Stronghold of Security

The Stronghold of Security, launched on 4 July 2006, is a dungeon area for training combat, with connecting doors that require correct answers to security related questions. The area immediately before the door is protected by another gate, so the player is protected from monsters while answering. It is located in the middle of the Barbarian Village, and was the first major update open to free-to-play players since the upgrade to RuneScape 2.



Doors
The doors (Gates of war) are styled to match each level, and there are a pair of doors similar to an airlock between areas. The door leading out of an area is passed through automatically, though it is possible to be hit while apparently having already passed through, dying inside the "safe" zone between the doors.

The door into the next area may ask a question about account security, or may grant immediate passage. Indeed, when you enter the airlock between the two doors, you are granted immediate passage. To exit through either of the doors, you must answer to the door's question.

However, if you click the door, then click "Click Here To Continue" then click away to walk away, you can go through the door without answers. It defeats the purpose.. but is faster.

At the start of each level is a portal leading to the reward different for every level including coins and a choice of combat or rainbow boots (each level of reward also unlocks one of the stronghold emotes including flap, stomp, and idea)and ladder room, granting quick access to players who have already negotiated the level, or who have sufficient combat level to be allowed immediate passage.

Levels
There are four levels, each one tougher than the last. Each level contains an entrance / exit point at the beginning and a portal to access the next level if re-entering after completing a level. The portal leads directly to the treasure room of the current level.

There are some general monsters, plus others specific to the level. At the end of the level, there is a reward, typically coins and an emote, and exits to deeper levels, or back toward the surface. However, in order to claim the rewards on any level, players need to have password recovery questions set.



Vault of War (1st level)
Occupied by level 5, 11, 13, 16 and 25 Goblins, level 1 Rats, level 12 and 27 minotaurs and level 11 and 14 wolves. This is the only level which is a Multi-combat area. The monsters in this level are not particularly challenging.

An excellent level for ranger training, as the Minotaurs drop copious quantities of iron arrows and the fences are an excellent safe spot.

Also, there is absolutely no risk in this level unless you attack a monster, because none of the monsters are aggressive.

The Minotaurs may drop a right skull half and also drop noted bulk items, including rune essence, copper and tin ores.
 * Reward: At the end of the level, a chest call the Gift of peace contains 2000 coins and the "Flap" emote.

Catacomb of Famine (2nd level)
A shock compared to the previous level, apparently devoid of any safe spots other than unoccupied corridors and between door spaces. It is sometimes possible to trap a monster on corners. There are also Zombies on this level, some of them are level 30, a few are levels 44 and 55.

The Flesh crawlers may drop the Bottom of Sceptre piece for the skull sceptre, but often drop more valuble items such as uncut gems or nothing at all. Many high level free players tend to hang at the extreme south-east room training on crawlers taking advantage of their aggresiveness.


 * Reward: 3000 coins and the "Slap head" emote.

Pit of Pestilence (3rd level)
This level is infested with spiders, giant spiders, scorpions, and catablepons.

The catablepons may drop a sceptre piece, but are tough opponents for lower levels, doing damage at an alarming rate. They also appear to have a high magic defence. It is difficult to find an ideal strategy, as they use magic to weaken, but have a melee attack. There is one safespot that always works, and is ideal for rangers, although you will have to run into the group of aggressive catablepons to retrive your arrows. You could also use magic on the monsters, but have enough runes to do 50 or 70 damage. Ava's Attractor should work because there is nothing in the way; it's just a narrow path that is too small for catablepons to get through.
 * Reward: 5000 coins and the "Idea" emote. Full healing and stat restore.

Sepulchre of Death (4th level)
The monsters here are all "undead", and are highly susceptible to the "Crumble undead" spell, among other ways of attacking. The main drawback of using the crumble spell is that only members with a slayer staff or the Void Knight Mace can autocast it, so managing the spell menu to cast and the inventory to eat requires extreme concentration. Selecting another spell to autocast avoids missing a cast if preoccupied. There are some safe spots which, as in the pestilence level, are usable only when the monsters have given up attacking. There is one safespot in the southwestern room where Ankous and skeletons are.

The Ankous may drop a sceptre piece.
 * Reward: Boots in a choice of two styles and the "Stomp" emote.

Rewards
The intermediate level rewards are coins and an emote.

Skull Sceptre
The Skull Sceptre can be obtained in four pieces from monster drops. It is inferior in combat stats to a magic staff, but has five charges to teleport back to the Barbarian Village.

Only one kind of piece can be found in one level. They are a fairly rare drop, and can be obtained from Minotaurs on the first level, Flesh crawlers on the second, Catablepons on the third, and Ankous on the fourth. Some monsters that drop the pieces come in various levels. The higher leveled ones seem to drop the piece more frequently, although this is not proven. To make it, you add the two skull pieces together, the two handle pieces together, and the handle and the skull together.

Boots
The two styles, fancy or fighting, may be obtained, exchanged, or replaced if lost, from the Cradle of Life at the end of the fourth level, reachable by portal and ladder once all levels are completed. There is no difference in statistics, though the fancy ones attract more attention.

The stats:

These boots are equivalent to bronze, but are available to free players as well as members.

Music Unlocked

 * Dogs of War- Vault of War
 * Food for Thought- Catacomb of Famine
 * Malady- Pit of Pestilence
 * Dance of Death- Sepulchre of Death

Trivia

 * Since this addition was for free players as well as members, the level 86 Ankou replaced the Lesser Demon as the second highest-levelled monster in Free-to-play worlds. Also, the level 85 skeletons became the strongest monster in the game, with a max hit of 10, compared to 9 from a Greater demon (the level 85 skeletons have since dropped to second strongest with the addition of Cockroach soldiers, however).
 * The four levels of the Stronghold of Security were based on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They were known as Pestilence, Famine, War, and Death, which are the names of the levels.
 * The entrance to the Stronghold looks like a blown open rock. It is also located in a mining area.
 * The Cradle of Life refers to the story about pandora's box.