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Quest

The Cipher of Damnation

A World of Warcraft quest in Shadowmoon Valley. Facts and objectives from the current retail game data.

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Top Comments

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

1
marskid2+470via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

The Cipher of Damnation is an extremely long quest line in Shadowmoon Valley.
"*" Indicates quests with rewards.

Quest Line
1[A] - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10680 - "The Hand of Gul'Dan"
1[H] - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10681 - "The Hand of Gul'Dan"
2 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10458 - "Enraged Spirits of Fire and Earth"
3 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10480 - "Enraged Spirits of Water"
4* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10480 - "Enraged Spirits of Air"
5 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10513 - "Oronok Torn-Heart"
6* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10514 - "I Was A Lot Of Things..." - Most annoying quest ever implemented in World of Warcraft.
7 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10515 - "A Lesson Learned"
8 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10519 - "The Cipher of Damnation - Truth and History"

At this point, the quests diverge into three separate lines (which can be done in any order) for each of Oronok's three sons who will in turn help you obtain the three Fragments of Damnation.

Quest Line I - First Fragment of Damnation
1 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10521 - "Grom'tor, Son of Oronok"
2 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10522 - "The Cipher of Damnation - Grom'tor's Charge"
3* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10523 - "The Cipher of Damnation - The First Fragment Recovered"

Quest Line II - Second Fragment of Damnation
1 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10527 "Ar'tor, Son of Oronok"
2 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10528 - "Demonic Crystal Prisons"
3 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10537 - "Lohn'goron, Bow of the Torn-heart"
4 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10540 - "The Cipher of Damnation - Ar'tor's Charge"
5* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10541 - "The Cipher of Damnation - The Second Fragment Recovered"

Quest Line III - Third Fragment of Damnation
1 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10546 "Borak, Son of Oronok"
2 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10547 - "Of Thistleheads and Eggs..."
3 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10550 - "The Bundle of Bloodthistle"
4 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10570 - "To Catch A Thistlehead"
5 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10576 - "The Shadowmoon Shuffle"
6 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10577 - "What Illidan Wants, Illidan Gets..."
7 - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10578 - "The Cipher of Damnation - Borak's Charge"
8* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10579 "The Cipher of Damnation - The Third Fragment Recovered"

After completing the quests for the three Fragments of Damnation, the lines converge and you need to kill one last boss.
Final* - http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10588 - "The Cipher of Damnation"

Rewards:

Everyone gets http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31074 - Fire Resist Neck

Choose one of the following:
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31036 - Caster Staff
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31038 - Healer Staff
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31062 - Paladin/Shaman 2H Axe
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31071 - Tanking 1H Axe
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31072 - Bow
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31073 - Melee Dagger

After completing the quest, you will get a message in the mail from Khadgar. If you go to Shattrath, he will tell you to talk to A'Dal, who unlocks the the three Trials.

2
Combine+289via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

You start the quest near 42,45.

1. Use totems on the fire and earth elementals surrounding the immediate area.
2. Use totems on air elementals near Netherwing Fields. 62,57
3. Use totems on water elementals near 47,22

Then you go up north to talk to the NPC. 54,23

He then asks you to use a whistle on whipper tubers. Note: A boar must be alive and near for it to work. They tubers are around 52,20

Then He asks you to destroy some eggs, They are just north of him down the cliff.

Once you have done those two quests he will ask you to find his 3 Sons.

The sons are located...

Artor: 30,50
Will ask you to slay the main mistress which is up the stairs and to the right. Then you will have to grind those demons to find a quest item. Then you will have to escort a NPC up the hill. Once up the hill the NPC will summon a non elite you must kill. Loot that mob and your 1/3rd done.

Gromtor: 45,24
Talk to him and he will ask you to find something. The item you need is locked randomly in a chest that the naga hold. Go kill some naga and they will randomly drop keys. Open the chests and eventually youll get the quest item.

Borak: 47,57
Asks you to do a multitude of things. The confusing ones involve finding an egg. Which there are some located in the bird people village just near the NPC. It will take quite some tries to find the correct one. He should then ask you to bring it to someone in Shattarah.
Also you will end up having to kill some blood elves Eclipse point for armor scraps. Then you will use a Blood ELf disguise to infiltrate the camp. Talk to the big guy at the back of camp. Careful the firehawk beasts see threw the disguise and if you get knocked out of it you must return to the SOn to get a new costume.

