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. Most artefacts were created by Jas, the most powerful elder god, aligned to time, using her stone. The Elder Artefacts can be destroyed and have been destroyed in the past by the Elder Gods, they did this to remove the prior versions of Elder Artefacts they did not like. There may have been around 10 Stones of Jas, before the current and final version was created. It was learnt from the Tribute to Guthix, wherein Guthix's memories could be read, there are twelve artefacts, of which currently only seven 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. Each of the artefacts also has a specific function, though that function may or may not be what it's been used for by the gods. 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.

All of the artefacts are known to be "double-edged swords"; however this trait is currently only known for two of Elder Artefacts: the Dragonkin who defend the Catalyst, and the Crown Archival that can locate other Artefacts but can also be located itself. The Staff of Armadyl was used to locate the Stone of Jas by Sliske, but it is unknown if individuals of less power like humans would be able to track Elder Artefacts using the same method or if the Staff of Armadyl can be located as easily as the Crown Archival.

The Catalyst
The Catalyst, commonly known as the "Stone of Jas", "The Eye of Saradomin", "The Fist of Guthix", or "The Cabbage of a Thousand Truths", is one of the better known artefacts. It is the most powerful, and the very first one created. It expresses the power of its creator; Jas, Elder Goddess of progression. She used it to create most other artefacts, aside from the Elder Kiln and possibly others. While 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. Throughout Gielinor's history, the Dragonkin have not been able to stop "False Users" (mainly gods), but their power has since been supplemented, and thus they are nearing godhood themselves.

The Stone 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. It played major a role in the destruction of the country of Forinthry by Zamorak at the end of the God Wars. When Zamorak lost the Stone to Saradomin, he declared war on him to reclaim it - the war would last almost four thousand years. The Stone was a significant part of how Zamorak obtained godhood, and how Lucien planned to do so.

The Siphon
The Siphon, commonly known as the "Staff of Armadyl", is the second most used artefact in the history of Gielinor (due to it being the second most powerful elder artefact), behind the Stone of Jas.

It was found by Guthix on Gielinor during the First Age when he was travelling between dimensions with his sword (see below). Guthix wasn't interested in it and hid it before sleeping in the middle of the perfect world to let mortals enjoy a world without gods. 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. Notable users of the staff include Zamorak, Lucien and Sliske. It was hidden in a cave before Zamorak got hold of it, but its exact whereabouts at the time remain unknown. After Zamorak had used the staff, it was placed under protection of the Guardians of Armadyl. The staff was referred to as "a god slayer" by Guthix. It amplifies its user's power, magical capabilities and personality and serves as a conduit for power as well. Two of the most important events in which the staff was involved were the death of Guthix and the banishment of Zaros. Both the Catalyst and Siphon are currently in the possession of Sliske.

The Kiln
The Kiln, more commonly known as the Elder Kiln, is both an Elder Artefact and a means of creating artefacts, although the artefacts it creates are considered to be the same artefact as the Kiln. The most well known of these creations is the TokHaar, an immortal race forged by the Elder Kiln, an artefact created by the Elder Goddess of constancy, Ful, to build the mountains of the worlds created by the gods, and thus, ultimately, Gielinor's. The TokHaar-Hok were forged to bring through the word the Elder Gods and be obeyed by the other TokHaar, the TokHaar-Xil 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.

The Elder Kiln itself was created on a planet different from Gielinor, where the Elder Gods attempted to create the perfect world. They failed numerous times and Ful would take the kiln and the TokHaar to the next project each time. When their work on Gielinor, the last and perfect planet, was done, the TokHaar built a great mountain around the Elder Kiln and returned to live within it: "to await further instruction".

Over the years, the TokHaar fell into oblivion but were rediscovered when the TzHaar conducted an expedition to the sacred Kiln in 169 of the Fifth Age 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. They had shut down part of the TzKot-Zo, the ring of sacred lava that heats the volcano, to inhibit TzHaar reproduction (creating the Ga'al), but this was eventually foiled.

According to the TokHaar, younger gods are beings that abused the artefacts of the Elder Gods in order to gain a massive amount of power. Up to date, the TokHaar are also the only known sentient artefacts, instead of just being an object. When a TokHaar dies, they return to the lava. Anything else that falls into the sacred lava is resurrected as TokHaar as well.

The Mysterious statues are known to be creations of the Kiln.

The Sword
The Sword is also commonly 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 of Edicts found in the Wilderness associated with the Edicts of Guthix, or with the cosmetic 2H-overriding replica of the Sword of Edicts that was a reward received during the Tribute to Guthix.

The Crown
The Crown, commonly known as the "Crown Archival", 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 crown in return, making it one of the most useful and risky artefacts to be used. The Elder Gods discarded the crown fairly quickly and never meant to use it again, apparently no longer deeming it necessary to be able to locate their artefacts.

The Crown is in possession of Saradomin, and has been since before the Naragi God Wars up to the present. 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. Eventually he found the Stone of Jas, which he called the Eye of Saradomin, just before the Gielinorian God Wars, but it eventually fell into Zamorak's hands.

The Horn
Upon his arrival on Gielinor, Guthix started to explore the world and found several Elder Artefacts. One of these discoveries was a horn, which he kept hidden. In some way, it ended up in the possession of Quin, a powerful seasinger and self-proclaimed goddess in the Eastern lands, specifically The Pincers region in the Wushanko Isles. Its current use, however is still unknown. Initially, there has been speculation that it could be the Frostenhorn, or the Wand of Resurrection otherwise known as Elora's horn - these have quickly been confirmed as false Since Quin's death it is unknown where this artefact is.

This horn could've been the "drinking horn" that turned marimbo into a goddes as she mentioned it was a sparkling one and she lost it.

The Measure
The Measure is an elder artefact that measures the level of the Anima Mundi of a plane. This artefact was located on Freneskae and is probably the weakest of the artefacts, being created by the temperamental and child-like Mah. It is now in the hands of the World Guardian.

Existence of other 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. One of these was thought to be the World Gate, since it has been hinted to be an Elder Artefact by Mod Jack. As of the 24th and 25th of March 2014 however, it is was revealed to have only been linked to the Elder Sword. Furthermore, World Gate was created by Guthix, and hence, cannot be  an Elder Artefact.

In addition to this, Mod Osborne stated that the majority of the Elder Artefacts are currently on Gielinor. This was stated before The Measure was taken from Freneskae. Therefore, apart from the seven known artefacts, there has to be at least one more on Gielinor. He has also confirmed that at least one of the Elder Artefacts is located in the Kharidian Desert.

Trivia

 * The 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.