Morytania
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| Morytania | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 29 June 2004 (Update) | |||
| Members | Yes | |||
| Capital | Darkmeyer | |||
| League region | ||||
| Inhabitants | Vampyres, werewolves, humans, ghasts, ghouls, undead | |||
| Map | ||||
| Advanced data | ||||
| Type | region | |||
| Location on World Map | ||||
| Fossil Island | ||||
| ↑ | ||||
| Kingdom of Misthalin | ← | Morytania | ||
| ↓ | ||||
| Mos Le'Harmless | ||||
Morytania (pronounced mor-ee-TAY-nee-ah) is a members-only area in the easternmost part of Gielinor. Players must complete the Priest in Peril quest to enter. Often described as a land of evil, the land is filled with many aggressive creatures such as vampyres, werewolves, ghasts, and the undead. It is ruled over by the vampyres.
Prior to the God Wars, Morytania was a Saradominist kingdom known as Hallowvale, marked by fertile land and thriving cities. In the Third Age, the vampyre Lord Lowerniel Vergidiyad Drakan led an invasion on the kingdom, conquering it and turning it into a blood farm for the region's new vampyre rulers.
Morytania has its own achievement diary, released on 5 March 2015. Many quests and pieces of high-level content also take place in the region, such as the Theatre of Blood, Barrows, and the Nightmare.
Transportation
A number of transportation options exist for traveling to Morytania:
Fairy Rings
| Name | Transport location |
|---|---|
| BKR | Mort Myre Swamp |
| ALQ | Haunted Woods |
| CKS | Salve Graveyard |
| BIP | Small island near Mort Myre Swamp |
Towns and cities
Silverea
A small area marked by the Saradominist temple on the River Salve. It is the gateway to Morytania and protects the lands of Misthalin and Asgarnia from the evils that lurk in the swamplands. In the Priest in Peril quest, it is revealed that Zamorakian monks overtook the temple and murdered all the Saradominists except for Drezel, the head monk. The player is tasked with helping Drezel, under the orders of King Roald of Varrock, to purify the Salve once more before Lord Drakan and his armies gain intel of the river's corruption.
Canifis
Canifis is the first town one stumbles upon in Morytania. A small town east of the temple Paterdomus, the town is notable for its residents being werewolves. Only the holy weapon, Wolfbane, can prevent werewolves from transforming into their wolf forms when attacked.
Port Phasmatys
A town cursed by the evil necromancer, Necrovarus. Port Phasmatys is one of the few towns not under Lord Drakan's control due to the Ectofuntus, an altar where the citizens worshipped ectoplasmic energy to protect them from the Vampyres until they slowly lost their minds. Now, the citizens are stuck in the mortal world and unable to move on to the Spirit world.
Like Canifis, Port Phasmatys was a thriving port city until Drakan noticed its existence and invaded. It can be accessed by a toll gate, which costs two ecto-tokens, though for those who have completed the Ghosts Ahoy quest, entry is free. Alternatively, a charter ship can be taken to bypass the ecto-token cost.
Mort'ton
A miserable village infested with shades and afflicted villagers. Mort'ton used to be a thriving trading village in south-western Morytania until a mysterious plague that originated from the Sanguinesti region descended upon the area, turning the citizens into mindless zombies and reanimating the dead as deadly shades that still haunt the village to this day. It plays a major role in the Shades of Mort'ton quest, as well as the Shades of Mort'ton minigame.
Burgh de Rott
The last free human settlement in Morytania. Like Meiyerditch, the town was built after the God Wars by refugees of Hallowvale. The town is in shambles, with the locals starving and facing demanding blood tithes. Despite facing all these difficulties, Burgh de Rott still stands strong in its attempt to liberate Morytania from Drakan's rule and to exterminate the vampyres once and for all. It is heavily involved in the In Aid of the Myreque quest, where the player helps the locals rebuild the town and help The Myreque, an organisation bent on the overthrow of Drakan, relocate here.
Meiyerditch
Formerly known as Hallowvale, Meiyerditch was once a Saradominist city that was ruled by the Icyene queen Efaritay. After the God Wars, Lord Drakan overthrew the queen and erected a large wall to keep the citizens of Hallowvale from escaping. After converting the city and its infrastructure into a massive concentration camp, Meiyerditch became the home to the Vyrewatch, the airborne vanguard of the Sanguinesti region. Here, the locals are farmed for blood like cattle in a maze-like ghetto.
The ghetto is divided into six sectors, with one sector tithed for blood each week. Dying citizens and stray animals litter the streets waiting for the comfort of death to take them out of their agony. The Sanguinesti Myreque division perform their duties here under the order of Safalaan. This city is heavily involved in the Darkness of Hallowvale quest.
