Kelp’thar Forest is the first zone of Vashj’ir, which is one of the two 80-82 level-up zones in Cataclysm. Breadcrumbs to Vashj’ir come from Stormwind and Orgrimmar in an auto-quest which starts as soon as players step in to their respective faction’s city. After a few introductory quests, players can choose to head to Vashj’ir or Hyjal. On the Call of Duty, players will find themselves shipwrecked in Seafarer’s Tomb or Legion’s Fate in the northern portion of Kelp’thar Forest.
Kelp’thar Forest is very heavily phased and is a directed-questing experience. Following the breadcrumbs throughout the three zones of Vashj’ir is straightforward, leading to a natural storyline progression.
The other 80-82 level-up zone is Mount Hyjal. The quest chain of Mount Hyjal also starts from the Cataclysm auto-quests in Stormwind and Orgrimmar and drops players off underneath Nordrassil, the world tree.
After completing the Shimmering Expanse and Abyssal Depths portions of Vashj’ir, the next zone is Deepholm, which is started yet again at the Earthen Ring earthshrines outside of Stormwind City and Orgrimmar.
Seafarer’s Tomb/Legion’s End
From Stormwind/Orgrimmar:
[80] A Personal Summons
[80] Eye of the Storm / [80] The Eye of the Storm
[80] To the Depths
[81] Call of Duty
[81] Sea Legs
[81] Pay It Forward
[81] Rest For the Weary
[81] Buy Us Some Time / [81] Traveling on Our Stomachs
Side quest: [81] Once More, With Eeling
[81] To Arms! / [81] Stormwind Elite Aquatic and Land Forces
Side quests: [81] A Case of Crabs, [81] The Horde’s Hoard
[81] Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark
Side quests: [81] A Girl’s Best Friend, [81] A Taste For Tail
[81] Ophidophobia
Side quests: [81] Nerve Tonic, [81] Kliklak’s Craw
To “A Desperate Plea” in the Holding Pens.
These quests contain subtle references to Rick Astley’s song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Specifically, in A Girl’s Best friend, the quest giver mentions that she is no stranger to love, and Mack remarks in Nerve Tonic that you would not get this (his alcohol) from any other guy.
Budd’s Dig
After stealing the keg of explosives on “Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark”, an optional side-chain opens up with Budd at Budd’s Dig.
[80] Oh, the Insanity!
[80] Dah, Nunt… Dah, Nunt…
[80] Shark Weak
[80] DUN-dun-DUN-dun-DUN-dun
[80] A Bone to Pick
[80] Decisions, Decisions
Holding Pens
After Ophidophobia in the Smuggler’s Hole:
[81] A Desperate Plea
[81] Undersea Sanctuary
[81] Spelunking
[81] Debriefing
[81] Wake of Destruction
[81] Come Hell or High Water
Side quests: [81] Decompression, [81] What? What? In My Gut…?, [81] How Disarming
[81] The Warden’s Time
To the Shimmering Expanse in Across the Great Divide
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Vashj’ir is a new zone featured in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, located to the south east of the Maelstrom, off the western coast of Khaz Modan. The city was the home of Lady Vashj before the Sundering.[1] Players will be able to swim throughout the zone by jumping but when on the ground it will act similar to the terrestrial zones and players will use special underwater mounts to move around the zone. In the Abyssal Depths is the Abyssal Breach to the Abyssal Maw, which will contain two 5-man dungeons.
The Vashj’ir Honor Guard are likely from here.
Unlike surface zones, zones throughout Vashj’ir have no official night cycle. At night Kelp’thar Forest, Shimmering Expanse and Abyssal Depths appear fully lit by some sort of light source.
Description from site
Map of Vashj’ir
Once a great Highborne city housing some of the most revered night elves of Kalimdor, Vashj’ir was swallowed by the Great Sea in the Sundering and thought to be lost forever. Queen Azshara, formerly a beloved leader of the Highborne, escaped death in the depths of the sea when the Well of Eternity imploded. Such salvation came at a great cost, as the queen and many of her fellow Highborne were forever transformed into the monstrous naga, doomed to wander the seas for thousands of years. Their existence mostly remains a mystery to the peoples of modern Azeroth, though the Earthen Ring has learned of Azshara’s naga seizing Vashj’ir for an unknown purpose as the cries of the elements echo across Azeroth from the Abyss.
The Sunken City
Vashj’ir is a level 80-82 zone in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm where players will be called to explore the depths of the Great Sea and stop the naga from seizing immeasurable power from the realm of Neptulon the Tidehunter. This expansive underwater zone will feature an unprecedented fight for survival against the naga overwhelming the area, several new quest hubs – including Alliance and Horde naval ships and submarines – all-new underwater travel and combat mechanics, several pocketed undersea caves free from water’s grip, a new five-player dungeon (Throne of the Tides), and the first-ever opportunity to explore the remains of the once-majestic city of Vashj’ir.
Bottled Distress Message Found Adrift at Sea
Need your help. Time is short. I’m held captive in what I hope to be a nightmare.
Enjoying the ocean air just days ago. We were determined to control key trade routes through victory at sea over the Horde. Their fleet came into our scopes. Our world became the deafening sound of battle, the smell of gunpowder, and the feeling of fear. Looking back now, though, that wasn’t real fear.
We weren’t alone in those waters. Our naval warfare attracted attention and rendered us prey. With our vessel already torn apart and taking on water, we saw a tremendous creature rise from the depths and shatter the hull, sucking us down to the sea floor. It all happened so fast. I was quick to tread the waters, hoping to regroup with any survivors I could find through a dense garden of kelp, constantly gasping for a chance breath. That’s when the onslaught began. From all directions swarms of brutal naga swept through and captured a great many of us. Beaten near to death, I awoke in agony, bound in chains.
And here I still sit. I can only describe our prison as very big and somehow very much alive. We’re in the hands of the naga now. Surviving crewmates in better condition than me are driven into slave labor.
One escaped. Thomas. He didn’t make it far before I saw him dragged back. Before being forced into labor, he spoke in a panic about some large shell protecting this living prison, expansive night elf ruins in the distance, strange naga rituals underway, and sea vrykul battling our captors. He made little sense. Could be mad. Or I could be mad to hope vrykul are fighting to free us.
Prison patrols out again. Send word to Stormwind. Sunken city far from extinct. Naga plotting something horrific. Please help.[2]
Vashj’ir subregions
Kelp’thar Forest
Shimmering Expanse
Abyssal Depths
Gallery
Videos
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[80] A Personal Summons
[80] Eye of the Storm / 
[80] The Eye of the Storm
[81] Once More, With Eeling
