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Senntisten ruins

The ruins of Senntisten, currently being excavated.

Senntisten, also known as "Holy City", was the capital city of the Zarosian Empire, which existed during the Second and Third Ages. According to modern archaeological findings, Senntisten occupied the rough area east of modern-day Varrock and parts of Silvarea, making it one of the largest known cities in history.[1]

History

Zaros's arrival

Before Zaros arrived on Gielinor, Senntisten was a small village terrorised by the beast god Loarnab.[2] Zaros trapped Loarnab and used it as a divine powersource to transport his demonic forces from Infernus to Gielinor.[3] The defeat of Loarnab and the arrival of thousands of demons intimidated the people of Senntisten to such an extent that they didn't even try to fight. They bowed down in worship of their new lord.[4]

As his legions spread out and conquered more human tribes, Zaros remained in Senntisten, making it the capital of his new empire. Almost all of the villages population were converted into his priesthood and trained in law, religion, the infernal language and similar topics. Zaros sent many of the priests out to newly conquered territories as bueaucrats, emissaries and missionaries.[5]

The Zarosian Empire rapidly expanded until it encompassed most of what is now Misthalin, Asgarnia, the Wilderness, and northern Morytania.

Senntisten continued to grow, as disaffected and pilgrims from all over the empire flocked there. The streets of the city became filled with elaborate temples, many of which were courts or schools, among other things. However, the population of priests and jurists could not support itself, and so the city relied on tributes from all across the empire to sustain itself.[6]

The establishment of Senntisten, along with the rest of the Empire, greatly disrupted the trade and movement of those nations established during the Second Age. The Kharidian Desert, Hallowvale, Eastern Sea, and tribesmen of Misthalin and Asgarnia were kept greatly separated by the presence of the Empire, which proved extremely dangerous to outsiders.

Zamorak's betrayal

At the end of the Second Age, Zaros's most trusted general, Zamorak, lead a rebellion into the heart of Senntisten and attacked Zaros himself. Using the Staff of Armadyl Zamorak defeated Zaros. With his newfound divine power, as a result of the battle, Zamorak declared that Zaros was slain and that he was now a god. Not soon after he collapsed to the ground in agony and exhaustion. The Tsutsaroth demon Thammaron then opened a portal to Infernus and he, along with the other demons, carried Zamorak to infernus where he helped liberate them from their Chthonian masters. The rebels briefly held the Divine Palace, but without their leader they were chased out of Senntisten and across the empire by Azzanadra, who had been planning a counter-attack along with Nex while the palace was under rebel control. With the empire weakened the other gods saw this as a critical time to strike and lead their own invasion into the empire.[7][8] Azzandra, now the new regent of the Zarosian empire, had his forces spread thin across all borders to defend from the invading gods. Unable to establish contact with Zaros, he deceives his subjects into thinking he knows Zaros's will, in a desperate attempt to restore hope to his forces.[9]

The God Wars

Less than 20 years later, Zamorak returns from Infernus with a demon army, claims the entire former empire is his domain and attacks the invading gods, along with the remaining Zarosians. Thus, The God Wars begin and Gielinor is thrown into its third age.[10]

File:Sennisten Armies of Gielinor.png

Senntisten as it appears in the Funorb game Armies of Gielinor. In this depiction it has been rotated 45o clockwise and resembles the current layout of the Digsite.

Early on in the Wars[11] Azzanadra and his followers are driven further and further south, into the Kharidian Desert. Azzanadra is trapped in The Jaldraocht Pyramid[12] where he remains until the year 169 of the 5th age.

Despite Zamorak's claim, Senntisten continued to remain loyal to Zaros, and was defended from the forces of the other gods for 100 generations, until it finally falls to the combined attacks of Zamorak and Saradomin. The remaining Zarosians abandon the city and retreat to their strongholds, Carrallanger, Dareeyak and Ghorrock.[13] Sometime after the fall of the resistance Zamorak establishes himself as ruler, and rules the city by 3740. Sometime between 3740 and 3804 the Saradominists tried to cover up evidence of Zaros' existence by destroying the city, and building Saranthium above its eastern ruins.[14] Saranthium, despite its vibrant beginnings, was destroyed by unknown causes in the early Fourth Age.[15]

Senntisten today

Although Varrock now exists where Senntisten's western walls once stood, the eastern portions of the city are currently being excavated by the Varrock Museum. During the Digsite Quest, players discover a cavern beneath the ruins where the remains of a Zarosian altar still exist. The ruins still appear to possess some dark energy, as evidenced by Tolna's claims during A Soul's Bane.

Those with the knowledge of Ancient Magicks can utilise a Zarosian spell, Senntisten Teleport, to teleport here, provided they have 60 Magic, 2 Law runes and one Soul rune. The Digsite Pendant, which uses the same teleportation channel, also can be used.

On 3 December 2009, Jagex released The Temple at Senntisten, a quest in which the player helps Azzanadra restore the ruins discovered in The Dig Site.

Trivia

  • The city's name appears to be derived from the Hungarian phrase Szent Isten, meaning "holy god".

