View source for Abyss

{{External|rs}}
{{otheruses|the Abyss location|other uses|Abyss (disambiguation)}}
{{HasStrategy}}
{{Infobox Location
|name = Abyss
|image = [[File:Abyss.png|300px]]
|release = [[13 June]] [[2005]]
|update = RuneCraft Update and Tweaks
|members = Yes
|location = [[Abyssal Space]]
|race = [[Abyss (disambiguation)#Monsters|Abyssal monsters]]
|teleport = [[Mage of Zamorak]]
|map = {{Map|name=Abyss|x:3040,y:4832|plane=0|mapID=-1}}
|leagueRegion = Wilderness
}}
The '''Abyss''' is an area of [[Abyssal Space]] that contains rifts created by the [[Zamorak Magical Institute]] with which they directly access the [[runic altars]] without the need for a [[talisman]], with the exception of the [[Astral Altar|Astral]] and [[Wrath Altar]]. Accessing this area of the Abyss requires completion of the [[miniquest]] [[Enter the Abyss]]. In appearance, it seems to be oddly organic, with eyes, boils, and strange-looking tendrils. This is because the areas of the Abyss that players visit are the corpse of an unfathomably large chthonian demon named {{RSL|Hostilius}}{{CiteNews|url=https://secure.runescape.com/m=news/qa-summary-10022022?oldschool=1|title=Q&A Summary 10/02/2022|newsdate=15 February 2022|quote=The Abyss or at least a part of The Abyss the player visits in Old School are inside Hostilius' body. I think you probably get that vibe from the way it all looks.}}, with this part being the stomach or heart.{{CiteGeneral|url=https://oldschool.runescape.wiki/w/Talk:Desert_Treasure_II_-_The_Fallen_Empire#Lore_Q&A_summary|title=Desert Treasure II Lore Q&A Livestream|author=[[Mod Ed]]|date=3 August 2023|quote=For the original area of the Abyss you go to, where you've got the portals to the runecrafting altars, we imagined that we're in the heart, or the stomach maybe. Then you've got the area where you fight the Sire; those are very clearly the lungs. Then this [the Scar] is now the brain.}}
{{Map|name=Mage of Zamorak|x=3104|y=3560|r=4|mtype=square|caption=The location of the Mage of Zamorak|align=left|width=250|height=250}}
The Abyss consists of two rings: a dangerous outer ring in a [[multicombat area]] and a safe inner ring with rifts leading to the runic altars. Aside from the aggressive [[abyssal creatures]] inhabiting it, players who enter the Abyss will have their [[prayer points]] drained to 0 and be immediately given a [[skull (status)|skull]], although an [[abyssal bracelet]] can be worn to prevent the player from getting automatically skulled. 

[[File:Abyss Routes.png|right|thumb|175px|Fastest routes to the Abyss.]]

Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of accessing the Abyss is the fact that players have to travel through part of the low-level [[Wilderness]] to reach the [[Mage of Zamorak]], who is the only NPC that teleports the player to this part of the Abyss. This causes a risk of being attacked by the occasional [[player killer]], so some degree of caution is required when reaching the mage.

==Inside the Abyss==
The interior of the Abyss is roughly circular, with an 'inner' and 'outer' ring. After the player is teleported into the outer ring, they will have to find a way through to the inner ring where the rifts leading to the runic altars are located.

===Outer ring===
The outer ring contains a large number of [[Abyssal monster]]s:
* [[Abyssal walker]] (melee, [[combat level]]: 81)
* [[Abyssal guardian]] (melee + magic, combat level: 59)
* [[Abyssal leech]] (melee, combat level: 41)
These monsters can hit over 12 (with the exception of the leeches, which hit a maximum of 2), although they often miss if the player has a decent [[Defence]] level (65+) and wears adequate [[armour]] such as [[dragonhide]]. However, the abyssal monsters should still not be underestimated as, due to their large numbers, a player in the Abyss may take several hits per second. Players take no damage from the monsters while attempting to pass through to the inner ring. Minimising the time between attempts thus increases a player's chances of survival.

A number of skill-based obstacles block access to the inner ring, whose positions are randomly generated each time the player enters the Abyss, and can be in different locations for different players at the same time. Passing an obstacle is more likely with a higher level in the relevant skill.

