Get Cryptic Aurelid mount

Cryptic Aurelid is an epic ground and flying mount added in patch 9.2 'Eternity's End' of the Shadowlands expansion. It is a semi-transparent jellyfish of a dark red hue with grey ornaments, floating through the air. The mount is awarded automatically upon completing the From A to Zereth meta-achievement — a series of seven feats tied to fully mastering the Zereth Mortis zone.

The Cryptic Aurelid belongs to the aurelid family — creatures from Zereth Mortis resembling cosmic jellyfish. The mount works as a ground, flying and water mount: in water it moves at the speed of aquatic mounts. It is available to all characters on the account.

• Unique model — aurelids are semi-transparent glowing jellyfish that stand out among most mounts in the game. The dark red coloring of the Cryptic Aurelid is found only on this mount
• Three travel modes — the mount works on the ground, in the air and in water, replacing several specialized mounts at once
• Guaranteed acquisition — unlike mounts with a percentage drop chance, the Cryptic Aurelid is awarded for meeting clear conditions. The progress is entirely in your hands
• Whole account — once obtained, the mount is available to all your characters
• Quiet animation — the aurelid glides smoothly through the air, emitting a soft sound, which makes it one of the most pleasant mounts for long flights

To obtain the Cryptic Aurelid, you need to complete the From A to Zereth meta-achievement, which requires completing seven feats in Zereth Mortis. The mount will appear in your collection automatically after completing the final feat.

1. Unlock access to Zereth Mortis — to do this you need to complete the second chapter of the 9.1 campaign (Korthia) all the way up to the 'Assault on the Covenants' quest
2. Begin the 9.2 campaign, which appears automatically after meeting the previous condition
3. Gradually complete all seven feats of the 'From A to Zereth' meta-achievement — details on each are given below
4. After completing the final feat, the mount will be added to your collection

The meta-achievement consists of seven feats. Progress is counted at the account level — you can complete different feats on different characters.

1. Secrets of the First Ones

Complete all seven chapters of the 9.2 update story campaign. The first three chapters are available at patch launch, the rest unlock weekly. The campaign includes quests tied to Zereth Mortis, the Forge of the First Ones and the confrontation with the Jailer. You do not need to clear the raid for this feat.

2. Sands of Time

Defeat three special rare opponents in the center of the Sands of Conquest vortex (coordinates: 63.9, 25.4). Only one of the three bosses appears at any given moment

Each boss appears at an interval of 45 minutes to 2 hours. It is recommended to team up via the 'Premade Groups' finder, as these opponents have a large health pool.

3. Cyphers of the First Ones

Research all 22 upgrades in the Cypher Console and all their levels. The console is located in Haven (the main base of Zereth Mortis). Upgrades are researched with a special resource — cyphers, which are obtained from mobs, chests and quests in the zone. This system does not affect character power, but unlocks access to additional zone content.

4. The Enlightened

Reach Exalted reputation with the Enlightened faction. This is the new broker faction in Zereth Mortis. Detailed tips for grinding reputation are given in the section below.

5. Treasures of Zereth Mortis (ID: 15331)

Find all the unique treasures scattered across the zone. Some treasures require certain Cypher Console upgrades or completion of prerequisite quests. Use the HandyNotes addon to display the locations of all treasures on the map.

6. Adventurer of Zereth Mortis

Defeat all rare opponents in Zereth Mortis (except the three bosses from the 'Sands of Time' feat). Rare opponents appear at various points across the zone. Some of them require meeting certain conditions to spawn. It is recommended to watch the /1 (General) channel to track rare mob spawns.

7. Take Five

Create five different protoforms at the Pid'za Forge. Protosynthesis is a unique crafting system of Zereth Mortis that lets you create mounts and battle pets from gathered materials. To unlock the system you need to complete certain campaign quests. Recipes are found across the zone, and materials are obtained from mobs and treasures.

Reaching Exalted with the Enlightened is, as a rule, the last feat you will close. Reputation grinding is spread out over time due to the limited number of daily and weekly sources.

Main reputation sources

• Story campaign quests — a one-time large bonus for completing each chapter
• Daily quests — available in Haven and other points of Zereth Mortis. Grant 75–125 reputation points each
• Weekly quest 'Patterns Within Patterns' — rewards 1,250 reputation points for gathering a certain amount of cyphers
• World boss — killing the weekly world boss in Zereth Mortis rewards reputation
• Rare opponents and treasures — a small amount of reputation on first kill or opening
• Contract: The Enlightened — scribes can craft a contract granting extra reputation for world quests across the world

Reputation boosters

• Darkmoon Faire — ride the carousel to gain the 'WHEE!' buff (+10% reputation for 60 minutes)
• World Quest Bonus Event — grants an additional bonus to reputation gained
• Banner of Cooperation — a guild bonus of +10% reputation

How long it will take

With daily completion of all available sources, grinding reputation with the Enlightened to Exalted takes approximately 4–6 weeks. This is the main limiting factor for obtaining the mount.

Since reputation with the Enlightened takes the longest, the following approach is recommended:

1. From day one — start grinding reputation with the Enlightened. Complete all daily and weekly quests tied to this faction
2. In parallel — progress through the story campaign as new chapters unlock (the 'Secrets of the First Ones' feat)
3. As you explore the zone — kill rare opponents and collect treasures for the 'Adventurer of Zereth Mortis' and 'Treasures of Zereth Mortis' feats
4. Stockpile cyphers — invest cyphers into the Cypher Console for the 'Cyphers of the First Ones' feat
5. Gather protosynthesis materials — create five protoforms for the 'Take Five' feat
6. Track bosses in the Sands of Conquest — for the 'Sands of Time' feat you need to kill three different bosses, each appearing at a long interval
7. Final stage — wait for Exalted with the Enlightened. As a rule, this is the last feat