Notable RuneScape 3 Quests
My favorite part of RuneScape 3 are quests. While playing over the game over the years, I noticed that some quests feel more notable than others. I decided to investigate this question further.
My methodology is simple. I fetched a list of quests in the game and using a spreadsheet, I noted which quest felt notable to me. If this was not obvious already, this evaluation is purely subjective and is likely only based on my own taste. Anyway, the data I got is as follows:
| Quest | Notability |
|---|---|
| Cook's Assistant | Somewhat notable |
| Demon Slayer (historical) | Not notable |
| The Restless Ghost | Not notable |
| Romeo & Juliet | Not notable |
| Sheep Shearer | Not notable |
| Shield of Arrav | Not notable |
| Ernest the Chicken | Notable |
| Vampyre Slayer | Notable |
| Imp Catcher | Not notable |
| Prince Ali Rescue | Not notable |
| Doric's Quest | Not notable |
| Black Knights' Fortress | Somewhat notable |
| Witch's Potion | Somewhat notable |
| The Knight's Sword | Not notable |
| Goblin Diplomacy | Not notable |
| Pirate's Treasure | Not notable |
| Dragon Slayer | Notable |
| Druidic Ritual | Not notable |
| Lost City | Not notable |
| Witch's House | Somewhat notable |
| Merlin's Crystal | Not notable |
| Heroes' Quest | Not notable |
| Scorpion Catcher | Not notable |
| Family Crest | Not notable |
| Tribal Totem | Not notable |
| Fishing Contest | Not notable |
| Monk's Friend | Not notable |
| Temple of Ikov | Notable |
| Clock Tower | Somewhat notable |
| Holy Grail | Not notable |
| Tree Gnome Village | Not notable |
| Fight Arena | Somewhat notable |
| Hazeel Cult | Notable |
| Sheep Herder | Not notable |
| Plague City | Somewhat notable |
| Sea Slug | Not notable |
| Waterfall Quest | Not notable |
| Biohazard | Somewhat notable |
| Jungle Potion | Not notable |
| The Grand Tree | Not notable |
| Shilo Village | Not notable |
| Underground Pass | Notable |
| Observatory Quest | Not notable |
| The Tourist Trap | Not notable |
| Watchtower | Not notable |
| Dwarf Cannon | Not notable |
| Murder Mystery | Not notable |
| The Dig Site | Somewhat notable |
| Gertrude's Cat | Not notable |
| Legends' Quest | Somewhat notable |
| Rune Mysteries (historical) | Not notable |
| Big Chompy Bird Hunting | Not notable |
| Elemental Workshop I | Not notable |
| Priest in Peril | Notable |
| Nature Spirit | Not notable |
| Death Plateau | Not notable |
| Troll Stronghold | Not notable |
| Tai Bwo Wannai Trio | Not notable |
| Regicide | Somewhat notable |
| Eadgar's Ruse | Not notable |
| Shades of Mort'ton | Not notable |
| The Fremennik Trials | Not notable |
| Horror from the Deep | Not notable |
| Throne of Miscellania | Not notable |
| Monkey Madness | Not notable |
| Haunted Mine | Notable |
| Troll Romance | Not notable |
| In Search of the Myreque | Notable |
| Creature of Fenkenstrain | Notable |
| Roving Elves | Not notable |
| Ghosts Ahoy | Notable |
| One Small Favour | Not notable |
| Mountain Daughter | Not notable |
| Between a Rock... | Not notable |
| The Feud | Not notable |
| The Golem | Not notable |
| Desert Treasure | Notable |
| Icthlarin's Little Helper | Not notable |
| Tears of Guthix | Not notable |
| Zogre Flesh Eaters | Not notable |
| The Lost Tribe | Somewhat notable |
| The Giant Dwarf | Not notable |
| Recruitment Drive | Not notable |
| Mourning's End Part I | Not notable |
| Forgettable Tale of a Drunken Dwarf | Not notable |
| Garden of Tranquillity | Not notable |
| A Tail of Two Cats | Not notable |
| Wanted! | Not notable |
| Mourning's End Part II | Notable |
| Rum Deal | Not notable |
| Shadow of the Storm | Not notable |
| Making History | Not notable |
| Rat Catchers | Not notable |
| Spirits of the Elid | Not notable |
| Devious Minds | Not notable |
| The Hand in the Sand | Not notable |
| Enakhra's Lament | Not notable |
| Cabin Fever | Not notable |
| A Fairy Tale I - Growing Pains | Not notable |
| Recipe for Disaster | Not notable |
| In Aid of the Myreque | Notable |
| A Soul's Bane | Not notable |
| Rag and Bone Man | Not notable |
| Swan Song | Not notable |
| Royal Trouble | Not notable |
| Death to the Dorgeshuun | Not notable |
| A Fairy Tale II - Cure a Queen | Not notable |
