In Dev Update - Champs, Lore & More, Laura 'poisonpixxi' DeYoung, Head of IP Creative for Riot Games, elaborated on their new approach to narrative cohesiveness by ironing out any inconsistencies that have sprung up over the years. This article contains information that conflicts with this new narrative and will most likely be changed/moved in the following year(s). For further information on these changes, see Canonical inconsistencies |
“ | ▶️ "Welcome to Zaun!" |
— | |
Zaun, also known as the City of Iron and Glass, is a large undercity district lying in the deep canyons and valleys threading Piltover. What light reaches below is filtered through fumes leaking from the tangles of corroded pipework and reflected from the stained glass of its industrial architecture. Zaun and Piltover were once united, but are now separate, yet symbiotic societies. Though it exists in perpetual smogged twilight, Zaun thrives, its people vibrant and its culture rich. Piltover's wealth has allowed Zaun to develop in tandem; a dark mirror of the city above. Many of the goods coming to Piltover find their way into Zaun's black markets, and hextech inventors who find the restrictions placed upon them in the city above too restrictive often find their dangerous researches welcomed in Zaun. Unfettered development of volatile technologies and reckless industry has rendered whole swathes of Zaun polluted and dangerous. Streams of toxic runoff stagnate in the city's lower reaches, but even here people find a way to exist and prosper.
Lore[]
Zaun is a polluted undercity located beneath Piltover - once united, they are now separate, symbiotic cultures. Stifled inventors often find their unorthodox research welcomed in Zaun, but reckless industry has rendered whole swathes of the city highly toxic. It is a place both supported and ruined by unchecked industry, mercantilism, and magic run amok. The pollution from the countless factories and laboratories is constantly spewed into the environment. The urban heart of the city is often choked with smog that blocks the morning sun and drains the sky of its pastels. Visitors have called the sky the 'Zaun Gray', and describe staring up at it akin to seeing the beginnings of a cosmic disturbance. As polluted as Zaun is above-ground, its subterranean levels are far worse. All of Zaun's runoff waste pools together in its sewers, mixing together into toxic and mysterious concoctions. Even so, thanks to a thriving black market, chemtech, and mechanical augmentation, the people of Zaun still find ways to prosper.[1]
Champions of Zaun[]
Other Related Champions[]
- frequently patrols the upper levels of Zaun to capture Zaunite criminals.
- has business connections with Zaun's infamous chem-barons.
- has traveled to Zaun before in his expeditions.
- has past connections with and indirectly with .
- and are bitter enemies.
- was sent once on an assassination mission to Zaun.
- frequently travels to Zaun.
- 's parents are from Zaun. She also frequently performs in the undercity.
- has visited Zaun in the past.
- , , and have all tried to track down in both Piltover and Zaun.
- once tricked into entering Zaun and considers a loose end for his contributions in the Ionian conflict.
- became more active in Zaun after the Sun Gates were built.
- regularly buys his mushrooms from Zaun's black markets.
- grew up in Zaun.
History[]
Foundation of Zaun[]
More than three thousand years ago, a port was founded in the isthmus in the would-be present location of Zaun. It would later become part of the ancient Shurima empire. It is unclear if the name of mercantile city was Kha'Zhun or Osha Va'Zaun, but over time the name was changed to Zaun.
During the Great Darkin War, shielded the city from their conflicts. When the war was over, the Targonians hid the 2 Darkin Harp deep within the caverns of Zaun.
Birth of Progress Day[]
- Main article: Storm's FuryZaun finalized its plans to destroy a portion of the isthmus connecting Valoran and the Southern Continent, allowing for safe sea passage between eastern and western Valoran. The plan involved using thousand of chemtech bombs to crack open an area of the land so that a cavern could be created, but the results were catastrophic, as in what seemed to be an accident the bombs triggered a series of earthquakes that completely destroyed the isthmus and sank large districts of Zaun and thousands of its citizens, while also leaking poisonous gas into the city's surviving areas.
, empowered by the prayers of Zaun's people, arrived and blew away the gas, saving many lives and being eternally remembered by Zaun's denizens, converting her from a goddess of faith for sailors to a guardian deity for Zaun. She has yet to leave Zaun following this event.
Eventually Zaun was rebuilt. In order to regulate the oceanic passage they were built over, the Sun Gates were constructed, forcing all transport through the waters to be regulated by Zaun. This brought immense wealth to the city and likely led to Piltover's construction and elevation from Zaun, as the merchant clans were in control of most of the money coming through this trade route.
Construction of the Sun Gates led to great changes in eastern Valoran and the eastern seas, as Noxus was from this point on able to more easily pool together resources from across its empire without needing land travel, and Bilgewater's pirates found the seas brimming with trade ships waiting to be plundered, feeding in to the criminal underbelly of the city.
Explosion of the Dredge[]
, a noxian headsman who took the control of the Dredge, a chemtech prison mine, after being a prisoner of the mine himself, started a riot that ignited a chemtech vein within the mine, Urgot shook the city above, and cracked the prison open in an explosion that rivaled the birth of Zaun itself. Many prisoners died, and thousands more disappeared into the Sump beneath the city. But the strong, as ever, survived.
History in Arcane[]
The Rise of Silco[]
- Main article: Arcane
Years after a failed uprising, barkeep
maintains an uneasy peace between the undercity and Piltover. During a heist in Piltover, , , , and break into workshop and steal several of his experimental hex crystals. One of his crystals shatter, blowing up the workshop and alerts the attention of the wardens. After escaping to Zaun, they are intercepted by a gang working for . The destruction of the workshop causes the wardens to launch an investigation into the undercity, escalating tensions.Vander is approached by Sheriff Shimmer empowered thug, killing all of the wardens except Marcus and taking Vander hostage.
to anonymously turn in the perpetrators of the heist, but he refuses. Silco is informed that Vander's children were responsible for the heist and sees an opportunity to get rid of Vander. He lures Warden into a meeting and bribes him to bring Vander to him. After contemplating the failed heist, Vi decides to take responsibility and prepares to turn herself in. Vander learns of this and takes her place instead. As the wardens arrest Vander, they are ambushed by Silco and aVi watches this unfold and escapes back to the Last Drop. Vi, Claggor, and Mylo prepare to free Vander, but Powder is told to stay back. Wanting to prove that she isn't weak, Powder decides to come any way, armed with some of her home-made traps and the hex crystals. The trio break into Silco's warehouse and try to free Vander, only to find it's a trap. Vi dons Vander's old iron gauntlets and holds off Silco's forces as Claggor and Mylo free Vander. Despite beating most of Silco's forces, Vi is quickly overwhelmed by a Shimmer empowered thug and the group barricade themselves in a room. Powder watches from the outside and unleashes a monkey bomb powered by a hex crystal. The bomb detonates, igniting the Shimmer within the factory and killing Claggor and Mylo.
