Ionian Archipelago

The Ionian Archipelago is a chain of islands lying to the east of Valoran, set out across the seas from the great continent. For most of its history it was settled by the nation of Ionia alone. In more recent times, however, Noxus managed to seize a number of its islands and territories, extending its reach into the archipelago as part of its expansion. The archipelago also figures in the story of Ryze and the search for the world's runic artifacts. Here the greatest minds of the age gathered to study ancient glyphs, working to uncover the powers those markings held. After an incident involving Tyrus, Ryze went on alone, dedicating himself to gathering every Runic artifact he could find. He did so to keep another Rune War from igniting, fearing that such a conflict might bring ruin to the world itself. Through him, the Ionian Archipelago is bound to that greater struggle, and it remains an active and notable part of Runeterra's eastern seas.