You’re not alone, though. Seven firemakers have heard that hidden knowledge – arcane secrets of firemaking – lie in the cave system, and they wish you to lead the way through the dimly lit depths. As their leader, your choices will determine whether they live or die. So, will you leave the caverns with a full complement of firemakers, or will you let death thin their ranks?

Bring light to the dungeon complex and you will reveal some of firemaking’s oldest and most illuminating secrets. Successful adventurers will gain XP; will be able to participate in two new circus events; and will have access to a new firemaking training method. There are also four new blazing pets to call your own.

Summary:

Where to start The Firemaker’s Curse:

Talk to Phoenix, south of Eagles’ Peak and west of the Tree Gnome Stronghold.

Requirements to start The Firemaker’s Curse:

This is a members’ quest
Level 74 Firemaking
Level 76 Constitution
Level 64 Agility
The new training method, and pets, are available at 91 Firemaking.

Mod Ana

In other news:

The Firemaker’s Curse is a choice-based quest, and your choices determine who lives or dies. While there is a path through the quest where (almost) nobody dies, any incorrect choices will not adversely affect your game experience or reward. With this in mind, we would recommend that you do not use a walkthrough.

This week’s quest features Sera - the character voted for by you in our recent guaranteed content poll!

If you haven’t already, be sure to take a look at our latest Lores & Histories story: Twice Burnt, to read up on the back-story of today’s quest.

Leaving a Flash Powder Factory game more than two minutes early will now incur a penalty of up to 50%. Running out of catalyst powder will no longer end a game; just prevent the player from making flash powder. Finally, being trapped in a corridor for too long will no longer end the game; just teleport the player to a random corner of the arena.

RuneScape was commended for its accessibility, the sheer volume and variety of content available, and the frequency of its updates, as well as for the decisive blow struck against bots last year. It’s truly awesome to see that, even at 11 years old and with the competition fiercer than ever, RuneScape still stands out from the crowd.

Check out the full article here.

Last year was an epic one, with the introduction of customisable Clan Citadels, our first fully-voiced quest in One Piercing Note, and Bot Nuke Day, and we’ve got a lot to live up to in 2012. With all the awesome content we have planned for the upcoming weeks and months, you can be sure we’ll be doing just that.

Well, almost. Before we do that, there are just a few festive bits that still need wrapping up.

Christmas Caption Competition

After an unprecedented number of entrants (and an equally unprecedented amount of collective groans from the judges), Letajera took the honours for their word skills. See the caption in its full glory over on the competition thread.

Festive Photo Competition

This competition could have been re-branded as “The RuneScape Pets in Christmas Costumes Competition,” as it appears that, to our wonderful community, nothing says Christmas better than an annoyed cat in a santa hat. We’ve not been able to choose a winner yet, so have put it to our Facebook community to make the decision for us. Make your choice from the shortlist by heading to our Facebook page today!

Mod Sabre’s New Year’s Eve Challenge

This New Year’s Eve, Mod Sabre was challenged with seeing in the new year in each and every time zone on the planet. You can check out whether he was victorious or failed like a big baby on the dedicated thread. You can also find photo evidence on our Facebook page. Poor Sabre.

Thanks to everyone who took part this Christmas and hey, in 355 sleeps time we get to celebrate it all over again! Yay!

Not to be outdone, Sedridor and the tower wizards have an ambitious plan to create an extra-dimensional tower dedicated solely to seasonal cheer. It’s been an administrative nightmare, though: the imps, conjured to act as waiters, are missing; animated decorations are running amok; and the eccentric goblin and troll chef duo are taking a scarily explosive approach to Christmas catering.

Lend a helping hand to decorate the tower, organise the staff and whip up a feast to challenge even the most rotund of robed bellies. As well as a chance to meet plenty of old friends from the wizarding world, there’s also a new emote to be unlocked, a wand to spread festive goodwill to other players, and a tinsel snake pet for members. You’ll also unlock a minigame, only available over the Christmas period, where you can pit parties of battle-ready snowmen against each-other in stone-cold thaumaturgical throw-downs!

To start A Towering Feast:

Speak to Wizard Sinterklaas, outside of the Wizards’ Tower, south of Draynor Village.

Requirements

There are no level requirements, and the event may be completed by both members and free players.
Members will receive a tinsel snake pet, in addition to the other rewards.

