They have been as wide as an ocean and as deep as a puddle for too long now.
To be clear, I am specifically referring to the world and setting, as some characters have managed to dig themselves into a comfortable level of depth, though almost all the aforementioned characters have depth due to receiving short stories/color stories and/or Arcane which are no longer a thing.
Every single region has been in a state of limbo for the past decade, with any potential for progression instantly being smothered by "is it even canon?", "it's now confirmed to be retconned" or "Riot forgot about that" syndrome.
Freljord recieved it's last bit of development when Lissandra released, and even that was left forgotten.
Noxus has been the same noxus for as long as I can remember with the last major inclusion being Mordekaiser, who has only served to re-write the Black rose's goals (which is something I guess).
Demacia touched on some things with the mage rebellion, but as we have gotten transported back in time, it's anybody's guess if mageseekers is still gonna be canon.
Bilgewater has been in the same exact place forever now, with the last change occurring when GP died, which while great, can't be the sole source of development to latch onto as a fan.
Ixtal LMAO
Shurima's last regional narrative involved Azir, who we have not heard a single thing from since his release, and we don't even know if Azir as a champion has been resurrected yet as of current times.
Targon Lmao
The Void got belveth, who seemed like she would finally push SOME sort of story forward (lmao)
P&Z got Arcane, which while HEAVILY a character study moreso than a regional study, is atleast something. Though again, the focus on the animosity between the sister cities was heavily reduced in favor of a Marvel storyline. The cities themselves were props for the characters, rather than having the cities being treated as characters of their own.
Ionia is just a victim of things that SHOULD deepen the region, but end up doing fuckall.
What I'm trying to say is that each of the regions have MULTIPLE threads they can pursue in order to bring more life to the world that are just left hanging.
Freljord:
The Three Sisters' fragile power balance
Trade routes opening/closing with Noxus and Demacia as the region's isolation erodes
An exploration on the general role of Iceborn
Lissandra and the Watchers eroding their prison
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noxus:
The actual mechanics of the Trifarian oligarchy post-Swain
Consequences of major military failures, both culturally and economically
What are the actual mechanisms and policies of absorbing a successfully conquered nation's people?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demacia:
The mechanics and politics of mage registration post-rebellion.
The unresolved status of Petricite production and the effects of over-deforestation.
Diplomatic fallout with Noxus-adjacent border towns
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bilgewater:
captain-council power struggles as an ongoing institution
Piracy vs. legitimate trade. How does their economy actually function? If they were all pirates they'de be wiped from the map by now, or atleast invaded by Noxus.
Dynamic between the various cults, pirates and it's citizenry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ixtal:
Isolationist policy under strain. how the Yun Tal enforce the boundary and what happens when outsiders or migrants test it
Internal elemental politics
Is migration out of Ixtal strictly prohibited?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shurima:
Reconstruction politics after Azir's return
Ascension itself as an institution (still a thing? banned? break glass in-case of emergency?)
Desert nomad tribes' relationship with the reborn empire. Do they ALL fear him to be a tyrant? do some join with willingness?
Old empire ruins as contested resources. Looting, archaeology, etc etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Targon:
The mechanics and gatekeeping of Ascension attempts
Competing theologies among the mountain's people. How does each tribe twist their interpretation of the celestials?
Economics and the mechanics of wealth in Targon. can you be considered rich? poor? How do they provide for their people in the absence of the various resources that may not be abundant in Targon? Pantheon's story showed that a caravan arrives in Targon's base. Is trade with other regions common practice?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Void:
Void corruption as a spreading territorial phenomenon with a long established frontline
Competing responses to Void threat across regions. Does Shurima, Noxus, and Ixtal coordinate, deter, or ignore each other?
Procedures for void corruption across cultures that encounter it.
Is the void even common public knowledge or has it somehow been kept secret despite it's ability to open rifts seemingly wherever it can?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P&Z:
Chem-baron territorial economics after Arcane
Shimmer production
Policies of the independance agreement
Infrastructure strain from any hextech involving the acceleration rune effectively being made a dud
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ionia:
Ionia's fractured spiritual authority after the war
Ongoing ecological/spiritual scarring from Noxian occupation
The unresolved status of communities in Ionia that bent the knee during the invasion
Foreign relations post-war
Sorry for long post, Im just getting a bit frustrated, doubly so now that we know the rest of the year will have next to no lore progression whatsoever
