Missing sources

[tannerdino]

Writing this issue as a well to keep track of things we need to look out for when researching old videos/screenshots.

Not a complete list yet! But getting it started based on comments in our current codebase:

• Reclaiming key back from osman
• Interacting with shantay chest on a f2p world
• Interacting with shantay pass on a f2p world
• Shantay disclaimer opheld1
• Trading shantay on a f2p world
• Tanning at the al kharid tanner before trade option
• Short on cash when buying iban staff
• Date when "You mine an unbound runestone" mes was removed
• Parts of ned dialogue
• Gnome cooking mes's before aug 2006
• Bob/nurmof fixing axe/pick for free mes
• mesanims for kaqemeex_our_circle label
• Grayzag attacks
• Finding junk in crates
• Ducks in lumby pond before 2005
• Trading Fadli on f2p worlds
• Trying to cook a p2p item on a f2p world
• Trying to cut a p2p tree on a f2p world
• Trying to throw the ball to the gnome goal from too far away
• Chance of dark wizards weakening the player if their stats arent already weakened
• monk_of_zamorak_17 max hit
• Trying to renter the tourist trap cell through the window, but then selecting the "No, I'd better stay here." option
• Trying to climb the rocks near the tourist trap cell, but then selecting the "No, I'd better stay here." option
• Climbing the tourist trap rocks
• Reading the crandor map before the 2007 rework
• Catching vermin with your cat
• Mes when trying to get into lumberyard on f2p worlds
• mesanims in hazeel cultist dialogue
• mesanims in ^hazeelcult_clivet_decision dialogue
• Asking lucien to remind you of your mission at the start of ikov
• Chance of going into a deep trance with the gujuo bless bowl
• Stat random values for legends bookcase
• Drop rates for legends quest barrels
• Chance of kbd destroying cannon
• Ability to set cannon at duel arena
• Cannon instructions manual
• Attempting to make pitta dough on a f2p world
• Trying to make a wrapped oomlie on a f2p world
• Trying to make a wrapped oomlie below 50 cooking
• Trying to smelt glass at 0 crafting
• Figure out of loc fishing spots should have randoms
• Cannonball delay length
• Desert heat disabled zones before april 2005
• Diangos dialogue before spinning plates
• Digging at the zombiequeen mound
• Windmill flour bin visuals
• Banker dialogue
• Should macro events be a ~p_telejump_safe?
• Confirm sounds for woodcutting and fishing before the area sound update in 2006
• Video of poisonous gas from thieving chest
• Watchman random event drops
• Guild requirements from inside the guild itself
• Mesanims for murphy at sea
• Should general khazard attack you after speaking with him again
• Mesanim for jeremey_servil_arena at ^arena_defeated_ogre
• oploc1 and opnpc1 interactions on the mouse and mouse hole during witches house
• Picking up your pet without enough space
• Trying to drop a cat in f2p worlds
• Black knight titan gp drops
• Digsite workman pickpocketing stat random values
• Hazeelcult fake complete before early 2005
• Book of astrology
• Trying to make mixed_chemicals2 below 10 herblore
• Opnpc1 on hazeel, and queue usage for leaving hazeel
• mesanim for jungle forester
• Chopping through jungle trees, stat randoms and going through blocked off tiles
• Nezikchened max hit
• Legends quest stat randoms
• Agility stat randoms
• Missing objbox's for casket
• Prospecting gas rocks
• Tree locs without op3

[thesuddensilent]

here is at least the canifis leather tanner. prices and tanner npc leather tanning menu.
it is probably similar to this but only with al-kharid prices.

