The Second Age is the period of time following the creation of Gielinor evidenced by major chronological events described below. During Guthix's slumber, many gods start to arrive on Gielinor, establishing territories and gaining followers. Many gods would introduce their own races to Gielinor. Many more gods existed during the Second Age than today; the exact number is unknown, but it may have exceeded twenty. These gods either allied with the more powerful gods on the plane during this time, perished during the God Wars that followed this age, or fled the plane during either period. The Second Age could be considered one of the most important ages in the history of Gielinor, as many of beginnings of the feuds between the gods and their followers can be traced back to this age.
The extent of the envisaged time period raises the question of how to account for everything, without straying the details and without much distortion of a look that extends over many thousands of years. Fertile and quite prolix, if we compare the Second Age's history to that of the First Age, the latter was relatively slender. The prolixity and diversity that accompanied the shaping of the many faces of the universe were precisely the sign of an evolution that characterised this entire period. As the preceding age did not produce much in Gielinor, which began with overly generalising the concept of magic, the world of that time had been sufficiently occupied with the physical exploration of the planet, together with a collective affirmation of each race's identity.
Every periodisation contains some arbitrary element. In this case, one could begin by criticising too many centrist parameters. If there was an era of cultural and intellectual radiation of Gielinor, it would be this one. It should be admitted, then, that this era had mainly been questioned by the gaze of rival gods, and that the Zarosian Empire had become representative of a certain universality. The political structure of Gielinor during this age became thus dominated by the god Zaros, who was so influential that the Second Age could also be deemed the "Age of Zaros". Zaros founded the largest empire in the history of Gielinor during this age, and his highly aggressive means of expanding it made him feared by the gods that opposed him.
As is a natural tendency for any civilisation,the arrival of Zarosian armies saw themselves at the head of the most powerful empire in the world. Yet alone, their inner conviction of superiority was not enough to appropriate the material universe, so they had not appropriated anything significant beyond the borders of their empire. This is the difference with the other gods: the expeditions and riches they brought in could not remain in the long run without consequences. The rest of the world had thus been laying the foundations of its economic preponderance.
We could find a justification for countering Zaros' sphere of influence throughout the Second Age in Saradomin, who traces an undeniable epistemological continuity in the discourse of his classical representation of the Second Age. Its crisis of values had not necessarily broken the thread of Saradomin's existence, as it was disrupted by external wars and threats: his representation continued, but its universe widened and diversified, its motivations changed, preparing in some way a slow but steady epistemic turn of events.
This effort of domination had helped to divert the fascination for the conceptualisation of other deities and civilisations connected by their common interests, including the trade and construction of cities instead of a primitive nature that could not be manipulated by supreme beings capable of refining its inhabitants, becoming profane scholars instead of confronting and coexisting with the science and philosophy of alienated cultures. This lack of mysticism got characterised by the close-minded view of the gods already present, not wishing to ally them with Zaros from the latter's point of view.
The world was returning to a state of greater intellectual availability towards new concepts that it could now consider at leisure and name as a difference. The races of the first age did not have anything more serious to wait for, as even if the trade remained important to support the life, the emerging gods were being examined with more serenity and recoil. The detachment of this age's gaze also came from the fact that it owed everything; if not to greed, at least to colonial control. Senntisten,once colonised, neither directly nor indirectly, had been repressing the other cities by excellence at a time in history where Gielinor, very clearly, had become its centre.
Although we now see this age differently, it was refined to the extent that it was conquered, submitted, sold, exploited, or simply explored. It was an exploration and reification to which the Zarosian Empire, although still sovereign and impressive, did not escape: it became in its own way object of curiosity, of knowledge, of infatuation (exoticism), and of propagation, and, consequently, a way of comparison and reflection. The domination exercised - to the extent that there were enemies- was of a structural and intellectual order: the other factions had long had their borders, traders, missionaries and consuls, travelers, spies and soon their scholars (specialists).
It is known that, near the end of the Second Age, the Staff of Armadyl fell into the hands of Zamorak after a series of events, and it was the key to his plans to betray Zaros. During his betrayal against Zaros, Zamorak stabbed Zaros with the staff, but Zaros did not fall, and they struggled until the staff pierced them both at the same time, when a part of Zaros' power flowed via the staff into Zamorak. After that, Zamorak became a god and Zaros was banished, locked in a distant and empty realm.
The reproaches of Zarosian dominance now continue to fuel a stereotype and justify a negative judgment, as is evident from the fact that the victors had propagated their own versions history. Convenient stereotype nevertheless, thanks to which one gives in representation the enemy of always (at least it is believed), become almost ideal fictitious enemy. At this level, Zamorak thus fulfilled a mythical political function: it was supposed to serve as a catalyst for the federate efforts of different cultures and races to extinguish Zaros. Zamorak's revolution resulted in the cutting of the imperial army that stood against all other gods combined throughout the age.
