A Taste of Flame: Cyrus Therepentous and Bael'Gar (Classic Era baseline)

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

A Taste of Flame is a neutral black dragonflight quest in the far east of the Burning Steppes. Cyrus Therepentous, a level 55 elite dragon hiding in a cave, wants proof you're worth his time. You show him a Black Dragonflight Molt. Then he sends you into Blackrock Depths to kill the fire giant Bael'Gar and trap his essence. The prize is a choice of three uncommon items. Everything below is the Classic Era baseline. Forever changes are covered in their own section.

Quick facts

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

Every quest on this page

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

Three quests share one name. 4022 and 4023 is listed as alternatives: the Bael'Gar quest (4024) needs either of them, not both. Version 1 asks you to "show Cyrus Therepentous the Black Dragonflight Molt you received from Velarok Windblade". Version 2 asks for "proof of your worth", and adds: "You have a feeling that Cyrus already knows that you are unworthy." Both need the molt. It does not say exactly what decides which version Cyrus offers you. The wording points to version 1 for players who did Velarok's chain.

Neither of the first two quests pays money below the level cap. 2g 61s only at the cap.

Part 1: Getting the Black Dragonflight Molt

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

There are two ways to get the molt. Pick the one that suits your group.

Route A: Velarok Windblade's chain (Searing Gorge)

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

Velarok Windblade is a level 55 elite dragonkin at Searing Gorge 39, 39. His chain is long, but every quest is both-faction and needs only level 40.

1. Work through Velarok's quests. Steps 1 to 6 run from Velarok. Step 7 sends you to Squire Maltrake, a level 52 NPC standing beside him at 39, 38.4.
2. Trinkets... The objective is just "Open the chest". The chest sits at 39, 38.9, right by Maltrake. It rewards the Hoard of the Black Dragonflight.

Route B: the Frenzied Black Drakes (Burning Steppes)

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

also lists the molt as a drop from the Frenzied Black Drake "", with a displayed rate of 69.5%. They're level 54 elites, logged at 93.2, 32.6, at 93.4, 32, at 94.2, 31.8 and at 94.6, 31.6, right on the way into Cyrus's cave. This is the quicker route if you have a group but skipped Searing Gorge. Expect to kill a few elite drakes.

Part 2: Killing Bael'Gar in Blackrock Depths

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

1. Accept A Taste of Flame (4024). Hand in either version of the molt quest, and Cyrus offers the Bael'Gar step. He gives you the Altered Black Dragonflight Molt. Its tooltip reads: "Use on the remains of Bael'Gar to capture his fiery essence."
2. Return to Cyrus. He snatches the essence: "YES! Take your prize and be gone." Pick your reward.

Group and elite note

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

This isn't a solo quest. The final step is tagged Dungeon and can't be shared. Each player who wants the reward has to pick it up from Cyrus themselves, and each needs their own molt to do so. Cyrus and his drakes are elite, and the version 2 molt quest and Set Them Ablaze! Are tagged Elite too.'s Forever overview lists Blackrock Depths at 52–60. Bael'Gar's own level is 54, so a group at about 54 to 58 fits the quest's level of 58 well.

Rewards

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

All three are uncommon and Bind on Pickup.

Bael'Gar himself can also drop blues. The listed top ones are Lavacrest Leggings (plate), Force of Magma (two-hand mace), Sash of the Burning Heart (cloth, +14 fire damage) and Rubidium Hammer.

Where the quest givers are

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

Horde and Alliance

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

Nothing changes between factions. Cyrus, Velarok and Maltrake are friendly to both, and every quest here is listed as both factions. Blackrock Depths can be entered from either Searing Gorge or the Burning Steppes side of Blackrock Mountain. See our Blackrock Mountain guide for both routes.

WoW Forever notes

Community-reported, not yet confirmed by Blizzard.

• Not doable in the beta. Blizzard's beta notes say "Players can now level up to a maximum of level 30." This quest needs level 52.
• XP. The notes say "Dungeon quests now reward 50% less extra experience beyond normal quest values." The Bael'Gar step is Dungeon-tagged, so it may pay less than 6,200 in Forever. Exact Forever XP is.

FAQ

Where is Cyrus Therepentous? In a cave in the far east of the Burning Steppes, at 94.8, 31.6. Frenzied Black Drakes guard the way in, and they're elite. [Unconfirmed]

Do I need to do Velarok's whole chain? No. The Frenzied Black Drakes next to Cyrus is listed as a molt source too. The chain is still worth it at 40 to 52 for the XP and the Set Them Ablaze! Rewards. [Unconfirmed]

Can I share A Taste of Flame with my group? The two molt quests are sharable, but the Bael'Gar step isn't. Each player picks it up from Cyrus.

Where is Bael'Gar in Blackrock Depths? Past Lord Incendius, at the end of the Dark Iron Highway. He's optional, so many groups skip him. [Unconfirmed]

What if I forget to use the molt? You'll need another Bael'Gar kill. Use the Altered Black Dragonflight Molt on his remains straight after he dies.

Related

• The Heart of the Mountain, the other Burning Steppes quest that sends you into Blackrock Depths
• Blackrock Depths guide and every Blackrock Depths quest
• Burning Steppes: Morgan's Vigil & Flame Crest quests and elite quests 30–60
• Zone guides: Burning Steppes, Searing Gorge, Blackrock Mountain

How this page is checked: quest names, IDs, levels, required levels, types, sharing, givers, XP and money come from each quest's page. NPC levels, elite status, abilities and coordinates come, plus drop sources from the item pages, all checked 3 Nov 2026 (AEDT). Forever details come from Blizzard's beta notes.

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