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In Dev Update - Champs, Lore & More, Laura 'poisonpixxi' DeYoung, Head of IP Creative for Riot Games, elaborated on their new approach to narrative cohesiveness by ironing out any inconsistencies that have sprung up over the years. This article contains information that conflicts with this new narrative and will most likely be changed/moved in the following year(s). For further information on these changes, see Canonical inconsistencies |
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- For information about the
Teamfight Tactics faction, see 
Piltover.
| “ | ▶️ "For Piltover!" |
���  Jayce
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 |
Piltover, also known as the City of Progress, is a thriving, progressive city whose power and influence is on the rise. It is Valoran's cultural center, where art, craftsmanship, trade and innovation walk hand in hand. Its power comes not through military might, but the engines of commerce and forward thinking. Situated on the cliffs above the district of 
Zaun and overlooking the ocean, fleets of ships pass through its titanic sea-gates, bringing goods from all over the world. The wealth this generates has given rise to an unprecedented boom in the city's growth. Piltover has - and still is - reinventing itself as a city where fortunes can be made and dreams can be lived. Burgeoning merchant clans fund development in the most incredible endeavors: grand artistic follies, esoteric hextech research, and architectural monuments to their power. With ever more inventors delving into the emergent lore of hextech, Piltover has become a lodestone for the most skilled craftsmen the world over.
Lore[]
Piltover is a thriving, progressive city overlooking the ocean. Fleets of ships pass through its titanic sea-gates, bringing goods from all over the world. Merchant clans fund incredible endeavors, including artistic follies and architectural monuments to their individual power. With ever more inventors delving into hextech, Piltover has become the destination for the most skilled craftspeople from across Runeterra.[1]
Champions of Piltover[]
Other Related Champions[]
Akali tried to track down 
Jhin in Piltover and 
Zaun.
Blitzcrank keeps the city streets of Zaun and Piltover safe.
Graves managed a successful heist of The Clockwork Vaults and came to Piltover to vacation during Rise of the Sentinels.
Janna is a Spirit who protects Zaun and Piltover.- Jhin had an assassination mission in Piltover-Zaun and clashed with
Camille. 
Jinx is a Piltover criminal and an adversary to her sister 
Vi.
Shen tried to track down Jhin in Piltover and Zaun.
Shyvana was born in Piltover.
Soraka visited Piltover in the past.
Tahm Kench became more active in Piltover and Zaun after the Sun Gates were built.
Twisted Fate managed a successful heist of The Clockwork Vaults.
Vex came to Piltover & Zaun to secure a fetter for 
Viego.
Viktor is a former friend and now adversary to 
Jayce.
Zed tried to track down Jhin in Piltover and Zaun.
Ziggs was hiding with 
Heimerdinger and met Jinx in the Paint the Town comic, both being in love with explosives and made a quick friendship untill Ziggs stopped Jinx from killing people.
History[]
Birth of Progress Day[]
Zaun finalized its plans to destroy a portion of the isthmus connecting Valoran and the Southern Continent, allowing for safe sea passage between eastern and western Valoran. The plan involved using thousand of chemtech bombs to crack open an area of the land so that a cavern could be created, but the results were catastrophic. In what seemed to be an accident, the bombs triggered a series of earthquakes that completely destroyed the isthmus and sank large districts of Zaun and thousands of its citizens, while also leaking poisonous gas into the city's surviving areas.
Janna, empowered by the prayers of Zaun's people, arrived and blew away the gas, saving many lives and being eternally remembered by Zaun's denizens, converting her from a goddess of faith for sailors to a guardian deity for Zaun. She has yet to leave Zaun following this event.
Eventually, Zaun was rebuilt. In order to regulate the river passage they were built over, the Sun Gates were constructed, forcing all transport through the waters to be regulated by Zaun. This brought immense wealth to the city and likely led to Piltover's construction and elevation from Zaun, as the ruling families were in control of the taxes and trade produced by the Sun Gates, leading to the formation of the actual Mercantile Clans of Piltover.
Construction of the Sun Gates led to great changes in eastern Valoran and the eastern seas, as Noxus was from this point on able to more easily pool together resources from across its empire without needing land travel, and Bilgewater's pirates found the seas brimming with trade ships waiting to be plundered, feeding in to the criminal underbelly of the city.
Discovery of the First Hex Crystals[]
The Ferros family gained most of its wealth through a rare crystal harvested from a creature native to the sands of a distant valley. These first hex-crystals, or “first crystals,” contained power normally reserved to those born with innate magical ability. 
Camille's Great-Great Aunt Elicia lost an arm, and nearly her life, during one such early expedition. Her sacrifice was celebrated, and it set an expectation that is still reflected in the Ferros family motto today, “For family, will I give.”
The creatures Elicia Ferros found, the Brackern, were not an unending resource, and Camille's family had to look for ways to augment the crystals they had accumulated. Utilizing certain shadow investments in chemtech and runic alchemy, the Ferros family brought to market the less powerful, but easier to procure, synthetic hex-crystals. Such power often comes with consequences, and the production of synthetic crystals is rumored to be a heavy contributor to the Zaun Gray.
