The Rune Wars were historical wars where the mortals of 
Runeterra used the World Runes to fight each other. These wars were so brutal that they erased multiple civilizations, landmasses, and much of the recorded history from the face of the planet, leaving behind only myths and folklore. Runeterra deteriorates in civilizational decline, as the majority of its inhabitants are plunged back into a simpler, more primitive way of life.
Lore[]
- These snippets are from the Noxian Calendar from Realms of Runeterra. However, they may be incorrect or biased due to the Noxian point of view or the old age.
- 13 BN — The Rune Wars
With Helia lost, dangerous magical artifacts soon began to find their way into the wrong hands. On the fields outside Khom, the renowned mage Tyrus and his apprentice 
Ryze witnessed the first devastating attack in the Rune Wars - a sight that would haunt Ryze's nightmares for the rest of his unnaturally long life.
[1]
History[]
- 25 BN - 13 BN
After Helia fell to the ruination, the remnants of an ancient order from the 
Blessed Isles whose mission had been to gather and protect the most dangerous artifacts in Runeterra struggle to keep knowledge of the World Runes hidden. Political tension follows as nations are unwilling to trust one another for fear of being unwittingly destroyed by these Runes.
- 13 BN - 3 BN
The leaders of two rival Noxii nations plead with Tyrus of Helia, the master of Ryze, in parley at the village of Khom. The encounter ended in the complete destruction of Khom and the surrounding territories by the power of two World Runes. Tension reaches a tipping point and magical warfare erupts. Entire nations are decimated and the world is brought to its knees from the sheer power of the World Runes. At this point Ryze works with his master to try and claim the Runes and put them in hiding, while the world continues to be devastated. Ryze's master, Tyrus, tries to use two World Runes for his own means; confronting him, Ryze kills him and vows to never use a World Rune, making it his mission to safeguard them from misuse.
As the chaos of the Rune Wars rages on, a party of soldiers accompanied by an ambitious sorceress pass the Gardens of Zyr, a garden within the Shuriman Jungle and were attacked by the native flora. In an act of desperation, the sorceress unleashed a magical attack that ignited the fumes of the swamp, causing a magical explosion that destroyed everything in its path. The Gardens would remain lifeless for hundreds of years until 
Zyra would resurface beneath its ashes. With the destruction of war close to their doorsteps, 
Skarner is able to convince the other Yun Tal to close the Ixtali border by drawing the wilderness around them to act as a shield, isolating Ixaocan and its surrounding jungles from the rest of Runeterra.
In a desperate attempt to safeguard their tribe from the destruction of the Rune Wars, a married couple, 
Mihira and Kilam, embark on an ascent to the peak of 
Mount Targon. Despite Mihira's advanced pregnancy, they cling to hope, seeking the divine power from the Aspects. Their perseverance pays off as, upon reaching the mountain's zenith, Mihira is deemed worthy by the Aspect of Justice. Within the same year, Mihira gives birth to twin daughters, 
Kayle and 
Morgana.
In western Valoran, refugees flee the devastation of the Rune Wars, hiding within the protective embrace of the region's forests. Their desperate search for sanctuary leads them to a forest where the trees are imbued with the magic-nullifying properties of Petricite, shielding them from the ravages of magical devastation. Grateful for this newfound haven, the refugees establish the first 
Demacian city of Zeffira within the forest's sanctuary. Fearing the dangers that came with his wife's divine power, Kilam flees to the newly build Zeffira, accompanied by his daughters, Kayle and Morgana. He harbors the hope that the sanctuary's magic-nullifying properties will conceal them from their mother's ever-watchful gaze.
Towards the end of the Rune Wars, desperate cabals of warrior-mages cast off their flesh, entering and dominating the spirit realm. Their shadow magic corrupted the thoughts of mortals everywhere, giving fuel to ever more horrendous acts in the war. The Demon 
Nocturne is created as a byproduct of shadow magic, and tirelessly hunts each shadow mage, ending their dark dominion.
Trivia[]
- 25 BN - 13 BN
Kled arrives on Runeterra.
- 13 BN - 3 BN
- Evelynn, in her primordial, shapeless form, relishes in the suffering of the people of Runeterra during this time. This pleasured and nourished the entity, transforming it into a different creature, a Demon that fed on the pain of others.
- Due to the loss of most of written history, the existence of the Camavoran Continent was forgotten by the rest of Runeterra during this time.
References
- ↑ Realms of Runeterra, Page 66/67