RuneScape Mobile's hotly anticipated Archaeology skill is now available

Today marks the launch of RuneScape's 28th skill: Archaeology. First announced back at RuneFest in October of last year, Archaeology looks to be a massive addition to the already content-packed MMO, kicking off a major storyline and offering all-new ways to play.

It's said to be the most powerful skill in the game's 19-year history, focusing on the excavation of dig sites and discovery of rare artefacts. Uncovering ancient relics can unlock game-wide perks, and you may even stumble upon ancient training methods used to gain fresh powers, including Ancient Summoning and Ancient Invention.

You'll spend most of your time adventuring across the five new locations, gradually piecing together secrets from Gielinor's history as you go.

Kharid-Et is the very first dig site you'll come across, and it lies not far from the city of Al Kharid. The fortress was said to be built by followers of Zaros, a powerful god. Inside, you'll find all manner of lost weapons and ancient magics.

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The other sites sound similarly neat. There's Everlight, a former Icyene settlement; The Infernal Source, which is situated beneath a volcano; Stormguard Citadel, a former Armadylean fortress and laboratory; and Warforge, an abandoned Bandosian military installation for goblins.

Free-to-play players will be able to test out the skill up to level 20, which should apparently give you a chance to explore at least the first dig site. The level cap for full RuneScape members is 120, and there will be a six-month grace period where you won't be able to use any bonus experience, experience lamps, or other boosts to race through the levels.

If that wasn't enough, the new skill also teases the upcoming arrival of the Elder God Wars Dungeons. Here, you'll see the world-creating titans rise once more. It's set to launch later this year.

RuneScape Mobile is now available for download from over on Google Play.