Midsummer Fire Festival Guide

If you do no other in game holiday, participate in this one. Why? Because you will make huge amounts gold and/or experience for relatively little effort in a short period of time. Even better the vast majority of quests scale with level so there are very few you can NOT do if you are not max level. On Pvp servers it is a little more difficult but not impossible, for Pve players it may be the ONLY time you participate in a "pvp" type of event.

Bonfires
Each of the four continents have bonfires, as well as each of the major cities, only Northrend does not have an achievement connected with it. This makes tracking which bonfires you have already hit all that much easier. Near the bonfires located in the capital cities you will find holiday specific merchants and quest givers who will start you on your way. Honoring or Desecrating each fire will reward you with Burning Blossoms as well as either Gold or Experience depending on your level. The Horde come out slightly ahead on the max number of Blossoms and cash they can earn. Below is the route I generally take for bonfires. A stands for Alliance, H for Horde and N for Neutral.

Northrend

Howling Fjord
A: Fort Wildervar (58,16)
H: Camp Winterhoof (48,13)

Dragonblight
A: Wintergard Keep (75,44)
H: Agmar's Hammer (39,48)

Grizzly Hills
A: Amberpine Lodge (34,61)
H: Conquest Hold (19,61)

Zul'Drak
A: Argent Stand (41,61)
H: Argent Stand (43,71)

Stormpeaks
A: K3 (42,87)
H: K3 (40,86)

Sholazar Basin
A: River's Heart (47,66)
H: River's Heart (47,62)

Borean Tundra:
A: Fizzcrank Airstrip (55,20)
H: Bor'Gorok Hold (51,12)

Crystalsong Forest
A: Windrunner's Overlook (78,75)
H: Sunreaver's Command (80,53)

There are no bonfires in either Icecrown or Wintergrasp.

Outland
N: Shattrah Next to the flight path

Nagrand
A: Telaar (50,70)
H: Garadar (51,34)

Terokkar Forest
A: Allerian Stronghold (55,55)
H: Stonebreaker Hold (52,43)

Shadowmoon Valley
A: Wildhammer Stronghold (40,55)
H: Shadowmoon Village (33,30)

Hellfire Peninsula
A: Honor Hold (62,58)
H: Thrallmar (55,40)

Zangermarsh
A: Telredor (69,52)
H: Zabra'Jin (36,52)

Blade's Edge Mountains
A: Sylvanaar (42,66)
H: Thunderlord Stronghold (33,30)


Netherstorm
A: Area 52 (31,63)
H: Area 52 (32,68)

Kalimdor

Teldrassil (Darnassus)
A: Rut'theran Village (55,91)
A: Dolanaar (55,60)

Darkshore
A: Auberdine (37,46)

Azuremyst Isle
A: The Exodar-The Crystal Hall (41,41)
A: Azure Watch (44,53)

Bloodmyst Isle
A: Blood Watch (55,69)

Winterspring
A: Everlook (62,35)
H: Everlook (59,35)

Ashenvale
A: Astranaar (38,54)
H: Splintertree Post (70,69)

Stonetalon Mountains
H: Sun Rock Retreat (50,60)

Desolace
A: Nijel's Point (65,17)
H: Shadowprey Village (28,76)

Barrens
H: Crossroads (52,28)

Durotar
H: Orgrimmar-Valley of Wisdom (47,38)
H: Razor Hill (52,47)

Mulgore
H: Thunder Bluff-Spirit Rise (21,26)
H: Bloodhoof Village (51,60)

Thousand Needles
H: Freewind Post (41,52)

Feralas
A: Feathermoon Stronghold (28,44)
H: Camp Mojache (72,47)

Silithus
A: Cenarion Hold (57,34)
H: Cenarion Hold (46,44)

Tanaris
A: Gadgetzan (52,29)
H: Gadgetzan (49,27)

Duskwallow Marsh
A: Theramore Isle (62,40)
H: Brakenwall Village (33,30)

Un'Goro Crater does not have any bonfires.

