Ezreal

Background

In the past, Ezreal had been declined from requests to enter various organizations such as bars, and schools. There was one refusal in particular that disturbed him the most. It was the Piltover Explorers Guild. He felt their assessment unfair, at least because he'd put himself through quite the risk on the field. Ezreal left feeling resentful, although he'd still like access if possible. ^[4]

Childhood

Ezreal grew up in an affluent neighborhood in Piltover. ^[2]

Parents

He was born to two esteemed archeologists. Unfortunately, Ezreal's parents were frequently away from home. The young boy often wished and thought about joining them. Instead, he was left with his distinguished uncle, Professor Lymere to watch over him. At last, when his parents returned from their long trips, they, especially his father, would share with Ezreal what they witnessed and what their future adventures would entail. Sadly, as time went on, the visits from his parents became increasingly sparse, to the point where one year, they never returned. In tears, Uncle, and Professor Lymere suggested they most likely disappeared somewhere in the desert. Instead, Ezreal refused to accept that fate. In his mind, his parents' meticulous planning wouldn't allow for such a disaster. He believed his parents had to be alive somewhere out there. ^[2]

University

Professor Lymere was strict and did not appreciate the boy's reckless behavior. For instance, Ezreal enjoyed avoiding the campus wardens. Other scandalous acts included, traversing the tunnels underneath the lecture halls and rooftops like a natural. What's more, the student even got good enough at lockpicking to break into his professors' offices to reorganize their items just for fun. However, Ezreal was made to study, advanced cartography, hextech mechanics, ^[2] most likely ancient Shuriman during university ^[6] and the ancient history of Runeterra. Notwithstanding the the difficult material, the boy retained the information with relative ease. Furthermore, he would pass the tests with ease and with little to no studying. Upon hearing the news of his missing, or possibly deceased parents, Ezreal quit his studies. ^[2]

Author

Ezreal wrote, On the Original of Ascension, a self-published book. It is implied the sales did not perform well because in his field notes, he adds there are still many copies available. Either way, the Prodigal Explorer considers his work in the book, pioneering. Inside the book, he writes Nerimazeth was the initial capital of Shurima.

Exploration

The Prodigal Explorer set out on a journey to find his lost parents. His parents' most monumental excursion was the lost tomb of Ne'Zuk. This, he thought would be the most likely place he'd find his parents. In preparation, the former covertly collected supplies from the university for weeks.

Some of the supplies Ezreal gathered for his trip to the Temple of Ne'Zuk included:

• Celestial diagrams
• Translations of runic sigils
• Guides on the burial rites of Shurima
• A pair of protective goggles.

Before the ventured off, he left a goodbye note for his uncle. Then, he sneakily climbed aboard a ship set out for Nashramae. The new explorer would refer to his mother's detailed field notes to navigate himself. So he crossed the Great Sai going southbound along with merchant caravans.

For numerous months Ezreal crawled inside gaping ruins below shifting sands. Interestingly, the young man delighted in exploring uncharted territory. While exploring these archeological remains, the Prodigal Explorer encountered abominations that protected secret rooms. During the entire dungeon crawl, the explorer imagined following his parents steps and closing in on their mysterious disappearance. ^[2]

The Prodigal Explorer has sources that update him on changes in distant places. ^[6] Naturally, Ezreal has explored many places. Notable locations include the Freljord, where he engaged in business with Januk. As well, Ezreal has been a jungle in Ixtal near the settlement of Paretha. ^[5] Ezreal spent some time in Zaun, exploring an underground Shuriman outpost as well. ^[6]

Ezreal's Field Notes

Ezreal has travelled to various places. Before each expedition, he has as written brief field notes based on his prior visits. In total, Ezreal has 20 field notes. ^[5]

1/20 Oshra Va'Zaun

The Prodigal Explorer reflects on his exploration in the Vault of Resplendent Holies. He felt it was shame people walk above the ancient area without giving it more appreciation. Upon reflection, Ezreal found the thought of sudden discovery of ossuaries, arcane reliquaries, and temples rather intriguing. Later on in his excursion, a flood was created within the Shuriman outpost. It appears it has been left in this condition. Upon looking back, he suspects there are more holies to be discovered in the Vault of Resplendent Holies. ^[5]

2/20 Northern Coastal Cities

The dashing explorer has been to the northern coastal cities of Shurima. However, he notes all of these northern regions are owned by Noxus. He relays some of his explorative strategies and elaborates on a points of interest. He explains Bel'zhun is the best place to hire a Shuriman guide. As well, he retells a brief incident with his first guide, Kasdjar.

3/20 Into Icathia

Interestingly, among Ezreal's field notes, Icathia is a place where he as avoided travelling to, for now. He explains, Icathia is above his paygrade at the moment. ^[5]

4/20 Look, Nothing Happened!

