How to Get the Dark Rider Runes in Season of Discovery

Two quest chains were added in Phase 2 of Season of Discovery that offer a rune for every class. One of these is the Dark Rider quest chain that begins in Deadwind Pass. This guide will cover how to complete these quests to obtain the following runes:

• Druid: King of the Jungle
• Hunter: Melee Specialist
• Mage: Missile Barrage
• Paladin: Infusion of Light
• Priest: Spirit of the Redeemer
• Rogue: Waylay
• Shaman: Two-Handed Mastery
• Warlock: Demonic Knowledge
• Warrior: Precise Timing

If you’d prefer to watch a video walkthrough, scroll to the bottom of this page!

Vendor Emblems

As of Phase 5, if you have already discovered any of the Dark Rider runes, you will be able to purchase the other runes for your alts without having to go through the entire questline again!

To do this, visit Pix Xizzix at Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale (28.4, 75.8) and buy an Emblem of the Violet Eye for 5 Tarnished Undermine Real. Then take this item to a Rune Broker in one of the following locations to obtain the rune:

• Cut-Throat Alley in Stormwind City (57.5, 26.9)
• The Forlorn Cavern in Ironforge (53.0, 12.8)
• Cleft of Shadows in Orgrimmar (49.5, 46.0)
• The Spirit Rise in Thunder Bluff (22.8, 13.8)

If you haven’t completed this questline on any character yet, read on to find out how!

Starting the Dark Rider Quests

There is no level requirement for these quests, but you will be traveling all over the world and killing level 41 elites, so we recommend doing this at level 40. Getting your mount first will make all the running around a lot easier. But if you have level 40 level friends who are willing to summon you, you could potentially get this done at a very low level.

You won’t have any quests in your quest log for this – instead, you’ll be completing turn-in quests that will only be offered when you have collected the required items. In order to collect these items, you will first need to pick up a special trinket.

Ariden’s Sigil is obtained by talking to the Dalaran Agent at Ariden’s Camp in northeast Deadwind Pass (52, 35). To get to Deadwind Pass you’ll need to travel through Duskwood. Horde can choose to run from Swamp of Sorrows if they have already picked up the flight path there.

The Dalaran Agent will tell you that some relics have been stolen from the Violet Eye’s vaults, and the thieves match the description of the Dark Riders of Karazhan. She will give you the trinket so you can find them, as they are otherwise invisible.

How to Find the Dark Riders

Once you have Ariden’s Sigil, you or someone in your party will need to have it equipped in order to locate and summon the Dark Riders. You will be traveling to seven different locations. In each location you’ll need to dismount and wander around the area until you get a buff called Dark Presence. You’ll be able to immediately tell when you get this buff because a large pair of yellow eyes will appear above your character. You’ll be able to see the eyes when they appear above other characters as well, so have your group fan out. You won’t be able to get the buff if you’re mounted.

When you’re standing in a spot with the Dark Presence aura, you can use Ariden’s Sigil to summon a Dark Rider. The Dark Riders are level 41 elites. You can summon multiple Dark Riders in the same location if multiple people use the trinket at the same time, but you only need to summon one. Your entire party will be able to loot their Dalaran Relic. Each Dalaran Relic is looted from a Dark Rider in a different location.

Dark Rider Locations

We’ve listed the locations below in what we think is the most logical order for travel, but you can locate the Dark Riders and loot the relics in any order. Here’s a quick list of the locations and their coordinates:

• Deadwind Pass (43, 29)
• Swamp of Sorrows (69, 28)
• Duskwood (23, 47)
• Arathi Highlands (60, 40)
• Badlands (58, 54)
• The Barrens (52, 36)
• Desolace (65, 25)

Deadwind Pass

The first Dark Rider can be found very close to where you picked up Ariden’s Sigil in Deadwind Pass. Follow the path back out from Ariden’s Camp and follow the road to the northwest. The Dark Presence here is near the north end of the river (43, 29). The Dark Rider here drops a Curious Dalaran Relic.

Swamp of Sorrows

Now head east and exit Deadwind Pass into Swamp of Sorrows, and follow the road northeast toward Fallow Sanctuary. The Dark Presence is just southeast of Fallow Sanctuary and north of the large lake (69, 28). The Dark Rider here drops an Odd Dalaran Relic.

Duskwood

Backtrack through Deadwind Pass again and enter Duskwood. Cross the zone to the Raven Hill Cemetary. The most direct path is across the north of the zone, which also avoids Darkshire and other hostile areas if you’re Horde. The Dark Presence is on the eastern side of the graveyard (23, 47). This Dark Rider Drops a Glittering Dalaran Relic.

Arathi Highlands

Next you’ll need to make your way north to Arathi Highlands. If you haven’t been to this zone yet, you can get here through Wetlands as Alliance or through Hillsbrad Foothills as Horde. The Dark Presence is located between Hammerfall and Dabyrie’s Farmstead in the northeast of the zone. This Dark Rider drops a Whirring Dalaran Relic.

Badlands

Now you’ll head to Badlands, which can be reached from Loch Modan. Horde who haven’t yet picked up the Kargath flight point will have to run south from Arathi Highlands through Wetlands and Loch Modan. The Dark Presence here is in the middle of a large open area near the center of the zone. Loot this Dark Rider for a Slippery Dalaran Relic.

The Barrens

Make your way to The Barrrens on the other continent. Horde can fly to The Crossroads while Alliance will need to come from Ratchet, either by flight path or using the boat from Booty Bay. The Dark Presence is near the road south of the Crossroads. You’ll be able to get a Heavy Dalaran Relic from this Dark Rider.

Desolace

Finally, head to Desolace. Alliance have a flight path near this location at Nijel’s Point, but if you haven’t picked it up yet, you’ll have to run down through Stonetalon Mountains. Horde’s nearest flight point is Red Rock Retreat in Stonetalon Mountains. The Dark Presence is along the road in the north of the zone between Thunderaxe Fortress and Sargeron. Complete your collection here with a Creepy Dalaran Relic.

Turning in the Dalaran Relics

Each of the relics can be turned in individually for a small amount of gold and experience. To turn them in, return to the Dalaran Agent in Deadwind Pass where you got Ariden’s Sigil. The quest for each is called Curious Dalaran Relic.

When you have turned in all seven relics, the Dalaran Agent will offer the quest A Service to Dalaran. This quest awards a Supply Bag that will contain an item you can right-click to learn your class’s Rune Engraving:

• Druid: Rune of the Jungle King
• Hunter: Rune of Close Combat
• Mage: Spell Notes: Missile Barrage
• Paladin: Rune of Infusions
• Priest: Luminous Epiphany
• Rogue: Rune of the Assailant
• Shaman: Rune of Two-Handed Mastery
• Warlock: Rune of Forbidden Knowledge
• Warrior: Rune of Ruthless Precision

Video Walkthrough