There is no known definite moment that marks Second Age's end, unlike other ages. It could be considered to have ended abruptly with Zaros' banishment. Or it could have came to an end sometime after that, when the other gods, perplexed by Zamorak's ascension, banished Zamorak from Gielinor. What is known is by the time Zamorak returned, with an army behind him and declared war against all the other gods, much fighting had already broken out, triggering the Gielinorian God Wars, and the Third Age had begun.
Major events
Viggora's Fortress, nicknamed Viggora's Folly due to the swamp.
- When Guthix entered his slumber, many gods arrived, or started appearing, on Gielinor.
- Tumeken, Elidinis and their children, Icthlarin and Amascut, founded the Kharidian/Menaphite empire in the modern Kharidian areas.
- Tumeken creates Het, Apmeken, Crondis, and Scabaras.
- The Duel Arena is built by followers of Het to train warriors.
- Zarosian Empire is established and immediately begins annexing territory. Throughout the Second Age, the empire extends rapidly through war and eventually becomes the largest and the mightiest empire of Gielinor.
- Guthix's World Gate is sealed by the forces of Zaros, causing the Crystal seed supply from Seren's world to be cut off from the Elves.
- At some point, Zaros discovers the race that would come to be known as the Dragon Riders, and brings them from their world to Gielinor, where they become some of his most prominent and feared followers. However, due to their infertility - which remains uncured by Zaros - they are eventually depleted to only five in number by the time of Zamorak's betrayal.
- Zarosian Empire goes to war with the Kharidian empire. Icthlarin brings the Mahjarrat to Gielinor, and their deployment successfully defends the Kharidian Empire and drives out the Zarosian armies, winning the Kharidian-Zarosian War for the Menaphite Pantheon.
- Amascut's mind becomes warped and she becomes known as the Goddess of Destruction after witnessing the Mahjarrat and the destruction they caused.
- The Saradominist kingdom Hallowland with its capital Hallowvale is established in the modern Morytania region.
- The Mahjarrat abandon Icthlarin and become the followers of Zaros, making his already considerable military all but unstoppable.
- Gods and by extension their empires make a pact that if any of their empires are attacked by the Zarosian Empire then an alliance of gods will declare war on Zaros. Unable to a defeat combined coalition of gods, Zarosian aggression is checked and a cold war begins amongst the various factions.
- Bandos learns of Gielinor and sensing a war brewing, begins establishing colonies in territory not claimed by the other gods.
- The Slayer Tower is built by General Viggora.
- The Zarosian Empire reaches its peak, consisting of Forinthry (today's Wilderness), northern Misthalin, northern Asgarnia and northern Morytania.
- Zamorak, a Zarosian general at the time, orchestrates his master's downfall.
- Zamorak becomes a god after Zaros' defeat.
- Zamorak is banished by the other gods, but soon returns with a large and powerful army behind him, declaring war against the other gods.
Regions controlled by known Gods by the end of the Second Age
- Guthix - During the Second Age, Guthix was sleeping and many gods were active in Gielinor, so he had few followers.
- Zaros - Wilderness (known as Forinthry during that time), Misthalin, north Asgarnia, and northern Morytania was under his control. The Zarosian Empire was the by far the largest and the mightiest by the end of the age.
- Saradomin -Saradomin was much less influential in this age than he would later become. His strongest holdings were the mighty Hallowland, where his Icyene were garrisoned; and Entrana, where, according to his monks, he arrived. He also had influence rivaling Zaros in areas like southern Asgarnia and Kandarin, primarily in cities like Uzer.
- Armadyl - Assumed to be some Kandarin areas, due to central Kandarin being the location of the Temple of Ikov and some other Armadyl sites. Armadyl had sole control of his various citadels in the sky at this time (these citadels are the Clan citadels used today).
- Seren - Tirannwn, and northern areas of Kandarin. Was mostly isolationist outside her territory.
- Menaphite Pantheon - Both northern and southern parts of Kharidian Desert, though by the end of the Second Age, north Kandarin has became a cultural melting pot with both Zarosian and Saradominist worship widespread, especially in cities.
- Bandos - Bandos came to Gielinor close to the end of the Second Age, near the beginning of the God Wars. He would begin to introduce various races such as Goblins, Ogres, etc. from Yu'biusk in preparation for war. His exact territories are unknown during this age.
- Fremennik/Barbarian Gods - Fremennik Province, northern Kandarin, as well as the Fremennik/Lunar Sea islands.
- Karamjan Gods - Karamja and possibly adjacent islands.
- Marimbo - Ape Atoll and the southern islands.
- Unknown - Southern and western Asgarnia, eastern Kandarin, Southern and Eastern Sea islands.
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