Get Jinxed![]
Jinx bombards the city
Piltover has been known as the City of Progress for the countless technological advancements it has made, but 
Jinx found a way to halt progress entirely for some time: anarchy! Chaos, buildings crumbling, people dying, painted animals running rampant, and the city in constant gunfire... it was Jinx's dream. Piltover's Finest, 
Caitlyn and 
Vi, attempted to track her down to no avail.
As Jinx's rampage escalated, Caitlyn declared a city-wide manhunt for her. Jinx responded to this by marking the treasury with a challenge to Vi, saying that she would attack the place at the time and date she had written there. When the time came, she showed up and began to wreak havoc as usual. Vi began chasing her, smashing through every wall along the way. Eventually Jinx was cornered, but she let loose a barrage of rockets, destroying the building. When the officers had awoke, all the gold was intact still remained and Jinx had spelled out something in the sky using the city's lights: "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME!".
Progress Day[]
- Main article: Progress Day
- For the celebration, see the Fesivals section of Celebrations. For the
Legends of Runeterra card, see 
8 Progress Day!.
Three Noxian spies, Gysbert, Tamara, and Colette, infiltrated Piltover for many months in hopes of placing an agent inside Clan Medarda. They used the annual Progress Day to showcase their technical skills to the clan's masters and apprenta.
Tamara Lautari showcased her Hex-Armillary Amplifier invention. It worked by harnessing the properties of a crystal and exponentially increasing its output. However, the invention itself proved to be dangerous as it almost destroyed the entire hall due to its faulty construction - which was intended to sabotage the proceedings.
Later on, after leaving the Medarda mansion, Tamara was apprehended by Caitlyn, who had discovered her true identity and purpose in the city. She was subsequently banished and sent back to Noxus.
Both Tamara and Gysbert failed to become Medarda apprenta, but Colette succeeded. Some time after, Colette would obtain a Medarda trading map, which she would relay to Noxian intelligence.
History in Arcane[]
The Discovery of Hextech[]
- Main article: Arcane
Jayce, the Man of Progress
A Clan Kiramman apprenta, by the name of 
Jayce Talis, begins secretly experimenting with a way to harness magic through science with the hex crystals, inspired after being saved as a child by a mage. A break in at his workshop causes one of his hex crystals to shatter, blowing up his workshop and causing the wardens to launch an investigation into his research. The 
assistant to the Dean of the Academy confiscates his work and Jayce is arrested by the wardens for conducting unauthorized research.
Heimerdinger advises Jayce to accept his mistake and not mention his research to the Council, warning that magic cannot be controlled. During his trial, Jayce pleads guilty to his negligence, but reveals the nature of his research and argues the good that magic could bring to Piltover if mastered. The Council denounces the use of magic and moves to banish Jayce, before 
Ximena Talis intervenes. She convinces the Council not to banish him, but he is expelled from the Academy and released into her care.
Disappointed that his mother does not believe in his vision, Jayce leaves in search of someone who does have faith in him. At the Academy, Heimerdinger and Viktor discuss Jayce's research; while Heimerdinger dismisses the possibility of harnessing magic and prepares to have it destroyed, Viktor is intrigued by Jayce's theory and takes one of his journals. After being rejected by the Kirammans, Jayce returns to his ruined workshop, only to find Viktor there as well. Seeing a kindred spirit in Jayce, Viktor offers to help him stabilize the hex crystals and the two form a partnership.
The duo quickly learn how to stabilize the hex crystals, but discover that Jayce's research will be destroyed the next day. Jayce and Viktor sneak into the Academy and attempt to break into Heimerdinger's lab. They are discovered by Councilor 
Mel Medarda, but Jayce convinces her to give them a chance and she distracts a patrolling warden. Inside the lab, they begin work to stabilize the hex crystal, but the light from it's magic alerts Heimerdinger and the wardens. They eventually manage to stabilize crystal, just as the wardens break into the lab, and float from the magic emanating from the crystal. While Heimerdinger is displeased, Councilor Medarda is impressed and the breakthrough is brought before the Council. Over the next several years, Hextech revolutionizes trade and transport in Piltover with the creation of the Hexgates.
Locations[]
Piltover is a city-state located on an isthmus between Valoran and Shurima. The current well known locations (not counting Zaun) in Piltover are:
Connected Cities[]
Dual city-states that control the major trade routes between Valoran and Shurima. Home both to visionary inventors and their wealthy patrons, the divide between social classes is becoming more dangerous.
North Piltover[]
- Bluewind Court: The most influential individuals of Piltover live in Bluewind Court, located in northern Piltover. The north of the city is where the bulk of the clans have their mansions and heavily guarded workshop compounds, such as the mansions of clans Arvino, Cadwalder, Ferros, Giopara, Holloran, Kozari, Medarda, Morichi and Torek.
- Jayce's Laboratory: As part of the Giopara Mansion, the lab the work area of the city's famous guardian, Jayce. It is the place where he himself made his famous Mercury Hammer, which was later used against Viktor.
- Workshop of The Horological Institute: Workshops of hextech researchers are magnificent examples of what a wealthy patron can do for an inventor.
- Jayce's Laboratory: As part of the Giopara Mansion, the lab the work area of the city's famous guardian,
- Count Mei's Menagerie: A type of Zoo, funded by Count Mei, that housed a large assortment of flora and fauna from across Runeterra. It was recently vandalized by Jinx.
- Drawsmith Arcade: A vaulted structure of colored glass and ironwork columns containing several theatres.
