The Master's Key

• The Master's Key
• Item Level 1
  Disenchants into:
  Not disenchantable
• Binds when picked up
• Unique

Inside the Tower

The Master's Key was the key (and attunement) to enter Medivh's tower of Karazhan in Deadwind Pass. It is a reward from the quest  [70] Return to Khadgar. In order for your raid to enter Karazhan, only one person needs to possess the key.

Quest chain at a glance

Main article: Karazhan Quest Progression

The key can be obtained by completing the following questline, which begins with Archmage Alturus just outside Karazhan:

1.  [70] Archmage Alturus: Lower City; optional talk to NPC, 5 rep with Violet Eye —  [70] Arcane Disturbances: Deadwind Pass; standard soloable exploration quest
2.  [70] Restless Activity: Deadwind Pass; standard soloable kill quest, can be done at the same time as above
3.  [70] Contact from Dalaran: Dalaran; talk to NPC
4.  [70] Khadgar: Talk with Khadgar in Shattrath City
5.  [70D] Entry Into Karazhan: First key part to be found in the Shadow Labyrinth, Auchindoun
6.  [70D] The Second and Third Fragments: The second key part is found in The Steamvault and the third key part is found in Arcatraz
7.  [70D] The Master's Touch: Talk with Medivh in the Opening the Dark Portal (Black Morass) instance in Caverns of Time. He'll give you his own key.
8.  [70] Return to Khadgar: Return to Khadgar

The whole questline rewards 2100 reputation with the Violet Eye.

Access requirements

Some of the quests in this chain have access requirements that may sidetrack a player. These include access into:

• The Arcatraz, either with a key possessed by a party member, or a rogue with 350 lockpicking. (Note that, after a wipe or if a party member is killed and can not be resurrected, you will need the key again to enter the instance.) The key is obtained through a quest chain in Netherstorm. The Arcatraz can only be reached by flying mount or druid flight form.
• Shadow Labyrinth in Auchindoun also requires that a party member have a key, or you have a rogue with 350 lockpicking. The key is in an easy-to-miss chest behind the last boss in Sethekk Halls, also in Auchindoun.
• The Caverns of Time in Tanaris. This requires everyone in your party to have successfully completed Escape from Durnholde Keep in Old Hillsbrad Foothills.
  Note: Escape from Durnholde Keep is part of a quest chain that starts with To The Master's Lair, which you obtain from Andormu outside of the Caverns of Time itself.

In-depth explanation

1.  [70] Arcane Disturbances and  [70] Restless Activity
   Travel to Karazhan in Deadwind Pass, where Archmage Alturus gives you two quests, Arcane Disturbances and Restless Activity, which you do in the immediate area. Upon completion, Alturus sends you to Dalaran with the quest Contact from Dalaran.
2.  [70] Contact from Dalaran
   At Dalaran Crater, go to the north side of the crater to speak to Archmage Cedric. He gives you the quest Khadgar, to return to Shattrath.
3.  [70] Khadgar
   Go to the center of Shattrath and speak to Khadgar, the one who you started the guided tour at and who asked you to decide which faction you wanted to align with. He gives you Entry Into Karazhan, which requires a trip to Shadow Labyrinth in Auchindoun.
4.  [70] Entry Into Karazhan
   Your goal is to obtain the first key fragment, located near Murmur, the last boss in Shadow Labyrinth. An elite guard spawns when you open the container; loot the fragment off of its corpse. Return to Shattrath with your fragment.
5.  [70] The Second and Third Fragments
   When you return to Shattrath, Khadgar asks that you obtain the second and third key fragments.
   • The second key fragment is in The Steamvault in Coilfang Reservoir. The container is in the corner at the bottom of a deep pool of water near the first boss.
     Note: The second key fragment was originally lootable from the box directly, and could be done solo by mages, druids and rogues. With patch 2.0.7, the key is now looted off of an elite guard that spawns when you open the container. For this reason, you may be more successful if you go with others. (Druids are still ok - he is a beast so hibernate will work when you need a rest)
   • The third key fragment is in Arcatraz in Tempest Keep in Netherstorm, accessible by a flying mount or flying form. Entry into the instance requires Key to the Arcatraz or a rogue with 350 lockpicking.
     You need not kill any bosses to get to the key shard, located up the "glass" ramp in the first room where you encounter voidwalkers. As you enter, the container is to your immediate right in the corner of the room.
     Note: As with the second key, this one requires a group to kill the guard. Two rogues can distract the patrolling voidwalker while a druid (feral) and another rogue kills the guard (with the first rogue distracting joins the fight) can make things easier. Still stealthable, just challenging.
     It is possible to stealth through most of the path to the Arcatraz key. At one point the hallway narrows and you must pass a "dead" arcane guardian construct (a 70 elite that explodes when it dies), which has stealth detection even though it doesn't display a stealth-detection icon above its head. If you kill the arcane guardian you can stealth into the voidwalker room to wait in the corner by the quest container and loot it as noted above.
6.  [70] The Master's Touch
   Return to Shattrath and hand your second and third key fragments to Khadgar. He then sends you to The Black Morass in the Caverns of Time to speak to Medivh, who activates your key.
   Note: This step requires Opening the Dark Portal, where you protect Medivh from waves of mobs (including elites) while he opens the Dark Portal. From every sixth portal a boss will spawn. After the 18th portal the Dark Portal will open and the task is complete. You can now speak to Medivh and claim your Master Key to Karazhan.
   Note: If you are not inside of the instance when Aeonus is killed, you will not be able to speak with Medivh.
   Note: Keep in mind that you must first complete Escape from Durnholde Keep to access Opening the Dark Portal.
7.  [70] Return to Khadgar
   Return to Khadgar in Shattrath, and he gives you The Master's Key. He then gives you the quest The Violet Eye. This sends you back to Karazhan, where your Karazhan quests will begin.

Congratulations, you can now enter Karazhan!

Patch changes

• Patch 2.4.0 (25-Mar-2008): No longer required to enter Karazhan.
              The key will still be needed (in the absence of an available rogue) to open the main and side entrance gates.
  
• Patch 2.0.3 (09-Jan-2007): Added.
  

External links

• Battle.net (EU)
• Wowhead
• Thottbot
• WoWDB