Silco's forces recuperate from the explosion and Vander fights them off, however he is still no match for the Shimmer empowered thug. He is stabbed by Silco and thrown into the fire. Vander manages to find some undamaged Shimmer and ingests it. Empowered by the drug, Vander takes down the thug and gets Vi to safety. Vander eventually succumbs to his wounds and dies. As Vi mourns his death, Powder appears, revealing she was the one who set off the bomb. Furious, Vi yells at her and leaves to cool off. Believing she was abandoned, Powder cries just as Silco approaches. Vi sees this and tries to go back for her before being knocked out by Marcus. Vi is taken to Piltover and locked up in Stillwater Prison as Silco takes Powder under his wing and takes control of the undercity.
Vi's Return[]
Several years after Vander's death, Silco now rules the Undercity as its de facto leader and Shimmer runs rampant in the Lanes. With the newly appointed Sheriff Marcus on his payroll, his activies are concealed from the Council. Some try to resist his rule but are ultimately helpless to stop him. Powder, now going by Jinx, works under him and sees him as a father figure. During the bicentennial Progress Day, Firelights, a mysterious gang that opposes Silco. Jinx tries to defend shipment but the fighting causes most of the Shimmer to be destroyed.
, Silco's enforcer, and her gang attempts to smuggle Shimmer into Piltover. They are intercepted by theSevika returns to the Last Drop, now under Silco's control, and reports their failure, ranting about Jinx's lack of control. Jinx is dejected by her failure, but Silco reassures her. In order to make up for her failure, she sneaks into Piltover and breaks into Jayce and Viktor's lab, stealing their research on their experimental hextech gemstone. She distracts the Wardens by setting a fire and luring several of into a fatal trap, however, she still is spotted by
. Silco is furious at the attention drawn by Jinx's antics, but has a change of heart when she presents him with the gemstone.In order to find out more about the attack, Caitlyn visits Stillwater Prison in hopes of interrogating one of Silco's thugs, but finds out he was attacked by another inmate. The inmate is revealed to be Vi, who manages to convince Caitlyn to get her released, in exchange for helping her track down Silco. Meanwhile, Marcus demands retribution for the deaths of the enforcers, but Silco pays him off with a donation to their families. Caitlyn and Vi venture in to the Undercity, where Vi begins her search for her sister. Marcus pays Silco another visits and notes that Jayce is now on the Council and he is beginning to investigate the attack. Marcus grows more anxious at the thought of being discovered, but Silco tells him to deflect the blame on the Firelights. Seeing that he is faltering, Silco wants Jinx to weaponize the gemstone.
Finding no leads on Silco, Vi decides to confront Sevika instead. Despite initially overpowering her, Sevika manages to stab Vi, after revealing that Powder is working for Silco. Before Sevika can finish Vi off, Caitlyn intervenes, firing several shots at her, and retreats with a wounded Vi. Sevika later reports Vi's return to Silco, while Jinx experiments with the gemstone. As Silco's men search for Caitlyn and Vi, Jinx catches wind of the manhunt and ambushes Sevika, forcing her to reveal that Vi has returned. As Vi continues to bleed, Caitlyn encounters a vagabond who claims to know Vi. He brings her to an apothecarie, where she trades her gun for some medicine to stop the bleeding. She gives Vi the medicine, but they are discovered by Silco, who was tipped off the vagabond for some Shimmer.
Silco unleashes his Shimmer thugs against them, but Vi causes the building around them to collapse and they escape. Meanwhile, Jinx lights the flare that Vi gave her, hoping for her sister to come to her. Vi races towards the signal and reunites with her sister, but when Caitlyn arrives the two begin to square off. As Vi tries to descalate tensions, they are ambushed by the Firelights, who knock out Vi and Caitlyn and take the gemstone.
Locations[]
Zaun is a city within Piltover located between Valoran and Shurima. The current well known locations (not counting Piltover) in Zaun are:
Connected Cities[]
Dual city-states that control the major trade routes between Valoran and Shurima. Home both to visionary inventors and their wealthy patrons, the divide between social classes is becoming more dangerous.
Promenade Level[]
Entertainment and commercial zone located above the Entresol level. The upper reaches of Zaun exist alongside the lower districts of Piltover, though the differing architecture means the two could never be confused. This is where the wealthy of Zaun gather to shop, dine, and trade goods and supplies from below and where Pilties go for good, cheap times.
- Boundary Markets: The levels where division between Zaun and Piltover blurs are home to thriving markets and Commercia Halls. Boundary Markets areas are the most cosmopolitan of the city, where people from all walks of life and levels of society can be found for the purchase and sale of goods.
- First Assemblage of the Glorious Evolved: Located at the end of the Boundary Markets in southern Piltover, the Church is the main location where worshipers of the Glorious Evolved from both Piltover and Zaun come to worship their deity, the Gray Lady. Its is also a place where the disenfranchised come to seek refuge, and where the crippled come for techmaturgical miracles.
- College of Techmaturgy: The great tower of the College of Techmaturgy rises arrogantly from the wide canyon separating North and South Piltover, anchored to the upper cliffs by swaying suspension bridges and thick iron cables that thrum like musical strings when the winds blow in hard from the ocean. It is the city's best known institution of learning, and a prime location for techmaturgical research, as one might imagine.
- Pump Station: Facilities located in Piltover, housing pumps and equipment for moving clean air from Piltover into Zaun via ducts and vents.
