#nerimazeth

One of the biggest challenges I've faced ever since Riot's initial reboot of Runeterra is answering the simple question: 'where can you find Xerath?' For a while I had him occupying some nondescript ruins vaguely somewhere in the south, since the Descent Into the Tomb trailer never bothered to specify where the Magus went after he was freed.

Eventually, Riot released their interactive map and revealed that Xerath was occupying a city called Nerimazeth, located near Mount Targon. It wasn't much to work with, but it was something. I imagine Xerath having occupied the city alongside people who he'd managed to actually convince that HE was the one true god-emperor of Shurima.

I had him occupying a tower in the middle of the city, since I liked the idea of Xerath literally lording over his subjects, and I didn't expect Riot to ever really tell us much about what the city was like. The Twilight of the Gods story that was set in Nerimazeth gave us some info, but the most prominent feature we get in that story is that Nerimazeth has an amphitheater.

Then Legends of Runeterra came along and finally revealed to us what Nerimazeth is like under Xerath's control:

Absolutely fucked.

Xerath has evidently made no effort to make the city habitable by human standards, instead filling the ruins with big monuments made to siphon energy from the land and turning his followers into his own variant of Baccai.

Now, I actually don't dislike this as a concept, as it finally gives us an answer as to how Xerath is trying to go about breaking his seal in the new lore. The issue is that, as a roleplayer, this presents something of a problem for me... Or more specifically, my partners.

I mean, traveling to the territory of a crazy magical demigod was already kind of tricky for some people to justify their muses doing back when that territory was an actual city. Now if other muses want to have an audience with Xerath, they have to travel through a desolate wasteland leaking arcane power and inhabited by zealous energy monsters.

Riot writers, bored, head empty:

Anyone in need of plain southern continent map with towns and rivers? No one? Here you go anyway>

• Xerath is officialy the first and only Baccai Champion, even tho he doesn’t exacly represent the norm among this type of Ascended. 

• Xerath was born in Saikhal, moved to Nerimazeth and than got dragged to the Capital. Long trip. Also, he held Saikhal dear, he asked Azir to go there with him after Azir’s coronation and they've spent some quality time together. :)

• Azir gave Xerath PTSD and Xerath gave PTSD to everybody else including Azir!

• Azir was not nice to slaves other than Xerath (and also not always to Xerath) till long after Xerath called him out, just as I suspected. (They are basicaly both equaly, moraly fucked up.)

• Everyone knows Azir, but nobody knows Xerath and Azir is hella mad about it because nobody knows why he is soo mad. He has to explain constantly what caused his PTSD, what ultimately triggers his PTSD.

• Xerath’s situation is pitied even by protagonist of the story what causes Azir to dissociate and mildly hurt a child. (mmm Nice!)

• Azir was well aware of Xerath’s shenanigans, his hands are bloodied even more than Xerath’s if you add wars declared by Azir, and towns burned by him to the bill.

• Apparently Azir guilt-trips people for using national water sources (im the emperor, this water is mine!) and walking the same land as war criminals.

• Prior to "Water and Shade To You" Azir never asked himself if its okay to murder whole villages, he just slaughtered people and there was nothing wrong with it.

• "These people dont even know who Xerath is but thats okay! I will kill them anyway because Xerath and Nasus were partying to hard in Vekaura while trying to slap Sivir's cheeks and my mom used to live there." (good that he hasnt seen Vekaura prior the incident, Nasus just roasted it, but Azir would murder whole Vekaura himself knowing him now)

• But hey, good thing is that Azir travels and interacts with people!

• But how far on sociopath end you need to be to have a chill convo with 8 year old for 10 minutes and later tell her that she doesnt need to notify her family where she is because you will kill them all in, like, several minutes

• Azir ordered people to be executed for far less than being hit with pottery, and he said that he didn't even feel it. Execution is fully for disrespecting him without any witnesses around, let that sink in.

• Azir can't feel anything, like water flowing around his hand or heat of the sun and im honestly kinda worried, because ascended normally feel stuff if i remmember correctly.

• Azir can turn sand into gold (motherfucking Midas)

• And he does Kintsugi (what a tallented boi!)

• Apparently tributaries of Mother of Life are also fuelled by the Sun Disk.

• Azir misses some woman deeply, is that his wife, Sivir or someone else? Who knows!

Pantheon, pls, respect the pronouns, u dick.

Like, i know that he has no idea if xerath is male or female but at least call him they/them, not it! He is sexless btw for anyone interested (what is quite self evident).