Oracle

The Oracle is a strange woman who lives atop Ice Mountain. She is an important figure in the Dragon Slayer quest, as she provides a clue as to how to access one of the map pieces. She is also involved in Perils of Ice Mountain, where she foretells of a day when the Kharidian desert will reach Varrock and Falador if the player does not repair the environmental damage caused by the Dwarven Power Station. During that quest, the tent in which she lives is damaged in an avalanche, though it is repaired by the player. Occasionally, she will be visited by Postie Pete and, after completion of The Chosen Commander, Zanik as well. One of the Wise Old Man's tasks involves taking a message to her.



Dialogue
When spoken to, she says a wide variety of one-liners. These range from bizarre advice to warnings and hints. She spoke of the Stone of Jas long before While Guthix Sleeps or even Meeting History, where the stone is first seen. She even makes references to the dragonkin and Juna, as well as comical phrases such as, "if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there, nobody gets woodcutting xp."

When you talk to the Oracle, she can say:
 * Jas left a stone behind.
 * Beware the cabbage: it is both green AND leafy.
 * Help wanted? Enquire within.
 * Who guards the Guardsmen?
 * A bird in the hand can make a tasty snack.
 * Imagine you look like a goblin.
 * The light at the end of the tunnel is a demon-infested lava pit.
 * Yes i can. But I'm not going to.
 * They say ham does not mix well with other kinds of meat.
 * An answer is unimportant; it is the question that matters.
 * There are no crisps at the party.
 * If a tree falls in the forest and no one around, then nobody gets the Woodcutting xp.
 * Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.
 * Is it time to wake up? I am not sure...
 * The great snake of Guthix guards more than she knows.
 * Pies...they're great, aren't they?
 * He who uses the power of custard mixes it with his tears.
 * Many secrets are buried under this land.
 * Don't judge a book by it's cover - Judge it on it's grammar and, punctuation
 * No. I'm not in the mood.
 * Capes are allways in fashion!
 * The chicken came before the egg.
 * It's not you; it's me.
 * When in Asgarnia, do like Asgarnians do.
 * Everybody you know will one day be dead.
 * The goblins will never make up their own minds on their own.
 * The god wars are over...as long as the thing were fighting over remains hidden.
 * Do not fear the dragons...fear their kin.
 * Too many cooks spoil the anchovy pizza.
 * Nothing like a tasty fish.
 * A woodchuck does not not chuck wood.

Original Purpose
According to a posting by Andrew in June 1999 (one of the first references to his RPG)

"'I'm (very slowly) writing my own Java RPG, and eventually I want to have this oracle type thing up a mountain where you can go, and it will give you a hint on your current quest. Obviously you should make it fairly hard to get to.J (i.e put it out of the way, and protect it with some monsters) but it does stop people getting completely and utterly stuck!'"

Trivia

 * Originally, the Oracle was a man, however in June of 2007, he was given a tent, a graphical makeover, and turned into a female. Therefore, the Oracle was the first NPC to switch gender (excluding the Makeover mage, who switches gender periodically).
 * One of the Oracles one-liners, "Who guards the guardsmen?", is a reference to "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes," a Latin phrase meaning "Who will guard the guards?".
 * In ancient times, oracles would live on top of mountains, and were consulted by the kings and leaders of countries. They were considered close to the gods (as the oracle in RuneScape is as well).
 * She claims that "the chicken came before the egg," which demonstrates her relationship with the gods, as that claim is one which usually arrises from religion.
 * During the Perils of Ice Mountain quest, she says earth, when the world is called RuneScape, or Gielinor.
 * Postie Pete can spawn on the Ice Mountain near the Oracle, and if you talk to him he will say he wanted to hear some wise words from the Oracle.
 * In one of her phrases she says ``the godwars are over... as long as the thing they were fighting over remains hidden, this is most likely a reference to the godsword(s).
 * The name "Oracle" may have been used from the ancient Greek tale of Apollo and The Lady Oracle.