Eastern Kingdoms

Stranglethorn Vale
A: East of Booty Bay (33,73)
H: East of Booty Bay (32,75)

Blasted Lands
A: Nethergrade Keep (58,17)

Swamp of Sorrows
H: Stonard (47,47)

Redridge Mountains
A: Lakeshire (24,59)

Duskwood
A: Darkshire (74,51)

Westfall
A: Sentinel Hill (56,54)

Elywnn Forest
A: Stormwind-The Canals (49,72)
A: Goldshire (43,65)

Dun Morogh
A: Ironforge-Hall of Explorers (64,25)
A: Kharanos (46,46)

Burning Stepps
A: Morgan's Vigil (80,62)
H: Flame Crest (62,29)

Loch Modan
A: Thelsamar (32,40)

Badlands
H: Kargath (4, 49)

Wetlands
A: Menethil Harbor (13, 47)

Arathi Highlands
A: Refuge Point (50,44)
H: Hammerfall (74,41)

Hinterlands
A: Aerie Peak (14,50)
H: Revantusk Village (76,74)

Western Plaguelands
A: Chillwind Camp (43,82)

Hillsbrad Foothills
A: Southshore (50,46)
H: Tarren Hill (58,25)

Silverpine Forest
H: The Sepulcher (49,38)

Tirisfal Glades
H: Undercity-Ruins of Lordaeron (68,9)
H: Brill (57,52)

Ghostlands
H: Tranquillien (46,26)

Eversong Woods
H: Silvermoon City-Court of the Sun (70,43)
H: North Sanctum (46,50)

There is no bonfire in Deadwind Pass or on the Isle of Qual'Danas.

Grand Total: Alliance 580 Blossoms, Horde 590 Blossoms, from bonfires alone. You receive 3g 70s for every flame you honor and 13g 23s for every flame you desecrate. This means that an Alliance at level 80 can make 544g 90s and a Horde 563g 96s from the fires alone.

Quests

Non Repeatable

A: (lvls1-80) The Master of Summer Lore - This is the Alliance bread crumb quest provided by commoners scattered all over the major cities. The Master of Summer Lore is located near the major bonfires of each of the Alliance Capital Cities. Stormwind, near the Stockades (38,61) Ironforge, in front of the Hall of Explorers (65,24) Exodar, in the Crystal Hall (41,25) and for Darnassus he is actually OUTSIDE at the Rut'theran Village (55,91)

A: (lvls1-80) Incense for the Summer Scorchlings -  Near each of the bonfires is a small awning under which you will find the Flame Warden and a Summer Scorchling. Take the incense provided and give it to the Scorchling. Simple, but don't run off before he finishes eating it. What he has to say and does is rather revealing.

A: (lvls1-80) A Thief's Reward - A lot of people have problems with this one and that is because it is based on DROP quests. Once you have stolen the flames of each of the four Horde Capital Cities and turned them in to the Loremaster you will receive THIS quest, which you can immediately turn in for a fancy hat.

H: (lvls1-80) The Spinner of Summer Tales - This is the Horde bread crumb quest provided by commoners scattered all over the major cities. The Spinner of Summer Tales is located near the major bonfires of each of the Horde Capitals. Orgrimmar, in the Valley of Wisdom (47,38) Thunderbluff, at Spirit Rise (21,26) Undercity, in the Courtyard (68,9) or Silvermoon City (69,42)

H: (lvls1-80) Incense for the Festival Scorchlings - Near each of the bonfires is a small awning under which you will find the Flame Warden and a Summer Scorchling. Take the incense provided and give it to the Scorchling, Simple, but don't run off before he finishes eating it, you don't want to miss what he does and says.

H: (lvls 1-80) A Thief's Reward - A lot of people have problems with this one and that is because it is based on DROP quests. Once you have stolen the flames of each of the four Alliance Capital Cities and turned them in to the Spinner of Summer Tales and you will receive THIS quest, which you can then immediately turn in for your fancy hat.

Chains and Daily Quests

A & H: (lvls1-80) Playing with Fire - Another bread crumb quest. Located near each of the Flame Wardens you will find a Fire Eater tossing flaming torches, he will send you back to the capital cities to speak to one of the Master Fire Eaters near the main bonfires. The Horde versions of these quests are exactly the same as the Alliance you just do them in different places and turn them in to different people.