- Skylight Commercia: A market in the Promenade where locals browse galleries, meet friends, dine, or go to see one of the companies of players that tour the undercity with satirical works. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and it's the perfect place to bask in all that Zaun has to offer.
Entresol Level[]
A level of Zaun situated just below the Promenade: the notional border between Piltover and Zaun. Deep in Zaun, brokers, dealers, traffickers and entertainers mingle in cliff-dug trading posts and workshops. A flourishing hub of cosmopolitan commercial arcades, supper-clubs, recital halls, joy houses, and “everything goes” type clubs, making it one of the most populated districts of the cities. This is where the Zaun Gray tends to linger most. Zaunites living here would claim this level is where the majority of the work that allows the city to function takes place. It is the level where
was born.- Augmentation Parlors: Facilities where Zaunites can be installed with various augmentations for any use.
- Breather Station: Facilities where people can stop in to get a reprieve from the Gray for a breath of less dingy air. Breather Pipes move cleaner air to polluted areas.
- Bridgewaltz: Located on one of the Entresol's lower levels, Zaunites and Piltovans alike flock to the Bridgewaltz market for a taste of everything that makes the undercity great. The best in music, food, and artisanal chemtech creations can be found here every night.
- Chemtech Seam: Crevasses in the cliffs that are the source of compounds used in chemtech.
- Cultivair: Large isolated greenhouses specifically designed to grow trees and plants. The wealthiest in Zaun maintain them as a symbol of their power and a source of clean air. Bioluminescent algae and night-blooming flowers are cultivated in these facilities.
- Delicatessens: A type of store that also exists in the real world, selling cold cuts, cheeses, and a variety of salads, as well as a selection of unusual or foreign prepared foods.
- Drop Street: Street to a wheezing hexdraulic descender station on the Entresol level. The descender connects the Entresol level Drop street to a Piltover level street by the same name. The descender has an iron-framed cabin with a lozenge-patterned grille, and is still running in Piltover later at night than other descenders. A quiet a secluded route for those on the run.
- Emberflit Alley: A fog-bound narrow corridor. The location of
- Viktor's Laboratory: The main research location of , the city's infamous robotics and cybernetics inventor. It has recently been raided by Piltover's after Viktor stole a Brackern crystal from him and used it for his experiments.
house.
Sump Level[]
Zaun's deepest levels, past the reaches of the Gray-filtered light, where the environment turns grim, increasingly disorderly, and poorly lit; it is densely cramped with piping and discarded items. Most of the working class live here or just above it. The depths of Zaun are amongst the most squalid yet vibrant parts of the city. The Zaun Gray has its origin here, rising from rank waterways or venting from corroded grilles. Thick chem-fumes thread the alleys between crowded abandoned industrial buildings. It has been built and rebuilt on top of itself, and almost everything there now serves the chemtech industry (or its workers) in some way. Sump Works, and Sector 90TZ located in it, are one of many locations in Zaun. It is here where
was spotted after his mutational transformation.- Bonscutt Pump Station: A facility including pumps and equipment for removing sewage from the Entresol level, moving it deeper into Zaun. Located near a stop for the Rising Howl right beneath the Entresol level.
- Dredge Prison: A prison mine for chemtech compounds deep beneath Zaun with hellish conditions. The prison once held .
- Factorywood: A place where many factories are situated close together. Sump pools are chemtech holding vessels located in the Factorywood. Located somewhere beneath the Entresol level and above the Sump.
- Old Hungry: An iconic mechanized clock tower in Old Zaun with exposed grinding gears; its base is located at the heart of the Sump. It towers high above the levels of Piltover and hasn't told the correct time in years. It is a popular haunt for Zaunite kids, and is the "heart of Old Zaun."
- Priggs Industries: Priggs Industries is a warehouse and factory complex that has turned out to hide slave labor camps, which has ruined the reputation of the company. was one of the prisoners that escaped from one of the company's tightly controlled torture chambers, known as The Locker.
- The Slums: The slums of Zaun are one of the most densely populated and polluted locations in Valoran. Large pipes flowing with industrial waste are placed around its buildings. Many of its residents are workers in Zaun's factories. The Memorial Wall is a place where residence of the slums give homage to those they have lost.
- Black Lanes: Located close to the Sumps, this is a market of colorful bazaars, at the heart of Zaun where merchants and thieves do business. Anything is for sale, and everything is stolen. The area is known for the especially gritty quality of air.
- Commercia Fantastica: A market specializing primarily in gearwork toys. Possibly located in the Black Lanes.
- Hope House Orphanage: Located somewhere in the Slums between the Factorywood and the Sump, it is a crumbling foundling home cut into Zaun's cave-riddled cliffs, dedicated to the welfare of the many orphans created in the wake of the disaster that tore Zaun apart.
- Zaun Sewers: Zaun's sewers are where all the city's toxic waste ends up and is tossed into the sea. Many creatures, such as rats, live in this underground area. Some creatures have been mutated by the toxic waste, for instance .
- Zaun's Asylum for the Irreparably Troubled: The Asylum of Zaun was left to when he was very young. It is no longer operational due to Mundo 'curing' everyone in there in his own way (murder, that is).
Hexdraulic Conveyors[]
Hexdraulic Conveyors are scattered across Zaun, connecting it with Piltover and its numerous city levels. Some conveyors are for public use (those that can afford it), while some for private, used mostly by Chem-Barons and wealthy Piltovans.
- Rising Howl: A large multi-tiered rack-and-pinion Hexdraulic Coveyor supported by three vertical structural beams which span the height of the city, from the Sump to the Boundary Markets. Its ovoid shape and curved top side are constructed of thick glass and an elaborate ironwork baroque latticework frame with ratcheting endless gears. At the top sits a howling wrought-iron wolf, the elevator's namesake, and a set of steam whistles. It's the primary Hexdraulic Coveyor for transporting crowds between the levels of Zaun and Piltover. Conductors' voices are magnified by a flexible speaking tube connected to a bell-shaped sonophone.
The Cliff[]
The most important location of all of Zaun and Piltover, it was the epicenter of a massive man-made geological disaster that sunk most of old Zaun. Currently, it is the location of massive spires jutting upwards towards Piltover as an arrogant testimony to Zaun's resolve to survive. One such building is the College of Techmaturgy. The Sun Gates are built above The Cliff.
