Black Rose League of Legends and LoL Arcane Lore

General Information

Black Rose is a secret organization primarily stationed in Noxus. The Black Rose is one of the main antagonists in the League of Legends universe and the overarching antagonist of Riot Games/Netflix's 2021 animated series Arcane and its 2025 prequel novel Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf. Find out all the details about Black Rose below, and we advise you to enjoy the games using our lol boosting service.

Political Relationships

An ancient and cult-like cabal in the League of Legends, the Black Rose has great political influence and has pulled the strings and kept control of the empire of Noxus since immemorial times, before it even existed. For centuries, they have influenced aristocrats, noble houses, sorcerers, generals, and emperors across Runeterra at the bidding of their matron, riot artist, and pale woman LeBlanc.

Through their meddling in politics and countless magical experiments, the purpose of the Black Rose has been committed to preventing the return of the undead warlord, Riot, contracted artist Mordekaiser, to the mortal plane. However, the rise of Grand General Jericho Swain to the throne of Noxus has challenged their control and legitimacy.

Lore

The Black Rose is a secretive cabal in the League of Legends led by the Noxian aristocracy. Beware and trust no one, as many of their opulent designs feature masks that allow them to hide their identities, even from each other. They are often unaware of their matronly origins, and many have discovered legends of a pale sorceress who aided the broken Noxii barbarian tribes in their fight against the infamous Iron Revenant. The Black Rose exists to further the hidden interests of those who can wield the dark magic hidden in the Immortal Bastion, with its rank and file composed of mundane nobles. They fight each other both in the Noxian capital and beyond its borders to influence intriguing games and conquests, and the most powerful military commander may serve only the cult's true masters.

Champions of The Black Rose

LeBlanc

Mysterious even to other members of the Black Rose cabal, LeBlanc is the riot contracted artist but one of many names for a pale woman who has manipulated people and events since the earliest days of Noxus. Using her magic to mirror image, the sorceress can appear to anyone, anywhere, and even be in many places at once. Always plotting just out of sight, LeBlanc's true motives are as inscrutable as her shifting identity.

Vladimir

A fiend with a thirst for mortal blood, Vladimir has influenced the affairs of Noxus since the empire's earliest days. In addition to unnaturally extending his life, his mastery of hemomancy allows him to control the minds and bodies of others as easily as his own. In the flamboyant salons of the Noxian aristocracy, this has enabled him to build a fanatical cult of personality around himself, while in the lowest back alleys, it allows him to bleed his enemies dry.

Elise

Elise is a riot artist and a deadly predator who dwells in a shuttered, lightless palace deep within the oldest city of Noxus. She was once the mistress of a powerful noble house until the bite of a vile spider-god transformed her into something utterly inhuman yet still beautiful—an arachnoid creature, drawing unsuspecting prey into her web. Elise now feeds upon the naive and the faithless, and few can resist her seductions.

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia is a riot contracted artist and deadly creature bent on manipulating others to her will. The youngest and most beautiful daughter of the noble Du Couteau family of Noxus, she ventured deep into the crypts beneath Shurima in search of ancient power. There, she was bitten by a gruesome tomb guardian, whose venom transformed her into a viper-like predator. Cunning and agile, Cassiopeia now slithers under the veil of night, petrifying her enemies with her baleful gaze.

Other Related Champions

Ambessa attempted to take revenge on the organisation for killing her son, leading Amara to be tasked with killing her whilst in Piltover.

The Black Rose created Briar to be a living weapon.

In the past, Darius had dealings with its members, who were part of the Trifarix.

Ezreal was noticed by Black Rose members when he was in Noxus.

Ekko fought members of the Black Rose: Lord Milat and Lady Auvray.

Katarina is Cassiopeia's sister.

LeBlanc betrayed Mordekaiser.

Pyke murdered the crew from a Black Rose's shipment.

LeBlanc enchanted Riven's blade.

Rek'Sai interfered with a Black Rose's shipment.

Rell was experimented on by the Black Rose and escaped their academy. Her mother is a member of the Black Rose.

Cassiopeia accidentally freed Renekton during her mission in Shurima.

Sion was resurrected with the help of the Black Rose and its members.

Sivir was hired and then later backstabbed by Cassiopeia.

Swain obtained Sion from the Black Rose. Currently planning on taking down the organization.

Samira's handler, Captain Indari, works for the Black Rose and has tasked her with tracking down Rell.

Veigar was inside Mordekaiser's inner circle alongside LeBlanc and knew about her.

Cassiopeia accidentally freed Xerath during her mission in Shurima.

