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War stories, articles & game guides
Gamer
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2026
Expeditions,
War Stories &
Culture
“They’re majestic beasts, aren’t they?
<Lathorius points towards the mammoths of the northern tundra.>
With each passing day their numbers diminish. Demons that call themselves hunters slay the beasts for sport and riches.
<Lathorius’ face contorts with anger.>
It’s the whimpers that drive me to madness, Vikstone. You can hear them, carried by the wind. The mammoth calves, trapped in the hunters’ vile traps, call out to us. Take this hammer and smash those traps. Free the calves!”
-Archdruid Lathorius
Archdruid Lathorius at the D.E.H.T.A. Encampment in the Borean Tundra wants you to use the D.E.H.T.A. Trap Smasher to free 8 Mammoth Calves.
Provided item:
Quest Giver: Arch Druid Lathorius at D.E.H.T.A. Encampment [57, 44]
Turn In: Arch Druid Lathorius [57, 44]
Objective: Use the D.E.H.T.A. Trap Smasher to free 8 Trapped Mammoth Calves.
Provided Item: D.E.H.T.A. Trap Smasher
Quick Facts
Walkthrough
Location: The trapped mammoth calves are in the fields NORTH of the D.E.H.T.A. camp, around [54, 38] to [54, 41], just west of the road that runs by the camp where the adult mammoths roam.
How to Free Calves:
20-Second Cooldown: The Trap Smasher has a 20-second cooldown between uses. Use the downtime to locate your next target. This cooldown is shared with the caribou trap item from Unfit for Death.
Common Mistakes
Wrong traps (South): The sparkly traps SOUTH of the D.E.H.T.A. camp are for a different quest (caribou fur/Unfit for Death). The mammoth calves are to the NORTH.
Empty traps: If you only see unsprung traps without calves, wait a moment. Trapped mammoths respawn regularly.
Bugged traps: Occasionally, a trap won’t respond to the Trap Smasher. If this happens, simply move to another trapped calf and try again.
Warning: Animal Blood Debuff
Do NOT kill any animals while doing this quest, including the adult mammoths nearby. If you accidentally kill an animal, you’ll receive the Animal Blood debuff, which makes all D.E.H.T.A. NPCs hostile and prevents quest turn-in until it wears off (or you wash it off in water).
Pair With: A Bot In Mammoth’s Clothing
If you have the Fizzcrank Airstrip quest A Bot In Mammoth’s Clothing available, complete both in the same area.
Story Context: Lathorius Weeps for the Calves
Arch Druid Lathorius is emotionally invested in the mammoths:
“They’re majestic beasts, aren’t they? <Lathorius points towards the mammoths of the northern tundra.> With each passing day their numbers diminish. Demons that call themselves hunters slay the beasts for sport and riches.”
“<Lathorius’ face contorts with anger.> It’s the whimpers that drive me to madness, <name>. You can hear them, carried by the wind. The mammoth calves, trapped in the hunters’ vile traps, call out to us.”
“Take this hammer and smash those traps. Free the calves! They must be freed!”
Upon completion, he’s still heartbroken:
“<Arch Druid Lathorius wipes away his tears.> They never stood a chance. Now orphaned, they will surely die on their own.”
The calves’ parents were killed by Nesingwary’s hunters. Even freed, these orphans face grim odds. But this tragedy leads directly into the next quest, where a freed calf will guide you to the mammoth patriarch Khu’nok.
Easter Egg: Dark Legacy Comics
This quest inspired a Dark Legacy comic capturing the dramatic urgency: “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD FREE THE MAMMOTH CALVES!”
Explore Borean Tundra’s hidden easter eggs, lore mysteries, and connections across Warcraft history in Vikstone’s Borean Tundra Chronicles, along with the complete quest storyline.
Phase1
Binds when picked
Two-Hands Sword
605 - 1,010 Damage Speed 3.60
(224.3 damage per second)
+283 Strength
+596 Critical Strike
Durability 85 / 85
Requires level 110 to 120 120
Sell Price:
64
64
8
Phase2
Binds when picked
Ranged Bow
572 - 774 Damage Speed 3.00
(224.3 damage per second)
+320 Agility
+576 Critical Strike
Durability 85 / 85
Requires level 110 to 120 120
Sell Price:
62
12
73
You will be able to choose one of these rewards:
You will receive:
Upon completion of this quest you will gain:
Phase3
Binds when picked
132 Armor
+26 Intellect
Durability 25 / 25
Equip: Improves critical strike rating by 53.
Equip: Increases spell power by 40.
Sell Price:
2
20
Phase4
Binds when picked up
563 Armor
+298 [Agility or Intellect]
+607 Stamina
Durability 85 / 85
Requires level 110 to 120 120
Sell Price:
36
60
Vikstone's War JournalLathorius handed me a hammer. He called it the D.E.H.T.A. Trap Smasher.
“They’re majestic beasts, aren’t they?” He pointed toward the mammoths of the northern tundra, his face contorting. “With each passing day their numbers diminish. Demons that call themselves hunters slay them for sport and riches.”
His voice cracked. “It’s the whimpers that drive me to madness. You can hear them, carried by the wind. The mammoth calves, trapped in the hunters’ vile traps, call out to us. Take this hammer and smash those traps. Free the calves!”
The hammer did its work across the northern tundra. Each trap shattered, and the calves stumbled free and ran toward the distant herds.
“They never stood a chance,” Lathorius said, wiping tears. “Now orphaned, they will surely die on their own.”
I stared at him.
The calves I’d just freed. The ones running toward herds that weren’t their own. They were going to die anyway.
One of the freed calves didn’t run toward the herds. Lathorius said to follow it and Help Those That Cannot Help Themselves.
