Piltover

Piltover is a city-state on the northeastern part of Valoran.

Lore Edit

Piltover, also known as the City of Progress, is the leading center of ecologically-minded techmaturgical research on Valoran. The city's great academies and their contributions to science are known across the land, rivaled only by the eccentric colleges found in Zaun. Strangely, the coastal nation is situated atop a relatively small mountain in a vast greenish marsh. The denizens of Piltover appear to be utilizing the liquid and gases emitting from the marsh as a viable source of energy in order to power the city.

Culture Edit

The individuals who travel to and wish to reside in Piltover have a seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge. This pursuit can lead them across a variety of academic fields, be it techmaturgy, medicine, archaeology, etc. The city's researchers clearly take great pleasure exploring and expanding their scientific inquiries. However, many of them have now turned their attention to the current state of conflict on Valoran. Seeing what they consider an unacceptable situation, the scientists and denizens of the City of Progress have come together to work collectively in order to rectify the problems plaguing the continent. They firmly believe that science is the key to saving Runeterra.

Another reason Piltover is referred to as the City of Progress is due to its extraordinarily low crime rate. This hasn't always been the case; brigands and thieves of all sorts used to find the city-state an ideal mark for plunder, primarily due to the valuable resources it imports to fuel its techmaturgical research. Some even theorize that it would have fallen long ago to the chaos of organized crime if not for Caitlyn, the Sheriff of Piltover. At a young age Caitlyn discovered that she possessed a natural gift for investigation. She also found that she was one of the sharpest shots in the city. Caitlyn gained notoriety as she was singlehandedly defeating crime in Piltover. Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow, later became Piltover's Sentinel after he singlehandedly destroyed the lab of the Zaunite scientist, Viktor, the Machine Herald.

Though Piltover produces an abundant amount of techmaturgical marvels, the city's denizens strive to be as environmentally friendly as possible. They are constantly developing new and improved methods for renewable energy.

Government Edit

Piltover has a very empathic and progressive governing body. It is indicated that the citizens of Piltover collectively elect their representatives, who are referred to as statesmen. In order to improve the city-state's social and environmental well-being, statesmen constantly strive to implement their nation's rapid scientific innovations.

Yordle Academy of Science & Progress Edit

There is a significant yordle population that resides in Piltover. Heimerdinger, the Revered Inventor, had an allure to science that he could not resist, and wanted to make his mark on the City of Progress. Before leaving Bandle City he gathered like-minded Yordles to join him in his quest to Piltover, thus forming the backbone of the now famous Yordle Academy of Science & Progress. Since then, his academy has become one of the leading institutions in all of Valoran. It has pioneered many new scientific achievements, delving deeper and deeper into the field of techmaturgy. The more interesting contraptions Heimerdinger and his colleagues have put together are on permanent display at the academy, with tours being granted nearly every day of the week.

Examples of Heimerdinger and his academy's many inventions include:

Seven Lenses of Insight: one of a kind goggles given to Master Yi, the Wuju Bladesman, allowing him to see across a wider range of the spectrum than normal people see.^[1]
Star Rods: hextech devices which emit light and are used to illuminate the streets of Piltover.
Reconnaissance Operations Front-Line Copter: an aerial vehicle which has become the backbone of the Bandle City Expeditionary Force (BCEF).
Patrol Rescue Bot: an automaton deployed by the Piltover Patrol in order to search for missing individuals.
Drain Out Of Mana Machine: the "D.O.O.M. Machine" was an experimental device that was capable of extracting magic from its surrounding area.^[2]
H-28G Evolution Turret: a stationary automaton gun which rapidly shoots out bullets infused with magic.
Hextech Micro-Rockets: jet engine long-range projectiles which can strike multiple targets.
CH-1 Concussion Grenade: a small explosive bomb thrown at a targeted location which causes enemies within that area to be damaged, blinded, and stunned.
Techmaturgical Repair Bots: miniature automatons which self-repair other techmaturgical devices over time.

Piltover Customs Edit

Desiring a more suitable location to construct his techmaturgical vehicles, Heimerdinger built a new expanded workshop outside his Yordle Academy.^[3] The workshop, called Piltover Customs, has gone off to become the most successful transportation customization and modification enterprise on Runeterra.

