Kindred

The embodiment of death split into two entities: Lamb (the swift release) and Wolf (the chase). The Kindred are a dual essence. They do not exist without each other. Their lore is based on the myth of the "Pale Man," an ancient entity who was lonely because everyone needed to flee from him. To never be alone again, this man used an axe and split himself in two, giving rise to the Lamb and the Wolf. They represent the two ways of dying in Runeterra: The Lamb (The Serene Death): She carries a bow and offers a quick and painless release to those who accept their fate. Her arrows bring a cold peace. The Wolf (The Violent Death): He relentlessly pursues those who try to flee or deny their end. For the fugitives, death is noisy, bloody, and full of teeth. "Tell me, Lamb, what is mine to cut?" "Everything that moves, dear Wolf." The Reversal of the Masks: Look closely at their image. The Lamb (white) is wearing the Wolf's dark mask. The Wolf (dark shadow) is wearing the Lamb's light mask. This shows that they are two sides of the same coin. Thanks to story expansions (especially in Legends of Runeterra), we've discovered that the Kindred aren't the only concept of death in the universe. They are part of a complex spiritual ecosystem: The Masked Mother: An ancient entity who sculpts the masks that give life and form to the different gods and spirits of death. She is the one who gave the masks to the Lamb and the Wolf. Cultural Gods: The Kindred (Lamb and Wolf) are the most famous and powerful face of death in Valoran (the main continent) because most humans believe in them. However, other ancient cultures have worshipped different faces for the end of life. How each region views the Kindred: Demacia: Demacians value honor and peace. For them, a good citizen dies with their head held high, calmly accepting the Lamb's unerring arrow. Noxus: A culture based on strength and violent glory. Noxians almost always reject acceptance and fight to their last breath, meaning that almost all Noxian soldiers die being torn apart by the Wolf. Freljord: In the frozen lands, some tribes have the ritual of "kissing the Wolf" before entering desperate battles, embracing the ferocity of bloody death. Ionia: They see death as a subtle spiritual transition. In the Spirit Blossom legend, they are portrayed somewhat differently, as childlike spirits guiding souls. Being spiritual deities, the Kindred are fueled by the belief and fear of mortals. If people cease to believe in them, or if humanity becomes extinct, the Kindred lose their strength. This introduces us to the darkest figure in their lore: The Etherfiend. The Etherfiend represents the Second Death: oblivion. When a god of death is forgotten by the living, the Vulture appears to hunt and consume him, erasing his existence forever. There is a painfully poetic dialogue among the Kindred on the subject: Wolf: "Will we die someday, Lamb?" Lamb: "Perhaps, when our masks are forgotten." Wolf: "What will happen?" Lamb: "Perhaps another will take us to the afterlife." Wolf: "I will fight against that!" Lamb: "Of course you will, dear Wolf." The Kindred accept all that is born and dies, but possess a deep and visceral hatred for any entity that attempts to circumvent the natural cycle. They utterly despise the Shadow Isles and champions like Mordekaiser, Karthus, and Thresh. For the Kindred, the undead, ghosts, and souls trapped on the material plane are a "wicked escape" and an abomination. They know that the Shadow Isles delay the inevitable, and they patiently await the day when that fog will dissipate so they can finally hunt down every lost soul within.