{| class="wikitable align-center-1"
! colspan="2" |Obstacle
!Skill used
!Tool required
|-
|[[File:Blockage (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Blockage (Abyss)]]||[[Blockage (Abyss)|Blockage]]
|{{Not okay}} Impassable
|{{NA}}
|-
|[[File:Tendrils (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Tendrils (Abyss)]]||[[Tendrils (Abyss)|Tendrils]]
|{{SCP|Woodcutting|link=y}}
|{{plink|Axe|pic=Bronze axe}}
|-
|[[File:Rock (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Rock (Abyss)]]||[[Rock (Abyss)|Rock]]
|{{SCP|Mining|link=y}}
|{{plink|Pickaxe|pic=Bronze pickaxe}}
|-
|[[File:Eyes (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Eyes (Abyss)]]||[[Eyes (Abyss)|Eyes]]
|{{SCP|Thieving|link=y}}
|{{NA}}
|-
|[[File:Gap (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Gap (Abyss)]]||[[Gap (Abyss)|Gap]]
|{{SCP|Agility|link=y}}
|{{NA}}
|-
|[[File:Boil (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Boil (Abyss)]]||[[Boil (Abyss)|Boil]]
|{{SCP|Firemaking|link=y}}
|{{plink|Tinderbox}}
|-
|[[File:Passage (Abyss).png|40x40px|link=Passage (Abyss)]]||[[Passage (Abyss)|Passage]]
|{{Okay}} Guaranteed
|{{NA}}
|}

The chances of passing the obstacle increase with the player's level in the corresponding skill. Each attempt has a level+1 percent chance of success, meaning that the player reaches a 100% success rate at level 99. Passing an obstacle grants 25 [[experience]] in the corresponding skill.

There are 12 possible configurations of the obstacles, picked randomly upon entering the abyss. The player will always spawn directly in front of the blockage, with the passage on the opposite side of the ring. Moving away from the blockage toward the passage, the order of obstacles in 6 of the configurations is rocks, tendrils, boils, eyes, then gaps, symmetrically in both directions. For the other 6 configurations the order is approximately the reverse (gaps, eyes, boils, tendrils, rocks), but five of the configurations have slight variations on this order when travelling clockwise. Since the closest passable obstacle will always be either rocks or gaps, a high Mining and Agility level are beneficial for efficient navigation. Players will often bring a [[black pickaxe]] for passing the rock obstacle since it is lighter than other pickaxes and the quality of the pickaxe does not impact success rate.

At the southern central area of this outer ring lies a small opening, which provides one-way passage to the [[Abyssal Nexus]], a part of the Abyss occupied by [[Abyssal Sire]]s.

===Inner ring===
[[File:Inner ring of the Abyss.png|right|thumb|175px|The inner ring of the Abyss.]]
There are no monsters in the inner ring of the Abyss. There are rifts leading to every [[runic altar]] (except the [[Astral Altar|Astral]] and [[Wrath Altar]]s) there, which makes the Abyss useful for crafting a lot of different types of runes very quickly. [[Talismans]] or [[tiara]]s are '''not''' needed to access the altars via the rifts. The following restrictions still apply:
* The [[cosmic rift]] can only be entered when the quest [[Lost City]] has been completed.
* The [[law rift]] can only be entered when the quest [[Troll Stronghold]] has been completed. In addition, entering it has the same restrictions as entering [[Entrana]], so players cannot bring [[Entrana#Prohibited equipment|prohibited equipment]].
* The [[death rift]] can only be entered when the quest [[Mourning's End Part II]] has been completed.
* The [[blood rift]] can only be entered when the quest [[Sins of the Father]] has been completed. 
** The blood rift can also access [[Kourend]]'s [[Blood Altar (Kourend)|Blood Altar]] by using a [[dark essence block]] or [[Dark essence fragments|fragments]] on the rift after having crafted blood runes on it.
* The [[soul rift]] can only be accessed by using a dark essence block or fragments on the rift after having crafted soul runes at Kourend's [[Soul Altar]].

There is a [[Dark Mage (Abyss)|Z.M.I. initiate]] floating at the centre of the inner ring (yellow spot on the minimap), maintaining the [[Abyssal Rift]]. He will repair player's [[essence pouch]]es for free.

==Changes==
{{Subject changes header}}
{{Subject changes
|date = 30 March 2022
|update = Guardians of the Rift Improvements
|change = Fixed a visual bug that appeared while wearing the abyssal bracelet and teleporting to the Abyss.
}}
{{Subject changes
|date = 22 March 2022
|update = Guardians of the Rift
|change = The blood rift can now be used to teleport to the [[Blood Altar|true blood altar]] and the [[Blood Altar (Kourend)|Kourend's blood altar]].
}}
{{Subject changes
|date = 7 January 2016
|update = Zeah: Great Kourend
|change = The blood and soul rifts are now usable.
}}
{{Subject changes
|date = 1 October 2015
|update = The Abyssal Sire
|change = Passage to the Abyssal Nexus added.
}}
{{Subject changes
|date = 26 June 2014
|update = Midsummer Event
|poll = Old School feature poll - Rewarding Rewards
|change = Click zone increase for abyssal rifts.
}}
{{Subject changes footer}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Enter the Abyss}}
{{Abyssal Space}}
[[Category:Wilderness]]
[[Category:Runecraft]]
[[Category:Needs skilling success chart]]