Darkmeyer
Darkmeyer is the impenetrable vampyric capital of Morytania that lies in the northern half of the Sanguinesti Region. The majority of the city is populated by upper tier vyres, being the Vyrewatch and the Vyrelords and ladies. Humans are also taken into Darkmeyer time to time, mainly as either prisoners or slaves that are forced into chattel work, servitude, or even execution. Castle Drakan is also found in the western half of Darkmeyer and is presumably where Lord Drakan and his nobility live.
Ver Sinhaza
The former palace of Queen Efaritay found in south-eastern Meiyerditch. The castle hosts the Theatre of Blood, a colosseum where the citizens of Meiyerditch can take on various monsters and vampyric experiments in hope to obtain their freedom. The castle and the theatre are overseen by the vyrelady noble, Verzik Vitur.
Slepe
A mysterious town found east of the Sanguinesti Region and the only known predominantly Zamorakian town populated by humans. Slepe seems to fare better than most Morytanian towns and does not face pressure from the vyres, despite their presence in the town. The town, however, has begun to suffer a mysterious sleeping plague, and the Crombwick Manor to the north has fallen under the control of vampyres.
Other features
- Fenkenstrain's Castle - A creepy castle in the far north of Morytania. Fenkenstrain's Castle used to be a thriving micronation called the Lordship of the North Coast. This micronation was founded by Misthalinian pioneers who allowed anyone to join their lordship, and who could practice any religion they wished. The Vyrewatch soon learned of the lordship and began demanding tithes from its inhabitants. The micronation collapsed when Dr Fenkenstrain, the local physician, killed the last owner, Lord Rologarth, and scattered his body across the Haunted Woods. The history of the Lordship is uncovered in the Creature of Fenkenstrain quest.
- Slayer Tower - An ancient tower that is the host of unspeakable atrocities. The tower used to belong to Viggora, one of Zamorak's most trusted generals who helped him overthrow Zaros. The tower since then has gone in to ruin and is now filled to the brim with undead and demonic creatures that can be killed via the Slayer skill.
- Mort Myre Swamp - A vast swamp in western Morytania. Comprising most of Morytania, the swamp is full of disgusting snails, swamp decay, and ghasts: adventurers who perished in the swamp and were corrupted by the decay, becoming floating spectres who rot the food of those who visit the swamp. In the Temple Trekking minigame, it's revealed that starving adventurers who get lost in the swamp turn into a "ghastly" state, where they slowly succumb to starvation and turn into ghasts.
- Haunted Woods - The Haunted Woods are to the east of Canifis and the west of Port Phasmatys. The woods are host to leeches, bats, spiders, and Feral Vampyres—vampyres believed to be less "civilised" than their aristocratic counterparts. Feral Vampyres can be harmed with any weapon and usually stalk the hollow trees that make up the woods. South of the woods is a graveyard where the vampyre lord Dessous lives. Dessous is fought in the Desert Treasure I quest.
- Barrows - The Barrows is a graveyard to the east of Mort'ton. It is the resting place of the Barrows brothers, whose brave efforts to liberate Morytania from The Drakans proved futile. The brothers were buried here when they were brutally murdered by the vyres. Later, a Mahjarrat by the name of Sliske reanimated them as wights to serve him. To this day, they still lurk in the tunnel maze that is their resting place, watching, should anyone try to plunder their coffins for their rewards.
- Mort Ridge Mine - A huge mine in south-western Morytania. The mine is rich in mithril and adamantite veins and is haunted by those who perished within the mine and possessed animated objects. The mine was once administrated by the Drakans but once the River Salve pierced through the mine, Drakan abandoned the project all together and left both humans and vyrewatch in the mine. Treus Dayth was left behind by Drakan and was killed when the mine collapsed. Since then, he became a demented spirit who haunted the mine to this very day and brutally murders anyone who trespasses on his domain. He is fought in the Haunted Mine quest.
- Tarn's Lair - A split-off of the Mort Ridge Mine. The Lair is overseen by Tarn Razorlor, a wicked necromancer who filled his dungeon with traps, the undead, a toad batta, and terror dogs.
History
The following lore is sourced from the Varrock Museum, Crumbling Tome, Histories of the Hallowland, The sleeping seven, Modern day morytania, Curse of the Empty Lord, Diary (Shades of Mort'ton), Desert Treasure I, The turncloak, and Morytania#Quests and miniquests.
Pre-God Wars
Prior to the God Wars, Morytania was a peaceful land known as the Hallowland ruled by the Icyene Queen Efaritay, a loyal Saradominist. It had not yet been turned into the swamplands it is today, with a northern portion, including the fortress of Kharyrll and the Slayer Tower, being a part of the Zarosian empire. Taking advantage of the Zamorakian uprising against Zaros in the Second Age, Saradominists destroyed Zarosian settlements in a loose alliance with Zamorak. Upon Zamorak's return in the Third Age, his forces, led by Lowerniel Drakan, led a campaign against the Saradominists and conquered the region for themselves.
