OSRS Podcast Episode 18: Mod Other — narrative design, quest writing and Varlamore
The Official OSRS Podcast Episode 18 with Mod Other was released on 17 August 2026. Mod Other, a narrative designer for Old School RuneScape, discusses their journey from Junior Game Designer to Junior Narrative Designer, including work on Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, Death on the Isle, and Shadows of Custodia. The episode covers how real-world research feeds into Gielinor's worldbuilding, from anthropology and burial practices to prayer training design. Other also talks about maxing an Ironman, Hallowed Sepulchre speedrunning, Quest Capes, and the dream of writing the Old School Fairy Tale finale. The episode was recorded in March 2026.
Key takeaways
- Mod Other's first appearance on the Official OSRS Podcast, released 17 August 2026.
- Other is a narrative designer who worked on Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, and more.
- The episode explores how worldbuilding turns into actual gameplay and quest design.
- Real-world research — anthropology, burial practices — feeds into Gielinor's design.
- Other maxed an Ironman, speedruns Hallowed Sepulchre, and dreams of writing the Fairy Tale finale.
What is OSRS Podcast Episode 18 about?
The Official OSRS Podcast Episode 18, released on 17 August 2026, features Mod Other — one of Old School's narrative designers — in their first appearance on the show. The episode explores what it means to write stories for Gielinor, how worldbuilding turns into actual gameplay, and why a good quest is about more than just getting players from one objective to the next.
Mod Other's journey includes work on Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, Death on the Isle, and Shadows of Custodia. The episode also covers the behind-the-scenes process of helping shape Old School's narrative while Mod Ed is busy on Blood Moon Rises.
Who is Mod Other?
Mod Other is a narrative designer at Jagex, responsible for writing quests and shaping the story of Old School RuneScape. Their journey from Junior Game Designer to Junior Narrative Designer includes significant contributions to Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, and the Custodian Stalkers.
The episode reveals how Other uses handwritten notes and 'very questionable sketches' to plan content, once designed half the Hunter Guild in a pub, and built tools to make dialogue writing smoother. They also discuss how interactive storytelling means caring about both the words and the gameplay that surrounds them.
How does OSRS quest design work?
Mod Other explains that quest design starts with worldbuilding — understanding the lore and setting of Gielinor — and then finding ways to turn that into gameplay experiences. Real-world research feeds into the process, from anthropology and burial practices to why Varlamore's prayer training works the way it does.
The episode also covers Other's work on Death on the Isle and Shadows of Custodia, and how much agency narrative designers have when writing content that can end up cited on the OSRS Wiki forever.
- Worldbuilding drives gameplay, not the other way around
- Real-world research (anthropology, burial practices) informs design
- Handwritten notes and sketches used for content planning
- Custom tools built to streamline dialogue writing
What does Mod Other do outside of work?
Outside of designing quests, Mod Other is an OSRS player too. They've maxed an Ironman, speedrun the Hallowed Sepulchre, earned Quest and Diary Capes, go pet hunting, and went dry for a Bludgeon. They also want full Inquisitor's because it looks cool, and dream of one day writing the Old School Fairy Tale finale.
Questions players ask
When was OSRS Podcast Episode 18 released?+
The episode was released on 17 August 2026.
Who is Mod Other?+
Mod Other is a narrative designer at Jagex who worked on Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, Death on the Isle, and Shadows of Custodia.
What quests did Mod Other work on?+
Other contributed to Varlamore, the Hunter Guild, Hunter Rumours, Death on the Isle, and Shadows of Custodia.
Where can I listen to the OSRS Podcast?+
The podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and Amazon Music.
Sources and verification
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Independent fan-made OSRS content. No Jagex affiliation or endorsement.