who are kindred?
Separate, but never parted, Kindred represents the twin essences of death. Lamb’s bow offers a swift release from the mortal realm for those who accept their fate. Wolf hunts down those who run from their end, delivering violent finality within his crushing jaws. Though interpretations of Kindred’s nature vary across Runeterra, every mortal must choose the true face of their death.
Kindred is the white embrace of nothingness and the gnashing of teeth in the dark. Shepherd and the butcher, poet and the primitive, they are one and both. When caught on the edge of life, louder than any trumpeting horn, it is the hammering pulse at one’s throat that calls Kindred to their hunt. Stand and greet Lamb’s silvered bow and her arrows will lay you down swiftly. If you refuse her, Wolf will join you for his merry hunt, where every chase runs to its brutal end.
For as long as its people have known death, Kindred has stalked Valoran. When the final moment comes, it is said a true Demacian will turn to Lamb, taking the arrow, while through the shadowed streets of Noxus, Wolf leads the hunt. In the snows of the Freljord, before going off to fight, some warbands “kiss the Wolf,” vowing to honor his chase with the blood of their enemies. After each Harrowing, the town of Bilgewater gathers to celebrate its survivors and honor those granted a true death by Lamb and Wolf.
Denying Kindred is to deny the natural order of things. There are but a wretched few who have eluded these hunters. This perverse escape is no sanctuary, for it only holds a waking nightmare. Kindred waits for those locked in the undeath of the Shadow Isles, for they know all will eventually fall to Lamb’s bow or Wolf’s teeth.
The earliest dated appearance of the eternal hunters is from a pair of ancient masks, carved by unknown hands into the gravesites of people long-forgotten. But to this day, Lamb and Wolf remain together, and they are always Kindred.
Early life
As a spirit who is closer to a force of nature than a living being, it is difficult to tell how Kindred came to be who they are today. However, one of the many legends surrounding the origins of the Kindred tell of 'a pale man with dark hair' (Runeterra's own Grim Reaper) who was 'very lonely' and so split himself 'right down the middle' so he 'would always have a friend'. Assuming there is some fact to this tale, one can extrapolate that his emotions (materialized in his dark hair) became Wolf, while his rationale (materialized in his pale self) became Lamb.
Appearence
Kindred is an entity, with two distinct aspects and appearances:
Lamb looks like a sheep/lamb with pale fur and lamb's legs and feet. She doesn't wear clothes, her body is covered in white fur. The most distinctive ornament on her attire is the Lamb's "wolf" mask which has a dark color. She carries with her a mystical bow.
Wolf has the appearance of a spectral wolf with dark fur and only the head being visible. He wears no clothes, the rest of his body is covered in a long, spectral dark veil. The most distinctive ornament on her attire is the Wolf's Mask "lamb" mask which is white in color.
Lore abilities
Kindred is an ancient divine being embodying a particular aspect of the world, in this case, death. Kindred nurtures themselves from both their role as death gods and from the belief and memory of worshipers. So long as there is life on Runeterra and there still be people that believe in them, Kindred will continue existing. Both parts of the Kindred are connected to each other through a powerful spiritual bond. Kindred is a god of death, responsible for the passing of living beings to the afterlife. More of a function than a power, Kindred will come to those that are close to death, and take them to the beyond. Whether Kindred chooses the death or they're simply drawn to those close to death seems to vary. If the dying chooses a peaceful death, then Lamb will take them swiftly with their arrows, if they choose to fight death, them Wolf will come for them. The nature of the "choice" is not always clear and obvious, as many have chosen without knowing, due to living a life that put them in the path of one of the Kindred.
In-game information
Kindred were released on Oct. 14th 2015 and were last changed in patch 12.10. They're a Marksman that currently works best in the Jungle role. Their resource to cast spells is mana and as of now they cost 4800 BE