We've just done the earlier quests in northern Stranglethorn, and will be setting up to do another pass on the zone in a level or two. In the meanwhile, however, we will be spending a level or two catching our breath in Desolace.


Recommended alternatives:

I defended my choice of Darkshore. I defended my decision to go to Ashenvale before Duskwood. I will not defend going to Desolace. If you think this is a crummy decision, by all means head somewhere else. There are other choices. There are quests in Arathi Highlands. There are quests in Southshore that go into Alterac Mountains. There is even the odd quest in Dustwallow Marsh and Swamp of Sorrows. You should have the flight points to all these places.

However, my choice is to go to Desolace. I don't think the other zones are necessarily any easier, although perhaps slightly less spread out, but if you have any interest in going to Scarlet Monastery, there is a quest in Desolace you will want to do before going there. You might not care, and if that's the case, head up to Arathi and Alterac.

If you choose to break from the guide, we will return to Stranglethorn eventually. Pick up a couple levels somewhere else before moving into act 9. Entirely your decision.

Scene 1: Sargeron (level 35) 

Before flying out to Nijel's Point, which we should have the flight point for thanks to our escapades in Stonetalon, be absolutely certain to stop in Ironforge and get the reclaimers quest in Ironforge from the Hall of Explorers. Turning that in gives us two quests we would not otherwise be able to obtain for the zone.

Collect the other quests in Nijel's Point, and altogether you should have:

• Centaur Bounty
• Reagents for Reclaimers, Inc.
• Vahlarriel's Search
• Brutal Politics
• Strange Alliance
• Down the Scarlet Path
• The Karnitol Shipwreck

  
  The easiest place to start here is with the first Reclaimers quest. Go east to Sargeron, kill satyrs, and come back to Nijel's Point. That was complicated…they're good grinding fodder, though.

  
  

  Completed quests: Reagents for Reclaimers, Inc. 1
  
  
  

  Scene 2: The Lost Elves (level 35/36)
  
  Remember that any time you pass by anything within a few levels of you, you ought to stop and kill it. It's very easy to run past everything in Desolace, especially when the travel times start adding up. Now that the first Reclaimers quest is done, note that the second one needs drops from scorpids. It's not a very common drop, so kill any scorpid you see.
  
  Your next task is to help Vahlarriel find the Marem children. Head due west to Thunder Axe Fortress. Don't actually approach it though. Instead, follow the outskirts of the area north until you see a broken wagon, and look around for a chest you can open. That will give you the evidence you need, so take it back to Vahlarriel and he'll send you into the fortress itself.
  
  Make your return trip to the fortress. The mobs should be under your level, but you can quickly get amushed. There are two Marem children. The one you want first is in the large guarded building in front of you as you enter. Poke your head around corners with caution.
  
  Dalinda will want you to locate her brother, who is in the other building, so double back out and fight your way in toward in…except that he's hostile. It seems Tyranis is more interested in joining the Burning Blade than anything else, so you're going to have to take him down. On your return trip to Dalinda, hopefully everything WILL have spawned again, because you're going to need to kill them either on the way in or back out, and you'll be escorting Dalinda out. So wait for the respawn if it isn't there already, and fight around the right side of the building when you come in. Escort Dalinda outside the fortress and she will thank you and run off.
  
  We could go back to Nijel's, but let's get one other thing done. Go west to the shoreline. As you approach it, you will see the lighthouse Ethel Rethor. Go around its left side to the water's edge, and you will see the remnants of the Karnitol shipwreck on the beach. Not only will you find the item Kreldig needs, but there will also be another quest starter here from the first mate's log that is sitting next to the chest. The new quest (Claim Rackmore's Treasure) requires to you snag two keys, and you may as well get the easier one now. Head off the coast to the southwest and kill the makrura (crab people) there until you get a key.
  
  At that point, feel free to head back to Nijel's. Hearth if you remembered to set your stone.
  
  Quests completed: Vahlarriel's Search chain, The Karnitol Shipwreck
  
  
  Scene 3: Centaur Slaying (level 36)
  
  There are three quests you should have related to Centaurs. Two of them, Strange Alliance and Brutal Politics, are faction-based quests that lead you into more quests with the tribe you ally with. It takes a bit of grinding to get to where you have the faction with these villages, but even more grinding with each successive quest. So while we are going to do one of the two faction quests, we will NOT do any of the successive quests. The only reason we bother with the first set is because there is a secondary quest (Centaur Bounty) we can do in the meanwhile.
  
  Run south to the road and take it to Kormek's Hut. There are two questgivers at Kormek's Hut. One is a Maraudon quest you won't even see yet, but the goblin outside the hut will send you to collect kodo bones.
  
  With that quest in hand, follow the road all the way south. You will pass the Kolkar village along the way, and find yourself in the Magram village instead. Kill 50 mobs in the camp. Any 50. It doesn't matter, but you need 1000 reputation to get to friendly with the Gelkis, and each kill gives you 20. Along the way, we would hope you get your 15 Centaur ears.
  
