Anima

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For other uses, see Anima (disambiguation).
Gielinor's anima flows through the Heart.

Anima is the living energy of the universe and the source of magic. It is the substance the Elder Gods feed on to nourish their eggs and perpetuate the cycle of the Elder Gods and thus the universe.[1][2][3][4] If an elder god does not consume the necessary amount of anima, it can become malformed, like Mah did on Freneskae.[5]

Anima is easy to manipulate, and takes on a resonance of the area around it. It can be carefully manipulated to create spells. Magic is, essentially, the manipulation of anima.[6][7][8] Small amounts of anima can be very specifically shaped into cosmic energy.[9]

In living beings[edit | edit source]

In living beings, anima keeps the body active and vital. Throughout their life, living beings absorb anima through food, breathing and, to a lesser extent, through ambience. It is possible for some species to be inefficient at absorbing anima, which can cause infertility, as is the case with the ilujanka.[10] Living beings also generate anima.

In worlds with unbalanced anima, conscious life can unintentionally spring about. Zaros believes that conscious beings are able to generate more anima than plants and simple organisms, something the Elder Gods may not be aware of.[11]

The anima of a creature is contained within its soul. Each soul creates a unique resonance in the anima.[12] The strength of a soul is determined by the experiences faced by the creature over the course of its life. As such, the soul of a hero is stronger than average, and it is part of the reason why undead heroes are stronger.[13][14]

Anima deficiency[edit | edit source]

During his trips to Iaia to find a cure to the ilujanka's infertility, Kerapac discovered that Iaia's anima is purer, more filtered, than that of other worlds. While it is a world brimming with life, the ilujanka are not able to absorb Iaia's anima properly, suggesting that worlds with purer anima are unsuited for sapient life.[15]

Vindicta, an ilujanka born and raised in Gielinor, is larger than her father, born on Iaia, presumably as a result of Gielinor's anima.[16]

Divinity[edit | edit source]

By absorbing a huge amount of anima, it is possible for a sentient being to ascend to godhood. For animals, it is possible to become a colossus, a status similar to godhood.[17] Divinity grants a being a huge amount of power. It also stops the aging process, removes the need for material sustenance and makes beings unkillable by normal methods.[18]

During the Colossal Period, colossi appeared not to exceed the intelligence they were born with. However, in the second half of the First Age, the bloom of civilisation resonated within the anima mundi and, the colossi, who sustain themselves with the anima mundi, absorbed this resonance and began to develop a higher level of intelligence.[18][19]

Shattered Worlds[edit | edit source]

Main article: Shattered Worlds

Teleportation magic temporarily pierces the Abyss, which causes anima from the teleport user's world to leak into it. Over time, this anima has consolidated into amalgams of different worlds. These worlds are inhabited by abyssal creatures, who absorb this anima and are altered by it, taking on the appearance of creatures from these worlds.[20]

Long ago, a temple was constructed south of Lumbridge to guard a portal to the Abyss. The anima witch, an exiled Void Knight, broke the seals and opened a way to the shattered worlds from Gielinor, causing its anima to leak into the Abyss. By siphoning corrupted anima, she has increased her power and reversed her aging process. The Abyssal Knights, an alliance between Void Knights and Temple Knights, are currently retrieving anima from the shattered worlds to close the portals the anima witch has opened and restore Gielinor's anima.[21]

Anima Mundi[edit | edit source]

The Anima Mundi as referred to by the gnomes, also known as the animasphere[22] or the runescape[23] is the life force that exists within all things.[24] It is a byproduct of a balanced ecosystem: the closer to perfection the world is, the stronger the anima mundi becomes, and since Gielinor is the most perfectly balanced world, it has the most anima mundi.[25] In effect, anima mundi was created by the Elder Gods, since they created all of the worlds, and they plan to utilise Gielinor's anima mundi again to enact The Great Revision. Guthix had attempted to balance the anima mundi on Gielinor to stop the Elder Gods from awakening, but his goal was hampered by the God Wars.[26] In addition, as of late, the anima mundi on Gielinor is 'bleeding' and it could disappear completely (along with the creatures connected to it, such as Vorago and spirit trees) if the ecosystem is too unbalanced.[27][28]

The anima mundi is sacred to the gnomes, for they believe it to be the "soul" of all living creatures, kept in check by Guthix.[29] They also consider Seren to be an aspect of the anima mundi.[30] The anima mundi seems to be an integral part of the world itself, without which it cannot exist. The anima mundi is very important to the spirit trees, as they use it not only as a means to survive, but to commune with one another as well.[31] If they are separated from the anima mundi, they become weakened and corrupted, and slowly lose their life force until they die.[28]

Reactive nature[edit | edit source]

Vorago kills Tuska.