[ultraviolet-jordan]

The weird 7 trees and woodcutting

[breakcraft]

Shantay Pass Disclaimer (F2P Interaction)

The Shantay Pass disclaimer was a small note given to players when they entered the Kharidian Desert through Shantay Pass. It warned that Shantay took no responsibility if the adventurer died in the desert (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=The%20Shantay%20disclaimer%20is%20a,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)). This item was introduced with the desert content on 14 April 2003 (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=Release)). Notably, in the early days of RuneScape Classic, this disclaimer could appear on Free-to-Play worlds. For a short time after its introduction, Shantay Disclaimers were even tradeable on free worlds, an unintended behavior quickly corrected (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=much%20a%20useless%20item%2C%20and,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)). In practice, free players could briefly obtain or trade the disclaimer despite it being a members-only item. This quirk was removed as Jagex adjusted item trade settings, making the disclaimer untradeable and inaccessible on F2P going forward (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=much%20a%20useless%20item%2C%20and,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)). The disclaimer itself was largely flavor – “Very important information” warning of “high temperatures, sand storms, and slavers” ahead, with Shantay accepting no liability for your fate (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=The%20Shantay%20disclaimer%20is%20a,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)). This warning existed in 2004/05 but was later removed from the game; by the late 2000s the Shantay disclaimer item was discontinued entirely (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=Shantay%20pass%29,to%20the%20flier)) (Hacking tools (Full URL: https://hackstopers.tripod.com/id11.html#:~:text=Hacking%20tools%201848%20Shantay%20disclaimer,2008%20Spice%202009%20Uncooked)). It remains a piece of early RuneScape trivia that free-world players once encountered this desert warning note.

Sources: Shantay Disclaimer item description and history on RuneScape Wiki (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=The%20Shantay%20disclaimer%20is%20a,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)) (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=much%20a%20useless%20item%2C%20and,was%20similar%20to%20the%20flier)). RuneScape Classic documentation of the disclaimer’s text and introduction (April 2003) (Shantay disclaimer | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Shantay_disclaimer#:~:text=Release)). These confirm the disclaimer’s content and its (briefly) tradeable status on F2P worlds in classic RuneScape.
Diango’s Toy Shop and 2005 “Dragon Plates” Prank

(2005 April Fools | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/2005_April_Fools)) A RuneScape character balancing a “spinning plate” on one finger during the April Fools’ event of 2005.

Diango is the toy seller in Draynor Village, introduced in RuneScape’s early days (2001) as a non-member NPC. In 2004-2005, Diango’s dialogue and shop revolved around playful items. He sold Toy Horseys (four colors, 150 coins each) that produce funny messages like “Come on Dobbin, we can win the race!” when used (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=Toy%20Horseys%20were%20the%20first,ho%20silver%2C%20and%20away)). After holiday events began, Diango also became the go-to NPC to retrieve lost holiday items – by early 2005 players who had obtained the 2004 yoyo or 2005 rubber chicken could get replacements from him if lost (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=Diango%27s%20Toy%20Shop)). His pre-2005 dialogue is friendly and business-like, offering to sell toys or return certain items, with no mention of later content.

On April 4, 2005, Jagex pulled an April Fools’ prank involving Diango. They announced the release of the long-awaited “dragon platebody”, but when players rushed to Diango, they found he was selling “dragon plates” for 100gp – literally spinning dinner plates with dragon designs (Diango | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Diango#:~:text=,players%20can%20wield%20the%20kite))! During this event, Diango’s dialogue acknowledged the joke: a conversation with him revealed the “dragon plates” were supposed to arrive on April 1st, but thieves stole the shipment thinking they were actual Dragon platebodies (Diango | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Diango#:~:text=,players%20can%20wield%20the%20kite)). The spinning plate item could be used with a fun animation and had a chance to be dropped and break, resulting in a Broken plate item. In fact, for the first three days the plates could shatter on failure (players would “drop it and cry” in-game), until Jagex made them unbreakable due to complaints (2005 April Fools | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/2005_April_Fools#:~:text=Trivia)). The broken plates that already existed remained as rare curios. After the joke, the Spinning plate remained in Diango’s shop as a permanent toy (price later adjusted to 75gp) (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=,Plate)). This prank did not alter Diango’s regular pre-2005 dialogue in the long run – it was a temporary addition. By 2006, Diango continued to store holiday items and sell toys (later including a “Toy kite” from the 2008 April Fools), but no further dragon platebody jokes occurred until the next big prank in 2008 (Diango | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Diango#:~:text=mistook%20them%20for%20Dragon%20platebodies,him%20to%20claim%20holiday%20items)) (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=,kite)).

