Biography[]
All Ixtali grow up hearing the name Skarner, the ancient protector of Ixtal—the brackern who shaped the earth itself and built the first arcologies. His visage is painted in reliefs and immortalized in the annals of Ixtal's history, a myth still honored and revered.
But deep beneath the cardinal arcology of Ixaocan is the chamber where Skarner dwells. There, he listens to the vibrations of the earth above him. Listens... and waits.
Skarner's myth began millennia ago. Born to the brackern clan Ọ̀pal-hin, he was a progeny of the legendary broodmother Nixalẹ. While the other bracklings in his brood left the safety of Nixalẹ's back, Skarner chose to linger, his unease and curiosity driving him to study her power and wisdom.
Observation soon evolved into ingenuity. Unlike his broodmates, Skarner honed the brackern's innate control of earth and perfected the art of reading underground vibrational patterns, allowing him to sense and decipher far-away movements.
When Skarner was older, it was through these vibrations that he detected a dramatic shift in the continent, marked by the arrival of settlers from the east. Clan Ọ̀pal-hin did not trust these newcomers, but Skarner's curiosity could not be suppressed. He needed to know what made them tick.
He surveyed these "Ixtali" people. They were born, they toiled, they died—there one second, and gone the next. However, through his observations, Skarner saw that they used what limited time they had to build, create, and invent. Their existence fascinated him... until he discovered just how fragile they truly were.
When a nearby rockslide threatened to destroy the burgeoning Ixtali settlement, Skarner, wanting to preserve the subjects of his observation, intervened. Emerging from the jungle, he towered over the people and used his physical strength and command of the earth to pulverize the rockslide before it could touch the village. As the dust cleared, the Ixtali gazed upon their savior in awestruck reverence and gratitude.
Within Skarner, a protectiveness began to stir. These fragile beings could not survive without him.
He no longer observed the Ixtali from afar, and as he became more involved with them, Skarner spent less time with his clan. The humans became his permanent project, and their nation, his new home.
The relationship he formed with the early Ixtali was one of exchange: the Ixtali shared their culture and history, and Skarner used his earthen prowess to help build the cardinal arcology of Ixaocan where the planet's lines of power connected.
But Skarner's greatest contribution was as a founding member of the civilization’s ruling caste. Combining Ixtal's scientific mindset with the collectivist culture of the brackern, the Yun Tal’s goal was to lead its people into a bright future.
And so it was through Skarner's protection that Ixtal flourished.
Outside of Ixtal, the Shuriman Empire extended its reach, and Skarner watched as Ascended stormed the continent. His belief in the resourcefulness of mortals was shattered as he saw the darker side of humanity: corruption, driven by a lust for power.
Skarner could sense the building tension in Shurima. He was vocal about his distrust, but when the Shuriman Empire invited Ixtal to form an alliance, the Yun Tal eagerly accepted.
With the Icathian rebellion, he was vindicated—but at the cost of many lives. By the time the Shuriman Empire collapsed and Ixtal regained its independence, Skarner had nothing but disgust left for the world outside their jungle—a wasteland of pain and suffering.
A wasteland made even worse by the Rune Wars.
Witnessing such destruction, Skarner finally convinced the Yun Tal to withdraw from the world, shielding their lands with magic and lies to hide themselves away.
But his faith in the Yun Tal was shaken. Where they'd failed to keep the Ixtali safe, Skarner would not.
Now knowing that only he could protect Ixtal, Skarner constructed himself an underground chamber below Ixaocan, designed to amplify the vibrational threads across the continent. Every thrum spoke of another threat to Ixtal's safety, but he could also hear the steady noise of Ixtal above him—proof that, through his sovereignty, the city continued to survive.
There, he listened... and waited.
Deep beneath the dark earth, his paranoia festered until, over time, vigilance gave way to seclusion, and he ceased leaving his chamber altogether. To the Ixtali above ground, Skarner slowly faded from memory into myth, his presence known only by the Yun Tal who traveled underground to confer with him about Ixtal's future.
Now, as new generations of elemental masters join the Yun Tal, discussions have begun about the possibility of rejoining the world once more. Skarner hears these whispers, which spur his paranoia, as he knows that opening the door will invite pain, suffering, and death like it did generations ago.
