QUEST 176 · MEMBERS

Current Affairs

Help Arhein get past some political red tape and unlock the current duck, a useful Sailing tool.

Current Affairs — OSRS Wiki quest image
OSRS Wiki image for Current Affairs. OSRS WikiGame image © Jagex Ltd
Difficulty
Novice
Length
Short
Quest points
1
Released
19 November 2025
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Before you start

Where to start

Talk to Arhein on the Catherby docks.

Requirements

Recommended

  • Highly recommended: A boat docked at the Catherby docks - you will be required to sail nearby at the end of the quest

Enemies to defeat

None

STEP BY STEP

Walkthrough

Follow the chapters below. Click any screenshot or diagram to view it at full size.

Duck troubles

Items needed: charcoal (obtainable during this section)
The player engages with Councillor Catherine in bureaucratic combat.
The player engages with Councillor Catherine in bureaucratic combat. Image source ↗
  1. 1 Location
The starting point for tracking the current. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd

Talk to Arhein on the northern end of the Catherby docks, and ask him what's with the duck. He explains that a travelling salesman claimed a duck is able to accurately track currents. Unfortunately, Arhein is unable to test that theory, as the local councillor is threatening to fine Arhein for using non-human workers. After offering your help, he suggests you might want to talk to Councillor Catherine.

Find her in the council office in north-east Catherby, just north of the Archery shop. Ignoring your concerns, she points out that you are not registered as a sailor to do business in Catherby, and hands you the form cr-4p to fill in. If you didn't bring charcoal, search the cabinet and grab some.

Click on the form with the charcoal in your inventory, and you will be presented with a series of nonsensical questions with three options. You can select any responses you want, but you will need to repeat the same answers later. This can be simplified by simply picking the first answer every time, as the order of the answers do not change later when being quizzed. Speak to her again to return the form. She explains that any change to the by-laws requires approval from the Mayor of Catherby, but the Catherby Data Protection Regulation prevents her from sharing their location.

Return to Arhein and ask him about the mayor. He explains that the mayor recently died; there have been 25 consecutive mayors, all of which have been fish. As nobody other than Catherine wanted the job, the citizens used fish to prevent her from becoming mayor. You need to sneakily replace the latest mayor before she realises, and Arhein suggests that Harry at the nearby fishing shop could help.

Fishing a mayor

Items needed: 50 coins

Harry is located in the most eastern building in Catherby. Tell him you are here about the mayor, and he will sell you a mayoral fishbowl and tiny net for 50 coins. Fish the Mayor of Catherby from one of the two aquariums in the shop.

Show Arhein the mayor and he will give the fish a mayoral chain and tell you to return to Catherine. Speak to her and after showing the mayor, she will refuse to do anything until you've reviewed your form cr-4p and ensured all the information is correct. Repeat your answers from before.

Note: If you make any mistakes, Catherine will ask you to repeat only the incorrect answers after finishing the form, allowing you to choose new responses each time until they’re correct.

After successfully confirming your answers, she gives you form 7r4-5h. Use it on the Mayor of Catherby to sign it, then return it to Catherine to finally change the by-law.

Charting the current

Inform Arhein that the by-law has been changed. He will hand you his duck; he wants you to take it out on the ocean to test the theory. Head east in your boat until you find a ripple in the water just west of the Obelisk of Water. While on top of the ripple, click on the current duck to track the current. Follow the duck until it arrives at the shore where Holgart is. Collect the duck and return to Arhein to tell him you've charted the currents. He thanks you for your help and lets you keep the current duck and mayor.

Congratulations, quest complete!

Quick checklist 18 instructions

Use this when you already know the route. The full walkthrough above includes explanations and diagrams.

Duck troubles

  1. Talk to Arhein on the Catherby docks.

    Say: What's with the duck? → Yes.

  2. Talk to Councillor Catherine in the council office in north-east Catherby.

    • If needed, search the nearby cabinet for charcoal.

  3. With charcoal in your inventory, fill in form cr-4p, selecting the first option for every question.

  4. Talk to Councillor Catherine again to return the form.

Fishing a mayor

  1. Talk to Arhein again.

    Say: I need to find the Mayor of Catherby.

  2. Talk to Harry in the fishing shop in the easternmost building in Catherby.

    Say: I'm here about the mayor. → Yes.

    • He will sell you the mayoral fishbowl and tiny net for 50 coins.

  3. Use the tiny net on either aquarium in the shop to catch the Mayor of Catherby.

  4. Talk to Arhein again to have him place a mayoral chain on the mayor.

    Say: About the mayor...

  5. Talk to Councillor Catherine and select the first option for every question again.

  6. Use form 7r4-5h on the Mayor of Catherby, then talk to Catherine to return the signed form.

  7. Talk to Arhein again to receive the current duck.

    Say: The by-law has been changed!

Charting the current

  1. Board your boat at the Catherby docks and sail east to the ripple immediately west of the Obelisk of Water.

  2. While your boat is on top of the ripple, click the current duck in your inventory to place it in the water.

  3. Follow the duck until it reaches the shore near Holgart, then collect it.

  4. Return to Arhein.

    Say: I've charted the currents!

  5. Congratulations, quest complete!

QUEST COMPLETE

Rewards

  • 1,400 Sailing Sailing experience
  • 1,000 Fishing Fishing experience
  • Access to Sea charting/Current
  • The current duck
  • The mayor of Catherby
  • 25 sawmill coupon (oak plank)

OSRS WIKI CONTRIBUTORS

Sources & credits

Walkthrough text and preparation lists are adapted from Old School RuneScape Wiki contributors under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Game imagery © Jagex Ltd; individual image sources are linked in their captions. This page is fan-made and not affiliated with Jagex.

Game icons © Jagex Ltd, via the OSRS Wiki. Interface icons by Lucide.