Sliske kills Guthix, abolishing the latter's edicts which allows the gods to return, and thus commencing the Sixth Age of Gielinor.
The Sixth Age, also know as The Divine Age, is the age following the Fifth Age. It commenced with the death of Guthix at the hands of the Zarosian Mahjarrat Sliske. With his death, the Edicts of Guthix put in place at the end of the God Wars are no longer in effect, allowing for the return of gods to Gielinor and for their respective plans to be put in motion. Saradomin was the first of these gods to return.
With the beginning of the new age, a new Guardian of Guthix was chosen to shape the world as they see fit, either by fulfilling Guthix's final wish of a world without gods, siding with a god of their choice, or striving for godhood themselves.
Having barely begun, there are few events written in the Sixth Age. Despite that, there is a terrible sense of uncertainty within the world. While Saradomin's arrival is considered a blessing to the humans, the death of Guthix and the release of the godhood-adjacent dragonkin and their rampage throughout Gielinor will prove to be a daunting task for organisations such as the Crux Eqal, who are forced to deal with threats more dangerous even than Lucien.
Timeline
The tribute of guthix being north of Falador.
Shortly following Guthix' death, Kaqemeex spread news to the Taverley Order of Druids. Thus the Tribute to Guthix began, as a way to honour, but not worship the late god. The Anima Mundi paid its respects by crying as well, as was seen in strange glowing trees that appeared throughout Runescape. Eventually the Gielinorians succeeded in creating a tribute stone, a combined prayer altar and small obelisk, by combining more than 100,000 pieces of rune and pure essence to honour Guthix's passing. Some druids agreed to remain with the ancient order and teach Guthix's ways while not worshipping him, in line with his last wish. Others left the order, unable to continue with it after what happened. One of these, Biehn, founded the order of The Godless with the adventuress Kara-Meir, to help defend the world against the gods.
A warband of Armadylean bandits.
Following the removal of the Edicts, warbands of bandits in the Wilderness saw opportunity in the upcoming conflicts between the incoming gods. While not devout followers of any of the deities, the bandits felt trouble brewing and decided to loosely affiliate themselves with gods in order to have a place in the upcoming skirmishes that they knew would would follow. Quercus, an ent, arrived at the Wilderness Wall in Edgeville to dispatch adventurers to break up and plunder these Wilderness Warbands, and thus restore balance.
Following the death of Guthix, a group of powerful creatures known as the Order of Ascension who were created by the Guardian of Guthix Ocellus, began kidnapping nearby villagers in attempt to create a new Guthix to worship. Ocellus now guards the door to the Order's dungeon and stops them from escaping, while looking for help from adventurers.
Emissaries of the gods Saradomin, Zamorak, Armadyl, Bandos, Zaros, and Seren arrived to Asgarnia and Misthalin to recruit followers and spread their gods' religion in preparation of their respective god's imminent return. A group of humans in The Godless' faction did the same to defend Gielinor against all the gods. An emissary of the Mahjarrat Sliske also arrived, claiming that Sliske had become a god through killing Guthix, much as Zamorak achieved godhood through his defeat of Zaros, although it is now confirmed during the Fate of the Gods quest that Sliske did grow in power after killing Guthix, he did not however achieve Godhood.
Saradomin and Zamorak, locked in battle.
Meanwhile, the death of Guthix had caused some of his power to be spread around the world, including one such fragment which may have, according to speculation from an expert, created the portal near Lumbridge. Shortly after, on Fentuary 22nd, Zamorak returned to Gielinor through the portal, immediately causing a wave of chaos which threatened to destroy the nearby town. He was confronted by Saradomin, his long-time adversary and rival, and the two gods made battle to the west of Lumbridge, flattening the entire surrounding forest and destroying part of the castle in the resulting crater. This disturbance also resulted in the relocation of several nearby sites, including the H.A.M. Hideout and a certain Tree patch. The two gods, locked in a stalemate, called armies of supporters to the fight. The resulting battle raged for more than ten weeks, with countless soldiers and beasts of war fighting over divine tears, remnants of Guthix's power. At the battle's conclusion, Saradomin, having amassed more tears than Zamorak by a narrow margin, was finally able to overpower his foe. Though Zamorak's lieutenant Moia saved him from a killing blow, the defeat nonetheless resulted in a significant loss of power for Zamorak.