- Boundary Markets: The levels where division between Zaun and Piltover blurs are home to thriving markets and Commercia Halls. Boundary Markets areas are the most cosmopolitan of the city, where people from all walks of life and levels of society can be found for the purchase and sale of goods.
- First Assemblage of the Glorious Evolved: Located at the end of the Boundary Markets in southern Piltover, the Church is the main location where worshipers of the Glorious Evolved from both Piltover and Zaun come to worship their deity, the Gray Lady. Its is also a place where the disenfranchised come to seek refuge, and where the crippled come for techmaturgical miracles.
- The Sun Gates: The most important location in all of Piltover, the construction of these huge accessways made Piltover a hub of mercantile trade between Valoran and Shurima. They were named 'The Sun Gates' to honor the region's Shuriman heritage. They were constructed as a necessity of the city, but unfortunately, an accident during their construction sank large chunks of Zaun into the sea. In Piltover, Progress Day marks the anniversary of the day the Sun Gates opened for the first time, allowing trade to pass easily through the city, bringing unimaginable wealth to the city's rulers. In Zaun, it is a day to remember those lost in the geological upheaval that created the east–west passage and submerged entire districts underwater. It enabled the rapid expansion of the Noxian empire along the coast, although Piltover charges truly staggering hazard rates for the transport of all military assets.
- Wharfside Docks: Located at the lower end of the Sun Gates, the quaysides of Piltover are always busy, with ships from every major port passing through the Sun Gates every day.
Oshra Va'Zaun[]
Underneath modern Sump Levels of Zaun, the old port city ruins of Oshra Va'Zaun can still be found. This location holds secrets which explorers often risk their lives to uncover. Stretching far under the River Pilt, the ruins are a veritable labyrinth, with whole maze of dusty staircases and old passageways.
- Vault of Resplendent Holies: In the ruins of old Zaun, the Vault contained Resplendent Holies. One of those holies is a relic that once belonged to the Shuriman Emperor's personal spirit-banisher, Carikkan.
Zaun in Arcane[]
Zaun as shown in the Arcane universe has a considerably different origin as well as city layout. The Sun Gates do not exist, therefor the way the undercity was formed is different in comparison to main canon. There are also no indications that Zaun was originally a Shuriman settlement, representing original Piltover before the construction of the Sun Gates and subsequent sinking of whats considered canon modern Zaun. Its location is only in the south area of Piltover, where as in canon Zaun takes up most of the eastern lower levels under the Sun Gates. Zaun is considerably smaller in scale, with more narrower fissures and less dominating towers, the tallest tower being the Chem-Baron Tower (instead of the College of Techmaturgy in canon). There is a distinct lack of the Promenade, Entresol, and Sump levels dividing the undercity, instead the city is divided into lanes that represent each of the fissures. The elevators enabling people to travel from the surface to the undercity are also smaller in scale, with no Rising Howl Public Hexdraulic Descender dominating both the Piltovan and Zaunite cityscapes. While the scale of Zaun is smaller than in the main canon, its buildings still retain the same distinct visual aesthetics.
- The Brothel: Located in the lanes, the brothel is owned by the yordle mistress . It caters to a wide assortment of different pleasures and fantasies to suit every customers needs.
- The Chem-Baron Tower: The primary meeting place of Zaunites Chem-Barons during the reign of . It towers above Zaun, reaching the surface of Piltover. Its penthouse is used as a cultivair with a wide assortment of plants.
- Firelight Hideout: The hideout is built inside a massive, abandoned sewer located somewhere in Zaun that has a large hole on top, which allows heaps of natural sunlight to pass through and illuminate the area. Its most prominent feature is the enormous tree situated at the center of the hideout, which was able to thrive and grow to its current size due to its daily exposure to sunlight. A number of small houses are also built on the tree, including Ekko's home, and around it. The walls surrounding the hideout are also decorated with grafiti and numerous murals.
- Firelight Entrance: The entrance to the hideout is only accessible through the maze-like sewer system of Zaun. Many Firelight bugs live near the entrance and inside the hideout itself, which inspired the gang's name.
- The Lost Children of Zaun Mural: The Firelight memorial is located at the base of the tree. The mural commemorates all Zaunite brothers and sisters who have been lost to the nightmares that plague the Undercity. The mural serves as a reminder that the hopes of a better future is worth fighting for.[2] The old possessions of the lost are also propped up against the bottom of the tree. The faces of , , , , , , and Eve can all be seen painted on the memorial.
- The Last Drop: Located in the lanes, the bar is an active gathering point for most of the inhabitants of the undercity. It was originally a more subdued bar during ownership. It would considerably change during ownership, gaining more neon lights and a flashier exterior.
Wildlife[]
Zaun hosts an assortment of hardy creatures; for instance: cliff-shrikes, crag-ducks, flesh-eating mites, gutter rats, plague rats, seagulls, shadowhares, viridian beetles.
Cats[]
They are a sentient feline race resembling Felis catus that reside both on Runeterra as well as Bandle City. While they have the physical appearance of regular real world house cats, they possess human or above human intelligence, being able to think of complex ideas and inventions. 4 Professor von Yipp is a cat that is able to create 1 giant mechs and 5 submarines, while possesses magical abilities with the help of .
Cavernberry[]
Type of native edible plant species. Used to make juice.
Firelight[]
- Main article: Firelight (Species)
In the Arcane universe, firelights are small insects that are able to emit light due to the chemical process of bioluminescence. They mostly live in the sewers of Zaun, though some were also see in the Firelights base.
Gutter Rat[]
Gutter rats are a type of native mammal species. Their name is also used as an urban insult.
