Quests
Coldain Shawl Quest
Velious's 13-step legendary cloak quest. Arguably EverQuest's greatest questline. Faction, baking, brewing, tailoring, raid.
The Coldain Shawl Quest is a 13-step questline that earns the player a progressively better cloak (the Shawl) by completing a series of narrative-rich tasks for the Coldain dwarves of Thurgadin. Considered one of the greatest questlines in EverQuest, the Shawl chain takes a character through deep Coldain lore, multi-continent combat, and every major tradeskill.
Requirements
- Starting faction: Coldain faction at Warmly or above.
- Tradeskills: Baking, Brewing, and Tailoring — multiple steps require combines. You don't need 300 in each; typically 150-200 with some leeway.
- Combat: Some steps involve raid-scale fights. Plan guild coordination for later steps.
- Time investment: Weeks of dedicated play; months for casual pace.
- Level: Minimum level 50; chain becomes easier at 60+.
The 13 steps (high-level walkthrough)
Each step gives a new version of the shawl with progressively better stats.
Step 1 — Introduction
Speak to the starting NPC in Thurgadin. Accept the quest.
Step 2 — Mundane items
Gather commonplace items (ores, pelts) for the Thurgadin council. Prove your worth with basic skills.
Step 3 — Baking a specific pie
A Coldain traditional recipe. Requires Baking skill to combine specific ingredients — some uncommon, requiring travel.
Step 4 — Brewing a specific ale
A Coldain ale. Requires Brewing combine. Some ingredients must be fished or foraged from specific zones.
Step 5 — Tailoring a specific garment
A traditional Coldain shawl prototype. Tailoring combine.
Step 6 — Naval expedition
Travel to a specific remote zone (canonical: Kedge Keep or equivalent) to retrieve an item lost at sea. Involves underwater exploration and combat.
Step 7 — Battle-field rescue
Rescue a Coldain named from a battlefield scenario. Often requires killing giants in Great Divide.
Step 8 — Giant-slaying mission
Kill specific named Kromrif (giants) in Kael Drakkel or Great Divide. Raid coordination for later-tier giants.
Step 9 — Kael infiltration
Travel into Kael Drakkel (hostile territory) to retrieve intelligence. Requires stealth or group coordination.
Step 10 — Ring War participation
Participate in the Ring War. Kill specific named giants during the event. Often timed with GM-run server events.
Step 11 — King Tormax audience (or equivalent)
A confrontation-themed step. Depending on chain variant, either infiltrate or face a high-level giant.
Step 12 — Final components assembly
Combine materials from previous steps. Tradeskill combine at a Thurgadin forge.
Step 13 — Shawl of the Coldain Hero
Final turn-in to the Coldain council. Receive Shawl of the Coldain Hero — the legendary cloak with excellent stats, class-flexible bonuses, and one of the best back-slot items in the Classic-through-PoP era.
Shawl progression
Each step rewards a better shawl:
- Step 1-5: low-tier shawls (better than starter gear).
- Step 6-10: mid-tier shawls with meaningful stats.
- Step 11-12: near-final shawls.
- Step 13: Shawl of the Coldain Hero (legendary tier).
Time and cost
- Plat cost: significant. Tradeskill combines consume materials; rare ingredients may need to be purchased.
- Time: 40-200+ hours depending on pace and group support.
- Faction: Must maintain or raise Coldain faction throughout.
Custom race-class note
Coldain Shawl is mostly race-neutral. Any race with Coldain faction can attempt it. Good-aligned races start with easier faction paths; Dark Elves and Trolls face a longer grind.
On Crushbone
The quest is active and unchanged from canonical. Step 10's Ring War participation is often coordinated with GM-run server events. Guild members working the Shawl chain should coordinate raid schedules.
Why this chain matters
The Coldain Shawl chain is the legendary multi-week quest of EverQuest. Completing it — particularly to Step 13 — is a rite of passage. The Shawl of the Coldain Hero is one of the most prestigious back-slot items in the game, not just for stats but for what it represents: a character who committed to weeks of deliberate play.