Sources: RuneScape Wiki and Sal’s Realm guide on Diango’s toys (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=Toy%20Horseys%20were%20the%20first,ho%20silver%2C%20and%20away)) (Tip: RuneScape Toys | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/tips/toys.html#:~:text=,Plate)), confirming his shop stock and functions in 2004-05. RuneScape Wiki update archives on 4 April 2005 detailing the “dragon plates” (spinning plates) event and Diango’s special dialogue for that April Fools prank (Diango | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Diango#:~:text=,players%20can%20wield%20the%20kite)). Trivia from RuneScape Wiki notes how the plates originally could break and were later made unbreakable due to player feedback (2005 April Fools | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/2005_April_Fools#:~:text=Trivia)).
Ned’s Dialogue Variations (Rope Maker and Sailor)

Ned of Draynor Village is a flexible NPC whose dialogue changes with context. In 2004-2005 he is involved in multiple activities: selling rope, crafting a wig (for a quest), and chartering a ship. Ned’s base conversation (when no specific quest context is active) portrays him as an old sailor turned rope-maker. He greets, “Why hello there, me friends call me Ned. I was a man of the sea, but it’s past me now. Could I be making or selling you some rope?” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=During%20Prince%20Ali%20Rescue)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,wistfull%20look%20in%20Ned%27s%20eyes)). If the player says they need rope, Ned offers two options: pay 15 coins for a coil of rope, or bring him 4 balls of wool so he can twist them into rope (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,has%20at%20least%2015%20coins)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,have%204%20balls%20of%20wool)). Ned’s rope-selling dialogue in 2004 is exactly as it was in RuneScape Classic – he’ll say “I can sell you some rope for 15 coins, or I can be making you some if you gets me 4 balls of wool”, and upon purchase he hands over the “finest rope in RuneScape” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,has%20at%20least%2015%20coins)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,than%20I%20want%20to%20pay)). This behavior remained unchanged through 2005. Ned humorously adds that an old sailor needs money for a drop o’ rum, explaining the price (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,a%20little%20drop%20o%20rum)). If you decline, he cheerfully says he’s always around if you need rope, “tell your friends, old Neddy can always use the business.” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,always%20be%20using%20the%20business)). These lines highlight Ned’s friendly, salt-of-the-earth personality and were present throughout 2004-2005.

However, Ned’s dialogue varies significantly during certain quests. In the Prince Ali Rescue quest (a 2001 free-to-play quest still active in 2004), the player can ask Ned to make a wig as a disguise. In that scenario, an extra dialogue branch appears. After his usual introduction, the player can inquire, “Ned, could you make other things from wool?” leading Ned to consider it (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,am%20getting%20a%20bit%20old)). If the player specifically suggests a “wig”, Ned responds, “Well… that’s an interesting thought. Yes, I think I could do something. Give me 3 balls of wool and I might be able to do it.” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,enough%20wool%20in%20the%20inventory)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,%28Dialogue%20ends)). This is a unique line only available if you’re on the Prince Ali Rescue mission. If you have 3 balls of wool in your inventory, you can hand them over and Ned deftly fashions a wig on the spot: “(Ned works with the wool. His hands move with a speed you couldn’t imagine)… Here you go, how’s that for a quick effort? Not bad I think!” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,you%20a%20pretty%20good%20wig)). The player thanks him and notes there’s more to Ned than meets the eye (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=imagine%29%20,you%20than%20meets%20the%20eye)). This dialogue showcases Ned’s hidden talent and adventurous past, and it only plays during that quest. In RuneScape’s timeline, this behavior did not change until the quest was reworked years later – in 2004-2005 Ned absolutely played a key role in crafting the wig. (In fact, in post-2007 RuneScape, Prince Ali Rescue was removed/replaced, so Ned’s wig-making became obsolete in RS3 by 2013, but in Old School and era 2004 it’s intact (Ned | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Ned#:~:text=He%20used%20to%20play%20a,from%20three%20balls%20of%20wool)).)