At the Edgeville Monastery, Saradomin himself met Sir Owen and the player, giving them a mission: to infiltrate the Black Knights' Fortress, to obtain a powerful weapon the Kinshra has uncovered. The player was disguised as the captain of the fortress, while Sir Owen was his prisoner. Eventually through a portal, they reached a hidden temple north of Trollheim, and discovered the weapon: the Wand of Resurrection. However, they were confronted by a Zamorakian witch called Dawn, who killed Sir Owen with it, and fled. The player caught up with Dawn, and killed her after a battle. The player took the wand, only to find Saradomin at Owen's body. Saradomin asked for the wand, and the player either refused to give it to him, or voluntarily did so. Either way, Saradomin takes the wand, and revives Sir Owen. However, Owen's arm was corrupted in the process.
Guthix's leftover power from when he died begun spreading around Gielinor. This caused small craters appearing in various locations, leaking energy known as wisps. Humans quickly discovered this, and began collecting this energy for themselves, for their own uses.
After long struggling in the Fifth Age, King Veldaban of Keldagrim launched an attack on the base of the Red Axe and defeated Hreidmar and Colonel Grimsson, and leaders of the company.
The Gods at Sliske's Grand Ascendency
The Mahjarrat Sliske kidnapped Harold Death. Due to the absence of his role, the souls of ones who died could not move on. The God of the dead Icthlarin temporarily took his place. Ichtlarin met with the World Guardian, and was invited to Sliske's 'Grand Ascendency'. Upon arriving, they discovered the Gods generals, and the Gods themselves there, including Saradomin, Zamorak, Armadyl, Bandos, Brassica Prime, and possibly Zaros. Sliske arrived with a kidnapped Dragonkin and Death by his sides, and claimed he had possession of the Stone of Jas. He stated that whoever killed the most Gods, would be awarded the Stone of Jas. The Dragonkin was released, and began attacking Icthlarin. The World Guardian freed Death, and they teleported to safety.
With the depletion of the rift in Lumbridge at the climax of the battle between Saradomin and Zamorak, the gods were forced to find other sources of divine energy. Both Armadyl and Bandos turned to the newly discovered skill of Divination, and sent caravans of their followers to travel the world and bring the energy back to towers which had been erected by the gods.
To do this, they established sites in key places around Asgarnia and Misthalin, and gatheried followers to claim and defend these sites in addition to the caravans. The Godless took a more direct action during the second major battle of the Sixth Age. Members of the Godless would ambush caravans belonging to the two factions in order to prevent one side or the other from gaining a stronghold on the region. At times, they would offer a temporary truce to the combatants. The Battle ended with Armadyl victory, Bandos was defeated, and killed.
The Zarosian Mahjarrat Azzanadra met with Sliske at the World Gate south of Char's cave, under direct orders from Zaros himself. Soon after, the World Guardian arrived, being told by Azzanadra of the current situation, that Zaros needs the World Guardian's assistance in Freneskae to return to Gielinor.
Sliske extracts the World Gate from the Shadow Realm, and the World Guardian entered.
The World Guardian made it through the harsh and inhospitable environment of Freneskae, and eventually met the incorporeal Zaros. Zaros answered many questions the World Guardian had.
Zaros then revealed that the Elder God Mah is still on Freneskae in a slumber. The World Guardian then went down deep into the volcano Mah slept in, reaching the Elder Halls of Freneskae. The World Guardian retrieved Elder God energy, and weaved it into either a dark simulacrum, which is what Zaros needs for a full powered body, or a light simulacrum.
Regardless, Zaros entered his new body, with an enraged Mah waking up immediately after. The two teleported away before Mah could attack them.
Zaros then returned to Gielinor, meeting with his most loyal followers, including Azzanadra, Nex, Char, along with Sliske. Zaros excommunicated Sliske from the Zarosians, angering Sliske. Zaros then assigned each of his most loyal followers certain tasks, and revealing that he wants to awaken the Elder Gods, who are slumbering on Gielinor since its creation.
Marimbo and Brassica Prime at Saradomin's old camp next to the Lumbridge Crater
Not long after Zaros returned to Gielinor, the goddess of the monkeys Marimbo returned. As soon as she returned, she faced up against the god of cabbages, Brassica Prime, at Saradomin's old camp next to the Lumbridge Crater. The Emissary of the Godless, Holstein, arrived to disrupt Marimbo and Brassica Prime's contest. Unlike other god battles, the two gods didn't want to fight. They decided to have a non-fatal competition with each other.
Following the death of Bandos, all races under his control sent champions to Yu'biusk, the homeland of goblins, to chose another commander to replace Bandos.
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