Character · Ionia

Shen

Keeps the Kinkou Order.

Who they are

Shen maintains the Kinkou Order, the order that keeps balance between the material and spirit realms and that sealed the Darkin in weapons.

Their story belongs to Ionia. Natural magic, spirits, and a peace that war broke.

Their story, step by step

  1. Step 1

    Son of the Eye of Twilight

    Shen was born to Great Master Kusho, one of three leaders of the Kinkou Order, which keeps balance between the material and spirit realms. He grew up inside the Order's teachings and excelled under every teacher. Kusho also took in a masterless boy named Govos, and the two trained together like brothers.

  2. Step 2

    The hunt for the Golden Demon

    Kusho agreed to stop the killer known as the Golden Demon, and Shen and Govos traveled with him for years visiting massacre sites and caring for survivors. The work turned the once witty Shen quiet and serious. At Jyom Pass the trio captured the killer, Khada Jhin, and Kusho chose imprisonment over execution, which Shen accepted and Govos resented.

  3. Step 3

    The Order breaks

    When Noxus invaded, the three Kinkou leaders decided not to take part. Shen quietly trained fighters and struck at supply lines while Govos, renamed Usan, covered for him. Usan grew disillusioned, left, and returned as Zed to lead a coup that killed many Kinkou, including Kusho.

  4. Step 4

    Rebuilding

    Shen held back his grief, led survivors to safety in the mountains and took up his father's role as Eye of Twilight. With the guidance of the Kinkou master Kennen he began rebuilding the Order. He and Zed settled into an uneasy truce without making peace.

  5. Step 5

    Akali and Jhin's return

    Shen trained Mayym's daughter Akali, who became the Fist of Shadow but eventually left the Order against his teaching. When Jhin escaped and new killings began, Shen's patience gave way and he attacked Zed at Nanthee. Zed later explained that he had had to become the Kinkou's enemy so that none of them would follow him, and Shen accepted that and freed him.

  6. Step 6

    Hunting Jhin together

    Shen refused Zed's demand to simply kill Jhin, and made Zed's help conditional on respecting Kusho's judgment. The two pursued Jhin to Piltover and worked together to save Akali from his trap at an opera house. Jhin revealed he had been freed on purpose, and Zed left, saying his bargain was done.

Turning points

  • Accepting Kusho's choice to imprison Jhin rather than kill him
  • Taking his father's mantle after the coup and rebuilding the Kinkou
  • Hearing Zed's reason for his betrayal and freeing him
  • Refusing to let Zed execute Jhin

Where their story stands now

Shen leads the Kinkou from the Temple of Koeshin as Eye of Twilight, with Kennen as his closest ally and Akali's seat in the triumvirate still empty. Open threads are who deliberately freed Jhin, what Yevnai knew, and whether the rebuilt Order can restore balance after the war.

Where this fits in the story

  1. 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.

  2. Ionia · step 2

    The Darkin war

    Ancient god-warriors invaded Ionia in the Darkin war. The Kinkou Order sealed them inside weapons.

  3. Ionia · step 3

    The Noxian invasion

    Noxus occupied territory for about five years and took magical artifacts, then withdrew. Irelia led the resistance.

  4. 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.

Read the full story of Ionia