Arposandra
Template:Infobox City Arposandra is a hidden city, and very little information is currently known about it. When translated from the gnome language, it means "Stone City." It was founded late in the Fourth Age by the gnome Glouphrie after he was banished from the Tree Gnome Stronghold by King Healthorg after he covered up the death of the silver Spirit tree Argento.
Location
Arposandra is briefly visited during The Prisoner of Glouphrie. The entrance is through an air vent masked by an illusion in the Galarpos Mountains east of Lletya. However, players are unable to visit the entire city and are only limited to "backstage" areas which consist of mostly artificial tunnels and machinery. Later, after Bolrie is rescued, the player moves a large boulder in front of the entrance to halt any forces from escaping, which makes Arposandra once again inaccessible.
Later, it was revealed that the whole city will be opened upon the release of the final gnome quest.<ref>Mod Mark H. "Game Update FAQ - 9/02/2011". 11 February 2011. Recent Updates Forums. *</ref>
Recent Actions
For over two hundred years, Glouphrie disappeared, leaving only a vague rumour that he had hidden himself and founded a city. For some time Arposandra and Glouphrie were forgotten, with only the oldest and wisest of gnomes (such as Hazelmere) still remembering them. However, recent events have been linked to the hidden city, and some believe the city is in the process of launching an attack on Gielinor.
Possible Attempt at the Destruction of the Grand Tree
Some time ago, The Grand Tree, the gnomes' most proud symbol and largest settlement, began to wither. King Narnode Shareen began an investigation with the aid of a gnome mage named Hazelmere. Although they could not identify the reason for the tree's sudden disease, the head advisor of the gnomes, Glough, turned in a human named Charlie, claiming that he was the cause of the Tree's affliction. Soon after, an adventurer arrived, and discovered that the cause of the disease was actually a Daconia rock hidden in the roots of the tree by Glough himself. It was also revealed that Glough had gained the ability to summon demons.
Furthermore, it was discovered that Glough had hired many humans as workers in a Ship Yard in eastern Karamja. These workers were unknowingly constructing a fleet of hundreds of war-ships that would be used to invade Misthalin, Asgarnia, and Kandarin. The operation was closed, and only one ship is known to have ever left the shipyard; the Lady Zay, which was captured by a pirate named Captain Bentley. The ship is currently docked at Pirates' Cove, a very small island found in the northern Fremennik Province.
Glough was removed from power, but his anti-human beliefs did not falter. Whether or not he was assisting Arposandra is unknown, although evidence suggests he may have been working under Glouphrie's orders.
Possible Involvement with the Monkeys of Ape Atoll
Glough's anti-human activities continued even after his fall from grace in the gnome world. When the 10th Squad of the Gnome Army was blown off course during their journey to oversee the decommissioning of Glough's Shipyard, they found themselves trapped on Crash Island, from which they travelled to Ape Atoll.
Once there, Glough and a number of allied extremists summoned a Jungle demon. This, they hoped, would simultaneously eliminate the 10th Squad and give the intelligent apes in the area reason to believe the gnomes of the Grand Tree had sent the demon as an attack. This would lead them to declare war on the Grand Tree, most likely killing most of the gnome population. However, their plot is foiled during Monkey Madness.
The Infiltration of the Tree Gnome Stronghold (The Eyes of Glouphrie storyline)
Recently, six "cute creatures" appeared in the Tree Gnome Stronghold. None knew where they had come from, but their seemingly harmless nature and lovable appearance made them ideal pets for some of the Gnome Stronghold's more important gnomes.
Shortly after this event, an adventurer visited a gnome wizard by the name of Brimstail. Brimstail had discovered a broken machine in the caves beneath the Stronghold, which he believed to have been constructed by Oaknock the Engineer many years before with the aid of elven technology. Together, they rebuilt the machine, which they realised had been designed to dispel illusionary magic. When activated, it revealed the cute creatures to actually be Evil creatures, sent by Glouphrie to monitor the city.
The creatures had been placed in key points in the Gnome Stronghold, such as near the tortoise pen, in the throne room of King Narnode Shareen, and at the stronghold's main gate. From these points it was possible for Glouphrie to see all of the key military, political, and economic activity in the stronghold, as well as scout the area's overall layout. The creatures were soon dispatched by the adventurer, but Glouphrie had already gathered very important information.
A Spy in the Tree Gnome Village
Soon after the events at the Tree Gnome Stronghold, the adventurer that repaired Brimstail's machine discovered that the Tree Gnome Village had also been infiltrated. King Bolren, the ruler of the village, had taken one in as a pet, and refused to believe that it was anything but a harmless pet. The adventurer dispelled the illusions using an old machine built by Yewnock, the son of Oaknock. King Bolren, after realising the truth of the adventurer's words, had the creature killed and sent the adventurer in pursuit of a gnome explorer who was seeking the location of Arposandra.
Involvement with the Red Axe and Keldagrim
In the dwarven capital city of Keldagrim, activities have also been linked to Arposandra. After The Red Axe's recent boycott of the Consortium, it was discovered that Hreidmar, the company's director, had secretly been collaborating with the gnomes of Arposandra. Several gnome ambassadors, claiming to be from the Grand Tree, had actually visited the city to negotiate with Hreidmar.
It was revealed that the Red Axe had begun production on an army of Chaos Dwarves, which are believed to be designed to serve in the Arposandran army. Furthermore, they had also allied themselves with a powerful Ogre shaman, Grunsh, whose memory modifying magics they planned to use to cover up any discoveries related to their dealing with Arposandra.
Experimentation, destruction of Tirannwn, and involvement with the Mourners
Arposandra has been performing a massive operation in a canyon range west of Castle Wars. Somehow, the gnomes of Arposandra have begun dangerous manufacturing and experimentation operations involving the Anima Mundi, the life force in all things.
Biological experimentation has resulted in the creation of warped terrorbirds and warped tortoises. These creatures are far more aggressive and powerful than their natural counterparts, and possess side-effects such as additional growths and abilities. Most troubling of these side-effects, however, is the boosted intelligence of the subjects. Terrorbirds subjected to these experiments are capable of human speech, and the mass production of these creatures is already underway. In Arposandra, there is a large machine that somehow mutates terrobirds. It usually results in the creation of useless warped terrorbirds, which are dumped into the sewers, but can also create intelligent terrorbirds, of which the 202nd is made during The Prisoner of Glouphrie.
The city's large manufacturing facilities have produced huge amounts of waste, which takes the form of a sticky, poisonous liquid known to contain explosive chemical compounds. The city has been unable to dispose of this liquid safely, and instead has begun to pump it onto the surface. This waste has collected in southern Isafdar and is referred to by the unknowing elves as the Poison Waste. It has begun to eat away at the forest, and each year the swamp claims more land. It is here that the mourners have falsely claimed that the plague of West Ardougne originated.
The Ancient page
Other mention of Arposandra is on an Ancient page that can be found in the Ancient Cavern beneath Baxtorian Falls. The page is but a brief sentence in gnomish. A direct translation has yet to be made, but its mention of Arposandra is clear.
It has been partially translated as follows:
Laufata ki Glough ki Ta Quir Priw Undo eso, Tolly, gnomo kar is Glough hamo sarko pro Arposandra Qua!
The eye [ki] Glough [ki] The Guardian Tree Land for a, (Stupid, Idiot, Man, Tolly), no gnome [is] Glough [hamo] begone to Stone City (Guard, Guardian, Protector)!
As "Tolly" is capitalised, it is most likely a name. It could also refer to the word Man, in general, as in the Khazard Battlefield, many gnomes mention the word "Tolly" on a phrase "Tolly ho!".
References