An island not found on any other map was supposedly found by Ezreal. In his field notes, he shares how he was deserted here, on a rock for a week. He explains that the island is inhabited by threatening and seductive creatures. He wasn't completely sure and guessed perhaps they were walruses. Overall, he made a point for sailors to stay clear of this island. ^[5]

5/20 The Oldest Gods

In this field note, Ezreal writes about his knowledge of ancient Nerimazeth and how much of this knowledge is captured in his book, On the Origins of Ascension. He ends with stating he is confident hidden treasure lay here. Plus, he shares his desire to explore and discover potential treasures in the ancient city of Nerimazeth. ^[5]

6/20 Walking the Plank

The explorer shares a written recount of his first journey. Specifically his experience embarking a ship on the way to the Lost Tomb of Ne'Zuk. Ezreal secretly boarded a merchant's ship to arrive at the tomb. What we didn't know was he was caught and almost thrown overboard. He convinced the captain and others to let him stay aboard. ^[5]

7/20 Where's the Proof

Ezreal has heard rumors that the ancient empire city of Shurima has risen once again. Nevertheless, he's skeptical of this. After all, his field notes do in fact say the ancient metropolis is covered. ^[5]

8/20 Too Close for Comfort

In this field note, Ezreal shares is experience exploring the Immortal Bastion. Initially, the arrived here in order to meet a new connection and retrieve archival materials from her. The contact never arrived. Instead, some suspicious people began following Ezreal. To his surprise, one wary follower handed him a black rose petal. What's more, Ezreal found a single black petal each day until he left the Noxus border. There was even a single black rose on the bottom of his satchel.

Aside from his unusual encounter, he contrasts the citizens' ability to ignore the overbearing monoliths that emit dark energy and their tasty tacos and taco seasoning. During his time in the Immortal Bastion the tasted their cuisine. ^[5]

9/20 Curtain Call

The Prodigal Explorer was motivated to visit Jandelle, a hamlet in Demacia. In this cute hamlet, was word of a pair of the original Kindred masks. The stories goes, a Demacian theatre actress died during her performance on stage. The weirdest part is, the theatre company stated the actress' mask never left her dressing room.

Therefore, Ezreal is in search for the original mask. However, he believes the original masks that have vanished are likely stored in a collector's show room. Nonetheless, there is still a hint of curiosity from the incompleteness of the story. ^[5]

10/20 Humble Beginnings

The Humbling Beginnings field note suggests the stories of Ezreal's alter ego, Jarro Lightfeather began here, east of Vaskasia.

11/20 Shhhh.

Unsurprisingly, another region Ezreal is familiar with is the Freljord. In this field note, he suspiciously write that he did not steal a silver totem on the top of a freezing mountain. The field note claims, the thief was a different person who happened to have the same name and hair. In addition, he makes it clear in the note that if the Avarosans come looking for him, tell them you do not know of his whereabouts. [5]

12/20 Captain's Log

In his 12th field note, Ezreal shares the beautiful sights Mount Targon holds at night. He found these sights particularly miraculous from the sea. However, he did note he ran into some trouble calming down sailors after some lime-grog went missing. [5]

13/20 The Blue Flame Isles

Yet another location Ezreal has visited is the Serpent Isles. In his field notes, the region is labelled The Blue Flame Isles. Nonetheless, the explorer is learned of their culture and understands the inhabitants refer to themselves as the Serpent Isles whereas most of Runeterra knows them as The Blue Flame Isles.

In his written account, he mentions participating in local ceremonies on a few occasions. Notably he was intrigued by Illaoi's idol. He felt some otherworldly energies from it. Second to note, was the Buhru culture and their rich history. He mentions, the Buhru claim their history precedes most of all of the history on Valoran and Shurima. [5]

14/20 The 'Sand Mother'

Surprisingly, Ezreal has even ventured into the southern regions of Shurima. He pens into his field notes the Xer'Sai he's encountered. For the most part his Shuriman Gauntlet can handle them. However, they are overwhelmingly plentiful.

Alongside his trustworthy guide Kasdjar, they hid inside of circular cavern. Kasdjar asserted the cavern was a Xer'Sai burrow. He added this Xer'Sai burrow was the Sand Mother's lair. The local Shuriman guide educated Ezreal that the Sand Mother is so massive it could swallow a dormun entirely. ^[5] After hearing about that news, the Prodigal Explorer decided it was not safe to stay in that burrow. So they left. ^[5]

15/20 A Glimpse Beyond

Ezreal's fifteenth field note elaborates on his exploration of southern Shurima again. In it, the eight tribes of the Southern Dune Warriors were convinced he ran off with their sacred medallion. The explorer was pursued for a week into the mountain passes. The Southern Dune Warrior eventually retreated. Ezreal took a rest. In the end, the learned the medallion was not real.

Just then, he saw a glimmering space in the rock. The space appeared to be an entrance to another dimension. Ultimately, he chose to inspect the portal immediately the following morning. Consequently, when he came back, the portal was nowhere in sight. Moreover, Ezreal never saw the portal again. He reflected and questioned whether what he saw was a hallucination or the real portal to Bandle City.

16/20 The Lost Tomb of Ne'Zuk

West of the Sun Disc, lays the Lost Tomb of Ne'Zuk. Ezreal records a brief entry into his field notes about his experience at the tomb. He writes that he destroyed the tomb and that is where he found his Shuriman Gauntlet. ^[5]

17/20 South of Mudtown

The youthful explorer traverses east wards just south of Mudtown. He retells how he was captured there by a gang of high-seas marauders. They had seized his Shuriman gauntlet. Although, once he won against them at the card game, Krakenhand they became friends quickly. He shares how during the game, which he didn't know the rules to, the marauders increased the ante on a triple tentacle dice roll. They were all bluffing. As it turns out, Ezreal's poor hand beat out their hand of nothing. After his winning, he regained his Shuriman gauntlet and won an antique flintlock.

