The waves crash against the jagged cliffs of Bilgewater, their rhythm a hymn to the sea. Illaoi stands at the edge of the precipice, her massive idol resting beside her, its carved face serene yet imposing. Her tentacle-like arms sway gently in the salty breeze, their movements almost hypnotic. The sun hangs low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the rocky shore. Somewhere in the distance, gulls cry out—a sound that echoes her own defiance.
Long before the League of Legends, before the summoners bound her essence to the Rift, Illaoi was a woman of faith—a priestess of Nagakabouros, the Serpent Goddess who ruled the depths of the ocean. Born into a family of fishermen, she grew up in the coastal villages of Bilgewater, where the sea was both provider and predator. Her people lived by the tides, their lives intertwined with the ebb and flow of the waters. Yet for all its bounty, the sea was merciless, claiming lives without warning or mercy.
From a young age, Illaoi felt the presence of something greater—an ancient force that pulsed beneath the waves. She would sit on the shore for hours, staring into the horizon as if listening to a voice only she could hear. Her parents dismissed it as childhood imagination, but the elders of the village saw something different in her. They whispered among themselves, calling her “chosen,” though none dared say why.
Her connection to Nagakabouros became undeniable when she was just a teenager. During a violent storm, a massive wave swept through the village, destroying homes and scattering boats like driftwood. Illaoi stood at the water’s edge, her arms raised as if in prayer. To the villagers’ astonishment, the tide receded, leaving the shore eerily calm. When the storm passed, they found her kneeling in the sand, her body trembling but unharmed. From that day forward, she was no longer just a girl; she was a vessel of the goddess herself.
As she grew older, Illaoi embraced her role as a conduit for Nagakabouros. She trained under the guidance of the village elders, learning the rituals and teachings of the serpent deity. The goddess demanded devotion—not blind worship, but an understanding of balance. Life and death, creation and destruction, chaos and order—all were threads in the same tapestry. Illaoi came to see herself not as a leader, but as a guide, helping others navigate the complexities of existence.
Her most sacred duty was the care of the great idol—a towering stone figure carved in the likeness of Nagakabouros. The idol was more than a statue; it was a living manifestation of the goddess’s will, imbued with power drawn from the spirit realm. Through it, Illaoi could summon the souls of the dead, forcing them to confront their fears and desires. It was a gift—and a burden—that set her apart from her peers.
But not everyone shared her reverence for the goddess. Nautilus, the Titan of the Depths, was one such skeptic. Once a sailor himself, Nautilus had been consumed by bitterness after being betrayed by those he trusted. He believed the sea cared nothing for mortals, seeing it as a cruel and indifferent force. His encounters with Illaoi were tense, his massive anchor clashing against her idol in displays of raw power.
“You preach balance,” Nautilus rumbled during one such confrontation, his voice echoing like distant thunder. “But the sea takes without giving.”
“And yet it gives life to all who respect it,” Illaoi replied, her tone calm but firm. “Balance is not about fairness—it is about understanding.”
Their clashes often ended in stalemates, neither able to fully overcome the other. Yet despite their differences, there was a mutual respect between them—a recognition of the weight they carried as servants of the deep.
Illaoi’s faith was tested further when she encountered Gangplank, the Saltwater Scourge. Once the ruler of Bilgewater, Gangplank had built his empire on fear and violence, his name synonymous with brutality. When he returned from the depths—resurrected and transformed by the ocean itself—he sought to reclaim his throne. Illaoi saw him as a harbinger of imbalance, a man whose ambition threatened the fragile harmony of the coast.
“You think your strength makes you worthy?” Illaoi challenged him during one heated exchange, her idol looming behind her like a silent guardian.
“I don’t need worthiness,” Gangplank sneered, his cutlass gleaming in the sunlight. “I take what I want.”
Their battles were fierce, each strike shaking the very foundations of the land. Gangplank fought with ruthless efficiency, his attacks calculated and precise. Illaoi countered with the raw power of her faith, her tentacles lashing out with supernatural force. Yet even as she clashed with him, she sensed a flicker of doubt within him—a hint of vulnerability buried beneath layers of pride.
In time, Gangplank’s return brought change to Bilgewater. Miss Fortune, the Bounty Hunter, emerged as a rival to his rule, her own ambitions driving her to challenge his authority. Illaoi watched from the sidelines as the two clashed, their conflict reshaping the city. While she did not involve herself directly, she recognized the shifting tides—a reminder that even the strongest currents could be redirected.
The League of Legends offered Illaoi a new stage—a battlefield where she could test her faith against champions from across Runeterra. On the Rift, she faced opponents who challenged her in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Some, like Yasuo, the Unforgiven, wielded blades with a grace that mirrored the fluidity of her own movements. Others, like Malphite, the Shard of the Monolith, represented forces beyond mortal comprehension, their sheer presence a testament to the mysteries of the universe.
But no opponent tested Illaoi quite like Pyke, the Bloodharbor Ripper. Pyke’s connection to the sea was as deep as her own, though his relationship with it was born of vengeance rather than reverence. Once a sailor himself, he had been betrayed and left to die, his soul bound to the depths. Now, he stalked the waters, seeking retribution against those who wronged him.
“You serve a false god,” Pyke spat during one encounter, his hook scythe slicing through the air.
“And you serve only yourself,” Illaoi retorted, her tentacles snapping forward with precision. “Revenge is a hollow altar.”
Their battles were intense, each vying for dominance in a deadly game of predator and prey. Pyke’s agility and unpredictability forced Illaoi to adapt, to trust in the wisdom of her faith and the strength of her resolve. “You cannot outrun the tide,” she told him after narrowly avoiding one of his ambushes.
“The tide doesn’t care,” Pyke replied, his voice cold and biting. “It only drowns.”
Their clashes often ended in stalemates, neither willing to yield to the other. Yet despite their animosity, there was a strange kinship between them—a shared understanding of the ocean’s power and its capacity for both salvation and destruction.
Back in Bilgewater, Illaoi continued her mission of guiding others, using her idol to help them confront their inner demons. She clashed with Fizz, the Tidal Trickster, whose playful nature often masked deeper truths. Fizz teased her relentlessly, calling her “Stone Mama” and mocking her seriousness.
“You’re so heavy,” Fizz chirped during one encounter, darting around her idol with ease. “Even the waves laugh at you!”
Illaoi’s reply was a surge of spiritual energy that sent Fizz tumbling into the surf. “The waves may laugh, but they obey.”
Fizz giggled, vanishing beneath the surface. “Obey this!”
Despite their differences, Fizz’s antics forced Illaoi to confront her own rigidity. While she valued discipline and purpose, she began to see the value in adaptability and spontaneity.
In quiet moments, Illaoi reflects on the nature of her journey. She has faced countless adversaries, survived numerous close calls, and uncovered truths that once seemed impossible. Yet she knows that her mission is far from complete. The balance between life and death remains fragile, its preservation requiring sacrifices she is still learning to accept.
She climbs to the summit of the cliffs, her idol resting against her shoulder. The sea stretches out before her, vast and vibrant, its promise intertwined with its perils.
Balance will prevail.
One step at a time.