The Mahjarrat saga in Old School RuneScape has always been a fan favorite, offering deep lore and engaging quests. “Secrets of the North,” introduced during the Winter Summit, continues this grand narrative. This quest plunges players into a thrilling murder mystery alongside two prominent Mahjarrats, General Khazard and Hazeel, to uncover the truth behind Sir Ceril Carnillean’s demise. Prepare to gather clues, interrogate suspects, and confront dangerous foes in this epic adventure. This guide will walk you through every step, ensuring you solve the mystery and claim your rewards.
Requirements
Before embarking on the “Secrets of the North” quest, ensuring you meet all prerequisites is crucial for a smooth journey. This quest builds upon extensive lore, requiring completion of several prior adventures. You’ll need to have finished the following quests: Hazeel Cult, Cold War, Romeo & Juliet, Priest in Peril, The General’s Shadow, Desert Treasure I (essential for the ring of visibility), Curse of the Empty Lord (for the ghostly robes), Doric’s Quest, Enter the Abyss, The Lost Tribe, Rune Mysteries, Goblin Diplomacy, Wanted!, Fight Arena, Devious Minds, Troll Stronghold, Death Plateau, Recruitment Drive, Druidic Ritual, Black Knights’ Fortress, The Feud, Jungle Potion, Garden of Tranquility, The Restless Ghost, Creature of Fenkenstrain, Swan Song, Shilo Village, One Small Favour, My Arm’s Big Adventure, and Making Friends With My Arm. Beyond quests, bring a lockpick, 100 coins, and be ready to acquire a tinderbox during the quest. Recommended stats include 56 Hunter, 69 Agility, 64 Thieving, and an 85 Combat Level. Don’t forget antipoison protection, icy basalt for Weiss travel, and an Ardougne cloak for convenient teleportation.
Starting Out
Your journey into the “Secrets of the North” begins with a fateful encounter in East Ardougne. To initiate the quest, make your way to the Carnillean mansion, easily reachable by using a spirit tree to teleport to the Battlefield. Outside the mansion, you’ll spot a guard. Engage him in conversation, and he will immediately solicit your assistance. He reveals that a grave crime has occurred within the esteemed Carnillean family residence, plunging you into the heart of a perplexing murder mystery. This initial dialogue sets the stage for the intrigue to come, tasking you with unraveling the truth behind a recent, tragic event.
Entering the Scene of the Crime
Once inside the Carnillean mansion, the guard escorts you upstairs to the chilling sight of Sir Ceril Carnillean’s lifeless body. The scene confirms the guard’s assertion: murder most foul. Your detective work begins by meticulously examining the various elements in the room. Inspecting Sir Ceril’s body reveals a precise stab wound inflicted by a slender blade. A closer look at the window shows it’s been forced open from the outside, suggesting a break-in. Next, interact with a specific wall to uncover a hidden room. Ascend the ladder within and examine the chest; it’s been forcefully opened and emptied. Having gathered initial clues, report your findings to the guard downstairs. He then produces an amulet discovered near the broken window, bearing the distinctive skull emblem of the Khazard Army with “Evelot” inscribed on the back. He directs you to the Fight Arena bar for further investigation, as he’s unable to leave his post.
Tracking Down Evelot
Following the guard’s lead, travel to the Fight Arena bar located in the southwest corner of the arena. Inside, you’ll encounter the Khazard Barman. To loosen his tongue and gain information about Evelot’s whereabouts, you’ll need to offer a bribe of 100 coins. The Barman eventually divulges that Evelot departed in a hurry, suggesting you check outside. Exit the bar and inspect the barrels near the entrance to discover a hidden trail. Follow this trail, which winds around the arena’s perimeter, leading you to an area near the Tower of Life. There, you’ll find Evelot. Approaching her automatically triggers an instanced fight. Evelot primarily uses melee attacks, but beware of her special ability, which occurs after a series of melee hits; it drains your prayer points and temporarily disables your protection prayers. After a successful fight, she confesses to being hired only to steal a scroll, denying any involvement in the murder, and indicates she delivered the scroll to the Hazeel cultists.
Conversing With the Cult
With Evelot’s confession, your next step is to confront the Hazeel Cult. Head to the Ardougne sewer entrance, situated east of the Clock Tower, to access their hidden lair. Once inside, locate Hazeel and engage him in dialogue. He confirms Evelot’s account, admitting that the cult’s sole objective was to recover a specific scroll from the Carnillean mansion, believing it crucial for Hazeel’s restoration. He vehemently denies any involvement in Sir Ceril’s murder. Satisfied that the cult is not responsible for the homicide, you should conclude your conversation with the cultists. Your path then leads you back to the Carnillean Mansion in East Ardougne, where you must report your progress to the guard and prepare to speak with the Carnillean family members.