The only one Skarner can trust is himself, and he'll do anything it takes to protect Ixtal and its people.
Even if that means becoming the root of their destruction, himself.
Change log[]
| The Primordial Sovereign | |
|---|---|
| V14.6 (2 April 2024) | Current version. Title changed to The Primordial Sovereign. |
| V6.9 (12 May 2016) | Updated by Rayla Heide to reintroduce Skarner to the new canon.
 Long before the rise of These noble creatures were quite unlike any other. While individually they may have seemed primitive and aggressive, their arachnoid bodies held a wondrous secret—they existed as custodians of a truly ancient gestalt consciousness, perhaps one of the very oldest in After the body’s death, the core of the crystal was buried with great reverence in the deepest valleys. There they waited for new, younger brackern to inherit them, and take up the mantle of all those who had come before. So it was, through the eternal harmony of their crystals’ song, the brackern had all but achieved immortality. The one who would become known as When Skarner emerged once more, the crystal was fused with his body, and he was one with all his kin in a wordless meeting of countless minds. He could feel the magic of the material realm all around him—a deep connection to the world, like a low constant hum that resonated through every facet of his being. Mortals, such as they were, knew and respected the brackern… but also feared them. They would sometimes leave offerings at the entrances to the valleys, which they named things like “the Crystal Scar” in their imperfect, fleshy languages. Over time, though, their focus began to turn toward conflict and conquest, and the brackern resolved to hibernate until this danger was passed. Even if the mortal races wiped each other from existence, it would amount to little more than a single, somber note in the crystals’ unending song. And so, the brackern slept. Then, without warning, the song became a scream. Skarner was jolted awake as explosions tore through the brackern’s hiding place. The land had become parched and barren, but mortals persisted—they came armed with fire and metal, delving down beneath the surface to hack the living crystals from his sleeping kin. Skarner erupted from the sand in a frenzy. He killed many of the murderous thieves, and the rest fled in terror, leaving him to revive his dormant companions. But those brackern whose crystalline forms had been damaged died moments after they woke, and most of the others could not be roused at all, so deep was the trauma to their collective psyche. He stumbled through the valleys in mourning, He was certain that, even if the magic of the crystals still endured, it would quickly fade in the hands of mortals. Yet, as the sun broke over the horizon many weeks later, Skarner heard the faintest of echoes calling out in his mind. These were not the soaring harmonies he had known before, but a terrified, urgent keening, imploring him to act. He hesitated for just a moment, knowing that if he went in search of his stolen kin, then those who still lay beneath the sands would be defenseless… But as the cries died away, he knew he had no other choice, and strode out eastward into the desert. Though Skarner’s search is lonely, he sometimes hears the cold, disembodied song of a lost crystal drawing nearer, only to fade once more. It is a feeling that brings hope and anguish in equal measure, and he focuses his sorrow into unshakable determination, knowing that the survival of the brackern race is all that matters. |
 MISSING
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Updated to remove references to the Institute of War.
Long before men traversed the scorched deserts of Shurima, the very sand itself shone with primal, unchained magic. In a remote valley surrounded by steep cliffs and jagged rock formations, the age-old race of Brackern unearthed raw crystals from deep within the sand. Each of these noble creatures fused with a single stone, which retained their consciousness long after their death. The demise of a Brackern was a rare occurrence, as their worldly lives stretched across millennia, but even death did not signify an ending. When a creature's mortal form perished, its life stone was buried in the valley for safekeeping until a new Brackern could uncover it. This practice protected the vulnerable crystals while preserving the wisdom of the ones who came before. With a finite number of stones, the young Brackern searched for the crystal meant for them, just as the consciousness within the stone beckoned to the Brackern it had chosen to inherit its magic and memories. In a sacred rite, the rock fused with crystalline The young creature named Skarner spent many years searching for the crystal meant for him. Afraid he would die before finding it, he grew more persistent in his search with each passing moon. Day and night, he delved deep into the ground, digging in a methodical pattern that covered the entire valley and neighboring hills with intricate spirals. Skarner had all but given up when he finally felt an ancient consciousness tugging at his mind. He burrowed down, venturing ever deeper until the world's heart warmed his shell. Days passed, but the consciousness grew ever more insistent as it urged him onward. Skarner's pincers