Then he will ask you to kill an Elite. This elite is 61 and can be killed with a tank, healer, and dps. Once you kill this Dual Thunderfury badass you fight his pet. Although the item you need is on the guy.

After killing this guy return to the son. Then return with all 3 of the quests completed to the father at 54,23.
Rewards from this part are:

http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30951
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30939
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30967
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30962
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30925
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30944

He will then tell you to fight the big green golemagg.

Using the stone of damnation head to 45,46 (the place you started with the purple aura). Using the stone at the altar will spawn the boss, and the 3 Sons will fly in to help. Talk to them when ready and they will begin the fight. NOTE: These 3 sons will tank the boss pretty well as long as you dont pull aggro to early. The boss is a straight forward fight. You basically need to do 300k damage in a few minutes before the NPC's die, otherwise you'll end up tanking. Can be done with a decent 5man group.

Rewards from killing this guy are pretty sweet...

http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31073
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31036
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31038
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31062
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31072
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31071

Plus you also get a fire res neck:
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=31074

I have only gotten this far, according to V head back to the father in the north and you start the key quest.

--have fun.

3
docallens+170via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

I just solo'd this is a level 70 balance druid. I, too, was confused as to why I could not attack the summon monster. Then I realized I had to talk to the 3 NPCs behind me to tell them I was ready to go. During the fight, the NPCs held aggro the whole time, despite my almost constant casting. They died by the time Cyrukh the Firelord had roughly 20k health, but I easily finished him off. Note: even though the NPCs died, I could still complete the quest just fine.

Read all 149 on Wowhead ↗

Quest facts

LevelLevel 25-30
ZoneShadowmoon Valley
TypeGroup
Quest ID10588

Check whether you have already completed this quest in-game: /run print(C_QuestLog.IsQuestFlaggedCompleted(10588))

Requirements

Requires all ofThe Cipher of Damnation - The First Fragment Recovered, The Cipher of Damnation - The Second Fragment Recovered, The Cipher of Damnation - The Third Fragment Recovered

Read from the Blizzard quest API.

What to do

StorylineShadowmoon Valley, step 101 of 147
RewardsAmulet of the Torn-Heart, Borak's Reminder, Lohn'goron, Bow of the Torn-Heart, 31g 50s, 6,200 XP

Description

How many times has this spell been used in the history of our worlds? Undoubtedly, its power for destruction is unparalleled. What you must do now is take the cipher, now made whole, and read from it at the Altar of Damnation - where the memory of Gul'dan stands. What you will see once the words are uttered are the memories left imprinted upon the land. Stand your ground and await the coming of Cyrukh. You must be victorious, {name}. This land cannot withstand another shattering.

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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.

Shadowmoon Valley Quest turn-in 3 mapped points
Shadowmoon Valley map showing where to go for The Cipher of DamnationTurn-inObjective areaObjective area

In-game waypoint: /way #104 42.2 45.1

Coordinates

  • Turn-inShadowmoon Valley 42.2, 45.1/way #104 42.2 45.1
  • Objective areaShadowmoon Valley 44.1, 45.1/way #104 44.1 45.1
  • Objective areaShadowmoon Valley 53.9, 23.5/way #104 53.9 23.5

Map coordinates of the pins above. An area the client draws as a shape is given by the centre of its points.

Nearby on the Shadowmoon Valley map

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

Getting there

Flight points closest to the quest’s turn-in marker on Shadowmoon Valley:

  • Wildhammer Stronghold, Shadowmoon ValleyAlliance · about 460 yards south-west
  • Shadowmoon Village, Shadowmoon ValleyHorde · about 870 yards north-west
  • Sanctum of the Stars, Shadowmoon ValleyAlliance and Horde · about 910 yards south-east

From the turn-in, the objective areas lie:

  • Objective areaabout 100 yards east
  • Objective areaabout 1,000 yards north-east

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.

Related

Choose one of these rewards:

Money31 gold50 silver
Experience6,200 XP

3D Model

First-party render from the game files. Model © Blizzard Entertainment.