- Heimerdinger's Pyrotechnic Provisions: The workshop of the yordle inventor; Cecil B. Heimerdinger's many inventions have been imagined, created, tested, and sold in this establishment.
- Mainspring Crescent: The fashionable promenade of cafes, bistros, and supper clubs. The Drawsmith Arcade contains small theatres.
- Reveck House: Residence of Corin Reveck, the city's famous clockwork inventor. He lived there by selling a collection of clockwork figurines left behind by his daughter,
Orianna, before she gave into the sickness for the benefit of others and was replaced with hextech. - Sidereal Avenue: The streets of Piltover are rumored to be paved with gold, but to the disappointment of many a hopeful traveler, that is simply a metaphor. However, the city's most wondrous structures and streetscapes are funded by the merchant clans, who flaunt their wealth as much as possible. Such place is the Sidereal Avenue, home to the Piltover Treasury.
- The Ecliptic Vaults: Located in Sidereal Avenue, were once considered to be Piltover's most secure bank, before Jinx breached their heavily reinforced walls.
- Clockwork Vault: Located at the Southern part of the city. This bank was considered secure as well, only to also be broken into, this time by Twisted Fate and Graves.
- Zindelo's Incognium Runeterra: Zidelo's Incognium Runeterra is located in the Incognia Plaza, connected to the Sidereal Avenue in southern Piltover. The lifetime's work of Valentina Zindelo, the Incognium Runeterra is a device she claimed was able to locate any individual in the world. Since Zindelo's mysterious death, many believe her alchemical formulae to have been stolen. The contraption is left inoperable.
- The Ecliptic Vaults: Located in Sidereal Avenue, were once considered to be Piltover's most secure bank, before
- The Explorers Guild House: The House of the Official Piltover Guild for explorers, they are tasked at funding, monitoring, and acquiring archaeological artifacts from its guild members from across Runeterra. These artifacts are later used for research or placed in one of many Piltover museums.
South Piltover[]
- Ezreal's House: One of the cities most famous residence, the house houses a large assortment of artifacts found by the explorer himself.
- Sapphilite Row: A street where Zalie's is located in. Named after the substance harvested from Jaull-fish.
- Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery: Subscribed by
Ezreal as one one of the best outfitters in Piltover, the shop is outfitted with a wide range of clothing for every need.
- Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery: Subscribed by
- The Fissures: The giant chasms stretching across the south of Piltover. They were created in an earthquake resulted by the creation of the canal for the Sun Gates. The city of Zaun is located within these fissures, along with some other surface buildings used as conveyors to the undercity.
Hexdraulic Conveyors[]
Hexdraulic Conveyors are scattered across Zaun, connecting it with Piltover and its numerous city levels. Some conveyors are for public use (those that can afford it), while some for private, used mostly by Chem-Barons and wealthy Piltovans.
- Rising Howl: A large multi-tiered rack-and-pinion Hexdraulic Coveyor supported by three vertical structural beams which span the height of the city, from the Sump to the Boundary Markets. Its ovoid shape and curved top side are constructed of thick glass and an elaborate ironwork baroque latticework frame with ratcheting endless gears. At the top sits a howling wrought-iron wolf, the elevator's namesake, and a set of steam whistles. It's the primary Hexdraulic Coveyor for transporting crowds between the levels of Zaun and Piltover. Conductors' voices are magnified by a flexible speaking tube connected to a bell-shaped sonophone.
The Cliff[]
The most important location of all of Zaun and Piltover, it was the epicenter of a massive man made geological disaster that sunk most of old Zaun. Currently, it is the location of massive spires jutting upwards towards Piltover as an arrogant testimony to Zaun's resolve to survive. One such building is the College of Techmaturgy. The Sun Gates are built above The Cliff.
- Boundary Markets: The levels where division between Zaun and Piltover blurs are home to thriving markets and Commercia Halls. Boundary Markets areas are the most cosmopolitan of the city, where people from all walks of life and levels of society can be found for the purchase and sale of goods.
- First Assemblage of the Glorious Evolved: Located at the end of the Boundary Markets in southern Piltover, the Church is the main location where worshipers of the Glorious Evolved from both Piltover and Zaun come to worship their deity, the Gray Lady. Its is also a place where the disenfranchised come to seek refuge, and where the crippled come for techmaturgical miracles.
- The Sun Gates: One of the most important locations in all of Piltover, the construction of these huge accessways made Piltover a hub of mercantile trade between Valoran and Shurima. They were named 'The Sun Gates' to honor the region's Shuriman heritage. They were constructed as a necessity of the city, but unfortunately, an accident during their construction sank large chunks of Zaun into the sea. In Piltover, Progress Day marks the anniversary of the day the Sun Gates opened for the first time, allowing trade to pass easily through the city, bringing unimaginable wealth to the city's rulers. In Zaun, it is a day to remember those lost in the geological upheaval that created the east–west passage and submerged entire districts underwater. It enabled the rapid expansion of the Noxian empire along the coast, although Piltover charges truly staggering hazard rates for the transport of all military assets.
- Wharfside Docks: Located at the lower end of the Sun Gates, the quaysides of Piltover are always busy, with ships from every major port passing through the Sun Gates every day.
