You will be entering from the Barrens. Although it is possible to enter from Ashenvale, this isn’t ideal for your first time. There is an inn and flight path in Sun Rock Retreat, some way up the main path leading from the SE to NW of the zone.
Before you arrive, there are a few quests worth collecting:
In Ratchet:
Mebok Mizzyrix – Deepmoss Spider Eggs
Sputtervalve – Ziz Fizziks
In Crossroads:
Darsok Swiftdagger – Letter to Jin’Zil
The spider eggs send you to Windshear Crag, which is the far side of Stonetalon Mountains; there are several more quests to collect for this area. Darsok Swiftdagger is at the top of the watchtower in the Crossroads. You can only get his quest when you have completed the harpy quests and killed Serena in the Barrens.
Grimtotem Post
While still in the Barrens, you will meet two NPCs: Makaba Flathoof and Seereth Stonebreak. Take: Makaba Flathoof – Avenge My Village, and follow the path west into Stonetalon Mountains; you will find Grimtotem’s close to the path, look for a spot to the north of the path where there are several around a tent. Come back for: Makaba Flathoof – Kill Grundig Darkcloud. Grundig is in Grimtotem Post, which is to the north of the path a little further west. Use the second entrance to the area, which is to the west, as it is easier (mobs are spaced further apart and are more visible), and Grundig is closer to this end, inside the first tent you see.
Webwinder Path
Before you move on, take: Seereth Stonebreak – Goblin Invaders. As you run up the road, it becomes Webwinder Path. To the south you will see a troll hut on a hill. That area is called Malaka’jin, and Jin’zil is in a cave at the back. Also find: Xen’zilla – Blood Feeders. Creepers (16/17) are in the main path south of Windshear Crag, and Venomspitters (17-19) are north, and in the entrance to the Crag itself, which is to the north of the path. You can also get deepmoss eggs in the Crag; be careful, because they can spawn one or two level 14 hatchlings.
Past the entrance to Windshear Crag on the west is Sun Rock Retreat. There’s an inn, vendors and a flight path. If you take the road out of Sun Rock signposted for the Charred Vale, and veer left, you will find two more NPCs with quests, Mor’rogal and Tsunaman. Take: Mor’rogal – Boulderslide Ravine. The ravine is to the south of the path, way back just west of Malaka’jin, with the correct cave to the west of the two, and you need to get in sight of the resonite cask above the lake at the back of the cavern to complete the task. Mobs are 16-18.
Windshear Crag
Now go back to the Crag for Goblin Invaders. Ziz Fizziks is in the hut on the west side of the entry to the Crag; a quick way of reaching him is to jump down from Webwinder Path, which bypasses a lot of the spiders. Take Ziz Fizziks – Super Reaper 6000. Back in Windshear Crag, you should kill loggers, which are levels 16-18. Work your way to the oversized tractor, which is the super reaper. Around it are several operators; these can also be found at some other points in the area, and any operator can drop the plans – level 20. Be careful as there are several 20-24 elite mobs that can spawn around this area. Ziz will send you back to Sputtervalve in Ratchet, and the follow on quest becomes much higher in level.
The next quest from Mor’rogal is Earthen Arise, which is to break open the cask and kill a 20 elite, Goggeroc. This quest is currently bugged (in April 2005), and if you fail to kill Goggeroc, the cask (big crystal) doesn’t respawn.
Next in line is to find the wanted poster outside Sishir Canyon, which starts off Arachnophobia; this is another elite quest. Besseleth is a level 21 elite, and she is to the right at the back of the canyon. Arguably a lot easier than Gaggeroc.
Returning to Seereth Stonebreak after killing the loggers opens up a couple of quests. Seereth Stonebreak – Shredding Machines, this requires you to kill the 2 goblin machines that roam around the lumbermill area; level 23-24. Seereth Stonebreak – The Elder Crone, sends you to Thunder Bluff and then on to Tarren Mills in Hillsbrad Foothills, with a further quest there to complete. Note that the person you are sent to meet in Thunder Bluff is a Grimtotem! You may already have the flight path to Tarren Mills, in which case there’s no need to run all the way from Undercity. Apothecary Lydon – Blood of Innocents; this requires you to kill the shadow mages around Durnholde Keep, which is south from Tarren Mills, then east across the bridge. The small fort to the south of the road has several shadow mages around the outside, level 21-22, which are easier to reach than those north of the road. You will end up with: Apothecary Zamah (in Thunder Bluff) – The Flying Machine Airport. This is a tower close to the lumbermill.
The Charred Vale
Tammra Windfield – New Life 25 (Charred Vale)
Tsunaman – Elemental War 25 (Charred Vale)
Maggran Earthbinder (Sun Rock) – Harpies Threaten 26 (Charred Vale)
Stonetalon Peak
Tammra Windfield – Cycle of Rebirth 23 (Mirkfallon Lake)
Braelyn Firehand – Cenarius’ Legacy 25 etc
Witch Doctor Jin’zil (Malaka’Jin) – Jin’zil’s Forest Magic 26
Zor Lonetree (Org) – The Spirits of Stonetalon 17 may be orc/troll only?
Kaya Flathoof – Protect Kaya 18 (escort, quest may be bugged)
Makaba Flathoof – Kaya’s Alive 18
Piznik – Gerenzo’s Orders 22
Tsunaman (Sun Rock) – Trouble in the Deeps 22 (etc) BFD?