Mod Pi

In Other News…

It seems that some of the frosty creations from the Wizards’ Christmas Banquet have escaped and are roaming through the world of Gielinor. Lend the wizards a further helping hand by bringing these unruly creations under control! They may appear anywhere, at any time, so keep an eye out; they may also have some snowy surprises hidden on them!
Miners will notice some extra sheen on rocks containing ore. As well as being a shiny visual improvement in itself, this will make it easier to spot rocks that are ready to be mined.
Don’t forget: During the period of 25th of December to the 5th of January you’ll receive 500 bonus loyalty points for each day you log in!
Nex has had the following changes made, in line with player feedback:
Nex no longer attacks while performing a “siphon” attack.
The landslide loses its “climb down” option after you have descended.
The spirit cape’s message about cheaper Summoning specials has been added to the spam filter.
The click area on Nex has been doubled.

Winter is set to hit Clan Battlefields and, to celebrate, Timbo has created a seasonal battlefield sure to test even the inquisitive of present hunters. Don’t worry, though; he’s not a complete scrooge. He’s left presents for those victorious warriors prepared to fight for them. What a guy.

Timbo’s winter thunderland won’t be there for long so tool up, put on your best fighting trousers and get to your nearest citadel before it melts away!

Details on how to access Timbo’s Christmas carnage can be found on the main battlefield thread.

If Timbo has inspired you to create your own festive fight-a-thon, show us what you’ve made by sending your screenshots to community@jagex.com.

Merry Christmas!

8Realms is a real-time strategy game that, with the help of your faithful assistant Gary, sees you take a group of simple subjects on a journey through progression and evolution; through 8 realms of time and into the future.

Many of you in our loyal RuneScape community have been following 8Realms throughout its development, so it’s our pleasure to offer future rulers a chance to jump into the action by registering for a VIP access key on the website.

2. Darren will now tell you of your assignment – the golden chalice. Go to Lumbridge Castle to speak with Robin. He can be found in the southern end of the courtyard, at the souther wall of Lumbridge Castle. Robin will reveal that the chalice has been withdrawn from the bank vault by an old man living in the swamp.

3. Go to Father Urhney’s house in the southeast of the swamp. Attempt to pickpocket him but he is too alert. Light a fire under one of his windows then speak to Father Urhney about his chalice and then choose to say “Fire! Fire!” Pickpocket him while he is distracted and then open the case containing the chalice.

4. Go back to Darren Lightfinger and give him the chalice.

Reward

1 Quest Point
3 Thieves’ Guild Pamphlets giving 175 XP each
Access to the expanded Thieves’ Guild
The ability to collect Hanky Points.
From Tiny Acorns
Needed skills: 24 Thieving

Needed items: Teleport to Varrock (optional),Teleport to Lumbridge (optional)

1. Darren now has another caper for you. This time you must steal a toy baby dragon made of rubies from a craftsman in Varrock. Head to Varrock Square.

2. Speak to the Market guard and ask him about Urist. He will tell you that Urist keeps a talisman in his back pocket. Pickpocket Urist to steal it and then put down the talisman and speak to Urist again. He will go over to pick it up. Meanwhile, quickly distract the guard and then steal the dragon from the stall.

3. Speak to Urist again and he will be forced to give Darren’s money back as he can’t meet the deadline. He will hand you a banker’s note. Return to Darren in Lumbridge.

Reward

1000 Thieving XP
Increased access to the Thieves’ Guild
Lost Her Marbles
Needed Items: 41 Thieving

Needed Items: None

1. The next task Darren sets you is to find 32 flame fragments which were once pieces of solitaire. They have been scattered throughout Gielinor but have been picked up by various people. You must thieve these people to find the fragments. Each group of people has a maximum of 6 fragments.

These fragments can be gotten from anyone that can be pickpocketed from. The closest groups are:

Man/Woman (in Lumbridge
Al-Kharid Warriors (Al-Kharid Palace)
Farmers (In the fields near Lumbridge)
H.A.M. Members (H.A.M. Hideout in the forest between Lumbridge and Draynor Village)
Master Farmers (Draynor Village)
Cave Goblins (in Dorgesh-Kaan)
Guards (Falador or Varrock)
2. Once you have all 32 fragments, return to Darren. The fragments can be handed back 8 at a time and each time Robin rewards you with various raw materials as well as 1200 Thieving XP.