The anima mundi is known to be able to create or empower powerful beings to protect itself, as evident by the existence of Vorago, Solak, Telos and the Guardians of the East.[32] The anima mundi on Mazcab also created such beings as Yakamaru.[33][34]

Vorago is one of the defenders of the anima mundi.[35] He killed Tuska and participates in Sliske's Endgame to claim the Stone of Jas. If he encounters Armadyl within the maze, he criticises him for causing damage to the anima mundi during his battle with Bandos.[36]

The island Kami-shima in Wushanko is surrounded by a barrier of anima created by the anima mundi.[37][38] The island is said to come to life and create creatures to defend itself.

Kami believes herself to have been created by the anima mundi.[39]

The sea creatures of Wushanko appear to have a strong connection to the anima mundi, as Kami is able to feel them and such feeling is similar to the one she gets near divination craters. She can also feel their emotions.[40] While all creatures have some amount of anima, the seasingers also refer to the sea creatures as Kami, suggesting that this connection to the Anima Mundi is especially strong in them.[41]

Gail believed that the anima would not permit overuse of the Needle.[42]

Nexuses[edit | edit source]

Nexuses are the areas where the currents of the anima mundi have concentrated the greatest amount of anima. They vary from being permanent or impermanent, mobile or immobile. They are all powerful sources of magic.[43] A permanent nexus exists on Kami-Shima, where it birthed the Guardians of the East,[44] along with the kami.

In the present day, gods and magic-users hinder the growth of nexuses by constantly siphoning energy from the anima mundi. In the Time of the Colossi, before the First Age, the growth of the nexuses was unchecked, and they grew so powerful that they could transform animals into the godlike colossi.[45] When the gods arrived in the First Age, they also fought over control of these nexuses.[46]

The Heart[edit | edit source]

The Heart of Gielinor is a focus for the anima mundi.[47] The planet's anima flows through it and is then "pumped" somewhere else.[48] It is where Jas resides.

Threats[edit | edit source]

Zamorak lays waste to Forinthry.

At the end of the Third Age, the world had been so damaged by the God Wars that the anima mundi itself cried out, waking Guthix and prompting him to banish the young gods.[49]

The gnome Glouphrie is known to be conducting experiments involving the anima mundi within his hidden city, Arposandra. This has allowed him to create large amounts of warped terrorbirds and warped tortoises, among other things.

Apparently, interfering with the anima mundi creates massive amounts of waste material, as is evident in the Poison Waste in southern Isafdar. It is here that Arposandra dumps the sewage made by its experiments, which slowly destroy more of Isafdar each day. The substance itself is very sticky and full of explosive chemical compounds. It has also made the area's life energy very weak, and nearly caused the death of at least one spirit tree.

During Heart of Stone, Xenia attempts to siphon the anima mundi of Gielinor away from the Elder Gods to prevent them from waking up and consuming Gielinor, but is killed by Ariane.[50]

The Bandosian Davosi harvested the sea creatures' anima to power his new scarecrow weapon.[51][52]

Tuska was an animal god that fed on the anima mundi of worlds to increase her power.[53] When it threatened Gielinor, it was killed by Vorago.

Shadow anima, a substance toxic to the Elder Gods.

Kerapac attempted to poison the anima mundi with shadow anima, a substance toxic to the Elder Gods.

