Reading the Meters

Quest Giver/Turn-in: Archmage Berinand at the Transitus Shield [33, 34]

Objective: Collect readings from four geological instruments disguised as scrying orbs:

• Nexus Geological Reading
• Northern Coldarra Reading
• Southern Coldarra Reading
• Western Coldarra Reading

Quick Facts

• Quest Type: Collection (interact with objects)
• Faction: Both
• Pre-requisites: None
• Follow-up: Postponing the Inevitable
• Chain Position: First of two quests from Archmage Berinand

Walkthrough

Reading Locations:

The three perimeter readings are found in the large blue structures around Coldarra (visible on the minimap as clusters of blue circles). Each orb is located just inside the ground-level entrance of these buildings.

• Nexus Geological Reading [28, 28]: In the trench near the meeting stone, just outside the Nexus structure on the southeast side. NOT inside the instance.
• Northern Coldarra Reading [31, 20]: Inside the northern blue structure, just past the ground-level entrance.
• Southern Coldarra Reading [28, 35]: Inside the southern blue structure, just past the ground-level entrance.
• Western Coldarra Reading [22, 23]: Inside the western blue structure, just past the ground-level entrance.

Step-by-Step:

1. Right-click each glowing orb to collect the reading.
2. The three perimeter orbs are easy to spot inside the entrance of each blue building.
3. The Nexus orb is the tricky one: it’s in the trench at ground level, about 5 steps north of the meeting stone, OUTSIDE the Nexus building itself.

Tips

• Nexus Reading Location: This is the one most players struggle with. It’s NOT inside the Nexus instance. Look for it in the ravine near the meeting stone, on the southeast side of the Nexus structure.
• Combo Questing: This quest pairs perfectly with other Coldarra quests since you’ll pass through most of the zone anyway:
  • Nuts for Berries: Collect Frostberries scattered around Coldarra
  • Secrets of the Ancients: Kill Glacial and Magic-Bound Ancients near the structures
  • Basic Training: Kill Coldarra Spellweavers along the way
• Combat Warning: The mobs in Coldarra tend to chain-pull. If you aggro one, there’s usually another close enough to join. Don’t run blindly; you’ll likely pull more.

Story Context

Archmage Berinand (quest text): “I had hoped that the Nexus’ impact was limited to this region. Recently though, reports have flooded in from all over Azeroth suggesting that geologic instability is growing exponentially! I need the Nexus monitored regularly as I work to develop a solution. I’ve placed sensitive instruments around Coldarra, disguised as Malygos’ scrying orbs. One lies in the trench near the Nexus, and three are hidden in the structures around the valley’s perimeter. Visit each and return to me with their readings.”

Completion: “This is worse than I expected. Malygos is channeling too much power to this place. If he’s not stopped, Azeroth will be the next Outlands! Fortunately, I believe that I’ve engineered a temporary solution….”

Archmage Berinand is the Kirin Tor’s geological specialist at the Transitus Shield. His job is to monitor what Malygos’s magic is doing to the planet itself. By redirecting all of Azeroth’s arcane energy to the Nexus, Malygos is creating massive geological instability. Berinand’s warning: if this continues, Azeroth could suffer the same fate as Draenor, which was literally torn apart by magical forces and became the shattered realm of Outland.

Easter Egg: “Outlands”

Berinand says “Outlands” in his completion text. The correct term is “Outland” (singular). This is one of the most common lore mistakes in WoW, made by NPCs and players alike.

Chain Overview: Archmage Berinand’s Questline

1. Reading the Meters – Collect geological readings from around Coldarra
2. Postponing the Inevitable – Deploy stabilizers to counteract the damage

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.