References

  1. ^ Azzanadra, "The Temple at Senntisten", RuneScape. "Above us, long ago, stood the glorious city of Senntisten. Huge towers loomed over the pass leading to Morytania, giant stone sentinels watching over the prize of Zaros's empire."
  2. ^ Akthanakos, "Akthanakos' memory", RuneScape. "In the time before Zaros, at the dawn of the second age, Senntisten was a primitive human settlement much like any of the other that dotted Gielinor. It and the villages around it were ruled over by Loarnab, a many headed god of limited intellect but tremendous might."
  3. ^ Duke Nemesis, "Codex Ultimatus", RuneScape. "... Zaros conjured a new portal to Infernus. This had been his plan all along: not to kill the beast, but to turn its divine essence into a powersource for a portal"
  4. ^ Akthanakos, "Akthanakos' memory", RuneScape. "The arrival of thousands of demons, and the torture and imprisonent of their god, so intimidated the people of Senntisten that they didn't even try to fight. They bowed down in worship of their new ruler"
  5. ^ Akthanakos, "Akthanakos' memory", RuneScape. "Zaros's legions spread outwards conquering more and more of the humans tribes, but he remained in Senntisten and made it the centre of his civilisation. He converted almost all of the Village's population into his priesthood and had them trained in religion, law, the infernal language and such matters. Many of these priest he sent out to the newly conquered territories as emissaries, missionaries and bureaucrats, and so the empire rapidly spread and civilisation emerged."
  6. ^ Akthanakos, "Akthanakos' memory", RuneScape. "Many of these priest he sent out to the newly conquered territories as emissaries, missionaries and bureaucrats, and so the empire rapidly spread and civilisation emerged. Senntisten itself took tribute from the rest of the empire as its population of priests and jurists could not support itself. The population continued to grow, though, as pilgrims and the disaffected from all over the empire flocked there. The streets became filled with elaborate temples, many of which were schools or seminaries or courts or offices."
  7. ^ Zemouregal, "Zemouregal's memory", RuneScape. "Once the battle was won, and Zaros's shrivelled remains lay at Zamorak's feet, the Tsutsaroth saw no reason to wait. Zamorak, though visibly coursing with the divinity of our former lord, collapsed to the ground in agony and exhaustion.(...) Thammaron gathered them around Zamorak's body, opening a portal to Infernus. Between them, the mighty demons were able to lift the new god, and they carried him out of Gielinor. (...) Denied our leader, the rebel army fell back from the capital, although many former Zarosians flocked to our banner as news of what had occurred spread. Azzanadra led a furious assault that drove us out of the city and across the empire (...) the other gods chose this time of crisis to launch their own invasions into the stricken empire"
  8. ^ Ayanetka, "The Book of Zaros", RuneScape. "The usurper's minions defeated Zaros's loyal followers, and now hold the Divine Palace. I write this from the palace of Nex, where she and Azzanadra are even now planning a counter-attack."
  9. ^ Azzanadra, "Azzanadra's memory", RuneScape. "He must be out there, but the portal has failed to establish communication... I have no choice. I must tell the others that the portal is functioning and that I know Zaros's will. It is the only way to restore hope to our forces. For centuries I have divined his directives and governed the empire to his satisfaction. This will be no different. I can act as his regent in this short absence."
  10. ^ Zemouregal, "Zemouregal's memory", RuneScape. "Nineteen years later, Zamorak returned to Gielinor at the head of an Avernic demon army even larger than the one Zaros had invaded with, although admittedly not as well-disciplined now that the Chthonians had been exterminated or exiled to the Abyss. He was flush with his new divinity and his success on Infernus, and demonstrated his valour by declaring the entire former empire his domain and attacking almost all of the invading gods simultaneously, along with the remaining Zarosian loyalists. The God Wars then began in earnest."
  11. ^ Zemouregal, "Notes (a-j)", RuneScape. "A powerful adversary and Zaros's champion. Has been contained since the early God Wars. We have not dared free him for the Ritual yet. We should do so soon, while numbers of the Zamorakian faction are still high enough to handle him."
  12. ^ Eblis, "Desert Treasure", RuneScape. "With each battle they waged, we lost more and more land, unable to fight on all fronts, and were pushed further and further South into this gods-forsaken desert. Our greatest hero, Azzanadra, was finally trapped in a strange stone structure to the South of here, and bound within by terrible powers..."
  13. ^ Dagroda, "Book of Zaros", RuneScape. "For a hundred generations we have held the Holy City against the armies of the usurper and the other gods. Alone among the armies of this world at war, we fight without the presence of our god, and yet we stand unconquered. But our city now faces an unprecedented threat. The massed armies of Zamorak and Saradomin approach us at once, each larger than any army the city has repulsed before. Wahisietel's attempts to set the armies against one another have failed. With a heavy heart, I therefore decree that we are to abandon the Holy City and retreat to the strongholds of Carrallangar, Dareeyak and Ghorrock."
  14. ^ Varrock Museum Displays, RuneScape. "A battered and bent coin with Zamorakian markings. It bears the word 'Senntisten', which we believe to be the original name of the city, Saranthium, before it was rebuilt by those loyal to Saradomin. Partial numbers on the coin would indicate that it is from the year 3740, presumably from the 3rd Age."
  15. ^ Archaeological expert, "The Dig Site", RuneScape. "...Its inhabitants were human supporters of the god Saradomin. It's not recorded what happened to the community here."
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