RuneScape Forum Archive | A Reworked Timeline

AttilaSquare

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EDIT: About 8 months behind on my lore, most of the following is overruled, so I’ve crossed out most of it.

Greetings,

On this brief thread, I'm continuing a long-term project of exploring a rework of Gielinor's timeline.

To summarize my thesis:

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ages were each 1,000 years long - millennia rather than ages.

The dates known from the 3rd age - the battle of Annakarl in 3100, the minting of Zamorakian coins in Senntisten in 3740, and the minting of Saradominist coins in Saranthium in 3804 - establish a fixed calendar without a division of ages.

Many of the events said to have occurred in the year 169 of the 5th age occurred in the year 5169 and in the decade preceding it.

Much of what I propose below contadicts existing lore, but in ways that I've sought to minimize.

I straightforwardly contradict a line concerning the capture of Azzanadra in Zemouregal's diary, the length of the Cadarn's reign in Kandarin suggested in "The Great Divide," several museum exhibits (mostly importantly concerning the founding of Avarrocka, the first invasion of Zemouregal, and the Misthalin-Morytania conflicts), and many references to the thousands of years that have passed since ancient events. I could perhaps avoid contradicting even many of these, but I'm not so strict in what follows - I take some liberties.

In any case, I write this with the hope of laying a foundation for easier and more compelling storytelling in the future.

19-Nov-2019 19:17:01 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:46:29 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

Posts: 1,792 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Gielinor's Reconstructed Timeline

Year 1 - some legendary origin event, such as: the arrival of Guthix upon Gielinor, the construction of the World Gate, the arrival of some particular population through the World Gate, or the completion of migrations through the World Gate.

~ Year 2180 - Icyene settle in the Hallowland

~ Year 2980 - Zamorak slays Zaros

~ Year 3000 - Zamorak returns to Gielinor

Year 3100 - battle of Annakarl

Year 3740 - Zamorakian coins minted in Senntisten

Year 3804 - Saradominist coins minted in Saranthium

~ Year 4000 - Guthix returns and casts out many beings of great power.

Year 4196 - Order of Ascension founded

Year 4225 - Bilrach descends into Daemonheim

Year 4669 - end of dwarven monarchy and foundation of the Consortium

Years 4930-4935 - elven civil war, invasion of Hazeel and Khazard

~ Year 5000 - discovery of main rune essence mine

Year 5168 - 18th ritual of the Mahjarrat upon Gielinor

Year 5170 - death of Guthix

Obviously, I left out many many events for which we do not have firm dates.

19-Nov-2019 19:17:47 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:46:53 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

Posts: 1,792 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Three Re-tellings of Stories for the Reconstructed Timeline

First, one of the major challenges of reworking the timeline concerns the dating of Mahjarrat rituals. I propose that the rituals upon Gielinor were tied to a syzygy occurring every 125 years and that this length of time was doubled twice, due to the dwindling number of Mahjarrat.

Year 2293 - 1st ritual upon Gielinor, established at a syzygy occurring every 125 years that Zaros first observed in the year 2168

Year 2418 - 2nd ritual

Year 2543 - 3rd ritual

Year 2668 - 4th ritual

Year 2793 - 5th ritual

Year 2918 - 6th ritual

Year 3043 - 7th ritual

Year 3168 - 8th ritual

Year 3293 - 9th ritual

Year 3418 - 10th ritual

Year 3543 - 11th ritual

Year 3668 - 12th ritual

Year 3793 - 13th ritual

Year 3918 - 14th ritual

Shortly after the return of Guthix, it was decided by the Mahjarrat to extend the time between rituals to 250 years.

Year 4168 - 15th ritual, death of Mizzarch

Year 4418 - 16th ritual, death of Lamistard

Year 4668 - 17th ritual, death of Ralvash. Because Bilrach, Jhallan, and Kharshai failed to attend this ritual, so that their numbers were greatly reduced, the Mahjarrat decided again to extend the time between rituals, to 500 years.

Year 5168 - 18th ritual, death of Jhallan, and Lucien

Year 5173 - last ritual of the Mahjarrat, upon Freneskae.

19-Nov-2019 19:19:53 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:47:18 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

Posts: 1,792 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Second, we lack any overarching narrative of what happened during the Godwars. I propose that we can see as a central theme of the Godwars the long collapse of the Zarosian Empire and that the empire fell in two stages.

First, the northern half of the empire - mostly Forinthry - fell quickly, in about a century. To this period belongs the key battles of Annakarl and the Ritual Site.

Second, the southern half - Senntisten and its surroundings - endured for another six centuries under the leadership of Azzanadra. The resistance of Senntisten ensured that the Godwars did not reach the Kharidian until its final centuries. As soon as Senntisten could no longer hold the way to Shantay Pass, the forces of Saradomin and Zamorak raced to entrench themselves in the desert. At the fall of Senntisten, some Zarosians fled to join remnants in the north and others followed Azzanadra into the desert south, where he was captured at Jaldroacht by the combined forces of Saradomin and Zamorak.

Throughout the millennium of the Godwars, many lands changed hands, and others did not - but all suffered under the relentless ambitions of the gods.

19-Nov-2019 19:20:21 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:47:40 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

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Third, we have heard the story of Zaros' advent upon Gielinor with twelve legions of demons and the destruction of Loarnab, but we lack an account of why Zaros arrived in such fashion and why the other gods mistook him for an upstart. To fill this gap, I once wrote the long fan fiction Epic of Ikov , which I will summarize here.

