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Quest Log

Defending the Rift (Alliance)

Defending the Rift is an Alliance-only quest for level 30-35 in Abyssal Depths. It is step 42 of 43 in the Vashj'ir, Abyssal Depths storyline. It rewards 3 reward items, 1 reputation reward, 7,200 experience and money. Completing it counts toward 2 achievements.

Description

The whispers of the elements are crowding my thoughts, <name>...

The Throne of Tides is under siege!

I cannot stand idly by while the naga threaten Neptulon's realm. We must find a way to join forces with him.

Captain Taylor will escort me to the depths where I can commune directly with Neptulon.

I must ask you to take a more violent path. Keep the enemy forces distracted until I arrive safely at entrance to the Throne of Tides.

May the spirits see us through, <name>.

Rewards

You will be able to choose one of these rewards:

Money41 gold22 silver
Experience7,200 XP
ReputationStormwind +250
Top Comments

The highest voted Wowhead comments for this page. They are community notes, not TheWoWDB comments.

1
Morpheel+64via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

Blizzard finally fixed the quest (although a really crappy fix) and modified the objective to "Kill 15 Naga in the Abyssal Breach" instead of joining the battle by entering in the submarine(which sucks because i did this quest once in cata and it was really awesome doing it this way, you could see all the battle, the chatting, explosions, the submarine getting destroyed and some other awesome stuff). Now you just kill some *!@#, talks to Taylor and he heads to the dungeon...
It was awesome before, now it's just a stupid quest like any other.

2
123042+62via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

(talk to Erunak Stonespeaker)


Make your preparations, <name>, but do it quickly!



  • I am prepared, Erunak. Let's go!

<cut scene plays.>

(in the Pincer X2)

00:08 Pincer X2 Crewmember yells: I have a clear shot here! Get me more ammo!
00:15 Captain Taylor yells: Keep moving, men! I want a steady stream of shells for these guns!
00:22 Stormwind Soldier says: Aye, sir!

00:36 Pincer X2 Crewmember says: Wahoo! This is what I call a target rich environment!
00:44 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Use caution when firing those shells...
00:50 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Neptulon's revenants must not consider us enemies!

01:09 Captain Taylor yells: Keep those naga away from the crater!
01:14 Captain Taylor yells: If they manage to enter the breach, we'll never get them out!

01:40 Engineer Hexascrub says: Calculating trajectory...
01:45 Engineer Hexascrub says: Calibrating fuse...
01:51 Engineer Hexascrub says: Munitions ready!
01:56 Ensign Ebbert yells: Commence Fire!
02:02 Engineer Hexascrub says: Wahoo!

02:21 Captain Taylor says: Where is Neptulon in all of this, shaman?
02:26 Captain Taylor says: Why does he not protect his own domain?
02:31 Erunak Stonespeaker says: The lords of the elemental planes are beings of pure chaos, captain.
02:39 Erunak Stonespeaker says: No one can discern their motives...
02:43 Captain Taylor says: If he doesn't defend his home, he'll soon be without one.

03:01 Ensign Ebbert says: Look at the size of those things! What ARE they?
03:07 Erunak Stonespeaker says: The naga have enlisted the aid of the Old God's minions.
03:13 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Twisted creatures bent on the destruction of all living beings.
03:19 Ensign Ebbert says: Sorry I asked...

03:32 Captain Taylor says: The elementals are clearly outnumbered.
03:37 Captain Taylor says: They fight in vain...
03:42 Erunak Stonespeaker says: I sense desperation in them.
03:47 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Without aid, they will fail.

04:45 Captain Taylor yells: This isn't helping!
04:51 Captain Taylor says: We cannot hold off the naga this way.
04:58 Captain Taylor says: If we are to defend the rift, we must do it directly!
05:05 Captain Taylor says: Set us down as close to the crater as possible!
05:11 Ensign Ebbert says: Impossible sir! The current's too strong!

<cut scene plays.>
(outside comes Lady Naz'jar and her nagas.)

05:49 Lady Naz'jar says: What hubrisss these fools possessss!
05:55 Lady Naz'jar says: It ssshall profit them nothing, sssave it be a ssspeedy demise...
06:02 Lady Naz'jar says: Dessstroy them!