  Once you finish, return to the road and go west to Scrabblescrew's Camp. Another goblin there has another quest that is a lot of fun. To the west is the Kodo Graveyard, and your job on Kodo Roundup is to target a kodo, zap it, and run it back to Scrabblescrew. Right-click the kodo, and you can then go get another one. Grab five, and then head back to the kodo graveyard. Carefully progress your way across the area, on the lookout for kodo bones. Make sure the area is clear before looting one because you will often get a level 38/39 Kodo Apparition that isn't especially hard for the level, but hard enough. (You can run from these if you want to and have the space, but standing your ground is probably better.) One last note – make sure you are killing some of the Aged Kodos, as they have drops you need for the Reclaimers quest.
  
  In the southwest corner of the graveyard is one more goblin questgiver. Your quest log may be full by now. If so, drop Brutal Politics, which you will definitely not be doing at this point. Finish your trip to the southwest corner of the zone where the Gelkis village is. The centaur you need to talk to is in the northeast corner of the village, so she shouldn't be too hard to find. Finish the quest, don't bother with the follow-up, and hearth back. (Actually, if you haven't bothered to get the first key for Claim Rackmore's Treasure, head down to the water and kill crab people for a bit first. Don't get too close to Shadowprey Village though.)
  
  Quests completed: Kodo Roundup, Strange Alliance, Centaur Bounty, Bone Collector
  
  
  Scene 4: Raznajar Isle (level 36/37)
  
  Turn in Bone Collector at Kormek's Hut if you haven't already. Also remember that you need scorpid venom if you haven't collected your 7 vials yet.
  
  Go west to Ethel Rethor, where you finished the Karnitol Shipwreck, and swim northwest. In the far corner of the map is an island covered with nagas, ruins, and a funny statue for a Horde quest. It's a long swim, across strips of fatiguing waters.
  
  You have two objectives when you arrive. You should have the silver key for Rackmore's Treasure already. A random naga will drop the golden key, which in turn will let you open the chest that is on this isle, nestled against the northern edge of the ruins.
  
  The other task will take longer, because the drop rate is fairly poor, and only on certain naga types. Kill Sea Witches and Tidehunters until you get Karnitol's Satchel. Experience has shown this will sometimes take one minute and sometimes one hour. Hearth back when you finally get it.
  
  Quests completed: Claim Rackmore's Treasure, The Karnitol Shipwreck 2, Reagents for Reclaimers Inc. 2
  
  
  Scene 5: Down the Scarlet Path (level 37)
  
  Go back down toward the Magram Village, but pass it to the south. The Valley of Bones is full of Undead Ravagers for Down the Scarlet Path, as well as a few centaur necromancers you would probably prefer to avoid. If you do end up in battle with them, try to interrupt their spellcasting if they seem to be summoning, or you fill face a skelly in addition to the necro. (So eating the shadow bolts is actually a good thing.)
  
  Down the Scarlet Path requires you to kill 30 of the skeletons, however you have one other task you can perform here. In the back of the area is an open space in front of a large skeleton where you can begin the Ghost-o-plasm Round Up by right-clicking your box of magnets. When you click the box, it will gradually start summoning centaur ghosts to that spot that will become hostile once they reach it. So to do this quest, clear the area of skeletons first, then summon the box and run over to the back wall and pull your targets to there. The centaurs are social, so try not to pull two. If you have to try a second time, wait until after the normal mobs in the area have respawned. Since you have to kill 30 of those, you probably are going to be here that long anyway.
  
  Leave the Valley of Bones and go west and north to the Kodo Graveyard. (Do not go directly through Mannoroc Coven.) In the southwest corner of the graveyard is the questgiver for the Ghost-o-plasm.
  
  Before hearthing, double check that you've finished the second Reagents for Reclaimers Inc quest. If you still need some kodos or some scorpids, now would be the time to get them. The level 39 scorpids along the south zone wall have a rather good drop rate.
  
  Quests completed: Ghost-o-plasm Round Up, Down the Scarlet Path, Reagents for Reclaimers Inc. 2
  
  
  Enough's Enough
  
  There isn't much left to do in Desolace at this point. The third reclaimers quest is a possibility, albeit an annoying one that really shouldn't be attempted for another few levels. There's the centaur quest lines that we're avoiding. Other than that, you've basically completed the zone.
  
  ead back to Ironforge to get credit for The Karnitol Shipwreck, and consider hitting Southshore along the way to turn in your commendation letter…you'll want to finish this quest if you ever intend on running Scarlet Monastery since it leads to the central quest in the zone. Also in the Explorer's Hall are a few other quests you might care about – at the very least, get Ironband Wants You! One of the three others is the only other Scarlet Monastery quest, and the other two are for Uldaman: one outside the instance and one inside.
  
  While you're in Ironforge, check the auction house for Lesser Bloodstone Ore and grab a four-pack if you can. Fly to Booty Bay and re-set your hearthstone there.