Looking back, he feels nostalgic and suggests he reaches out to the marauders again to see how those nice fellows are doing. ^[5]

18/20 The Deep Jungle

Ezreal composes a memory from his exploration of the Temple of Uloa into his eighteenth field note. He write that the locals around Paretha refer to the surrounding jungle as the Vale of Silver Mist.

Nevertheless, the stylish explorer drank some taffa-flower water. Subsequently, he began hallucinating. He does confirm his hallucinations did correspond with the name Vale of Silver Mist. He describes having an out of body experience while searching for the Elixir of Uloa. During the out of body experience, he observed himself from a third person looking at himself from behind the trees. Afterwards, the tree began conversing with him. He also affirms the tree followed him for a time. ^[5]

19/20 Paretha

The penultimate field note provides an brief insight into Ezreal's interactions with a local from Paretha. He writes that a tribal shaman in Paretha once told him his soul was intertwined with the Aspect of the Wanderer. Her statement made him perceive her as a Targonian.

He adds that after he caused a close by temple to collapse the determined it would be wise to lay low and now show up around Paretha for some time. ^[5]

20/20 Here be Sand-Trolls

In the final field note, Ezreal shares that he's recently discovered sand trolls are in fact a creature. ^[5]

Lost Tomb of Ne'Zuk

Of all the stories Ezreal's parents shared with him, the most grandiose, yet cryptic was the search for the lost tomb of Ne'Zuk. Ne'Zuk was a Shuriman tyrant whos legend describes as one who could instantly jump from one spot to the next. But they apparently never found his tomb.

This was Ezreal's first journey. He set off on a merchant ship. While stealing some lime-grog, Ezreal was caught by the ship's captain. He was just about to be tossed over ship, but he persuaded them to not. The voyage continued. At one point, they hit a rough patch of sea. Even the logs on the ship were moving about. It even took the life of the ship's navigator. ^[5]

After a long search, Ezreal finally came across the tomb underneath a more recent mausoleum of a nameless emperor. ^[2]

Inside Ne'Zuk's sarcophagus was nothing except for a shining bronze gauntlet. In the center of the gauntlet there was a crystal. The Prodigal Explorer reached out and touched the gauntlet. Not a moment later and several ancient traps and wards engaged. Within a moments notice Ezreal equipped the gauntlet burst out of the vicinity and teleported about a hundred yards back to the concealed chamber just before the tomb disintegrated atop him. ^[2]

Bronze Shuriman Gauntlet

Completely out of breath, Ezreal peered at the gauntlet to find it humming at the rhythm of his heart. In addition, he could sense the gauntlet funneling and bolstering his essence. Upon excessive use Ezreal will experience disorientation and exhaustion. ^[3] Although short teleports don't use up as much energy as the other functions. ^[4]

He recognized the gauntlet possessed powerful ancient arcane energy ^{[3, 4]}. He felt it perfect for an explorer like himself. ^[2] The gauntlet can be charged up with hand gestured from Ezreal. Anger can help funnel arcane energy more easily into the gauntlet. ^[4] It has the capability to send a powerful wave of azure light and gold light that can cause some serious damage. ^[3] Unsurprisingly, the gauntlet can be used as a light source in dark areas due to its bright glow. ^[6]

A New Era

Ezreal returned to Piltover. Equipped with the gauntlet, he was heading off on mission after mission. Some area he found himself exploring were, lost cities and mystical temples. ^[2]

Story

The Elixir of Uloa

The Prodigal Explorer came to a jungle outside of Paretha ^[3] known as Vale of Silver Mist ^[5] in search for a specific tomb. ^[3] His arrival was the result of a request from a client named Januk. Januk tasked Ezreal to retrieve the Elixir of Uloa in exchange for payment. The adventurer doesn't have a high opinion of the Elixir, but he accepted the job. ^[4]

Word is, there is a tomb in the jungle near Paretha ^[4]. Apparently, the tomb is impervious and murderous. In it, contained the Elixir of Uloa, a liquid that is said to grant immortality. Countless folk have only dreamed of having this elixir. From cultists looking for immortality, ruling families on the verge of collapse looking to regain power, to pilgrims in search for wisdom beyond comprehension. ^[3] At some point during his search he drank taffa-flower water and had an out of body experience. ^[5]

The Crypt

Ezreal heard there hasn't been an adventurer who's escaped with their life. Still, the infamous explorer was feeling confident. After traversing through the unbearably humid jungle for hours he finally arrived at an underground crypt. The air provided a refreshing atmosphere. Upon entering, the explorer walks through a stone archway. Suddenly, a collection of dust rose from the ground to reveal a path of circular patters engraved into the rock.

As he continued he penetrated miles of labyrinthine tunnels. The intelligent adventurer etched his pathway into the floor for later use. He maneuvered around spike-filled sand traps, creeped under swinging blade pendulums, and grappled hissing pit vipers. What's more, Ezreal could see dozens of lidless eyes stare him down through the walls. ^[3]

A Crystal Vial

Further on in he arrived at the center of a room. There, Ezreal found what he had been searching for. In the middle of the room lay a bone [3, 4] and crystal vial atop a pedestal. It contained a brilliant, flickering liquid, no more than a teaspoon in volume. Nevertheless, it reflected small rainbows on the ground. Later on, Ezreal noted he suspects the vial was of the pre-classical Shuriman era. ^[4]

The experienced explorer was wise enough to refrain from lifting it from its pedestal and alarming numerous traps. Instead, Ezreal flexes his finger to initiate his gauntlet. The gemstone at the center of the gauntlet begins to glow a brilliant blue.

