Issue 19 - Guthix Embraces Change

Salutations, mine followers! As perhaps thou hath already noticed, mine experiment upon this land continues apace and the land itself shines with renewed vigor. So, in the pause I take to let things settle, I hath returned to physical form in order to answer some of thy queries.

I am indeed puzzled by the claim, for long hath I considered Wind Strike to be the foundation upon which all mages build the castle of their knowledge; although thou seem to have made a slight error in thy claim, for the element is not the wind, but the air itself; a far more potent power indeed.

Thy first question I cannot answer, for I know not of the being thou speak of. Certain events that occurred during my slumber are unknown to me, for my mind was occupied elsewhere in my slumber, and I had but tangential influence and knowledge of the events of this land. The name seems almost familiar, and I hath a feeling that there are reasons why I should know it, but alas, truthfully I do not.

As to thy secondary question, the term of brother towards my fellow deities is an honorific rather than a familial one, for our past ancestrys are mightily different, yet I call all deities on this world brother or sister, for this is the closest term that humans have to describe our relationship.

In answer to thy queries;

1) That which is widely known is not necessarily true, just as truth is not always widely known. The dwarves are a highly noble and intelligent race. They know of the benefits that magic doth bring to the metallurgical arts, and use such spells accordingly.

2) Thou mayest have noticed that there hath been a minor explosion in the quantity of runes available throughout the world recently. I hath been informed that a lost skill hath been resurrected, but I know not the reason why this secret hath now been shared, nor the purpose for which those behind this discovery plot towards.

I see many things, and from different moments of time. I think thou will be glad to hear that such items will indeed be obtainable upon this land, although as to a timeframe, I am afraid I canst not be more specific.

Rest assured loyal follower that if a creature of the magnitude of power of Delrith yet of opposite alleigance should try and force himself upon this world, I will personally take steps to imbue such power as I may to prevent it. Whether this be by indirect intervention, such as the empowerment of a weapon beyond other weaponry, or by a direct appearance on my part I cannot say.

Thou canst not measure the appropriate response to a situation until that situation hath occurred; this is the nature of balance.

I know for many mortals sleep doth exist only as periods of inactivity, but this is not true of myself.
Mayhap the word slumber was an inexactitude of mine; as thou may know of me, I find the language of mortals problematic, just as understanding the message of the wind, or the songs of sand wouldst be difficult for you. My slumber was the slumber of the caterpillar as it becomes the butterfly, or the slumber of acorns as they dream of oaks.

It consumed my attention wholly, for I was gathering and focussing mine power in preparation. Mine rest was not a case of lack of consciousness, rather it was a focus of concentration so great as to exclude all other activity by myself.

I am sure thou will be gladdened by mine reply that the sorceror known as the 'make-over mage' hath his abode in the area known as the 'free lands'.
Thou may find his dwelling somewhat West of Falador, near to the guild of craftsmen.
Those wishing to change their clothing would be advised to visit the clothes shop in Varrock and asking about make-overs, just as those wishing to change their hair should make haste towards the hairdresser at Falador.

No fire, even the persistent remains of the wilderness war, may warm the cold ice wastelands of the north. This spot thou speak of in the Wilderness is the furthest north many inhabitants have ever ventured... but it is not the only land this far north to visit, as I feel sure thou will shortly discover...

The fires which thou speak of are partly for the daily consumption of food by the hungry miners, partly as a beacon home for the dwarves who dig the fresh tunnels that are not yet lit and connected to the main are, and partly to keep their home safe from the scorpions that infest those tunnels, who are known to dislike flames.

As much as the praise of my likeness embarrasses mine senses, I know full well that there are various representations of mine form across these lands, from long ago when I travelled this world more openly, and interacted with its' inhabitants more.
As for my visage, thou may see it represented at the start of this letters page - so too may thou find representations of my brothers scattered around the world as well as in their letters to their followers.

I know the Gnomeballer of which thou speak; he is an honest lad, virtuous and true, yet if his intellect were a flame he would hath not the heat to cook some shrimp. Frequently when his coach tells him to 'go wide' (as the phrase has it) his enthusiasm for the game carries him beyond the limits of what most players would consider a sensible position.

