Fourth Age

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The Fourth Age, also known as The Age of Mortals, was when the surviving races began to rebuild and flourish amongst the world. Heroes from this age include Arrav and Camorra, both of whom have a statue in the Heroes' Guild.

Races during the 4th Age

Humans

Aside from the city of Saranthium and a few settlements in the Kharidian Desert and the refugee town of Burgh de Rott (Meiyerditch, although being the city with the largest human population at that time, was ruled by Vampyres), most humans in the beginning of the Fourth Age lived in barbaric tribes. As the age progressed, they started to build new permanent settlements, some of which turned into mighty cities, thus allowing humans to become the dominant race in Gielinor by the end of the Fourth Age.

Gnomes

Gnomes returned to the surface right after the end of the God Wars, where they found their settlements destroyed. Between the 3rd and 5th centuries of the Fourth Age, gnomes were forced to hide from barbaric human tribes, avoiding extinction. Shortly after that, the Grand Tree was planted, and gnome civilisation and technology began to thrive.

Goblins

Following Bandos' banishment from Gielinor at the end of the God Wars, the various goblin tribes were left leaderless. The goblins not having any commanders or "big high war god" to give them orders began to fight the various races, including the ogres but this led them to be driven out from the Feldip Hills in a bloody civil war. Following the goblins being driven north by the much stronger ogre tribes the Thorobshuun and Garagorshuun tribes set their eyes on the gnomes and even though they vastly out numbered the gnomes, the gnome mage Glouphrie created illusions of giant tortoises which caused the goblins to flee in terror.

Following the goblin tribes failures of not being able to conquer settlements of the other races and with their supplies running low they began fighting each other. The battle here lasted a long time and it seemed like the surface goblins would go extinct from the constant battle, but its at this moment a goblin gets a vision from the Big High War God which tells them to stop fighting each other and gives them their commandments as well as promising to send them a Chosen Commander to lead them in the future. The goblin generals believe the vision and stop fighting each other and they construct a temple at the site of battle which sunk into the ground as well as writing down goblin legends and commandments in a Holy Book.

It is around this time that the Dorgeshuun Civil War takes place.

Ogres

The ogres mostly stayed in the Feldip Hills and their only recorded historical event is a bloody civil war with the goblins.

Dwarves

Dwarves remained under the surface during the Fourth Age. During that time, they discovered a huge cavern where they built Keldagrim. Sometime after the city's foundation, most Dwarven magical powers were somehow lost, allowing them only the ability to cast Superheat Item. During the rule of King Alvis, the Consortium, which quickly became a ruling organisation in Keldagrim, was founded; by around the year 1650, after King Alvis's death, the Consortium ruled the entire Dwarven Realm. Due to their lack of magical abilities, the technology of dwarves had become very advanced by that time. By the end of Fourth Age or at the beginning of Fifth Age, they started making first contacts with the surface once again after a few thousand years.

Imcando dwarves emerged much earlier and retained at least some contact with the surface world during Fourth Age.

Elves

Elves did not remain exclusively in Tirannwn during the Fourth Age. During the early Fourth Age, they ruled large areas of modern day Kandarin.

TzHaar

TzHaar, having lived an isolated life since the First Age, made their first documented contact with surface civilizations.

Vampyres

Under the rule of Lord Drakan, the Vampyres took the land of Morytania and enslaved its population. All people in what is now known as Morytania pay blood tithes to the Vampyres. Eventually, Lord Drakan felt strong enough to attack Misthalin, but he was defeated and the River Salve was blessed against him.