Early vampyric control
After the God Wars, Drakan and his army of vampyres and werewolves took control of Hallowvale and disposed of Queen Efaritay, twisting the realm into a swamp full of decaying plant life and infertile land. The forest known as Humblethorne was transformed into the Mort Myre Swamp. The Saradominist capitol of the region was then transformed into Darkmeyer.
Meiyerditch was soon turned into a bloodfarming concentration camp administrated by Vanstrom Klause, captain of the Vyrewatch. To keep the vyres from killing off the population too quickly, Meiyerditch was divided into six sectors, where one sector was tithed each week by the vyres.
A small hermitage, later known as Slepe, was soon conquered by former Saradominists, who swore their loyalty to Zamorak and Drakan following the fall of their kingdom.
Shortly after Drakan's takeover, a Saradominist crusade, known as the Morytania Campaign, was led into Morytania in an attempt to liberate it from Lord Drakan. The six Barrows Brothers were given powers by the Mahjarrat Sliske that allowed them to reach the walls of Darkmeyer; however, this was part of a larger game by Sliske, which he concluded by removing their powers at the gates, allowing Lord Drakan to slaughter the crusaders.
Division along the River Salve
Roughly 1100 years into the Fourth Age, Drakan launched an invasion of Misthalin as part of the Misthalin - Morytania War. The seven priestly warriors repelled the invasion back across the River Salve. These warriors fought a decisive battle with Drakan's forces at Silvarea. In this final battle of the war, the warriors performed a ritual to bless the River Salve, creating a barrier to prevent vampyres from being able to cross river. Their leader and only survivor, Ivandis Seergaze, went further into Morytania and ultimately perished. His resting place was unknown, though it was rumoured he carried an object of great power, known as the Rod of Ivandis.
The blessing of the River Salve has held to the present day, though it does not prevent werewolves from crossing over. The warriors remain some of humanity's most universally celebrated historical figures, being frequently referenced in Misthalinian lore and history.
Human Settlers
By year 1777 of the Fourth Age, the stories of Meiyerditch and Drakan became legends due to the isolation of the region. This led to some citizens of Misthalin and Asgarnia settling the now-vacant lands of northern Morytania, where Drakan's influence was not immediately felt. Towns and settlements such as Port Phasmatys, the Lordship of the North Coast, and Mort'ton soon formed and became prosperous trading hubs.
Drakan soon noticed the towns springing up on the northern coast and soon took action to exert control over them by setting up blood tithes. The Lordship eventually fell, while Port Phasmatys used ectoplasm to shield their town from the vyres, only for their population to be enslaved by Necrovarus and turned into ghosts, unable to move on to the spirit world. Mort'ton would later succumb to a mysterious plague which turned the population into mindless zombies and rose the dead as mindless shades.
By the early years of the Fifth Age, Werewolves had established the town of Canifis, complying with Drakan's blood tithe demands.
The town of Burgh de Rott was founded at some point after this, consisting of refugees escaping Meiyerditch.
Fifth Age
Morytania is now almost completely controlled by the vampyric race, and is inhabited by vampyres, werewolves, ghosts, shades, ghasts, the undead, leeches, and humans who are either afflicted or enslaved by the Vampyres. Due to the growing inattention of Drakan himself, the region is administered by his siblings Vanescula Drakan and Ranis Drakan, as well as by various nobles such as Damien Leucurte and Dessous.
After centuries of oppressive control, an organisation known as the Myreque sprung up and has dedicated their lives to fighting the vampyres and their evil ways. They have formed organisations in Burgh de Rott and Meiyerditch, and are working to liberate the enslaved peoples of Morytania and overthrow Drakan once and for all.
Quests and miniquests
The following quests are started or take place in Morytania:
The lowest possible combat level to complete all quests in Morytania is 38, although given the difficulty of some of the quests, this is highly unlikely to achieve.
Gallery
-
An early drawing of Morytania before it was put in the game.
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An official depiction of a map of Morytania some point after the fall of Hallowvale.
Trivia
- Morytania might be a pun on "Mauritania", a country in Northern Africa, as well as a reference to memento mori, due to the region's theme of death and withering.
- It's also possible that it's derived from "moritane", which roughly means "blackened", in J.R.R. Tolkein's fictional language Quenya.
- Morytania was originally named Transilvania, a reference to Transylvania.[1]
- If a player somehow enters Morytania without completing Priest in Peril, Abidor Crank will appear and say "Well, this is no good at all! You'll never survive in Morytania, you'll have to go back.", then proceed to teleport them out. Alternatively, a vampyre will appear and knock the player out causing them to wake up at the entrance to Paterdomus Temple, with the accompanying game message stating "'A vampyre notices you and swoops down... You're knocked out, but a bunch of mercenaries save you from the swamp.'"
- Players who stand directly next to the bench's north side (near the ornate railing shortcut), then log out and back in, will cause this phenomenon to occur despite being outside of Morytania.