Zarosian dukes

The Zarosian Dukes were twelve Chthonian demons from Infernus, each in charge of a legion of demons, that Zaros claimed ownership over after having outsmarted the lord of demons, Hostilius the Autocrat. Their titles as "dukes" are not themselves Zarosian in origin, but are noble titles from Infernus, given to them by Hostilius for supporting his regime after the Infernals were overthrown.^[1] There were therefore more Chthonian Dukes on Infernus itself, but the twelve given to Zaros were the most powerful.^[2]

History

After encountering conscious life for the first time on his travel through the universe, Zaros was deeply fascinated by the demons' society and culture, and desired to get them to follow him in order to give their society 'a purpose'.^[3] This eventually led to Zaros inventing^{[source needed]} the demon pact, which allowed him to bind them to his will.^[4]

Many, many years later, Zaros returned to Infernus, after having set foot on Gielinor. He met with the demon lord Hostilius the Autocrat, the supreme leader of most of demonkind. Zaros approached with the intention of securing an army to establish an empire on Gielinor. He made a deal with the Hostilius to give him twelve legions of demons, in return for secrets to travel to other worlds to expand their society and devour new beings. Hostilius was however not willing to part with his demons, and tried to deceive Zaros by forming the contract in such a way that the ownership of the legions would be passed to the eldest signatory, believing himself to be the oldest. Zaros, however, could reveal that he was born aeons ago and began to wander the universe aeons before Hostilius had even spawned. As he had proven his seniority to Hostilius, Hostilius had no choice but to hand over twelve dukes and their legions of demons to Zaros and got nothing in return.^[5]Each legion numbered 1728 (twelve times twelve times twelve) demon soldiers, totalling 20 736 for all twelve legions.^[6]

An artist's depiction of Zaros intercepting the First Legion to face Loarnab himself.

With twelve legions of demons in his backhand, Zaros returned once again to Gielinor. He came across a hydra-god called Loarnab, who terrorised its surroundings. Zaros decided to slay the creature, harness its power and claim its territory. He started by summoning the Duke Nemesis of his first legion, along with 100 of his Avernic demons to slay Loarnab. After a fierce battle that killed almost all the Avernic demons, Zaros stepped in and used powerful smoke, shadow, blood and ice magic to subdue Loarnab and started to harness its power to fuel a portal to let all twelve dukes and their legions enter Gielinor; as the twelfth and last legion entered, Loarnab died.^[7]

After Loarnab's death Zaros began to build his empire with the twelve dukes loyally by his side. The dukes took and held leading positions in the empire over many years, but as time passed they became fewer.^[8], mostly leaving their ranks to Mahjarrat.^[9]It is unknown how many of the twelve dukes are still alive after the fall of the Zarosian Empire.^[10] According to the vision of Aesa Fellsdottir, they were reduced to a mere "handful" by the time of Zamorak's rebellion,^[11] although some of the dukes are still alive well into the Sixth Age. The identity of these dukes are unknown, but they are fighting the Aughra over Hostilius' corpse.

Status

Duke Sucellus died roughly a thousand years into the start of the Third Age, while Duke Cacus went insane and became known as the Penance King, emerging in the caves underneath the Barbarian Outpost in the Sixth Age, only to be defeated by the World Guardian and their allies.

Legio	Name	Status
I	Duke Nemesis the Inescapable	Unknown - Position given to Zamorak
II	Duke Terminus	Unknown
III	Duke Orcus the Necromancer	Likely deceased^[12]; obliterated by Rasial
IV	Duke Ceres	Likely deceased^[13]; disappeared after Tumeken's explosion
V	Duke Maximus	Unknown - Position given to Hazeel.
VI	Duke Sucellus, Father of Abominations	Likely deceased^[14]; was alive in Year 1000 of the Third Age at the latest
VII	Duke Picus	Unknown
VIII	Duke Mephitis of the Vapour	Unknown
IX	Duke Cacus the Penance King	Alive, defeated by the World Guardian in the Sixth Age
X	Duke Mantus	Unknown
XI	Duke Festus	Unknown - Position given to Wahisietel
XII	Duke Quirinus	Unknown

Trivia

"By the Twelve" was an expression of surprise used by demons in the Zarosian Empire, as evidenced by the Chthonian demon Senecianus in Broken Home.