| Lunar Diplomacy | Not notable |
| The Eyes of Glouphrie | Not notable |
| The Darkness of Hallowvale | Notable |
| The Slug Menace | Not notable |
| Elemental Workshop II | Not notable |
| My Arm's Big Adventure | Not notable |
| Enlightened Journey | Not notable |
| Eagles' Peak | Not notable |
| Animal Magnetism | Not notable |
| Contact! | Not notable |
| Cold War | Somewhat notable |
| The Fremennik Isles | Not notable |
| Tower of Life | Not notable |
| The Great Brain Robbery | Not notable |
| What Lies Below | Not notable |
| Olaf's Quest | Not notable |
| Another Slice of H.A.M. | Not notable |
| Dream Mentor | Not notable |
| Grim Tales | Not notable |
| King's Ransom | Not notable |
| The Path of Glouphrie | Not notable |
| Back to my Roots | Not notable |
| Land of the Goblins | Not notable |
| Dealing with Scabaras | Not notable |
| Wolf Whistle | Not notable |
| As a First Resort | Not notable |
| Catapult Construction | Not notable |
| Kennith's Concerns | Not notable |
| Legacy of Seergaze | Notable |
| Perils of Ice Mountain | Not notable |
| TokTz-Ket-Dill | Not notable |
| Smoking Kills | Not notable |
| Rocking Out | Not notable |
| Learning the Ropes | Not notable |
| Spirit of Summer | Not notable |
| Meeting History | Not notable |
| All Fired Up | Not notable |
| Summer's End | Not notable |
| Defender of Varrock | Notable |
| Swept Away | Notable |
| While Guthix Sleeps | Notable |
| Myths of the White Lands | Notable |
| In Pyre Need | Not notable |
| The Chosen Commander | Not notable |
| Glorious Memories | Not notable |
| The Tale of the Muspah | Not notable |
| Missing My Mummy | Not notable |
| Hunt for Red Raktuber | Somewhat notable |
| The Curse of Arrav | Notable |
| Fur 'n Seek | Not notable |
| Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf | Not notable |
| Unstable Foundations | Not notable |
| Within the Light | Notable |
| The Temple at Senntisten | Notable |
| Blood Runs Deep | Not notable |
| Nomad's Requiem | Somewhat notable |
| Rune Mechanics | Not notable |
| The Blood Pact | Notable |
| Buyers and Cellars | Not notable |
| A Fairy Tale III - Battle at Ork's Rift | Not notable |
| Elemental Workshop III | Not notable |
| Quiet Before the Swarm | Not notable |
| Love Story | Not notable |
| A Void Dance | Not notable |
| Gunnar's Ground | Not notable |
| The Void Stares Back | Not notable |
| Do No Evil | Not notable |
| King of the Dwarves | Not notable |
| The Prisoner of Glouphrie | Not notable |
| Elemental Workshop IV | Not notable |
| A Clockwork Syringe | Not notable |
| Deadliest Catch | Not notable |
| Salt in the Wound | Not notable |
| The Branches of Darkmeyer | Notable |
| Ritual of the Mahjarrat | Notable |
| One Piercing Note | Notable |
| The Firemaker's Curse | Not notable |
| Death Plateau | Not notable |
| Wolf Whistle | Not notable |
| Druidic Ritual | Not notable |
| Let Them Eat Pie | Not notable |
| The Elder Kiln | Not notable |
| Song from the Depths | Somewhat notable |
| Carnillean Rising | Not notable |
| Some Like It Cold | Notable |
| Stolen Hearts | Somewhat notable |
| Diamond in the Rough | Somewhat notable |
| What's Mine is Yours | Not notable |
| Rune Mysteries | Somewhat notable |
| Rune Memories | Somewhat notable |
| The Brink of Extinction | Not notable |
| Demon Slayer (rework) | Notable |
| The World Wakes | Notable |
| Bringing Home the Bacon | Not notable |
| The Death of Chivalry | Notable |
| Birthright of the Dwarves | Not notable |
| Missing, Presumed Death | Notable |
| One of a Kind | Somewhat notable |
| Fate of the Gods | Notable |
| A Shadow over Ashdale | Notable |
| The Mighty Fall | Somewhat notable |
| Plague's End | Notable |
| Broken Home | Notable |
| Heart of Stone | Somewhat notable |
| Dishonour among Thieves | Somewhat notable |
| Dimension of Disaster | Notable |
| Hero's Welcome | Notable |
| The Light Within | Notable |
| The Lord of Vampyrium | Notable |
| Call of the Ancestors | Not notable |
| Beneath Cursed Tides | Somewhat notable |
| Nomad's Elegy | Notable |
| River of Blood | Notable |
| Kindred Spirits | Notable |
| Gower Quest | Somewhat notable |
| Impressing the Locals | Not notable |
| Children of Mah | Notable |
