Apologies and Runescape Updates

Woa I apologize... I haven't posted Runescape Updates since January 22 07... So here are them, directly from www.runescape.com.

16 January 2007 - Interfaces and spooky wallpapers
This week brings a short break from the principal updates of the month, giving you all time to prepare for the forthcoming zombies and penguins! We've sent our highly talented team of artistic demons through some of the most commonly used interfaces and menus in the game and given them a much needed graphical makeover. Check out the new look of the Magic spellbook - now working without a scrollbar - and the Skill Advance guides. There's even a feature on the Friends List to show you which world you're on!
As you may be aware, we've been working very hard towards releasing RuneScape in other languages, and we need to free up more space on our interfaces for future developments. With this in mind, we've shrunk the text in the Quest Journal list by a point.
In addition to the in-game graphical update, we also bring you five new wallpapers. The undead beings of RuneScape have been getting rather jealous of the graphical updates other creatures have been receiving, so now it's their turn. Check out the concept art wallpapers to whet your appetite for this forthcoming update. We promise bones, bandages and braaaains galore!
Along with the creature concept image comes a bizarre holiday snap showing what Tim and Crunchy, the warrior and skeleton from the Detail Select page, did on their holidays, plus a candid insight into the world of the Wise Old Man - whatever could that be lurking beneath his desk? Head over to the Downloads page to see what all the fuss is about.

22 January 2007 - The Lair of Tarn Razorlor
It's time to dust off your undead combat kit! This week's update brings you the doom-laden lair of Tarn Razorlor!
Tarn is a necromancer who has discovered the power of the Salve crystal. If you've defeated Treus Dayth in the Haunted Mine quest, there's nothing to stop him from laying his evil hands on a piece of this precious crystal. Unfortunately, his intentions for this incredible mineral would make many a dead adventurer turn in their grave - if Tarn hadn't been there first...
Equip your Salve Amulet and head over to the Haunted Mine in the south-west of Morytania to experience the thrill of combat against the newly-awakened undead. With new monsters to fight, new traps to disarm and new treasures to unearth, can you survive the challenge of Tarn's Lair?
In addition to Tarn's new dungeon full of undead creatures, we've improved the look of many of the other undead monsters. Throughout the lands and dungeons of RuneScape, the zombies, skeletons and ghosts now have a brand new look and a far more convincing lurch. If you venture to the pyramids in the desert you'll find that the mummies have been similarly redecorated.
In other news...
We've made a slight adjustment to the ring of stone. Previously, when you changed back from being a rock, you'd have to unequip the ring and put it back on before you could become a rock again. It will now unequip itself automatically, just like the Ring of Egg does, which should be far more convenient for all you rock impersonators out there.
The bug that made the fire cape appear upside down in your inventory has been fixed!
The Barbarians have declared that they are fed up tripping over people's pet cats in the Barbarian Assault caverns, so they are now forbidding anyone from taking pets down the ladder into the minigame area.
Finally, in response to requests from players, it is no longer possible to trade the following items:
Eye of gnome
Paramaya Inn ticket
Skull
Pole
Hollow reed
Palm leaf
Bad wine
Unfermented wine
Leaf-bladed spear

29 January 2007 - What's black and white and goes green when it's finished?

It's a penguin quest!
Many have pondered the big questions in life: Who am I? Why am I here? What are those shifty penguins really up to? But none had taken the last one more seriously than Larry, a rather discombobulated* Ardougne Zookeeper. He's long suspected those penguins were up to no good, and now he's going to prove it.
Larry is preparing to set off on an observational research trip to an iceberg in the Lunar Sea. He needs your help to get supplies and build a bird hide, where he will put your skills and your patience to the test. Be careful, though: a relaxing trip of penguin-watching is bound to reveal far more sinister things afoot... or aflipper.
For those of you eager to take on this challenge, you’ll get to explore a brand new iceberg where you're likely to meet some interesting - and strangely musical - creatures who can even teach you a few new emotes. You'll also be rewarded with access to a brand new Agility course involving swimming through dangerous waters, avoiding falling icicles, slipping on ice and sliding on your belly!
But not all is fun and games with these penguins. Be prepared to step into someone else's shoes, er, claws and discover what the penguins are planning in their Cold War.
To start this quest, go and visit Larry by the penguin enclosure at the Ardougne Zoo.
*Is nothing to do with disco, or Bob.
In other news...
In Barbarian Assault, defenders will find that their barricades now last for longer when they try to block the Penance caves.
Icons have been added to the minimap to indicate places where sandpits may be found.


29 January 2007 - Postbag from the Hedge
Postie Pete has been on his rounds once again. This month he is proud to bring you letters revealing more of the history of the Guardians of Armadyl, Count Draynor's opinion of modern youth, yet more ramblings from everyone's favourite Chaos Elemental and, best of all, some dubious extracts from the Wise Old Man's collection of jokes.
Check out the Postbag now and see what else the Postie has for you...

