Chapter Summaries

Garen and Lux forced Silvermine City's collateral nobles to fund and help build the northern fortress, but Lux's visit left her convinced that Demacia's nobility was obstructing the country's development. She resolved to dismantle the old noble system and build a new era, beginning in Freljord and Silvermine City.

• Garen threatened Silvermine City's collateral nobles over their earlier support for buying off the Freljordians, and his guards stopped them when they surged toward him.
• Lux entered the banquet hall with six Hextech wielders, frightening the nobles into joining a chaotic dance before she toasted Silvermine City's lasting peace.
• Under pressure from Garen and Lux, the collateral nobles agreed to contribute money and labor to the northern fortress.
• After the banquet, Lux reflected on Silvermine City's stagnant development and connected it to the nobility's obstruction of commoners and progress.
• Lux concluded that noble descendants had become obstacles to Demacia's future and resolved to sweep away noble politics, beginning in Freljord and Silvermine City.

After Silvermine City’s flood and invasion left its people destitute, Garen approved his collateral relatives’ plan to buy up their land and shops. Lux feared the consolidation would derail reform, so Karya proposed using Lux’s position and the nobles’ own supplies to offer the commoners another way to survive; she ended by hinting at a plan.

• Silvermine City remained flooded and damaged, while the surrounding farmers faced hunger and the loss of seed for spring planting.
• The Crown Guard collateral nobles proposed buying land and shops from disaster-struck commoners, and Garen approved the plan.
• Lux objected to the consolidation and asked Karya how to protect the people’s land without depriving them of food and supplies.
• Karya suggested that Lux borrow from Peter, obtain supplies from her relatives, and lend them to the disaster victims.
• Karya told Lux that greed could make the nobles accept her proposal and said she had an interesting plan.

Lux exchanged her share of Silvermine City's land and shops for grain, tools, and money, while the Crown Guard collateral nobles engineered a famine to force commoners to sell their property. The Northern Second Legion disrupted the scheme by lending farmers grain on favorable terms, leaving the nobles unable to stop them.

• The Crown Guard collateral nobles divided the annexation shares, and Lux negotiated with five families to exchange her entire share for their stored grain, tools, and money.
• As grain prices soared, the nobles withheld supplies and pressured hungry commoners to trade farmland and shops for food.
• Colonel Borga and the Northern Second Legion began lending captured grain to farmers, who would repay after the harvest.
• The nobles discovered the loans offered farmers favorable terms compared with ordinary grain prices and appealed to Garen to stop the army.
• Garen supported the Second Legion, which stood firm and argued that public goodwill would help secure support for northern fortresses.

Luxanna used supplies from the five Crown Guard collateral families to help the Second Legion lend grain to Silvermine City’s people, ruining the nobles’ land-consolidation scheme. She then drew the five families into a new trade agreement and left them positioned to support her as the nobles turned against the military.

• The Crown Guard collateral nobles tried to recruit Borga into their land-consolidation plan, but he refused their offer and left the banquet.
• The nobles retaliated by lending grain themselves and spreading rumors that the Second Legion’s supplies had been stolen from the people, while Borga and his soldiers continued their work calmly.
• Luxanna invited the five families that had transferred shares to her to dinner and offered them a generous contract exchanging their supplies for Freljordian goods.
• Fubulas realized that Luxanna had used the supplies to help the Second Legion undermine the nobles’ monopoly, and Luxanna asked the five families to explain matters if people attacked the military camp.
• The five families accepted that they could not safely oppose Luxanna and began considering the new contracts and their future ties to Freljord.

The collateral nobles tried to undermine the Second Legion’s grain-lending effort, but Mitz, Sisir, and Borga exposed their scheme and won public support. After Lux questioned the man hired to cause trouble, the nobles faced further evidence that they had orchestrated the attack.

