You know that thing when you’ve bought someone an amazing present and you’re dying to tell them but you can’t? That’s kind of we’re at this month. There’s a storm on the horizon in Gielinor and we’re bursting to spill the beans but, for the time being, you’re going to have to put up with us being all coy and elusive. Sorry!What we can say is that May brings with it the start of big things, and also offers up the opportunity to grab some sneaky extra XP as the Voice of Seren spreads across the entire game world. Let the saga commence...DESPERATE TIMESIt all began with the death of a god. Before he passed, Guthix transferred some of his power to the player, creating the World Guardian – a powerful being with the power to resist the gods themselves. This event was the catalyst for the return of other gods, who wished to claim this divine energy for themselves. After all the scheming, arguing and fighting reached its conclusion, the player ended up face-to-face with the elder god Jas, and was given an ultimatum:“Prove that mortal life deserves to exist, or all mortal life will be destroyed.”The Desperate Times quest is the bold next step in the epic Elder Gods storyline. It’s also an ideal starting place for those yet to discover the magic of RuneScape’s world. Players will be invited to attend Seren’s council to find a way of appeasing the Elder Gods and saving all life on Gielinor. But don’t expect things to be easy. The demands are large and the races of Gielinor are not united. And one individual has a very different proposal...Team up with Thok and Kerapac to visit the Needle, solve strange puzzles and discover key moments in RuneScape’s recent history.Requirements This new quest is the first in a brand new storyline that will change the face of Gielinor itself. Despite its epic status, Desperate Times is relatively mid-level, requiring only that players have completed two novice quests – ‘You are It’ and ‘The Needle Skips’ as well as having level 50 in Mining, Smithing and Divination. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the story thus far – we’ve done all we can to make things welcoming to newcomers.To get started, simply speak to Seren in Burthorpe Castle from May 10th. There are many cool rewards available including XP lamps and clue scrolls, with more to come as the situation progresses.SONG OF SEREN“There is a threat, a threat which faces every one of us. The Elder Gods. They are so powerful, so far beyond all of us, that even we gods are nothing more than ants to them. For the entire lifetime of this planet they have slept, but now they are waking up.“How can I know this? Because I am their child.”Seren is forming an army, and her song is an ideal opportunity for you to prepare for battle. Song of Seren is similar to Voice of Seren, except this time the effects are not limited to the great elf city of Prifddinas. Players will have the chance to earn 1.5x XP (ironman excluded) all weekend – it’s a fantastic skilling boost ahead of the challenges that are to come.From May 10th to May 13th, the Song of Seren will call out across the entire gameworld. Each Song will herald a focus on one of four sets of skills – Support, Combat, Gathering and Artisan. Once called, players will have two hours to make the most of the extra XP in the activated skills. Then, after two hours, Seren’s Song changes and new skills come into play.Here’s what each set of perks will offer:Support (includes Agility, Dungeoneering, Slayer and Thieving – plus Invention)No XP penalty for dying in DungeoneeringIncreased loot and chance of getting totems whilst safecrackingAll Slayer tasks act as if you have VIP ticketsCombat (includes Attack, Constitution, Defence, Magic, Prayer, Ranged, Strength and Summoning)+1 to all charm dropsDecreased cost of instances1 auto resurrection to full health per run in Elite DungeonsGathering (includes Divination, Farming, Fishing, Hunter, Mining and Woodcutting)10% chance not to deplete Uncharted Isles resourcesTraining hotspots in Hall of Memories don’t move as often10% more beans from selling items in the Player Owned FarmArtisan (includes Cooking, Construction, Crafting, Firemaking, Fletching, Herblore, Runecrafting and Smithing)Reduced chance of burning food2.5% chance to save a secondary when making potionsIncreases node spawn and double rewards in the RuneSpan ironman excludedSimply log on any time during the event and click on the Seren head to take part.Time to SerenRunning alongside Song of Seren will be a Treasure Hunter event that offers the chance to grab specific rewards applicable to whichever set of skills is active at the time. If you’re familiar with Time to Train, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. Just jump into Treasure Hunter at any stage throughout Song of Seren and an overlay will show you which skills are active, and the items you’ll have a chance of unlocking with your keys. Remember – the Song and ion of items will change every two hours, so check back often.AURA SALEDon't forget that a ion of auras will be on sale in Solomon's General Store next month. Players can save up to 50% on the game's most sought-after auras. The sale is now live and lasts until May 31st!AND ALSO...Once the dust has settled on the events of Desperate Times, we will be announcing what happens next – not least, the big summer update of 2019. So, if you want to find out what you will be playing over the coming months, and how we got there, then this new quest is very much the place to start. And who knows – perhaps things will escalate before the announcement… we’re signing off before we say any more!Until next time.