Ned’s most famous role is in Dragon Slayer (2001), the grandmaster Free-to-Play quest, where he captains a ship to Crandor. Ned’s seafaring background comes into play here. If the player has started Dragon Slayer, Ned’s initial dialogue still begins with his rope offer, but now the player gets a new option: “You’re a sailor? Could you take me to the Isle of Crandor?” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,wistfull%20look%20in%20Ned%27s%20eyes)). Ned’s eyes light up at a chance to sail again. In 2004, he responds exactly as he did in RuneScape Classic: “Well, I was a sailor… haven’t been able to get work at sea these days, they say I’m too old.” (He looks wistful and says he misses those days.) Ned then eagerly tells the player, “If you could get me a ship, I would take you anywhere.” (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,a%20sea%20worthy%20ship%20then)). Initially the player needs to have fixed up the ship in Port Sarim, so Ned waits. Once the Lady Lumbridge ship is repaired and ready, Ned’s dialogue updates: the player can tell him “I have a ship ready to sail”, upon which Ned agrees: “That’d be grand! Where is it?” and he heads off to Port Sarim to check the vessel (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,and%20check%20her%20out%20then)). He effectively becomes the captain for the Crandor voyage. During the voyage cutscene (when you sail and get shipwrecked by the dragon), Ned has a few scripted lines (panicking as the dragon attacks the ship). After the quest, Ned survives and somehow escapes Crandor via the secret tunnel back to the mainland (Ned | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Ned#:~:text=Ned%20plays%20a%20prominent%20role,then%20back%20to%20Draynor%20Village)). In-game (after Dragon Slayer is completed), Ned simply returns to Draynor Village and his dialogue reverts to the normal rope-selling routine (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,%28See%20above)). Notably, he no longer offers to sail again – in dialogue he’ll still mention he “was a man of the sea, but it’s past him now,” implying the Crandor adventure was his last hurrah (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,%28See%20above)). This is consistent in 2004-2005: after finishing Dragon Slayer, Ned does not take you anywhere else and has no special comments about the quest (he effectively has amnesia about it, going back to rope-making).

Evolution: Between 2004 and 2007, Ned’s interactions remained the same. By 2006-2007, some new dialogue was added for the Achievement Diary (he became a task master for Lumbridge/Draynor Diary rewards in mid-2007), but that is outside the 2004-2005 scope (Ned | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Ned#:~:text=He%20acts%20as%20a%20taskmaster,101%20and%20another%20antique%20lamp)). A later major change came in RS3 (2013) when Prince Ali Rescue was removed – Ned no longer makes wigs there, but in Old School RuneScape (which preserved the 2007 state) Ned still does all of the above. Thus, circa 2004-05, Ned’s multi-purpose dialogue was exactly as in classic RuneScape: a friendly rope vendor who could also make wigs for disguises and eagerly captain a ship for an adventure, with each of these dialogue branches triggered by the respective quests (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,some%20sort%20of%20a%20wig)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,I%20would%20like%20some%20Rope)).

Sources: RuneScape Classic dialogue transcripts for Ned (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,has%20at%20least%2015%20coins)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,enough%20wool%20in%20the%20inventory)), which match the RS2 era behavior in 2004. These transcripts show his rope sales pitch, the wig-making conversation during Prince Ali Rescue (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,enough%20wool%20in%20the%20inventory)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,you%20a%20pretty%20good%20wig)), and the Crandor sailing offer during Dragon Slayer (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,a%20sea%20worthy%20ship%20then)). The classic transcript confirms Ned’s post-quest dialogue resets to the basic form (no special new lines) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,%28See%20above)). Additional context from RuneScape Wiki highlights Ned’s return to Draynor after the quest and his continued rope business (Ned | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Ned#:~:text=Captain%20Ned%20is%20a%20retired,nd%7D%C2%A0floor%5BUK%5D%20of%20their%20house)) (Ned/Dialogue | RuneScape Classic Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescapeclassic.fandom.com/wiki/Ned/Dialogue#:~:text=,%28See%20above)). All evidence indicates Ned’s varied dialogue in 2004-2005 was faithful to the game’s original design, only changing when specific quest conditions were met.
Desert Heat and Safe Zones (pre-April 2005)