References

^ The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 1), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "In return for acceding to and supporting this law, Cacus and those as powerful as he were granted high station in a devilish hierarchy that spanned their world. Cacus was made a duke among monsters"
^ Sliske's memory, written by Sliske, "Mahjarrat memories", RuneScape. "The humbled Hostilius pledged to Zaros his twelve mightiest Dukes and their legions" (emphasis added)
^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "I shall give this great machine a purpose."
^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "And then I shall use their love of language to bind them to me."
^ Sliske's memory, written by Sliske, "Mahjarrat memories", RuneScape.
^ The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 1), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "Each legion comprised demonic soldiers numbering twelve times twelve times twelve."
^ Codex Ultimatus, written by Duke Nemesis, "The Dig Site", RuneScape. Post-Quest reward
^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "Even though they were immensely difficult to kill, their numbers dwindled over the course of my empire."
^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "The Mahjarrat have taken over from the dwindling Chthonian dukes and my empire is now self-sustaining."
^ Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "It is possible that some still survive to this day, buried in the deep places of the world."
^ The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 2), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "the years took their toll on the monstrous dukes and soon only a handful remained. Then came the time of the great civil war, where a mighty sorcerous warlord tore the empire in two"
^ Rasial, the First Necromancer, "Resting Lich Place", RuneScape. "The same thing that happens to all necromancers who seek me out. I take them under my tutelage, build them up and set them loose on the world. Then, once they have surpassed my own knowledge in some way, I wring out all of their secrets, then obliterate them."
^ Mod Slayer. Mahjarrat Memories FAQ. Recent Game Updates Forums. 21 March 2014. (Archived from the original on 20 March 2014.)
^ Veilinius, "Azzanadra's Quest", RuneScape. "Only problem is, Sucellus gets nobbled long before he has a chance to actually pull off the heist. Now here I am, stuck with my pseudopodia swinging in the wind with no orders and no direction."

[1] The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 1), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "In return for acceding to and supporting this law, Cacus and those as powerful as he were granted high station in a devilish hierarchy that spanned their world. Cacus was made a duke among monsters"

[2] Sliske's memory, written by Sliske, "Mahjarrat memories", RuneScape. "The humbled Hostilius pledged to Zaros his twelve mightiest Dukes and their legions" (emphasis added)

[3] Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "I shall give this great machine a purpose."

[4] Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "And then I shall use their love of language to bind them to me."

[5] Sliske's memory, written by Sliske, "Mahjarrat memories", RuneScape.

[6] The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 1), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "Each legion comprised demonic soldiers numbering twelve times twelve times twelve."

[7] Codex Ultimatus, written by Duke Nemesis, "The Dig Site", RuneScape. Post-Quest reward

[8] Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "Even though they were immensely difficult to kill, their numbers dwindled over the course of my empire."

[9] Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "The Mahjarrat have taken over from the dwindling Chthonian dukes and my empire is now self-sustaining."

[10] Zaros, "Fate of the Gods", RuneScape. "It is possible that some still survive to this day, buried in the deep places of the world."

[11] The Account of Aesa Fellsdottir (Part 2), written by Aesa Fellsdottir, "Barbarian Assault/Rewards", RuneScape. "the years took their toll on the monstrous dukes and soon only a handful remained. Then came the time of the great civil war, where a mighty sorcerous warlord tore the empire in two"

[12] Rasial, the First Necromancer, "Resting Lich Place", RuneScape. "The same thing that happens to all necromancers who seek me out. I take them under my tutelage, build them up and set them loose on the world. Then, once they have surpassed my own knowledge in some way, I wring out all of their secrets, then obliterate them."

[13] Mod Slayer. Mahjarrat Memories FAQ. Recent Game Updates Forums. 21 March 2014. (Archived from the original on 20 March 2014.)

[14] Veilinius, "Azzanadra's Quest", RuneScape. "Only problem is, Sucellus gets nobbled long before he has a chance to actually pull off the heist. Now here I am, stuck with my pseudopodia swinging in the wind with no orders and no direction."

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]