Ionia is known for its reverence of balance, and this also extends to its politics. Ionia was not an original member of the League. It had, and continues to proclaim, a neutral stance in the political affairs of Valoran. This stance has not excluded them from conflict with the mainland. In recent times, the power-hungry city-state of Noxus turned its eye toward Ionia for the purposes of conquest. Noxus launched a series of campaigns to conquer the seemingly pacifistic Ionians. While the initial stages of its invasion were extremely successful, Ionia eventually rallied a defense that shocked the Noxian High Command. Simultaneously, Ionian leaders hastened the entry of Ionia into the League, preventing Noxus from further hostilities outside the Fields of Justice. Noxus was able to maintain an occupation in some southern Ionian territories, thanks to a key victory over Ionia in a League match that was fought to determine the fate of the conquered lands.
Ionia has one of the most unusual governmental structures in all of Runeterra. This is partially because of its neutral political stance, and also because people in Ionia have generally eschewed conflict in favor of their unending quest for enlightenment. This lack of military involvement has prevented Ionia from needing a single defined leader such as the other city-states have. Instead, Ionia is divided into provinces which are each represented by an Elder. To determine who becomes an Elder, a competition called the Distinction is held every five years. This competition has several trials which test its candidates across a wide array of skills. Schools in each region send their finest adepts – men and women who have trained their bodies and minds in the path to enlightenment – to represent them in The Distinction. The prevailing Elders from each region then gather at the Convergence of Elders thrice annually or whenever any Elder calls for an emergency assembly. Amazingly, there has never been a recorded power struggle within this system, but this is generally thought to be due to the Trial of Humility, one of the most critical and revered tests in the Distinction.
Ionia is a place visually marked by numerous gardens and temples. Nature preserves and parks fill the Ionian countryside. A serene aesthetic dominates the landscape, even at its harbor and in its industrial sectors. Buildings are constructed with the goal of preserving the environment as much as possible. All of Ionia’s structures are ornately decorated, especially the temples. Magic is used liberally in the city, though only for peaceful purposes. Several of the city-states’s largest nexuses have been shaped into prominent temples and houses of communal contemplation.
Ionia remains in the middle in terms of land and the ability to defend the castle. It's theme is a heaven or oasis theme that is centered in a large desert on the Southern tip of the island. Ionia's current basic/free heroes are Kennen, Soraka, Shen, and Master Yi.
Ionia has one of the most unusual governmental structures in all of Runeterra. This is partially because of its neutral political stance, and also because people in Ionia have generally eschewed conflict in favor of their unending quest for enlightenment. This lack of military involvement has prevented Ionia from needing a single defined leader such as the other city-states have. Instead, Ionia is divided into provinces which are each represented by an Elder. To determine who becomes an Elder, a competition called the Distinction is held every five years. This competition has several trials which test its candidates across a wide array of skills. Schools in each region send their finest adepts – men and women who have trained their bodies and minds in the path to enlightenment – to represent them in The Distinction. The prevailing Elders from each region then gather at the Convergence of Elders thrice annually or whenever any Elder calls for an emergency assembly. Amazingly, there has never been a recorded power struggle within this system, but this is generally thought to be due to the Trial of Humility, one of the most critical and revered tests in the Distinction.
Ionia is a place visually marked by numerous gardens and temples. Nature preserves and parks fill the Ionian countryside. A serene aesthetic dominates the landscape, even at its harbor and in its industrial sectors. Buildings are constructed with the goal of preserving the environment as much as possible. All of Ionia’s structures are ornately decorated, especially the temples. Magic is used liberally in the city, though only for peaceful purposes. Several of the city-states’s largest nexuses have been shaped into prominent temples and houses of communal contemplation.
Ionia remains in the middle in terms of land and the ability to defend the castle. It's theme is a heaven or oasis theme that is centered in a large desert on the Southern tip of the island. Ionia's current basic/free heroes are Kennen, Soraka, Shen, and Master Yi.