| Sliske's Endgame | Notable |
| Back to the Freezer | Somewhat notable |
| Imp Catcher (rework) | Not notable |
| The Jack of Spades | Not notable |
| Crocodile Tears | Not notable |
| Our Man in the North | Not notable |
| 'Phite Club | Not notable |
| Evil Dave's Big Day Out | Not notable |
| Pieces of Hate | Somewhat notable |
| You Are It | Somewhat notable |
| The Needle Skips | Somewhat notable |
| Violet is Blue | Somewhat notable |
| Chef's Assistant | Not notable |
| Curse of the Black Stone | Notable |
| Desperate Times | Notable |
| Once Upon a Slime | Not notable |
| Desperate Measures | Notable |
| Sins of the Father | Notable |
| Desperate Creatures | Notable |
| Raksha, the Shadow Colossus | Notable |
| Violet is Blue Too | Somewhat notable |
| The Vault of Shadows | Notable |
| Heartstealer | Not notable |
| Azzanadra's Quest | Notable |
| Battle of the Monolith | Notable |
| City of Senntisten | Notable |
| Once Upon a Time in Gielinor | Not notable |
| Eye of Het I | Somewhat notable |
| Eye of Het II | Somewhat notable |
| Extinction | Notable |
| Twilight of the Gods | Notable |
| Aftermath | Notable |
I then decided to take a look at "Somewhat notable" and "notable" quests and sorted them into categories:
| Quest | Category |
|---|---|
| Hazeel Cult | Cults & Religions |
| The Blood Pact | Cults & Religions |
| One Piercing Note | Cults & Religions |
| Demon Slayer (rework) | Cults & Religions |
| The Death of Chivalry | Cults & Religions |
| Black Knights' Fortress | Cults & Religions |
| A Shadow over Ashdale | Eldritch horrors |
| Song from the Depths | Eldritch horrors |
| Pieces of Hate | Eldritch horrors |
| Rune Mysteries | Exploring places |
| Rune Memories | Exploring places |
| Temple of Ikov | Exploring places |
| Desert Treasure | Exploring places |
| Mourning's End Part II | Exploring places |
| Within the Light | Exploring places |
| The Dig Site | Exploring places |
| The Lost Tribe | Exploring places |
| Beneath Cursed Tides | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Cook's Assistant | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Clock Tower | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Fight Arena | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Plague City | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Biohazard | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Legends' Quest | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Regicide | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Dragon Slayer | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Underground Pass | Generic RPG quest feel |
| Ernest the Chicken | Halloweenesque |
| Vampyre Slayer | Halloweenesque |
| Priest in Peril | Halloweenesque |
| Haunted Mine | Halloweenesque |
| In Search of the Myreque | Halloweenesque |
| Creature of Fenkenstrain | Halloweenesque |
| Ghosts Ahoy | Halloweenesque |
| In Aid of the Myreque | Halloweenesque |
| The Darkness of Hallowvale | Halloweenesque |
| Legacy of Seergaze | Halloweenesque |
| Defender of Varrock | Halloweenesque |
| Swept Away | Halloweenesque |
| The Curse of Arrav | Halloweenesque |
| The Branches of Darkmeyer | Halloweenesque |
| Broken Home | Halloweenesque |
| Dimension of Disaster | Halloweenesque |
| The Lord of Vampyrium | Halloweenesque |
| River of Blood | Halloweenesque |
| Witch's Potion | Halloweenesque |
| Witch's House | Halloweenesque |
| Stolen Hearts | Magical artefacts |
| Diamond in the Rough | Magical artefacts |
| While Guthix Sleeps | Main story |
| The Temple at Senntisten | Main story |
| Ritual of the Mahjarrat | Main story |
| The World Wakes | Main story |
| Missing, Presumed Death | Main story |
| Fate of the Gods | Main story |
| Plague's End | Main story |
| Hero's Welcome | Main story |
| The Light Within | Main story |
| Nomad's Elegy | Main story |
| Kindred Spirits | Main story |
| Children of Mah | Main story |
| Sliske's Endgame | Main story |
| Curse of the Black Stone | Main story |
| Desperate Times | Main story |
| Desperate Measures | Main story |
| Sins of the Father | Main story |
| Desperate Creatures | Main story |
| Raksha, the Shadow Colossus | Main story |
| The Vault of Shadows | Main story |