(Pincer X2 crashes, fight starts outside)

06:29 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Arise, friend. We have no time to lick our wounds!
06:37 Captain Taylor yells: We've been spotted! Make ready!

06:59 Captain Taylor yells: Erunak! We don't have time for this...
<Erunak casts powerful chain lightning and kills all naga soldiers.>

07:10 Captain Taylor yells: The submarine's gonna blow! Move out!
07:16 Erunak Stonespeaker says: We must make our way to the crater!

07:28 Captain Taylor yells: More naga! Brace yourselves!
07:58 Erunak Stonespeaker yells: Enough!
<Erunak casts powerful earth spike spell and kills all naga soldiers again.>
08:01 Erunak Stonespeaker says: We must make haste! The elementals cannot endure this siege.

08:27 Captain Taylor says: More delays... Form up, men!
<Lady Sira'kess appears.>
08:32 Lady Sira'kess says: Ahh, visitorsss!
08:37 Lady Sira'kess says: What an unexpected sssurprise.
08:44 Lady Sira'kess says: You mussst forgive me... I have no time to ssstay and play.
08:52 Lady Sira'kess says: In my absssence, my ssservantsss will... sssee to your needs.
09:01 Captain Taylor yells: We don't die that easily, sea-witch!
<Captain Taylor breaks his deep freeze and 1shots Lady Sira'kess. Woops!>

09:09 Erunak Stonespeaker yells: Neptulon's minions are growing desperate! We must hurry!
09:32 Erunak Stonespeaker yells: This is it! The entrance to Neptulon's realm...
09:39 Captain Taylor yells: Naz'jar and her honor guard... Fight for your lives!


<cut scene plays>

09:45 Lady Naz'jar yells: Come, children of Azshara! At last, we lay claim to the Plane of Water!
10:10 Lady Naz'jar yells: Go, my naga! Welcome the mighty Tidehunter to Azeroth!
10:22 Neptulon yells: You and your scaly worms are no match for me...
10:30 Neptulon yells: You've reached too far, serpent. You shall suffer greatly for your trespass!
10:39 Lady Naz'jar yells: To me, my minions! Strike now!
10:50 Lady Naz'jar yells: Now! Unleash the kraken!
10:58 Lady Naz'jar yells: You fool! This day shall be your last!
11:11 Lady Naz'jar yells: Follow me, my pets! The realm of the mighty Neptulon is ours at last!


11:47 Captain Taylor says: What now, old friend?
11:52 Erunak Stonespeaker says: We have suffered a tragic defeat.
11:57 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Any hope for the future of our world has grown much bleaker.
12:03 Erunak Stonespeaker says: Thrall must be told of this day's events.
12:08 Erunak Stonespeaker says: He will guide our next steps...
12:15 Captain Taylor yells: Erunak! Noooo!


After you turn in this quest,

Captain Taylor says: Do what you will, <name>. I'm going after Erunak!
3
hostile+33via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

When I did this quest the ending cut scene didn't complete and the turn-in NPC never appeared.

After exiting the game, logging back in and sitting there for a minute the cutscene played again from a point near the end and it completed this time and I was able to turn in the quest and get that achievement.

Read all 339 on Wowhead ↗

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Rewards in detail
TypeRewardAmount
ExperienceXP7,200
MoneyGold41g 22s
ReputationStormwind+250

Reward details

Pick one of these

TypePlate Feet
Item level35
BindingBinds when picked up
Armor16
Stats+6 Strength or Intellect, +9 Stamina, +6 Haste, +6 Critical Strike
Suited toHoly, Unholy, Protection, Retribution, Arms, Fury, Blood, Frost
Sells to vendors for41 gold65 silver
TypeArmor Finger
Item level35
BindingBinds when picked up
Stats+4 Intellect, +7 Stamina, +4 Haste, +4 Mastery
Suited toDiscipline, Balance, Restoration, Arcane, Fire, Frost, Mistweaver, Holy, Devourer, Destruction, Demonology, Affliction, Elemental, Shadow, Augmentation, Preservation, Devastation
Sells to vendors for99 silver6 copper
TypeCloth Back
Item level35
BindingBinds when picked up
Armor3
Stats+4 Agility, +7 Stamina, +4 Haste, +5 Mastery
Suited toVengeance, Enhancement, Subtlety, Outlaw, Assassination, Windwalker, Feral, Guardian, Havoc, Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, Survival, Brewmaster
Sells to vendors for41 gold97 silver

Reputation: Stormwind +250

One of the last bastions of human power, this Alliance capital is ruled by the young but wise king, Anduin Wrynn.