Piltover in Arcane[]
Map of Piltover in Arcane
Piltover as shown in the 
Arcane universe has a considerably different origin as well as city layout. The Sun Gates do not exist, instead the Hexgates are the prominent feature of the city as well as focal point of Piltover trade supremacy. The canal that connects east and west seas is more natural in its curvature, instead of being an entirely artificial straight through the original landmass. The city stretches from north to south, instead of predominantly taking space on the east side of the canal. The fissures where Zaun is located are only scattered on the southern side of the city, where as they take up the majority of the east side of the canal (under the Sun Gates) in the main canon. While the scale of Piltover is smaller than in the main canon, its buildings still retain the same distinct visual aesthetics.
- The Bridge of Progress: One of the main bridges connecting northern and southern parts of the city. It is the primary location where numerous undercity rebellions occurred, as well as a bombing attack from Jinx that resulted in the deaths of many wardens during city wide lockdowns.
- The Fissures: Located in the southern parts of the city, these fissures are represent the entirety of the undercity of Zaun.
- The Hexgates: One of the most important locations in Piltover. The massive retractable tower, constructed from the plans made by Viktor and Jayce, is a hextech device used for realm warping people, vehicles, and cargo to their desired destinations across Runeterra. It charts its course by using a rotatable globe of Runeterra at the top of the tower. Each jump requires hexite batteries to be replaced. Due to its elevation, only airships can utilize it.
- The University of Piltover: Located in Mid Piltover near the Hexgates, it is also the primary location where most Clan Council meetings take place in.
- Stillwater Hold: A prison located on an island outside the eastern part of the city. It holds several criminals captured in Piltover and Zaun. The fort goes up to at least 40 floors, and has cells for solitary confinement. The prisoners are also given tasks, such as cleaning the roof, around the prison and have time allotted for mandatory exercise. Somehow, prisoners are able to get tattoos and piercings inside.
Wildlife[]
Cats[]
They are a sentient feline race resembling Felis catus that reside both on Runeterra as well as Bandle City. While they have the physical appearance of regular real world house cats, they possess human or above human intelligence, being able to think of complex ideas and inventions. 
4 Professor von Yipp is a cat that is able to create 1 giant mechs and 5 submarines, while 
Yuumi possesses magical abilities with the help of 
Book of Thresholds.
Pitover Shaddocks[]
| “ | ▶️ " Piltover shaddock - is ok."
|
| — 6 Citrus Courier
| |
|
Piltover is home to its own variety of citrus fruit, similar to a real-world Pomelo, a large bitter-sweet fruit with a thick rind. The etymology of the name of these fruit in the 
Runeterra Prime universe is unknown, as the name 'Shaddock' actually comes from the name of the captain who introduced the Pomelo to Barbados. The fruit are described in decent regard by 
Gangplank's 6 Citrus Courier.
Poros[]
- Main article: Poro
A 1 daring Poro being fired out of a Progress Day cannon.
Poros are an are the mysterious, magical, and most-loved creatures originating from the Howling Abyss. Poros are equal parts truth, valor, and innocence. The colour of their fur is described as “very light blue, like 
Freljordian snow”. They have a heart-shaped underbelly because they're made of love. A poro's horns perk up when it's excited and droop down when it's scared. Poros paddle through deep snow with their front paws. Some believe that poros are indestructible. Poros stick their tongue out because they are incredibly warm. This is why they can survive the harsh cold environment of the Howling Abyss. 
Poro-Snax are frosted with Freljordian ice crystals and are a favourite treat of this creature. The leader of the Poros is known as the 
Poro King.
Culture[]
| “ | ▶️ "Heh! Piltovans! Always think they're the center of the universe." |
—  Ezreal
| |
|
Trade is the lifeblood of Piltover, and its command of the main sea-route between east and west has seen its coffers swell with gold. A consequence of this has been the rapid expansion of the Noxian empire, whose armies and supplies can now travel the length and breadth of Valoran with relative ease. It has also allowed Bilgewater to prosper as a haven for pirates and reavers who prey on ships traveling to and from Piltover. The climate around Piltover is generally balmy, but when the temperature changes rapidly, sea fogs often envelop the docks and warehouses. The quaysides of Piltover are always busy, and anyone with a strong back and the will to work can easily find employment. A hundred accents are heard on the wharfside streets at any given time, and scores of ships from every port pass through the Sun Gates every day.
The cosmopolitan nature of Piltover makes its inhabitants as varied as their city, but there remains a particular character to its people. A citizen of Piltover is typically self-reliant, does not expect handouts, and always aspires to do better. They are averse to meddling from outsiders, and see an open and free market as essential to the city's continued prosperity. As much as the citizens of Piltover and Zaun like to pretend they are separate entities, both are far more intertwined than they might openly admit, having strong biological and cultural ties to one another.
Language Slangs[]
Due to Piltover and Zaun being international trade ports, every type of language can be heard around its docks.
Over the course of its history, Zaunites / Piltovans have formed their own terms and slang:
- All-night bender - Phrase describing one who has spent a long night under the influence. "Bender" is also real-life slang.
- Apprenta - Apprentice.
- Bells - Term for the hour. Example: Eight bells = 8:00
- Burn-off - Smoke from combustion.
- Chem-burnt - Experiencing negative effects from being exposed to toxic compounds too much.
- Chem-fumes - Chemical gas, smoke, or vapor.
- Chem-stunted - Experiencing negative effects from being exposed to toxic compounds too much.
