Ancient Shuriman Capital

The Ancient Shuriman Capital was the seat of the Shuriman Empire and, at the height of that empire's power, the greatest city in all of Runeterra. From its founding it served as the center of the desert realm's dominion, the place from which Shurima's rulers commanded their vast territory. The city's fall came during the Ascension ritual meant to elevate the emperor Azir. At that moment Xerath betrayed Azir, and the empire collapsed alongside its ruler. When Shurima fell, its great capital was swallowed by the desert and buried beneath the sands, where it lay lost and forgotten for ages, its glory hidden under the dunes. Azir has since returned and restored the capital from the sands. Its golden spires once again pierce the desert sky, marking the site of the old empire's heart. The restoration remains incomplete in life, however: the reclaimed city stands largely empty, a monument raised from the desert that has not yet been filled again with the people who once made it the wonder of the world.