| Azzanadra's Quest | Main story |
| Battle of the Monolith | Main story |
| City of Senntisten | Main story |
| Extinction | Main story |
| Twilight of the Gods | Main story |
| Aftermath | Main story |
| Nomad's Requiem | Main story |
| One of a Kind | Main story |
| The Mighty Fall | Main story |
| Heart of Stone | Main story |
| Dishonour among Thieves | Main story |
| You Are It | Main story |
| The Needle Skips | Main story |
| Eye of Het I | Main story |
| Eye of Het II | Main story |
| Gower Quest | Meta quest |
| Myths of the White Lands | Snow |
| Some Like It Cold | Snow |
| Cold War | Snow |
| Hunt for Red Raktuber | Snow |
| Back to the Freezer | Snow |
| Violet is Blue | Snow |
| Violet is Blue Too | Snow |
The thing that surprised me the most is that I like some quest simply because they feature a snowy area in them. Perhaps this is because I am Canadian or something. I also take note that most could quest fall into an overarching category I call "exploring the unknown". Some examples are as follow:
| Quest | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hazeel Cult | Dealing with an ancient lich |
| The Blood Pact | Dealing with dark magic users |
| Demon Slayer (rework) | Dealing with an ancient demon |
| Black Knights' Fortress | Dealing with dark magic users |
| Pieces of Hate | Uncovering an ancient evil |
| Rune Mysteries | Exploring the old Wizards’ Tower asement |
| Rune Memories | Exploring the old Wizards’ Tower asement |
| Temple of Ikov | Exploring a temple that keeps a powerful artefact |
| Desert Treasure | Exploring a pyramid |
| Mourning's End Part II | Exploring an ancient elf temple |
| Within the Light | Exploring an ancient elf temple |
| The Dig Site | Discovering traces of an ancient god |
| The Lost Tribe | Discovering a lost goblin civilization |
| Underground Pass | Exploring an ancient cursed cave |
| Priest in Peril | Exploring a land of darkness |
| Haunted Mine | Exploring an abandonned mine |
| In Search of the Myreque | Exploring a land of darkness |
| Creature of Fenkenstrain | Exploring a land of darkness |
| Ghosts Ahoy | Exploring a land of darkness |
| In Aid of the Myreque | Exploring a land of darkness |
| The Darkness of Hallowvale | Exploring a land of darkness |
| Legacy of Seergaze | Exploring a land of darkness |
| The Branches of Darkmeyer | Exploring a land of darkness |
| Broken Home | Exploring a cursed manor |
| Dimension of Disaster | Exploring a dimension of darkness |
| The Lord of Vampyrium | Exploring a land of darkness |
| River of Blood | Exploring a land of darkness |
| While Guthix Sleeps | Exploring a temple that keeps a powerful artefact |
| The Temple at Senntisten | Restoring an ancient temple |
| Ritual of the Mahjarrat | Dealing with a group of ancient liches |
| The World Wakes | Exploring an ancient temple built by a god |
| Fate of the Gods | Exploring a foreign dimension |
| The Light Within | Exploring a foreign dimension |
| Children of Mah | Dealing with a group of ancient liches |
| Curse of the Black Stone | Uncovering an ancient evil |
| Raksha, the Shadow Colossus | An ancient evil awakens |
| Azzanadra's Quest | A place where eldritch horrors sleep is discovered |
| Battle of the Monolith | A god manipulates ancient artefact |
| City of Senntisten | Exploring ruins of an ancient civilization |
| Extinction | Dealing with eldritch beings |
In my opinion, RuneScape's story is at its best when it deals with this topic. I think this why quest such as Underground Pass have such a memorable atmosphere. I also take note that my taste seems to generally align with general sentiments I see online.
On a related note, I think this is why Genshin Impact has a gripping story. It basically takes RuneScape's themes and crank them up to 11. This is interesting because I doubt that the developers took direct inspiration from RuneScape (though I suppose it wouldn't be impossible). I presume that something inspired both games. I doubt that the answer is simply that they are both based on Lovecraft's works because most of the things in both games are not cosmic horrors. Both games seem to share a similar signature (link). I might look into this later.
Written by manpaint on 22 March 2025.