Plug the Sinkholes

WotLK Classic Northrend Leveling Guide

Plug the Sinkholes

Quest 4 of 4 in the Valiance Keep Defense Chain (Finale)

Alliance • Borean Tundra • Level 71 • Valiance Keep

Use Incendiary Explosives to collapse the sinkholes northwest and southwest of Valiance Keep.

Two sinkholes: north near Farshire (54, 64) and south on the ridge toward Riplash Strand (51, 72). Stand near any web-covered sinkhole at each site and use the explosives from your inventory. A Scourged Burrower emerges but dies instantly from the blast. No real combat. Completing this quest unlocks four new quest lines including Farshire and the Amber Ledge breadcrumb.

Vikstone's Classic Expedition

The sinkholes gaped like open wounds in the ridge, each one a passage straight down to the dark heart of the continent. Vikstone sealed them both, knowing the Scourge would find another way.

“The Scourge are showing no sign of letting up, Vikstone. It’s those blasted sinkholes; they connect to tunnels all the way to Icecrown for all we know. Giant undead worms burrow under the ground to create them. If there’s something years of mining has taught me it’s that without support beams, tunnels will cave in easily after an explosion.”

-Sergeant Hammerhill

Objective

LEVEL

71

Requires level

68

Start

Sergeant Hammerhill

END

Sergeant Hammerhill

Sergeant Hammerhill wants you to use the Incendiary Explosives to collapse the sinkholes southwest and northwest of Valiance Keep.

Southern Sinkhole Kill Credit
Northern Sinkhole Kill Credit

Provided item:
– Incendiary Explosives

Northern Sinkholes: Around 54.1, 63.7 near Farshire. Southern Sinkholes: Around 50.5, 72.3 on cliffs between Valiance Keep and Riplash Strand. — Two sinkholes: north near Farshire (54, 64) and south on the ridge toward Riplash Strand (51, 72). Stand near any web-covered sinkhole at each site and use the explosives from your inventory.

Borean Tundra Storyline

Reward

You will be able to choose one of these rewards:

Transborean Cover

Marshwalker Chestpiece

Westrift Leggings

Mightstone Pauldrons

You will receive (if completed at level 90):

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

20,100 experience

250 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Walkthrough

Quest Giver: Sergeant Hammerhill at Valiance Keep [56.3, 69.5]

Objective: Use the Incendiary Explosives to collapse the sinkholes southwest and northwest of Valiance Keep.

Quick Facts

Chain Position: Quest 4 of 4 in the Valiance Keep defense chain (final quest)
Unlocks: Completing this quest opens four new quest lines: Farshire, Word on the Street, Nick of Time, and Distress Call

Northern Sinkhole [54, 64]

Northwest of Valiance Keep, near Farshire.
Exit the Keep’s north gate and head toward the farm area.

Southern Sinkhole [51, 72]

Southwest of Valiance Keep, on the cliffs between the Keep and Riplash Strand.
Exit via the main (south) gate and head southwest up the ridge.

At Each Location

Multiple web-covered sinkholes are present, but you only need to collapse one per site.
Stand near a sinkhole and use the Incendiary Explosives from your inventory.
A Scourged Burrower will emerge but dies instantly from the explosion. No combat required.

Efficiency Tips

Complete this quest early. It unlocks significant content including the entire Farshire questline.
If you’re heading to the northern sinkhole first, you’re already near Farshire for follow-up quests.

Watch For

Risen Crypt Lords occasionally spawn near the sinkholes. They look intimidating but aren’t particularly dangerous for their level.

Lore Context

The sinkholes are created by giant undead worms tunneling beneath Valiance Keep. Hammerhill’s dialogue suggests these tunnels may connect all the way to Icecrown.
This quest represents the Alliance’s first counterattack against the Scourge’s subterranean logistics network in Northrend.

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.

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

2,000 experience

10 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Vikstone's War Journal

The Scourge’s tide flowed from beneath us, through sinkholes burrowed by giant undead worms. The tunnels stretched deep, perhaps all the way to Icecrown itself.

Vikstone Portrait Act 1 — Illustrated by Christian DiBari and Simon Gough.

Hammerhill’s plan was simple. “If there’s something years of mining has taught me,” he said, pressing the incendiary explosives into my hands, “it’s that without support beams, tunnels cave in easy after an explosion.”

I headed west. Each sinkhole had a direct passage to the dark heart of the continent. I placed the first charge at the edge, secured it against the loose earth. A quick strike, a steady retreat.

The blast shook the ground. Soil collapsed inward, filling the gap, silencing the passage below.

I moved to the second tod o the same. When both were sealed, the ridge fell quiet. Stone and dust where Scourge had poured through hours before.

They’ll find another way. They always do.

Valiance Keep held and the defense was finished, but four new requests were already waiting at the barracks, and the first of them was A Soldier in Need.

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Objective

LEVEL

71

Requires level

68

Start

END

Borean Tundra Storyline

Reward

1 Gold

20 Silver

20,100 experience

250 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Walkthrough

2,000 experience

10 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Vikstone's War Journal

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The Making of the Guide

Solo PvP Guide

Star Wars Galaxies Chronicles

The Guide to SWGEmu