Other effects[edit | edit source]

Hazelmere's connection with the anima mundi gave him a gift for seeing the future.[54]

Trivia[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "Anima really is quite a remarkable substance, you can see why the Elder Gods feed on it."
  2. ^ Vicendithas, "Effigy Incubator", RuneScape. "Anima is the living energy of the planet, indeed of the universe. It is the source of magic and it is what the Elder Gods feed upon."
  3. ^ Reldo's ages seventeenth edition, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "According to the goddess Seren, plants and animals generate aether, which contribute to the 'runescape', the energy field of anima that surrounds our world and supposedly serves to nourish the elder god eggs."
  4. ^ Seren, "The Light Within", RuneScape. "[The Elder Gods] are the driving force of creation. The origins of all the worlds and the life that dwells amongst them. They feed on the anima mundi of a world and become reborn, cycle after cycle."
  5. ^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "[...] the anima of this plane was not sufficient to nourish them all, and Mah was malformed."
  6. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "The funny thing about anima is how strangely easy it is to manipulate. Oh, sure, it's incredibly difficult to forge spells and the like. But anima itself is manipulated by everything it flows through. It takes on a resonance, if you will, of the area around it. Environmental and emotional. The anima of a volcano is angry and hot, whereas the anima of a stream is mellow and cold. In effect that's what a spell is. It's carefully manipulated anima, a clever application of those resonances to achieve a desired result."
  7. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "Anima is all around us. It is absorbed and...tuned by matter. With animals, plants and even rocks attuning things differently. The end result is a beautiful harmony of anima that improves everything around us."
  8. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "Magic, as you're aware, is the manipulation of anima in order to achieve fantastic results."
  9. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "Of course souls are one end of the spectrum, on the other end are these subtle little locks of 'cosmic energy'. Small amounts of anima, but very specifically shaped."
  10. ^ Vicendithas, "Effigy Incubator", RuneScape. "Like air, all life absorbs anima throughout their life. It keeps the body active and vital. We absorb it through food, through breathing and to a lesser extent simple ambient absorption. It appears that the ilujanka are incredibly inefficient at absorbing anima. From what my father could determine they only take in a tiny fraction of anima from what they consume and barely any ambient anima is absorbed. This goes a long way to explain why they would be suffering fertility issues. As a species they are just... inefficient."
  11. ^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "The elder gods do not purposefully create conscious life - only plants and simple organisms. These things generate anima. Yet conscious life has sprung up on countless imperfect worlds, on which the anima was in some way unbalanced. My belief is that beings with awareness are capable of generating more anima than the elder gods realise."
  12. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "[...] a soul is little more than a container of anima. [...] Each soul is unique and each soul creates a unique resonance in the anima."
  13. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "[...] they're containers of anima that shape the anima with our experiences [...]"
  14. ^ Charos, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "Why do you think the strongest undead monsters come from the bones of heroes? Why did Sliske use the Barrows Brothers to create his wights, rather than random people off the street? Because their souls are stronger."
  15. ^ Vicendithas, "Effigy Incubator", RuneScape. "My father's studies into the anima deficiency involved a few trips to Iaia. There he discovered that the anima of Iaia is, for lack of a better word, more pure. Filtered even. The world is vibrant and full of life, but the ilujanka, as a sapient species, do not get the resonances...the nutrients if you will, that creatures here might get. In short, their world is unsuited for sapient life."
  16. ^ Vicendithas, "Effigy Incubator", RuneScape. "Look at the difference in size. Vindicta, you'll notice, is larger than her father. At first I thought this was dimorphism of the species, but that was proved incorrect when I discovered the knowledge of Sharrigan. So what's the main difference between the two? It's not training, Hannibus is a legendary dragon rider who was able to wipe out entire platoons. So it must be environmental and the main difference is the world on which they grew up."
  17. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "[...] nearby animals became so infused with anima that they spontaneously ascended to something resembling godhood."