Reward details

Items you receive

TypeArmor Neck
Item level32
BindingBinds when picked up
Stats+7 Stamina, +6 Fire Resistance
Sells to vendors for4 gold15 silver

Pick one of these

TypeDagger One-Hand
Item level32
BindingBinds when picked up
Weapon6 - 10 damage, speed 1.8
Stats+3 Agility, +3 Critical Strike, +8 Stamina
Suited toSurvival, Subtlety, Assassination
Sells to vendors for77 gold52 silver
TypeBow Ranged
Item level32
BindingBinds when picked up
Weapon14 - 19 damage, speed 3.0
Stats+13 Stamina, +10 Agility
Suited toBeast Mastery, Marksmanship
Sells to vendors for96 gold52 silver

“A gift from a forgotten friend...”

TypeStaff Two-Hand
Item level31
BindingBinds when picked up
Weapon8 - 11 damage, speed 3.6
Stats+7 Intellect, +11 Stamina, +9 Critical Strike
Suited toAugmentation, Fire, Arcane, Restoration, Preservation, Devastation, Frost, Balance, Shadow, Mistweaver, Elemental, Affliction, Demonology, Destruction, Discipline, Holy
Sells to vendors for105 gold21 silver

“"I was a lot of things..." -Oronok Torn-heart”

TypeTwo-Handed Axe Two-Hand
Item level32
BindingBinds when picked up
Weapon13 - 27 damage, speed 3.6
Stats+6 Stamina, +7 Strength, +6 Critical Strike, +4 Agility, +11 Haste
Suited toFury, Arms, Retribution, Unholy, Frost, Blood
Sells to vendors for100 gold26 silver

“This battle axe appears other-worldly...”

TypeStaff Two-Hand
Item level31
BindingBinds when picked up
Weapon8 - 11 damage, speed 3.6
Stats+7 Intellect, +11 Stamina, +9 Versatility
Suited toAugmentation, Fire, Arcane, Restoration, Preservation, Devastation, Frost, Balance, Shadow, Mistweaver, Elemental, Affliction, Demonology, Destruction, Discipline, Holy
Sells to vendors for98 gold52 silver

“It is now as it should be... -Spirit of Earth”

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.

Storyline

Shadowmoon Valley

Part 101 of 147.

Previous: The Cipher of Damnation - The Third Fragment Recovered · Next: Karabor Training Grounds

  1. 96To Catch A Thistlehead
  2. 97The Shadowmoon Shuffle
  3. 98What Illidan Wants, Illidan Gets...
  4. 99The Cipher of Damnation - Borak's Charge
  5. 100The Cipher of Damnation - The Third Fragment Recovered
  6. 101The Cipher of Damnation
  7. 102Karabor Training Grounds
  8. 103A Necessary Distraction
  9. 104Altruis
  10. 105Karabor Training Grounds
  11. 106A Necessary Distraction
  12. 107Altruis

Showing steps 96 to 107 of 147.

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.

  • The Cipher of Damnation - The Third Fragment RecoveredShadowmoon Valley · Level 25-30

    Take this box to my father. He still resides at Oronok's Farm, far to the north, above Coilskar Cistern. When all three fragments are pieced together, the ancient words will be known once more. Good luck, <name>. Tell my father that I will be home soon.

After this quest

Taken from the storyline's own step order.

  • Karabor Training GroundsShadowmoon Valley · Level 25-30

    Our scouts have reported a massive influx of Sunfury blood elf recruits heading to the Ruins of Karabor. Normally this would represent a purely military threat, however we believe something else is amiss.

Other quests with this name

This one: Shadowmoon Valley · Level 25-30 · Group.

Also counted by Shadow of the Betrayer

Its criteria name 17 quests; others include:

The storyline at a glance

Shadowmoon Valley has 147 steps, from Spleendid! to A Job Unfinished....

Maps its steps are placed on (steps per map): Shadowmoon Valley (129), Terokkar Forest (10), Nagrand (7), Shattrath City (1).

Other storylines on the Shadowmoon Valley map

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 this achievement.

Shadow of the BetrayerComplete the Shadowmoon Valley storylines listed below.10