History

Establishment and Rune War

When the Morderkaiser was at the height of his power, the bloodthirsty beast was said to haunt the coastal cliffs of eastern Valoran and sought young life and worship from the local tribes. Uninvited guests were not welcome in his lair until a pale sorceress from the inner circle of the Iron Revenant came to said barbarian god with an interesting offer. The two set out to have a good time creating magic so dark that the wine at their table soured, and the roses withered, vibrant red turned black. This is how the pact between Vladimir and Leblanc was born, and with it will come various political and war conflicts. LeBlanc would later aid the devastated barbarian tribes in the fight against the Morderkaiser. The pale sorceress vowed to destroy his primary source of power, the Immortal Bastion. The barbarians did not know that the secrets held by the Bastion were not entirely locked away, while the sorceress had always been gifted at creating illusions. Records of LeBlanc being the organization's matron have been lost, leaving only the legend of the sorceress who helped the barbarians defeat Mordekaiser.

Sacrifice for the Spiders

After the arranged marriage with Berholdt Zaavan, Elise Kythera mastered him and became the main one. Over time, he became increasingly bitter, so one evening Berholdt poisoned Elise and demanded Elise withdraw from society, and he took all the strings of power. Knowing that he has an antidote, Elise played the role of a woman who regrets everything. She asked for forgiveness and managed to convince her husband that she was genuinely sorry before grabbing a knife and plunging it into his heart. Despite the antidote, Elise was bedridden for weeks, and then the Pale Woman came to her. The enigmatic mistress told her about a secret society that kept hidden knowledge and magic shared only with those who could be trusted. As long as they conjured her, the sorceress didn't care who ruled each noble house. After Elise killed Berhdolt, she had to prove her worth to stay on the throne or find a suitable replacement.

Elise wanted to have even more power, so she came up with a wicked plan. She often met with the most prominent members, preventing rivals from threatening her. Few could oppose her, and most followed her orders without question. She eventually found out about the Black Rose, an object of great importance that represented the skull of the ancient warlord, Sahn-Uzal, and was hidden long ago in the Shadow Isles. To gain the Pale Woman's favor, Elise found a debt-laden captain willing to bear her and a handful of devotees to the cursed city of Helia. They went out on a beach of ashen sand and searched in vain for the lost vault while haunted by ominous spirits.

However, Elise found what she did not expect. She encountered a creature of the long-forgotten past that found its home in the lightless depths beneath the city. A monster representing the spider god Willemaw came out of the darkness and sank its fangs into Elise's shoulder. She fell, screamed, and while writhing, the poison transformed her body, and arachnoid legs pushed out from her flesh. When she was out of breath from the agony she found herself in, Elise turned and saw her new master. She returned to the beach, and the ghosts no longer bothered her. A few weeks later, she returned by ship to the Noxian capital and regained her human form despite being the only living thing on board.

Although no evidence of the warlord's skull was ever found, the Pale Woman saw Elise's dangerous new gift as a way to get safely between Noxus and the Shadow Isles. An agreement was reached whereby the Black Rose would provide Elise with unwitting sacrifices to the spider god, and in return, she would retrieve all the artifacts of power. Centuries ago, whenever Elise felt the call of her god, she would return to the land of the Black Mist with some unfortunate suitor or some other easily swayed soul.

Modern Day

Darkwill's Scheme

Although the Black Rose helped him fight for the throne, Boram Darkwill asked LeBlanc to take drastic measures. A young nobleman named Jericho Swain was manipulated to uncover a plot hatched against Darkwill. Swain personally executed the main conspirators, including his parents. The whisper of the pale woman warned him of the danger to Noxus, which was his precious pet that he loved more than home and family. The execution of Leblanc was an illusion and part of her larger plan. She reached Darkwill and saw the ruler completely consumed by paranoia and fear of mortality. Darkwill's mind was poisoned because he was promised a secret to prolong his life. Noxus has fought too many wars lusting after magical relics, and aging Darkwill has become adamant.

After the death of the brutal ruler, the Noxian dominance disappeared, and Boram Darkwill was ready at any cost to restore the lost glory. The Black Rose reanimated the long-dead hero using forbidden magics and presented him to the Grand General. Sion accepted this gift and returned to life as a bloodthirsty beast ready to destroy all enemies of the Noxus. He completely executed the compass, killing his friend and all those who opposed him, so Darkwill decided to bury Sion again because the mentioned terror could not be sustained. Many deserters did not want to stand with Sion. Darkwill was increasingly brazen and sent out entire warbands in search of what was rumored to prolong mortal life when Noxus invaded Ionia. Along with LeBlanc, he ensured that Swain's legend ended at the Battle of Placidium.

As he lay dying after the ion blades severed his arm, a raven came to feed, and Swain felt the familiar darkness press upon him again. Staring into the bird's eye, he saw the reflection of the cult he had ended. The pale woman and her puppet emperor. Realizing that he had not defeated the conspiracy, Swain was considered a disabled person and kicked out of the army, then began to unravel the darkness within the Immortal Bastion.