Events with known dates

1st to 8th centuries

  • Early Fourth Age: Following the end of the God Wars, the elven clan of Cadarn under the leadership of Baxtorian plan to expand eastwards, and build the mountain pass of Arandar.[1] The "Break Out" of the elves ensues, as Baxtorian signs non-aggression pacts with the gnomes to the north and the human tribes further to the east, both of which had been decimated by the God Wars.[2] This arrangement led to a time of relative peace and prosperity for the signatory factions.[3]
  • Early Fourth Age: Scabaras is driven into isolation along with all his followers.[4][5] According to legend, his banishment ensued from a failed attempt at conquest, but this rendition of events is contested by the Menaphite clergy.[6]
  • 1-100: The dragonkin conflicts were fought.[7][8]
  • 1-200: The druids, worshippers of Guthix, built stone circles to worship Guthix during this time.[9][10]
  • 31-60: The earliest surviving star chart was made during this time period, believed to have been made by the great astronomer Scorpius.[11][12]
  • 500-900: Permanent settlements are constructed at Entrana, Falador, and across Karamja.[13]
  • 659 (approx.): The Kingdom of Great Kourend is founded by King Rada I.[14][15]
  • 700: Avarrocka, later known as Varrock, was built.[16] It was founded when a tribe found a baby abandoned, and took it as a good omen. The baby eventually became Arrav, a famous hero.[17]
  • 750-850: The people of Avarrocka became very powerful, and conquered their neighbouring tribes, eventually forming the first human nation, Misthalin. Misthalin did not resemble modern nations, and was a group of tributary states to Avarrocka until the end of the age.

9th to 15th centuries

  • Middle of the Fourth Age: The Battle of Plain of Mud is fought between the eleven goblin tribes that remain on the surface.
  • 800-1000: The kingdom of Asgarnia was founded in this time.[13]
  • 900-1000 (approx.): The government of Avarrocka converted to a monarchy during this period, but the precise date is unknown.
  • 900-1000 (approx.): The Dwarves discover that the God Wars have ended and begin to resurface.[18][19][20]
  • 1100-1200: Many dark creatures from Morytania attacked Misthalin, especially Avarrocka. Seven priestly warriors defeated them and blessed the River Salve, making it impassable to creatures of Zamorak.[21]
  • 1129-1229: The dark mage, Xeric, firmly asserts his power over Great Kourend, remaining in power for 100 years until he was deposed by an uprising led by Byrne, thereafter known as King Byrne I.[22][23][24]

16th to 20th centuries

  • Late Fourth Age: The Great Migration of the gnomes takes place.[25][26][27][28]
  • 1650 (approx.): After the death of King Alvis, the consortium takes over Keldagrim. During the next few hundred years, the dwarves become very prosperous, as well as technologically advanced. The Consortium's leadership enables the development of steam powered boats and trains, as well as advancing methods of smelting ore in factories.[29][30]
  • 1777: Settlers came up the River Salve, looking for places to settle, heedless of the warnings they received at Paterdomus, and settled in Morytania, building Canifis, Port Phasmatys, and Fenkenstrain's Castle.[31]They all eventually came under the dominion of the Vampyres. Among those who arrived in Port Phasmatys were members of the Corvo family, who were last recorded by the census of Avarrocka conducted 1770.[32] Port Phasmatys was eventually freed, but the inhabitants were betrayed by their saviour, Necrovarus, and became ghosts unable to pass on to the next life.[33]
  • 1930: Prifddinas was overran by the Iorwerth Clan in the Cadarn Clan's absence over almost two millennia, and contact between the city and Baxtorian's kingdom was cut.[34] Baxtorian sent a reconnaissance team through the only route back to Tirannwn available at the time, the Underground Pass to investigate, but only one elf returned with news that there had been an uprising.[35] Baxtorian leads a campaign to retake the elven capital city, but faces fierce resistance against the Iorwerth defenders. Both sides take immense casualties. Baxtorian retreats back to his Kandarin kingdom to find it's been ransacked in his absence— his queen taken, as a result.[36] He dedicates the rest of his time there to secure safety for his people, as well as track down his lover to no avail.[37] Baxtorian retires to Baxtorian Falls to seal himself away.[38]
  • 1937: The town of Lumbridge was founded in Misthalin. Al Kharid was built soon after, but its people were independent of Misthalin.[39]
  • 1939: The church of holy Saradomin is erected in Lumbridge.[40]
  • 1969-1989: The War of the Five Houses breaks out in Great Kourend. King Kharedst I succeeds afterwards.[41]
  • 2000: Rediscovery of Runecrafting, leading to the dominance of humans.[42]