• The five heads of house realized Lux’s plan had already taken effect and chose to side with her for the benefits of Freljordian trade.
• A crowd led by a burly man accused the Second Legion of loaning out grain captured from supplies stolen from Silvermine City’s farmers.
• Sisir Crown Guard challenged the burly man’s claims, then demanded that Borga explain the grain’s source.
• Mitz arrived and revealed that his family and the families of Poma, Dous, and Saiqi had supplied the grain to thwart nobles trying to seize land and shops.
• Mitz opened the storehouses, and Silvermine City residents recognized the grain as public grain rather than farmers’ private stores.
• Lux interrogated the burly man, who confessed that he had been paid thirty silver coins to cause trouble, leaving the nobles’ scheme exposed.

The collateral nobles of Silvermine City misread Lux’s intervention and the five families’ actions as a political alliance, while Winter’s Claw splintered after its defeat at Silvermine City. Sejuani returned to the ruined Sanjigra Plains, where starving Ice Trolls pursued her until a wild voice called out.

• Silvermine City’s collateral nobles suspected Lux had helped the five families and the Second Legion pursue their own interests, and their banquets became less frequent as they reconsidered their positions.
• Winter’s Claw, which Sejuani had built through raids and victories, began to fracture after its defeat at Silvermine City and the news that Sejuani’s fate was unknown.
• Fleeing warriors returned to the Sanjigra Plains, and tribes once held under Winter’s Claw’s heel attacked while the leaderless tribe collapsed.
• Sejuani returned to Freljord on makeshift crutches after losing Udyr, Steelmane, half her body, and the North Wind Flail, and found Winter’s Claw devastated.
• Sejuani raised a battle standard on the Sanjigra Plains, but only starving Ice Trolls answered, forcing her to flee until she heard a voice cry, “Submit to the storm and thunder!”

Luxanna returned to Freljord after helping Silvermine City recover, bringing thousands of flood-displaced households with her. She planned how to settle and educate the newcomers as part of her broader effort to grow Freljord’s population and prepare it for industrial development.

• Garen left Silvermine City’s reconstruction decisions to Luxanna, while Karya teased her and let her manage the work for over half a month.
• Luxanna prevented large-scale land consolidation, gained support from five noble families for Freljordian trade, and recruited nearly four thousand households displaced by Silvermine City’s floods.
• Luxanna, the Second Legion, the Northern Wanderers, and Spellcasters moved more than ten thousand people north, with fewer than one in ten dying during the winter journey.
• Luxanna outlined Freljord’s population-growth strategy, including tax exemptions, child benefits, immigration, and plans for a new city and harbor.
• Luxanna arranged for the newcomers to be settled apart from established communities, with children sent to school, elderly people assisting Spellcasters, and able-bodied adults assigned to Velo Village’s stone-processing industry.

After discovering that Demacia City had sent no troops to aid Silvermine City, Lux realized a major crisis must have kept the kingdom from responding and sent Shyvana and Karya to investigate. They set out for Demacia City, while Lux remained in Freljord awaiting answers.

• Lux read Garen’s letter and, prompted by Karya, realized Demacia City’s lack of help during the Silvermine City campaign was suspicious.
• Lux wrote to Borga and sent Shyvana to Silvermine City to ask whether Demacia City had sent reinforcements.
• Shyvana returned with Borga’s reply confirming that Demacia City had sent no soldiers to help Silvermine City.
• Lux decided to investigate the reason and asked Shyvana to go to Demacia City with Karya.
• Karya joined Shyvana for the journey, easing her nerves with teasing as Lux saw them off.

Shyvana and Karya investigated the rumors surrounding the angels’ descent and then traced Jarvan IV’s movements through Demacia’s upper circles. Their findings suggested that Jarvan IV had secretly disappeared for much of the past year, and they began to suspect a conspiracy involving Jiawen III’s illness.