The outsider slowly creeps toward the crystal vial. He feels some stone shift beneath him and takes a step back to prevent a trap from being triggered. He continues this pattern of only choosing the most stable surfaces to tread on. ^[3]

Traps

Finally, Ezreal grasps the elixir. Suddenly, the stone floor splits revealing deep fractures. Naturally, the Prodigal Explorer uses his gauntlet by energizing it with magic. In response Ezreal sees rolling beams of light overcome his view just before he teleports to an archway fifteen feet from the pedestal. More traps are triggered immediately after as hundreds of razor sharp stakes fall from above. Ezreal was nearly struck before the whole chamber disintegrated into the fragmented floor. ^[3]

Collapsing Tomb

Suddenly, a deafening sound reverberates throughout the area, down the hallway and even rattles the walls. He gathered this was a sign the old foundation of this tomb were eroding and it was time to hurry things up. That was his queue. So he bolted down the hallway as the floor behind his dissolved in a dramatic fashion. Retracing his steps, Ezreal was maneuvering through obstacles for his life. He has to slide underneath falling archways, jumping over scorching quicksand and dodging massive boulders threatening the narrow corridor. ^[3]

Ferocious Insects

To his right, the entire wall is torn away, giving way to countless oversized insects to come through and snap at Ezreal. Some of these threatening insects possessed large pincers and venom oozing from their mouths. There were intimidating red spiders and scorpions in the mix too. The explorer sends a powerful wave of energy through the greatest spider, exterminating it and sending it backways towards them others. The smell of searing chitin gives his stomach and throat discomfort. ^[3]

An Exit

As Ezreal charges up his gauntlet it begins to pulse azure blue. His vision becomes blurry and his perspective warps slightly. The Prodigal Explorer unclenches his hand and lets loose an incredible continuous wave of gold light. The wave is as wide as the tunnel and the light deteriorates everything it touches. The force causes Ezreal to lose balance, but his concentration remains steady. After the wave, all that was left was a small gap through the tunnel.

After the tunnel had endured some rearrangements, the ground shakes forcing the explorer to his knees. Ezreal was exhausted and struggled to stand. In fact, he could barely move. Still in the floor, he could see the ground splitting with haste. He forced himself to stand and escape before the entire tomb collapsed. He bolted in a direction hoping it was safer than he currently was. ^[3]

The Escape

While continuing to attempt escape, the sunlight was fading and the tomb continued to crumble. Once more, a booming crash and walls disintegrate further. He finds a hole, closes his eyes and dives into it. Luckily he makes contact with the ground outside, rolls to his feet and takes a breath of the jungle's fresh atmosphere. Behind Ezreal, the tomb completely collapses and gives rise to a plume of old dust. The Prodigal Explorer removes the dirt from his clothes and flicks his hair out of his face and leaves. To Ezreal, this is jut another exploration completed. And another artifact acquired. No big deal. ^[3]

The Curator's Gambit

It was night, and Ezreal was over at Junk's residence. The strong red-bearded Freljordian was finishing up a dish of lamb and setting it away. With pieces of lamb lodged in his teeth, Januk asked, "Did you find it?" referring to the Elixir of Uloa. Ezreal pulls a fancy looking vial from out of his satchel. The vial felt cool in his grasp. He held it up to show Januk. It glistened in the moonlight. Januk's eyes went wide. Ezreal felt like building up the Elixir for Januk. The Prodigal Explorer explained how the vial was unique and that it contained a load bearing ancient serum. He went on to recall his near fatal escape from the tomb. ^[4]

Deal?

Januk matches Ezreal's enthusiasm and begins speaking with high esteem for the Elixir. Januk expresses, "A single drop can quench the soul for a thousand years... Give a man skin as tough as petricite..." Just then, Januk reaches out for the Elixir and Ezreal quickly pulls it out of reach. The young man reminds Januk that payment is required. Januk remembers and obliges. They confirm on the original 60,000. Ezreal reminds Januk of their deal which included a full accreditation in the Piltover Explorers Guild. Januk grimaced and noted the Explorers Guild had not viewed Ezreal is high regard. Plus, Januk even vouched for their statement. ^[4]

Tensions Rise

The two quarreled and Ezreal began to feel nervous. He contemplated making a sudden exit. Now at a standstill, Ezreal continued to haggle, trying to convince Januk to honor access to the Explorers Guild as part of their deal. He added, if he doesn't agree, he can find another buyer anytime. In response, Januk belts out an unruly laugh which eased the tension. The Freljordian reminisced about how he is fond of Ezreal and that's why he continues to do business with him. Further stating they have history together which reinforces the good business. Januk takes a moment to find his letter from his study room. ^[4]

Ochnun

Now, Ezreal had a strong suspicion Januk was going to try something scummy. Why would someone keep payment in their study room? He wouldn't be surprised if Januk turned around with a flintlock flying towards his face. In the meantime, Ezreal observed Januk's various artifacts in the room. Many of which he'd recognized from this own adventures. Suddenly, his eyes fell on one piece that was foreign to him. It was a stone bell about the size of a housecat. There was an unusual text engraved on it. Ezreal stepped in to read it easier. "It's Ochnun" came Janu's voice from the darkness. Januk clarified, "Ochnun as a language used by the deceased. The language is composed by the mortal veil and only used by the deceased in the afterworld." ^[4]

Dread Lord

Ezreal was feeling uncomfortable and sensed Januk might act shady so he turned around. As is turns out, the explorer was wrong. Januk didn't have a flintlock. He had two!