- Crawl-hatch - Opening in the sides of pipes or ducts for maintenance and manual cleaning.
- Chem-punk - Derogatory term used for a trouble maker, or gang member from Zaun.
- Dram-dealer - Person who sells dram.
- First rule of the Sump - Only marks go in through the front door.
- Foundlings - Orphans.
- Foundling home - Orphan Home.
- Go pound a sump - An insult.
- The Gray - Term used to describe Zaun's thick chemical atmosphere.
- The Gray Lady - The holy patron saint of the Glorious Evolved.
- Grayout - Massive pollution of The Gray.
- Grey-pox - Illness caused by The Gray.
- Head up top - Phrase meaning "Go to Piltover".
- Hereabouts - Phrase used to describe a person's current location.
- Hex-mechanics - People who work with hextech.
- Horticulturalists - People that tend to cultivairs.
- Janna's mercy! - A Zaunite exclamation used in cases of extreme danger, a plea for help.
- Lung Blight - Illness caused by The Gray.
- Mark - A thief's target.
- Name day - Birthday.
- Not even a plague rat's brown cough - Basically so silent you could hear a pin drop.
- Orderly - A caretaker.
- Physicker - phyiscian, or doctor.
- Piltie - Derogatory term for Piltover natives.
- Pipework - pipes that make up a network.
- Sawbones - Zaunite doctor.
- Skirl - Term used to describe a shrill, wailing sound from pipes.
- Snipe - A derogatory term for a Zaunite child.
- Stilt-walking sump-scrapper - A salvager who uses stilts to stay above the toxic gases and sludge of the Sump.
- Sump-raker - A derogatory term for a person from the Sump level.
- Sump-scrapping - The act of salvaging items from the Sump level.
- Sump-snipe - A derogatory term for a child from the Sump level.
- Sump-scrappers - People who make a living salvaging items from the Sump level. Also known as a Sumper.
- Sump-sucker - A derogatory term for a person from the Sump level.
- Sure as gray follows day - Phrase signifying certainty.
- Tallyman - Person who sells merchandise on credit, especially from door to door.
- The cliffs are muttering - A reaction to small earthquakes.
- Techmaturgy - Field of study combining technology and magic.
- Trencher - A derogatory term for a person that lives in the Undercity, a.k.a. Zaun.
- Toxic runoff - Poisonous liquid drainage.
- Uppside - Term for Piltover.
- Well-heeled - Phrase used to describe those well off, named for their state of the soles of their shoes not being worn down, or the type of shoes that wouldn't last long in the muck below.
- You ken? - You know?
Writing and Numerals[]
Being connected, both Piltover and Zaun have formed similar writing systems and numerals used throughout the two cities. While having a common writing system used for general communication, a specific writing system, both elegant and rough, is used for numerous applications. Its symbols are used for alchemical works and scientific equations.
The cities use several different numerical symbols for its mathematical and time measurements. This is due to Piltover and Zaun being key trading hubs for both north and south continents. However, the common numerals used in Piltover and Zaun resemble that of Roman numerals.
In the Arcane universe, its writing system is based on several letters and numerals originally revealed in 
Ekko's concept art. 
Jinx's writing as shown in the Council Archives is different from the one written by or for Jayce, 
Vi, and 
Caitlyn. It resembles yordle writing of 
Bandle City with similar wavey and spiral letters. It is unclear where she learned this writing or why its different from the most commonly presented Piltover and Zaun writing system, despite the considerable yordle population in those cities.
Architecture[]
Piltover's newer structures are graceful mixtures of polished marble, latticework bronze and shimmering glass that sit alongside older building of hewn stone and weathered timber. Fluted towers inlaid with gold and silver reach for the clear skies, as arching bridges span the chasms between the clifftops. The entrances to mercantile buildings are often incredibly elaborate. Even those dwellings that predate hextech have since been ornamented with elaborate details to further reinforce the impression that Piltover is a city drowning in gold. The interior of Piltover's buildings are no less ornate than outside, and are often marvels of technological ingenuity in their own right.
Clothing[]
Fashions quickly rise and fall in the salons of Piltover, and while most tastes tend toward formal and functional, there are those who push the boundaries of good taste and common sense with their overly elaborate displays of wealth. There are also those that augment their bodies either from necessity or for showcasing their progressive and/or wealthy status in the community. There is a distinct difference between the appearance of Piltover and Zaun augments. Piltover's are more flamboiant in their craftmanship, often adorned with elements of gold and blue arcane crystals, while Zaun's were born more of the neceessity and practicality of its environment and often have crude details, with the elements of toxic green colours heavily featured in the most augmented individuals. For those that live in the city for a very long time, its easy to distinguish true augmented individuals from those that aren't. The non-augmented individuals are referred to as "fleshies" by the followers of The Gloriously Evolved.
Currency[]
A Golden Hex
Wile the nation trades with all kinds of currency from all corners of Runeterra, it also mints its own currency within the city region. The main currency of Piltover are Golden Hexes (the name originates from the word Hextech), Silver Cogs (or Silver Gears, both are slang terms for 'money' / 'cash'), and Bronze Washers. Due to the cities importantce as a trade hub, the currency has a very strong economic power around the world.