• Shyvana questioned the Art Support Association’s receptionist, who claimed the Illuminators had staged the angels’ descent to recover from an earlier public embarrassment.
• Shyvana and Karya gathered conflicting, unsupported explanations of the angels’ descent around Demacia City and decided to investigate the people involved instead.
• Karya guided Shyvana in using her meeting with Jarvan IV to ask nobles and other contacts about the prince’s whereabouts.
• After more than half a month, Shyvana pieced together that Jarvan IV had vanished from Demacia City’s noble circles around the start of winter, while people offered conflicting theories about his destination.
• Shyvana and Karya connected Jarvan IV’s disappearance to Jiawen III’s illness, which had limited noble assemblies and banquets, and suspected a conspiracy.

Karya investigated Jarvan IV’s disappearance and used rumors about the prince’s illness and Silvermine City’s near-fall to expose the royal family’s concealment. Jiawen III refused to abandon his plan and revealed he would let a collateral Lightshield branch inherit if Jarvan failed; a secret meeting then began in Nullstone Prison.

• Karya stopped Shyvana’s direct search for Jarvan IV and devised a plan to provoke someone into revealing the truth.
• Jiawen III met with the Cardinal Bishop, denied that the Illuminators had leaked Jarvan’s absence, and ordered him to keep the rumors hidden until Jarvan completed his trial.
• After confirming the king and the Illuminators were concealing the truth, Karya told Shyvana to spread word that Jarvan had failed to appear during Silvermine City’s crisis.
• Karya’s rumors spread through Demacia, prompting nobles to question why Jarvan had not led the relief effort and why Jiawen III had hidden the attack.
• Jiawen III told the Cardinal Bishop that if Jarvan died during his ascent, a collateral Lightshield branch could inherit the throne and he would move against the Illuminators.
• The Cardinal Bishop left Dawn Castle, while a secret meeting began inside the rebuilt Nullstone Prison.

The Cardinal Bishop learned that Jiawen III planned for Jarvan IV to undergo the Stone Crown Punishment, giving Demacia and the Lightbringer Order a chance to unite church and state if he reached Mount Targon’s summit. As Jarvan IV and Taric struggled up the mountain, they found a hut where its mysterious occupant recognized Taric and invited them inside.

• The Cardinal Bishop agreed to support Jiawen III’s secret plan to send Jarvan IV up Mount Targon, hoping the prince would return as both Demacia’s emperor and the Lightbringer Order’s pope.
• Jiawen III ordered the plan kept secret until Jarvan IV either returned or failed to return from the mountain.
• Jarvan IV endured the agonizing climb beyond the meadow zone with Taric’s help and said Sentu could succeed him if he failed.
• Jarvan IV and Taric spotted a crooked stone hut above the snow line, and Taric climbed over to investigate it.
• A gentle-eyed resident opened the door, recognized that Taric was not the Guardian, and invited him and Jarvan IV in for tea.

Taric and Jarvan IV met Soraka in her stone house on Mount Targon, where they learned that Luxanna was absent from the stars despite having climbed the mountain. After Jarvan told Soraka about Luxanna, she revealed what she saw of the Protector and sent the two men onward with charms.

• Taric and Jarvan IV entered Soraka’s stone house and shared tea with her.
• Soraka told Taric that his earlier climb had been a staged play and said she had never met Luxanna.
• Soraka explained that no star or comet named Luxanna appeared in the heavens, though she had climbed Mount Targon and received celestial light.
• Jarvan IV recounted Luxanna’s life, from her childhood and family to her Stone Crown Punishment and climb.
• Soraka said the Protector had shattered, leaving two remnants of its constellation in Demacia, and subtly confirmed Taric’s suspicion about Jarvan.
• Taric and Jarvan IV resumed their climb with Soraka’s charms, and Jarvan moved faster after drinking the tea.

Taric and Jarvan IV continued climbing Mount Targon after Soraka healed Taric and helped Jarvan endure the celestial light. Meanwhile, Karya devised a plan to disrupt Demacia’s royal family and nobles before Jarvan returned, and sent Shyvana to gather information that could fuel their conflict.