The Black Rose Academy

As the daughter of a soldier and the heiress of a fallen noble house, Rell did not enjoy the wealth typical of the lower aristocracy. Still, her parents had big plans for her, and her mother always said, "Excellence is measured by sacrifice." Over time, Rell gained the magic to manipulate metal that hadn't been seen in centuries, and her parents felt it should be used. They aimed to get their daughter into the military and political elite, but failed. The pale woman saw in Rell a powerful weapon in the fight against the hated enemies of the Noxus, so she offered her family a dark bargain. Rell became a student at the Black Rose Academy, which was hidden and far from the city, and her parents were very proud of her, even though they didn't visit her often.

The New Grand General

Swain prepared for three years, and then one night, he and his remaining allies conquered Noxus. Possessed by demons, he crushed Darkwill, leaving the throne shattered and empty. This new Grand General was solely interested in the empire's glory, and such a man was not easily corrupted. Swain otherwise accepted anyone willing to stand up for Noxus, including the Black Rose herself, even though he knew they were plotting against him.

The Escape of Rell

Rell fought another student for the first time when she was only eight years old, and grew more powerful over time by perfecting her fighting magic. Her powers were so strong that she could pull a vein of raw ore from the ground, twist the walls into deadly weapons, and superheat an opponent's armor until it collapsed and crushed them. However, her mentors expected even more from her as she became the most powerful soldier in the empire ever.

She had had enough of everything after the fight on her 16th birthday, and on that occasion, she revealed the true nature of the academy she attended. After opening the forbidden doors of the academy, she realized that every one of her opponents had been nullified and the magic had been forcibly extracted from them. The magic was placed into the sigils covering Rell's body and left as emotionless puppets devoid of memories. This was the price of her power, and she could never give it back. Her mother oversaw everything, and Rell was furious.

Her flight from the academy greatly affected the few professors who survived. The building split itself apart, forming a black impenetrable armor around Rell, but she destroyed anyone who got in her way. Bursting through the front gate on a horse made of iron, she tried to take as many friends from the academy with her as Rose fought to reclaim the Null and erase all traces of what the organization was up to. It was too late, and Null could no longer keep his secret. The surviving members of the academy died in various ways, and Rell was marked as a significant threat to Noxus.

The Takeover of Nockmirch

Tianna Crownguard sent Garen on a mission outside of Demacia to check on his uncle Hargold, who was working as an ambassador to Nockmirch. Garen started with three scores of Dauntless Vanguard, and along the way, he was joined by Quinn, who also joined because Tianna ordered him. After a few days, they arrived in Alderburg to find a bridge of dark stone connecting it to the Rijenland. Quinn goes to survey the situation and sees a hundred Noxian soldiers. Garen was already suspicious of his uncle, but it turns out he was just an illusion created by an unnamed sorceress.

The Vanguard tried to escape, but was trapped on the same bridge they entered. Quinn tries to get everyone out and gets wounded, but Valor receives a message from Demacio. After the released basilisk kills several soldiers, Garen attacks the city and kills the Noxian commander present. In a moment, Valor returns and kills dozens of Noxians with silver wings. Garen then confronts Lord Eldwyn of Nockmirch, whom he calls on to cede his lordship to his daughter, Lady Odelyn, even though the law forbids a woman to be ruler. The minotaur Kriel stays behind to work as an ambassador while an official one is chosen.

Leadership

The Black Rose's headquarters are in Noxus, i.e., in The Immortal Bastion. Agents of the Black Rose have closely monitored noxian politics. Secret doors, hidden passages, and unseen windows lurk inside government buildings. The Black Rose controls a network of catacombs whose tunnels penetrate deep beneath Noxus, and has a widespread deep network across Runeterra.

Notable Order Members

Lady Aelana - Member of the order. A female Minotaur noble, also known as the "Thorn of the Rose".

Lady Amara – Member of the order. A female assassin and a merchant.

Lady Auvray - Member of the order. A female noble and the Black Rose spy.

Lady Cassiopeia Du Couteau - Member of the order. Dispatched initially to obtain godlike powers from the Shuriman Capital, he was disfigured by a tomb curse.

Lady Elise Kythera Zaavan - Member of the order. Dispatched to obtain artifacts from the Shadow Isles, it was mutated by the powers of Vilemaw.

Lady LeBlanc - Matron and the founder of the order.

Lady Soreana Du Couteau - Member of the order. Dispatched initially to spread the influence of the order in Shurima, married into the Du Couteau family to do it.

Lord member Vladimir is the patron and one of the order's founders.

Lord Milat - Member of the order. A male noble and strategist.

Trivia

• The Black Rose is older than Noxus, so Mordekaiser lost his initial empire.
• As a founding member of the organization, Vladimir has become a more public figure in recent years, even against the wishes of the Black Rose's more cautious members. In doing this, he has founded a cult following in the Crimson Circle and could potentially be planning on leaving the Black Rose entirely.
• Cassiopeia was initiated into the order by her mother Soreana. One of her missions, tasked by her mother, was to retrieve godlike powers that had been the key to Shurima's supremacy in ancient times.