Reward

9800 Thieving XP
Raw materials from Chief Thief Robin
Advanced pickpocketing (better loot from NPCs up to level 40)
Increased access to the Thieves’ Guild
A Guild Of Our Own
Needed skills: 62 Thieving,46 Herblore,40 Agility

Needed quests:The Feud

Needed Items: Any Blackjack, Lockpick, Vial of water, Irit Leaf, Bowl, Onion, Teleport to Ardougne (optional), Teleport to Lumbridge (optional)

Note: The blackjack and the lockpick can be bought from Dodgy Derek inside the Thieves’ Guild.

1. Darren now has one final task for you to complete. To ensure that the Thieves’ Guild becomes official, an outrageous registration fee must be paid to the Guild Registrar in Ardougne. Your task is to break into the Registrar’s vault, steal their bonds and then pay the fee with their own money. To do this you will need a blackjack, a lockpick and a disguise.

2. Speak to Robin about the disguise. He will tell you how to make a Vial of stench, which will cause the guard’s eyes to water so much that he can’t see you clearly. You will need a vial of water, an irit leaf and a bowl of chopped onion. The bowl of chopped onion is made by using a bowl with an onion.

3. Once you have made the potion return to Robin and he will cast a spell to ensure that the potion doesn’t affect you as well. Now go to East Ardougne, the Guild Registrar is located to the southeast.
4. Walk inside and pickpocket the registrar to receive the clock key. Now the following steps need to be done quickly in order to avoid being caught. Wind the clock on the wall causing the registrar to go to the other room to fix it. As soon as the registrar has entered the other room, lure the guard and then knock him out and steal his key. Pull the lever behind the registrar’s desk and then go down the now open trapdoor.

5. Pick the lock on the gate and check the chest before opening it. This will disable the trap allowing you to steal the guild bonds. Inspect the boxes to leave through the ventilation shaft.

6. Deposit the Vial of stench in the bank and then return to the Guild Registrar. Speak to the registrar to pay the registration fees and then return to Darren.

b>Reward

30,000 Thieving XP
4000 Herblore XP
Ability to mix Vials of stench
Access to the complete Thieves’ Guild including a bank.

3. Destroy the potion
Go all the way back and this time you take the east door. The guard warns you that you will be attacked by black knights. Go through the east door and quickly climb up the ladder. Follow the way and push on the strange wall. Now you use (don’t eat!) the cabbage on the hole.
4. Claim your reward
Head back to Sir Amik Varze and talk to him. He will be very grateful and will give you 2500 gold.

Halloween seemed to be a really popular theme last month, and we received so many pictures that impressed us, that we’ve decided to up the number of gallery pictures to ten from now on, so now you have TEN chances to show your art to the world.

The picture that really caught our eye this month was ‘Mum and Baby Jad’ by Gazz747, who will be receiving some signed concept art and Jagex goodies in the mail really soon. Well done!

For next month’s gallery, it’s that time of the year where everyone starts thinking about gifts, holiday events and snow-showers – so ‘A RuneScape Wintumber’ is the theme. The closing date for submitting your artwork is Monday 19th December 2011 and, as always, winners will receive some gorgeous signed concept art and a bag of Jagex goodies. Send all of your seasonal submissions to us If you love art as much as you love RuneScape, why not check out our deviantArt Group for inspiration, and to chat to the community there?

Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome on our dedicated feedback thread, The Players’ Gallery.

We’ve teamed up with Google to bring Chrome users a set of exclusive goggles to wear in-game. Whether you’re looking to style yourself as an eccentric engineer or to spruce up your forum avatar, these are a sartorially sound choice of headgear.

Google Chrome is a great choice for RuneScape players looking for a browser that’s speedy, secure and simple to use; it’s already the browser of choice for 26% of our users, and is used right here in the Jagex office. For a limited time, those who choose to log in using Google Chrome will receive a pair of these prismatic marvels as a free gift.
The goggles are available to free players and members alike. If you’re an existing Chrome devotee, you need only to log in and the goggles will be deposited into your bank. If you don’t currently have Chrome installed, you can download it for free here.

This spectrum-spanning set of eyewear is only available for a limited time and isn’t tradable, so be sure to grab your goggles while you can!