Zereth Mortis campaign

Zereth Mortis

The Zereth Mortis campaign covers the storylines added in patch 9.2 as the concluding portion of the overarching Shadowlands campaign, tracked in the achievements  [Secrets of the First Ones] and  [From A to Zereth]. The quests take place almost exclusively in the new zone of Zereth Mortis.

Unlocking the campaign

The Primus' gathering in Oribos

To unlock this campaign, characters must have finished the first three chapters of the Chains of Domination campaign, ending with  [60] Good News, Everyone!. Once that is done,  [60] Call of the Primus will be offered automatically as soon as players log in after patch 9.2 goes live.

The main campaign chapters were initially time-gated after the release of the patch, with chapters 1-3 being available at launch and with one additional chapter unlocking each subsequent week. Since then, all of the chapters can be played through from start to finish without interruptions or additional requirements.

Main campaign: Secrets of the First Ones

Zereth Mortis map

The primary campaign is eight chapters long and covers the heroes' arrival to Zereth Mortis, their search for a way to follow the Jailer into the Sepulcher of the First Ones and defeat him, the creation of a new Arbiter to restore balance to the realms of Death as a whole, and finally the ultimate fate of Sylvanas Windrunner.

Into the Unknown

Entering Zereth Mortis

The Primus summons the Maw Walker to Oribos, where the attendants create a new sigil of the Arbiter and open a portal to Zereth Mortis to pursue the Jailer. Pelagos of the kyrian volunteers to accompany the Maw Walker. However, a Mawsworn attack disables the portal and leaves the Maw Walker and Pelagos stranded in Zereth Mortis. In exchange for helping him obtain a strange automa core, the broker Firim leads the two to the Enlightened in Haven. After the Maw Walker earns the brokers' trust by defending them from the Mawsworn, Elder Ara helps open an Ancient Waystone, establishing a permanent connection between Zereth Mortis and Oribos and allowing the Maw Walker's allies to join them.

1.  [60] Call of the Primus
2.  [60] A Hasty Voyage
3.  [60] Strangers in a Strange Land
4.  [60] Long Lost Firim
5.  [60] Give Me A Hand
6.  [60] A Mutual Exchange and  [60] For Research Purposes
7.  [60] The Road to Haven
8.  [60] Forging Connections
9.  [60] Defending Haven and  [60] Destroying the Destructors
10.  [60] This Old Waystone
11.  [60] The Forces Gather

We Battle Onward

Jaina and Baine at the Forge of Afterlives

Bolvar sends the Maw Walker, Shandris Feathermoon, and Darion Mograine to find out what the Mawsworn are up to near the Forge of Afterlives. They discover that the Jailer is converting automa with Domination magic to weaken the Forge's defenses and that the covenant forces have been infiltrated by nathrezim. In a duel with Mal'Ganis, Jaina, Baine, and the Maw Walker learn that the Jailer and Anduin are headed for the Forge. They arrive too late to stop the Jailer from using the Forge to enter the Sepulcher of the First Ones, taking Anduin with him.

1.  [60] Favor of the First Ones,  [60] Necessary Harvest,  [60] Our Forward Scouts
2.  [60] Knowing is Half the Battle
3.  [60] Scour the Sands
4.  [60] Harmony and Discord
5.  [60] Battle for the Forge,  [60] Together, We Ride
6.  [60] In Plain Sight
7.  [60] Reinforcements May Be Necessary
8.  [60] A Break in Communication,  [60] Nothing is True,  [60] This is Your Fault, Fix It
9.  [60] Doppelganger Duel
10.  [60] Fighting for the Forge
11.  [60] Seeking Haven

Forming an Understanding

Firim and Pelagos with the unconscious oracle

Pelagos and the Maw Walker head to the Genesis Fields to deal with the other major threat to Zereth Mortis, the devourers. They hear an automa oracle's call for help, but they arrive too late and she falls unconscious. The Enlightened refuse to help, so Pelagos and the Maw Walker bring the oracle to Firim in Exile's Hollow. The automa core from earlier reacts to the oracle and turns into Pocopoc, a tiny automa who bonds with the Maw Walker, granting them the Summon Pocopoc ability and access to the Cypher of the First Ones. In addition, completing this chapter gives players access to Zereth Mortis' world quests and daily quests.