closed on a well-worn stone, and he heard a rasping whisper at the back of his mind. Though the voice was faint, he already felt intimately connected to its awareness, and he knew he had found his stone. The crystal was larger than any he had seen, and so timeworn that its glow had faded to a soft glimmer. Its surface was cracked in several places and dulled from eons buried under the ground. Skarner examined the rock with the tenderest touch, afraid of further damaging something so ancient. The dim glow within pulsed as though breathing in response to Skarner's presence. Skarner began the bonding ritual, burying himself deep underground with the crystal for weeks without sustenance. Though he ached with fatigue and his limbs atrophied in starvation, he was not afraid, for the voice within the stone comforted him. When the crystal finally fused with his body, he was overwhelmed with emotion as ancient memories and wisdom permeated his thoughts. He witnessed moments of incredible joy and crushing sorrow from generations long deceased. He felt magic all around him, suffusing his body with a deep connection to the world through a low constant hum, and sensed his kind communicating in a wordless meeting of minds. When the cataclysmic forces of the Rune Wars began to devastate the world, the Brackern feared the turmoil would soon mark the end of their species. They resolved to hide in hibernation until humans wiped themselves out, as it seemed certain they would. Only then would it be safe to emerge from the sands once more. The crystalline scorpions buried themselves deep in the Shuriman desert with the youngest and most ferocious positioned closest to the surface, ready to awaken first and defend the others in case of danger. The strength Skarner gained from his ancient life stone made him more powerful than almost all of his kin, so he was one of the last of his kind to enter the long slumber. They slept in peaceful isolation as centuries passed before Skarner awoke from his shallow burrow in a panic. Deafening explosions shattered the ground, targeting the Brackern where they lay sleeping and stunning those closest to the surface. A band of robbers had discovered the dormant creatures and were prying crystals from crystalline flesh. Skarner, protected from the brunt of the attack by his crystal, erupted from the sand in a terrible frenzy of sharp Skarner tried to revive his dormant companions, but the men had broken so many life stones in their thoughtless theft that several Brackern with damaged crystals died moments after Skarner woke them, while others would not wake at all. For weeks Skarner paced the sand above his sleeping brethren in sorrowful mourning. He was certain the crystals would quickly perish in the hands of men, and mourned their loss too. Yet as the sun broke over the horizon many weeks later, Skarner heard distant echoes calling in his mind. The cries were faint, but rang clear over the land. These voices of the lost stones reached out to him in terror, imploring Skarner to reconnect them with their kind. Skarner hesitated, torn as to whether he should rescue the lost crystals or continue guarding the still-living Brackern. After weeks spent erasing all traces of the excavation, he could not stand to hear the minds of his kin suffering at the hands of the violent humans, and resolved to set out to save the missing crystals. Skarner began the arduous task of tracking the stones, hoping no others would discover his kin beneath the sand. Though his search is lonely, he occasionally hears a lost crystal calling to him, a feeling that brings joy and anguish in equal measure. He focuses his sorrow into unshakable determination, and refuses to rest until he has recovered every last life stone. |
| MISSING
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Original version.
 Centuries ago, there lived a race of creatures as ferocious as they were wise. The Brackern were unusual beings blessed with the earth's primal magic, embodied in the form of Nothing, that is, until the devastation of a Rune War. A vicious battle was fought near the Odyn Valley and the unleashed chaotic magic poisoned the crystals. The Brackern began to grow sick and die, and no amount of defensive magic could reverse the effects. To avoid extinction, their only course was to hibernate underground until the wars stopped. The strongest, most intelligent Brackern hibernated closer to the surface to awaken first and assess the world's condition for the return of their race. The recent mining operations and violent escalation in Kalamanda were enough to awaken the first of these vanguards. When Skarner burst to the surface, he lashed out in anger and confusion. Reason eventually won out over his anger when he realized that the agents of the League who found him were simply functionaries. Skarner was invited to the Institute of War to share the Brackern's story. In return, the summoners told him about the history that his kind had slept through. Much had been done to curb the unchecked use of magic since the Rune Wars, but it was obvious that the world was not yet safe for his kind to reawaken. For now, however, there is a place where Skarner can use his power to change the world into one which his kind could eventually return to: the League of Legends. |