Merdarda Heirloom[]
To the wealthy clans of Piltover, sea-borne trade is key to their continued wealth. Detailed knowledge of the ocean's many trade routes and city ports (as well the people who control them) is jealously guarded and passed down only to worthy heirs. Over the many years of his life, Jago Medarda has sailed far and wide to secure Clan Medarda's fortune, and his well-traveled - and oft-amended - map offers many clues to those seeking their fortune upon the high seas.
Technology[]
Piltover and Zaun do not have mass production or factories for their most stellar inventions - hextech in particular is made by talented craftspeople who have studied for years. But not all creations from both cities are genuine in design or function. Some inventions are fraudulent knockoffs designed to extort the naive and gullible.
- Hextech: A is the newly emergent fusion of magic and technology used to create exquisite artifacts that can be wielded by anyone, not just those few with a natural aptitude for the arcane. It harnesses the magical power contained within extremely rare crystals, and its power is limited only by the imagination of their users. It is capable of amazing feats, from powering machinery to creating beams of light capable of cutting the strongest steel. The process of crafting hextech is a closely guarded secret, and no two artificers work to the same methodology. As such, each item of hextech is a unique artifact of rare beauty, a bespoke creation that will likely have taken years to craft.
- Disk-Runner: A one-wheeled vehicle with a built in seat, controls, and lighting.
- Pneuma-Tube Conduit: Used for transporting sealed messages between the Commercia Halls, a tangled network of vacuum pipers threads the city, allowing extremely rapid communication across Piltover.
Tools[]
- Piano: A musical instrument used for both public and private entertainment.
- Tellstones: A variant of Tellstones called "King's Gambit" is played in
Demacia. It is named after a Demacian King Santon the Great. King Santon of Demacia avoided civil war with a game of Tellstones, saving thousands of lives. Despite the game's popularity across Runeterra, no one seems to know where Tellstones originated. There is a variant of Tellstones played by the 
Dauntless Vanguard and they use it to settle disputes within the ranks.
Church of the Glorious Evolved[]
Statue of the Gloriously Evolved
(by Riot Artist Gabriel Yeganyan)
| “ | ▶️ "Join the glorious evolution." |
—  Viktor
| |
|
The Church of the Glorious Evolved is popular in both Piltover and Zaun. The church, views flesh as inferior to steel and metal and advocates the use of techmaturgy to purge the weakness and inefficiency of flesh.
Some members of the church (and Zaun in general) see Viktor as a messianic figure, however he couldn't care less for them, viewing their quasi-religious cult as an aberration and as another reason to eliminate emotional foibles and the belief in that which could not be empirically proven).
Although it's unclear if she's a member, Camille is a respected individual by many in the church, which gives her leeway within it.
The Church often takes in the sick, seeing the removal of dying flesh as a key to transforming a person's life and faith through technology.
The Gray Lady is the patron saint of this religion. Her stained glass window is the main focal point of the First Assemblage of the Glorious Evolved; her cloak is a mosaic of ash-violet glass, oxidized cogs, and blackened pistons. Her epithet is often invoked when an inventor feels at a loss. Hers is a blessing that often requires sacrifice. The Glorious Evolved celebrates the old Zaunite tradition of sacrificing something personal for Progress Day in the hopes the next iteration of invention will be better. This is a practice that can be traced back to the old days of the city, when the people of Zaun had to rebuild their lives after the devastation of “the incident.” The wealth and growth of Piltover on top of those scarred ruins served as evidence to many that the tradition had merit.
Camille has adopted the moniker of “The Gray Lady” but she is not to be confused with the figure.
Tahm Kench[]
Once the Sun Gates opened easy trade from
Bilgewater to Piltover, tales of 
Tahm Kench became more common in gilded wagering tables of Piltover and Zaun. There, children know Tahm as “Two-Coats,” a fish so monstrously large that he wears two fine jackets stitched together. With a jaunty top hat and a smile wider than the Pilt itself, he drives the jealousies of young artificers. All those who have given a covetous glance to another’s wealth know the unending hunger that comes from an encounter with the River King.
Jubilee[]
The Jubilee
A local festival dating back several thousand years, the Jubilee has been celebrated every quarter century to give thanks for the sea and the bounty it brings. For modern Piltovans, this is a quaint and happy excuse for traditionally themed feasting. For Zaunites, it has become a more somber observance.
Progress Day[]
For the story, see Progress Day. For the 
Legends of Runeterra card, see Progress Day! (Legends of Runeterra).
A Progress Day firework in the shape of the Piltover crest (
8 01PZ049)
Progress Day is an annual festival of Piltover and Zaun. The main focus of this event is the celebration of the city's technological progress. On this day, many awards and promotions are given to the brightest minds from all across Runeterra who are willing to contribute to the advancement of the city, as well as the showcase of new innovations all across the city.
In Piltover, Progress Day marks the moment the Sun Gates opened for the first time, allowing trade to pass easily between the east and west of Valoran. It also marks the moment when taxation on that trade turned the trickle of gold entering the city's coffers into a fast flowing river. But below in Zaun, it is a day to remember those lost in the geological upheaval that created the east–west passage and submerged entire districts underwater.
This day is also when Piltover's apprentas are received on auditions in the Mercantile Clans, the best of the best are selected to join the rich positions of the clan, working with the best Piltover can offer.