The co-owner and chief mechanic, Corki, the Daring Bombardier, enjoys tinkering with all the hextech gizmos that are regularly brought to him. He and the company provides a tour for the shop by special request only.^[4]

The Grandmaster Explorer of Piltover Edit

A large network of the intricate tunnels can be found underneath the Piltover, and for years they were long thought to be unnavigable. This was until the tunnels were fully mapped out by

Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer. The quality of his work was so remarkable that the Piltover government purchased his maps and commissioned his services as the city-state's Grandmaster Explorer in archaeology. Since then Ezreal's countless adventures have been romanticized and published by the city. He also occasionally brings back many ancient artifacts he finds to Piltover and to the League for further study.

The Piltover Patrol Edit

With the goal of using their combined knowledge to give aid to others as quickly as possible, the city's officials created multiple search and rescue teams that can be mobilized across Valoran at a moment's notice. The teams, referred collectively as the Piltover Patrol, serve to assist anyone in dire need. Each member is highly trained to handle different levels of emergencies. When searching for missing individuals the rescuers deploy the Piltover Rescue Bot, a recent prototype created by the famed inventor Heimerdinger, to hover over and scan large areas of land. Should an individual be found severely sick or injured, the rescue teams are capable of swiftly transporting them back to Piltover. The individual is then treated as a patient by the city-state's top medical staff and is cared for around the clock.

Relations with Zaun Edit

As the two leading city-states in the development of hextech, Piltover and Zaun have a deep competitive rivalry, both vying to be the ones directing the future of techmaturgy on Runeterra. League matches between the two nations have a tendency to begin with their champions exchanging contemptuous banter and moody glares.^[5]

Relations with Demacia Edit

Though Piltover and Demacia may have their differences at times and fight them out on the Field of Justice, the two city-states are on relatively friendly terms. Scientists from the City of Progress are usually welcomed inside Demacia. However, should the scientists wish to perform experiments there, they must first get clearance from Demacian officials.

History Edit

Missing Piltovian Boy Found Edit

The Piltover Patrol found a young inventor from Piltover who was previously reported missing for the last three months. Piltover officials mobilized all available rescue teams to recover the well-known 14-year-old prodigy of techmaturgy. He was discovered afflicted with a withering disease and close to death in the northern jungles of Kumungu. The rescue team quickly transported the boy back to the city-state, and he was quarantined to prevent spreading the disease. The medical staff raced to save his life, though a source within the Patrol described the boy's status as worrisome. The source explained that the strange disease was ravaging the boy's body, and even with the advanced state of Piltover's medical care, the disease was spreading too quickly for his young body to cope with. His name was withheld because he was a minor.

The Festival of Flight Edit

Tensions between Piltover and Zaun renewed as the 16th Festival of Flight race drew near, marking the beginning of the annual Techmaturgical Conference. The city of Zaun had been named victor of the symbolic event for the last four years running, though they showed a great deal of trepidation towards the upcoming match after Piltover publicly unveiled their new state-of-the-art zeppelin.

While it's difficult to classify any dirigible as small, the appropriately named “Tailwind” aircraft was a record-breaking length of 27 meters. Not only was it the first zeppelin to meet such small size constraints, but it also pioneered the utilization of Piltoverian Chrono-Technology. The new prototype “Chrono-propeller” engine, which received tremendous design contributions from fellow League Champion Zilean, the Chronokeeper, was rumored to manipulate time itself to reach speeds that would otherwise be impossible under Valoran’s constantly changing atmospheric conditions. The zeppelin would be piloted in the race by Janna, the Storm's Fury, who was once one of Zaun’s most promising mage talents before defecting from the city-state several years ago.^[6]

Piltover Wins the Annual Zeppelin Race Edit

Janna’s record-breaking zeppelin "Tailwind" defeated the Zaunite flagship "Lead Zeppelin" at the annual Techmaturgical Conference in Piltover. Zaun's "Lead Zeppelin" had maintained a strong lead from the race’s start in Piltover. The Zaunite flagship, a powerhouse of black metal and Zaunite techmaturgy, had claimed victory at the Conference for the past four years. As the two zeppelins crossed the Bluewind Bay, however, Tailwind’s chrono-propeller engine allowed the craft to navigate through the bay's storms utterly unfettered, securing Piltover’s victory.

The Hexplosives Expert Edit

Some time after

Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert, accidentally blew up the wall of the Academy, Zaunite agents infiltrated Piltover and kidnapped the yordles. The Piltover military tracked the hostages to a Zaunite prison. They tried to break them free but to no avail, their weapons proved useless against their fortified walls.

