Runescape HD - Behind the Scenes January

Januarys content starts the New Year with a bang! Were planning an epic and high-level God Wars boss with level 80 drops, generous combat XP rewards from the new Hati wolf and a fantastic new dwarf quest.

King of the Dwarves
A new year often brings with it change, and thats certainly true for Keldagrim, the setting of the first quest planned for release in 2011. An unexpected chaos dwarf attack throws the city into turmoil and forces the Consortium to make a tough decision. Faced by threats from both inside and outside the city, Keldagrims rulers will struggle to hold on to powerand if they fail, the Red Axe is poised to sweep in and take over.

Rejoin old allies and pick up some new ones, and face up to the long-buried past as you attempt to answer the question: just who is the King of the Dwarves? Generous XP rewards and access to a new gravestone (hand-chiselled by Keldagrims finest stonemason) are on the cards for those who rescue some trapped miners, involve themselves in dwarven politics and then pick up some big rocks.

God Wars Expansion + Level 80 Combat Gear
All that is known of the history of the God Wars Dungeons is that, at one point towards the end of the Third Age, a flight of aviantese took refuge there from Zamoraks demon horde, to protect the newly forged god sword. Reinforcements arrived in the form of General Graardor and Commander Zilyana, and the battle raged.

Little did they know that another secret laid buried beneath the blood and snow a prison of ice for the last army of Zaros, and its leader, the fearsome and majestic Nex. These Zarosians were originally imprisoned at the beginning of the Third Age, by Sardominist forces on a crusade to wipe Zaros and his followers from the history books.

During the ensuing chaos, Nex somehow managed to escape, and it took the combined might of all four of the other god wars armies to trap it once more. With the dungeons reopening in recent years, the strongest of RuneScapes warriors head in to test themselves in combat and with the hope of attaining prestige, and rewards in the form of the blade and hilt of the legendary god sword. All this disturbance stirs Nex in its prison below...it seeks to escape once more and wreak havoc on its captors...and this time its your responsibility to contain it...

Defeating RuneScapes most powerful and intelligent boss to date wont be easy, with its arsenal of over 15 unique combat moves, each designed to test even the most powerful of players. Youre going to need help from your clan or some friends to take it down, but huge riches await those who succeed:

• Brand new level 80 life point-boosting armour for rangers, mages and warriors with the best defensive statistics available to date, significantly changing the way high-level players will think about combat in the future.
• A brand new ammo-free bow, as fast and accurate as a chaotic crossbow and as powerful as dragonstone-tipped rune bolts.
• Brand new cosmetic robes for anyone with a need to show their loyalty to The Big Z.

With a fully voice-supported battle and some of the richest graphics in the game, its shaping up to be one of the best and most exciting areas of RuneScape.

Hati Wolf
Each year, during the harsh winter months, the guttural howl of an ancient beast can be heard echoing across the Fremennik Province. The locals know the sound all too well, for it means only one thing: another victim has fallen prey to the legendary wolf, Hati. Existing for as long as any seer can remember, its a story rarely shared with outerlanders, being a legend drenched in fear and the blood of their forefathers. Some say it is the son of some ancient god, some think its merely a wolf with a taste for the weak...either way, its a dangerous foe that must be stopped at all cost.

The fight itself is designed for a group of mid- to high-level adventurers and takes place within the forests surrounding Rellekka. Heroes who defeat the wolf will gain access to new gloves, which, if worn in battle, will double combat XP for 10 hours. Think of it as a Bonus XP Weekends worth of combat XP, but wrapped up in a set of warm, wolf-skin combat gloves.

Loosely based on a Nordic festival, the Hati wolf is the first piece of members seasonal content we plan to release. This means that the event will be removed from the game after January. As with holiday events, though, the reward items will remain.

In other news...

If you have yet to have your vote in the Bring Back the Wilderness and Free Trade referendum, now is the time to do so.

Happy New Year...and have fun!

Mod Mark
RuneScape Lead Designer