1.  [60] Danger Near and Far
2.  [60] A Mysterious Voice
3.  [60] Core of the Matter
4.  [60] Seeking the Unknown
5.  [60] Finding Firim
6.  [60] Security Measures and  [60] Unseen Agents
7.  [60] Now You May Speak
8.  [60] Surveying Cyphers
9.  [60] Cyphers of the First Ones
10.  [60] The Way Forward

Forging a New Path

Enlightened and venthyr attacking the Catalyst Gardens

Jaina, Uther, Sylvanas, and Bolvar outside the Sepulcher

Uther shows up in Haven with the news that Sylvanas has awakened back in Oribos. Bolvar is more concerned with finding a way into the Sepulcher. Elder Ara lends her help by taking the Maw Walker on a pilgrimage: first to Provis Esper to find some First One artifacts, then to Pilgrim's Grace to learn more about them, the Catalyst Gardens to repair them (and deal with haywire automa), and finally back to Pilgrim's Grace to use them to activate the Ancient Translocator between the Sepulcher and the mainland, giving players access to the physical raid entrance. Uther convinces the others to accept Sylvanas' help in saving Anduin from the Jailer, and they head into the Sepulcher to do so.

1.  [60] News from Oribos
2.  [60] Enlisting the Enlightened
3.  [60] Forging Unity from Diversity
4.  [60] Reclaiming Provis Esper and  [60] Remnants of the First Ones
5.  [60] The Pilgrim's Journey
6.  [60] Glow and Behold
7.  [60] Where There's a Pilgrim, There's a Way
8.  [60] In the Weeds
9.  [60] Pluck from the Vines,  [60] Nip It in the Bud, and  [60] Root of the Problem
10.  [60] Unchecked Growth,  [60] Take Charge, and  [60] Herbal Remedies
11.  [60] Flora Frenzy
12.  [60] Key Crafting
13.  [60] The Pilgrimage Ends

Crown of Wills

Taelia, Bolvar, and Darion in the Endless Sands

Preparing to forge a new crown

This chapter takes place after the first eight boss encounters of the Sepulcher, but does not require any raid progress to access.

The heroes bring Anduin to Haven in the hopes that he knows how to counter the Jailer's Domination magic, but he has no answers to give. The automa seem to be more resistant to Domination, however, so the Maw Walker is sent to experiment with the Helm of Domination and finds out that the automa's resistance stems from the language of the First Ones. The Maw Walker, Bolvar, and Taelia head to the Endless Sands to collect First One phrases, after which those who've suffered from Domination in the past meet up in Bastion to uncover their memories of what helped them defy it. The Primus gathers the group in the Runecarver's Oubliette and uses the cyphers and memories to reforge the helm into the Crown of Wills, giving the Maw Walker and their allies a way to resist the Jailer's power.

1.  [60] The Broken Crown
2.  [60] Our Last Option
3.  [60] Hello, Darkness
4.  [60] Elder Eru and  [60] Testing One Two
5.  [60] Cryptic Catalogue
6.  [60] The Not-Scientific Method
7.  [60] Two Paths to Tread
8.  [60] One Half of the Equation
9.  [60] Oppress and Destroy and  [60] Aggressive Excavation
10.  [60] Where the Memory Resides
11.  [60] What We Wish to Forget
12.  [60] What Makes Us Strong
13.  [60] What We Overcome
14.  [60] Forge of Domination
15.  [60] The Crown of Wills
16.  [60] Reality's Doorstep (optional)

A Means to an End

Pocopoc and the Vessel atop the Resonant Peaks

Pelagos comes to Haven to report that something is happening with the oracle—Saezurah—in Exile's Hollow. Saezurah speaks through Pocopoc and guides the Maw Walker on a lengthy trip to the top of the Resonant Peaks to retrieve the empty Vessel of an Eternal One. Back in Exile's Hollow, Saezurah awakens and reveals that—once her preparations are complete—the Vessel will be used to create a new Arbiter to replace the one that the Jailer destroyed.

1.  [60] Something Wonderful
2.  [60] Music of the Spheres
3.  [60] What A Long Strange Trip
4.  [60] Borrowed Power and  [60] Pop Goes the Devourer!
5.  [60] Match Made in Zereth Mortis and  [60] Between A Rock & A Rock
6.  [60] Searching High and Low
7.  [60] You Light Up My Life
8.  [60] Oracle, Heal Thyself
9.  [60] Arbiter in the Making

Starting Over

A new Arbiter is born

The Maw Walker is summoned to Exile's Hollow: it's time to make a new Arbiter, using a soul in the Crypts of the Eternal. The Crypts are guarded by Mawsworn, so the Maw Walker and Pelagos put together an army of covenant forces to get inside. The ritual begins, but a nathrezim ruins everything by summoning the Echo of Argus. All seems lost until Pelagos decides to offer his own soul as a replacement, and Saezurah transforms him into the new Arbiter. He takes his place in Oribos to allow souls to once again be sent to their rightful afterlives, and only one task is left before balance is restored to the Shadowlands: defeating the Jailer in the Sepulcher.