Ziggs then came to the scene with his new and improved bombs he lovingly calls "hexplosives". Ziggs used his most powerful bomb, the Mega Inferno Bomb, to destroy the reinforced walls. Once the smoke diminished he lashed out at the guards with an array of unique hexplosives, broke the yordles' cell and led them back to Piltover.

The Defender of Tomorrow Edit

A friendly visit from the Zaunite scientist,

Viktor, the Machine Herald, quickly turned into an all-out assault of

Jayce's lab in a successful attempt at stealing the arcane crystal. Piltover officials refused to attack Zaun to prevent the thievery from escalating into an all-out war between the two city-states. With no response from the officials, Jayce chose to seclude himself inside his lab. Rumor spread he was developing a powerful weapon for an assault against the Zaunite scientist.

After many restless day and nights, Jayce finally made himself public again, carrying with him the supposedly rumored weapon, the Mercury Hammer. With this, Jayce assualted Viktor's lab, defeated him and his acolytes and destroyed the crystal. On his return, the citizens of Piltover showered him with adoration. But with his actions he knew that Zaun would soon act again and try to wreak havoc in Piltover. So he made a solemn vow to defend all of Piltover from any danger that comes.

An Ancient Mystery In Runeterra Edit

Hey, everyone. Ezreal here.

Normally, I wouldn't ask for help. I've come across a lot of interesting relics in my travels, but never anything like these.

I've gathered everything on my desk for all of you to take a look. The important thing is that these relics were found all over Runeterra, and they date from different and completely unconnected eras. The thing is... they all share one similarity: they show a dark figure, clearly inhuman, wielding a jagged blade.

This is a mystery I'm not sure I want solved. From what I can gather so far, this dark figure has been at the center of many bloody conflicts and tales of war. What do you think? Who is this figure, and what role has he played in Runeterra's history?

Oh, and if you really want to hear some of the stories about these things... I'll tell them, but some of them aren't pretty.

Take a look at this. It's a stained glass window from Demacia.

Don't ask me how I got it. I'm going to give it back, I promise. I'm borrowing it for research, and they'll never know it's missing. Demacians never stop talking about light, so what do they really need a window for, anyway?

Look closely. See the shape in the center with the wings and the jagged sword? That's the figure I've been seeing everywhere.

This is the first artifact that really got me thinking. It's not that old, and it can't really go back more than a few generations at most. I asked around, and nobody knows what the figure is or if he has a name. They all agreed on one thing though: whoever this figure is, he's clearly someone worth remembering to be immortalized like this.

But why does he appear in so many other places? So many of these artifacts are ancient, and some are from lost civilizations so old they don't even have names.

How is that possible?

This statuette is from Noxus.

Yes, Noxus. You know how I feel about Noxians, but their city is full of history. It'll take more than dark magic, guards with massive axes, and a creepy bird guy to keep me from exploring the most important places in Valoran.

Noxus is full of these kinds of statuettes. Usually, they're made as tributes to the nation's greatest heroes, but this one doesn't look like any Noxian war hero I've ever heard of. I know of plenty, too, believe me: pick up any Noxian book and it's probably a way-too-lengthy chronicle of some hero's life, conquests, and the size of their weapon. I wouldn't have looked twice at this one if I hadn't recognized the figure.

Here's the thing that's really nagging me... what's Noxus doing with statues of a figure that shows up in Demacian art, too?

When

I noticed the similarities between the Demacian stained glass and the Noxian statue, I had to know more. I pulled as many books as I could out of the library at Piltover's academy. There are some sections there restricted to everyone but academy graduates. I could have gotten in on my own, but I didn't want to burn any bridges, so I had

Jayce help me out. Everyone loves that guy.

The smaller one is a book of Noxian war poems. Most of what's inside is standard Noxian military fare, but the blade on the cover captured my attention.

The big one right here is an old book of fables and stories. Not all of them are entirely true, but one of them caught my eye. The character in the story is an arrogant general leading his warriors into battle and winning with ease. He has the last of his enemies cornered, but…

you know what they say about pride before a fall.

A great warrior—that's right, our dark figure—appears in the battle. The arrogant general's enemies, men on the verge of death, are inspired by his presence. "They rose from their knees as though he'd lit their very blood aflame," it says. "The shamed general watched as his men were cleaved by an army that had begged for mercy just moments before. His enemies had become murderers and butchers. As they closed on him, the general could not be certain whether they were still men at all."

Shurima's been gone for centuries. It's hardly anything but dust now, but the ruins that remain show a massive civilization that once thrived in the desert. I have no idea what happened to the empire. It seems like it vanished without a trace... but that's a whole different mystery.

