Them!

Quest Giver: Brglmurgl at Winterfin Retreat [44, 23]

Turn In: Brglmurgl [44, 23]

Objective: Kill 15 Winterfin murlocs. Any combination of Winterfin Warriors, Winterfin Oracles, and Winterfin Shorestrikers will do.

Quick Facts

• Quest Type: Kill count (mixed enemy types)
• Pre-requisite: Winterfin Commerce
• Chain Position: Standalone quest (does not lead to follow-ups)

Walkthrough

Swim west from Winterfin Retreat to Winterfin Village [40, 15]. All three murloc types count toward the 15-kill objective, so kill whatever you encounter.

Enemy Distribution:

• Winterfin Shorestrikers: Found along the shoreline and beach areas
• Winterfin Warriors: Found throughout the village and inside Winterfin Caverns
• Winterfin Oracles: Found near huts and inside Winterfin Caverns (casters)

Combat Tips:

• Winterfin Oracles are spellcasters. Interrupt their abilities or focus them down quickly to minimize incoming damage.
• Murlocs often cluster near huts. Use AoE abilities to handle groups efficiently.
• The caverns contain plenty of murlocs if you need more kills after clearing the village surface.

Efficiency: Combine Multiple Quests

This quest pairs naturally with:

• Oh Noes, the Tadpoles! (free 20 tadpoles from cages)
• Keymaster Urmgrgl (kill keymaster inside caverns)
• Monitoring the Rift: Winterfin Cavern (use Arcanometer inside caverns)
• Escape from the Winterfin Caverns (escort quest, pick up on your way out)

Optimal Route:

1. Start at the shore of Winterfin Village, killing murlocs and opening tadpole cages
2. Work your way inland toward the Winterfin Cavern entrance [40, 20]
3. Inside the cavern, use the Arcanometer, kill more murlocs, and free more tadpoles
4. Find the caged murlocs deeper in and pick up the Keymaster quest
5. Kill Keymaster Urmgrgl, return the key
6. Pick up the escort quest and escort Lurgglbr out, finishing kills along the way

By the time you complete the escort, you should easily have 15+ kills.

Story Context: Proving Yourself

Brglmurgl is not impressed that King Mrgl-Mrgl has welcomed you. His greeting makes his hostility clear: “You have learned a trick to speak with us, <race>, but I am not impressed. There are Winterfin betrayers across the water that need killing.”

The quest text expands on this tension:

“Our brothers and sisters across the water are now our mortal enemies. They have kidnapped our tadpoles, driven us out of our village, and killed more of us than I can count. Prove yourself, <race>! Swim across the rift and slay them! Despite the favor that the new king has shown you, only then will we consider accepting you here. Fail to do so, and you might as well leave now and never return!”

Brglmurgl’s demand is understandable. The Winterfin murlocs across the water are his former brothers and sisters, now corrupted by Claximus’s magic. They’ve killed his people, stolen their children, and forced the survivors into refugee status. He doesn’t trust you just because you can speak his language.

Upon completion, Brglmurgl’s response is darkly satisfied: “I am pleased. I can smell the coppery tang of their blood on your hands. This is a good start for you, <race>.”

Lore: The Tragedy of Civil War

What makes this quest poignant is that you’re killing murlocs who were, until recently, friends and family of the quest giver. The corrupted Winterfin murlocs aren’t evil by choice. They entered the caverns to rescue their stolen tadpoles and were mind-controlled by Claximus using arcane magic seeping from nearby Coldarra.

Brglmurgl calls them “betrayers,” but they’re really victims. The quest chain eventually addresses this by having you defeat Claximus himself, potentially breaking his hold over the surviving murlocs.

Easter Egg: Pop Culture Reference

The quest name “Them!” references the classic 1954 science fiction film of the same name. In the movie, giant ants mutated by atomic radiation in New Mexico threaten civilization. Federal agents and military forces must track down and destroy the ant colonies before they spread.

The film was Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing movie of 1954 and is considered the original “big bug” creature feature, spawning an entire subgenre of atomic-age monster movies. Its influence can be seen in everything from Tarantula (1955) to Aliens (1986).

Both involve fighting a dangerous horde of creatures that threaten to overwhelm a community. The movie’s title comes from a traumatized child who, when exposed to the ants’ scent, screams “THEM! THEM!” in terror.

Similarly, the corrupted murlocs have become “them” to the surviving Winterfin, former family transformed into mortal enemies.

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.