Fate of the Gods

Fate of the Gods is a grandmaster quest that was released on 24 March 2014. It is the conclusion of the Return of Zaros series that started with The Dig Site in 2003. It features Zaros' return to Gielinor, where the World Guardian is required to help him create a new host body. The World Gate also plays a key role, taking the adventurer to the realm of Freneskae, where the majority of the content takes place.

While Missing, Presumed Death is the only actual quest requirement, completion of Ritual of the Mahjarrat and The World Wakes is strongly recommended in order to fully appreciate the quest's storyline, and completion of the Mahjarrat Memories also gives an Engrammeter that can be used to reduce damage while on Freneskae, in addition to providing further information on Zaros.

Powering the World Gate
Speak to Azzanadra, south of the Eagle's Peak lodestone, who will inform you that the death of Guthix has allowed all of the gods to return, but there is one final obstacle preventing the return of Zaros, which you can help remove. Accept the quest. Upon speaking to Azzanadra again, he will explain that the World Gate was created by Guthix long ago, and is the only portal that can reach every plane in existence, although it is currently limited to those worlds that Guthix or Zaros visited with it.

He will tell you that he, together with Zaros, has enlisted the help of Sliske to pull the World Gate out of the Shadow Realm. Sliske will appear and pull you into the Shadow Realm to offer you a proposal before telling you how to fix the World Gate. Sliske will say that his mastery of the Shadow Realm has grown, and explain how you may be able to achieve a big win (depending on your God Emissaries alignment). Since you will be the only one able to pass through the World Gate and meet Zaros, the fate of Zaros will be in your hands. Sliske will claim to be still loyal to Zaros, after a fashion.

A combination lock on the gate will need to be removed before it can be used. Sliske will place the combination on a pillar, which you should investigate to get the symbols. Then click on the control consoles in front of the gate. The left console will rotate the symbols to the left, and the right console will rotate them to the right. You'll have to rotate the symbols in the noted direction to each symbol, like a combination lock, so that they spell out M-A-H in the runic alphabet. When a correct world of the combination is switched to, an animation occurs alerting you to this fact. Heading in the wrong direction once you've got the correct world will de-power the World Gate, forcing you to start again. Note that this can be done before the quest, and if you have, you will not need to do it again.

To power up the World Gate, you must use the following combination in the following order.
 * 1) Rotate RIGHT until you reach M(World gate icon M.png), or "A world engulfed in flames. It's kind of beautiful."
 * 2) Rotate LEFT until you reach A(World gate icon A.png), or "Many rock islands floating in the sky above an exposed planetary core."
 * 3) Rotate RIGHT until you reach H(World gate icon H.png), or "A vast ocean speckled with hundreds of small islands. One of which has a gleaming white tower upon it."

After the World Gate has been activated and Sliske has returned it to the material realm, Azzanadra will say that he has set the gate so that it will only take you to the right location until Zaros is returned. Enter the gate.

Freneskae
When you enter this unfamiliar world of Freneskae, you will need to move fast. There are dangerous hazards that will hinder your journey through this realm. If you have completed the Mahjarrat Memories miniquest, you can operate a charged engrammeter here to distort it, allowing it to reduce the damage you take from the hazards. Note that the distorted engrammeter must be present in your inventory to allow you to receive the damage reduction. The following information is based on this reduced damage.
 * The air here is filled with smoke and will make you choke. This causes 50 life points worth of damage (reduced to nothing if wearing a face mask)
 * Lightning can strike at any time causing a large amount of damage. Lightning strikes will be preceded by a flickering light on the ground. If you are hit by a lightning strike you will be damaged for 1500 life points; being near a lightning strike will cause you 750 life points of damage. Insulated boots will not reduce this damage.
 * Volcanic vents will spew hot steam, and will spill lava if you step on them. This causes 400 life points of damage.
 * Balls of lava will drop from the sky. If you are hit by a ball of lava you will be damaged for 500 life points; being near an impact will cause you 250 life points of damage.
 * Walls will leak lava onto passers-by. If you are hit by the lava you will be damaged for 1000 life points; being near the wall will cause you 500 life points of damage.

Remember to keep an eye on your lifepoints and heal if required. Freneskae actually has a number of safe spots for players to rest and heal without food, as well as a few healing archways that provide immediate healing. A Regen Bracelet is useful to not waste food and save time healing. You are guided/followed by a mysterious entity.

