Varus and Naafiri seem to be the two most unique Darkin
LoL Varus: Champion Lore And How He Relates To Naafiri
The Darkin are powerful League of Legends creatures, some of whom are champions. At first, with the release of Aatrox, they were thought to be something akin to devils. The truth, however, is much worse.
One of their number is Varus, and his Voice Over has recently revealed that he has interactions with the upcoming champion, so, who is Varus of The Darkin, and why is he important?
Varus the Darkin Bow - Lore
Each and every League of Legends Darkin did not start off as the archetypal villain they are today. That is the product of their overuse of blood magic, to strengthen themselves, as well as their deteriorating mental state.
Instead, they were once upon a time honorable warriors and scholars of the Shuriman Empire, who were awarded with Ascension using the Sun Discs, and had a divine aspect bound to their existence.
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Varus - Pre-Darkin
Varus was once among the most honorable archers of the Shuriman Empire, who was tasked with safeguarding a temple in the eastern states, a region of Shurima far removed from Icathia and the horrors present there.
However, safety was not to last, as his region was attacked by the enemy as well, with his allies and comrades leaving the temple to protect the villages they came from. Only Varus stood his ground, and sept with every arrow he loosed at the enemy, for he knew that by doing his duty, he condemned his family to death.
He was found alone, among the bodies of his enemies, by the Emissaries of the Ascended, a cold man on the verge of a breakdown, only seeking revenge. Even so, for his sacrifice, he was awarded with Ascension, which gave him a divine body, but his mind stayed the same.
Varus - Darkin War
All Varus had of his life left, was enacting revenge on Icathians, for the horrors they unleashed upon the world. After it was complete, while his brethren Ascended dubbed themselves the Sunborn, for the dawn of peace they were witnessing, he lost his purpose.
Others followed once the Shuriman Empire fell, and what became known as the Darkin War commenced. Ever greater body modifications were employed by the Ascended, to empower themselves, in their wars against each other and the mortal armies, with brutality mounting with each battle.
Varus was no different, using his crystalline bow to slay enemy commanders and bring the Darkin one victory after another. It was not to last, as he was defeated and bound in his bow by a warrior queen wearing golden armor, who is most likely Mihira herself, and who was the only one capable of using a Darkin weapon without being possessed.
Varus - Modern Runeterra
After the eradication of the Darkin, the golden warrior queen ordered herself buried in a well in Ionia, alongside Varus' bow, to hold his power and corruption away from the world.
And for centuries it was so, until Valmar and Kai, two hunters and lovers, fought against the Noxian invasion, where Kai was mortally wounded, and Valmar carried him inside the well in the vain hope of the eldritch magics saving him.
What emerged, however, was Varus, inhabiting a body that was the amalgamation of the two hunters, who are now locked in a fierce struggle for control. One side is powered by revenge, the other, by love.
Varus and Naafiri - Relation
All of the Darkin are defined by the weapons they wielded in life and were later imprisoned in. And these weapons, in turn, are defined by the roles they had as Ascended and part of both the Shuriman and later Darkin Host.
Varus was an archer, tasked with scouting and killing enemy commanders thus crippling the armies. And, seeing as Naafiri's weapon is a dagger, her role must have been similar.
In addition, while Aatrox was a general, Taarosh, was a captain, and we see that they have the most voice lines interactions with each other. And Varus has now had his voice lines updated to include interactions with Naafiri.
Interestingly, his voice lines refer to the body she possesses, stating that his is superior. Seeing as Varus is one body made of two humans, and Naafiri will likely be a pack of wolves or hounds, it's safe to say that it's not only their weapons, but also the peculiarities of their material existence that imply a deeper connection between the two.
It is possible that Naafiri is the sister Varus has been searching for all this time, as Darkin can have a few names, depending on the form they take as the Spirit Dragon Darkin shows in LoR. Now, whether that connection is a positive or a negative one, remains to be seen once Naafiri gets released later this month, as not all siblings actually like each other.