Continuing the Investigation
Upon returning to the Carnillean Mansion, first brief the guard on your latest findings; otherwise, the family members will refuse to speak with you. Conversations with Henrieta and Philipe yield little new information. However, speaking with Claus the Chef proves more fruitful. He recalls an unusual “feeling of coldness” during the time of the murder and claims to have seen a fleeting shadow. This fresh lead prompts further investigation within the mansion. Search the southwest shelves to uncover a hidden button, which reveals a secret room in the basement’s northern section. Enter this passage and use your lockpick on the chest inside. This lockpicking puzzle involves adjusting pins; a green indicator means correct placement, while blue means you’re one position off. The pin order remains consistent through multiple attempts. Inside, you’ll find a Dusty scroll. Take this scroll back to Hazeel and General Khazard, another cult member. They determine it’s time to venture north, instructing you to meet them outside the Weiss colony.
Onwards to North
Following the directive of Hazeel and Khazard, make your way to the icy realm of Weiss. An icy basalt teleport can significantly speed up your travel. Once you arrive, proceed to the north encampment. There, you will find Big Fish and Dead Wolf, who are actually the disguised Mahjarrats Hazeel and Khazard in their troll forms. They instruct you to speak with My Arm and Snowflake to gather local intelligence. These NPCs inform you about unsettling reports of a strange shadow lurking within the nearby mine. Return to Big Fish and Dead Wolf to relay what you’ve learned. Big Fish then reveals a critical piece of information: this area was once the ancient Zarosian settlement of Ghorrock during the Second Age. After this dialogue, prepare for imminent combat and ensure you have antipoison before entering the Salt Mine, as a perilous encounter awaits.
The Fight
Descending into the Salt Mine’s main building, you and Khazard confront a familiar assassin, the same individual from the “Devious Minds” quest. This encounter initiates an instanced battle that you must win to proceed. The assassin employs both melee and ranged attacks, adapting to your protection prayers, so pray against your weakest combat style. The key to defeating him lies in his own tactics: lure him into the smoke bombs he throws around the arena. These bombs obscure his vision and inflict damage, making him vulnerable. While luring, actively dodge the green vials he throws, as these inflict significant poison damage, up to 30 hitpoints per hit. Once defeated, the assassin vanishes mysteriously. With the fight concluded, begin investigating the dungeon. Locate and gather crucial items: the Duke note, a lever handle, an ancient map, and Tulia’s letter. Use these items to acquire the icy key, which unlocks the southwest gate in the central room. Beyond this gate, you’ll discover a crevice. Before entering, re-supply and re-gear, ensuring you have both magic and ranged setups ready for another intense battle.
Meeting the Strange Creature
Stepping into the crevice initiates a confrontation with a formidable Strange Creature. This foe utilizes both melee and ranged attacks, switching between them based on its form. Pay close attention to its carapace color: a brown carapace signifies melee attacks, while a green one indicates ranged attacks. The creature shifts forms after taking a specific amount of damage, providing a brief window to adjust your gear and prayer accordingly. You must employ both magic and melee attacks effectively to defeat it. Once its health is depleted, the Strange Creature undergoes a shocking transformation, revealing itself as Jhallan, a Mahjarrat. However, before you can question him about his identity or involvement, an assassin suddenly appears and abducts Jhallan. Report these astounding developments to Hazeel and Khazard. Khazard decides to secure the area with his troops, while Hazeel offers to teleport you back to East Ardougne, allowing you to conclude the quest by reporting to the guard.
Reaping the Rewards
Completing “Secrets of the North” grants you a satisfying array of rewards, enhancing your skills and arsenal for future adventures. Your efforts will be recognized with substantial experience points, including 50,000 Thieving XP, 40,000 Hunter XP, and 60,000 Agility XP. Additionally, you’ll earn 2 Quest Points, contributing to your overall quest cape progress. The quest also bestows two powerful new items: the Ancient Sceptre and the Saturated Heart. Furthermore, you gain access to a repeatable, solo-only boss encounter, offering continued challenges and potential drops. The Ancient Sceptre stands out as a significant upgrade to the ancient staff, requiring 60 Strength and 70 Magic to wield. Its primary benefit lies in its ability to auto-cast spells from both the standard spellbook and Ancient Magicks, making it highly versatile for magic users. Crucially, it boasts a passive effect that grants a 10% increase to the potency of Ancient Magicks effects, making it an invaluable weapon for any aspiring mage.
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