As you progress through the different areas of Freneskae, the World Gate will give you the option to travel either to the beginning of 'The Approach' or to the last checkpoint that you have reached. Once the quest is complete, you can travel to any area directly from the World Gate.

Memoriam crystals
Memoriam crystals can be found along the way. The crystals can be deposited in The Sanctum to unlock memories, which will reveal a part of the past. Collecting the crystals is not required to complete the quest, although they provide information which may help you decide whether or not to ultimately help Zaros. Depositing all of the crystals will unlock a couple of cosmetic overrides. If you are short on inventory space, it's possible to ignore the crystals during the quest and collect and deposit them later. The crystal in the Cradle and the Seren crystals can't be reached until the quest has been completed.

The Approach
One path through the Approach to the Sanctum is as follows:

From the entrance, go east and jump the two ledges, then take the left branch and cross a rock formation on the right. Follow the passage to the first healing point.

Continue along the passage and cross the stepping stones, then climb the cliffside. Go east, then north and cross the overhang then climb down the cliffside to the east. Go south then west and slide down the slope. Continue along the passage to the second healing point.

Go southwest across the lava vents then climb the cliffside opposite the second healing point. Walk across the rock formation, run east to the end of the next passage and climb down the drop. Go east and traverse the rock bridge. The opening to the Sanctum will be ahead.

The Sanctum
The Sanctum is reached by entering a large cave entrance. In the middle of the room, there is an area where you can deposit memoriam crystals and review the memories of Zaros.

Door Puzzle
At the other end of the cave is a door with symbols on it. There are three stages to this puzzle, with the last being the hardest. The aim is to match up the symbols together to light up the lines which are in-between the dials. Once all of the lines are lit up, the next stage will begin. After completing all of the three stages of this puzzle, you will be able to proceed.

Nihils
Note: If you do die in this battle your gravestone will safely appear back in Gielinor between the Eagle Peak loadstone and the World Gate.

Enter the next room and stand at the centre. Nihils of four types will appear. Each is based on one of the elements from Ancient Magicks. They emerge at random from the twelve doorways and will charge in one direction. Making contact with one of them while they are running will cause heavy damage. Attacking them will shift their attention to you. Each Nihil uses a different combat style, but has no weaknesses, and has a special attack (which is signaled by it hissing beforehand) as follows:


 * Smoke Nihil: Attacks with Magic that can lower stats, special attack creates a cloud that rapidly cuts stats. Players utilizing an overload or drinking a form of stat restore potion (once their stats are lowered) and using Protect from magic/soul split will have little trouble with this Nihil.
 * Shadow Nihil: Attacks with ranged, special attack creates an area-of-effect that deals rapid damage (like Nex). Players should hit and run when fighting this form (use an ability and run several spaces away, and repeat) in order to avoid prayer and lifepoint drain. Additionally, players should constantly move in order to avoid the Nex-like shadow bombs that can cause heavy damage. Protect from ranged or soul split are advised.
 * Blood Nihil: Attacks with melee, special attack causes all incoming damage to heal it. This Nihil attacks with a hard-hitting melee attack and has a special ability similar to Nex's healing siphon, which is signalled one tick after a hiss. The creature will lower its head, cease its attack, and begin to glow. Any damage dealt to it during this time will instead heal it. Use Protect from melee or soul split to avoid high food consumption.
 * Ice Nihil: Attacks with magic, special attack applies a six second stun. If not attempting to obtain the "Annihilator" title, a recommended strategy would be to attack this Nihil after building up adrenaline from a previous Nihil kill, then using Death's swiftness, Sunshine, or Berserk to take it down before multiple ice specials are used. However, if this tactic is not feasible, simply using Protect from magic/soul split, Freedom when frozen, and Anticipation after the creature hisses will allow for unhindered damage.

NOTE: The nihil can deal significant damage even through prayer, so prayer points, stats, and health should be monitored closely in order to avoid death, especially if trying to obtain the "Annihilator" title.

Restore potions or super restore potions may be useful to counter the stat-reducing effects. As soon as you kill them all, you are free to enter the next area, on the top of a summit.

NOTE: After killing the nihil, DO NOT log out. Doing so WILL require you to face them again.

''You might experience a glitch where the crystals won't open up even after defeating the four nihils. You would have to log out then back in and kill the nihils again. ''

Optional "Annihilator" title
If you kill all four of the Nihil and at some point they were all attacking you at once, you will receive the title "the Annihilator". This is the strategy of obtaining this title.