  18. ^ a b Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "As gods (or at least god-like divine beings) the colossi have no need of material sustenance, subsisting instead on the energy of the runescape [...]"
  19. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "The second half of the First Age, part two if you will, began when Guthix, satisfied with the civilisation he had created, passed into slumber. The mortals, especially the humans, continued to flourish, but something was happening to the colossi. The presence of sapient, sentient life must have irrevocably altered the runescape, and as the colossi absorbed this new, resonant anima they began in turn to develop intelligence of their own - to highly varying degrees."
  20. ^ Kenton Decarte, "Shattered Worlds", RuneScape. "Shattered worlds are a disease of our own making. Teleportation magic momentary pierces the abyss, allowing anima from different worlds to leak in. Over time, this anima has coalesced into twisted amalgams of worlds travelers have visited. These 'shattered worlds' are inhabited by abyssal creatures, transformed and sustained by consuming otherworldly anima. They are highly dangerous and aggressive to all but their own kind. If the inhabitants of the shattered worlds where to infiltrate our own, the result could be catastrophic."
  21. ^ Kenton Decarte, "Shattered Worlds", RuneScape. "Long ago, this temple was constructed to guard a portal to the abyss, and prevent it from opening. Alas, the anima witch has broken the seals binding these portals, and opened the way to the shattered worlds. [...] She is an exiled Void Knight... a powerful magic user who discovered the shattered worlds. She has increased her power and reversed her aging process by siphoning corrupted anima. [...] the Abyssal Knights need your help to travel through world after world, and defeat the monsters therein. Retrieve as much anima as possible, to help close the portals she has opened, and restore Gielinor's leaking supply."
  22. ^ Kerapac's tablet, written by Kerapac, "Desperate Measures", RuneScape. "I would prefer not to use my own kin in this way, but to tap directly into the animasphere would prematurely signal my presence to the roakin."
  23. ^ Colossi & The Time of Colossi, written by Reldo, "Kerapac Track", RuneScape. "The runescape is my term for the anima (magical energy) field that surrounds our world. The dragonkin called it the 'animasphere', and I believe it is what the gnomes are inexpertly and superstitiously trying to grasp with their notion of a 'world soul'."
  24. ^ Wizard Chambers, "Tuska Comes", RuneScape. "Anima Mundi is the life force of our planet."
  25. ^ Mod Osborne. Campfire - Answers. General Forums. 27 June 2013. (Archived from the original on 28 June 2013.)
  26. ^ Seren, "The Light Within", RuneScape. "Guthix felt that if he could carefully control the flow of Anima Mundi, he could keep the elder gods docile and the world thriving. It wasn't until the younger gods interfered with his plans that this changed."
  27. ^ Mod Osborne. "Mod Osborne 2nd August." Twitch video. 2 August 2013. (Archived from the original on 19 August 2024.)
  28. ^ a b Spirit tree (Incomitatus), "The Path of Glouphrie", RuneScape. "I have lost my connection to the anima mundi. The earth has corrupted my roots and they find only black ichor. My xylem and phloem are tainted, and as a consequence I am alone. [...] Most spirit trees are connected to the anima mundi. She allows us to speak with each other, and she allows passage of those attuned to her from tree to tree. I sense you have travelled the anima."
  29. ^ Hazelmere, "The Path of Glouphrie", RuneScape. "The anima mundi is created by all natural things – it is their 'soul' and a sort of natural energy. It is powerful and dangerous, and only by the balance of Guthix does the anima mundi remain in check."
  30. ^ Hazelmere, "The Path of Glouphrie", RuneScape. "Elven magic revolves the power of Seren. Seren is the divine aspect of the anima mundi that the elves revere."
  31. ^ Spirit tree (Incomitatus), "The Path of Glouphrie", RuneScape. "Most spirit trees are connected to the anima mundi. She allows us to speak with each other, and she allows passage of those attuned to her from tree to tree."
  32. ^ Seren, "Sliske's Endgame", RuneScape. "[...] the anima is a reactive force: it protects itself, and doesn't pre-emptively attack."
  33. ^ First stone fragment, RuneScape. "You present me a fragment pulsating with the vibrant anima of this planet. The very same anima which leaks from the wounds that this world has come to bare... Over many centuries the seeping anima formed constructs; spirit guardians that roams this world's forests and plains."
  34. ^ Fifth stone fragment, RuneScape. "This has come into contact with the water beast Yakamaru. A once great spirit guardian who roamed the rivers and seas of Mazcab."
  35. ^ Scopulus, "Tuska Comes", RuneScape. "My master is Vorago, the embodiment of the world and defender of the Anima Mundi. The threat of Tuska directly targets the world, something my Master cannot stand by and allow to happen."
