Plague City OSRS Guide

For a very long time, Old School RuneScape’s quests were ruled by the longest quest line of them all: the Elf storyline. With the most quests in the game for quite some time, it is still quite lengthy to this day, remaining tied for the most that you will find in a single storyline. With eight quests in total, it has to start somewhere, and that place is in the Plague City OSRS guide.

The Elf storyline is an iconic one, being quite memorable to me as one of the first members-only quests that I did many years ago after swindling someone to gift me a subscription Bond item in exchange for a cost far below Grand Exchange prices. Because of this, the quest sticks out in my mind for being synonymous with that unforgettable time. With that in mind, I’ve created this Plague City OSRS guide to get you started.

Bottom Line Up Front

The Plague City quest involves the player meeting the elven people and beginning their quest line. The actual start has to do with the immense plague that has overtaken West Ardougne and enveloped the lands with the horrifying disease. With the people of that area locked away to keep the epidemic in, your job is to go inside and find a missing person. Little do you know how far this simple quest will take you in the massive eight-part story that is the Elven quest line in Old School RuneScape.

Quest Details Up Front

For those who are completing this quest for the very first time, here are some neat details that you need to know about before you can begin this mission, including who can complete it, the difficulty level of it, and what items you’ll need before you can even start.

• Members Only: Yes
• Official Length: Very Short (that’s the official description at least, but I would say Short length myself; it isn’t the shortest quest in the world)
• Official Difficulty: Novice
• Required Quests: None
• Required Items: Four buckets of water, a bucket of milk, chocolate dust (so, basically, you need a pestle and mortar and a chocolate bar, too), dwellberries, rope, spade, snape grass, and the picture of Elena
• Required Skills: None
• Optional Items/Skills: None (there are no enemies to defeat or any real challenge here, and you don’t have the option of easily teleporting to Ardougne yet)
• Quest Rewards: 1 quest point, 2,425 Mining skill experience, and the Ardougne teleport scroll for learning the Ardougne Teleport magic spell

Plague City OSRS Overview

Ardougne, in general is one of the best locations in all of Old School RuneScape, and it has plenty of buildings, locations, and places to explore. When you first arrive here, one of the main quests you need to do is the Plague City OSRS quest. This involves learning more about this members-only area and accessing some new locations.

Through this, you will also gain access to various parts of the Ardougne region, including the western side, that you usually wouldn’t be able to go to easily. In addition, for those players who love Ardougne as I do, this is where you’ll find the teleport to get you there more often and faster.

And lastly, the Plague City quest is excellent because it has an exciting story to it that paves the way for the rest of the wonderful Elven quest line. As one of the oldest and longest stories in Old School RuneScape, you’re in for a real treat when you start this quest line here.

Synopsis

You come upon East Ardougne and meet Edmond, a father who is worried about his daughter. The people of East and West Ardougne are currently cut off from one another due to a plague that is striking the western half of the region. With the western part of the area locked off, Edmond’s daughter went inside the quarantined location to help those in need of assistance but hasn’t come back since. Your job is to find her and see what is happening in Plague City.

Required Items: How to Get Them

Before we get started, it is worth noting that Plague City is relatively easy. There is no combat in this particular quest (unless you want to fight some random enemies), and there are no massive puzzles that you need to figure out. Altogether, this is one of the most straightforward quests that you will find in RuneScape, especially on the members-only side. I mean, you don’t even need a single skill to be a certain level for this quest, either, which is crazy.

That said, what the game does do, instead, is require you to have a whole lot of items to give to people and mix together to complete the Plague City quest. Here are all of the items that you need and where to get them so that you are ready to complete this quest right from the start.

Where to Get the Buckets of Water and Milk

First off, we have the more accessible items that you need to find in the two different types of buckets that you need. The first one is that you need four different buckets of water for this quest. Now you can actually use the same bucket of water but just refill it with water and then use it again four different times.