A & H: (lvls 1-80) Torch Tossing - Once you make it to a Master Fire Eater he gives you a torch and tells you to STAND NEXT TO THE BONFIRE so you can practice tossing them at the targets (braziers) he has placed in a semi circle near by. If you are not near the bonfire the torch won't work. An arrow (much like a hunter's mark) will appear randomly over a target, aim by placing the circle over the target and hit the target before the arrow moves on. Do this before your time expires. Personally I like to just hot bar my torch onto my number 1 key. Don't expect to get EVERY arrow, I try for every other one, you will still have plenty of time and less stress. Each person has their preferred bonfire to do this at, just find one that works for you. You get 5 Blossoms and 7g 40s for completing this quest at level 80.

A & H: (lvls 1-80) Daily More Torch Tossing - Once you have the initial Torch Tossing quest down the Master Fire Eater ups the ante by giving you a little more time and a LOT more targets you have to hit.Use the same strategy you did before and success will be yours. This quest pays out 5 Blossoms and 7g 40s each day. I love to do this on my low level alts as it is EASY XP.

A & H: (lvls1-80) Torch Catching - This is another one that gives people fits but there is a simple trick to it. The Master Fire Eater gives you a torch to light at the bonfire. Make sure the area around you is clear and you can easily see the ground. Once you lite the torch and toss the first one WATCH THE GROUND, you will see a shadow where ever the torch is headed. Just keep yourself positioned directly beneath the shadow and you will catch and toss the torch each time.  If you miss the torch will knock you back and do a little bit of fire damage forcing you to start all over again. This one just takes a bit of practice and luck at finding a quiet spot to toss in. (I personally like Exodar and Silvermoon City.) Again a 5 Blossom and 7g 40s pay out at level 80.

A & H: (lvls 1-80) Daily More Torch Catching - Once you have the torch catching down you can do it every day for more cash and blossoms or even XP at low levels.

N: (lvls16-80) Unusual Activity - Near each of the Major Bonfires you will find an "Earthen Ring Elder", these individuals are actually faction neutral and will have quests based on level. This particular quest sends you to just outside Blackfathom Deeps in Ashenvale.  It is a simple seek and destroy quest in which you locate the cultists, kill them and retrieve the information off their cooling corpse. Just pay attention to the quest because to turn it in all you have to do is SUMMON the guide with the beacon they give you as this is the beginning of a small chain.

N: (lvls 16-80) An Innocent Disguise - Once you complete "Unusual Activity" you are provided with a disguise and asked to go further up the beach following the blue torches. (9,12) Wait until you get to the proper area (look for the Heretic and Ice Caller Braitha.) The naga CAN see through your disguise so be careful. Find a safe spot, transform and listen in until you get a completion.

N: (lvls 16-80) Inform the Elder - Just like the name implies this quest is a simple, run back to one of the Earthen Elders at ANY of the Capital City fires and tell them what you know.  Daily quests will now become available which are level specific.

N: (lvls 16-28) Daily Striking Back - If you are lvl 16-28 you will find yourself headed right back to Zoram Strand in Ashenvale for your daily quest. At 9,12 you will find the stones. He is a lvl 22 water elemental. Kill him then return to receive your 10 Blossom and 1750 xp reward.

N: (lvls 29-38) Daily Striking Back - This group gets sent out to north west Desolace, near the beach (40,30) your target is a lvl 32 water elemental. Summon him at one of the stones located here then return to an Elder for your 10 Blossom 2710xp reward.

N: (lvls 39- 48) Daily Striking Back - Northwest Stanglethorn Vale is your destination, the water elemental island (21,23). The summoned target is a level 43 water elemental. Again return to an Elder for your 10 Blossom  5050 xp reward.

N: (lvls 49-55) Daily Striking Back - This is a MUCH smaller level divide so it is very possible to do this one and then bump up into the next quest bracket the same day. (Yes you CAN do both.) Head to Searing Gorge, there is a small cave there (21,37) it is here you will find the ice stones. The target is a level 51. Reward? Standard 10 Blossoms and 7070 xp.
 