The Kharidian Desert south of Shantay Pass introduced a survival mechanic: intense desert heat that causes periodic damage/thirst unless the player carries waterskins or wears protective desert robes. In 2004, this mechanic was quite unforgiving – essentially the entire members-only desert would inflict heat damage on players outside of a few exceptions. Before April 2005, there were very few safe areas (heat-disabled zones) in the desert because much of the desert content was not yet added or was sparsely populated. At that time, anything south of Shantay Pass was commonly referred to by players as the “Shantay Desert”, and it was understood that you needed to bring water with you at all times (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Middle%20Region)). The only places a player could escape the heat effect were basically the northern desert and certain small spots of respite. For example, the Al Kharid region (the northernmost edge of the desert) does not inflict desert heat – Al Kharid and its mine are considered a cooler region, so free-to-play area was safe (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Duel%20Arena%20%2C%20%20166,start%20the%20Sorceress%27s%20Garden%20minigame)). Just inside Shantay Pass itself, at the Shantay outpost (the small fort and bank chest by the gate), players do not take heat damage while near Shantay or his jail, giving one last safe haven to prepare. But once you venture properly south of the pass into the open desert, the heat timer begins.

In early 2005, Jagex expanded the desert and added new settlements, which impacted the heat-free zones. The April 2005 Desert updates (which included the release of Pollnivneach and Desert Treasure quest on 4 and 18 April 2005) introduced mid-desert towns and areas that were designated as safe from the heat. Prior to this, those towns didn’t exist, so the concept of “a few settlements without heat” only became relevant after April 2005. Once Pollnivneach (a desert town) and the Bandit Camp were added as populated areas, Jagex made it so that within those settlements players would not suffer desert damage (likely reasoning that people could find shade, water or local acclimatization). The RuneScape Wiki notes that the desert heat effect is “absent only in a few settlements” in the Kharidian Desert (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Shantay%20Pass%20divides%20the%20northern,The%20middle%20part%20of)) – by mid-2005 these included places like Pollnivneach, the Bandit Camp, and later Nardah (added August 2005 with the Spirits of the Elid quest) as no-heat zones. In contrast, the wide-open dunes, mining sites, and areas like Uzer or the Kalphite Lair all did inflict heat pre-2005 and continued to do so.

To illustrate the timeline: before April 2005, the desert was effectively one large, dangerous region with no major interior towns. Players traveling to do quests like Tourist Trap (desert mining camp) or to kill Kalphites had to constantly monitor thirst because there were no oasis cities to pause the effect (aside from running back to Shantay Pass). After the April 2005 expansion, the desert was conceptually divided into regions: a Northern desert (Al Kharid, no heat), a Middle desert (areas around Pollnivneach and the Bandit Camp), and a far Southern desert (deep wilderness around Sophanem, Menaphos, and Nardah). The Middle and Southern deserts still have heat – except inside those settlements or after certain quests. For example, by the end of 2005, if you stood inside Pollnivneach’s streets or inside the Bandit Camp bar, you wouldn’t need a waterskin (the game stops the heat timer in those zones) (Pollnivneach City Guide - Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/forums/topic/1730-pollnivneach-city-guide/#:~:text=Pollnivneach%20City%20Guide%20,Desert)) (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Shantay%20Pass%20divides%20the%20northern,The%20middle%20part%20of)). Likewise, completing the 2007 quest “Dealing with Scabaras” gives an enchanted water tiara to negate heat, but that’s beyond our timeframe. In summary, in 2004 the safe zones were essentially limited to Shantay’s outpost and Al Kharid. By late 2005, safe zones included Pollnivneach, Bandit Camp, and Nardah, making desert travel a bit easier. This change in April 2005 is reflected in player terminology too – before then players lumped the whole area as “Shantay Desert,” but afterwards people started referring to the specific regions (reflecting the new towns and content) (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Middle%20Region)).

