Curiously, one of the most mysterious figures in Gielinor has a very uninteresting and boring job. Reldo Trimmly would be this character, though many don’t even know his last name, much less use it. He was born in the year 141, and with the time frozen in the year 158, he is currently 28 years old. Despite being so young, he is widely regarded as one of the most learned beings in Gielinor, with few others immediately coming to mind, aside from Mr. Mordaut.
He leads an interesting second life as a scout for the mysterious Phoenix Gang and seems to be scared when you talk to him. Clearly, this man is a contradiction of ideas. He stated in the God Letters that “Zamorak arranges accidents for me when he’s bored.” This is the story, as far as I can deduce, of why he has a connection to the Phoenix Gang and why he always seems scared.
Reldo is a man of tremendous learning, and while he is certainly smart, a connection to one of the most violent street gangs in Varrock taints his image. It began when he was young...
Reldo walked down the main east-west street in Varrock. He was a young teen, about 13, when he saw a man notorious for debt collection walking towards him. His family was poor, and his mother was working nearly twenty hours a day to pay the bills his father had run up at the Blue Moon Inn. His father, Johnny the Beard, was a link to the Phoenix Gang. He began as an informant, and grew in rank until he was third in command to Straven and the gang's leader, the mysterious figure known only as O. Johnny the Beard saw the only way to live in the city was continuing to be involved in the Phoenix Gang, and so prepared Reldo for a life as an informant.
This time was the period before the theft of the Shield of Arrav. The Black Arm Gang and the Phoenix Gang were two friendly groups, the Black Arm Gang controlling the west side, and the Phoenix Gang controlling the east side. O, along with Lady Katrine, the Black Arm Gang leader, hatched a plot to steal the shield. They would use the standard force and run method, with gang members to cover the escape. The ruse went off with a minor hitch, and the two gangs had their prize. This is where the trouble began. Both gangs were willing to cross the other for more than their share of the ransom money. In the end, through a bloody back and forth struggle, the shield ended broken in half, and they each kept one part, beginning the rivalry that continues today.
The minor hitch was the capture of Johnny the Beard by the Varrock guard. He provided information to the Guard in exchange for his release, which found him making his way back to the gang to warn them.
“You traitor! I will kill you now, before anyone can stop me.” Straven said. He lunged for Johnny, and a long knife appeared in his hand. As Straven jumped at Johnny, a large compliment of guards burst into the room; they grabbed Straven and tore him off Johnny.
“I’ll kill your family, all of them. Remember, they may get me, but the gang never forgets traitors!” Straven yelled as they pulled him out of the room.
Johnny ran home, eager to get to his family before the O could order their execution. When he got there, a familiar face was there to meet him.
“Lady Katrine, so nice to see you,” he tried feebly.
“Your family is forfeit if you do not tell us where the second half of the shield is.”
“I don’t know, Straven has taken and hidden it. He’s in prison now. You’ll have to talk to him.”
“We’ll keep your family safe, if you sell your services to us.”
My only choice is to run, he thought, get my family and run.
“Very well,” he began. “If you can guarantee my family’s safety, then I’ll join you.”
“Come with us then,” Katrine said, moving to leave.
He followed, uneasy about his involvement with the gang to begin with.