Events with unknown dates

References

  1. ^ "Eastern discovery". Old School RuneScape. "After centuries of isolated development, after the God Wars, it was decided that the elven domain needed to expand. With their backs to the sea, there was only one way to go, east. After many years of hard work, a pass over the mountains was created."
  2. ^ "Eastern discovery". Old School RuneScape. "The gnomes, having taken great losses at the end of the God Wars, were more than happy to find a race who did not wish them harm and signed up to the treaty immediately. The humans, being of many different tribes, were a little harder to get any agreement from. After much time and organization however, the tribes concluded that a non-aggression pact with the elves was in all their best interests."
  3. ^ "Eastern settlement". Old School RuneScape. "This was a time of great prosperity and profit for elves, gnomes and humans alike. New trade agreements were being created with the gnomes and humans."
  4. ^ Jex. Old School RuneScape. "Scabaras is the god of isolation. (...) Both he and his followers were driven into hiding long ago."
  5. ^ Natural historian. Old School RuneScape. "During the early part of the fourth age, Scabaras proclaimed himself omnipotent and outlawed worship of all other gods save him. When the people eventually revolted against his repressive rule and banished Scabaras, it is said his blood washed over the scarabs and transformed them into the kalphites we know today."
  6. ^ Jex. Old School RuneScape. "[Player: But there must be more. The High Priest told me that Scabaras tried to conquer these lands.] So it is said, but the written accounts that exist contain many inconsistencies when it comes to what role Scabaras actually played."
  7. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 20". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 1-100. Around the beginning of the 4th Age, a new terror was seen in the world: the dragonkin."
  8. ^ Dallas Jones in Dragon Slayer II. Old School RuneScape. "We know for a fact that the dragonkin existed, they terrorised the world for many years during the early Fourth Age."
  9. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 8". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 1-200. Taverley is the site of the only known example of a surviving druidic stone circle, but the druids of Guthix speak of many others scattered across Gielinor in the past. Our best dating techniques place them in the 4th Age."
  10. ^ Kaqemeex. Old School RuneScape. "The first Druids of Guthix built many stone circles across these lands over eight hundred years ago."
  11. ^ "Astronomy Book". Old School RuneScape. "At the start of the 4th Age, a learned man by the name of Scorpius, known well for his powers of vision and magic, sought communion with the gods of the world. (…) As time passed, Scorpius grew adept at using his specialized skills, and followed the movements of the stars in Gielinor, which he mapped and named, and are still used to this very day."
  12. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 29". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 31-60. A fine example of an incredibly old star chart. Not much is known about it, but the positions of the stars indicate that it was made around the years 31-60 of the 4th Age."
  13. ^ 13.0 13.1 "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 34". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 500–900. An early 4th Age map showing the human civilisations starting to settle into more permanent villages." Indicated on the map at display are "Karamja", "Entrana", "Asgarnia", "Ghost Town", "Avarrocka", and "Misthalin".
  14. ^ "Timeline". Old School RuneScape. "King Rada I: 10th BA" The date convention in Great Kourend is to count the number of decades before or since the signing of the Royal Accord of Twill, which occurred approximately 1,410 years from the present date. Ten decades before the accord means 1,510 years ago, which translates to the 659th year of the Fourth Age.
  15. ^ Father Jean. Old School RuneScape. "Even before our forefathers founded Kourend, under King Rada I, they remembered the tumult of the times when the armies of the gods laid waste to the lands."
  16. ^ Wise Old Man. Old School RuneScape. "In the early part of the Fourth Age, of course, there were no permanent settlements. Tribes wandered the lands, staying where they could until the resources were exhausted. This changed as people learnt to grow crops and breed animals, and now there are very few of the old nomadic tribes. (…) One settlement was Avarrocka, a popular trading centre."
