Thingummywut
- This article is about the monster. For the children's book, see The Thingummywhat.
| Not seen in-game | |
| Release date | 5 July 2010 (Update) |
|---|---|
| Race | Thingummywut |
| Members NPC? | Yes |
| Quest NPC? | Yes, Love story |
| Location | Wizards' Tower |
| Sells items? | No |
| Gender | Unknown |
| Examine | Apparently, this is a thingummywut. |
| Notable features | Long thought to be a myth, thwarts the Wizards' Tower Robbery. |
The Thingummywut is an enormous monster which first appeared in the quest Love Story. Long before that, however, it was a running joke revolving around an apparently insane wizard working in the Wizards' Tower, Traiborn. Players who talk to him find that he has an obsession with Thingummywuts, but does not go into specifics about what exactly they are. He does say that he believes they reside near the wizard tower, and are responsible for some sort of unspecified mischief.
Other people dismiss Traiborn's claims as crazy. In a God Letter, Saradomin said that Thingummywuts were "a combination of a lack of vocabulary in a half-senile old man, and a lifetime of misunderstood paranoia" and are "the fear that cannot be named, yet nestles deep in Traiborn's heart and has done for many years"<ref>Jagex. "God Letter 20 - Saradomin Answers Questions, 4." RuneScape god letters. *</ref>. Traiborn has discussed their existence as well, but is unable to make himself understood<ref>Jagex. Postbag 2 - "Magic, Hans and Bankers!", 7. Postbags from the Hedge. *</ref>.
It was not until the Wizards' Tower Robbery that any proof was given to Traiborn's claims. When the Wise Old Man and Zenevivia attacked the Wizards' Tower in order to restock their supply of runes, Sedridor and Wizard Grayzag (replaced with Wizard Taloram for those who have completed The Void Stares Back) fought against them while Traiborn runs away, down the bridge connecting the Wizards' Tower to Draynor Village. Zeneviva defeated Grayzag/Taloram's imps so he teleported away, leaving Sedridor alone. Wise Old Man and Zenevivia were about to defeat him but just then, Traiborn returned, announcing that he had found a Thingummywut.
Traiborn sets an unseen object on the ground and runs back to the Wizards' Tower. Blue flames appear, similar to the ones which appear when a familiar is summoned by a player. The camera shifts to the perspective of the Thingummywut as it emerges from the flames, so it is impossible to see what it looks like. The Thingummywut towers over the Wise Old Man and Zenevivia and attacks them with Earth Surge, casting it many times more rapidly than any other player or NPC can. Overwhelmed, the two robbers retreat.
Trivia
- Although the player is looking through a telescope in the direction of Wizard's Tower from Draynor, the player sees through the Thingummywut.
- Although the Thingummywut itself is impossible to see, it can be examined a split second after it is summoned by right clicking the area at Traiborn's feet.
- According to Traiborn, they are 'invisible', however, the thingummywut's foot was examinable.
- Whilst not really a word, 'Thingummywut' is a common expression used in place of a name that a person has forgotten. Other common versions include "whatchamacallit" and "thingymabob."
- The Thingummywut's eventual inclusion in the quest Love Story was hinted at by Mod Ash in his Developers' Blog released on 12 May 2010.<ref>Mod Ash. "Return of the Wise Old Man". 12 May 2010. Developers' Blogs. *</ref>
- Despite being hit by one of the strongest spells in the Standard Spellbook multiple times, the Wise Old Man and Zenevivia don't appear to take any damage.