Beyond the eastern shoreline of Morytania lies Havenhythe, the largest area expansion yet! This sprawling land is packed with places to explore, people to meet, and stories waiting to unfold.
Since we first revealed Havenhythe, it's evolved quite a lot and somewhere along the way, it's started to take on a life of its own. Over the coming year, the region will continue to grow alongside your journey, with new locations opening up and fresh adventures revealing themselves along the way. Beneath its quiet communities, however, lie more than a few secrets waiting to be discovered.
So gather your courage, head east, and see what awaits in Havenhythe.
Once home to a First Age civilisation, Havenhythe is a land steeped in deep, layered history. It was the site of a powerful magical nexus, the birthplace of the Colossi, and the resting place of a long-dormant gateway to Vampyrium itself.
At first glance, the region feels vibrant and alive. A grounded, organic landscape filled with villages, curious oddities, and those small, familiar RuneScape moments. The kind of place where you can fix a fence in the morning and uncover ancient lore by the afternoon.
As you travel further beyond the village of Wendlewick, the atmosphere begins to shift.
The forests grow thinner. The air turns colder. And as Havenhythe expands throughout the year, you’ll feel a steady pull eastward, toward a land that becomes darker, more dangerous, and unmistakably tainted.
The lay of the land.
Building Havenhythe has given us a chance to return to RuneScape’s roots. Havenhythe is an organic, permanent part of the overworld. It’s homely, hands-on, and full of rich history.
For Part 1, we've built Havenhythe with early to mid-game adventures in mind. It's somewhere you can settle in, train, explore and examine everything.
Head south from Wendlewick, and you will find lush fields and a wild, somewhat enchanted vibe.
But if you head north, the land rises sharply into the steep mountains.
Hollow Hill, a home to a settlement of Hill Giants… and their king? At least, that's what he likes to tell them..
But travel far enough east, and things begin to change, not suddenly, but in a slow, unsettling way.
The forests thin out, and the land starts to feel strangely drained of life. Ancient ruins begin to surface, quiet reminders that something very old once took root here.
Whispers spread of the Sanguine, and of a new vampyric presence stirring beyond the treeline, proof that even a place called a “haven” has its dangers. And further still, the fractured remains of a First Age city stand in silent defiance of time.
The local lot
But before we get swept up in the local dangers, dusk-dwellers and dreadhogs, let’s take a moment to meet the people who call Havenhythe home.
Welcome to Wendlewick, a small, quiet village where farmers tend their fields, fishermen cast their lines, and a few locals dream of being heroes one day. Life here moves at its own pace, full of the small, everyday moments that make it feel lived-in and familiar. The houses in Wendlewick feel lived-in, shaped by their occupants, and you’re free to wander, poke around, and explore, because in Havenhythe, curiosity (and a little trespassing) can lead to adventure.
But don’t let the calm fool you. These are the people you’ll be fighting for when danger shows up at their doorstep… or when it sinks its teeth in. From protecting the villagers’ homes to chasing off the creatures lurking just beyond the fields, Wendlewick is where your journey really begins, giving you a taste of both the community and the challenges that lie ahead in Havenhythe.
The village is guided by three distinct leaders, each with their own approach and personality. Adam is the thinker of the group, valuing planning and foresight. “Measure twice, cut once”.
Esther, on the other hand, is a master of logic and structure. As a highly skilled alchemist, she approaches problems practically, always searching for efficient solutions and ways to make the village run smoothly.
Then there’s Zeke, the lead Ranger, whose approach couldn’t be more different: headstrong and confident, charging in where others hesitate and trusting instinct over analysis.
Together, these three shape Wendlewick's prosperity. Of course, Wendlewick is not the only place you’ll find life. Across Havenhythe, you'll find people everywhere - tucked into the mountains, or hidden deep in the southern forests, each playing their part.
What is happening here?
So, how does your journey begin?