1.  [60] A Monumental Discovery (optional)
2.  [60] Restoration Project
3.  [60] Help From Beyond
4.  [60] Keys To Victory,  [60] A Matter Of Motivation, and  [60] Cleaving A Path
5.  [60] Knocking On Death's Door
6.  [60] The Infinite Circle
7.  [60] The Order Of Things and  [60] Unforgivable Intrusion
8.  [60] As Foretold
9.  [60] Acquaintances Forgotten
10.  [60] The Turning Point
11.  [60] For Every Soul
12.  [60] Lifetimes To Consider
13.  [60] Souls Entwined
14.  [60] Safe Haven (optional)

Epilogue: Judgment

The fate of Sylvanas Windrunner

The final chapter is optional in that it is not required to earn  [Secrets of the First Ones]. It takes place after the events of the last three boss encounters of the Sepulcher, but as with the "Crown of Wills" chapter, no raid progress is required.

Following the defeat of the Jailer and the saving of the Shadowlands, Sylvanas is escorted to Oribos to be judged by the Arbiter for her past crimes. She hands herself over to her archenemy Tyrande Whisperwind, who declares that she'll begin her penance by freeing all of the souls trapped in the Maw and sending them to Pelagos for judgment. Sylvanas accepts this and disappears into the Maw to get to work, closing off this last part of the Shadowlands storyline.

1.  [60] The Jailer's Defeat
2.  [60] Prisoner of Interest
3.  [60] A Long Walk
4.  [60] The Fate of Sylvanas
5.  [60] Penance and Renewal

Side quests

There are several quest chains in Zereth Mortis. Some of them are needed for  [Path to Enlightenment] achievement.

Not Al Are Lost

In this quest chain, the player once again teams up with Al'dalil, as he learns what happened to Cartel Al expedition.

1.  [60] Enlightened Exodus
2.  [60] Security Check
3.  [60] Traces of Tampering
4.  [60] Broker Decloaker and  [60] Xy Are You Doing This?
5.  [60] Following the Leader
6.  [60] Technical Difficulties

Small Pet Problems

It seems no place can escape pet collectors, and Zereth Mortis is no exception.

1.  [60] Look Who I Found!
2.  [60] Flora Aroma and  [60] Broker Beaker
3.  [60] Cascades of Magnitude
4.  [60] Culling the Maelstrom
5.  [60] Can I Keep Him?

A Return to Grace

The wellspring next to Pilgrim's Grace has gone dry - and the designs of the First Ones were supposed to be infallible. Something has definitely gone wrong.

1.  [60] The Wellspring of the First Ones
2.  [60] Lost Grace
3.  [60] Restore the Flow &  [60] An Automa-free Diet
4.  [60] A Return to Grace

The Patient Buffonid

This bufonid sure takes his time to go above... This questline requires several days to complete, so treat it like a daily quest.

1.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
2.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
3.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
4.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
5.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
6.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
7.  [60] The Burrowed Bufonid
8.  [60] The Patient Bufonid

Jiro to Hero

Jiro rarely become violent. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

In order to be eligible for this questline, the player needs to have researched Altonian Understanding so that they can communicate with the Jiro.

1.  [60] Broken Circle
   •  [60] A Jiro Guide to Not Being Eaten &  [60] Picking Up the Pieces... Literally &  [60] Gut Check
2.  [60] Mawdified Behavior
3.  [60] Zovaal's Grasp
4.  [60] Pound of Flesh &  [60] Rift Recon &  [60] Mawsteel, Maw Problems
5.  [60] Jiro to Hero

Completing this questline allows the player to obtain the  [Resonating Disc], which unlocks Cipher weapon drops.

•  [60] Sounds of Healing

The Final Song

A small find turns out to lead to something big. Completion of this questline is necessary to unlock the mount creation of Protoform Synthesis.

In order to be eligible for this questline, the player needs to have unlocked the Protoform Synthesis in the first place by researching Dealic Understanding and completing  [60] Protoform Synthesis, and then researching Sopranian Understanding.

1.  [60G] Finding Tahli
2.  [60G] Selfless Preservation
3.  [60G] Junk's Not Dead &  [60G] Core Competency
4.  [60] Revival of the Fittest
5.  [60G] Maintenance Mode &  [60G] Access Request
6.  [60G] The Final Song
7.  [60] Judgment Call
8.  [60] The Lost Component
9.  [60] A New Architect

Reap What You Sow

While questing in Zereth Mortis, players might have come by the overgrown foundry in the south-eastern part of it. This questline answers what is the deal with it.

In order to be eligible for this questline, the player needs to research Sopranian Understanding.

1.  [60] Mysterious Greenery
2.  [60] Clearing the Ruins &  [60] Scavenging a Solution
3.  [60] A Splash of the Eternal
4.  [60] Moment of Truth
5.  [60] Ramping Up &  [60] Strange Gears
6.  [60] Reap What We Have Sown

Miscellaneous side quests

•  [60G] WANTED: Custos
•  [60] You Supply the Effort
•  [60] The Necessity Of Equipment
•  [60] Legendary Assistance

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