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Battle of Forinthry: Aftermath

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Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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I believe a lot of players have completed the Battle of Forinthry quest, and the ending is probably what many in the RSOF like or have predicted.

I am not going to give major spoilers now, but perhaps I am the only few (or one) in the RSOF who have predicted with reasons from all the other Fort Forinthry quests that Zemouregal is just a small potato behind a grand plot. I will elaborate gradually the coming days.

Meanwhile, please feel free to tell us how do you think the sagas of Zemouregal, Vorkath and other bigger potatoes continue... :)

20-Nov-2023 21:26:21 - Last edited on 21-Nov-2023 01:13:15 by Dilbert2001

H 1 L D A
Apr Member 2020

H 1 L D A

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This quest felt pretty lackluster - but I'll acknowledge that a good chunk of it was spent introducing a boss encounter, which probably wasn't going to help in the lore department.

I'm a little disappointed Jagex didn't take the opportunity to talk about Queen Ellamaria/the Raptor more here - (which means I owe Dilbert his flowers - her home burning down as a child was just consequential. With the Raptor being involved with the QBD situation and now Vorkath, her having a particular dislike for Dragons would have been good writing.)

I'm even more so that it felt like Zemouregal had little to no chance of doing anything at all to Misthalin after such a long buildup - and that might be a problem presented by Jagex's episodic release schedule. Players, especially lorehounds, are going to expect the stakes to rise. Claiming insignificant guards died and missing the workshop and a third of the walls felt like it fell short. (Again, killing off the Raptor, after just finding out they were Queen Ellamaria, would have been an interesting angle.)

Now we have Zemouregal held captive and our 60 Necromancy requirement is used to passively apply stronger necrotic wards on his prison cell. The player smartly lets the hotheaded Mahjarrat reveal on his own that Moia had weakened him to the player. That's actually the most impactful moment of this quest, because that wasn't common knowledge prior to this quest. Only the Zemorakian remnants had known that. Now the player character knows.

Thank Saradomin for the cutaway to Zamorak's hideout. Bilrach being still alive is a very good reveal - and it seems Moia has herself some titles (Imperator/Domina) that rival Adrasteia's.

This Misthalinian conflict at Fort Forinthry is the prelude to a larger one between Saradominist human settlements and the Zamorakian remnants. It's my hope that the player bounces around between Misthalin, Asgarnia, and Kandarin to engage in proxy conflicts with Zammies.

Quest Cape Owner since 2021

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21-Nov-2023 02:36:44

H 1 L D A
Apr Member 2020

H 1 L D A

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The last bit of the quest also brings into light that Moia has an interest in protecting Mahjarrat lives - which could mean a number of things. Something tells me that her uncle may not spend the rest of his existence imprisoned underneath our command centre. This isn't entirely surprising - as the Mahjarrat very recently have been released from having to perform a killing ritual to rejuvenate for the next thousand years, but given Moia's half-breed status and ample reason to hold disdain toward the Mahjarrat due to how those in her family had treated her, it's interesting nonetheless.
Quest Cape Owner since 2021

Maxed
- July 31st, 2022

21-Nov-2023 02:45:44

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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^^
If you have completed the quest, you should have seen the lore part. It drops plenty of hints on the upcoming Misthalin and Age of Chaos questlines Mod Jack mentioned in his Design livestreams.

This quest wasn't meant to be a quest originally. We were told on the release of the release of the last roadmap of the year it was just a short introduction like the ones introducing us to Rasha. We should be thankful the RS3 team took their time and delivered a lot more than they originally told us.

Zemouregal is just a small potato as I have been predicting and showing everybody. It is funny to see him being a coward and accepting his fate (without spoilers now, go do the quest and find it out).

You seemed to have missed out a very interesting and significant revelation when you talked about the titles of Moia. It ties many different lore based content together. I'll let you find it out in the next couple of days before I elaborate on it.

Rest assured, we are going to hear about Ellamaria, but this belongs in the Misthalin questline, which should commence with the brand new Misthalin questline early next year as Jagex told us. It will also be the 450 QP quest which Jagex told us will be a very special one. Dragons... The Raptor loves to deal with dragons... and the most powerful dragon in Gielinor, Akra'Drash, and our next Raid Boss in 2024 sounds like a reasonable possibility in Jagex's 2024 business strategy.

21-Nov-2023 15:56:46

H 1 L D A
Apr Member 2020

H 1 L D A

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That's pretty good to speculate about actually. I had forgotten momentarily that this was still technically "the necromancy season" - so absolutely valid point.



I'm unsure whether or not "Domina" or "Imperator" are attributed to Moia in the sense that Roman etymology = Zarosian, but that's where my mind wanders, and its quite strange for Zarosian "order" to be put in place for Zamorakians. Is she parodying the usage of imperial terminology and hinting that Mahjarrat life is important to uphold in some kind of effort to reunite the Zarosian and Zamorakian Mahjarrat under her hand?

More pressingly, I'm assuming Moia herself has an interest in attacking Misthalin, and because we know she was aware of Zemouregal's actions - it may be safe to assume she was engaging in a probing attack at Fort Forinthry (which makes WAY more sense than having Zemouregal not take the opportunity to bypass the Fort in order to try and take Varrock or something.)

