Runespan

Runespan is a new Runecrafting training method for all players, announced in the April 2012 Behind the Scenes, and released on 30 April 2012. A developer blog, which gives information about the activity, was released on 27 April 2012 on the RuneScape homepage.

The Runespan is another dimension, discovered by Wizard Finix, where runes can be pulled from elemental nodes or from the wildlife. As confirmed in the Runespan development blog, this area known as the Runespan is located in the vast sea of nothingness which surrounds the Runecrafting Guild. This void is filled with mystical islands which players can explore to gather runes, and rescue trapped or lost wizards.

Location
The Runespan can be found in the Wizards' Tower, by the Runecrafting Guild entrance, after talking to Wizard Finix.

You can travel there by going to the Wizards' tower or use the wicked hood.

Although debated in the Runecrafting Guild, Wizard Finix claims the runecrafting altars currently used to craft runes will become unstable, and the Runespan will become the only method to create runes. It is unlikely, however, that the altars will become unstable in the timespace of the game, as this would alter gameplay too much.

There will be three categorized areas, each catered to different Runecrafting levels, but free-to-play will only have access to the first area and part of the second area. Runes gathered will be taken by the Runecrafting Guild, but members will be able to claim points towards Wicked Robes, new magical staves and a new pouch which will hold 18 essence, and all players will be rewarded with Runecrafting experience. Runespan will be playable at any Runecrafting level. At Runefest 2011, Jagex stated that it would be a minigame, however it was later changed to be a training method. The experience granted will surpass the ZMI altar at 70+ Runecrafting.

While in the Runespan, players will have an interface to the top left of their screen. The top icon shows the current Runespan points total, from earlier games. The second shows the points held in the player's inventory. The third shows the floor the player is currently on, and the last only appears if there is an active runesphere.

While gaining xp in Runespan, strange rocks may be found.

Area
The Runespan is split into three levels. Different creatures, nodes and platforms can be found on each one.

To quickly get to the third floor from the second, you will require 2 Mind runes, 2 of each elemental runes (air, water, earth and fire), plus one air rune. Take the float south, and use the missles to get to the platform with the skeletal ladder.

Experience
Experience is gained by siphoning runes from the esslings, esshounds and nodes within RuneSpan. On occasion, a yellow wizard will appear on one of the islands. Upon talking to him, it would appear that he is stuck on the island and needs a specific rune to get out. Using the specified rune on the wizard will grant you experience. If a different rune is used on the wizard, you will still gain experience, however it will be much less than if the correct rune was offered.

Points
It is notable that using runes to travel around or chipping off creatures will decrease your points.

Creatures
Various creatures inhabit The RuneSpan, which can be 'siphoned' for runes to help cross platforms to other islands. Below is a list of the various creatures, with the rates of successful siphoning. The higher your runecrafting level, the less you fail siphoning. If you fail, you'll get only 1 experience.

Nodes
If you fail, you'll get either 1, 2 or no experience. All nodes have their element(s) shown in the white circle on the ground around them.

Yellow Wizard
Players receive an in-game message regarding the wizard calling for help.

An xp reward will be given based upon the type of runes that the wizard needs and how many you have of them, the type of runes that the wizard will require is random.

To find the wizard, talk to any wizard in blue robes and ask for the wizard in yellow robes, you will then receive a flashing arrow leading you to the wizard in yellow robes.

You may not always be able to reach the wizard since you sometimes need a higher level runecrafting to cross a platform to the wizard.

Rewards
Runes gathered in Runespan are taken by the Runecrafting guild. In return, players receive Runespan points to spend on various rewards. It is possible to buy a second wicked hood, but it will not give extra free runes, essence or teleports each day.

Points can be spent in Wizard Finix's reward-shop in the wizard tower next to the portal to the runecrafting guild.

Esteem
For every level earned, Esteem changes the design/symbol on the wicked cape by the unlocked design.

The symbol for the corresponding rank is also display on the back of the wicked hood.

Rank 1 (the highest tier) is required for the trimmed Completionist cape and costs 211,860 points total.

Buying a rank substracts the cost from the higher ranks. For example, buying the tier 10 rank at 15 points will reduce the cost of all ranks by 15 points so buying tier 9 after tier 10 would only cost an additional 45 points.

10: 15

9: 60

8: 190

7: 560

6: 1560

5: 4360

4: 11860

3: 31860

2: 86860

1: 211860

Re-colour
You can re-colour your wicked equipment for 2000 points.

Trivia

 * At 8:00 PM UTC, 28 April 2012, when the See the Future event began, rifts to the Runespan opened in the Grand Exchange near the west wall, at the Catherby fruit tree patch, and in the central market of Ardougne. Esslings also appeared with them. Wizard Finix was also seen for a brief time during this teaser, and left along with the rift orbs.
 * Approximately 10 minutes after the rift spawned, the Esslings disappeared, a runesphere appeared in place of the rift. It also disappeared after a few minutes.
 * You can obtain strange rocks and spin tickets from the Runespan.
 * The respawn time of the various creatures in Runespan is extremely short. It is unknown whether if this is a glitch or is intended.
 * Towards the north sections the Dominion Tower is able to be seen rising from below to past the islands of Runespan
 * While siphoning runes from essence creatures, if you try to perform an emote it says "you are already doing an emote" however the emote of siphoning runes does stop.