Reputation group: Alliance.

Item facts are the current retail client’s (ItemSparse); the specialisations for a pick-one item are the ones the Blizzard quest API lists; faction and currency text is the client’s own. Lowest listed price = the US commodity auction house now.

Where it comes from
Turn-in mapAbyssal Depths
World Map

Where to go

Pins are the quest’s own POI points from the current retail client, projected onto the in-game zone map. The game marks one blob as the quest’s turn-in; the rest are objective areas. Points that fall outside a map’s window are dropped rather than guessed at.

Abyssal Depths Quest turn-in

Nearby on the Abyssal Depths map

Quests whose map markers the client places closest to this one on Abyssal Depths, nearest first. Distances are straight lines between the markers.

Getting there

Alliance flight points closest to the quest’s turn-in marker on Abyssal Depths:

  • Silver Tide Hollow, Vashj'irAlliance and Horde · about 1,100 yards east
  • Darkbreak Cove, Vashj'irAlliance · about 1,200 yards south-west
  • Tranquil Wash, Vashj'irAlliance · about 1,300 yards south-east

From the turn-in, the objective areas lie:

  • Objective areaabout 50 yards south-west
  • Objective areaabout 1,200 yards south-west

Straight-line distances in yards between the quest’s own map markers (QuestPOI) and the client’s flight-point positions (TaxiNodes); flight paths and terrain are not modelled.

Quest Line

Storyline

Vashj'ir, Abyssal Depths

Part 42 of 43.

Previous: All that Rises · Next: Defending the Rift

  1. 32Unplug L'ghorek
  2. 33Fiends from the Netherworld
  3. 34Fiends from the Netherworld
  4. 35Communing with the Ancient
  5. 36Runestones of Binding
  6. 37Ascend No More!
  7. 38Prisoners
  8. 39Prisoners
  9. 40Twilight Extermination
  10. 41All that Rises
  11. 42Defending the Rift
  12. 43Defending the Rift

Showing steps 32 to 43 of 43.

Storyline order is the client’s own QuestLine data from the current retail build.

Where this quest fits

Before this quest

Taken from the storyline's own step order.

  • All that RisesAbyssal Depths · Level 30-35

    <The voice of the ancient presses against your mind.> NOW THAT... YOU HAVE STOLEN... THE ENERGIES OF... THE FAITHFUL, ENTER... THE TEMPLE AND... DESTROY... HALLAZEAL THE ASCENDED!

Other quests with this name

This one: Alliance only · Abyssal Depths · Level 30-35.

Also counted by Sinking into Vashj'ir

Its criteria name 14 quests; others include:

The storyline at a glance

Vashj'ir, Abyssal Depths has 43 steps, from Bio-Fuel to Defending the Rift.

Maps its steps are placed on (steps per map): Abyssal Depths (30), Kelp'thar Forest (12), Vashj'ir (1).

Steps of this storyline count toward:

Other storylines on the Abyssal Depths map

  • Vashj'ir, Kelp'thar Forest & Shimmering Expanse149 steps, starts with Call of Duty

Steps, storylines and map placement from the client’s QuestLine, prerequisite and QuestPOI data; neighbouring quest text is Blizzard’s own (quest API), shortened to its opening sentences.

Achievements

Completing this quest counts toward these achievements.

20,000 Leagues Under the SeaComplete the Neptulon quests in Vashj'ir up to and including Defending the Rift.10Sinking into Vashj'irComplete the Vashj'ir storylines listed below.10
Other versions of this quest

2 quests carry the name Defending the Rift. They differ in the faction shown here.

QuestFactionID
Defending the Rift (this page)Alliance26193
Defending the RiftHorde26194
Related
Defending Lor'danel
Defending the Isles
Defending the Maelstrom
Defending the Rampart
Defending the Rift
Defending The Vanguard
Defending the Vault
Defense of Aviana
Database

Quest Location and Connections

More Quests in Vashj'ir

See all 244 quests in Vashj'ir
Downloads

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