Rune guardian



A Rune guardian is a pet that can be received after completing the quest Rune Mechanics. The original purpose of the Rune guardian was to protect the Mage Training Arena. Players may refuse the opportunity to own a Rune guardian.

Unlike most pets, Rune guardians need to be "revitalised" rather than fed. Revitalisation takes place when the Rune guardian is near a Runecrafting altar (this includes the Astral altar). It can be placed in the Player-owned house menagerie, where it can also be revitalised. The Rune guardian has only one stage of growth to become fully grown.

If you don't revitalise the pet for long enough, so that its hunger reaches 100%, it will run away. A new Rune guardian can be obtained from Apprentice Clerval in the Mage Training Arena.

Currently the only way to deliberately get rid of your Rune guardian is to use the right-click "dismiss" option on your summoning icon below the logout button.

One very efficient way to revitalise a Rune guardian is to use the Ring of duelling and travel to the Fire altar, which is only one to two clicks away.

Colours
As of 23 March, 2010, you can change the Rune guardian's colour by visiting any altar with exception of the Ourania Altar, and using the Rune guardian on the altar. It will change colour to a colour related to that altar. To change back to a 'normal' guardian, visit the air altar, or dismiss it and talk to Apprentice Clerval. Players can use this to display their achievement of getting all the requirements to visit an altar - for example, black rune guardians require completion of most of Mourning's Ends Part II.

Dialogue
Note: Dialogue does not change with the colors

Trivia



 * When asked for help with combat, the Rune guardian says, "You must lash out with every limb, like the octopus who plays the bongos." This is a reference to a line said by The Sphinx in the movie "Mystery Men" - "You must lash out with every limb, like the octopus who plays the drums."
 * When the above quote is said, you reply "I thought it was penguins that played bongos." This is a reference to Ping & Pong.
 * Another of the Rune guardian's responses, "He who questions training only trains himself in asking questions", is a direct quote from The Sphinx in "Mystery Men".
 * When using the "Talk-to" option, the Rune guardian sometimes says "Have you ever thought that, whenever you examine an item, that item is also examining you?" This is a possible reference to a "Russian Reversal" joke, or may just be more referencing to the reverse-symmetry philosophies of The Sphinx as described above, or may be a reference to Nietzsche's famous quote about gazing into the abyss. This is also a very strong quote towards the Orb of Oculus which was released the very same day which is an item that gives you an out-of-body point of view of the RuneScape map.
 * Players may have a maximum of 16 Rune guardians, this is done by putting 15 of them in the player's Menagerie with one of them in their bank.
 * If you talk to the Entrance Guardian with the Rune guardian out, it will comment on your success in making one and speak to it.
 * When used on a rune crafting altar, it will float above it and the player will get the message "You hold the rune guardian to the altar and feel the magic restoring to it."
 * If you use the Rune guardian on any mysterious ruin, a message will come up that uses the word "run altar" instead of "rune altar".