League of Legends' current main storyline will turn to Ionia and Darkin

In fantasy, players have a soft spot for ancient beings sealed in cool weapons that can only whisper or seduce mortals. The "Darkin" setting of League of Legends takes this concept to a new level, creating a series of weapons that contain ancient evil powers.

Despite their rocky start in early lore, the Darkin have become one of Runeterra’s most intriguing races as Riot Games has continued to revise and reshape the game’s lore, and the latest story developments suggest that the Darkin may play a major role in the ongoing story that unfolds after the conclusion of Arcane.

Riot Games restructured League of Legends' season structure to be more like a narrative event, digging deeper into the backgrounds of each faction. Noxus became the first region to benefit, and through it we learned more details about LeBlanc, Vladimir, Black Rose, and their conspiracy. At the end of the animated short "Bite Marks" at the beginning of the season , LeBlanc and Vladimir's conversation directly continued the plot at the end of "Arcane".

"Every new path seems to lead us into chaos, perhaps we should pay attention to the opportunities that drift before us," the blood mage Vladimir suggested. The two villains stared at the mysterious runes that appeared on the wall of mist and shadows of LeBlanc. Vladimir responded angrily: "My dear, that's too much, even for us."

At the time, it wasn't clear what that "that" was until LeBlanc's latest game update revealed some clues, including a new voice line. If she kills a Darkin in the game, she'll say, "That was too easy. It seems you're not the weapon I seek."

On Wednesday, Riot released a new animation that continues the story of "Bite" and the client card game "Devil's Hand" released in March, providing more clues to Black Rose's plan. The video hints that a darkin weapon seems to be hidden in Ionia, which is one of the most popular regions in Runeterra.

As more of the story unfolds, the story of the Darkin may not only redefine their place in League of Legends, but also bring about a profound change in the narrative structure of Runeterra.