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WoW War Within: Behind Closed Doors Storyline Guide
The War Within expansion introduces a variety of new zones and storylines. While many players rush through the main campaign, some of the most intriguing narratives are hidden off the beaten path. One such example is the "Behind Closed Doors" storyline found on the Isle of Dorn. This isn’t just a minor side quest—it’s a layered, lore-rich questline that dives into political intrigue within the Earthen capital of Dornogal. For players aiming to unlock the Earthen allied race or complete the Sojourner of Isle of Dorn achievement, completing Behind Closed Doors is essential.
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How to Start Behind Closed Doors
The storyline begins with a quest titled “How Scandalous!”, which is offered by Aldra, an NPC located in the Stoneshaper’s Atrium inside Dornogal. This NPC is easy to miss if you’re only focusing on the campaign, and the quest itself doesn’t appear unless you’ve completed certain parts of the Isle of Dorn storyline. Players who can’t see it right away should make sure their progression through the zone’s main chapters is far enough along. It also helps to enable the option to show low-level quests on your minimap, which can reveal optional side stories like this one that don’t automatically pop up as you pass nearby.
Once picked up, “How Scandalous!” pulls you into a storyline that slowly exposes corruption and unrest beneath Dornogal’s peaceful exterior. What begins as a minor scandal involving Earthen merchants and bureaucrats quickly escalates into a full-fledged investigation involving blackmail, sedition, and betrayal.
What Makes It Important
Behind Closed Doors is not part of the core War Within campaign, but it is one of several optional storylines that make up the Sojourner of Isle of Dorn meta-achievement. This achievement is required if you want to unlock the Earthen allied race, which makes it a high priority for collectors and alt-oriented players. More than that, this storyline provides a surprising amount of depth and world-building for the Earthen race, offering a glimpse at the internal fractures and tensions within their society. It complements the main narrative while standing on its own as a politically charged mystery with real stakes and a satisfying conclusion.
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The Full Quest Chain
This storyline spans sixteen interconnected quests. While the order may vary slightly depending on your progression, the general sequence is as follows:
How Scandalous!
Seizing Evidence
Withheld Information
Something Hidden
Report to the Councilward
The Councilward’s Summons
Dornogal’s Benefactor
Security Through Trade
The Market Reeve of the Forgegrounds
Opals and Runes
The Machine Speakeasy
Sedition
Damage Mitigation
Dispelling Rumors
Forcing My Hand
Bad Business
Each quest leads naturally into the next, building up tension and expanding your understanding of the conflict until it culminates in a dramatic confrontation.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Some players report difficulties getting the questline to fully unfold. One of the most common blockers occurs around the quest “Sedition”, which may not appear if you haven’t progressed through specific parts of the Ringing Deeps campaign storyline. In particular, starting the chapter known as “The Hallowed Path” is often necessary to trigger the next phase of Behind Closed Doors. If you’ve completed the early quests but Sedition isn’t showing up, double-check your progress in the main Ringing Deeps storyline. In some cases, reloading the UI or relogging can help refresh the available quest triggers. You should also make sure that "Low-Level Quests" is enabled in your quest tracking filter, as some of these quests don't appear automatically if you’re above their suggested level.
It’s worth noting that the storyline is very dependent on phasing and campaign milestones. If you’re following the story casually and haven't completed the Isle of Dorn or Ringing Deeps chapters in order, the quest progression may stall. That doesn't mean the storyline is bugged—just that it requires some campaign progress before continuing.
How It Fits Into the Bigger Picture
Behind Closed Doors isn’t just a narrative side quest—it’s directly tied into a broader system of progression within The War Within. If you’re hoping to unlock the Earthen allied race, you’ll need to complete Merrix and Steelvein, which is the final chapter of the Sojourner meta-achievement. And that chapter cannot be accessed until you’ve finished the entire Behind Closed Doors storyline. That makes this questline a mandatory step for players aiming to play as an Earthen character.
Even if you're not chasing unlocks or achievements, the story itself is worth experiencing. It offers a different tone than many of the expansion’s larger-than-life battles, focusing instead on internal political tension, manipulation, and civil distrust. If you're the kind of player who enjoys lore-rich side stories and uncovering secrets, this one is a must-do.
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FAQs About Behind Closed Doors
Q: Where does the Behind Closed Doors storyline start?
A: The storyline begins with the quest “How Scandalous!”, which is offered by Aldra in the Stoneshaper’s Atrium inside Dornogal on the Isle of Dorn. If the quest doesn't appear, make sure you've progressed through the main Isle of Dorn storyline and have "Low-Level Quests" enabled in your tracking settings.
Q: How many quests are in the Behind Closed Doors chain?
A: There are sixteen quests in total, forming a continuous narrative. Some sources may list a seventeenth depending on how they count transition quests, but the core storyline consists of sixteen steps, ending with “Bad Business.”
Q: Is this required to unlock the Earthen allied race?
A: Yes. Completing the Behind Closed Doors storyline is a required part of the “Sojourner of the Isle of Dorn” achievement, which in turn is necessary to unlock the Earthen allied race. Skipping this chain will prevent progress toward that unlock.
Q: Why isn’t the next quest in the chain appearing?
A: The most common issue occurs during the transition to the quest “Sedition.” This quest won’t appear unless you’ve started the Ringing Deeps storyline and progressed to a chapter called “The Hallowed Path.” Completing other campaign steps and relogging can often resolve this.
Q: Can I complete this storyline before finishing the main campaign?
A: Parts of the chain can be completed early, but full progression—especially the later quests—often depends on campaign milestones in the Ringing Deeps. It’s best to progress through the main campaign alongside this storyline to avoid blockers.
Final Thoughts
The Behind Closed Doors storyline in WoW: The War Within is a surprisingly deep and significant piece of content that many players miss entirely. It’s tied into important achievements, unlocks a playable allied race, and provides one of the more grounded, character-driven story arcs in the expansion. While some players may run into progression issues, everything is accessible with the right quest settings and campaign completion.
So if you’re wandering through Dornogal and hear whispers of scandal, don’t ignore them—follow the clues, chase down the truth, and uncover what’s going on behind closed doors.
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