First attack the Blood nihil, then attack the Smoke nihil, then the Shadow nihil and last the Ice nihil. After all are tagged kill the Ice one first because of stunning effects; make sure you use Aniticipation and Freedom on the bar or the Ice nihil will stun you for 6 seconds about every 10-15 seconds. While tanking use the Nex Shadow Phase movement of back and forth every 3-5 seconds to dodge the Shadow effect. Kill them in order of Ice, Shadow, Smoke, and Blood. It is recommended to utilise any area of effect spells and/or abilities in order to speed up the kills and save food. This strategy would work well with blood spells and the Vampyrism Aura in order to maximise health regain whilst still dealing high amounts of damage.

The Nihil can be fought again after the quest by returning to the sanctum; it is therefore not necessary to unlock the title during the course of the quest.

Meeting Zaros
Once you've entered the next area, a lengthy conversation with Zaros will begin where you will be able to ask him questions about him, his history and more. Once this is finished, you will need to defend against Mah's nightmare.

Warning: Portents of Restoration do not appear to work when damaged by Mah's heavy hitting scream attack.

Mah's Nightmare
The nightmare will last a couple of minutes where you must defend against Muspahs. Your progress is displayed at the top of your screen in order to help you keep track of how long you have got left. Prayer and food is especially useful in this part, and a beast of burden can be used. It is recommended to use the Ancient Magicks spellbook as the Muspahs take slightly more damage from those spells, despite not having any specific weaknesses.

If you agree to let Zaros into your mind, he will give you unlimited prayer points for Ancient Curses and unlimited runes for Ancient Magicks, as well as reducing a small part of the damage from the Muspahs. Thus, it is recommended to use an offensive prayer such as Augury or Torment and Protect from Magic as the Mage Muspahs seem to deal the most damage per second. '''Note: While Zaros is inside you, Prayers will drain your prayer points, but Curses will not! If you are not using Curses, bring some prayer potions.'''

Mah will clench her hands before she lets out her agony. If you see her clench her hands, quickly use Anticipation so you are not stunned after you are hit with damage.

Once the progress bar hits 0%, all of the Muspahs will die and you are free to climb down the summit.

If by bad luck a player reaches 0% on the progress bar and runs out of lifepoints at the same time, the player may still complete the battle if the player receives a message in their chat box saying they succeeded.

Aided Divination
Climb down the ledge at the opposite end to where you entered. You will enter a large area with several Mah wisps, the Elder Halls of this world. Pick up The Measure, which is on the ground, and place it on the ground so fainted Mah wisps will be able to be gathered. Once you get 250 Mah energy, weave a dark divine simulacrum (to help Zaros) or a light divine simulacrum (to hinder Zaros).

Along each of the paths, there are fractured versions of the Stones of Jas. They belong to each of the five Elder Gods and lie in chambers appropriate to that god, i.e Corruption is Mah's.

Climb back up the summit and return to Zaros.

The Return of Zaros
When you speak to him, he will request your chosen simulacrum. Bear in mind that whichever simulacrum you chose will change his appearance. But, without warning, Mah awakens and you are teleported away back to the World Gate in Freneskae. However, Zaros will talk with you before you return to Gielinor.

Step through the World Gate and return to Azzanadra to witness the return of Zaros. A cutscene will occur where Zaros orders his followers to different tasks, such as ordering Char to locate the Staff of Armadyl and the Stone of Jas, ordering Nex to keep the Young Gods in check without direct confrontation, and ordering Azzanadra to locate the Elder Halls in Gielinor, while excommunicating Sliske due to mistrusting him.

Zaros will then reward you with a Shard of Zaros taken off his body, which will affiliate you with Zaros, and the quest will finish.

Congratulations, quest complete!