  17. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 24". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 700-800. Arrav is probably the best known hero from the 4th Age. In his youth, he was found by a tribe that took him to be a good omen and set up a camp that they called Avarrocka. That camp, in later years, became known as our glorious city of Varrock."
  18. ^ Postie Pete. Old School RuneScape. "Did you know that Keldagrim was originally constructed by a long lost clan who embraced the power of magic, and used it to aid with glorious buildings like the royal palace? They even stayed down there for 1000 years or more, in a time they call 'The age of Kings'."
  19. ^ Rind the gardener in The Giant Dwarf. Old School RuneScape. "We dwarves went underground a long time ago, see. For a while the city of Keldagrim was completely cut off from the rest of Gielinor simply waiting out the wars of the humans and the gods.This made it hard, though, to determine when the wars above the ground were over. Perhaps Keldagrim had remained hidden for far too long. Only when King Alvis heroically defended the city against an invasion of trolls did we dare to venture out and see how much the world had changed."
  20. ^ Librarian in The Giant Dwarf. Old School RuneScape. "You'll find books dating from many different eras as well, such as the Era of Kings, the Rise of the Consortium and the Era of Prosperity, our current era. [Player: How do these eras correspond with the Ages of the world?] Oh, they are quite different, and most of them take place in the Fourth Age."
  21. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 23". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 1100-1200. A tide of evil creatures from the east threatened Avarrocka (…). Seven priestly warriors - Iriandul Caistlyn, Sarl Dunegun, Friar Twiblick, Derygull, Ivandis Seergaze, Erysail the Pious and Essiandar Gar - attempted to drive the evil creatures back into what we now know as Morytania. Saradomin blessed the River Salve, making it impassable to the foul things lurking in the swamps (…)."
  22. ^ Imerominia. Old School RuneScape. "Xeric ruled Kourend for more than ten dark decades using an army of lizardmen. This time period was known as the Age of Strife."
  23. ^ "Timeline". Old School RuneScape. "Xeric: 37th - 47th."
  24. ^ Ektheme. Old School RuneScape. "During the 47th decade, after ten decades of oppression, the people revolted against Xeric and his army of lizardmen. (…) The events were triggered through the courage of one man, Byrne."
  25. ^ "Glough's journal". Old School RuneScape. "After spending half a century hiding underground you would think that the great migration would have improved life on Gielinor for tree gnomes. However, rather than the great liberation promised to us by King Healthorg at the end of the last age, we have been forced to live in hiding, up trees or in the gnome maze, laughed at and mocked by man."
  26. ^ Hazelmere in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Let us travel back in time, to the time you humans call the Fourth Age. King Healthorg had become King. The elves mysteriously decided to travel west, leaving most of Kandarin open for conquest. The humans weren't here yet, only King Healthorg and the gnomes to the north, and a collection of Goblin tribes to the south."
  27. ^ Ilfeen. Old School RuneScape. "[Player: I think Oaknock died of old age some time ago. He must have visited you a few hundred years ago though…] I keep forgetting, a hundred years is a long time for you. He was very interested in illusion magic, and how to prevent it. I gave him some advice and a few bits of equipment to help him."
  28. ^ Brimstail in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "He was one of King Healthorg the Great's advisors during the Grand Migration. But he was exiled after the Goblin Wars."
  29. ^ "The Giant Dwarf". Old School RuneScape. "Five hundred years have passed since the rule of King Alvis, saviour of Keldagrim, victim of his own intentions. He founded the Consortium: the gathering of mining companies that were to serve the monarchy. But eventually the monarchy came to serve the Consortium. By the time of his death, the monarchy was all but abolished." (opening cutscene)
  30. ^ Cart Conductor. Old School RuneScape. "Oh, no no, we dwarves don't use magic. All of this is powered by steam engines, developed over the past few centuries after the Consortium came to power."
  31. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 15". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 1777. Temple records show that human settlers came to the temple on the River Salve looking for new lands in which to settle. (…) The Museum recently came into possession of this torn map showing the expansion routes of the settlers."
