This update was added on 31 May 2006.
This week sees the release of our biggest and most anticipated update this year: player-owned houses. No longer must RuneScape members wander the world endlessly, never being able to sit down or have a place to call their own. Members can build their houses and make furniture using the new Construction skill. Start by building a cottage with a few chairs around a fire, and add rooms and gain levels until you have your own palace. Some pieces of furniture will unlock new abilities, magic spell tablets, and even chairs you can sit down in.
This incredible update features over 20 rooms, 330 pieces of furniture, 11 new NPCs, 12 dungeon monsters, craftable toys, new armour and shields, trophy rooms, tool racks, different architectural styles, butlers and a whole host of new games to play with your house guests!
Basic houses, rooms and furniture are priced cheaply enough so that most members will be able to afford somewhere to live. We have also made lots of features for our more opulent players to be able to show off their wealth. If you get your construction level high enough and you're rich enough you can build an entire dungeon to challenge your friends, you might even be able to add your own dragon to it! Or how about a throne room? - with a throne of crystal!
Fancy a change of scene? As you go up levels your house can be rebuilt in completely different designs ranging from the Rimmington “Shack” look, the Rellekkan Longhall and the Brimhaven Beach-house.
To start you must buy a small house from any of the estate agents in Seers' Village (north-east of the bank), Falador (between the furnace and the east bank), Ardougne (west of the eastern bank) or Varrock (east of the castle).
A full guide to the skill can be found in the Knowledge Base. Open the door to your new “home from home” today!
Note - we were originally going to call this skill "Carpentry", but the range of activities involved in the skill soon got much bigger than that title, so we widened it to "Construction".
Please be aware that the Tears of Guthix will not give Construction xp for a while. The god Guthix, in his immortal wisdom, does not wish to pry into your home so soon.