N: (lvls 56-63) Daily Striking Back - Another SMALL level range but this one can be a little trickier due to his location. The stone is found in northeast Silithus (67,21) you will want to clear the area of Twilight cultist first. The target himself is a lvl 60. 9,550 xp and 10 Blossom reward.

N: (lvls 64-74) Daily Striking Back - Again small level group so possible to do this one day and get into the next quest bracket the same day. You will also need to have the Burning Crusade expansion to complete this quest as it sends you through the Dark Portal to Outland. The stones are located right along the base of the Dark Portal in Hellfire Peninsula (84,47). If you have a flying mount you can land right at the base, summon the elemental, kill him and leave avoiding the nearby mobs. The target is a level 67, rewards 11650 xp and 10 Blossoms. 

N: (lvls 75-80) Dungeon Ahune, The Frost Lord - The only pre recs for this quest are that you have BOTH the Burning Crusade AND Wrath Expansions as well as be at least level 75 to pick it up. This is a bread crumb quest you will only get once. It sends you to Numa Cloudsister in the Coilfang Reservoir: Slave Pens. It is not in any way required to kill Ahune, just extra money, and XP (6g 63s or 11,050xp).

N: (lvls 75-80) Dungeon Ahune is Here - Again BC and Wrath expansions are required. This quest is located just inside the Slave Pens and is offered up by Numa Cloudsister. You will only receive it once per festival. It is another bread crumb quest that sends you further into the pens. 1g 32s or 2,200 xp for completion.

N: (lvls 75-80) Dungeon Daily Summon Ahune - Once you complete Ahune is Here, Summon Ahune will become available to you. When you complete it you will be given your goodie bag as well as 7g 40s plus 22,050 xp or 13g 23s at level 80.  You need to make sure that everything (including snowballs) have been looted from the chest before the next person will be able to summon him again. You will get 1 summons per character per day.

Drop Quests

N: (lvls 75-80) Shards of Ahune - The first time you kill Ahune a Shard will be found in his Ice Chest. Pick it up and turn it in at Luma Skymother in Slave Pens for a choice between two tabards. The Tabard of Summer Skies or the Tabard of Summer Flames, you can only get one a year but they count toward your tabard achievements.

A: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Orgrimmar's Flame - When you go to do the "Steal the Flames" make sure to have open bag space because these are actually "drop" quests. As you will most likely be getting slaughtered by the flame defenders you don't want to have to do it more than once. Orgrimmar's Flame is located at 47,35, it takes you 1 sec to loot the flame and it can be interupted so I personally like to come in the back entrance, slip around to the top of the tent next to the flame and loot from there as you can usually drop any guards you picked up running in this way. While you can be ANY level to steal the actually flame but it will be difficult, if you can get a level 80 to carry you around on their Chopper or Mammoth, more power to you.

A: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Thunder Bluff's Flame - I prefer to enter from the back. (Maybe it is a rogue thing?) Take the lift up and hug the outer edge until you get to the building at 36,50, ride through and across the bridge (the guards and their nets can be a pain but if you move quickly you can usually make it) the bonfire is located at 20,26. Once you have the flame, flee in what ever manner you choose. (I like to jump off the side...but I'm just crazy that way, Feather fall FTW.)

A: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Undercity's Flame - This can be either the EASIEST or the most DIFFICULT depending on your server. Undercity's Flame is located RIGHT inside the main entrance to Undercity, (60,9). You don't even need to be pvp, however you WILL be once you touch the flame which is usually when the 20+ defenders jump on you on our server. Just find a quiet time to go after it.

A: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Silvermoon's Flame - Silvermoon's flame was added with the Burning Crusade so if you don't have this expansion you will not be able to do this quest. Mount up at the main entrance and ride STRAIGHT back to Murder Row, take a quick right then a left around the corner and again go straight up the stairs, the flame is on the left. (70,43) I usually make sure I have a hearth available for this one.