• Taric discovered that his missing arm and leg had regrown after visiting Soraka, then continued climbing Mount Targon with Jarvan IV.
• Karya decided to destabilize Demacia by provoking an irreconcilable conflict between the royal family and the nobles before Jarvan IV returned.
• Karya reasoned that nobles might challenge the Lightshield Family if they learned that cooperation with the Aspects could grant them long life or immortality.
• Karya gave Shyvana instructions to gather information about noble balls and the New Year Speech while keeping attention away from Freljord.
• Shyvana visited the crowded Art Support Association and listened for news that could help Karya reveal Jarvan IV’s whereabouts and stoke political tensions.

Karya orchestrated seemingly ordinary encounters to make the Laurent family and Demacia City's nobles wary of the Lightshield relatives from Zhenxi County. He concluded that Jiawen III was keeping a collateral branch as a fallback if Jarvan IV's climb failed, and planned to use the king's New Year Speech to turn the nobles against him.

• Sebastian Laurent heard rumors about Lightshield relatives from Zhenxi County seeking an audience with Jiawen III, then saw their carriage and encountered bait from the county while fishing.
• Karya revealed that he had arranged the rumors, bait, and carriage encounter to make Sebastian wary without leaving a trace.
• Sebastian warned his sons to avoid the Lightshield relatives, and the Laurent family passed the warning on.
• Karya spread similar warnings among Demacia City's nobles, prompting them to scrutinize the Lightshield relatives.
• Karya reasoned that Jiawen III might rely on a collateral branch if Jarvan IV's climb failed, while the Illuminators watched those relatives as a possible future royal family.
• Karya planned to expose supposed ties between the Lightshield relatives and the Illuminators during Jiawen III's New Year Speech, provoking the nobles to demand Jarvan IV's return.

Karya arranged for Sentu II of the Lightshield branch to receive King Sentu’s lost sword, leading him to believe the Illuminators had given it to him. His public announcement implicated the Illuminators and raised fears that the royal succession was in doubt, forcing Jiawen III to agree to another Noble Council meeting.

• Sebastian learned that the Lightshield branch from Zhenxi County would attend the New Year Speech and likely take a second-row seat.
• Karya had Shyvana deliver King Sentu’s lost sword to Sentu II, who recognized it from his family’s records and grew convinced the Illuminators had returned it.
• Sentu II thanked the Cardinal Bishop before Jiawen III’s speech, and Sebastian mistakenly took their exchange as evidence of a connection between the Lightshield branch and the Illuminators.
• The next day, Sentu II announced that the Illuminators had returned King Sentu’s sword and said he had donated a large sum to them, though they refused to accept it.
• Demacia’s nobles linked the sword’s return with Jarvan IV’s absence and demanded a full Noble Council meeting, leaving Jiawen III unable to refuse.

Jiawen III confirmed that Sentu II’s Sentu Sword was genuine, but his decision to let Sentu II leave deepened suspicion between the royal family, the Noble Council, and the Lightbringer Order. The Noble Council ended the chapter by demanding a meeting with Jarvan IV present, leaving Jiawen III trapped by the secret of Jarvan IV’s absence.

• Jiawen III summoned Sentu II to Dawn Castle and examined the Sentu Sword, judging it genuine.
• Jiawen III let Sentu II leave, while the royal family and the Noble Council grew suspicious of each other’s intentions.
• Sentu II grew more ambitious as experts confirmed the sword’s authenticity and he learned Jarvan IV had not been seen for some time.
• Lightbringer Order preachers interpreted the sword’s transfer as a call to support Sentu II, and rumors spread that Jarvan IV was dead.
• The Noble Council issued Jiawen III an ultimatum to convene a meeting with Jarvan IV in attendance.