Januk apologized and notified Ezreal he had been denied access into the Explorers Guild once more. Januk walked closer away from the darkness. "The Dread Lord will rise again. And the Elixir will make it happen." announced Januk. Next, the two both fired off shots. Januk with his pistol and Ezreal with his arcane infused gauntlet. The oncoming bullet was scotched by the arcane shot. Without hesitation, Ezreal readied another shot. After a minor fizzle and pop, Ezreal teleported behind Januk. He raised his gauntlet hand to the back of Januk's head and demanded Januk to drop his guns. ^[4]

The Fight

Januk replied, "Already one step ahead of you." It was not a response Ezreal wanted to hear. The Prodigal Explorer peeked at the floor to indeed find the pistols on the floor. Januk grasped his gauntlet with one big strong hand and pulled Ezreal over his shoulder with his other hand. He was slammed to the ground going straight through Januk's work desk. The previously observed stone bell pushed into his spine and he received a hard kick to the ribs. Right after, Januk pulled the Elixir of Uloa out of his weak grasp, pulled the stopper, and drank. ^[4]

A Phony

Januk says, "Your pathetic gauntlet will do nothing to an immortal! The Elixir is-"

Ezreal says, "Fake" while wheezing and added the colors were quite similar. To illustrate, the explorer held up another vial which didn't look at remarkable. He noted the vial he currently held was the real Elixir. In fact, he made it clear the vial Januk drank from was wasp venom from a low-cost souvenir trinket vessel. Januk observed the vial he currently held. He made a squished his face out of disgust.

The Prodigal Explorer made a face as he began to return to his feet. Containing their conversation, Ezreal recommended Januk stay close to the bathroom for the next few days. Januk threw the vial to the ground. Furthermore, the explorer disclosed sand wasp venom acts quickly and powerfully. Januk responded with some angry remarks with pauses in between his words. ^[4]

Goodbye

Ezreal was proud, thinking he just stopped a Dread Lord from rising. Now, with this interaction coming to an end, Ezreal shrugged, aimed his gauntlet at the wall and blew a hole through it and destroying the household's exterior as well. Januk's study room has paperwork all over the place. On his way out through the new exit, he grabbed the stone Ochnun bell for himself. The Prodigal Explorer ran off. With quick steps Ezreal jumped onto a rooftop close by. While leaving he checked out at the stone bell. He felt certain this trinket possessed dark energy. However, Ezreal's intention was to offer the stone Ochnun bell to the Explorers Guild. Then, he most definitely will be given access, he thought. So easy, that they might even throw his a party. ^[4]

An Explorer's Journey

This story details Ezreal's journal containing a personal account of his Discovery of the Vault of Resplendent Holies. ^{[1, 6]} He kept the journal expecting it be included into a hall of fame. Maybe a museum or beside a marble statue of himself.

Ezreal's sources have informed him industrial excavations created a crack in someplace deep in the Sump. ^[6]

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Day 1, preparation

The entire expedition takes five days to complete and the journal retells 12 days in total. On Day 1, Ezreal completes his checklist for articles to bring along. Many of the articles were purchased from Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery. Ezreal told Zalie to charge the item to Uncle Lymere and that he would pay for it. Once the explorer possessed all of the items, he felt he was ready to explore.

Day 3, planning

Ezreal's goal is to capitalize on his uncle's unpopular theory by attaining proof and sharing it with others as his own.

Professor Lymere, Ezreal's uncle has an unpopular theory suggesting Zaun used to be a Shuriman port city called "Oshra Va'Zaun". He believes, over time this name became shorter. Unfortunately, he has little proof to substantiate his claim.

However, the explorer has been informed industrial excavations have opened up a crack in an unknown area within the Sump of Zaun. At this point, Ezreal plans to head to tomorrow to find the crack and go down into it. While inside the crack, he'd be searching for an impressive looking artifact. Perhaps an accursed urn, or lost grimoire would suffice. Once something worthwhile has been acquired, he'd climb his way back up. Finally, he'd share his finding with Uncle Lymere and rub it in. ^[6]

Day 4, bright and early

The Prodigal Explorer arrives at Zaun and finds the massive crack. Unfortunately, he forgot to bring a lantern. Nonetheless, he was able to use his Shuriman gauntlet as a light source. He peers down and almost gasps. It's a labyrinth. Upon looking he sees an entire collection of staircases and aged passageways. ^[6]

Day 4, somewhere around lunchtime?

While continuing to descend the massive crack, the explorer is feeling low. He's feeling hungry and regretful he didn't bring a snack. Furthermore, his hair pomade is nearing empty and he's run out of rope. Fortunately, he found a narrow ledge to rest for a moment. It would also give him a chance to think about this critical scenario. Ezreal figures he has a two options.

