Vile Familiars is one of the first Burning Blade tasks a new Horde character takes on in the Valley of Trials. It sends you north to a demon-tainted cave to thin out the winged imps spilling from its mouth, and it pays out solid early experience plus a starter weapon.
Quick answer: Get Vile Familiars from Zureetha Fargaze, kill 12 Vile Familiars (8 in the current retail version) at the cave north of the Den, then return to her to turn it in.
Where to start Vile Familiars
The quest giver is Zureetha Fargaze, standing outside the Den in the Valley of Trials in Durotar, near map coordinates [43, 69]. She both starts and ends the quest, so you will come back to the same spot to hand it in.
In World of Warcraft Classic this is a level 4 quest that requires character level 2, and it becomes available after you work through the earlier Valley of Trials chores such as Sting of the Scorpid. It is part of a short chain that continues into Burning Blade Medallion and then Report to Sen’jin Village.
The kill requirement depends on the version. The Classic quest asks for 12 Vile Familiars, while the current retail quest introduced with the Shattering asks for 8. The steps and location are otherwise the same.
Where to find the Vile Familiars
The Vile Familiars gather at the Burning Blade Coven, a cave to the north and slightly east of the Den. Head up through the red rocky canyons, past the Mottled Boars and Scorpid Workers, until you reach the cave marked on your map. The familiars are level 3 to 4 humanoids that circle the cave mouth and also lurk inside.
You do not need to walk into the cave to finish the quest, since enough familiars spawn around the entrance. Their respawn rate is fast, so watch for enemies popping back in behind you. These imps also use a ranged Fireball attack for 3 to 4 damage, which is the first ranged threat many new orcs and trolls face.
How to complete Vile Familiars
Each kill also drops small loot such as copper, Linen Cloth, Refreshing Spring Water, and the occasional Flayed Belt, and awards roughly 60 experience apiece. Your quest tracker updates in the top right after every kill.
If other players are nearby, you can group up and share the quest, since kills count for everyone in the party. That clears the cave faster during busy leveling periods.
Vile Familiars rewards
In Classic you choose one of four starter weapons, all sharing the same low-level power level. Pick the one that matches the weapon skill your class uses.
| Reward | Weapon type |
|---|---|
| Primitive Club | One-hand mace |
| Primitive Hand Blade | Dagger |
| Primitive Hatchet | Thrown axe |
| Primitive Walking Stick | Staff |
The turn-in also grants 450 experience in Classic (300 in the retail version), along with reputation for Orgrimmar and the Darkspear Trolls. The retail quest instead offers the Vile-themed cloth and mail pieces such as Vile Boots and Vile Jersey.
How to confirm the quest is done
You know the quest is complete when the reward appears in your bag, your experience bar jumps, and Zureetha Fargaze immediately offers the follow-up quest, Burning Blade Medallion. That next step sends you back to the same cave to slay Felstalkers and recover the Burning Blade Medallion, continuing the chain toward Sen’jin Village.
