Who they are
Ahri is a Vastaya, one of the Ionian people said to descend from mortals who merged with spirit-realm power.
Their story belongs to Ionia. Natural magic, spirits, and a peace that war broke.
Their story, step by step
- Step 1
Raised by Icefoxes
Ahri's first memories are of living among icefoxes in northern Shon-Xan. She is a vastaya of the Vesani tribe but knew nothing of her origins beyond two sunstones she carried. As her powers grew she could reach into the Spirit Realm and stir the emotions of her prey.
- Step 2
A Hunger for Essence
After years of watching humans from afar, she drained the spirit of a wounded hunter and took on his memories and language. She grew addicted to feeding on mortals and was troubled by the way they saw her, as a monster. A human artist who offered his essence willingly brought her real happiness, but she lost control and killed him.
- Step 3
Forgetting and Remembering
Grief took her to the Garden of Forgetting, hoping to erase her pain. While trying to consume her lover's memories she realised that forgetting would be worse than remembering and fled. She then set out to learn her Vesani heritage, travelling to Omikayalan and tracing her sunstones to a sculptor named Ymelo.
- Step 4
Yasuo and Bilgewater
She hired the swordsman Yasuo as a bodyguard at the Spirit Blossom Festival and travelled with him to Bilgewater, where she learned Gangplank held a Vesani sunstone and had gone to the Shadow Isles. When Yasuo guessed what she was, Ahri feared repeating her past and went on alone.
- Step 5
The Shadow Isles
In the Shadow Isles she befriended the spirit Maokai and joined the crew of Sarah Fortune's Charming Lady, which included Illaoi. Together they pushed back the Black Mist and beat the wraith Thresh. Gangplank woke the Ruined King Viego before they could stop him, and Ahri absorbed some of Viego's discarded memories.
- Step 6
The Choice and the Aftermath
In a Vesani vault she learned her tribe were memory-magic specialists who fell to the Ruination. She chose to store Viego's memories in a sunstone, which let her ancestors' memories fade, and a memory of her lover urged her to make new ones. Viego was weakened and sealed in an amulet back in Bilgewater, and Ahri plans to return to the Shadow Isles to learn more.
Turning points
- Realising forgetting her lover would be worse than grieving him
- Learning about the Vesani in Omikayalan
- Choosing to store Viego's memories instead of preserving her ancestors'
- Joining Sarah Fortune's crew against Thresh and Viego
Where their story stands now
Ahri has made peace with her past and sees herself as a protector of life. She plans to go back to the Shadow Isles. Ymelo's identity, other Vesani survivors, and what lies between her and Yasuo are all still open.
Who they are tied to
Games they appear in
Where this fits in the story
- Ionia · step 1
The Vastaya
Ionian history says mortals merged with spirit-realm power to defeat invading Titans, and that this gave rise to the Vastayashai'rei, the Vastaya.
- Ionia · step 2
The Darkin war
Ancient god-warriors invaded Ionia in the Darkin war. The Kinkou Order sealed them inside weapons.
- Ionia · step 3
The Noxian invasion
Noxus occupied territory for about five years and took magical artifacts, then withdrew. Irelia led the resistance.
- Ionia · step 4
A divided peace
The war left Ionia split between those who want to stay peaceful and those who want to be ready to fight. Zed founded the Order of Shadow, a rival to the Kinkou that uses forbidden dark magic.