1. Descend further and risk starvation
2. Return to the surface with nothing gained ^[6]

Day 4, well past noon

As the Prodigal Explorer delves deeper his hunger increases. He considers if his hair pomade is edible. ^[6]

Day 4, teatime-ish

As time went on, Ezreal was happy to write that came across something noteworthy. Only a few ledges below his narrow resting point was an old dusty sandstone door. Ezreal dusted the door to find glyphs with owls and other images on it. He begins to attempt to decode the glyphs on the door although his ancient Shuriman in a bit out of touch. What he could make out from the glyphs seemed to refer to a a curse. Some time of curse that multiplies or inflicts a thousand curses upon the victim. He wasn't exactly sure. The thought of the challenge from the curses excited him. Although, he couldn't find anything resembling an ancient doorknob. Ultimately, he decided to use his Shuriman Gauntlet to aid in the removal of the door. Ezreal blasts the door.

He enters an interesting antechamber. It's surprisingly neat. Just then, the explorer thinks he heard a noise. Either some cracks or footsteps. In retrospect, he thinks the powerful arcane blast may have been too much for the support columns. That's when he decided to leave to avoid being flattened. ^[6]

Day 4, almost dinnertime

After escaping, Ezreal thought back to what occurred in the antechamber. In there he saw five slow moving fiery stone warriors who became enraged at the touch of Carikkan's belongings. Fortunately for Ezreal, he was able to displace them by blasting them.

While in the antechamber, the Prodigal Explorer was lucky enough to find and take an enchanted golden stele. Inscribed on the stele was the legend of "Day of Fire" along with Carikkan's promise to defend the city of Oshra Va'Zaun. The explorer placed the stele in his satchel. He imagined his discovery of this historic stele was going to change the world. ^[6]

Day 5?

Even into the next day, the curse persisted. After the fire stone golems, out of nowhere, water began gushing through the cracks of the floor. From that, Ezreal figured he was somewhere underneath River Pilt. Regardless, the persistent explorer swam through numerous tunnels. His socks were incredibly soaked. But, in one of the tunnels he saw some disgusting murk-eels. During the flooding he encountered several locked doors. He was quite tempted to search through each of them but he resisted.

As he continued to navigating he felt as though he were nearing the surface. Ensuring the golden stele was preserved was his on his priority list at this point. Otherwise, the whole trip would not have been worthwhile. ^[6]

Day 6, back to civilization

By day 6, Ezreal had escaped the tunnels. He returned to Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery to refresh his outfit. Now that he possessed the golden stele after escaping he planned on presenting it to the Explorers Guild. Of course, Ezreal wanted to be as presentable as possible. He wasn't feeling too confident with the condition of his current attire. So, the articles of clothing he wanted to replace included, a new jacket, pants, boots, sock, and hair pomade of course.

The Prodigal Explorer claims Zalie's is one of the greatest outfitters in Piltover. However, he'd plan to leverage the store's generous return policy. He intended to return his ripped jacket and the waterproof boots that weren't so waterproof. Instead, Zalie generously offered to tailor Ezreal new garments. ^[6]

Day 9, damage control

Several days after leaving Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery, Ezreal discovered there was an outbreak of fiery critters in the mercantile district of Piltover. Only a few days ago, the clerk at the store unwrapped the golden stele and placed it on the window sill. The stele sat in directly in the sunlight. Due to Carikkan's enchantment, it caused the stele to glow and emanate audible voices singing mantras in an mysterious arcane language. It continued to glow until it finally blasting into blazing shards. If it were not for the stele being places in the sun during the equinox, it would not have had that effect.

While the Prodigal Explorer makes notes into the journal, the ground shakes beneath him. Furthermore, the fiery critters pout out of the sewers in the mercantile district. To combat them, he shot some of them with his gauntlet, which obliterated them with haste.

Ezreal wanted to make it clear he had nothing to do with the incident between this journal and his word. He does not want to be blamed. In retrospect, Ezreal felt he should invest in an almanac. ^[6]

Day 12, seeking legal advice

The last entry includes notes from Ezreal stating his preliminary hearing for court has been established for next week. He ads in a note-to-self to research Piltover's libel and slander laws. He adds he will be representing himself in litigation. ^[6]

Current Events

In recent times, the Prodigal Explorer has travelled to Noxus, Demacia, Zaun, and the Freljord.

Now, he seeks to grow his reputation, unearth ancient lost artifacts, and unearthing old history. ^[2]

Personality

As a child, Ezreal was always curious as a child but quite impulsive. Despite having the intelligence and aptitude for academic studies, Ezreal thought the studies be a poor use of his time. ^[2]

At times, Ezreal can lack integrity. Through his handwritten account of the Discovery of the Vault of Resplendent Holies, we learn Ezreal doesn't mind taking all the credit for his Uncle's theory. Furthermore, the explorer charged all his items purchased from Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery on his uncle's account. ^[6]

Ezreal is a fearless and stylish Piltovan. ^[1] He has high levels of confidence and considers himself physically attractive and a quick thinker. ^{[4, 5]} Often times, he effortlessly conquers what appears to be the most futile situations. These feats are done using his creativity and mystical Shuriman Gauntlet. ^[1] Still, Ezreal doesn't think there's anything wrong with hoping for a bit of luck. Also, he considers himself to be lucky. ^[3] Conversely, he feels nothing goes his way for long. ^[4]

