Summary
Despite the sometimes fierce sibling rivalry that exists between players of Jagex’sRuneScape 3andOld School RuneScape, even the most dedicated players of the latter often admit thatRuneScape 3containsdozens of amazing quests.
Some of these adventures have already been ported toOld School RuneScape, like “Land of the Goblins” and “Defender of Varrock,” while others are on the way. However,RuneScape 3is home to many more quests that could be implemented in the game’s vintage version. From expeditions to capture sea monsters to sequels to much-loved classics,RS3is a treasure trove of inspiration forOld School’s creators.
1Deadliest Catch
RS3 Release Date: 2011 | Storyline: Standalone
Human culture has long been fascinated with sea monsters, from the Kraken of Norse mythology to more recent iterations like the eponymous JawsorSubnautica’s various fearsome creatures. As such, it makes sense forRuneScape 3to explore the trope in 2011’s “Deadliest Catch.” The player must draw on their Hunting and Fishing skills as they assist Jones, a fisherman, in tracking the gigantic Thalassus.
“Deadliest Catch” may not contribute hugely toRuneScape 3’s wider narrative, but it does offer players a fun story and some generous rewards. Such a low-stakes adventure is a welcome break fromRS3’s usual melodrama, making it an ideal candidate for inclusion in a futureOld Schoolupdate.
2Forgiveness Of A Chaos Dwarf
RS3 Release Date: 2009 | Storyline: Rise Of The Red Axe
Dwarves play roles in some ofRuneScape’s most iconic quests, from 2001’s “Doric’s Quest” to 2005’s “Between a Rock…” However, althoughOld School’s “Forgettable Tale of a Drunken Dwarf” (2006) sets up some intriguing plot strands, these are not resolved outside ofRuneScape 3.“Forgettable Tale…” ends with the player discovering that the fiendish Red Axe faction plans to move against the Dwarven city of Keldagrim, only to then have their memory wiped by an Ogre shaman.
While this amnesia might explain Jagex’s lack of urgency as to continuing the Rise of the Red Axe plot inOld School RuneScape,RS3’s “Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf” represents a great starting point. The Red Axe storylinemay feature memory loss, but that’s no reason to forget this iconic series.
3One Piercing Note
Excellent voice acting can result inan amazing gaming experience, and Jagex moved to implement the technology in 2011’s “One Piercing Note.” The quest involves a murder at Al Kharid’s Citharede Abbey, and the player must embrace their inner Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery before the entire sisterhood is wiped out. As usual in stories in this genre, the twists and turns make for a thrilling experience.
Admittedly, any port of “One Piercing Note” toOSRSwould have to remove the voice acting to match the game’s vintage tone, but this would not significantly detract from the mystery itself. Furthermore, a ruined Citharede Abbey is already present inOld School RuneScape—it may be time for Jagex to give the place a lick of paint.
4A Fairy Tale III - Battle At Ork’s Rift
RS3 Release Date: 2010 | Storyline: Fairy
RuneScape’s Fairy questline is best known for giving players the ability to use fairy rings, a vast network of teleport points that spans the surface of Gielinor and beyond. The player initially uses the Fairy Ring network to locate the secret base of the Fairy Queen, who has been deposed by the criminal Fairy Godfather. While the player does succeed in restoring the sick Fairy Queen to health, control over the realm of Zanaris still hangs in the balance at the end of 2006’s “A Fairy Tale II - Cure A Queen.”
Efforts to liberate Zanaris hit their stride in “A Fairy Tale III - Battle at Ork’s Rift,” which sees the player taking the fight to the Fairy Godfather. The liberation of Zanaris is such a natural endpoint to the Fairy storyline that the lack of this quest inOld School RuneScapefeels like a glaring omission. Furthermore, the fact that “A Fairy Tale III” precedes some ofRS3’smost radical changesmakes it a natural fit for the retro iteration, even if some rewards would need to be tweaked to suit the currentOld Schoolmeta.
5The Needle Skips
RS3 Release Date: 2018 | Storyline: The Elder God Wars
Aside from the Fishing Colony and a cave containing the Kraken boss, the north ofOld School RuneScape’s Piscatorius is a fairly undeveloped region of Gielinor.RuneScape 3remedies this by adding further land to the north-west. It is this new outcrop that serves as the location for the atmospheric “The Needle Skips.” The player must determine what is happening to the occupants of a remote house as they grapple with mysterious sicknesses, ancient magical artifacts, andthe side effects of time travel. The result is one ofRuneScape3’s most atmospheric quests.
“The Needle Skips” is part ofRuneScape 3’s Elder God Wars narrative, so tweaks would have to be made to better match the divergent lore ofOld School RuneScape. Luckily, the quest’s self-contained setting should make this relatively easy, allowingOSRSplayers to experience this narrative-focused hidden gem.
6Kennith’s Concerns
RS3 Release Date: 2008 | Storyline: Temple Knight
Old School RuneScapeplayers often complete quests in the Temple Knight/Sea Slug storyline to gain access tothe Prayer-boosting Proselyte equipment, a vital aid for most Slayer tasks. However, those wishing to delve deeper into the Lovecraftian tale of the mind-controlling Sea Slugs are likely to be disappointed, as the storyline ends on a cliffhanger inOSRS’s “The Slug Menace.”
RuneScape3continues the narrative with “Kennith’s Concerns,” a stealth-focused quest, and 2011’s “Salt in the Wound,” which tries (and arguably fails) to resolve the Sea Slug threat satisfactorily. Indeed, criticism of the latter quest is not limited to the player base, with one Jagex employee going so far as to say that “Salt in the Wound” would never be ported toOSRS. With this in mind, any implementation of future Temple Knight quests would have to be handled carefully, but they would fill a gap inOld Schoollore.
7Hunt For Red Raktuber
RS3 Release Date: 2010 | Storyline: Penguin
RuneScape 3andOld School RuneScapeare very different games, but they have one thing in common: their quest writers never miss a chance to make a silly pun. From 2003’s “The Tourist Trap” to 2007’s “Another Slice of H.A.M.,” Jagex demonstrates a love for humorous wordplay. It’s no surprise, then, that a quest called “Cold War” (2007) focuses on a group of Soviet-like penguins and their attempt to conquer Gielinor.
The penguin plot for world domination continues inRuneScape 3’s “Hunt for Red Raktuber” (2010). The player must locate and sabotage a powerful penguin submarine before it can be used for evil deeds, but they soon find themselves caught in a web of intrigue and espionage. The storyline continues in 2012’s “Some Like It Cold” and 2017’s “Back to the Freezer,” but porting a version ofthe Tom Clancy-inspired"Hunt for Red Raktuber" would be a good place to start.
8Love Story
RS3 Release Date: 2010 | Storyline: Wise Old Man
The Wise Old Man is one ofRuneScape’s most iconic characters. He plays a memorable role in the homicidal Draynor Bank Robbery and is also the source of the Quest Cape given to the most seasoned adventurers. The Wise Old Man already appears in one quest inOld School RuneScape(namely 2006’s “Swan Song”), but itsRS3sequel, “Love Story,” is currently absent fromthe game’s vintage iteration.
“Love Story” sees the player attempt to mend the romance between the Wise Old Man and his former lover, Zenovia. In exchange for their help, the player is handsomely rewarded with Construction, Magic, Smithing, and Crafting experience, in addition to various Construction-related perks. These great rewards, plus the relatively low-key nature of “Love Story” (compared to some ofRS3’s more world-shaking quests), mean that it would be very much at home inOld School RuneScape.
