RuneScape Forum Archive | Quest: Gangs of Varrock

Deltaslug

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Requirements to start:
minimum completed Shield of Arrav
possible to require Buyers and Cellars

Starting Point:
Either Captain Rovin, Rat Burgiss, or Darren Lightfinger

Story:
Ever since your theft of both halves of the Shield of Arrav, a series of unfortunate events happened to the Black Arm and Phoenix Gangs.
Once the most prominent gangs in town, they are a shadow of their former glories.
What's more, nearly a dozen other gangs (ranging in size from 1 to multiple, tho most are only a "handful" in size) are trying to fill the vacuum).
Why is this a problem? well ... one dominant gang can actually be bad for the city ... 2 keeps each other in check and any upstarts get knocked out or absorbed before they cause problems ... but TWELVE?!?!?!?
turf wars and muggins are through the roof. stalls can't keep anything stocked. the theive's guild can't exactly do business there. businesses are likely to go broke trying to hire security.
and the Varrock guard can't exactly afford to just march into the city and wipe everyone out ... there would be too many civilian casualties (well ... more than there are already ... )

The plan? simply restore the Black Arm and Phoenix Gangs to their prominent positions (better the devils you know and all)

Why you? Well, technically you did start this whole mess.

The Quest giver will ask you to pick ONE of the 2 gangs to help. They will send another capable adventurer to help the other gang. (No, the NPC won't tell you who it is. No, it's not Ozan.)

The quest progression will be identical except for a few name changes.

01-Jun-2022 04:20:31

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

You will need to talk to the leader of the current gang you are trying to help.
They will be aware that you were the one that stole the shield half from them.
You'd think they'd be livid about it ... but they are merely depressed. You got the better of them after all. But they are more upset about the state of affairs than what they see as "ancient history" now.

You ask then how can you help.
Step 1: Recruitment
The size of the game is a shadow of its former self. Their influence barely even extends outside of their own walls now.
The leader wants you to recruit or re-recruit 3 gangs back into the organization.

Gang #1 is a gang of 1 member. The leader says that the person is just a harmless noob. But if the gang war gets too out of hand ... they'd rather not think about it.
Gang #2 is only about 3-4 NPCs. Part of the former 'muscle' and just a bunch of thugs really. Not very good planners and the haven't been doing well on their own.
Gang #3 is larger, but the bigger issue is 'name brand'. ie: The Black Eye Gang or the Neo-Phoenix Gang or Rising Phoenix Gang. People will just get the old and new gang names confused.

1 gang you will be able to easily join. 1 will require you to bribe or negotiate with. 1 will require intimidation.

This will go along with the quest giver's plan of "reducing the number of gangs in town".

01-Jun-2022 04:20:37 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2022 16:33:05 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Step 2: Business
Just because a gang is bigger doesn't mean it has clout.
You need to go out and help spread the word.
You need to go out and set back up whatever "protection" the gang had before.
You need to get the word out the gang is back and it is re-establishing itself in the territory.

The market stalls will be the same for both paths. The other smaller gang you intimidate out of the city will be the same for both paths. The graffiti and things you do will be agnostic to which side you help.

Now that "street cred" is back. The leader thinks this might be enough.

01-Jun-2022 04:20:42 - Last edited on 01-Jun-2022 04:30:39 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

...... Step 3: Plot Twist

Or so they thought.
Just as you return to the quest giver thinking that you've helped to solve the problem (along with the other adventurer who just finished their half of the quest right before you) you find out that the other 2 large gangs in town were planning the exact same thing.

Worse? They've decided to join forces in a temporary alliance to finally get rid of the Black Arm and Phoenix Gangs once and for all.

you can try to ask how this would be 'bad' but the NPC just tells you that you don't understand how gang wars really work. this will be horrific. no one should see what is about to occur.
What's more, the 2 older gangs settle things the "old way". The newer gangs might not.
The NPC knows that once the Black Arm and Phoenix gangs are gone, the new gangs will be far far worse.

The 2 gangs won't be able to survive this on their own. Their only hope? To work together.

The NPC already sent the other adventurer to go back to the gang and warn them and to convince the leader to meet at a neutral place to "hash things out and form an alliance" with the other gang.

01-Jun-2022 04:27:38 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2022 16:34:50 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Step 4: Peace Talks
After you convinced your assigned leader to at least show up, things really get started.
You see that both gangs are almost at each other's throats.

The other gang leader will be upset that you're here. Stating that this is all your fault.
The current leader will agree. Though admit you had been trying to 'help' rectify the problem.
The other gang leader will report that another person has been 'helping' also (and conveniently not there).
Both gangs will realize that an outside party (likely the city guard or the Thieve's Guild) has given an implicit preference as to which gangs get to stay.
Not wanting to go down without a fight, the 2 agree under the 'old rules' to work together ... for the time being ...

Then a rock comes through a window. Attached to it is a note calling the gangs out to settle things once and for all.

The other gang [insert name] has called them out to settle things by the 'old rules'. But they also note that once the old gangs are gone ... things will ... change ...

The Phoenix Gang will say that this is bad for business. The Black Arm Gang just calls it barbaric.

They accept the challenge and agree to go out to face the other gang in the streets of Varrock.

However ... neither gang really trusts you at this point ... since you're not really a part of their gangs ... they tell you to stay behind ... especially since you don't know how things are supposed to work and the rules and all ....

01-Jun-2022 04:27:42 - Last edited on 01-Jun-2022 04:42:21 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Final Act

The 2 gangs square off.
Katrine and Straven walk out front. so do the 2 new gang leaders.
Both set very simple terms: the winners get to stay in Varrock. The losers have to leave Misthalin and never return.

All sides agree.

They all step back.

Per the 'old rules', the new gangs get the first move.
They start to dance.

Once they finish, the Black Arm and Phoenix Gangs break out into a massive choreographed dance.

The new gangs admit defeat and leave town.
The Black Arm and Phoenix Gangs celebrate, realize who they were about to cheer with, get 'tough' for a moment, and then go their separate ways.

You are left with a huge "WHAT WAS THAT INSANITY?!?!?!?" and "ARGH I NEED BRAIN BLEECH" moment.

you go back to the quest giver

01-Jun-2022 04:34:29 - Last edited on 01-Jun-2022 04:46:26 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,700 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Finale:

The quest giver explains the 'old rules' and why the city guard really didn't want this scenario. The dance off was not something the public should ever see. People are going to be confused and traumatized for weeks ... maybe months ...
(really, this is supposed to be a simple game folks ... you really thought I was going to suggest outright violence?)
The quest giver explains that the NPCs you know of as the Dancing Knights of the Falador Party Room were once a gang of Varrock .... that lost a showdown like this ...

They thank you for your service to the city (and/or guild) now that the status quo has been returned.

Reward:
- XP Lamp
- a random alcohol to drown out whatever it is you just saw
- a few coins

01-Jun-2022 04:42:28 - Last edited on 01-Jun-2022 04:50:13 by Deltaslug