Before you even set foot in Havenhythe, your journey begins somewhere more familiar: the Rusty Anchor in Port Sarim. The salty scent of the sea drifts through the air and the chatter of sailors fills the room. You sink onto a stool, then the bartender slides a drink your way. There’s no label, no explanation, just a strange, bubbling concoction that radiates an almost ominous energy.
And just like that, you’re plunged into a curious hallucination, and your first quest, Visions of Havenhythe. Beneath your questionable tavern decisions, something far more deliberate is unfolding. Inanna, the spiritual guardian of Havenhythe, has called you to aid her people.
Never one to turn down a challenge, you'll set sail & meet the locals before connecting Havenhythe back to the mainland and setting the dominos in motion.
Following that in the second story quest, Hearts of Sanguine, you’ll start by investigating the strange vision that brought you here and the unusual events unfolding on the outskirts of the town. You quickly realise you’re not the only one paying attention to these creeping, unsettling signs. And the deeper you dig, the more it becomes clear: this isn’t just a simple local disturbance. It’s far older, far more deliberate… and it’s waiting for you in the East.
Alongside the mainline story, you can enjoy some homely, standalone quests, like helping a would-be wizard find his footing in Wiz Kid, or mediating a surprisingly complex housing dispute for some smaller Havenhythe residents in Hermit Permits.
Because even in a land with its fair share of lurking dangers… you still need planning permission....
How friendly is the local wildlife?
To support early- to mid-game progression, Part One of Havenhythe introduces two brand-new early-game bosses, designed to guide players into the world of bossing and looking to grow stronger before tackling the more dangerous threats that await deeper in Havenhythe later this year.
First up, we have Ivar, King of Bones, ruling from within his pile of bones at Hollow Hill. This not so gentle giant will help you learn a little more about your defensive prayers, alongside expanding the Hill giant story along the way.
He’ll provide a useful boost to early Prayer training, always dropping a colossal bone that can be buried for a solid chunk of Prayer XP. On top of that, he wields the Bonecrusher Maul, a powerful two-handed melee weapon that not only hits hard but also automatically crushes bones for you, saving time and effort. As a bonus, he drops a skull mask that gives a boost to your early-game Magic power, making him a valuable target for both combat and progression in multiple skills.
After him we have Silverquill, the Sanguine Hedgehog
She’s a fierce, bloodthirsty hedgehog whose fight is all about attention and timing. You’ll need to watch her carefully, learn her tells, and move at just the right moment to dodge her telegraphed attacks. Facing her is a lesson in reading your opponent, anticipating their moves, and reacting, skills that will serve you well in every boss encounter to come.
By defeating Silverquill, you'll get your hands on silver and sanguine spines, new materials that can be used to tip bolts that'll aid you in your fight against the Sanguine.
With these two early-game bosses, our goal is to bring bossing back to its roots, easing new and returning players into combat, preparing them for what lies ahead, and helping close the gap between early and end-game bossing.
And for the completionists among you, there’ll still be plenty to chase, with unique drops, pets, and titles to unlock.
Time to Hunt
Havenhythe will also bring a major expansion to the Hunter skill, raising the level cap to 110 and introducing a new Big Game Hunter system. But this time, the hunt works a little differently, because in Havenhythe, the creatures aren’t just being tracked. They’re hunting you right back!
These encounters are all about awareness and survival. If you’re careless, the wild creatures of Havenhythe will sniff you out and they’re very motivated.
Staying hidden, moving carefully, and picking the right moment to strike will be key. Keep your nerve, stay quiet, and when the time is right, turn the tables on them for some of the best Hunter XP in the game.
The spoils of these hunts will feed directly into the 110 Crafting progression. Materials gathered from these hunts can be used to craft Tier 85 Apex Hide Armour, a powerful new ranged armour set that sits alongside equipment like Starbloom Robes and Primal Armour as the ranged equivalent.