In the Arcane universe, Progress Day remains mostly the same Piltovan holiday. However it only marks the day of the cities founding, since the Sun Gates don't exist in that universe.
Roguery Night[]
Roguery Night is a barely tolerated annual tradition where youthful girls and boys throughout Piltover play practical jokes on their family and neighbors.Government[]
In order to improve the city-state's social and environmental well-being, clans constantly strive to implement their nation's rapid scientific innovations. While a greater flow of traffic and profit may not be their sole motivation, more recently Clan Medarda has convinced them to invest a fortune into harnessing the power of hextech, to speed the opening and closing of the Sun Gates. Since the citizens tend to be keen and idealistic, to date there has been little opposition voiced.
Piltover is also one among Valoran's least militarized city-states, and also one of its most trusting. Despite that, the city boasts a warship squadron for the protection of the Sun Gates.
Piltover Council[]
Piltover Council in Arcane
In Arcane universe, Piltover is run by a council of the richest and most influential mercantile clans. There had been seven set seats on the Council and some such as Heimerdinger have served on the Council since the city's founding. When Zaun stole a Hextech gemstone and Hextech research, the Council feared that Zaun could weaponize Hextech against Piltover. Although irregular, the Council voted to elevate House Talis and grant Jayce Talis the eighth seat on the Council—since they believed Jayce's scientific expertise would suffice in securing the city. It's also possible to vote a Council member out of the Council although the motion would have to be unanimous.
Mercantile Clans[]
- Main article: Mercantile Clans of Piltover
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Lord Arvino's untimely death thrusted his sheltered daughter Sofia into leading one of the richest families in Piltover. She had fallen in love with Marko Volkage, a Zaunite chem-baron trying to gain power in Piltover. They planned an engagement in a Zaun cultivar, but it was cut short when
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Uberti was the first to design the self-locomotor, but rumor has it that one of Clan Medarda's agents stole some schematics of this project, leading to the creation of a self-locomotor in Clan Medarda's mansion. Clan Torek also tried to convince Uberti to join it, and it is unknown which clan she is in.
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"For family, will I give." Clan Ferros stands as one of the oldest mercantile clans within the city, boasting a lineage that predates even the Rune Wars era, back when the city was known as |
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Jayce earned the honor of being the youngest apprenta to ever be offered patronage by Clan Giopara, one of Piltover's most respected ruling clans. He spent most of his early years constructing potential hextech devices and designing transformable multi-tools for Piltover's working class. Ferros would later outbit Giopara and take Jayce as their apprenta. | |
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A well known clan that refused a Zaunite boy for apprenticeship, after which Boswell Holloran almost died from a fall from a
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The Kirammans are a wealthy and influential family of hextech artificers. They are also known for their lavish lifestyle of hunting in the wilder lands outside of Piltover. |
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The Merdardas command great prestige and influence due to their efforts in constructing the Sun Gates. With the revenue generated by his father's piston patents, Master Jago funded research into using hextech to speed up the operation of the Sun Gates. | |
Colors: Blue, Gold |
Clan Tariost is a powerhouse in the shipping trade. Lady Aurelie fell in love with Karvyq the Silverhanded during the last Jubilee, but the clan did not approve of his low standing. After Aurelie passed away, Karvyq stole her ashes to honor a promise he made that day.
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It is unclear from what clans these individuals come from. They have currently only appeared in | |
Academy of Techmaturgy[]
The Academy is an institution that formed and controls the College Of Techmaturgy.
Piltover Wardens[]
Piltover Police Seal
The Wardens are the men and women tasked with maintaining the rule of law in Piltover. The organization is funded by trade taxes and 'voluntary' contributions from the mercantile clans, outfitting the Wardens with uniforms and equipment. Many of these donations take the form of unique hextech, such as specialized weaponry or other devices.
Piltovan Bureau of Safety Inspections[]
This Safety Bureau is tasked at monitoring and regulating all building activities within Piltover. Unregulated hardware is confiscated and the individual is fined and/or imprisoned by the Piltover Wardens depending on the severity of the crime.
Piltover Explorers Guild[]
A guild meant for those Piltovians who hunger to see Runeterra and it's wonders for themselves. In order to get an official membership, one must present great archeology works, long lost artifacts or journals detailing journeys throughout Runeterra most mysterious places.
They are tasked at funding, monitoring, and acquiring archaeological artifacts from its guild members from across Runeterra. These artifacts are later used for research or placed in one of many Piltover museums.
Relations[]
To the wealthy clans of Piltover, sea-borne trade is key to their continued wealth. Detailed knowledge of the ocean's many trade routes and city ports (as well as the people who control them) is jealously guarded and passed down only to worthy heirs. Over the years, Jago Medarda has sailed far and wide to secure Clan Medarda's fortune, and his well-traveled - and oft-amended - map offers many clues to those seeking their fortune upon the high seas.
Aurma[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Aurma, such as Clan Medarda with Mistress Arathmae. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are Roes and leathers.
Bilgewater[]
As Runeterra's biggest black market, Bilgewater trades all manner of illicit hextech pilfered from Piltover. The Sun Gates allowed Bilgewater to prosper as a haven for pirates and reavers who prey on ships traveling to and from Piltover.
Demacia[]
Piltover and Demacia may have their differences, but the two nations are on relatively friendly terms. Scientists from the City of Progress are usually welcomed inside Demacia. However, should the scientists wish to perform experiments there, they must first get clearance from Demacian officials.
