Old diary

After defeating the Skeletal Horror, you can find this book in a crate near the bed in the hut of the Odd Old Man.

The book explains that the Odd Old Man was working at the Varrock Museum and was on an expedition after some adventurers found some extraordinary bones. Tests revealed that the bones belonged to a creature that was alive around the end of the Third Age. He travelled to Mos Le'Harmless where he finds more bones. He remarks that the skull looks like the black masks worn by Cave Horrors. The bones seize control of his mind and he stows away on a ship but is caught by the owners and he was shackled for a week. He was then dumped into the sea not too far off the coast and swam to shore with the bones, which lead to the obsession with bones that would eventually lead to the events in the Rag and Bone Man series.

Oddly, after it is obtained it does not become available from your bookcase in your POH.

Transcript
Expedition Diary – 32

by Archibald Paldock.

14th of Pentember.

Varrock Museum has finally authorised a new research expedition! Some adventurers reported the find of some extraordinary bones and, for once, didn’t feel compelled to bury them. They instead came back with one of the smaller ones and told the museum about it. I’ve got the specimen in my hands right now. When I first saw it I thought it was a prank, because the bone is very white and doesn’t look ancient at all. It has an unusual shape, though, and doesn’t match any creatures I’ve ever heard of. Also, the test I did on it revealed the creature it came from was alive around the end of the Third Age! It looks like a groundbreaking discovery!

19th of Pentember.

We’ll be leaving tomorrow for the faraway island of Mos Le’Harmless. We’ve been warned that the fauna there is rather aggressive and that the natives aren’t the most welcoming either. Fortunately for us, the expedition will contain a group of seasoned adventurers to protect us in our endeavour. As usual, I’ll be in charge of cataloguing, sorting and studying the finds. If we’re lucky, we might even get enough bones to reconstitute a skeleton, which would be a massive discovery if what the tests said about the bone are true. More information to come once we’re on site.

21st of Pentember.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so seasick in my whole life! The boat journey was a horrible experience and resulted in me being unwell for two days. Fortunately, it is over now, but I am not looking forward to going back anytime soon. The reception by the locals has been rather unfriendly, and the beverages we purchased at the local tavern looked so suspicious that none of us dared try them. The smell, reminiscent of a pickled brain, was enough to put everybody off. Tomorrow, we will reach the site, which is apparently located in a cave.

22nd of Pentember.

The cave is difficult to access and inhabited by some very hostile ape-like creatures, similar to those found on the surface. The group of adventurers we have with us does a good job of allowing the researchers to reach and excavate the site. I stay at the base camp to organise the dig and finds. The site is a bit too dangerous for my old bones. Hopefully, I’ll get to be useful to the expedition before the mosquitoes get me.

27th of Pentember.

I’m starting to think that I’m ready to endure another boat journey if it means I can get out of here. The heat and moisture are almost unbearable and the mosquitoes are everywhere. I don’t know how much more my poor body can take. We got the first few bones back to base camp today. Just like the specimens I was given before coming, they are sparkling white, I wonder if this attribute is inherent to the bone or if it is due to some sort of treatment – for example, it might have been bleached by the saliva of a predator.

32nd of Pentember.

The latest excavation revealed a skull in a very good condition. The skull is large, as large as an adult dragon, but ape-like in appearance. It has strange excrescences on the temples. The maw displays a pair of long teeth, though one of them is broken. The creature’s skull reminds me of the scary black masks worn by some of the creatures in the cave.

35th of Pentember.

We’ve made good progress in reconstructing the skeleton the skull comes from, even though a lot of the bones retrieved are in a poor state. It’s been a tiring job, but the fact that I haven’t slept very well for several nights now probably has something to do with it. I have this recurrent dream of some greater power talking to me, though words are mumbled. Together, we shall do great things!

1st of Fentuary.

I think we’re missing the point. It is all becoming clear in my mind: that skull will bring power to whoever has it – my dreams tell me so. I hear the great power and it tells me to escape. Tonight, I will be going, and the skull and bones shall be going with me.

17th of Fentuary

North coast of Morytania. I left the island over two weeks ago. I tried to stow away on a ship, but was caught by the unfriendly owners. They shackled me and threw me in the ship’s hold, and left me there for a week. They were frightened by the skull and didn’t dare touch it. It might even be why I’m still alive. The great power was with me all along; I have its protection.

After a week, my precious bones and I were unceremoniously dumped into the sea, handily not too far from the coast.

The white skull scared the lobsters away, letting me swim back.

Now, the great power wants more bones.

Lots of bones.

Clean bones.

Bones everywhere!

Together we shall do great things!