Letters #50 - Guthix Unfolds

Guthix Unfolds

The god of balance has woken once more, and his old speech is unchanged. In this issue he tells how the world began, why he counts sheep at night, and what his hand does on the seam between the worlds. He also says the light over Varrock will soon open wide.

Greetings, mortals. I hath slept a little, and read thy letters a great deal. Many of thee ask the same questions, and so I shall answer them together.

Great Guthix, the scholars in Varrock say you made the world. You told the druids long ago that you only own it. I teach the young druids, and they want a straight answer. Which is it?

Sanfew, druid of Taverley

Both, and neither. Long before thy ages began, there were hundreds of worlds, each with its own peoples and its own gods. They raged at one another without rest, and the rage between them grew louder than any one of them.

So I closed mine hand. The worlds folded in upon each other, seam into seam, until only two remained. I named them the Slow and the Swift. The Slow turns gently, and its people keep their old ways as they always were. The Swift runs half as fast again, and its dangers come from every side. Thou livest upon the Swift.

The crushing froze both worlds solid, and for millions of years nothing moved. When the ice gave way, the sleepers woke, and none of them could sleep again or remember whence they came. I did not make thy world, Sanfew. I folded it.

Dear Guthix, why do you count the sheep every night? My mum says that is how you fall asleep.

Shilop, a child of Varrock

Thy mother speaks half of the truth. Since the ice, I sleep poorly, and a god who folded a hundred worlds may count a few thousand sheep without effort.

The other half of the truth is mine to keep. The purpose of the sheep is essential, albeit secret. I will tell thee only this: one missing sheep hath woken me from slumber before, and the one who took it hath not been seen since.

Guthix, travellers come to my Library and tell me they remember a life in another land, where the days were long and they trained for years. Their friends say a word brings that life's skills here. I cannot find the word in any book. Is it true, or is it a scam?

Reldo, of the Library of Varrock

Their friends tell the truth, for once. One of mine hands rests upon the seam between the Slow and the Swift, and it does not leave it. Call upon it, and it reaches across, gathers what thy life upon the Slow learned and earned, and sets it down here.

The hand gives and does not take. It lowers no skill and removes no item. Each lesson and each belonging crosses once, and from several lives the best of each is kept. The word is written upon every traveller's quest scroll: ::osrssync.

Mine brother Saradomin calls it unfair, since nothing goes back. Zamorak calls it the best idea I ever had, since everything good ends up where the fighting is. I call it a collaboration.

Lord Guthix, the light beside the west bank has flickered all week. Each night it burns a little brighter. My guards ask whether they should stand back from it.

Captain Rovin, of the Varrock palace guard

Stand back, and make room. The light is about to open wide, and many will come through it at once, as in the first days. They will wake knowing nothing, and they will follow whatever the others around them do.

Be kind to them, Captain. Each one of them hath done this before, and none of them remembers it.

In balance,

Guthix

DISCLAIMER: The views of Guthix do not reflect the views of DoubleU. DoubleU tried to stop him giving away its secrets, but he is a god.