But first, some context: As Guthix's appearances grew less frequent and even ceased altogether, humans from Kandarin migrated east, and ~~by the year 2100~~ three nations lived in the region bounded by Ice Mountain, the Lum, and the sea: Fishermen and mariners lived in villages strung along the coastlines of modern-day Draynor, Sarim, and Rimmington. Feudal lords and their peasantry cultivated the plain of Asgarnia. The third and greatest nation stretched from Ice Mountain through all the forests west of the Lum.

A fortress built upon the ruins of an ancient crystalline city and spanning the twin peaks of Ice Mountain was the pride of this nation. On the southern slope of the mountain was its populous capital city of Hevel. Thrice-ringed by walls and a moat, this imposing city kept the Asgarnians at bay. On a bluff jutting out from the eastern slope stood the compact city of Aidos. From high walls and many towers of dark stone, the people of this city guarded the gap between the mountain and the head of the Lum, as well as the narrow road that led to the fortress of Kathekontos. From Kathekontos, soldiers kept watch over Trollweiss and the vast frontier of Forinthry, for the safety of all who dwelt in the south.

In those days, no dangers threatened the people on the scale of the Godwars, but even then Gielinor was home to strange beasts who wandered across the open lands. Gods too, newly arrived from other worlds, came and went. Gods then did not wage wars but grew in influence through subtler means.

19-Nov-2019 19:20:56 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:48:17 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

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~~It was in the 2160s that~~ Zaros first came to reconnoiter the world of Gielinor and to subjugate its people to himself. From shadow, he sent to these nations and others spirits to ensnare their hearts, and to Hevel he sent three vampyres to govern the region in his stead. Yet Zaros' plan came to fail.

~~In 2169,~~ Armadyl arrived in Gielinor, seeking a new homeland for his people. Immediately he journeyed to Al-Kharid to meet with Tumeken - another god of partially avian form. Tumeken recommended to Armadyl to settle the Aviantese in the Galarpos far in the West. But having sensed the work of Zaros beyond the Lum, Tumeken cautioned Armadyl not to bring his people to Gielinor immediately but first to take with him the young sorcerer Ikov and to cast out from the hearts of men the spirits sent by Zaros.

19-Nov-2019 19:21:27 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:49:08 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

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So Armadyl and Ikov journeyed through all the land west of the Lum, and through Forinthry, and Fremennik lands, and finally into Kandarin. They cast out many spirits as they went.

First, they came to the fishermen and mariners who were haunted by a ghost and by trolls driven mad, lone suicidal trolls who attacked the villages without warning. The two inspired courage in the people, drew forth the ghost, and in gruesome battle drove it out.

Second, they came to the Asgarnians who had reduced their peasantry to slaves. The two led the latter in rebellion and drew forth a brooding spirit clad in black armour and narrow visor. Ikov defeated the spirit in a joust.

Third, in the summer ~~of 2170~~ they entered the forest, whose inhabitants had disappeared. After weeks in search, they lifted the enchantment that had rendered the people invisible and led them against the cities in the north. They laid seige to the cities, banished the vampyres in Hevel from the world, and drove a shadowy spirit from Kathekontos into the West. Armadyl then sent Ikov into the moors north of the mountain and alone laid low the creature Humus - the first manifestation of Vorago.

Fourth, Armadyl, Ikov, and their companions endured for weeks freezing rain and fog and wandering witches in the moors, until at last they sensed and broke the oppressive spirit in the fog.

Fifth, the company crossed the Forinthrine frontier and found within the volcano in the farthest northeast a horde of otherworldly creatures controlled by a demon and engaged in a cannibalistic feast. Ikov held the demon in a contest of wills while its minions completed their self-destruction. Then the demon fled west from the volcano to a ravine running along the northern coast; the company fortified the volcano for the people of the region.

19-Nov-2019 19:21:59 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:49:49 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

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Sixth, after passing a strange totem toppled upon the frozen beach, the company encountered Fremennik priests who worshipped demons in the ravine. These they slaughtered, and then escaped the ravine, where the world grew thin. Ikov returned across the coast to destroy the totem and seal away the power of the Kal'Gerions.

Seventh, Ikov slew an undead seer deep in the cave of an ancient wyrm and led with Armadyl a host of Fremennik over the mountains to their ancient homeland.

Finally, Armadyl and Ikov left the Fremennik and came to the great nations of men and gnomes along the Dougne. Thence Armadyl departed from Gielinor for Abbinah. Ikov remained to search all the land of Kandarin for the shadowy spirit Hubris who fled the mount of Kathekontos, the last remaining spirit sent by Zaros. After gaining wisdom from the sleeping Guthix, Ikov met and slew the spirit which had taken draconic form, even centuries before the creation of dragons. Then Ikov again scoured all the land and departed from this world.

19-Nov-2019 19:22:31 - Last edited on 20-Nov-2019 00:21:08 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

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This is the epic of Ikov. It was because of Ikov and the success of his quest with Armadyl to drive out from the hearts of men the influence of Zaros that Zaros chose to take Gielinor by force, in the light, and with legions of demons.

Kathekontos fell to Zaros ~~in the year 2176~~ and was replaced by the fortress of Lassar. The lords of Hevel swore allegiance to Zaros. Refugees from Aidos and Kathekontos fled east into the forests near the head of the Lum where they remained in hiding for ~~more than 1800~~ years. After the Godwars they emerged in the village of Strite, a relic from ages past, until their final destruction in the flames of Garak.

19-Nov-2019 19:22:52 - Last edited on 15-May-2021 14:50:46 by AttilaSquare

AttilaSquare

Posts: 1,792 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

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19-Nov-2019 19:23:14

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