Reins of the Golden Cloud Serpent

Reins of the Golden Cloud Serpent is a flying mount added in the Mists of Pandaria expansion. The Golden Cloud Serpent is one of three mounts available upon reaching Exalted with the Order of the Cloud Serpent faction. The serpent is colored a rich gold with bright orange accents and has a long, sinuous body characteristic of all the cloud serpents of Pandaria.

The item description reads: "Golden cloud serpents are a treasure that can be enjoyed by all who visit Pandaria."

• Guaranteed acquisition — the mount is awarded for a quest or purchased from a vendor. There's no drop chance — meet the requirements and get the serpent
• Color choice — at the start of the quest chain you choose the color of the egg (golden, jade or azure), and that serpent will be the reward for the final quest. The other two colors can be purchased from the quartermaster
• Full-fledged flying mount — flight speed depends on your riding skill and reaches +310% with Master Riding
• Unique model — the cloud serpents of Pandaria have a special flight animation, weaving smoothly through the air. The golden variant stands out with a warm glow among the other colors
• Available to all characters — once learned, the mount becomes available on every character on your account

There are two ways to obtain this mount.

Method 1 — Quest Reward (primary)

1. Head to the Arboretum in the Jade Forest and speak with Elder Anli
2. Take the starter quest Wild Things and follow the chain to the Windward Isle
3. Complete the quests from Instructor Tan: Emptied Nests and Egg Collecting
4. In the quest The Chosen One choose the golden serpent egg — this will determine the color of your future mount
5. Raise your reputation with the Order of the Cloud Serpent to Exalted
6. Complete the final quest Cloud Serpent Riding and receive the Reins of the Golden Cloud Serpent as a reward

Method 2 — Purchase from the Quartermaster

If you chose a different egg color in the quest (jade or azure), the golden serpent can be purchased from San Redscale — the quartermaster of the Order of the Cloud Serpent. The vendor is located in the Arboretum, next to the flight master (coordinates 56.6 44.4).

The cost is 2,400 gold (with the Exalted discount applied). Purchasing requires Exalted reputation with the Order of the Cloud Serpent.

To obtain the mount you must reach Exalted with the Order of the Cloud Serpent faction. All reputation sources are listed below.

Starter Quest Chain

The initial quests on the Windward Isle grant a significant amount of reputation and introduce you to the faction's mechanics. You'll receive a cloud serpent hatchling that you'll care for as you progress. The chain begins with Elder Anli in the Arboretum.

Daily Quests (primary source)

After completing the starter chain, daily quests unlock:

• Quests from the serpent hatchling — three daily quests related to caring for your pet: "Catch!", "Sweet as Honey" and "Poop". Each grants reputation with the Order
• Quest from Elder Anli — an additional daily quest
• Profession quests — if you have secondary professions (Cooking, First Aid, Fishing, Archaeology), additional daily quests are available, each granting +150 reputation
• Serpent races — upon reaching Revered, quests unlock with Instructor Skythorn, related to cloud serpent races

Onyx Eggs (the fastest method)

Onyx Eggs are items scattered across the Windward Isle. Each egg, when turned in, grants:

• 500 reputation at stages up to Revered
• 550 reputation from Revered to Exalted

With the Grand Commendation of the Order of the Cloud Serpent (purchased for 40 gold from the quartermaster at Revered) the reputation gained is doubled to 1,100 per egg.

The eggs spawn at fixed points on the cliffs and ledges of the Windward Isle. They are in high demand from other players, so it's best to collect them during off-peak hours or on less populated servers.

Commendation

The Grand Commendation of the Order of the Cloud Serpent is an item that doubles the reputation gained with the faction. It's purchased from the quartermaster San Redscale at Revered. It applies to all characters on the account. Buy the commendation immediately upon reaching Revered — it significantly speeds up leveling.

In addition to the golden serpent, San Redscale sells two more variants at the same price and with the same requirements:

• Reins of the Azure Cloud Serpent — a blue cloud serpent
• Reins of the Jade Cloud Serpent — a green cloud serpent

The serpent whose color you chose in the quest The Chosen One is obtained for free through the quest. The remaining two are purchased with gold.