Ravennus' Horde Guide Book 04, 24-26  

Late Barrens - Ashenvale: Level 24-26

In this book we have four very short chapters that still deliver a lot of experience. First, we finish up our quests in Stonetalon and The Barrens, completing several stories that we have been working on for a long time and saying goodbye to questing in the Barrens. Then we visit Ashenvale and Hillsbrad to soak up some xp and drive our characters to level 27.

Patch 2.3 This patch generally made leveling more rapid by reducing the amount of XP needed between levels, and by granting more experience for completed quests. This has two effects on leveling. First, I no longer need to do any passive grinding - killing a few extra mobs along the way to pad the xp gain. Just focus on the quest and get out. Second, you may find that you are leveling faster than the guide. In later books, many quests will be optional if you have reached your target level. For now, you will begin to notice in this chapter that things are a bit easier.

Stonetalon Revisited 24

Sun Rock Retreat

Expedition 1
Returning from Hillsbrad with our new elixir the first thing to do is to fly to Thunder Bluff and visit Apothecary Zamah at the Pools of Vision underneath Spirit Rise. Zamah will accept your potion and then give you instructions to go to Stonetalon Mts with the Toxic Fogger in The Flying Machine Airport (23). We also still have a quest in our log from Seereth, Shredding Machines.

Fly into Sun Rock Retreat, and speak to Tammra Windfield, on the far side of the round house. She's the one staring at a pile of dirt apparently willing something to grow. Tammra gives us Cycle of Rebirth (23). If you completed the quest in Boulderslide Ravine last time we were here, return to the guy on the bluff overlooking the Inn and get the final quest from him, an elite quest called Earthen Arise (20+).

Before leaving the Retreat, visit the Inn and set your hearthstone there temporarily.
End of first trip.

Windshear Crag

Expedition 2
Now leave Sun Rock Retreat by the path to the main road, and take a left, following it north through a small pass that leads to Mirkfallon Lake. It will be ahead on your right. Avoid the piles of rock that house the wyverns, and circle the lake near the shore, looking for the seeds on the ground. These look like pinecones. When you have gathered 10, return to the road and head south again.

Our next destination is the clearcut area of Windshear Crag. You can jump off the cliff at Ziz Fizziks’ house or run further south and enter through the spider area. You are looking for two shredding machines, which wander through the loggers and deforesters in the area. The XT:9 wanders in the southern area, while the XT:4 wanders in the northern area across the river.

Also in the northern area is the helicopter tower that you need to sabotage for the quest The Flying Machine Airport. This tower is actually marked on the map, near the Cragpool Lake. You may find a level 24 elite mob roaming nearby, so be careful. Clear your way up to the base of the structure. Then right click on the barrel of toxin in your inventory and slowly move your mouse around the grass beneath the platform until the (No!) symbol becomes a small barrel. Right click to place the toxin. After having killed both shredders, and placed the toxic fogger, you are ready to leave the area.
End of second trip.

Boulderslide Ravine

Expedition 3
Leave the clear-cut area and return to the main road. Follow the road south until you reach Boulderslide Ravine, where we’ve been before. This is the cave of the rat-like Groggers. Straight at the back of the cave, you will find the floating obelisk crystal. Clear to it, activate it to summon your boss dwarf, and then defeat him to complete Earthen Arise.

Return to the main road and run all the way south to Malaka'jin and accept Forest Magic (27) from Jin'zil in the cave. Continue to the east and turn in Shredding Machines to Seereth Stonebreak at Honor Stand. Activate your hearthstone to transport you back to Sun Rock Retreat and give the gathered seeds to Tammra Windfield. Tammra has a follow up that we will accept next time we come, but watch for a minute as she plants a tree.

Also turn in Earthen Arise on the shelf overlooking the lake. Then take the flight path to Thunder Bluff and seek out Apothecary Zamah at his familiar cave to tell him about the toxic fogger. This completes our visit to Stonetalon, for now. At the end of this chapter, Mackenzie was level 25 + 5 bars.
End of third trip.

Southern Barrens 25

Cooking with Grub

Expedition 1
Our next group of Barrens' quests takes place south of Camp Taurajo. Preparation, however, begins in Crossroads, so fly there now. If you don't have the cooking skill, you will need to buy flint and tinder and simple wood from the general goods vendor on the flightpath side of the inn.

Leave Crossroads, using the road to Ratchet. On the left, you will see an orc farmhouse tower, visible from the gates of Crossroads. If you have cooking at level 20, an orc inside named Grub will give you Dig Rat Stew (23). If you don’t have the cooking skill, learn it from the Cook next to Grub, as well as the recipe Spice Bread. The Baker outside will sell you mild spices and simple flour. Start your campfire and make 20 spice bread. At that point, Grub will offer you the quest.

Return to Crossroads and fly to Camp Taurajo. Pick up Betrayal from Within(25) from Mangletooth in the cage, and Weapons of Choice(24) from the blacksmith across from the Inn.