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More than a decade has passed since the Varrock Museum set out to explore the curious landmass to the east. Failed voyage after failed voyage has left the crew almost exactly where they started.
Will you help them finally reach Fossil Island?
With the discovery of Fossil Island, a paleontology floor has now been added to the Varrock Museum. Your help in collecting and inspecting fossils from the island is needed to fill up this new area.
Many of the fossils you find around Fossil Island will be valuable to the Varrock Museum. As you send them to the museum you will be rewarded with a small amount of experience in Crafting or Construction, depending on the size of the fossil.
The experience rewards for contributing to the Varrock Museum scale based on your Crafting/Construction level and are one-off rewards for each individual fossil.
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The Volcanic Mine is a group skilling activity which focuses on the Mining skill. Much like the Wintertodt, you'll be able to contribute to the success of the team by performing one of several activities:
The primary reward for participating in the Volcanic Mine activity is Mining experience. As an activity which will require a high level of engagement, it will offer experience rates comparable to some of the best existing methods in game.
| Mining Lvl | Max Xp /hr |
|---|---|
| 50 | 40k |
| 85 | 80k |
| 99 | 85k |
In addition to experience you will receive small amounts of ores and fossils.
Tick manipulation methods will not be possible within the Volcanic Mine.
Hardwood Farming
In certain areas on Fossil Island the environment is just right to support the growth of Teak and Mahogany trees.
Requiring level 35 and 55 Farming respectively, Teak and Mahogany trees can be grown within three, side-by-side tree patches.
Tracking and Herblore
Throughout Fossil Island a roaming, plant-like animal can be tracked. This creature possesses an interesting trait: when fed herb seeds, it will grow the herbs on their back.
If you are able to track this creature down, you can feed it herb seeds of your choosing and track it after time has passed to harvest the herbs.
The usual Herblore requirements and experience also apply when growing herbs with this animal.
Bird House Traps
If you're a fan of Hunter, and you really don't like birds, bird house traps are a dream come true.
Requiring Crafting and Hunter to create, bird house traps can be placed on Fossil Island to lure in and capture birds. They offer the experience rates superior to any other method between levels 5 and 35 Hunter, alongside some nominal Crafting experience.
| Trap Type | Crafting Lvl | Hunter Lvl |
|---|---|---|
| Bird House | 5 | 5 |
| Oak Bird House | 15 | 14 |
| Willow Bird House | 25 | 24 |
| Teak Bird House | 35 | 34 |
Once you've placed your bird house trap, you'll need to fill it with some seeds in order to lure the birds in.
After you've placed the seeds as bait, you can wander away and let your bird house trap passively capture birds. To claim your experience, head back to the bird house trap and check it.
Ultra Compost
The volcanic ash found on Fossil Island offers excellent properties for use in Farming, and can be mixed with Harralander in order to create a Compost Potion. This requires level 17 Herblore.
Compost Potions convert standard compost into supercompost, but they are only currently available as a reward upon completion of Garden of Tranquility and as a reward from Nightmare Zone.
When used directly on a bucket of supercompost, volcanic ash will create ultracompost. Alternatively, volcanic ash can be used directly on a full compost bin containing supercompost in order to upgrade it to ultracompost.
All different types of Wyvern found within Fossil Island would require level 66 Slayer to kill. They would only be assigned to players who have completed the Bone Voyage quest.
The Ancient Wyverns found on Fossil Island offer a number of unique drops not found elsewhere in Gielinor.
Granite Boots
One of the new, unique drops from the Wyverns found on Fossil Island is Granite Boots. They require level 50 Defence and Strength to equip, offering strength bonus and defensive stats superior to Rune Boots.
Granite Longsword
Requiring level 50 Attack and Strength to equip, the Granite Longsword would sit as the best slash weapon for players with level 50 to 60 attack.
Ancient Wyvern Shield
The Ancient Wyvern Shield is a strong, defensive and offensive shield for Magic. It provides defensive stats similar to those of a charged Dragonfire Shield. It requires level 75 Defence and level 70 Magic to equip.
The shield itself is not dropped by the Wyverns. Instead, an Ancient Wyvern Visage is dropped and it must be attached to an Elemental Shield. Attaching the Visage to an Elemental Shield requires level 66 Magic and level 66 Smithing.
Again, much like the Dragonfire Shield, the Ancient Wyvern Shield starts with no stats. It must be charged by using fossils on the shield.
When activated, the shield lets out a Wyvern-like attack and its stats are lowered accordingly. This attack has a chance of freezing the target.
Underwater Agility & Thieving
The Agility you'll encounter underneath the waters of Fossil Island is unlike the Agility courses found around the rest of the world.
Rather than being on a set course, you can go wherever you want. You'll get experience in the skill as you go about your business underwater, using the various shortcuts that are available.
The experience earned will be competitive, but will not exceed other existing training methods. However, you'll be able to earn this experience while taking part in other activities under the surface.
Thieving goes hand-in-hand with Agility whilst underwater. Rather than repeatedly thieving from the same NPC or stall as you might above the surface, you'll be running around and looting treasure chests as quickly as possible.
You'll need to avoid, or utilise, the currents found all over. Getting caught up in a current will push you away, or towards, where you'd like to be. The currents will also cause treasure chests to appear in all kinds of places - so you'll have to be on the ball to keep track.
The experience rate provided by underwater Thieving is not comparable to the existing top methods. It will serve as an engaging, fun alternative which allows you to train both Thieving and Agility simultaneously.
Seaweed Farming
The sea floor surrounding the island is perfectly suited for the farming of seaweed. Requiring level 23 Farming, giant seaweed can be grown underwater.
Giant Seaweed provides two soda ash when burnt.
Underwater Fishing
There are a couple of different ways to fish in the underwater area: using drift nets or chasing down your prey.
Drift nets can be set up and left alone to catch passing fish. As you might expect, catching fish in this fashion provides you with both Hunter and Fishing experience.
Chasing your prey using a harpoon or a trident requires you keep up and kill your prey on the move. Your Agility will come in handy when chasing down prey, as you'll be required to maneuver quickly. Shortcuts will certainly come in handy.
The experience rates achievable with underwater fishing are not comparable to the top existing methods. However, they will offer you a chance to train another skill alongside Fishing: Hunter or Agility.
Mod West will be creating much of the underwater environment live tomorrow on the RuneScape Twitch Channel!
He will be joined by Mods Maz and Wolf throughout the day, who will be discussing all kinds of Fossil Island questions you might have.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow at 1pm BST! The underwater design stream will be continuing through the developer Q&A taking place at 5pm BST, ensuring you'll see the environment truly come to life.
Discuss this update on our forums.
Mods Archie, Ash, Ghost, Jed, John C, Kieren, Mat K, Maz, Ronan, Roq, Ry, Stone, TomH, Weath, West & Wolf
The Old School Team