Rewards
Upon completing this quest, you will receive:
 * 2 Quest points
 * 125,000 experience
 * 100,000 experience
 * 100,000 experience
 * 75,000 experience
 * 50,000 experience
 * The Shard of Zaros which, when equipped, grants protection from all factions in the God Wars Dungeon.
 * The ability to fight bladed muspah, force muspah and throwing muspah when returning to "The Cradle"

Post-quest rewards

 * A survivor's lamp which grants 75,000 experience in a chosen combat skill (80+, excluding prayer/summoning) up to three times, if you talk to Azzanadra in Senntisten (requires completion of The Temple at Senntisten)
 * A large prismatic lamp from Wahisietel (Ali the Wise) in Nardah (requires completion of Ritual of the Mahjarrat)
 * If you visit the Empyrean Citadel throne room and attempt to leave, Sliske will appear and answer one question, before giving you a gift: the ability to see into the Shadow Realm without a ring of visibility (Requires The General's Shadow and Ritual of the Mahjarrat).
 * "Are you really a god now?" - No and nor does he wish to, although he claims to have the same powers as The World Guardian.
 * "Who ordered you to kill Guthix? - No one, but it needed to be done and it would have been requested of him sooner-or-later.
 * "Do you actually have, and did you use, the Stone of Jas?" Yes and yes, although he has only used the stone for knowledge and not power.
 * "What are your plans as of now?" To start the God Wars anew, although to what end he does not say.
 * "What... is your favourite colour?" Blue and green, but if he had to pick one: aquamarine.
 * If you fight the Nihil during or after the quest, engage all four before finishing any of them off and kill them all you will receive the title "the Annihilator".
 * Two cosmetic head overrides, the Helm of Zaros and Crest of Seren, but only if you find all the memoriam crystals on Freneskae.
 * Four Elder Chronicles, each granting 50,000 experience when The Measure is placed:
 * Near the submerged statue on Entrana.
 * Outside the TzHaar entrance.
 * Near the Oracle on the Ice Mountain.
 * By the archaeologist camp in the Ruins of Ullek.
 * A teleport to the World Gate added to the Sixth-Age circuit by speaking to the Guthixian High Druid (requires full completion of The World Wakes)
 * If a charged engrammeter is used on Freneskae, 25,000 divination experience is granted, and you take less damage from environmental effects. (Requires Mahjarrat Memories)

Music unlocked

 * Amor Fati
 * Freneskae (music)
 * Sanctum
 * Non Compos Mentis
 * Nightmare at the Cradle
 * Zarosian Reprise
 * The Elder Halls

Trivia

 * The name of the quest may be a reference to the classical musical piece, Fate of the Gods, by, which itself is thematically based on Norse mythology. It may also be derived from Zaros being the god of fate.
 * Fate of the Gods is also another name for, the Norse apocalypse.
 * During the initial dialogue with Zaros he says to the player: "Say my name!", to which the player responds, "Zaros." This could be a reference to a scene in an episode of Breaking Bad where Walter White demands that they say his pseudonym, Heisenberg. It could also be a reference to 'The Never-Ending Story' where the princess calls out to Bastien to "say my name!"
 * There were two Behind the Scenes videos released for Fate of the Gods instead of the usual one for each update.
 * The World Gate was added to the game the week before Fate of the God's release. Located in the Shadow Realm, it could only be seen with the aid of the ring of visibility, and while it could be interacted with, and powered up with the correct sequence of symbols, it could not be travelled through upon its release.
 * As seen in the second BTS video, there is an altar that has the symbol of Seren on it somewhere in Freneskae.
 * Upon completion of the quest the Adventurer's Log states: Zaros has returned...
 * When journeying through the hazardous area of Freneskae, whilst wearing a mask, the player will make coughing noises once the ash effect occurs, but will not take any damage.
 * There was a glitch where if the player attempted to speak to General Khazard using Sliske's gift he would disappear; the player would then be unable to interact with the shadow realm even with a ring of visibility equipped. This has since been fixed on 25th March 2014.
 * Speaking to Azzanadra at Senntisten after the quest and selecting "Something else." > "Tell me about Zaros." > "So, is Zaros back then?" still prompts the same response from after the Temple at Senntisten quest that Zaros has not returned and they can only communicate again. This is most likely an oversight.
 * The three symbols that is needed to unlock the gate in the start of the quest are runes from the newest futhark (rune alphabet). They spell MAH.
 * During Mah's Nightmare it is possible to die and complete the objective.
 * Sliske referring to Zaros as "Big Brother" at the end of the quest is a reference to George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
 * One of the questions you are able to ask Sliske in the Empyrean Citadel, "What... is your favourite colour?" and the answer he gives "Blue and Green" references a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the same question and similar answer were given.
 * Whenever you die during the quest and returns back to it via world gate, Sliske will either comment on your death count, attempts made and various other things, some that possibly breaks the fourth wall.