The Skystone Sword is a Runescape fanfic series by SkystoneJexel,
focused primarily on the adventures of the wielder of the titular blade who becomes the eventual World Guardian: Jexel Luminel, a seemingly ordinary young commoner from Lumbridge and follower of Saradomin.
At first slated to travel to the Misthalin Wizards’ Tower to study alongside his childhood friend Ilona, Jexel gets more than he bargained for when she gets kidnapped for a ritual sacrifice and the veteran adventurer Xenia tasks him with rescuing her. Although terrified at first, the incident sparks in him a desire for adventure, and he decides to set out on his own to travel the world and emulate the great heroes of Saradominist legend.
There are currently three stories in the series, which can be read here as well as here.
The Skystone Sword contains examples of:
- Adaptation Expansion:
- The Misthalin countryside is shown to be much larger than what the in-game world map displays, the practices and beliefs of the mainstream Saradominist religion are expanded on, and ‘’A Wave of Clarity’’ shows what daily life is like for Wizards’ Tower apprentices.
- "One Step Back" as a whole expands upon the events of Sheep Shearer, a barebones miniquest with no real plot to speak of.
- A Day in the Limelight: In A Wave of Clarity, Ilona is the main focus and POV character, seen living and studying at the Wizards’ Tower.
- Ascended Extra: Ilona, a minor character in canon whose only real role in the story is to be rescued by the player in a short, standalone novice quest, is promoted to one of the most important and prominent characters in the series.
- Backup from Otherworld: In “First Blade,” Jexel offers a prayer to the Eternal Choir, the spirits of the Saradominist afterlife, to protect him from harm.
- Buffy Speak: The giant family. Notably, Luni refers to a sculpture of an icyene as a “bird hooman” and Tewnz calls a sword a “hooman warrior stick.”
- Butt-Monkey: Farmer Fred, whose prized black sheep mysteriously goes missing while he’s asleep, and whose panicking over the giants near his farm is Played for Laughs.
- The Dark Arts: Ilona initially sees the Ancient Spellbook this way, as it is completely foreign to magical theory.
- Family Man: Tylkec, who’s shown to be dedicated to the well-being of his children and ensuring they have enough to eat.
- Good Shepherd: Father Aereck, who is happy to help when Jexel comes to him for counsel and firmly believes in showing compassion to Zamorakians rather than condemning them.
- Grail in the Garbage: The giants have a trove of treasure in their cave, including the Skystone Sword. They don’t know of its value to humans, and the children see the treasure as fun toys to play with.
- These Hands Have Killed: Jexel is heavily traumatized by having had to kill Reese and Caitlin in order to rescue Ilona, to the point where he has nightmares about it.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: In addition to the Skystone Sword, Jexel also wields a bronze sword given to him by Xenia in “First Blade,” at least until he loses it during “One Step Back.”
- Making a Splash: Ilona has a particular affinity for water magic, and is fascinated by water.
- Mistaken Identity: Ilona is mistaken for a previous Archmage of the Tower (who has been dead for seven years) by Wizard Traiborn in “A Wave of Clarity.”
- Mundane Utility: Ilona's use of magic to open a letter in “A Wave of Clarity.”
- My Beloved Smother: Lauren, Jexel’s mother. She doesn’t want him to be put in harm’s way, in part because of the loss of her husband years prior.
- Strike Me Down with All of Your Hatred!: Caitlin goads Jexel into killing her after he disarms her.
- Technicolor Eyes: Ilona’s eyes are purple, as in canon, which Ozan takes notice of in “A Wave of Clarity.”
- Trail of Bread Crumbs: Jexel finds the giant family’s cave in “One Step Back” by following Tylkec’s footprints.
- Turn Out Like His Father: Lauren tries to stop Jexel from becoming an adventurer, fearing he’ll die in battle just as her husband, a Lumbridge castle guardsman, perished in a raid by the Skulls of Draynor, and she absolutely reads Xenia the riot act after Jexel returns safely from rescuing Ilona.
- Wizarding School: Ilona is seen studying as an apprentice at the Wizards’ Tower in “A Wave of Clarity.”
- You Killed My Father: Jexel chooses to fight back against a highwayman attempting to rob him in “One Step Back” when he notices he’s a member of the gang that killed his father.
