Tempest Keep Attunement Guide TBC Classic (Cipher of Damnation & Trials of the Naaru)

Where the Cipher of Damnation Questline Starts

The Cipher of Damnation chain begins in Shadowmoon Valley with The Hand of Gul’dan for Alliance players or The Hand of Gul’dan for Horde players.

From there, you move through a series of elemental spirit quests before eventually meeting Oronok Torn-heart, who sends you after the three Fragments of Damnation through his sons.

Cipher of Damnation Main Quest Chain

• The Hand of Gul’dan (Alliance)
• The Hand of Gul’dan (Horde)
• Enraged Spirits of Fire and Earth
• Enraged Spirits of Water
• Enraged Spirits of Air
• Oronok Torn-heart
• I Was A Lot Of Things…
• A Lesson Learned
• The Cipher of Damnation – Truth and History

After this point, the questline splits into three separate branches tied to Oronok’s sons. These can be completed in any order.

First Fragment of Damnation

The first fragment path follows Grom’tor, Son of Oronok. This is the shortest of the three branches and ends with recovery of the first fragment.

• Grom’tor, Son of Oronok
• The Cipher of Damnation – Grom’tor’s Charge
• The Cipher of Damnation – The First Fragment Recovered

Second Fragment of Damnation

The second fragment path centers on Ar’tor, Son of Oronok and includes the memorable bow quest involving Lohn’goron, Bow of the Torn-heart.

• Ar’tor, Son of Oronok
• Demonic Crystal Prisons
• Lohn’goron, Bow of the Torn-heart
• The Cipher of Damnation – Ar’tor’s Charge
• The Cipher of Damnation – The Second Fragment Recovered

Third Fragment of Damnation

The third fragment path follows Borak, Son of Oronok and is the most involved branch, with disguises, infiltration, and several quest steps in Shadowmoon Valley.

• Borak, Son of Oronok
• Of Thistleheads and Eggs…
• The Bundle of Bloodthistle
• To Catch A Thistlehead
• The Shadowmoon Shuffle
• What Illidan Wants, Illidan Gets…
• The Cipher of Damnation – Borak’s Charge
• The Cipher of Damnation – The Third Fragment Recovered

Final Quest: The Cipher of Damnation

Once all three fragments are recovered, the three branches converge into the final quest: The Cipher of Damnation.

This final encounter wraps up the entire Shadowmoon Valley storyline and gives you access to the next major attunement step through Khadgar and A’dal.

Cipher of Damnation Rewards

All players receive:

• Fire Resist Necklace

You can also choose one of the following weapon rewards:

• Caster Staff
• Healer Staff
• Paladin/Shaman 2H Axe
• Tanking 1H Axe
• Bow
• Melee Dagger

Trials of the Naaru and the Final Tempest Keep Attunement Steps

After completing The Cipher of Damnation, you will receive a letter from Khadgar and be sent to A’dal in Shattrath City. This unlocks the next major step in the chain: the Trials of the Naaru.

These quests are required for players working toward attunement for Tempest Keep: The Eye. The three dungeon objectives can be completed in any order, but all of them must be finished before moving on to the final raid quest.

Trial of the Naaru: Mercy

Trial of the Naaru: Mercy sends you into Heroic Shattered Halls, where you must rescue the prisoners and retrieve the Unused Axe of the Executioner.

Trial of the Naaru: Strength

Trial of the Naaru: Strength requires two Heroic dungeon objectives: recover Kalithresh’s Trident from Heroic Steamvault and collect Murmur’s Essence from Heroic Shadow Labyrinth.

Trial of the Naaru: Tenacity

Trial of the Naaru: Tenacity takes you into Heroic The Arcatraz, where you must free Millhouse Manastorm.

Trial of the Naaru: Magtheridon

Once Mercy, Strength, and Tenacity are complete, A’dal offers Trial of the Naaru: Magtheridon. This is the final step in the Tempest Keep attunement chain and requires you to defeat Magtheridon in Magtheridon’s Lair.

After turning in the quest to A’dal, you receive two major rewards:

• Phoenix Fire Band
• The Tempest Key

This wraps up the entire attunement chain that begins with Cipher of Damnation and ends with access to Tempest Keep: The Eye. If you’re preparing for Tier 5 content in TBC Classic, finishing these quests is one of the biggest milestones in your raid progression.

Final Thoughts

The Cipher of Damnation is one of the longest quest chains in The Burning Crusade Classic, but it is absolutely worth completing for the story, rewards, and raid progression. If you are working toward The Eye attunement or Hyjal attunement, this is one of the major milestones you will need to finish in Shadowmoon Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions