League of Legends lora - K'Sante's Story

Introduction

Today we're going to talk about the story of K’Sante. We are also going to talk about where the story is heading I'll show you how it's all connected to the Cinematic but also I will explain some of the more interesting Champion interactions so, without further Ado, here's the complete story of K’Sante!

K'Sante - Beginning

As we all know K’Sante comes from a hidden region in southern Shurima called Nazumah.

K’Sante grew up immersed in the history of his homeland, as his father often told him stories about how their ancestors resisted the tyranny of the ascended. While his mother told him about the monsters his people had slain as they traveled south where, among the forests and waterfalls, they would build the Free Republic of Nazumah. 

For 20 years K’Sante trained with various martial teachers but it was his own parents that told him to respect Nazumah’s enemies — the ruthless predators and Warlords who were interested in the resources Nazumah offered and they reminded him it would take more than brood's strength to remain a free republic.

During his training, K'Sante studied with Scholars who tough him how to use the materials harvested from his prey, how they could be turned into weapons and infrastructure that had supported Nazumah for 50 years. On his early hunts K’Sante forged a close friendship with a young man called Tope who came from Marrowmark.

K'Sante and Tape

Marrowmark is a trade settlement that as you can see was built inside a gigantic carcass.

While K’Sante was great in close combat, Tope specialized in ranged assault.

Together they were unmatched and as their teamwork grew stronger so did their bond. On one evening K’Sante confessed to Tope admitting his real feelings. When K’Sante learned that Tope fell to the same way, under the stars of that night all seemed right. But it was not!

At this point the Mage Xerath was at war with the resurrected ascended Emperor Azir and, as the two ravaged the continent as they fought for dominance over Shurima, they both deployed monstrous Abominations among their forces.

 This is where we can mention something very interesting — these Abominations are the Baccai.

Now up until this moment we knew that the Baccai were ascended Warriors who were Unworthy of the Ascension ritual and instead of becoming the Glorious ascended golden Warriors they became the Baccai. Since the story mentioned that both Azir and Xerath use the Baccai in their wars, in Azir's case it most likely means the Baccai that were hidden underneath the Empire which Nasus standed to. At least that's what we learned from Legends of Runterra.
When it comes to Xerath, something interesting is happening here. Xerath used the Ascension ritual on animals that's how he created these Abominations so even though these creatures were not originally humans, we assume they still categorize as the Baccai.

Now you may be wondering how can Xerath use the Ascension ritual? Don't you need the SunDisk for that?
Yes you do! And that's where a really cool part kicks in you see after Sivir accidentally resurrected Azir and she released Xerath back into the world, Xerath traveled to the ruins of a city called Narimazeth.

The reason why why he was interested in this place is because Narimazeth was the first city where Shurimans built the Sun Disk. This was supposed to be the capital city of Shurima and it was the city where Shurimans, or maybe technically dargonians, tested the Ascension ritual for the first time.
Unfortunately the first ever ritual failed and the entire city collapsed so Xerath traveled to the ruins of this city so that he could try and rebuild the very first version of the Sun Disk, which he could use to build a powerful army.

This was never mentioned in K’Sante's story but if you connect all the Shuriman stories together you may realize that is what's happening in the background and we find that really cool!

The fight with the Baccai - the Cobra-Lion

After Azir and Xerath deployed the Baccai, Nazumah’s Scout noticed one such creature terrorizing the nearby Savannah. It was a colossal Predator shaped like a lion and a cobra when the leaders of Nazumah asked who could defeat the Beast, K’Sante and Tope pledged their might.

On their first attempt the Beast easily deflected all their attacks. They discovered that the Beast was covered in armor that regenerated non-lethal blows. After failing to draw blood the two Hunters were forced to retreat.

The two Hunters returned to the Beast again and again. If K’Sante wanted to become Nazumah's greatest hunter he had to slay this Beast. Nothing else mattered so he trained dawn to dusk convinced that Tope would understand.
Meanwhile Tope studied the Beast and even as he presented his plan to K’Sante, he quietly questioned if the two were strong enough. Eventually during one attempt they claimed the piece of the Cobra-Lion's armor. Tope hailed this as success and he wanted to bring along more Hunters so that they could make more progress.

But K’Sante began to see the Cobra-Lion as his undertaking alone. The heroes he idealized when growing up never failed in battle so K’Sante couldn't either. Especially not by accepting more support for his battle after trying Tope's ideas which weren't working.

Tape and K'Sante - the conflict

K’Sante wondered if Tope was holding him back, so he dismissed Tope's strategies as futile. Hurt though, Tope mentioned that blind training was no better and that K’Sante's determination turned into self-serving self-minded drive.
As the two Hunters continued their encounters with the Cobra-Lion, their inner fights grew and they exchanged fewer and fewer words until they could only agree on going their separate ways. All this arguing is what you can see in K’Sante's cinematic. 

Over the next year K’Sante kept training and he had made some progress, but he realized his strength was not enough. He needed help so he gathered the courage to visit Tope's home, only to learn that his former partner returned to Marrowmark.
However Tope left behind his journal to assist K’Sante in his fight against his greatest monster. And from this journal K’Sante finally learned what the Cobra lion truly was.

Toby claimed that the Beast was a Baccai. A failed ascended being, he theorized that it was a vile misuse of magic and that it was likely Xerath who manipulates true human animals using the Ascension ritual.
Engrossed K’Sante reads through the entire Journal discovering Tope's theories about how to slay the Baccai and by that evening he came up with a plan to practice Tope's theories on lesser monsters.

As his skills grew, just like he mentioned in his cinematic, K’Sante realized his pride had led him astray. He respected his enemy more than his partner's ideas.
After accepting his shortcomings K’Sante steadily moved on. Thankful for what they had shared but also grateful to walk his own path with a new perspective.

And so beneath the Scarlet Sky K’Sante approached the Cobra lion once more, and of course, this is where the Cinematic happens.

However the story explains what exactly happens. K’Sante calculated his opponent's every maneuver. Dodging when the Beast struck, and striking when the Beast slipped. Sunrise became Sundown.
His weapons were shattered. His body bloodied. But his Spirit was unyielding.

K'Sante - the victory over the Baccai monster

Inspired by Tope's theories, when the Beast tired K’Sante cornered it against a waterfall where the natural Waters weakened the Cobra-Lion’s armor, allowing K’Sante to deliver the final blow.

Exhausted, K’Sante stood tall. Proud not of what he had accomplished but of the journey he had taken. When he returned home he was celebrated. Following tradition, he donated the creature's body to the scholars who studied it, keeping only a couple of slabs of its armor to refine the design of his signature weapons. They were now engineered to retain the regenerative properties on the outer layer — meaning K’Sante could wield them as sharp blades until they reformed.

For a finishing detail he carved onto each natofo the symbol of the Cobra-Lion which Tope had drawn in the journal. Though their time together had ended, K’Sante knew his success was not achieved alone. Today he is hailed as the pride of Nazumah, but if he is ever to become its greatest leader he has learned he must never again let ego cloud his judgment.

His home's future with the ascended threat looming is uncertain. But K’Sante knows that should Azir or Xerath dare march to the South, he stands ready to fight.

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