To compliment his luck, it appears he is quite persuasive. For instance, Ezreal convinced the shop owner at Zalie's Expeditionary Outfitters & Haberdashery to put his purchases on his uncle's tab. ^[6] As well, he persuaded the captain of a merchant's ship to not throw him overboard after being caught stealing. ^[5]

Wherever Ezreal goes, trouble seems to be around the corner. ^[1]

Alter-Ego

Ezreal has an alter-ego named Jarro Lightfeather. Ezreal is aware his presence is likely well known in Demacia and described Jarro as a national treasure. ^[7]

Attitude

The Prodigal Explorer has an observational type of humor. As seen in The Elixir of Uloa, Ezreal often finds humor in everyday situations and people. For example, when inside disintegrating tomb, he joked, "I prefer my ground strictly solid, with a generous helping of reliability..." ^[3] Another quote Ezreal frequently uses is, 'use it or lose it'. ^[4]

Ezreal is aware he expeditions could bring about certain death. Still, the risk is worth it due to possibility of garnering more glory. ^[3] Additionally, when confronted with challenges during his expedition, it incites an excitement. The rationale being, increased difficulty equals increased reward. ^[6] At the end of an expedition, it has been his experience that one often finds themselves in hostile territory. ^[5] Furthermore, he is not fond of people doubting the credibility of his stories. He feels that one of the benefits of returning with artifacts is the boost in credibility.

Surprisingly, there is at least one area on Runeterra where Ezreal is not keen on exploring. That is, Icathia. He characterizes Icathia as a wasteland above his paygrade. ^[5]

While he appears rather neutral on Noxus, he does find the mysterious interactions with the Black Rose to be ominous. It is worth noting, Ezreal did not know he had interactions with Black Rose members.

On another note, the young explorer feels generally that people do not appreciate what is in plain sight. ^[5]

Beliefs

Ezreal believes myths are rooted in truth. ^[5]

Appreciations

The natural explorer is appreciative of his gauntlet. However, he is not thrilled about its limitations. For example, the teleport distance and the recharge time are unfortunate. ^[3]

Ezreal values his appearance greatly. As such, a valuable items he carries around is his hair pomade. Even during excursions he'll being his pomade. Once to product run out, he feels rather disappointed, even amidst life threatening situations. ^[6]

Furthermore, he is impressed by the ancient Shuriman's ability to erect such magnificent architecture. He suspects their Sun Disc magic helped. In terms of beauty, Ezreal also find Mount Targon, especially at night to be a wonderful sight. ^[5]

Another region the Prodigal Explorer respects is Noxus to some degree. He truly appreciates their tacos. Meanwhile, he is surprised at how the citizens generally don't recognize the impressive statues emanating dark energy in the Immortal Bastion. ^[5]

In terms of foods, Ezreal enjoys Noxii tacos, taco seasoning and taffa-flower water from Paretha. ^[5]

Criticisms

Ezreal is disinterested in studies ^[2] and the story behind ancient glyphs. ^[6] Overall, Ezreal is not fond of academia. According to his journal, Discovery of the Vault of Resplendent Holies, when Ezreal discovered the golden stele in the he'd hoped it changed the world, and not just the academic world, he added. ^[6]

As far as beasts are concern, Ezreal finds murk-eels to be nasty and disgusting. ^[6]

Interests

As a child, Ezreal enjoyed listening to stories of extreme adventures. As well, he frequently imagined joining his parents on their ventures. Just as his parents had done, Ezreal longed to check off the empty spaces on their maps. Now, with the gauntlet at his disposal, he found a passion for treasure hunting. ^[2]

After Ezreal acquired the ancient Shuriman gauntlet, he's enjoyed using it in conjunction with exploration and treasure hunting. ^[3]

Overall, Ezreal seeks approval, adoration, and glory. He wants to be remembers and commemorated. ^{[2, 4, 6]}

Numerous places exists where Ezreal would like to plunder. One such region is the ancient city of Nerimazeth. In particular, aged priceless items interest him. A particular object Ezreal wants to check out again is Illaoi's idol. When he saw it, he experienced some comic feelings from the idol. ^[5]

Preferences

Ezreal appreciates money and prompt payments. For example, even when Januk acts untrustworthy, Ezreal cannot help but lift his grudge when a fast and fair payment in made. ^[4]

Strategies

In Ezreal's personal experience, one often finds themselves in enemy territory after an adventure. Therefore, avoiding beginning a journey in hostile territory is typically smarter. Nonetheless, he is aware this approach is not always possible. On that note, he provides an example where these risky situations can be mitigated. That is, hiring a guide specifically from Bel'zhun, where some of the best reside, would be a wise choice.