I found this urn in a tomb there. From the look of the place and some of the carvings on the walls, it was the final resting place of a great Shuriman warlord who led a battle against impossible odds. He and his men should have gone out in a blaze of glory, but somehow, they won. Just a handful of warriors defeated thousands of enemies who rose against them.

It's no wonder they'd immortalize that kind of victory on the walls of a tomb, but what is this dark figure doing on the urn? What part did he play in this battle? I just don't get it.

You can carve plenty of interesting things out of the Freljord's ice. That place has always been a battleground, so I wouldn't have thought twice about digging up a dagger like this one if it weren't for two things. One: check out the etching in the metal. Look closely enough and you'll see the same serrated design found in the rest of these relics. Two, well… the dagger's hilt is carved from human bone.

Here's where it gets more interesting. The tribesmen of that region say the figure on the blade is a legend, a "warrior-savior" who appeared during a battle against a hated rival tribe several years ago. They'd almost lost the battle, but the warrior appeared and led them to a crushing victory over their enemies. They left no one alive, but when the tribesmen went to celebrate with their champion, he'd already vanished. They say that - in his memory - they took the bones of their enemies as trophies.

It sounds like a similar story to the one from the Shuriman tomb. Both tell of a warrior who appeared and turned the tide of a great battle... but at a gruesome cost.

This Ionian woodblock was carved long before the war with Noxus. They're rare nowadays, but they're always more or less the same. They all depict things of beauty: landscapes, monks in meditation, the stars and the night sky, all of that "enlightenment" stuff they're always on about. All of them... except this one.

I've never seen anything like it. It's that same dark figure with that same blade - and the worst thing - I don't think those red stains are ink...

I got lucky with this one. I found it stuck between the pages of that huge book. It's not the same paper, and it's pretty damaged. Maybe someone got to this research before me, but they didn't get as far as I did.

In the image, it looks like these men are revering a statue of the dark figure. The statue itself looks like it's half-unearthed. It might not even be something they built, but something they found.

What is it about this figure that drove these people to be so devoted to him?

I won these coins off a certain

Card Master whose name I won't say... and whose real name I don't even know. I'd lost every single hand up until this one, and the one time I beat him, of course he'd bet completely useless old coins. I can't spend them anywhere in Valoran. At least I've found a "use" for them now. It took me a while to realize it, but that's the same

jagged blade on these old coins.

Finally, there's this pendant to the right. It's very, very old, and I have no idea where it originally came from. That's the dark figure's face right there in the metal. Whoever he is, he's been around for a really long time.

That's all I've collected so far. So… what do you think? Who is this figure, and what does his presence mean?

I know one thing: I never want to meet him...

Development Edit

City-State Champions Edit

Champion	Ties
Caitlyn, the Sheriff of Piltover	Birthplace; head Piltovian law officer
Corki, the Daring Bombardier	Residence; chief mechanic of Piltover Customs
Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer	Birthplace; Grandmaster Explorer of Piltover
Heimerdinger, the Revered Inventor	Residence; founder of the Yordle Academy
Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow	Birthplace; Piltovian hero; Mercury Hammer inventor
Orianna Reveck, the Lady of Clockwork	"Birthplace"; clockwork automaton of Corin Reveck
Vi, the Piltover Enforcer	Birthplace; reformed Piltovian criminal
Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert	Residence; Dean of Demolitions

Associated Champions Edit

Champion	Ties
Janna, the Storm's Fury	Indirect ally to Piltover; pilot of the Tailwind
Viktor, the Machine Herald	An adversary to Jayce
Zilean, the Chronokeeper	Design contributor for the Chrono-propeller engine

Reference Edit

[0] Seven Lenses of Insight

[1] Large Explosion Blows Crater in Road Outside Demacia

[2] Heimer's Workshop

[3] Flames for Your Wagon

[4] The Trees Live!

[5] It Takes Time to Win-d

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Places in Runeterra
Valoran	League City-States	Bandle City Bilgewater Demacia Freljord Ionia Noxus Piltover Zaun
	Other Areas	Blue Flame Island Kalamanda Howling Marsh Icathia Ironspike Mountains Kumungu Lokfar Mogron Pass Mount Targon Plague Jungles Serpentine River Shadow Isles Shurima Desert The Institute of War Urtistan Voodoo Lands
	Fields of Justice	Crystal Scar Howling Abyss Magma Chamber Proving Grounds Summoner's Rift Twisted Treeline
Continents and Dimensions		The Glade Valoran The Void