Again, Adrasteia's existence makes it seem like her relationship with Moia is going to mirror Saradomin's classic one with Zamorak. The conflict being centered so far in Misthalin is compelling, but is Fort Forinthry really supposed to be the only point of attack for Moia?Moia probably has more crafty tactics that does endanger simple humans like those under the Crown of Misthalin.

And notably, the encounter with Zemouregal and Vorkath ends with Vorkath FLEEING after breaking Zemo's control, and us imprisoning Zemo. Is it smart to let both yet live?
Quest Cape Owner since 2021

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22-Nov-2023 07:43:43

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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^^
I think you are thinking in a totally different direction. The grand plot is not about Saradominists vs Zamorakians. Neither is it about Mahjarrat.

All the time these Necromancy, Fort Forthriny and future Misthalin and Age of Chaos quests revolve around the 1st Age conflict. There were the untold Great Wars slipped through the lips of Bilrach when he was under the influence of the Strange Powers... and the dragonkins were the enders of the "Great Wars".

I'll connect the dots in 2 days. :)

22-Nov-2023 16:34:18

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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OK. It has been 5 days since the release of this good new quest. Plenty of players should have done it and so it is time to delve a bit deeper into some interesting reveals from the quest.

"Zemouregal: your doom comes from within and without."


It is quite obvious Zemo has told us we are not just dealing with him and Moia, but also troubles from "within".

"once when Moia finishes..."


Moia is doing something. Zemo is just a pawm and probably a distraction. When Moia finishes this... something... we may be doomed.

"Zemouregal: When I dispense with this rotten place, Misthalin shall follow... "


Now this is a clear message. The grand plot is not just about Fort Forinthry or Varrock as we have seen in New Varrock after Dimension of Disaster.

"Forgotten warrior:
Imperator, I bring word of Zemouregal's attack on Misthalin.
Moia:
He failed, didn't he?
Forgotten warrior:
Yes, Domina."


Zamorakian Mahjarrat don't use Roman Empire titles like Imperator and Domina. Something must have changed to Moia. Why did the forgotten warrior called Moia the Imperator and Domina in separate sentence? Is RS3 trying to hint on something? :)

Now what about Vorkath? There should be no surprise Zemo was no match to the Duke of Forinthry but the surprise ending to many players was probably Vorkath broke loose from Zemo's necromancy, turned against him and fled. Keep in mind undead raised by necromancers typically are just mindless pupplets. We learned from Arrav they only act on their own when external disturbances overpower the spell they are under. So, it is logical to believe Vorkath answered the call of someone or something who broke Zemo's spell...

There are some interesting dots to investigate for now. I will add more and connect them soon. :)

24-Nov-2023 20:06:49

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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Let's look at what messages Jagex have delivered to us through Zemouregal's big mouth.

"Zemouregal: your doom comes from within and without."


Perhaps Mahjarrat speak a different language, but "your doom comes from without" doesn't seem to make much English sense.

"Your doom comes from within" is quite easy to understand though. Let's recall before Zemo performed the ritual to bring Vorkath back to life, he spoke in a cutscene about the mess of Misthalin and the displeasure of its people. "Your doom comes from within" pretty much echoes that sentiment and perhaps tells us about the future political and/or millitary uprising in Misthalin. This also seems to be the case in the latter part of Ellamaria's nightmare that we saw the demise of Roald, and Bianca and the angry mobs we had to deal with. Of course, we also discovered the presence and involvement of the "Varrockian Authorities" in the letter dropped neared Bianca's grave in Ancient Awakening.

Roald is going to fall, and Misthalin is breaking up from WITHIN, and this probably commences the grand openning of the Misthalin Storyline early next year that Mod Jack told us about in his Design Livestream. Perhaps "your doom comes from withOUT" is a cute way to direct our attenton to "your doom comes from withIN" - this sentence tells us Misthalin will be facing threats from both their own people inside, and of course Moia... and the big boss behind her.

"once when Moia finishes..."


While Zemo is just one of the small potatoes, Moia is the main course... prior to the grand feast. Make no mistakes, the current Moia has changed since the "Til Death Do Us Apart" Halloween event. She is stronger than any of Zamorakians, and perhaps all the Mahjaratt not name Azzanadra the newest god.

Remember what "Amascut" told us at the end of 'Phite Club? She said similar to "Jabari" that once when the ritual is finished, nothing can stop her.

25-Nov-2023 18:10:11

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

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Keep in mind both "Moia" and "Amascut" are extremely likely under the control of Xau-Tak (or the kingdom of shadow, but let's just call them Xau-Tak now). They may be talking about the same ritual that will destroy the final defense of Gielinor and fully release Xau-Tak.

Of course, when Xau-Tak breaks through the Rift finally, as Raisal previewed already in Alpha vs Omega, it can be the end of not just Gielinor, but the entire universe. So, it is up to the World Guardian , Guardian of the Universe to stop them.

25-Nov-2023 18:14:52 - Last edited on 25-Nov-2023 18:17:27 by Dilbert2001

Qwis7
Aug Member 2010

Qwis7

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the lore form the combined quests were very interesting and overall nice story.
Its only sad to see they made it into this much separating quests 2 quests were enough my opinion.

I do not think the ending is for shadowing a end off the world/ universe situation.
This because Jagex already told us after Twilight of the Gods they wanted to stop making even worse situations.
Things like end of the world/ universe are not gone happen in some years.

26-Nov-2023 15:25:44

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