Elder Artefacts

The Elder Artefacts, also known as The Elder Twelve, are a class of immensely powerful and divine artefacts that were created by the Elder Gods who used them as conduits for their power to carefully craft perfect details in their creations. As mentioned by the lore revealed in the Tribute to Guthix there are twelve artefacts, of which currently only six of such are known. At least seven of these reside on Gielinor at the time of the Sixth Age.

These artefacts are so powerful that merely spending time with one of the Elder Twelve artefacts will make it possible to attain godhood. Some of the artefacts are called Elder Weapons, or God Slayers; the most well-known of these is the one referenced to by Guthix: the Staff of Armadyl.

The Elder Stone
The Stone is one of the twelve Elder Artefacts. It's mostly known as The Stone of Jas (him being its creator), but is also known as: "The Eye of Saradomin" and "The Fist of Guthix". It is the most powerful artefact. While technically not a weapon, it grants its users part of its immense power. It has, however, guardians called the Dragonkin, a race created, enslaved and cursed by Jas to feel agonising pain at every moment, mainly when the Stone is being misused. When the Stone is misused, the Dragonkin are given power equal to that was given to the user and are tasked to destroy them, making it one of the most risky artefacts to be used. It has a long history of use and relocation. Notable users of the stone include Guthix, the Kethsians, Zamorak, Saradomin and Lucien. The stone is also the cause of the existence of rune essence, Daeyalt ore and the Fist of Guthix. The Stone of Jas also played a role in the destruction of the Forinthry site. With his powers enhanced by it at the end of the God Wars, Zamorak seared away the entire continent.

The TokHaar
The TokHaar are an immortal race created by the Elder Gods, in the Elder Kiln, to build the mountains of Gielinor. The TokHaar-Xil were forged to dig up the earth and rock, the TokHaar-Mej to blast the earth into a size the TokHaar-Ket could lift, and the TokHaar-Hur to craft the sediment into cliff-faces and slopes. They remain to this day, hidden deep inside the Karamja Volcano.

When their work was done, they built a great mountain around the Elder kiln and returned to live within it: "to await further instruction". However, some chose to live outside the kiln, tunneling through the mountain creating a city. Those that did so have become the TzHaar. The TokHaar dislike the TzHaar for this, believing it is weak, unnatural and against their true purpose. For being distant to the Elder Kiln, they are mortals, weakened and with many reproduction problems.

Over the years, the TokHaar fell into oblivion but were rediscovered when the TzHaar conducted an expedition to the sacred Kiln in an attempt to find out why the volcano was cooling down, gradually causing their extinction, which turned out to be a TokHaar plot to attract the Tzhaar to the Elder Kiln. According to the Tokhaar, gods are beings that abused the artefacts of the Elder Gods in order to gain a massive amount of power.

The Tok-Haar might well be the last Elder Artefact to have been created, since they have been forged on Gielinor itself, which was the last world (or planet) to be created by the Elder gods. Up to date, the Tok-Haar are also the only known Artefacts that "live", instead of just being an object.

The Elder Staff
The Staff commonly referred to as the Staff of Armadyl (although its true name is unknown), was the first of the Elder Artefacts to be released in-game: during the Temple of Ikov quest.

It was found by Guthix at Gielinor during the First Age when he was travelling between dimensions with his sword (see below). He wasn't interested in it and hid it before sleeping in the middle of the perfect world to let mortals enjoy it. After that, it was found and used by the god Armadyl during the Second Age and soon became linked to him, becoming known as "The Staff of Armadyl". His followers adopted the symbol from the staff and it became his symbol. Notable users of the staff include Zamorak, Lucien and Sliske. After Zamorak had used the staff, it was placed under protection of the Guardians of Armadyl, who were tasked to protect it. The staff was referred to as "a god slayer" by Guthix. It amplifies its user's power and magical capabilities and serves as a conduit for power as well. Two of the most important events in which the staff was involved was the death of Guthix and the banishment of Zaros.

The symbol on top of the staff is often seen as the symbol of Armadyl, and the symbol on the bottom that of Saradomin. This is however not necessarily the case. As is evidenced by the response of Mod Osborne on a question, see below.

The Elder Sword
This Sword is also known as Guthix's Sword. After picking it up when Skargaroth dropped it, during the Naragi God Wars, Guthix used it to wound Tuska and kill Skargaroth making him ascend to godhood. After which he used the sword to cut open portals, which allowed him to travel across worlds. The Elder Sword currently lies shattered in Guthix's Cave, too dangerous to be used and still crackling with energy.

This sword is not to be confused with the sword found in the Wilderness associated with the Edicts of Guthix, or with the Sword of Edicts, which is a cosmetic 2H-overriding replica of the Wilderness sword and was a reward received during the Tribute to Guthix.

The Elder Crown
The Crown is an artefact that enables the user to locate all the other artefacts, but also enables the users of these other artefacts to locate The Elder Crown, making it one of the most useful and risky artefacts to be used.

The Elder Crown is in possession of Saradomin and has been for a long time, since before the Naragi God Wars up until this day, it might likely be the first artefact Saradomin got his hands on and enabled to attain godhood. Like many other gods, he might well have been looking to collect more of the Elder Artefacts. And eventually he found The Elder Stone, which he called The Eye of Saradomin, during the Gielinorian God Wars, but it soon fell into Zamorak's hands.

The Elder Horn
Upon his arrival on Gielinor, Guthix started to explore the world and found several Elder Artefacts. One of these discoveries was the Elder Horn, which he kept hidden. It is unknown what or where this artefact is, but Mod Osborne has refused to confirm that the horn is the Frostenhorn, saying that there are other horns in the game.

Existence of others Elder Artefacts
It was long thought that the Stone of Jas was the only item that belonged to the Elder Gods (or only Jas, since there was no confirmation at the time as to whether more existed or not). This has recently changed. In a lore livestream, confirmed by Mod Osborne. The other six artefacts are to be revealed soon.

In addition to this, Mod Osborne stated that the majority of the Elder Artefacts are currently on Gielinor. . He has also confirmed that at least of the Elder Artefects are located in the Kharidian Desert.

Trivia

 * The Elder Sword, which can open inter-dimensional portals between worlds, could be a reference to a number of swords mentioned in other fantasy. Examples of this are: The Jewelled Sword of Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg and The Subtle Knife.