And if you’re aiming even higher, these materials will also play a role in crafting the brand-new Masterwork Ranged Armour.
Alongside the additions to the top end of Hunter we will be looking to add more to the earlier portions of the skill to help plug in some holes.
- Flush out and capture Jackalopes at level 32, which can be used to craft a new Summoning to assist with Archaeology soil sifting.
- Alongside this we have improved rabbit snare hunting as ferrets will now flush all the burrows.
- Clockwork Traps, a new style of trap for the more laid back hunter.
- Unlocked from level 55 you can craft these mechanised traps that can hold multiple critters starting from 2 and growing up to 5 per trap as you level Hunter
- Black Chinchompas slot in at level 73 to fill in a gap in box trapping.
- These little critters can be used with 65 Ranged for some explosive results.
- Spirit Moths can be found in the Highweald Forest in hollow trees. Flush them out and capture them using a butterfly net for a reliable source of Summoning Charms.
- Gold Moths appear from level 18 but you can also find Green (32), Crimson (49) & Blue (64) as you progress.
- Havenhythe will be the home to a new Hunter method in the form of Birdhouses.
- You can craft the birdhouses from various levels of logs and clockwork, before setting them up in areas around Havenhythe and filling them with seeds to entice local wildlife in.
- This method will stretch from level 5 all the way up to Eternal Birdhouses at level 101.
New location, new opportunities
Alongside the many new Hunter skilling nodes, Part 1 of Havenhythe also offers a variety of skilling nodes and benefits to a variety of skills such as
Summoning
Head south to the Shrine to Inanna to find empowered obelisks that can be used to craft your summoning pouches
These obelisks become empowered and are a slower more active summoning method, as you create pouches at the empowered obelisk you will stack up a buff that will give you a chance to save materials while boosting your XP rates. Good place to use those charms you have gathered from the spirit moths!
Fishing
Pop on down to the shore and you will find the Fish Farm.
Here you will be able to cultivate batches of Lobster/Swordfish/Sharks and the new Giant Crayfish in a more active fishing method where you'll manage up to four pools by feeding fish, cleaning the water and preventing algae growth. In exchange, you'll be able to harvest more fish and gain more XP than at traditional spots.
Woodcutting
While you will want to be chopping other trees to gather logs for crafting birdhouses, Havenhyte will also contain Creeping Ivy (previously called Red Ivy in earlier drafts) a level 35 slower-depleting tree perfect for relaxed Woodcutting!
Slayer
While the threats of the Sanguine aren't everywhere you can find the Sanguine Crawlers towards the east
These corrupted tree saplings are available from 35 Slayer and can drop the new hybrid "Vampyrism Gloves" which offers a small bonus to all styles while converting some of the damage you deal into healing.
Alongside these additions there will be plenty of skilling nodes dotted around the area, trees to chop, agility shortcuts to leap, mines to pick, farming patches, fishing spots etc.
A little bit of everything to fleshing out the world as its own ecosystem! Our goal with Havenhythe is for it to feel woven into the fabric of the core game, as naturally part of your journey as Varrock or Falador.
What's next
Havenhythe Part One is your first step into this new land, opening the door to everything that lies beyond. From there, the story will steadily draw you further east, deeper into a region where the mysteries and the dangers... only grow.
As the year unfolds, Havenhythe will continue to expand. Later in the spring, a new story quest will push the narrative forward and reveal more of what’s stirring beneath the surface. In the summer, a First Age Archaeology dig site will open, uncovering long-buried history and ancient secrets that have remained hidden for centuries.
The story will ultimately culminate in Havenhythe Part Two, arriving toward the end of 2026. There, you’ll face one of the region’s greatest threats: the Ghrazi Blood Knights, in a brand-new solo and duo combat boss encounter that will test even the most experienced adventurers.
We’ll see you there on March 23rd.
Head on over to the official threads on Discord and Reddit if you want to discuss this topic!