Complimenting this strategy is another of his. The explorer believes there is considerable value is understanding the local culture of a region, presumable when visiting. ^[5]

The Prodigal Explorer possessed some defensive strategies. He has a good sense of when he's outmatched. For instance, when his local Shuriman guide, Kasdjar informed Ezreal they were resting in the Sand Mother's den, he got out out there real quick. Additionally, the explorer has a sense of when he should stay away from a region. In Ezreal's field notes, he describes Icathia as a wasteland above his paygrade. He adds, that he'll avoid that region for now. ^[5]

Awareness

In general, Ezreal has a sophisticated view on Runeterra's culture. This is due to his travels and his interest in history and culture. Admittedly, he is not aware of all the cultural details. For example, he is not fully aware of Kindred, The Black Rose secret society, and his knowledge of Icathia is likely quite limited. ^[5]

In regards to architectural exploration, the Prodigal Explorer was are of,

• Temples
• Ossuaries
• Arcane reliquaries

Shurima

Ezreal is aware of Shuriman, and it's history such as Sun Disc functions, ancient civilization like Nerimazeth, and their ancient architecture. In fact, Ezreal wrote a book called, On the Origins of Ascension. The book includes details about Shurima's ancient history. Furthermore, he is familiar with particular locations in Shuriman and knowledge presumably privy to residents. For example, Ezreal knows about the settlement Bel'zhun. He believes Bel'zhun is one of the best places hire a Shuriman guide. ^[5]

Ixtal

North of Ixtal in the Vale of Silver Mist, Ezreal had an out of body experience. Furthermore, the explorer considers this jungle magical, alluring and mysterious. The Prodigal Explorer fancies Paretha and describes it as a charming village. ^[5]

Noxus

He knows of Noxian culture after visiting the Immortal Bastion. However, he is not aware of the Black Roses' presence. ^[5]

The Blue Flame Isles

Ezreal has even been to The Blue Flame Isles. There he participated in local ceremonies a few times. As well, he understands the on goings in The Blue Flame are deeper than one would initially expect.

As for the Buhru religion, the Prodigal Explorer speculates their culture has a more widespread influence than anyone imagines. ^[5]

Bandle City

Extraordinarily, Ezreal witness a portal to Bandle City in the southern Shuriman mountain passes. He stumbled upon it accidently after running away from all the Southern Dune Wanderer tribes. Alas, after the decided to check back in the morning to look at the portal, it was gone. He even waiting at the spot for a week, but the portal never returned. The young explorer is aware of the portal to Bandle City. Still, he's not entirely confidence whether what he saw was real or an actual portal. ^[5]

Krackenhand

We discover in Ezreal's field notes, he does not know how to play Krakenhand. However, he does know at least one of the games terms which includes, 'triple-tentacle dice roll'.

Culture

Once Ezreal began to explore and more frequently with the gauntlet, his influence grew. However, some people have criticized his behaviors and disputed the trustworthiness of his stories. To Ezreal, the stories told of him never fully conceptualized the entire breath of his daring feats. Perhaps they're just jealous. Finally, he doesn't give his naysayers any type of response.

This dynamic in turn propelled him to hopefully leverage his renown to attract his missing parents or maybe trigger then to seek out their son. ^[2]

Appearance

Ezreal wears a custom reinforced leather jacket, spelunking gear, and waxed canvas boots. He wears and uses his Shuriman power gauntlet. ^[5]

Abilities

Ezreal possesses a mystical Shuriman gauntlet which has the power to send out powerful arcane blasts. ^[1]

With the gauntlet, Ezreal can teleport up to a hundred feet but is otherwise limited in the distance teleported. [2] Furthermore, the gauntlet has a recharge time after uses. ^[3]

Additionally, the gauntlet can be used as a light source since it glows pretty bright. ^[6]

Relationships

Januk

Januk has requested Ezreal to retrieve various artifacts for him numerous times. Ezreal doesn't always have a high opinion of the items he's been asked to fetch. Furthermore, he regards Januk as greedy and untrustworthy. The explorer recalls a few times Januk had betrayed him. For instance, Januk had blown Ezreal's cover after the Prodigal Explorer had seized the wreck of the Echelon Dawn. However, when Januk provided a healthy and quick payment, he brushed it off. ^[4]

Dread Lord

Januk was talking to Ezreal about the Dread Lord which Ezreal was unfamiliar with. After an altercation with Januk, the Freljordian attempted to raise the Dread Lord from the dead. Ezreal stopped him by tricking Januk to drink a sand wasp venom drink. Even though Ezreal hadn't a clue what summoning the Dread Lord would have entailed, he was proud he stopped it. Moreover, between acquiring Januk's stone Ochnun bell, and stopping the Dread Lord, he figured he could use that for an accreditation to the Explorers Guild. ^[4]

Professor Lymere

Ezreal's uncle is named professor Lymere. It appears their relationship is somewhat strained. Professor Lymere is rigid whereas Ezreal is rambunctious. Moreover, Professor Lymere's disciplinary tactics involved assigning difficult school assignments. Much to his dismay, Ezreal breezed through the school work with ease. ^[2] The boy relishes from the idea he'd make his uncle jealous from his outstanding adventures. ^[6]

In addition, Professor Lymere broke the news to Ezreal that his parents most likely perished during an expedition. ^[2]

Sona

Ezreal had been denied entry into Sona's recital during an unknown period. ^[4]

Kasdjar

The Prodigal Explorer's first guide was Kasdjar. Ezreal didn't know Kasdjar particularly well. But, he was incredibly knowledgeable, charismatic, trusty, and possessed tremendous work ethic. During their time together, Kasdjar told Ezreal how the area outside of Nerimazeth was where the first version of Sun Disc was built.

In the end, Kasdjar was physically inferior. Ultimately, he was crushed by a toppling obelisk which Ezreal felt bad about. ^[5]

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