  36. ^ Vorago, "Sliske's Endgame", RuneScape. "Your contest with Bandos was an affront to the anima, one I should never have allowed to continue. The damage you caused was my failing. My only intention here is to prevent any further wounding."
  37. ^ The Tengu, RuneScape. "The island is shrouded in protective wards, and surrounded by a barrier of anima. The Gu sought to keep its existence hidden, to protect the sea creatures."
  38. ^ The Memory, RuneScape. "Yes, it is protected! By the world itself!"
  39. ^ The Memory, RuneScape. "Technically, I'm Guthix's manifested memories of his daughter Aagi... ...but I think I'm really an entity created by the planet's Anima Mundi."
  40. ^ The Memory, RuneScape. "I had a surge of feeling as we arrived in The Scythe. Like the feeling I get from the divination craters, but without the desire to obliterate myself! The captain said there are lots of sea creatures in that region. It must be them - they must have a strong connection to the Anima Mundi! I could feel a connection, like we were made of similar stuff. And they're sad, so very sad. Their sadness filled me up and I felt it with them."
  41. ^ RuneScape.
    • The Exile: To the seasingers, the sea creatures are not monsters - they refer to them as 'kami'.
    • The Memory: Kami? That's what they called me! I thought it was just a name, but... Oh! My energy and the sea creatures' is the same - they must be made of anima too!
  42. ^ Gail, "The Needle Skips", RuneScape. "I will give you another Return, but you have to prepare yourself. The anima...she won't let you do this forever. Events will conspire, and you will not be able to follow this path continuously."
  43. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "The currents and eddies of this storm form areas that are stronger or weaker in magic - in some cases, much stronger. The areas strongest in magic are called nexuses, which can be permanent or temporary, mobile or immobile."
  44. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "The second group are the Wushanko Guardians, a group of colossi who are little known on the mainland. They originate from an island known as Kami-shima, a powerful nexus which created many colossi before the First Age."
  45. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "In the present day, the constant drain on the runescape by all manner of gods and wizards and magical beings ensures that it cannot get too far out of control, but during the period before the Time of Colossi there were no such forces. The nexuses grew and grew in power until [...] nearby animals became so infused with anima that they spontaneously ascended to something resembling godhood."
  46. ^ Colossi & the time of colossi, written by Reldo, RuneScape. "Gods and colossi alike discovered many ways to increase their power [...] control of nexuses (no longer powerful enough to create new colossi, but potent sources of anima nonetheless)"
  47. ^ Sliske, "Sliske's Endgame", RuneScape. "Below you sits the aptly named Heart of Gielinor. A focus for the vast anima mundi of this remarkable planet."
  48. ^ The Curator, "Tales of the God Wars (miniquest)", RuneScape. "Seismic activity has shaken loose the entrance to the Heart of Gielinor itself. Representatives of Sliske, Zamorak, Zaros and Seren war over the power contained within. There is a bountiful anima pool the likes of which has never been seen, where the life force of the entire planet collects. [...] It has been dubbed 'The Heart' for a reason. The anima - the life blood - filters in and is then pumped elsewhere. It seems to be directed somewhere, though. Perhaps it is sustaining something, but it would seem that is yet to be discovered."
  49. ^ RuneScape. "The Origins of Gielinor." YouTube video. 28 February 2013. (Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.)
  50. ^ Xenia, "Heart of Stone", RuneScape. "Together we thought of a solution, a way to save this world. The elder gods feed on the Anima Mundi, the natural flow of energy in the world. If we were to take that energy and siphon it away, then the elder gods would never wake up."
  51. ^ The Tengu, RuneScape. "We have a spy in his ranks - Benkei - who's informed me that Kakashi is building a weapon. It could be similar to the god-killing weapon you speak of."
  52. ^ RuneScape.
    • The Memory: My energy and the sea creatures' is the same - they must be made of anima too!
    • Player: So that is how Kakashi is powering his weapon...by harvesting their energy.
  53. ^ Scopulus, "Tuska Comes", RuneScape. "Tuska is a force to be reckoned with. She has destroyed many worlds, siphoning their Anima Mundi to increase her power."
  54. ^ Hazelmere, "Nomad's Elegy", RuneScape. "You remember I had a gift with seeing the future? A wonderful side effect of my connection to the anima mundi?"
  55. ^ The End of Gara-Dul, RuneScape. "[Gara-Dul] died, and through the cracks of stone, its mana poured. The mana coursed into the ground, and seeped into the graves. In the spirit world, the mana lit the torches on the way to Hangazha, and the spirits of Shaika, Kharazi, and Raharni could find their way back to their bodies."
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