1 February 2007 - Behind the Scenes - February

Welcome to the February BTS article.
Starting this month, we will bring you the islands of Jatizso & Neitiznot, ruled over by two brothers and a rather unpleasant Troll King. Now, normally, you’d expect two strong and noble Fremennik clans to unite together and defeat the yak-eating, bone crunching trolls, but the years of petty name calling and abuse have meant both brothers fear each other more than the creatures that rule the linking islands between them.
Settling such a dispute won’t be easy, especially as you will have to work with both of them eventually. You’ll be chopping up new arctic pines, fashioning bridges, collecting taxes, creating new armours, donning disguises to spy on important meetings and eventually find a way to test the might of the ice trolls. While attempting all of that, you’ll also be helping out the villagers as you try to equip them for the coming troubles... AND keeping the two clans away from each other. You might even get to try a spot of grudge-fixing on the way round these Fremennik Isles.
Elsewhere, Osman has been miserably staring into his empty glass of sq’irk juice. For years he was able to deal directly with the sorceress to provide his favourite tipple, before their disagreement over prices. Since then, Osman has tried desperately to find out how she grows them, but the secret is so well kept that not even Al Kharid's spymaster can find it. Osman will soon be forced into adopting a more devious approach; and for that he will need your help. Once you work out how to get into the concealed garden, it will be up to you to watch the patrolling guards and sneak past for the fruity rewards. Different seasons will affect each of the gardens, and you’ll find that more experienced thieves will have access to the more bountiful sq’irk trees. You will also be able to grab handfuls of herbs on the way - if you’re not interested in supplying Osman with his favourite thirst-quenching treat.
The seers have been nervous recently following the discovery of some rather disturbing predictions in Phantuwti’s proverbial tea leaves. Apparently, deep in the darkness, something, or several somethings, are beginning to move. Great powers are once again beginning to shift... but towards what?
This admittedly doesn't make much sense, but the seers, as usual, are merely cryptic messengers and very unlikely to be much more help. If these predictions are as ominous as they sound, though, it will be worth keeping your eyes peeled for the unusual over the coming weeks and months.
The second quest of the month will focus on a newly built tower south of Ardougne... well, almost newly built. You see, the crew hired to build the place have been struggling to come to terms with some really rather odd occurrences and missing tools - either that or the constructors' union has just decided to call a particularly long tea break. The mages due to live in the tower are growing impatient as they have pressing research regarding the true nature of magic and logic – and all the arguments that exist in-between. No doubt you’ll find yourself wrapped up in such an experiment, especially if it’s so big it requires an entire tower to be built. Exciting new puzzles, new outfits and a rather novel training dungeon await...The Knowledge Base will also be contributing with a slightly more eclectic batch of additions this month. You’ll see all of the normal Postbag from the Hedge, Players’ Gallery and new Area Guides to support the month's updates, but several of our existing articles are also being updated to contain even more useful information and advice. Check it out regularly to see all of the interesting additions; you’re bound to find something useful.
Enjoy!

6 February 2007 - Fremennik Isles
Those brave warriors who have already completed the Fremennik Trials have a challenging new quest to get their teeth into.The Fremennik Isles quest introduces a new area larger than Falador to enjoy and explore, featuring two new villages, new mines to plunder, armour to make, trees to chop, yaks to skin and a huge smelly rabble of trolls to confront.The islands of Jatizso & Neitiznot were founded by two quarreling Fremennik brothers who left the land of their father to prove themselves. Instead of finding two isolated lands to rule without worrying about each other, they unwittingly set up as neighbours, and their feud continues to this day. However, a new foe has threatened their silly sibling squabbling. Trolls, more trolls and yet more trolls - led by the imposing Ice Troll King - lurk nearby. Each village is only a few bridges away from troll-ish destruction.Normally, you’d expect two strong and noble Fremennik clans to unite together and defeat the yak-eating, bone-crunching trolls, but the years of petty name-calling and abuse have meant that the brothers fear each other more than the trolls that threaten to destroy them. Are you prepared to step into this quagmire of resentment to deal with the real threat?Fremennik warriors brave and wise enough to accept the challenge will need to be skilled with their hands, using knife and axe as well as sword. You’ll be killing yaks, building bridges, collecting taxes, fashioning smelly armour, donning disguises to spy on important meetings and dodging rocks before taking on the might of the Ice Troll King and his horde.
Barbarian AssaultDown in the murky Barbarian Assault caverns, change is in the air. The barbarians have installed a new dispenser for Collectors to use. It converts eggs from one type to another: green eggs to red eggs, red and blue eggs to green eggs. Only Collectors of levels 2 or above may make use of this feature. The dispenser is not perfect, and eggs have a high chance of being destroyed. Higher-level Collectors have a far better chance of the eggs surviving the transformation process; this is to give more of a reason for levelling up the Collector role.The barbarians have also increased the supplies available to Attackers. Their dispenser now gives runes and arrows in multiples of 50 rather than 15, and its stock now includes death runes. Although this would normally make Ancient Magicks available in the area, the Barbarians strongly prefer players not to use any such spells.The egg launcher's interface now lists how many eggs of each type it contains.The cavern used for Wave 10 has been slightly modified to stop penance runners getting stuck.
In other news...Servants in player-owned houses are now subject to increased security measures. In particular, they will now require you to enter your Bank PIN when you ask them to withdraw items from the bank, unless you've already entered it since you logged in.Ava's Attractor and Accumulator will no longer work on non-members' worlds.Rings of recoil and rings of forging have a handy new feature. If you right-click on them via the Worn Items interface and choose the "Operate" option, they will tell you how many more charges they've got.
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Okay... There they are. Lot's of 'em too!
Again, I apologize, I've just been busy and am working on a new D&D Campaign.

I might even start a podcast. So many great ones out there like Dragons Landing Inn and The Tome I might not want to compete... Who knows, cya!