H: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Darnassus's Flame - Of all the flames this is the EASIEST to steal, you don't even have to go into Darnassus at all. Catch the right hand boat from Auberdine, the bonfire is located at 55,91 in Rut'theran Village. If you are killed however you can NOT corpse run back. You will rez back in Auberdine and have to do the whole thing all over again so try to hug the docks until the coast is clear.

H: (lvls 1-80) Stealing The Exodar's Flame - Again you need to have the Burning Crusade expansion to do this one and again start in Auberdine. Take the boat at the very END of the dock. Once you get off ride all the way AROUND the Exodar which you will see on your left. Enter from the far entrance and just head straight down the tunnel and to your right will be the Crystal Hall. The bonfire is located at 41,25. Try to avoid the vendors. Head back out the way you came.

H: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Stormwind's Flame - This use to be one of the more difficult ones to get and now it is MUCH simpler. Just hop on the left hand ship in...you guessed it Auberdine. It will take you DIRECTLY to Stormwind's Harbor, mount up and ride straight up the stairs, take the road on the right. Stormwind's bonfire is located at 49,72, right in front of the Stockades. There are usually quite a few defenders so you may have to take a quick dip in the Canals to lose them. (I promise King Varian had them cleaned recently.)

H: (lvls 1-80) Stealing Ironforge's Flame - Once you have Stormwind's flame make your way to the Tram (the entrance is located in the Dwarven District 66,34) take the tram or run the tunnel to Ironforge. Take a right, the Ironforge bonfire is located directly in front of the Hall of Explorers at 64,25) There will most likely be A LOT of defenders so pick a quiet time or later during the festival week to do this.

Ahune the Frost Lord
Like the Headless Horseman during Hallow's End, Ahune the Frost Lord is a summoned boss. He is located within the Coilfang Resovior: Slave Pens so it requires the Burning Crusade expansion to have access to him. Unlike previous seasonal bosses this time rather than going to the instance you will need to enter by speaking to the Earthern Ring Elder to queue into the Looking for Group system or just selecting Lord Ahune directly on the Looking for Group interface. In addition rather than having numerous attempts at such rare items as the Weapon Enchant or the Frostscythe instead you will receive a "goodie bag" at the time of your summon containing your "prize" at whatever rate they decide to have those items. (Supposedly it will be increased to compensate for forced limited attempts.) So no more all day farming on one particular character. *sniffle* There is a new Pet Frigid Frostling who throws snow balls at passers by.

The specific mechanics of the fight are unchanged other than raised to level 83 standards. The fight itself is in two phases. During the first phase Ahune will spawn a variety of snowy earth elemental adds, elites who case a non dis spellable stacking frost damage debuff every 2-3 seconds and then multiple non elites that shoot frost bolts. After the first cycle of phases he will add a set of air elemental adds to the mix. These are weak but can pull you towards danger zones so kill them quickly to avoid the annoyance. While all this is going on Ahune is placing frost on the floor, after 3 seconds an ice spike will appear where ever this animation is in effect so move out of the way to avoid getting stabbed then tossed into the air. After the first phase which lasts about a minute Ahune will collapse into himself and become a Frozen Cone, once you kill all the adds dps on the cone until you are thrown back, be melee be careful as the ground near him is slick and you can slip and fall, 20 seconds later he reemerges and you begin phase one again. Rinse and repeat until killing him. (You shouldn't need to do it more than once though.)

If you are standing near him when he dies your "Pockets" (bags) will become filled with "snow" (snowballs) or if you get hit by the ice spikes. A large chest appears containing your loot, various cloaks equivalent to the items purchasable with Triumph badges, so nice for new 80's and alts, vendor trash for ICC raiders. There has been some rumors floating around that certain classes CAN solo him if they are geared well enough but I have not seen any conformation of this. Since you will only get one summons a day no matter WHAT you do I don't see why anyone would even want to try other than to say they did it. Personally I have always enjoyed this fight and the Huge Snowballs are some of my FAVORITE things...they positively OBLITERATE Gnomes.

If I discover any changes I will be editing this. Please feel free to comment on any errors you see. Again take the time to enjoy the Midsummer Festival as this will be the LAST time we will experience it before all of Azeroth is affected by the Cataclysm.