Who they are
Qiyana is an Ixtali ruler whose actions exposed her nation's existence to Piltover.
Their story belongs to Ixtal. Elemental mages hiding behind a wall of shifting jungle.
Their story, step by step
- Step 1
The youngest of nine
Qiyana Yunalai was the youngest of nine sisters in the royal family of Ixaocan, far from the line of succession. She showed rare talent early, and by seven had mastered techniques her older sisters still struggled with.
- Step 2
Three elements
Most Ixtali mages master one element, but Qiyana mastered water, magma and nature. This fed her ambition, and she began calling herself the Empress of the Elements, convinced the throne should be hers.
- Step 3
Challenge to Inessa
When her parents favored one of her sisters, she challenged her eldest sister Inessa to ritual combat. She won and left Inessa paraplegic. Her parents refused to reward her, though the city admired her strength.
- Step 4
The Piltovan miners
Wanting recognition and fearing foreign exploitation, she disobeyed her parents' orders against contact with outsiders. She destroyed a Piltovan mining operation and killed every worker but one, whom she released to spread word. Piltover answered by sending more miners and soldiers, the war and disease her parents had feared.
- Step 5
Prison and release
Her parents imprisoned her, but the high court's elementalists argued that jailing one of Ixaocan's strongest mages made no sense and that her popularity mattered. She was freed on condition that she never challenge her parents' authority again.
- Step 6
Prefect of Tikras
She became Prefect of Tikras after exposing hidden village paths to her sister Mara, which led to a destructive Piltovan raid. She appears settled in regional power, but the throne is still out of reach.
Turning points
- Mastering three elements
- Crippling Inessa in ritual combat
- Raiding the Piltovan mine against orders
- Swearing never to challenge her parents again
Where their story stands now
Qiyana governs Tikras but still wants the throne, held back by her oath to her parents. The Piltovan threat she helped escalate, her strained relations with her siblings including Inessa, and the question of succession in the Yun Tal are all unresolved.
Who they are tied to
Where this fits in the story
- Ixtal · step 1
A wall of jungle
A magical barrier keeps outsiders away by changing weather and moving terrain. Few people have seen Ixtal from inside.
- Ixtal · step 2
The Axiomata and the arcologies
Different arcologies specialize in different elements: one in fire, rock and magnetism, another in water, ice and steam.
- Ixtal · step 3
Leaving the empire
Ixtal was once part of the Shuriman Empire and withdrew after witnessing catastrophic wars, including a clash between the Ascended Ne'Zuk's Monolith fortress and the Void.
- Ixtal · step 4
Back in the world
After millennia of isolation, Qiyana's actions exposed Ixtal to Piltover. The Ixtali still see other nations as upstarts and pretenders.