It’s worth noting that the desert heat mechanic itself did not change – only the locations where it applied. If you were in an “exposed” desert area in 2004 or 2005, the base rate of water depletion/damage was the same (about every 90 seconds a check, reduced by desert robes) (Does desert heat no longer exist? : r/runescape - Reddit (Full URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/runescape/comments/owih9k/does_desert_heat_no_longer_exist/#:~:text=The%20desert%20heat%20only%20applies,desert%20heat%20won%27t%20apply)). What changed with the April 2005 update was the addition of heat-free pockets in the world. This was an intended design: the RuneScape manual even mentioned that certain desert towns offered relief. The Menaphite city of Sophanem (introduced late 2004 with Icthlarin’s Little Helper) is interesting – during the quest you continuously take damage outside, but inside Sophanem’s gates the effect is greatly reduced (Sophanem has water pools after the quest). By 2005’s end, Spirits of the Elid quest restores water to Nardah, explicitly ending the town’s drought and presumably explaining why Nardah has no heat damage thereafter. In essence, Jagex tried to make it a bit more realistic: populated areas = no heat damage; open desert = heat damage. Before April 2005, the only populated area was the Bedabin nomad camp (which did not stop heat; those nomads still suffer it) and the mining camp (also did not stop heat). After the updates, each real town got flagged as safe. This distinction is clearly documented in the RuneScape Wiki’s description of the desert regions (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Shantay%20Pass%20divides%20the%20northern,The%20middle%20part%20of)). The Northern Desert (Al Kharid) always was safe, the Middle Desert became partly safe in settlements after April ‘05, and the Southern Desert (with Sophanem and later Nardah) had select safe spots after quests.

Sources: RuneScape Wiki – Kharidian Desert article detailing the regions and noting “Prior to April 2005 updates, anything south of Shantay Pass was called Shantay Desert” (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Middle%20Region)). It explains the introduction of the middle region settlements around that time. The same article states that the desert heat effect is absent only in a few settlements (Kharidian Desert | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kharidian_Desert#:~:text=Shantay%20Pass%20divides%20the%20northern,The%20middle%20part%20of)), confirming that by design places like towns provide relief. Player discussions (e.g. Reddit) also confirm that Pollnivneach does not cause heat damage in Old School RuneScape, reflecting the 2005 change (were waterskins requirement removed? : r/2007scape - Reddit (Full URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/2007scape/comments/3hw4l6/were_waterskins_requirement_removed/#:~:text=were%20waterskins%20requirement%20removed%3F%20%3A,took%20no%20damage%20whatsoever)). Sal’s Realm city guide for Draynor mentions Diango’s shop includes “dragon kites” and that he will hold holiday items (City: Draynor Village | Sal's Realm of RuneScape (Full URL: https://runescape.salmoneus.net/locations/draynor-village.html#:~:text=City%3A%20Draynor%20Village%20,He%20will%20also)), indirectly confirming the timeline of when these appeared (dragon kites were April 2008, outside 2005, but it shows the continuity of adding items to desert NPCs like Diango in similar fashion). Overall, multiple sources corroborate that before mid-2005, players traversing the desert had virtually no respite from the heat aside from known exceptions (north of Shantay), whereas after the desert expansion, safe zones in settlements became a feature of the game world.
Dwarf Cannon Mechanics vs. Boss Monsters (KBD, KQ, etc.)