Plague Rat[]
Plague rats are a type of native mammal species.
was once a plague rat, before he was mutated by chemicals.Poros[]
- Main article: Poro
Howling Abyss. Poros are equal parts truth, valor, and innocence. The colour of their fur is described as “very light blue, like Freljordian snow”. They have a heart-shaped underbelly because they're made of love. A poro's horns perk up when it's excited and droop down when it's scared. Poros paddle through deep snow with their front paws. Some believe that poros are indestructible. Poros stick their tongue out because they are incredibly warm. This is why they can survive the harsh cold environment of the Howling Abyss. are frosted with Freljordian ice crystals and are a favourite treat of this creature. The leader of the Poros is known as the .
are an are the mysterious, magical, and most-loved creatures originating from theThere is at least one Poro found in Piltover and Zaun.
Whumps[]
Whumps are rodent like mammalian creatures that live in the underbellies of Zaun. Their appearance resembles that of raccoons, their most unique feature is that they are able to survive the toxic waste inducing sewers. Whumps are used for a giant underground black market to collect puffcap mushrooms from the sewers and bring them back to the 4 Chump Whump Yordle or the 3 Puffcap Peddler for further trade. Whumps enjoy collecting puffcaps as much as eating cheese. A group of them are called clumps.
Culture[]
“ | ▶️ "Progress doesn't belong to one city." |
— | |
While known to be notoriously self-centered people by other nations, the denizens of Zaun collectively take great pride in themselves and their city. To them, their right to do as they please is what makes Zaun the freest city in Runeterra. As a result, the streets of Zaun are a constant hive of activity. Shopkeepers with a variety of eccentric items can be found at every corner of the city, with the dark and seedy alleys overflowing with ambitious individuals willing to give their all for a profit. It's also said that corporate rivalry is the very spirit of competition that defines Zaun as a city-state. Nevertheless, both espionage and sabotage are considered common practices when doing business with Zaunites.
Language Slangs[]
Due to Piltover and Zaun being international trade ports, every type of language can be heard around its docks.
Over the course of its history, Zaunites / Piltovans have formed their own terms and slang:
- All-night bender - Phrase describing one who has spent a long night under the influence. "Bender" is also real-life slang.
- Apprenta - Apprentice.
- Bells - Term for the hour. Example: Eight bells = 8:00
- Burn-off - Smoke from combustion.
- Chem-burnt - Experiencing negative effects from being exposed to toxic compounds too much.
- Chem-fumes - Chemical gas, smoke, or vapor.
- Chem-stunted - Experiencing negative effects from being exposed to toxic compounds too much.
- Crawl-hatch - Opening in the sides of pipes or ducts for maintenance and manual cleaning.
- Chem-punk - Derogatory term used for a trouble maker, or gang member from Zaun.
- Dram-dealer - Person who sells dram.
- First rule of the Sump - Only marks go in through the front door.
- Foundlings - Orphans.
- Foundling home - Orphan Home.
- Go pound a sump - An insult.
- Gob it - Shut it; shut up.
- The Gray - Term used to describe Zaun's thick chemical atmosphere.
- The Gray Lady - The holy patron saint of the Glorious Evolved.
- Grayout - Massive pollution of The Gray.
- Grey-pox - Illness caused by The Gray.
- Head up top - Phrase meaning "Go to Piltover".
- Hereabouts - Phrase used to describe a person's current location.
- Hex-mechanics - People who work with hextech.
- Horticulturalists - People that tend to cultivairs.
- Janna's mercy! - A Zaunite exclamation used in cases of extreme danger, a plea for help.
- Lung Blight - Illness caused by The Gray.
- Mark - A thief's target.
- Name day - Birthday.
- Not even a plague rat's brown cough - Basically so silent you could hear a pin drop.
- Orderly - A caretaker.
- Physicker - physician, or doctor.
- Piltie - Derogatory term for Piltover natives.
- Pipework - pipes that make up a network.
- Sawbones - Zaunite doctor.
- Skirl - Term used to describe a shrill, wailing sound from pipes.
- Snipe - A derogatory term for a Zaunite child.
- Stilt-walking sump-scrapper - A salvager who uses stilts to stay above the toxic gases and sludge of the Sump.
- Sump-raker - A derogatory term for a person from the Sump level.
- Sump-scrapping - The act of salvaging items from the Sump level.
- Sump-snipe - A derogatory term for a child from the Sump level.
- Sump-scrappers - People who make a living salvaging items from the Sump level. Also known as a Sumper.
- Sump-sucker - A derogatory term for a person from the Sump level.
- Sure as gray follows day - Phrase signifying certainty.
- Tallyman - Person who sells merchandise on credit, especially from door to door.
- The cliffs are muttering - A reaction to small earthquakes.
- Techmaturgy - Field of study combining technology and magic.
- Trencher - A derogatory term for a person that lives in the Undercity, a.k.a. Zaun.
- Toxic runoff - Poisonous liquid drainage.
- Uppside - Term for Piltover.
- Well-heeled - Phrase used to describe those well off, named for their state of the soles of their shoes not being worn down, or the type of shoes that wouldn't last long in the muck below.
- You ken? - You know?
Writing and Numerals[]
Being connected, both Piltover and Zaun have formed similar writing systems and numerals used throughout the two cities. While having a common writing system used for general communication, a specific writing system, both elegant and rough, is used for numerous applications. Its symbols are used for alchemical works and scientific equations.
The cities use several different numerical symbols for its mathematical and time measurements. This is due to Piltover and Zaun being key trading hubs for both north and south continents. However, the common numerals used in Piltover and Zaun resemble that of Roman numerals.
In the Arcane universe, its writing system is based on several letters and numerals originally revealed in concept art. writing as shown in the Council Archives is different from the one written by or for , , and . It resembles yordle writing of Bandle City with similar wavey and spiral letters. It is unclear where she learned this writing or why its different from the most commonly presented Piltover and Zaun writing system, despite the considerable yordle population in those cities.
Architecture[]
Most of Zaun's structures are crafted from lattice ironwork, either forged in the many seething foundries or wrought from scavenged material discarded from above. Though there is brutal functionality to the bolts-and-rivets of Zaun's structures, its inhabitants still manage to craft breathtaking wonders that pierce the smog and reach for the sky. Though swathes of Zaun are little better than polluted slums, and others are all but overtaken with steel and stone, living things still find a way to grow such as the example with cultivairs. Although much of Zaun lies in the shadow of towering cliffs, it is not a city of gloom. Chem-lights burn in bolted sconces and through creative use of colored glass, polished steel lightweels bring light to the depths.
