Heart of Fear Entrance & Location

Heart of Fear is one of the three launch raids that opened in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. This is the seat of the mantid dominion, and a place where the Queen of the mantid currently resides, possessed by the Sha of Fear.

The entrance to this raid dungeon is in the base of a large rotting tree structure in the center of the Dread Wastes.[39, 35]

Normal mode opened October 30, 2012, first Raid Finder part and Heroic modes opened on November 6, 2012, and second Raid Finder part opened on November 13, 2012. Raid Finder difficulty requires an average item level of 470.

Overview

The Dread Approach: After the Grand Empress Shek'zeer's army is repelled during [90] The Wrath of Shek'zeer, the Klaxxi-aligned adventurers venture into the Heart of Fear to finish the job.Imperial Vizier Zor'lok, previously seen during [90] The Empress' Gambit, stands as the first boss, constantly spouting praise of his fear-driven empress and using powerful sonic magic. After silencing the zealot, the adventurers face off against Blade Lord Ta'yak, the mantid blademaster who weilds great skill with both steel and wind magic. Progressing upward onto a great terrace, the mantid mages of wind summon Garalon, mightiest of the mantid's Kunchong. Though it's carapace was mighty, the adventurers killed the beast by destroying it's legs to weaken it.

The Madness of Shek'zeer: Fearful of the coming threat, Wind Lord Mel'jarak rallies the remaining elite mantid forces to guard the empress' inner sanctum. Slaying him, the final room before the throne room is a expanse of experiments of Amber-Shaper Un'sok, chief scientist and former associate of Xaril the Poisoned Mind. The fearful mad scientist threw every experiment he had at the invaders before falling. During the final battle, the Sha of Fear empowers Shek'zeer, allowing her to use a combination of sonic and sha magic. As she dies, the Sha of Fear escapes, later to be hunted down to the Terrace of Endless Spring. The Klaxxi presumably take up leadership until the next empress is born.

Encounters

• Garalon – It may be time to reconsider stepping on bugs. Don't make fun of this hulking behemoth's tiny wings; that'll just make him angry.
• Amber-Shaper Un'sok – Eager to please his empress, Un'sok has produced several innovative concoctions. Yet this brilliant young alchemist's proximity to the mantid queen has allowed the sha's negative energies to take root in his mind. Now, Un'sok's overwhelming fear of failure drives him to create increasingly deadlier weapons.
• Wind Lord Mel'jarak – Wind Lord Mel'jarak commands the mantid's numerous aerial forces. Although he exudes arrogance, the cunning insectoid is fiercely protective of his soldiers and enjoys fighting at their side. Mel'jarak believes the mantid are superior to all other races, convinced that his kind cannot be defeated.
• Grand Empress Shek'zeer – The ancient Klaxxi order has come to a mournful decision: the tainted grand empress Shek'zeer must be deposed. Traditionally, mantid rulers are displaced in their old age by a carefully chosen successor. However, Shek'zeer's intended replacement is still too young and weak to unseat her, leaving the Klaxxi with no choice but to kill the current empress. If action is not taken against her soon, all of Pandaria may crumble before the mantid's ravenous swarms.
• Blade Lord Ta'yak – Ta'yak is known for his patience and intelligence. In battle, he is a master at discovering his opponent's weaknesses and awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike. Ta'yak's skill with a blade is unmatched, and he cherishes imparting his martial knowledge on young mantid warriors.
• Imperial Vizier Zor'lok – Zor'lok shrieks his proclamations so they're heard throughout the sprawling mantid palace. He is the Voice of the Empress, and his words alone inspire the insectoid race's warriors to give their lives without question. Unwaveringly loyal, Zor'lok will stop at nothing to defend his beloved matriarch, regardless of the corruption within her.