The Grand Tree
Starts with King Narnode Shareen on the ground floor of the Grand Tree.
Before you start
The Grand Tree is the longest political thriller in the game: twenty-two states, nine named characters and a conspiracy that runs from the gnome capital to the Karamja Shipyard. The requirements are modest on paper - 25 Agility and the ability to kill a black demon - but the quest is a genuine time investment, and the 18,400 Attack XP at the end is the largest single-skill payout of any quest on this list.
The first act is investigation. King Narnode shows you the dying roots, you take a bark sample and a translation book to Hazelmere east of Yanille, and you bring his message back. That points you at Glough, the head tree guardian, and at Charlie, a prisoner on the top floor of the tree who tells you a story Glough would rather you did not hear. Search Glough's house, confront him with what you find, and the quest turns on you: you end up imprisoned yourself.
The escape is the quest's set piece. Captain Errdo gets you out of the tree by glider, and that glider drops you into the second act - the Karamja Shipyard, where you find the evidence that the gnome timber is being shipped somewhere it should not be. The lumber order goes back to King Narnode, then to Charlie, and the trail leads to Anita, who holds the key to Glough's chest.
Inside that chest are the invasion plans. Show them to King Narnode and the last act begins at Glough's watchtower: use the twigs on the pillars, open the trapdoor, and deal with the black demon waiting underneath. This is the only combat gate on the quest and it is a serious one - come with real gear, food and a plan, because the demon does not care that the rest of the quest was dialogue.
The finale returns to where you started. With Glough exposed, search the roots for the hidden Daconia rock that has been killing the tree and hand it to King Narnode. Five quest points, 18,400 Attack, 7,900 Agility and 2,150 Magic XP land at once, and the gnome glider network, the hot air balloon network, the Grand Tree mine and its agility shortcuts all open permanently - which makes this one of the best travel unlocks in the game.
Walkthrough
- Step 01
Meet King Narnode
Talk to King Narnode Shareen on the ground floor of the Grand Tree. The tree itself is dying and nobody knows why.
- Step 02
Inspect the roots
Follow King Narnode below the Grand Tree to see the damage first hand.
- Step 03
Consult Hazelmere
Take the bark sample and translation book to Hazelmere, east of Yanille.
- Step 04
Report the translation
Return to King Narnode with Hazelmere's message.
- Step 05
Question Glough
Speak to Glough, the head tree guardian, south of the Grand Tree.
- Step 06
Visit the prisoner
Talk to Charlie, held on the top floor of the Grand Tree, for a very different version of events.
- Step 07
Search Glough's house
Break into Glough's house and look for evidence.
- Step 08
Confront Glough
Take what you found to Glough.
- Step 09
Talk to Charlie
Speak to Charlie again - you are now in the cell next door.
- Step 10
Plead your case
Talk to King Narnode about your arrest.
- Step 11
Escape by glider
Find Captain Errdo and get yourself out of the tree the fast way.
- Step 12
Search the shipyard
Visit the Karamja Shipyard and find evidence of what the gnome timber is really being used for.
- Step 13
Bring back the lumber order
Return to King Narnode at the Grand Tree with the lumber order.
- Step 14
Show Charlie the order
Take the lumber order to Charlie for his read on it.
- Step 15
Charm the key from Anita
Get Glough's key from his girlfriend Anita.
- Step 16
Open Glough's chest
Use the key on Glough's chest and take what is inside.
- Step 17
Present the invasion plans
Show the invasion plans to King Narnode.
- Step 18
Rig the watchtower
Use the twigs on the pillars in Glough's watchtower.
- Step 19
Go through the trapdoor
Open the trapdoor at Glough's watchtower and face what Glough has been keeping down there.
- Step 20
Report the demon
Talk to King Narnode under the Grand Tree once the demon is dealt with.
- Step 21
Find the Daconia rock
Search the roots for the hidden Daconia rock that has been poisoning the tree.
- Step 22
Save the Grand Tree
Give the Daconia rock to King Narnode to save the tree and unlock the glider and balloon networks.
- Bank anything you cannot lose before you search Glough's house. Getting caught is a scripted part of the quest, not a mistake.
- The black demon under the watchtower is the only real fight - bring combat gear and food even though 21 of the 22 steps are talking and travel.
- 18,400 Attack XP is worth planning around. On a low-level account this quest alone can carry Attack into the 40s.
- Once finished, the gnome gliders and hot air balloons make the north-west of the map trivially reachable. Learn the routes immediately.