A full length novel set in the world of League of Legends, called “Ruination,” was announced in an Orbit Books press release on Monday. The novel is slated for release in September 2022 and is written by Anthony Reynolds, the principal writer at Riot Games.
According to the release, the novel will center on Kalista, the military general of King Viego and a playable Champion in League of Legends. Specifically, the story will be about Kalista’s search for “a legendary realm that may have access to ancient magic—the only way to cure the poisoned Queen Isolde.”
“Our goal is to publish stories that will excite not just the millions of League of Legends players but anyone who loves epic adventures set in fantastical worlds,” Tim Holman, senior vice president and publisher of Orbit US, said in the announcement. “Working with the Rioters has been an amazing experience, and I believe that together we can build a phenomenal publishing program.”
“Ruination” will be the first full-length novel set in the League of Legends universe from Riot Games. Anthony Reynolds did already write a novella set in Runeterra called “Garen: First Shield.” The scale of “Ruination” seems to be larger and publishing through Orbit, a traditional publishing house mainstay, will offer a wider reach.
“Ruination” will be published in print, ebook and audio formats. It will be distributed internationally and translated for all major international markets, though the publishing date for the translated versions may differ from the September 2022 release date.
Ruination and League of Legends lore
*Potential spoilers ahead
Fans who are familiar with League of Legends lore will have an inkling of how the story may play out. The name “Ruination” and the involvement of Kalista, Viego and Isolde points to the novel tackling the events leading up to the cataclysmic event that was unleashed on the world of Runeterra.
“This is a foundational story for Runeterra, and will shed new light on the events that shape some of its most pivotal characters,” Ashley Maidy, head of consumer products at Riot Games, said in the release. “We are thrilled that Orbit will be bringing this to life for our fans.”
Other League of Legends characters that are very likely to appear in the book are Thresh and Hecarim. For a full summary of the events of the Ruination, the lore is available here. In the past, Riot Games has been known to retcon their lore so don’t be too surprised if the book deviates from the current story.
The full synopsis of “Ruination” is as follows:
The first ever novel set in the blockbuster universe of League of Legends, one of the most popular video games of all time, Ruination is an epic tale of magic, revenge, and an empire on the verge of ruin.
Camavor is a brutal land with a bloody legacy. Where the empire’s knights go, slaughter follows.
Kalista seeks to change that. When her young and narcissistic uncle, Viego, becomes king, she vows to temper his destructive instincts, as his loyal confidant, advisor, and military general. But her plans are thwarted when an assassin’s poisoned blade strikes Viego’s wife, Isolde, afflicting her with a malady for which there is no cure.
As Isolde’s condition worsens, Viego descends into madness and grief, threatening to drag Camavor down with him. Kalista makes a desperate gambit to save the kingdom: she searches for the long lost Blessed Isles, rumored to hold the queen’s salvation, if only Kalista can find them.
But corruption grows in the Blessed Isles’ capital, where a vengeful warden seeks to ensnare Kalista in his cruel machinations. She will be forced to choose between her loyalty to Viego and doing what she knows is right–for even in the face of utter darkness, one noble act can shine a light that saves the world.
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