Defiling the Defilers

WotLK Classic Northrend Leveling Guide

Quest 5 of 8 in the Obsidian Dragonshrine Chain

Both Factions • Dragonblight • Level 74 • Maw of Neltharion

Stamp out 8 Necromantic Runes drawn on the floor inside the Maw of Neltharion.

Serinar inside the Obsidian Dragonshrine [36, 32]. Enter the Maw of Neltharion (cave entrance at [37, 32]). Runes are large glowing purple circles on the cave floor. Right-click each one to stamp it out. No quest item needed. Runes respawn quickly, so if you're short, pause in one area rather than searching the full cave. Do this alongside Culling the Damned, which shares the same cave. Kill mobs as you clear toward runes and finish both quests in a single front-to-back pass. Both quests lead into Neltharion's Flame, which sends you to the back of the cave to fight Rothin the Decaying, so save that area for last.

Vikstone's Classic Expedition

There were no arcane rituals or careful dismantling. Serinar's philosophy was refreshingly direct: "Often the most straightforward solution is the most effective one." The cultists had spent weeks carving power channels into the cave floor. Vikstone erased their work in minutes.

“I sensed a large accumulation of magic in the runes that we witnessed when you were scouting the cave. I will not have you toy with extracting the magic… often the most straight forward solution is the most effective one.

Destroy the runes… stamp them out and ensure that the Cult will not have access to whatever power that they’ve accumulated there.”

-Serinar

Objective

LEVEL

74

Requires level

72

Start

Serinar

END

Serinar

Locate and stamp out 8 Necromantic Runes that have been drawn on the floor inside the Maw of Neltharion. Return to Serinar once the task is complete.

Necromantic Rune destroyed (8)

Enter the Cavern:
Head to the Obsidian Dragonshrine and locate the cave entrance at 37,32. This is the same cave you entered for The Best of Intentions.
Find the Necromantic Runes:
The runes are large, glowing purple circles on the ground scattered throughout the cavern.
You will encounter them as you proceed deeper into the cave. — *Serinar inside the Obsidian Dragonshrine [36, 32]. Enter the Maw of Neltharion (cave entrance at [37, 32]).*

Dragonblight Storyline

Reward

You will be able to choose one of these rewards:

Alystros’ Plume Cinch

Ancient Dreamer’s Leggings

Verdant Linked Boots

Belt of the Emerald Guardian

You will receive:

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

20,750 experience

250 reputation with The Wyrmrest Accord

Walkthrough

Quest Giver: Serinar — Maw of Neltharion, Dragonblight [36, 31]

Objective: Locate and stamp out 8 Necromantic Runes drawn on the floor inside the Maw of Neltharion.

Walkthrough

Head back into the Maw of Neltharion (cave entrance around [37, 32]). This is the same cave from The Best of Intentions, but you’re going in without a disguise this time.
The runes are large, glowing purple circles drawn on the cave floor. They appear throughout the cavern as you progress deeper inside.
Right-click each rune to stamp it out. No quest item is required; your character stomps the rune directly.
Runes respawn quickly. If you’re short on runes, stay in one area briefly rather than searching the entire cave.

Efficiency Tips

Do alongside Culling the Damned. Both quests share the same cave and unlock simultaneously after The Best of Intentions. Kill the required necromancers, constructs, and geists as you clear toward runes.
Work through the cave methodically from front to back. You’ll naturally encounter enough runes and mobs to finish both quests in a single pass.
Both quests lead into Neltharion’s Flame, which sends you to the back of the cave to fight Rothin the Decaying, so save that area for last.

Explore Dragonblight’s hidden easter eggs, lore mysteries, and connections across Warcraft history in Vikstone’s Dragonblight Chronicles, along with the complete quest storyline.

Upon completion of this quest you will gain:

2,050 experience

10 reputation with Valiance Expedition

Vikstone's War Journal

Serinar’s philosophy proved refreshingly direct.

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

“I sensed a large accumulation of magic in the runes we witnessed when you were scouting the cave. I will not have you toy with extracting the magic. Often the most straightforward solution is the most effective one. Destroy the runes. Stamp them out and ensure that the Cult will not have access to whatever power they’ve accumulated there.”

Serinar had no interest in salvaging the magic.

The Maw of Neltharion’s floor was marked with necromantic runes, each one pulsing with stolen power from dragon bones. I brought my boot down on the first. It sputtered, hissed, and died. The second cracked apart under the mace’s weight. By the third, I’d found my rhythm.

The cultists had spent days, perhaps weeks, carving these channels for their stolen power. I erased their work in minutes.

Serinar was amused. “Power wasted on the weak and useless. Show me a being worthy of the life and magic they have been gifted, and then perhaps we can talk of waste before extinguishing their presence. Don’t worry. I’ll wait.”

The tunnels were still full of cultists and constructs, so Serinar wanted the cave cleared by Culling the Damned before anybody went after Rothin.

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Solo PvP Guide

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Objective

LEVEL

74

Requires level

72

Start

END

Dragonblight Storyline

Reward

5 Gold

60 Silver

20,750 experience

250 reputation with The Wyrmrest Accord

Walkthrough

2,050 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