  32. ^ Reldo in Dragon Slayer II. Old School RuneScape. "According to this there was a family by the name of Corvo living in Avarrocka for most of the Fourth Age. The last entry is from the year 1770 of the Fourth Age. [Player: What happened to them?] Impossible to say for sure but it was around that time that many people left Misthalin to settle in Morytania. (…) Port Phasmatys is where most of the Morytania settlers wound up."
  33. ^ Velorina in Ghosts Ahoy. Old School RuneScape. "Necrovarus told us that he had been brought by a vision he'd had of an underground source of power. He inspired us to delve beneath the town, promising us the power to repel the vampyres. (…) Indeed, this Ectopower did repel the vampyres; they would not enter Phasmatys once the Ectofuntus began working. But little did we know that we had exchanged one evil for yet another – Ectopower. Little by little, we began to lose any desire for food or water, and our desire for the Ectopower grew until it dominated our thoughts entirely. Our bodies shrivelled and, one by one, we died."
  34. ^ Lord Baxtorian Cadarn in Song of the Elves. Old School RuneScape. "For almost two millennia, we lived in the eastern realm, then in the year 1930, we lost all contact with our people back in Tirannwn."
  35. ^ Lord Baxtorian Cadarn in Song of the Elves. Old School RuneScape. "We found that the route over the mountains was impassable and our incantations were unable to penetrate the gates that had been built there. [...] It was then that I reminded the council of an old cave system that led through the mountains. Within the caves, our ancestors had built the Well of Voyage, a portal between the east and west. Once the pass through Arandar was built, the well was abandoned, as no one had any desire to enter those cursed caves without reason. Soon it was decided to send five members of the Cadarn clan through the Well of Voyage, to recover any information that could tell us what was happening. We chose to re-convene upon their return."
  36. ^ Lord Baxtorian Cadarn in Song of the Elves. Old School RuneScape. "Eventually we managed to make it through to the other side. By then, there were few of us left. Lord Iorwerth had failed to wipe us out, but he knew we were beaten. While we were gone, an uprising had occurred in the eastern kingdom. We took our best fighters to Prifddinas, those that remained were unable to hold back the enemy. My wife was taken and most of my people were slaughtered. I turned my attention to finding my wife and getting the rest of my people to safety."
  37. ^ Lord Baxtorian Cadarn in Song of the Elves. Old School RuneScape. "My wife was taken and most of my people were slaughtered. I turned my attention to finding my wife and getting the rest of my people to safety."
  38. ^ Lord Baxtorian Cadarn in Song of the Elves. Old School RuneScape. "My Glarial... She mattered more to me than anything else, but she was lost to me. The enemy took her, so I searched far and wide to find her again. At times I came close, but in the end, I was too weak to carry one. I knew there was a chance she may live though, so I sealed myself away, hoping she would be the one to wake me."
  39. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 6". Old School RuneScape. "4th Age - yr 1937. Settlers established a town on the River Lum. Across the river they build a bridge and hence the town became called Lumbridge."
  40. ^ Father Aereck. Old School RuneScape. "[Player: Nice place you've got here.] It is, isn't it? It was built over 230 years ago."
  41. ^ "Timeline". Old School RuneScape. "None (War of the Five Houses) : 120th – 123rd. King Kharedst I: 123rd - 126th."
  42. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 15". Old School RuneScape. "5th Age - currently 169 years old. In the first years of the 5th Age, human mages discovered the secrets of making runes from rune essence. Due to the power of these runes, humans started to become dominant within the world, with the human kingdoms of Misthalin and Asgarnia quickly growing to become the ones we know today."
  43. ^ "Varrock Museum Timeline exhibit, display number 4". Old School RuneScape. "5th Age - yr 8. The kingdom of Asgarnia grew rapidly. King Raddallin, who was one of the tribal leaders of the area, had united many of the smaller tribes and settlements. However, one group within his domain is known as the Kinshra, or Black Knights. They had originally proved cooperative in helping the expansion of the kingdom of Asgarnia (…). Another group known as the White Knights had also proven to be particularly competent in battle and were now helping him by being the main military force defending his capital city of Falador. However, it turned out that the White Knights and Black Knights had always been bitter rivals."
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