Karya’s actions drove a wedge between Demacia’s royal family and the Noble Council, leaving Jiawen III politically isolated. After withdrawing from Demacia City, Karya reflected on his past as Shurima’s ruthless strategist and turned his attention back to developing Freljord.

• The Noble Council issued Jiawen III an ultimatum over his potential cooperation with the Illuminators, forcing him to choose between abandoning them or sacrificing Sentu II’s inheritance.
• After learning that the Noble Council’s special meeting had begun badly, Karya withdrew, satisfied that the royal family and nobles had been set against each other.
• Shyvana realized that delivering the sword had helped Karya drive a wedge between Demacia’s royal family and the nobility, and Karya explained that he would teach her about identifying friends and enemies.
• Karya described his former role as the Death God in Shurima’s folklore and recalled how he had moved from ruthless scheming to building the empire.
• Karya asked Shyvana to stop at the canal construction site so he could inspect it before returning to Freljord.

Karya returned from Demacia City and reassured Lux and Sona that political tensions there would not threaten Freljord City's development in the near term. Lux's Spring Speech then announced plans to expand Xianghongsu cultivation and develop New Port into a major, ice-free harbor connected to the canal.

• Karya inspected the canal project, found that difficult terrain had slowed construction, and returned to Freljord City with Shyvana.
• Karya told Lux and Sona about Jiawen III sending Jarvan IV to Mount Targon and explained how exposing the plan had intensified tensions with the Noble Council.
• Lux received a warning from her mother, but Karya predicted a political cold war rather than civil war because Jiawen III controlled the military.
• Freljord City's nursery opened to visitors to display its successfully cultivated Xianghongsu, and Lux delivered her Spring Speech about the Battle of Silvermine City and the year's plans.
• Lux announced a program to teach and support Xianghongsu growers, then outlined plans to expand New Port and connect it to the canal with a branch leading to a large wharf.

After receiving Ino’s warning that Basilich may be winning the Noxian civil war, Lux considered the threat to Demacia and chose to gather information through Zaun while focusing on Freljord’s development. She privately struggled with withholding her suspicions from her homeland, and Karya urged her to remember the pain of making rational choices.

• Yiva delivered Ino’s letter, which reported that northern Noxian cities were shipping supplies to Basilich and warned that Noxus might seek new conquests after the civil war.
• Ino reported that Shurima’s conflict had eased, Zaun was prospering, and Ekko had discussed trading Freljordian furs and tea.
• Lux reasoned that a victorious Noxus might target Demacia while its internal conflict deepened, but Karya said Freljord lacked the reach to gather reliable intelligence on Noxus.
• Lux and Sona discussed Demacia’s passive defenses, and Lux decided Freljord would monitor events and obtain secondhand information from Zaun through trade.
• After Sona left, Lux admitted to Karya that she felt cruel for withholding her suspicions from Demacia and wanting to benefit from its possible danger, and Karya comforted her.

Swain manipulated the Noxian civil war, exploiting Darkwill’s fear of Du Kkao to provoke his replacement and create an opening for a surprise attack. Darius led the Basilich forces to victory at the Blood River, and the army advanced toward the Immortal Bastion.

• Swain persuaded Darius to become Grand Commander and led a campaign that broke the power of noble families in Basilich and other occupied cities.
• Du Kkao took command for Darkwill, stabilized the Blood River front, and used attrition and covert attacks to blunt Swain and Darius.
• Swain predicted that Darkwill would replace Du Kkao if the rebels appeared to be near defeat, so he spread rumors of Basilich’s shortages and arranged a costly attack on the Marshal.
• Darkwill replaced the wounded Du Kkao with his nephew Qiu Darkwill, while Darius rallied his troops by revealing that they had food and rafts for a night assault.
• Darius led the Basilich forces across the Blood River, killed Qiu, and routed the Immortal Bastion army, crippling its mobile forces.
• With supplies restored and the balance of the war shifted, Darius and his vanguard crossed the ruined defenses and advanced toward the Immortal Bastion.