This isn’t a situation where you actually need to bring four different buckets of water, though I guess you could do that if you are bougie enough and want to. For acquiring the bucket, you can always buy one from the general store or Grand Exchange if you’d like to.

But the buckets spawn near Edmond, who gives you the quest in the first place. So, you could pick up a bucket or two there, and you’ll be good to go. There is also a water area near the buckets where you can refill them for each of the four times that you’ll need it. You can prepare ahead of time if you’d like to, but that is a waste of money honestly here.

For the bucket of milk, it is a similar situation. Sure, you could go ahead and fill this up ahead of time, but it is cheaper just to do it in the quest. Grab one of the buckets near Edmond and keep it, then use it on one of the cows that are just north of Ardougne.

Alternatively, you could purchase an already filled bucket of milk from the Grand Tree Groceries store that is in the Grand Tree Stronghold, but that isn’t necessary, either. Plus, it would require a nice journey over there for no reason.

How to Get the Chocolate Dust and Dwellberries

The chocolate dust is a little bit weird, and this is where the items start to get a little bit more complicated. To be fair, you can take the easy way out here if you’re straightforward like me and just buy some chocolate dust off of the Grand Exchange for just a few dozen coins, but that isn’t necessary at all.

You can hand-make this yourself in the middle of the quest, and it won’t cost you that much to do so. Chocolate dust is made by getting a chocolate bar and combining it with a pestle and mortar or a knife. All three of those items can be bought from the various stores around the area, like the general store. Ultimately, it comes down to which method you prefer here.

As for the dwellberries, this is a similar situation. Sure, you could buy them off the GE for less than 100 coins and be done with it. But if you want to save money since you are possibly starting the game just now when you are doing this quest, the cheapest way is to grab them in McGrubor’s Wood, quite a ways north of East Ardougne.

And if you are genuinely adventurous and have a lot of time on your hands right now, you can always grow some homemade dwellberries yourself with your farm by reaching level 36 Farming. But if you are a newer player or even a newer member, it is doubtful that you have reached that point yet with the Farming Guild.

Rope and Spade Explained

What I appreciate about this quest, unlike other ones, is that the game gives you the opportunity to find or buy everything that you need while you are doing the quest. In the case of the rope, for this one, you can always just buy this one at the general store in East Ardougne for a handful of coins.

For the spade, this is another item that you could buy elsewhere, like at a general store or on the GE. However, you can get it for free by just finding a spade that spawns near Edmond himself that you can use.

Snape Grass and Picture of Elena Explained

There are a few different possible ways that you can acquire the snape grass, and it comes down to your preference. This is the one exception where the game doesn’t make it too easy to get this particular item. By far, the easiest way of getting this grass is just through the GE for a couple of hundred coins.

If you don’t want to pay anything at all, what you can do is find it for free spawning just west of the Crafting Guild near Falador. There are some other ways that you can get the snape grass, including from enemy drops, but the time and effort of doing it that way aren’t worth it in this case.

And the final item that you need is the picture of Elena. This is the image of the daughter of Edmond, who is the focus of this quest. But this isn’t a huge deal since the picture is just inside of Edmond’s house, so just head in there and pick it up there, and you’ll be good to go with all of the items you need for this quest.

Brief Walkthrough

For my friends who are in a hurry reading this to get through this quest and check out the countless hours of content that exists in OSRS and the other quests in this storyline, here is a very brief walkthrough with the answers and solutions of where to go and what to do in the Plague City quest:

1. Start by heading north of Ardougne Castle and speak with Edmond, who is chilling just around his house by the western wall.
2. Speak with his wife, Alrena, to learn about the plague and how you need a gas mask. Find dwellberries and hand them over for the mask. Grab the picture of Elena on your way out.
3. Speak with Edmond once more and then use the four buckets of water on the ground you’ll find just behind his house by his crops. After that, use the spade item on the same softened spot.
4. Go under the ground and use the rope on the pipe, ask for Edmond’s help, and then put on your gas mask as you enter the plagued West Ardougne.
5. Once you arrive in the city, speak with Jethick, who is just near you in the same area, and show him the picture of Elena.
6. Go to the rundown gray house on the northern side of the city next to the wall and tell them about the book that Jethick gave you.
7. Speak with the mom or dad and then speak with their kid, Milli.
8. Head to the opposite side of the city by the wall on the southern half and try to open the house’s doors with the X on it. Speak with the people to learn about Bravek.
9. Go to the massive building on the northern part of the central plaza area and enter there. Tell the person about the kidnapped person and then speak with Bravek to learn about the hangover cure recipe.
10. At this point, combine together the bucket of milk and chocolate dust, then mix that together with the snape grass that you should have already gotten by now. This will create the hangover cure.
11. Give that cure to Bravek, and he will provide you with an official warrant to search the house with the X on it. Return to that house and show them the warrant.
12. After they let you into the house by accident, you need to go to the barrel just a few ways away and search through it to find a key.
13. Using the key that you found, head downstairs in the house and use the key on the locked door that you find down there.
14. After unlocking the door, speak with Elena, and she will finally be free from the clutches of those people.
15. Now, it is finally time to leave the plagued city, go back to Edmond, and then talk with him to finally complete this quest and let him know about his daughter’s safety.

Deeper Walkthrough

This Plague City quest is relatively easy and straightforward, but there are some parts where the MMO doesn’t precisely tell you everything you need to know about what to do next. That is where this deeper walkthrough comes into play with all of the details that you need to know in order to find the missing girl in the Plague City.

Where to Begin the Quest

Begin this quest by heading to Ardougne, specifically, north of the castle in the city. There is a massive wall near here that separates East Ardougne from its plague-ridden western counterpart. Right next to the wall is a small house north of the castle where a man and his wife live.

Speak with Edmond, who is usually hanging out behind his house, and he will tell you about the plagued West Ardougne city where his daughter happened to go. She has been missing for a while and hasn’t contacted her parents, so he is concerned about her.

Tasking you with finding his daughter, you must then speak with his wife to learn more about how to get into the city safely. You can usually find his wide near him or inside their house. When you speak with her, she will ask for dwellberries you should have gathered by now in exchange for a gas mask.

Entering the Plague City

Once you have the mask, don’t leave just yet. Take the picture of Elena hanging out in the house and then speak with Edmond. He will reveal his plans to dig into the city below, and you’ll need the four buckets of water next. Pour each of them on the soft ground that is near his house and vegetables.

Once you’ve done that four times, now use the spade to dig up the ground. At this point, you’ll walk underground until you reach a pipe, at which point you need to use the rope item on it. After that, speak with Edmond again, and you’ll finally be able to don your gas mask and enter the Plague City.

Right near where you enter the town, in the middle of the town square, there is a man oddly named Jethick. When you speak with him, you’ll need to give him the picture of Elena so that he knows who you’re looking for. He will point you in the direction of the Rehnison family.

He will give you a book to return to them, and now it is time to visit this family’s house. Their house is located on the northern edge of West Ardougne, next to the wall. They are in a rundown gray building there. Tell them about the book you must return and then enter the house. Speak with one of the parents and then talk with their daughter, Milli, upstairs.

Finding the Kidnapped Girl

Milli will then tell you about Elena being kidnapped and how she needs to be rescued. To save the poor girl, head to the opposite end of the city on the very southern tip of it. There, you will find a house with an X mark on it and try to go inside.

They won’t let you inside and, instead, require you to see Bravek in order for them to let you in. To find Bravek, head to the massive building in the northern part of the central plaza in town, where you arrived in the city. Tell the receptionist about the kidnapped person, and they will guide you to Bravek.

Unfortunately, the guy is flat out wasted, and he is initially no help whatsoever in the search and rescue of Elena. Instead, he will give you a recipe for a hangover cure, which is an item that you now need to make. To do this, take the bucket of milk that you should have at this point and mix it with the chocolate dust that you should have made or bought.

