible struggle ensued, and though they could not destroy the Magus Ascendant, they managed to seal Xerath within an enchanted sarcophagus. It was not a permanent solution, for Xerath's vast power was already tearing away at his confines, so Renekton bore Xerath into the Tomb of the Emperors, and told Nasus to seal the door behind him. Nasus reluctantly complied, and entombed his brother with the madman.

Bereft of its emperor and devastated by Xerath's folly, Shurima collapsed and its empire turned into dust. The Ascended warred with each other, causing a cataclysmic conflict that would last for hundreds of years.

With Shurima's collapse, the whereabouts of the Ascended have remained unknown for centuries. The only one known to have been active during all this time was Nasus, who spent years wandering the wastes, hoping to find a way to save Renekton from his imprisonment while also looking for a means to deal with Xerath. Xerath spent that time tormenting Renekton, hoping to twist him in to something that may be of use. The warrior's mind was poisoned by Shurima's bane and was driven to madness, having come to believe it was his brother Nasus who had brought about his torment.
 * The Intervening Years

Over the centuries, some of the Ascended began to master forbidden forms of primal magic. Through these means and their own willpower, these warriors could transform their own flesh and armor into something unrecognizable from the noble warriors they had once been. These grotesque creatures became known as the darkin.

In time Shurima's history would become myth, but some were bold enough to explore deeper, to uncover the mysteries of the fallen empire for themselves. When the Noxian noblewoman Du Couteau began her search for the Tomb of the Emperors, she hired the Battle Mistress  to be her guide, knowing full well her jeweled crossblade was the key to open the tomb. Upon arriving at their destination, Cassiopeia struck Sivir down, snatching up the weapon and opening the tomb for the first time in centuries. While she was attacked by the tomb's stone guardian for her intrusion, Xerath and Renekton were able to finally leave, and set about on their own individual goals of freedom and fratricide.
 * Rise of the Ascended

As fell, suddenly at death's door from the wound her Noxian benefactor had given her, her blood sparked an ancient magic within the city, resurrecting Azir. His first thoughts were drawn to Sivir, and he immediately remembered how she could live. Picking her up in his arms he carried her to what remained of the Oasis of the Dawn, and prayed that it was not too late for the pool's healing powers to save her. Sivir's wounds were healed, and this act granted Azir his Ascension. With his newfound power, he raised the ruined Shuriman Capital from the sands.

With the floating above the city anew, and with the Ascended walking the sands once more, a new era has dawned on Shurima.

Physiology


Blessed with incredible strength, speed and a strong affinity for mastering forms of magic. The Ascended are also virtually immune to pain and their lifespan is dramatically increased, however they are not immortal. These transcended beings can bleed, be crippled, or even killed with the right weapon, powerful magic or enough bodies to over power one.

Most resemble anthropomorphic versions of animals and even gain the unique attributes of such creatures. However each individual who rises to Ascension are shaped after the most prominent ideals one strives to embody; some may become far more bestial in form and others could gain extra appendages. Regardless of appearance their gifted powers elevated them to demigod status as a result. It was also revealed that if a non-Shuriman were to go through the Ascension ritual, they would likely not take an animal form as their mental association with certain ideals wouldn't be tied down to the Shuriman symbolic language. For example, the notion of lord/emperor in Shuriman is that of a golden bird, so Azir's ascended form reflects that. However, a Demacian doesn't make the same association, so a Demacian leader would not transform into a golden bird.

Trivia

 * Those Ascended by the Sun Disc of Shurima can live for thousands of years.
 * In lore and in Twilight of the Gods, another name is also given to the Ascended, the Sunborn. Most of the surviving Ascended that participated in the Second Void War entitled themselves as "Sunborn". It is unclear if all the remaining Ascended, assuming there were Ascended that didn't participate after the events of Where Icathia Once Stood, accepted this title.
 * The name, possibly referencing the Sun Disc as the source of their transformation, shares similarities with the names of other races, such as the Iceborn (a race transformed by the Watchers with True Ice), Voidborn (Creatures originating from The Void), and to some extent being known as the Firstborn.
 * Thus far, each known Ascended has displayed unique abilities the others cannot replicate:
 * , who studied the cycle of life and death, has   and life.
 * , being a guardian and gatekeeper, has largely received   but can also use some . The seething  he built up over millennia of imprisonment with - and torture by -  has made him even stronger and deadlier.
 * , once the emperor of Shurima, can  and its ancient soldiers as well as both  some of its ancient artifacts as well.
 * , Shurima's greatest mage, manipulates a wide degree of    together with ways to  while entirely lacking a physical body.
 * Those who survived a failed Ascension ritual are known as the Baccai, who became physically twisted and malformed as a result.
 * One of the most extreme examples of Ascended would be, who lost his physical form entirely, presumably what he wanted.
 * In the Short Story Where Icathia Once Stood, God-Warriors (presumably the Ascended) are described as 'an awful blend of human and animal', and 'inhuman monsters that defied belief'.
 * Setaka was the Warrior Queen of the Ascended Host, and used the Chalicar in combat. She had a lion shaped helmet.
 * It was revealed during  AMA that all Ascended are essentially "Artificial Mount Targon Crest icon.png Aspects": apparently, aspects take power from various stars, while the Ascended all take power from the sun.
 * The Ascended are more powerful and long-lived than mortal Aspects (, and ) but less than possessed Aspects ( and ) and Celestials. This is because Ascended are forcefully granted more cosmic energy than a Celestial would willingly grant to their chosen Aspects.
 * The extent of the relationship between Mount Targon Crest icon.png Mount Targon and Shurima Crest icon.png Shurima remains unclear, however it is known that the Targonians guided the Shurimans in the creation of the Sun Disc.
 * The Ascended can be turned back to humans by the power of the Moon, as demonstrated by Ta’anari in the story Twilight of the Gods. The power of moonlight is most often wielded by none other than... aspects.
 * Other notable Ascended were:, , , Ta'anari (Panther), Enakai (Tiger), Syphax (Chameleon), Zigantus (Bull), Xuuyan (Turtle), Shabaka and Shabake (Raven twins), Valeeva (Unknown), Moneerah (Unknown), Cebotaru (Wolf), and Naganeka (Snake).
 * Almost all of the Ascended, besides a few like, and , were either destroyed, or turned into Darkin and sealed away in weapon prisons during The Great Darkin War.

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