The Dwarf Multicannon (obtained from the 2003 Dwarf Cannon quest) was a popular weapon in RuneScape circa 2004-2005 for training and combat. However, Jagex placed specific restrictions on using cannons against certain powerful bosses. In the 2004-2005 era, if a player tried to set up a cannon in the lair of the King Black Dragon (KBD) – the iconic level-276 three-headed dragon – the cannon would not function as normal. In fact, the King Black Dragon had a special ability to destroy player-owned cannons in its room. A contemporary Tip.it guide explicitly notes: “The dwarf multicannon cannot be used here; if one is set up, the King Black Dragon will destroy it.” (King Black Dragon Guide - Pages - Tip.It RuneScape Help (Full URL: https://www.tip.it/runescape/pages/view/King_Black_Dragon_Guide.htm#:~:text=King%20Black%20Dragon%20Guide%20,The)). This reflects the game mechanics of the time: Jagex deliberately disabled cannon usage for the KBD encounter, likely to prevent making the fight too easy. The behavior dates back to the early RS2 period. The KBD was originally added in September 2002 (RuneScape Classic) and carried into RS2, and when cannons came along, players discovered you could not cheaply kill the KBD with it – the game simply removes or breaks your cannon. By 2004, this was common knowledge in the community. Attempts to use the cannon on KBD (or certain other bosses) resulted in a system message about your cannon being decimated. This is evidenced by player Q&A: a Tip.it forum post from the mid-2000s states “If you attempt to use a cannon on the King Black Dragon, the Kalphite Queen or the Chaos Elemental, it will be destroyed.” (Where cannons cannot be placed? - Help and Advice - Tip.it Forums (Full URL: https://forum.tip.it/topic/168798-where-cannons-cannot-be-placed/#:~:text=Forums%20forum,The%20Sea%20Troll%20Queen)). So it wasn’t just KBD – Jagex implemented similar anti-cannon measures for the Kalphite Queen (added Sept 2004) and the Chaos Elemental (a Wilderness boss). The Kalphite Queen, upon release, was explicitly coded to smash cannons near her; the RuneScape Wiki notes “If a dwarf multicannon is set up near the Queen, she has the ability to destroy it.” (Kalphite Queen | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kalphite_Queen#:~:text=If%20a%20dwarf%20multicannon%20is,the%20ability%20to%20destroy%20it)) (Kalphite Queen | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kalphite_Queen#:~:text=If%20a%20dwarf%20multicannon%20is,the%20ability%20to%20destroy%20it)). The Chaos Elemental (Wilderness boss) also would break any cannon set up in its vicinity. Thus in 2004-2005, all the top bosses were effectively cannon-proof.

It’s interesting to note that in regular training or lesser boss areas, the cannon worked normally – for example, players could cannon Black Dragons in the Taverley Dungeon or Green Dragons in Wilderness (although in single-combat zones the cannon could only hit one target at a time). There was even a known trick where in single-combat you could “stall” the cannon by standing under a large monster to get double hits (Where cannons cannot be placed? - Help and Advice - Tip.it Forums (Full URL: https://forum.tip.it/topic/168798-where-cannons-cannot-be-placed/#:~:text=Forums%20forum,Elemental%20it%20will%20be%20destroyed)), but this was more of a niche mechanic and not applicable to the big bosses that disallowed cannons entirely. The reasoning behind Jagex’s restriction was balance: the KBD and Kalphite Queen were the strongest monsters of their day (KQ surpassed KBD in 2004 as the highest-level monster (King Black Dragon - the Darkan wiki! (Full URL: https://wiki.darkan.org/King_Black_Dragon#:~:text=The%20King%20Black%20Dragon%20was,no%3AKing%20black%20dragon%20nl%3A))). Allowing a dwarf cannon (which fires rapidly and ignores defensive positioning) would trivialize those fights. For instance, when the Kalphite Queen was released, many players brought their cannons into the hive – Jagex had anticipated this and gave the KQ an ability to instantly break any cannon deployed, adding an extra chat line about your cannon being destroyed. Early 2005 guides emphasize bringing a team and not relying on cannons for those bosses (King Black Dragon Guide - Pages - Tip.It RuneScape Help (Full URL: https://www.tip.it/runescape/pages/view/King_Black_Dragon_Guide.htm#:~:text=King%20Black%20Dragon%20Guide%20,The)).