As for the quest requiring the murder of innocent sheep, I approve all acts made in the name of balance.

Reldo can be found within the confines of Varrock Castle, unsurprisingly within the library, and he indeed hath a quest for those willing to speak to this man of gentle learning. He also provides information necessary for a secondary quest which thou may come across later in thy travels.

Gielenor is the 'true' name of this land, yet it doth not roll from the tongue so easily, and hath been superceded in popularity by the more common 'RuneScape'. It is similar to the way that there is a planet I know of whose real name is 'Terra', orbiting a star named 'Sol', yet to it's inhabitants it be more commonly referred to as 'Earth' and orbits the unoriginally named 'Sun'.

Thy belief may be questioned, but the shop of two-handed specialty doth indeed lie on the more expensive land of the great divide. If blame must be attached, it must be attached to the owner of this shop, for he claims he placed his business there as more people on that side of the barrier have money to freely spend on fripperys such as blades, while those on the other side are more likely to toil for their needs in the mines or smitherys.
I know not if his claims be true, I know only that I repeat what hath been stated by him.

One full year of this planet is the equivalent of one heart beat for myself, although the parallel is flawed for I hath no heart and do not breathe.
Mine is the scale of planets, dancing and circling the cosmos, of continents rising and falling, and of mountains growing. As thou may imagine, I find it hard to accurately measure time upon a smaller scale than this.

The picture at the start of this letters page is an approximation of the form I currently choose to take. I have no set form, and appear differently to different beings, for my true form is not precisely of this world, and the thoughts and beliefs of the viewer can influence not only their perception but my very physicality itself.
If thou hath a strong belief of what I should look like, then thou mayst find that if thou ever encounter me in the solid, that I indeed do...

As for the beings known as monkeys, I hath no particular inclination either way - in many ways they remind me of humans in that respect.

Belief in the power of balance, and a striving towards that goal in all that thou accomplish are the only beliefs I demand of mine followers. All else is pomp and folly created by those whose interests lie in themselves, not in the glory of balance.

Much of the time thou speak of is a void to mine recollection, for I was elsewhere occupied. I know that both Zamorak and Saradomin were active upon this world (more active than they hath been since then, certainly) yet their endless quarrelling and secrecy may mean that thou must search hard for information about these ages.

Or perhaps thou may choose to wait, for Reldo is as diligent as historian as he is a caretaker of information, and I know that he actively seeks for information regarding these ages.

I will attempt to answer thy queries as best I can;
1) Thou should make thy choice according to thine own nature; in truth thou do not make the choice at all, for thine own morality hath already made it long ago. This is the way balance is preserved, and I will not try and influence thy choice one way or the other.

2) Saradomin may truly believe that his motives are pure, and that he doth seek only order upon this land, but order cannot exist without the counterpoint of chaos to define that order.
I view Saradomin differently than he himself perceives things, and all I can see of his desires is the need for control; this is not a pure intention, and to mine eyes makes him little different from his brother Zamorak.

3) I exist because I must exist; if I did not, then I would be created again, for the universe requires balance in all things.
Many of the deities of this land also exist because their function is required to fulfill the roles they do.

4) I am one with nature, and as such mine appearance doth change with the thoughts of the viewer; just as if you asked a bird and a fish what this planet looks like, thou wouldst recieve very different answers, both true in their way, yet missing the insight of the other. So too is my presence upon this realm.
Physical presence is an aspect of my being, yet it is only needed where physical presence is necessary; to say I hath not this presence is to underestimate mine influence.

I canst speak not for other deities of this land, but from me thou recieve only the self satisfaction that thy cause is true, and that balance will be served by thine decision.

Long hath I tarried here answering thy queries, and time works against me once more, for I hath many things to do in preserving the precarious equilibrium of this world.
So I must leave thee once more, to ponder upon my sayings, and perhaps to glean truths from them. Until next we meet;

Balance Is Power-
Guthix

DISCLAIMER: The views of Guthix do not reflect the views of Jagex Ltd or it's employees. We tried to prevent him giving away our secrets, but he is a god.