Here’s all you need to know about the timeline of Arcane, and the League of Legends game it’s modified from. Created by Riot, Arcane is the first TV show inspired by the League of Legends games. It’s an adaptation rather than a straightforward part of the same timeline, although there have been hints Riot intend to make Arcane and future spinoffs the basis for canon lore going forward.

For now, though, the ambiguous relationship between Arcane and League of Legends means it can be pretty tricky to navigate the timeline. Given that’s the case, here’s everything we know about the history of Piltover and Zaun in Arcane, followed by a brief overview of the League of Legends timeline. Dates for League of Legends use the Noxian Calendar, the primary way of measuring time in that franchise. Meanwhile, the Arcane timeline will be measured against the founding of Piltover.

Arcane Timeline

The Ancient History of Zaun & Piltover

The story of Arcane begins thousands of years before the current show, with hints of the Rune Wars – ancient conflicts where the power of the Arcane was used to destroy entire societies and civilizations. The scientist Heimerdinger claims to have witnessed some of these events, suggesting he may be older in Arcane than he is in the main timeline. Whatever the case, in more recent times he moved to the city of Zaun, where its neighboring city Piltover had recently been established.

Piltover prospered, expanding to pretty much swallow Zaun whole; the two cities became known as “topside” and the “undercity.” Although Piltover was known for its technological innovation, Zaun became notable for its poverty, and the relationship between the two frequently erupted into violence. There seem to have been few attempts to establish a harmonious relationship between Piltover and Zaun until the current era.

Vander & Silco’s Backstory

Roughly 180 years after the founding of Piltover, Vander and Silco began to dream of changing the status quo. Their close friendship gradually devolved, however, because they disagreed too much about just how to accomplish prosperity for Zaun; they came to blows, and ultimately parted ways, with Silco scarred. It’s reasonable to assume their clash was part of a violent uprising in Piltover, one that ultimately led to the death of Vi and Jinx’s parents; both Vander and Silco cared deeply for their mother, and Vander took the children in.

Events involving other characters are currently impossible to date, but include:

Jayce and his mother are rescued by a mage while traveling through a blizzard, leaving Jayce inspired to study the Arcane from a scientific perspective
Viktor studies under the Zaunite scientist Singed, laying the groundwork for the creation of the drug Shimmer
Ambessa, a Noxian warlord, banishes her daughter Mel to Piltover; her son is subsequently killed by the Black Rose, and she swears revenge

Arcane Season 1

Arcane season 1 opens with what is really an extended prologue, set roughly 194 years after the founding of Piltover. Jayce’s pioneering research requires materials only available in the undercity, and he is spotted by Ekko, who tips Vi off that he might be a good man to steal from. The theft kicks off a potential conflict between Piltover and Zaun, and Silco takes advantage of the potential chaos to make a grasp for power. It all ends in tragedy, with Vander’s apparent death, and Jinx winds up in Silco’s care.

The creators of Arcane have advised that roughly 6-7 years happen between Arcane season 1, episodes 3 and 4; however, they have also noted that time works differently on this world, Runeterra.

The main story of Arcane season 1 takes place 200 years after the founding of Piltover; it can be dated because the city is celebrating its 200th Progress Day, the anniversary of its founding. Jayce’s Hextech has radically transformed the city into a center of global trade, thanks to a network of teleportation systems. Jinx causes chaos once again, and she kills Silco, who she believes is set to betray her. She then launches a rocket attack on Piltover’s council, ending any prospect of peace between the cities.

Arcane Season 2

Season 2 picks up immediately after the end of Arcane season 1, with Ambessa manipulating events to cause war between Piltover and Zaun under Caitlyn’s leadership. Meanwhile, the Undercity devolves into chaos after Silco’s death, and Jinx only emerges when a child she has grown fond of is killed. She and Vi reunite after discovering Vander is alive but mutated, and they approach Viktor for help – only for events to go catastrophically wrong.

The League of Legends Timeline

Fans tend to divide the League of Legends timeline into two sections: BN (Before the founding of Noxus) and AN (After the founding of Noxus). Here are some key events; while details may differ, it’s reasonable to assume something resembling these happened in the Arcane timeline too. We shall only cover events up until the founding of Piltover, as it remains to be seen whether events will play out in the same way.

The creation of the universe and the formation of Runeterra.
9,000BN – 8,000BN – the Titan War, a conflict between mortals and alien beings called the Titans, only won due to the intervention of the mystical creatures called the Vastayashai’rei. Some Vastayashai’rei would then choose to live among mortals.
9,000BN – 8,000BN – the Founding of the Freljord, a harsh and unforgiving land unified during this era and notable for its Demi-Gods.
8,000BN – the War of the Three Sisters, the rulers of the Freljord, triggered by creatures from the Void known as the Watchers.
6,000BN – 5,000BN – humans migrate to the western hemisphere.
5,000BN – 2,500BN – the Shuriman Empire emerges as one of Runeterra’s greatest civilizations, noted for its God-Warriors.
2,500BN – 500BN – the Void War, a conflict in which the God-Warriors of Shurima and Ixtal battle against Icathia. Shurima subsequently falls due to treachery. This is immediately followed by the Great Darkin War, a conflict between the remaining God-Warriors.
400BN – 100BN – Sahn Uzal, known as the Iron Revenant, ruled over Eastern and Central Valoran.
25BN – the city of Helia and the Blessed Isles are devastated, transformed into the Shadow Isles, forever populated by spirits. This was followed by the Rune Wars, in which the Arcane was wielded in dangerous new ways and entire civilizations were destroyed.
0 – 790AN – new civilizations emerge, including Noxus, Demacia, Piltover, and Bilgewater. In the Noxian calendar, Piltover was established in 790AN.