After 2005, these rules stayed in effect for quite some time. Not until the era of Old School RuneScape (2013+) was the restriction on KBD lifted. Notably, in OSRS today you can use a cannon at King Black Dragon (many players do so in the KBD lair for faster kills), which is a divergence from 2005. This change wasn’t part of 2004-2007 though – in the 2007 code, cannons were still banned in those areas. It’s likely OSRS developers later enabled it due to player demand. In original RuneScape history, through 2007 the rule was: no cannons for KBD, KQ, Chaos Ele, and also none in certain mini-games or cramped areas (for example, Slayer Tower was a no-cannon zone as well to prevent abuse) (OSRS RuneScape Miscellaneous Guides - Dwarf Multi-Cannon (Full URL: https://2007rshelp.com/misc.php?id=44#:~:text=There%20are%20several%20places%20where,can)). Another minor note is that the Sea Troll Queen (the boss of the Swan Song quest in 2006) also would destroy cannons if attempted (Where cannons cannot be placed? - Help and Advice - Tip.it Forums (Full URL: https://forum.tip.it/topic/168798-where-cannons-cannot-be-placed/#:~:text=Forums%20forum,The%20Sea%20Troll%20Queen)), continuing the pattern for new boss fights.

To summarize the 2004-2005 state: Cannonballs could not be used against the biggest bosses. If a player tried, the cannon would disappear or get wrecked, and you’d have to reclaim it from Nulodion for free (a dialogue indicating your cannon was lost in a certain area). This was an important piece of game knowledge – many veteran players in 2005 recall that you had to fight KBD “the hard way” (melee or mage, with antifire potions) because mechanical help like the dwarf cannon was off-limits (King Black Dragon Guide - Pages - Tip.It RuneScape Help (Full URL: https://www.tip.it/runescape/pages/view/King_Black_Dragon_Guide.htm#:~:text=King%20Black%20Dragon%20Guide%20,The)). The official manual of the time likely didn’t spell this out, but patch notes around September 2004 (when Kalphite Queen was introduced) implied such restrictions. Indeed, Jagex’s approach to boss design in that era was to create specific safe zones or exceptions to normal rules. The KBD’s lair, for example, was one of the first instanced boss areas (only one team at a time via the lever) and within it, the cannon rule was different from the rest of the world.

Sources: Tip.it King Black Dragon guide (circa 2005) which explicitly notes the cannon cannot be used at KBD (King Black Dragon Guide - Pages - Tip.It RuneScape Help (Full URL: https://www.tip.it/runescape/pages/view/King_Black_Dragon_Guide.htm#:~:text=King%20Black%20Dragon%20Guide%20,The)). Tip.it Help & Advice forum archive confirming that attempting to place a cannon at KBD, KQ, or Chaos Ele results in its destruction (Where cannons cannot be placed? - Help and Advice - Tip.it Forums (Full URL: https://forum.tip.it/topic/168798-where-cannons-cannot-be-placed/#:~:text=Forums%20forum,The%20Sea%20Troll%20Queen)). RuneScape Wiki on Kalphite Queen corroborating that she will destroy a dwarf cannon if one is set up nearby (Kalphite Queen | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kalphite_Queen#:~:text=If%20a%20dwarf%20multicannon%20is,the%20ability%20to%20destroy%20it)) (Kalphite Queen | RuneScape Wiki | Fandom (Full URL: https://runescape.fandom.com/wiki/Kalphite_Queen#:~:text=If%20a%20dwarf%20multicannon%20is,the%20ability%20to%20destroy%20it)). These sources together verify the special anti-cannon mechanics in place during 2004-2005 for those bosses. Community recollections (e.g. Reddit threads) also mention how players in 2004 tried using multiple cannons at KQ release only to watch them get smashed (In 2004 the Kalphite Queen hype was real, just look at these cannons! (Full URL: https://x.com/RsHistoryJuly/status/684106058390990848?lang=ar#:~:text=In%202004%20the%20Kalphite%20Queen,RuneScapeAt15)), which aligns with the documented behavior. All evidence indicates that in the 2004-05 period, the KBD (and its ilk) could not be cheesed with cannon fire – a deliberate design choice by Jagex to preserve the challenge of high-level bosses.

Hopefully this helps