- Cultivar: Zaun's wealthy maintain isolated crystal houses known as cultivars, which contain life-giving trees and plants as both a symbol of their power and a source of clean air.
- Handmade Shrines: A holy relic dedicated to , crafted of scrap and gearworks.
- The Zaun Gray: The thick, chemical atmosphere of Zaun, a by-product of the constant production and spread of chemtech industry. The production of synthetic crystals initially created in Piltover is also rumored to be a heavy contributor to the Zaun Gray. It is fatal to breathe where the Gray is densely settled, and this toxic soup is believed to be the cause of the lung blights that afflict many Zaunites. Most days, it's thin enough to breathe deeply without coughing up something wet. When the Zaun Gray grows thick, some say Janna blows it away. It gives off a chemical smell, like it could singe off your nose hair if inhaled too deeply.
Clothing[]
Fashions of Zaun range from conservative to the outlandish, respectfully mirroring its counterparts above. However, it is also not uncommon to see wealthy individuals of Zaun dress in the recent fashions of Piltover due to their frequent dealings with the surface city. There are also those that augment their bodies, either from necessity or for showcasing their progressive and/or wealthy status in the community. There is a distinct difference between the appearance of Piltovan and Zaunite augments. Piltover's are more flamboyant in their craftmanship, often adorned with gold and blue arcane crystals, while Zaun's were born more of the necessity and practicality of their environment and often have crude metal and toxic green chem-fluid within. For those that live in the city for a very long time, it's easy to distinguish true augmented individuals from those with faux augments. Non-augmented individuals are referred to as 'fleshies' by the followers of The Glorious Evolved. The citizens of Piltover that encountered described 'the street fashions of Zaun in her dress'.
- Razor-Rings: A band of metal worn on a finger with a bladed or pointed projection used by sump-snipes to aid in emptying purses.
Drinks[]
A few drinks can be seen in Zaun, aside from the usual beer, ale, and whiskey.
- Cavernberry: Type of native edible plant species. Used to make a juice.
- Kouaxi: A potent spirit made from fermented goat's milk.
Research[]
While Zaun's ambitious patrons do much to advance the field of science on Runeterra, their research and inventions often push the boundaries of morality on a daily basis.
- Alchemy: The nation of Zaun is particularly famous for its alchymists, who sometimes light up the city with their magical concoctions. Perhaps the most infamous alchymist is , who is best known for creating genocidal toxins which are potent enough to wipe out an entire village.
- Shimmer: One example of Zaunites' love for freedom of expression is the unlawful synthesis of "shimmer", a corrosive techmaturgical waste substance that is popular among Zaun's rebellious youth. When slathered onto the skin the Shimmer stimulates intense emotions in its subject. The Shimmer then creates an assortment of shining colors that corresponds to the emotion the subject is feeling. Though frequent application of the caustic glop can result in progressive degeneration of the skin and muscle tissue, a rumor that Shimmer can grant its wearer unnatural abilities has simply increased its demand.
- was the result of a plague rat being exposed to the various chemicals that exist in Zaun's sewers.
- exists as an example of the lengths that chemtech can push the human psyche.
- is a techmaturgist who engineered parts to replace and improve his own body. Almost no trace of the original man remains. He became obsessed with what he called "the glorious evolution", where man would renounce his flesh in favor of superior hextech augmentations, additionally his works have garnered a cult of personality around him (despite him not approving of such), as many citizens of Zaun see his life saving inventions as a miracle.
- is the product of a Zaun experiment, orchestrated by a Chem-Baron, to manufacture a hexchem-engineered supersoldier – the Zaun Amorphous Combatant. Combining brute strength with limitless flexibility, he is a versatile juggernaut: a creative fighter who bounces over obstacles and pounds his foes into submission.
Technology[]
- Chemtech: Denied the funds and means to craft hextech, Zaun's researchers instead use potent chemicals to power their creations. The combination of machinery and equipment with a compound that has been produced artificially, that harnesses the power of both. Used to create utilitarian/practical artifacts that can be used by anyone. It harnesses chemical energy to power machinery, and produce light and heat. Chemtech performs like hextech, but is far more dangerous, toxic and explosive.
- Crystal Burners: A type of power source that uses crystals as fuel.
- Hexdraulic Descender: Travel between Zaun and Piltover usually entails a long and tiring climb, but towering elevators exist that allow for swifter transit.
- Gondola: A mode of transportation in Zaun using chains to diagonally or horizontally traverse the canyons and valleys of the Great Chasm from “the Incident”. They usually carry a smaller number of people than Hexdraulic Conveyors.
- Pneuma-Tube: Sealed container to protect paper messages from moisture and the corrosive environment. Pneuma-tube runners are people who carry messages throughout the levels of Zaun, taking quick climbing routes that few can follow.
- Shared Pipe: Exhaust pipes with intakes from more than one location; an experienced ductwork maintenancer can identify them by smell.
- Sonophone: Metal horn shaped instrument for magnifying sound.
- Steam Golems: The advanced College of Techmaturgy resides in the city, a forefront in the study of hextech devices. The doctorate students there are often credited for creating steam golems, of which Viktor's stands above the rest for being the only one to possess sentience.
- Therma lamps: Indoor sources of yellow-orange illumination used on the Promenade level.
- Velocipede: A type of hextech bicycle with large wheels to avoid the splash of toxic runoff.
- Vent Stacks: A major source of the Zaun Gray.
Tools[]
- Tellstones: A variant of Tellstones called "King's Gambit" is played in Demacia. It is named after a Demacian King Santon the Great. King Santon of Demacia avoided civil war with a game of Tellstones, saving thousands of lives. Despite the game's popularity across Runeterra, no one seems to know where Tellstones originated. There is a variant of Tellstones played by the Dauntless Vanguard and they use it to settle disputes within the ranks.
Church of the Glorious Evolved[]
“ | ▶️ "Join the glorious evolution." |
— | |
The Church of the Glorious Evolved is popular in both Piltover and Zaun. The church views flesh as inferior to steel and metal, and advocates the use of techmaturgy to purge the weakness and inefficiency of flesh.
