Vol. VI, Iss. 3—Published at the Institute of War on 12 June, 27 CLE
This edition of the Herald takes place during voting for Lore Event II: The Festival of Might. The main events were the recruitment of Vi for Zaun and Vladimir for Noxus.
Balance of Power
As of 12 June, 27 CLE, Zaun had taken a sustained but modest lead in matches on the Fields of Justice.
Vi Crashes Into Qa’hhar Dispute
By Agatha Everleigh
“I can smell the democracy from here,” says Vi, just before stepping through the League checkpoint into the city.
Vi signed her name into the Record of Allegiance for the Qa’hhar dispute today, manipulating the quill with remarkable dexterity given the size of her hextech gauntlets. She then tucked away her copy of the proclamation recognizing her entrance into the dispute and proceeded to Qa’hhar via teleportation. Within the hour, she was standing before the Superior Court of the Qa’hharian Provisional Government. In her custody was a Piltovian woman named Maggie Bell, bound with handcuffs and gagged by what was later revealed to be the aforementioned proclamation taped over her mouth. Vi explained that Ms. Bell was wanted in Piltover for the sale of “NoxiToxis”, Zaunite drugs manufactured using Void residue from contaminated Noxian land, but had fled to Qa’hhar some time ago. She had since taken up the black-market sale of Spirox, Vi alleged, and had robbed a pharmaceutical merchant in order to resell the badly needed medicine at many times the original price.
Vi intends to use her new authority as an admitted Champion to take down crime in Qa’hhar, and pave (or bulldoze) the way for progress. She has called on Zaunite Summoners to back her up in Qa’hhar, arguing that victories on the Fields of Justice would prove hollow if not accompanied by direct local action: “If this place is still run by rats, (nothing against Twitch, he’s cool), who cares what piece of paper you win from the League?” She thereupon turned and smiled unkindly at Ms. Bell, adding, “I mean, I guess you care.”
(Saturday, 10 June, 27 CLE)
Vladimir Enters Dispute
By Iolana Harbane
“Shuriman history can be such a dry subject,” Vladimir commented, regarding Qa’hharian excavations that suggest hemomancy may have originated in ancient Shurima, “but I hope to see more research in this same vein.”
Vladimir, the Crimson Reaper, declared his allegiance for the Noxian cause today, and formally entered the Qa’hharian dispute. His entry came shortly after discoveries by Jovainus Yorksinson, a mage with the Noxian Eighth Legion garrisoned in Qa’hhar, that suggest hemomancy may have originated in ancient Shurima. So far, the evidence includes stone fragments bearing ancient Shuriman inscriptions that may represent very early hemomantic incantations. Few besides Vladimir have the knowledge necessary to interpret these inscriptions.
Vladimir has a prior history with Shurima: he learned hemomancy from a teacher who resided in the northern Tempest Flats, an area now under Emperor Azir’s control. He is now seeking Summoners to assist him in investigations into the origins of hemomancy, an art which he says he entered the League to develop and demonstrate.
(10 June, 27 CLE)
Letters to the Editor
Editor’s Note:
The Herald welcomes questions from its readers. While regretfully we cannot answer every inquiry that we receive, we endeavor to answer such questions as we can, thereby to fulfill our mission to educate our readership and promote cordial relations between the Institute of War and the general population of Runeterra.
Yours Sincerely,
Yurstin “thestealthgerbil” Yudling, Acolyte Summoner
Summoner Silencermage, pledged for Noxus, asks about the regulation of hextech in Shurima:
With this unfortunate accident befalling the zaunite factory will we see stricter measurements put into effect to prevent zaunite tech from further polluting the land and people of QA’HHAR?
Since the beginning of this dispute, Noxus has called for greater regulation of Zaunite hextech industry, arguing that “pollution does not respect borders” and that it exposes Valoran generally to arcane risks such as those the League is charged with defending against. The refinery explosion has certainly intensified such calls for regulation. It should also be noted that Zaun’s “Breathe Better” initiative, discussed in the previous issue of the Herald, included small but significant reductions in refinery output and other safety features. As for the larger question of the future of hextech in Shurima, that is yet to be resolved, and will almost certainly depend primarily on the outcome of this dispute.
Summoner Rextreff, pledged for Zaun in this dispute, asks about Bandle City’s dairy industry:
Where does Bandle City get their milk. Do they have farms more or do some companies in Bandle outsource to other manufacturers, like Zaun? I hope the corn bread flavour doesn’t get discontinued. ^^
Reports in the League’s commercial archives indicate that, while not a major consumer of milk, Bandle City both produces and purchases it. The Bandle City region is home to a peculiar breed of cow known for its unusual fluffiness, which produces an uncommonly sweet milk. It is this milk that is most highly prized by Bandle City bakers for adding a rich, creamy texture to their cupcakes and other desserts. Since the construction of the Velocitronic Railway line between Demacia and Bandle City, Bandle City has also been purchasing milk from Demacia: the remarkable speed of the railway allows it to arrive fresh, transported by hextech-chilled cars.
Zaun is not a significant dairy exporter, as most of its farmland has long since been built over. It does produce a range of synthetic dairy beverages, such as Malk, a Zasho Brands beverage infused with Vitamin R.
Summoner Random Nom, pledge for Zaun in this dispute, asks about the role of the people of Qa’hhar in the present dispute:
Does Qa’hhar have any say in this? We’ve seen the citizens’ reactions, but has no one tried speaking up in the matter?
The status of the people of Qa’hhar is something of a thorny legal question, one that will likely be decided in significant part by the outcome of this dispute. At present, they are considered to be under the protection of the Noxian Imperium, though most of those not serving in the legions do not have formal citizenship. The League Provisional Government currently administering Qa’hhar does include advisory representatives from the Qa’hharian community, who contribute to that body’s deliberations with their local perspectives.
FACTIONS 