Then take that mixture and combine it together with the snape grass to make the hangover cure. Give the item to Bravek, and he will finally come to his senses. He will offer you an official warrant to search the house where Elena is likely being held.

Finishing the Plague City Quest

Return to the city in the southern part of town with the large X mark on it. Speaking with the people there again will require them to let you in since you now have a warrant reluctantly. Once inside, what you want to do is go towards the staircase and look for the barrel that is right next to it.

When you open up this barrel, you will discover that there is a key inside. This key is necessary for unlocking the door where Elena is currently being held. Finding her is pretty easy and quick. Just head downstairs, and there will be a locked door. Use the key that you found on the locked door to open it up.

Then speak with Elena, and you will be able to free her. At this point, it is now time to go all the way back the way you came to go back to Edmond and report the news. This means going back to the town square, taking the hole down into the underground, and using it to reach the other side of the wall.

Once you get out, speak with Edmond, and he will reward you for freeing his daughter from the clutches of those people in the Plague City.

Plague City OSRS Rewards

Keep in mind that Plague City is one of the earliest quests that you can do in all of OSRS. This means that it doesn’t come with some of the fantastic rewards that you will get from some of the later members’ quests. That said, there are still some excellent bonuses that make this quest worth doing.

There is especially one particular reward that you shouldn’t miss out on. First up, you get a single quest point per usual for completing this quest; nothing unusual here. Other than that, you, will also receive 2,425 Mining skill XP, which is fantastic for getting you an early start on the Mining skill if you are a newer player.

However, it is the final reward that you receive that is the most important one in this particular situation. You get the Ardougne teleport scroll. If you use this item, it will allow you to learn the Ardougne Teleport magic spell. This will let you instantly teleport back to Ardougne anytime that you want to, which is extremely useful for this wonderful area.

The catch, though, is that the Ardougne Teleport spell can’t be used by just anybody. You need to reach level 51 in Magic before you can use it. That is pretty steep and high, so it is very likely that you won’t be able to take advantage of this spell when you first learn it.

Follow-Up Quests

In addition to the rewards you receive from this quest, you also unlock the ability to try later quests. This particular quest is crucial for a whole lot of quests that you will likely want to do in the future. Getting the more tedious part out of the way, this quest is necessary for filling out one of the requirements for the Ardougne Diary.

Other than that, it is a direct requirement for the second Elf quest known as Biohazard. That is, technically, the only straightforward quest that completing Plague City unlocks for you. But since it is the first of eight quests, you can look at it like you have to complete it to unlock all seven of those later quests in this fun and memorable quest line that just so happens to be one of my favorites in OSRS.

FAQs

Your Next Old School RuneScape Quest

Plague City is a short but sweet quest in Old School RuneScape. I appreciate it when quests are straightforward and relatively easy, like this one but also with a cute storyline. Though not a whole lot happens in Plague City, it sets the foundation for the rest of the Elven storyline with its eight total quests at this point in time.

When you are done with Plague City and want to try another OSRS quest but aren’t ready for Biohazard, another slight beginner’s quest that I recommend is Sheep Herder. Like Plague City, the Sheep Herder OSRS quest is vital for completing some later quests while not being too hard to accomplish. But I think it is slightly more complicated with its weird minigame, so it feels like a natural progression point here.

Here are other interesting readings for you:

• Smoke Devil OSRS Guide [2022]: The Mutant Cousin Of Dust Devils
• Bone Voyage OSRS Guide
• Fossil Island OSRS Guide

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Cody Perez

RuneScape was Cody’s introduction to PC gaming and MMOs. Back when internet wasn’t so common, he used up free trial after free trial of dial-up internet to allow him to play RuneScape as a young kid. When that didn’t work out, he would spend way too much time skipping school work to play RuneScape on the library computers at school. This carried through to his adulthood where he is finally able to freely play the game as he pleases and he adores mining, woodcutting, and crafting to his heart’s content on his iPad using the mobile version these days. When he’s not fighting over trees with other players, he can be found playing other games like FFXIV, Persona, and Pokemon or watching anime.

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