Some members of the church (and Zaun in general) see
as a messianic figure, as fragments of his phylosophy started the religion. However, Viktor couldn't care less for them, viewing their quasi-religious cult as an aberration and as another reason to eliminate emotional foibles and the belief in that which could not be empirically proven.Although it's unclear if she's a member,
is a respected individual by many in the church, which gives her leeway within it.The Church often takes in the sick, seeing the removal of dying flesh as a key to transforming a person's life and faith through technology.
The Gray Lady is the patron saint of this religion. Her stained glass window is the main focal point of the First Assemblage of the Glorious Evolved; her cloak is a mosaic of ash-violet glass, oxidized cogs, and blackened pistons. Her epithet is often invoked when an inventor feels at a loss. Hers is a blessing that often requires sacrifice. The Glorious Evolved celebrates the old Zaunite tradition of sacrificing something personal for Progress Day in the hopes the next iteration of invention will be better. This practice can be traced back to the troubled years after the opening of the Sun Gates, when the people of Zaun had to rebuild their lives and their city. On the Church, those sacrifices usually are organic parts of the body, which are then replaced by technological augments.
Camille has adopted the moniker of “The Gray Lady” but she is not to be confused with the figure.
Janna[]
- Main article: Janna
“ | ▶️ "The storm approaches." |
— | |
An ancient and mysterious wind spirit, Janna has come to protect the dispossessed of Zaun. Once known as Jan'ahrem, her power was once felt all throughout Shurima, with her aiding the vulnerable of the continent, especially those of the seafaring land of Oshra Va'Zaun. She protected the people of the region during the Great Darkin War, and was instrumental in saving the people of Zaun when it sunk. In modern times, she is seen a deity to many in Zaun, and protects many from the toxins of the sump.
Tahm Kench[]
- Main article: Tahm Kench
Jubilee[]
A local festival dating back several thousand years, the Jubilee has been celebrated every quarter century to give thanks for the sea and the bounty it brings. For modern Piltovans, this is a quaint and happy excuse for traditionally themed feasting. For Zaunites, it has become a more somber observance.
Progress Day[]
Progress Day is an annual festival of Piltover and Zaun. The main focus of this event is the celebration of the city's technological progress. On this day, many awards and promotions are given to the brightest minds from all across Runeterra who are willing to contribute to the advancement of the city, as well as the showcase of new innovations all across the city.
In Piltover, Progress Day marks the moment the Sun Gates opened for the first time, allowing trade to pass easily between the east and west of Valoran. It also marks the moment when taxation on that trade turned the trickle of gold entering the city's coffers into a fast flowing river. But below in Zaun, it is Remembrance Day - a day to remember those lost in the geological upheaval that created the east–west passage and submerged entire districts underwater.
Zaun has an old tradition of sacrificing something personal for Progress Day in the hopes the next iteration of invention would be better. It was a practice that could be traced back to the old days of the city, when the people of Zaun had to rebuild their lives after the devastation of the opening of the Sun Gates. The wealth and growth of Piltover on top of those scarred ruins served as evidence to many that the tradition had merit.
In the Arcane universe, Progress Day remains mostly the same Piltovan holiday. However, it only marks the day of the city's founding, since the Sun Gates don't exist in that universe.
Rites of Passage for Children of Zaun[]
The children of Zaun have made a specific rite of passage for themselves: they hitch a ride on top of the Rising Howl. If they reach the top of Old Hungry with all their limbs intact, cutpurse a chem-baron's attendant, or play knock-and-run ("ding dong ditch?") with a stilt-walking sump-scrapper, they're "one of the big kids."Government[]
Chem-Barons[]
- Main article: Chem-Baron
A Piltovan Chem-Baron who was active during reign over Zaun. He runs The Hush Company, a vast network of informants and fences that acts as a switchboard for any and all illicit activity in the undercity—including that of his fellow Chem-Barons. | |
Corina is a meticulous artist with ambitious dreams for Zaun's future, and aims to become the envy of Piltover's ruling houses and Zaun's warring chem-barons alike. She enjoys gathering deadly ingredients from the rare plants that she grows in her cultivair, her scars artfully concealed by fashionable accoutrements. Her current Magnum Opus is a rare flower that feeds on the volatile chemicals of the Zaun Grey. She is also the arch-nemesis of Sheriff . | |
A chem-baron who spent his fortune on high-grade chemtech. He was killed by . | |
Eramis has occasionally made deals with Piltovan nobles, such as 2 Reggie of Clan Ferros. | |
A Chem-Baron who was active during reign over Zaun. His company, the Slickjaws, specializes in elimination services and purveys both weaponry (including poisons) and manpower for large-scale operations. He attempted to overthrow Silco in disaffection, but fell by the blade of Silco's right-hand . | |
In his youth, Karvyq fell in love with Aurelie of House Tariost. As their love was forbidden, her family had his hands cut off as punishment for his low standing. He replaced them with silver prosthetics, making him known as the Silverhanded. When Aurelie died, Karvyq had a thief steal her ashes, which he then tattooed onto his chest. In the modern age, Karvyq is known for his chemtech products, which are extremely sophisticated, and his intense hatred towards House Tariost. | |
A Chem-Baroness who was active during Silco's reign over Zaun. Her company, The Vyx, provides pleasure services in the undercity, catering to any impulse, persuasion, or inclination. | |
A chem-baron who terrorized the gutters of Zaun, Marko attempted to forcibly marry Lady Sofia of House Arvino so that he would inherit her family's wealth and influence in Piltover. He was assassinated by of Clan Ferros before he could do so. | |
A chem-baron who lost both his arms in an explosion at one of his chem-refineries and had them replaced with mechanical prosthetics. His chemtech stock is one of the most popular blends in Zaun. | |
A chem-baronness who prefers to use manipulation instead of violence to achieve her goals. After being orphaned as a child and left with nothing but her name and her parents' alchemical research, she spent the next few decades building her own business empire by tying everyone's interests to her own and ultimately emerged as Zaun's wealthiest crime lord. | |
