One of the ancient darkin, Varus was a deadly killer who loved to torment his foes, driving them almost to insanity before delivering the killing arrow. He was imprisoned at the end of the Great Darkin War, but escaped centuries later in the remade flesh of two Ionian hunters—they had unwittingly released him, cursed to bear the bow containing his bound essence. Varus now seeks out those who trapped him, in order to enact his brutal vengeance, but the mortal souls within still resist him every step of the way.
One of the perennial favorites of summoners in the League of Legends is the Freljordian beauty known as Ashe. She is a direct descendant of Avarosa - one of three legendary sisters who each claimed dominion over the scattered tribes dwelling in the icy tundra of northern Valoran. Ashe mirrors her ancestor's unparalleled mastery of the bow, earning her the title of The Frost Archer the way Avarosa did during her era. Ashe is a literal Princess amongst her people, though she prefers to be addressed by outsiders as her tribal title rather than any form of royal moniker. There are those in Freljord, however, that would prefer to address Ashe as the late Frost Archer; the other two tribes that are descendants from the Three Sisters are historically sworn enemies of Ashe and her people. Having survived more than one assassination attempt in her life, Ashe is always aware of her surroundings regardless of where she is.
The Shimada family was established centuries ago, a clan of assassins whose power grew over the years, enabling them to build a vast criminal empire out of Hanamura that profited from lucrative trade in arms and illegal substances. As the eldest son of Sojiro Shimada, the family's head, Hanzo was bound by duty to succeed his father and rule the Shimada empire, dealing with expectations that his younger brother, Genji, did not. While he overshadowed Genji in his status, Hanzo preferred to have his brother beside him. The Shimada brothers train under As From a young age, Hanzo was trained for that responsibility, displaying a natural aptitude for leadership and possessing an innate understanding of strategy and tactics. He also excelled in more practical areas: he was a prodigy in martial arts, swordplay, and bowmanship. Upon the death of his father, the clan elders instructed Hanzo to straighten out Genji, so that he, too, might help rule the Shimada empire. When his brother refused, Hanzo was forced to kill him. Unbeknownst to Hanzo, however, Genji narrowly survived the attempt with the help of Overwatch. This act broke Hanzo's heart and drove him to reject his father's legacy, ultimately leading him to abandon the clan and all that he had worked so hard to attain. His leaving the clan removed his access to its finances, and he began roaming the world in solitude as self-punishment. Hanzo swore to never again wield a sword, and would forevermore rely on his skills with the bow. Seeing his abandonment as betrayal, the clan declared Hanzo an enemy and assassins were sent time and again to kill him. That was ten years ago. Now, Hanzo travels the world, perfecting his skills as a warrior, attempting to restore his honor and put the ghosts of his past to rest, honing his murderous skills all the while.