During the past month, I’ve really started giving OSRS a fair shot. As such, in this month’s installment of Forgotten Lore, I’d like to delve into a subject that is present in both version of RuneScape, although both games have a slightly different version of it. Having said that, these versions interweave beautifully, and so the lore discussed in this article will be pulled from both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape. Today, we will discuss the Imcando dwarves!

Image Credit: RuneScape Wiki

The dwarven species, as a whole, was presumably brought to Gielinor by Guthix during the First Age. As such, their species originally was Guthixian. During the early Second Age, some dwarven clans abandoned their Guthixian beliefs and began to worship Saradomin instead. One of these clans were the Imcando dwarves. Before the God Wars, the Imcando dwarves lived in their ancient city of Imcandoria, located somewhere in the frozen North. The book Imcandoria’s fall, found in the Myths’ Guild on OSRS, describes the destruction of Imcandoria during the late Second Age. The full story makes for a very interesting read, but I will highlight only two points here. First of all, the book suggests quite heavily that Xau-Tak caused the fall of Imcandoria; a strange, black idol was brought into the city. The presence of this idol seemingly caused increasingly ferocious storms to hit Imcandoria, which led to many dwarves seeking refuge in the nearby Forge of Giants. When food supplies began to run low a few months later, the refugee dwarves journeyed back to Imcandoria. In the city’s temple, they were met by a sentient mass with tentacles sitting on a throne made of oily black rock, surrounded by the corrupted former Elders of Imcandoria, who were covered in blood and black sludge and chanting incantations in a foreign tongue. If that doesn’t scream Xau-Tak, then I’m not sure what does. The second thing to highlight in this story: this Forge of Giants definitely reminds me of Jagex’ proposal for a Smithing minigame called the Giants’ Foundry. Will the introductory quest to this minigame give us more Imcandoria lore? Is it maybe even situated in the Forge of Giants near the ruins of old Imcandoria?

Image Credit: Old School RuneScape Wiki

In any case, after the destruction of Imcandoria, the Imcando dwarves were homeless. The God Saradomin, in return for the Imcando dwarves fighting for the Saradominist cause in the God Wars, promised them a new home. As such, the Imcando dwarves were part of a group of Saradominist forces that laid siege on the ancient Zarosian fortress of Lassar. The leader of this group was an Imcando dwarf by the name of Yonrith Lovakengj. After their victory at Lassar, the Imcando dwarves claimed the ruins for themselves and began to build their new city of Camdozaal. Camdozaal is a location accessible in both versions of the game; in RuneScape, the city is accessed in the quest Defender of Varrock and is otherwise only visited for the caches of Goldrune, a material used in Archaeology. In Old School RuneScape, Camdozaal is discovered during the quest Below Ice Mountain and serves as a primarily low-level skilling hub afterwards.

Image Credit: Old School RuneScape Wiki

Camdozaal was destroyed by Fremennik raiders during the Runecrafting Crusades in the Fifth Age. Most of the Imcando dwarves were killed as well, although we know of two Imcando dwarves who are still alive in the present day. Thurgo lives in his hut south of Port Sarim, near the entrance to the Asgarnian Ice Dungeon, and Ramarno is the blind Imcando dwarf who guards the Sacred Forge in both games’ version of Camdozaal. However, the Imcando dwarves have also had significant historical influence that cannot be understated.

Image Credit: RuneScape Wiki 

Yonrith Lovakengj, the Imcando dwarf who led the Saradominist forces during the siege of Lassar, eventually fled west to the continent of Zeah. Here, he founded the house of Lovakengj, which is one of the five Houses of Great Kourend in the present day. A few Imcando dwarves travelled further on the continent and founded an underground city below the Avium Savannah, a region of current-day Varlamore. It is here that the legendary sword of Silverlight was created, which was eventually used by the player to defeat Delrith in the Demon Slayer quest. Another historical Imcando artefact is the Shield of Arrav. Although the exact origins of the shield are unknown, the Imcando dwarves did give the shield to Arrav to fend off Zemouregal’s attack on Varrock. Lastly, an Imcando dwarf by the name of Thalmund was captured by Bandosian forces during the God Wars and was brought to the Warforge, where he was forced to smith weaponry for the Bandosian armies. This character is central to the Archaeology lore in the Warforge Dig Site.