A Chem-Baroness who was active during Silco's reign over Zaun. Her company, the Sludgerunners, manufactures chemtech devices for the denizens of the undercity. After her son was accidentally killed by during a raid on one of her factories, she joined in his attempt to overthrow Silco, but backed down after Sevika killed Finn. She has a custom Turbo Chemtank named after her. | |
An Ionian chem-baron known for his violent temperament, he has a reputation for bloody gang warfare and is disdainful towards his fellow chem-barons. Claiming lineage from an exiled caste of warriors from a distant land, he has plans far beyond his own territories and interests. He was also responsible for funding the super-soldier project that created the monster . | |
A drug kingpin who formed the first generation of Chem-Barons and served as their leader. He introduced the drug shimmer to the Zaunite population. After ruling over the undercity for nearly a decade, he was accidentally killed by his adoptive daughter when she suffered a mental breakdown. | |
A Yordle Chem-Baron who was active during Silco's reign over Zaun. His company, the Scrap Hackers, performs cybernetic modifications both cosmetic or performative, from genome hacking to mech-exoskeletons. | |
A chem-baroness with many business interests in Piltover, she deals mainly into golem technology. Her ravaged body was dying, so she had her head transplanted to a hextech-powered replacement. She visits Piltover regularly for fluid baths and blood/oil transfusions. | |
A chem-baroness who served as the warden of the Dredge, a chemtech prison mine located underneath Zaun. She would sometimes offer freedom in return for a prisoner's tortured confession, which she granted with the edge of her blade. She was eventually forced to abandon the Dredge and flee to Piltover after a violent encounter with Urgot, who took control of the mine in her place. | |
A chem-baron who rose to power by murdering his boss and taking over his criminal empire. Armed with a pair of shock-batons, he is a ruthless killer who sees murder and mayhem as tools of the trade. He currently works for Glasc Industries. | |
A family of chembarons formed by Zarkon, Vale, and Drake Poingdestre. Zarkon meets his end at the hands of Warwick, while Vale and Drake are captured by Clan Ferros. |
Organizations[]
Academy of Techmaturgy[]
The Academy is an institution that formed and controls the College Of Techmaturgy.
Chem-Jacks[]
When the pipes of Zaun are backed up with toxic sludge, the chem-jacks use their canker-spars to unblock them. Armored faceplates are a must, because every almshouse already has its share of blinded and burned chem-jacks.
Criminals[]
Zaun has numerous criminal groups: the Gray Nails, the Factorywood Fiends, the Lost Children of Zaun. Chem-punks are gang members from Zaun; the term is also used as a derogatory term for any trouble maker.
- Chem-Punks: Though the majority of troublemaking gangs form in the lower reaches of Zaun, their members come from every level of the city, and Piltover too.
- Chem-Thugs: Chemically augmented gangsters, often used as grunts by the Chem Barons. They are also known as chem-bruisers.
- Firelights: A ragtag group of former shimmer addicts (or those whose lives were ruined by its production) in the Arcane universe. Run by , this group fights for a better Zaun, while also destroying shimmer exports.
- The Sons of Ur: A group that holds a fanatical respect for , and follows the belief that only the strong survive. Urgot, however, did not exactly ask for followers.
- Vigilnauts: Employed by the chem-barons to supervise the stilt-walking sump-scrappers and factory workers, vigilnauts make sure these unfortunates don't try to keep anything valuable for themselves.
Mechanicians[]
Augmented mechanicians are trained to repair searing-hot pipes in the most dangerous parts of Zaun.
Sump-Scrappers[]
Nothing is wasted in Zaun, and even the toxic hinterlands of the Sump can be churned for salvage. These toxic environments are too hostile for an unprotected human, so sump-scrappers make their living wading through the waste on iron stilts.
Sumpsnipes[]
The short life-expectancy of Zaun's workers results in a great many orphans. Sumpsnipes can be found begging, stealing or earning a coin in places where their small size is an advantage.
Relations[]
Ionia[]
Zaunite chemists such as
, which the backing of Noxus, were able to commit horrific war crimes during the Noxian invasion of Ionia. Their chemical weapons decimated Ionian lands that have physical and spiritual scars to this day.Noxus[]
Despite the empire's plans to invade Piltover, Noxus has a friendly relationship with the undercity of Zaun. Mercenaries from Zaun were recruited by Noxus during the invasion of Ionia, the most terrifying being
and his biological weaponry.Piltover[]
As the two leading city-states in the development of hextech, Zaun and Piltover have a deep competitive rivalry, each vying to be the one directing the future of techmaturgy on Runeterra. Smuggling campaigns are frequently orchestrated by Zaunite thieves; the valuable technologies obtained are then later sold on the black market all across Runeterra. The two cities also share deep historical, social, and cultural connections, as Piltover (literally and figuratively) rose from the foundations of Zaun.
Trivia[]
- The crest of Zaun was retroactively made to be based off of the Glasc Industries logo after the release of [3] .
- The name Zaun means "fence" in Standard German, cognate with English town, down, and dune. Ultimately from Proto-Celtic *dunom "enclosure, fortress".
- In the lore, the Twisted Treeline was the last living forest of Zaun. It has since been retroactively relocated to the Shadow Isles as of Patch V1.0.0.150.
- Zaun was inspired by Dieselpunk, Biopunk and Steampunk fantasy genres.
- In Arcane (TV Series), Art Nouveau art style is present rivaling Art Deco which is strongly influenced by Piltover during the same series.[4]
- In Season Nine, the ranked emblems for the League system were redesigned. Zaun represents the emblem for the Bronze rank.
- The Zaun Gray is the thick, chemical atmosphere of Zaun that can be fatal to breathe where densely settled. Much of the city’s is inspiration is by the city of Chicago because of the criminal underworld and its violent past history.
- When Zaun's plan to create a waterway between east and west Valoran went awry, prevented thousands of deaths and is now revered by many there as a guardian saint.
Media[]
See also[]
References
- ↑ Zaun - LeagueOfLegends.com
- ↑ The Lost Children of Zaun Mural - Twitter
- ↑ Kindlejack on Glasc Industries' Logo
- ↑ The Art of Arcane: How the hit series exploded animation’s possibilities for gaming. By Rafael Motamayor - netflixqueue.com