Holdrum[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Holdrum, such as Clan Medarda with Lord Brannin of Sea. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are pearls and fish sauce.
Ixtal[]
In recent times, Ixtali have had an unwelcoming contact with the nation of Piltover. The Piltover Explorers Guild has delved into the Jungle in search of arcane treasures, only to vanish without a trace (due to the wildlife, or the Ixtali defending their borders). However, due to the actions of 
Qiyana, Piltover has found out about the existence of this hidden nation.
Kumangra[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Kumangra, such as Clan Medarda with individual known as Panaris. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are Song birds from the famous Kumangra Song-Market District, though trading families have a hard time at holding contracts in this nation due to the fickle nature of Kumangrans.
Mudtown[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Mudtown, such as Clan Medarda with individual known as Sallie One-Eye. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are materials for red-shale bricks as well as Nirpooti fruit.
Noxus[]
As the most expansive nation on Runeterra, Noxus heavily relies on the crucial port of Piltover to connect its land in Valoran and its territory in northern Shurima. Due to the neutral city's strategic location, many Noxian shadow agents have infiltrated all levels of Piltover's society in order to prepare the empire for a possible future invasion.
Palclyff[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Palclyff, such as Clan Medarda with Foreman Piarre Yaeshiff. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are weapons, armor, and 
Honeyfruit.
Shurima[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the cities of Shurima, such as Kalamanda, Urzeris, Nashramae, Tereshni, and Bel'Zhun. The City itself was built on top of an old Shuriman outpost known as Oshra Va'Zaun. Individuals, organizations, and trading families have frequently exploited the nations natural resources such as Hextech Crystals and Ancient Shuriman Tombs. The Piltover Explorers Guild is infamous for hiring explorers in search of old Shuriman artifacts and relics.
Stonewall[]
Piltover trading families have close trading ties with the city-state nation of Stonewall, such as Clan Medarda with Councilman Aj Ni Noorin. One of the nations more well known exports to Piltover are Dunpor milk and curds.
Zaun[]
As the two leading city-states in the development of hextech, Zaun and Piltover have a deep competitive rivalry, both vying to be the ones directing the future of techmaturgy on Runeterra. Smuggling campaigns are frequently orchestrated by Zaunite thieves; the valuable technologies obtained are then later sold on the black market all across Runeterra. The two cities also share deep historical, social, and cultural connections, as Piltover (literally and figuratively) rose from the foundations of Zaun.
Trivia[]
- Piltover was inspired by Decopunk and Steampunk fantasy genres.
- Most of Piltover's interiors have a distinct Art Deco style to them, while the exterior architecture is a mix between Art Deco and Steampunk. This mix between artistic styles can clearly seen on the crest of The Piltover Police Department as well as the
Arcane series.[2] - Other video game cities that share the same fantasy genres and similar designs of Piltover are Columbia, in which is from the Bioshock series. The city is a huge inspiration off of 1893 Chicago with its architecture texture and it connection with its Underworld history.
- The Debonair and Hextech skin lines reflect this artistic design choice. It is also noted that
Crime City Jinx follows this trend as well.
- Piltover may be a wordplay on Poltava (variants: Vltava, Ltava, Fuldaha, Moldau, etc.), loaned into Common Slavonic from Old High German wilt ahwa "wild ea" (stream).
- Most of Piltover's interiors have a distinct Art Deco style to them, while the exterior architecture is a mix between Art Deco and Steampunk. This mix between artistic styles can clearly seen on the crest of The Piltover Police Department as well as the
- In Season Nine, the ranked emblems for the League system were redesigned. Piltover represents the emblem for the
Silver rank. - Piltover has even made huge strides in developing Golems and machines that make life easier. However these contraptions are not quite robotics in the modern sense- these golems aren't programmed with code, and they are each bespoke, one-of-a-kind creations made by expert artisans.
- The clans of Piltover jealously guard their secretes, their supplies and the craft for making machinery around tapping into magical power.
- Residence of Piltover are referred to as "Piltovans" or "Piltovians".
- Some of Zaun's citizens refer to Piltovans as "Pilties".
- The sea level is different on one side of the channel that divides Piltover. For ships to cross from one side to the other an impressive contraption capable of lifting and lowering boats was constructed.
- In an effort to find new wealth in foreign countries the Ferros Clan led by Elicia Ferros ( Camille's ancestor) went on an expedition to Shurima there they found crystal
Lifestones. Only a few were brought back to Piltover and then used to fuel early Hextech devices.
Silver rank.
Media[]
- Related Music
- Related Videos
See also[]
References
- ↑ Piltover - LeagueOfLegends.com
- ↑ The Art of Arcane: How the hit series exploded animation’s possibilities for gaming. By Rafael Motamayor - netflixqueue.com/
| North Valoran | Freljord ·  Void |  |
|---|---|---|
| East Valoran |  Noxus | |
| South Valoran | Holdrum · Pilt River · Piltover · Stonewall · Zaun | |
| West Valoran |  Demacia · Gates of Mourning · Kalstead · Palclyff | |
| Central Valoran | Alderburg · Arbormark · Argent Mountains · Boleham · Gray Claws · Nockmirch · Old Bargate · Rijenland · Silent Forest · Skaggorn · Tokogol |
