Overview
The Coldain Ring War is one of EverQuest's most iconic quest progressions. Starting in Great Divide with simple quests for the Coldain, the ten-ring chain culminates in a large-scale battle event defending the Coldain against a Kromzek giant assault. The final reward — the Ring of Dain Frostreaver IV — is a powerful all-class ring with exceptional stats.
Rings 1 through 9 are individual quests completed by turning in progressively more dangerous trophies to Coldain quest-givers. Ring 10 (the Dain Ring) requires the full Ring War event with a raid-sized force defending waves of giant attackers.
All rings are No Drop. Each ring must be on your person to receive the next ring in the chain. Rings 1–9 are also useful items in their own right.
Key NPCs
- Garadain Glacierbane — Great Divide; gives Ring 1, starts the chain
- Dobbin Crossaxe — Great Divide; Ring 2 turn-in
- Durgin Mountainmover — Great Divide; Ring 3 turn-in
- Bilge Farfathom — Great Divide; Ring 4 turn-in
- Seneschal Aldikar — Thurgadin; involved in Rings 5–6 and later stages
- Dain Frostreaver IV — Thurgadin; awards the final Ring 10 after the Ring War event
- Various Coldain guards and warriors — assist in the Ring War event
Rings 1–4: Great Divide Turn-ins
The first four rings are obtained through turn-in quests in the Great Divide. Each requires hunting specific creatures and delivering trophies to a Coldain NPC.
Ring 1 — Coldain Insignia Ring
▶Garadain Glacierbane is found near the Thurgadin entrance area in Great Divide. He will ask you to prove your worth by killing snow cougars and delivering their pelts. He gives you Ring 1 as an initial reward to begin the chain.
Snow cougars roam Great Divide and are appropriate for the level range to enter Velious. Turn in the required number of pelts to receive the Coldain Insignia Ring (Ring 1).
Ring 2 — Coldain Skin-Threaded Ring
▶Dobbin Crossaxe asks for evidence of hunting coldain enemies in the tundra. Turn in Ring 1 alongside the required items to receive Ring 2. The specific turn-in items are beast hides or bones from common Great Divide creatures.
Ring 3 — Coldain Velium-Threaded Ring
▶Durgin Mountainmover requires trophies from goblin enemies. Crystal Caverns goblins drop the needed items. Turn in Ring 2 + trophies to receive Ring 3.
Ring 4 — Coldain Velium Ring
▶Bilge Farfathom wants proof of hunting undead in the Eastern Wastes. Collect the required number of bones or skulls and turn in Ring 3 + trophies to receive Ring 4.
Rings 5–9: Escalating Challenges
Rings 5 through 9 require fighting increasingly powerful enemies across Velious, including giants from Kael Drakkel and raid-level named mobs. Many of these stages involve trophies from dangerous zones and may require a group or raid.
Ring 5 — Coldain Velium Gembossed Ring
▶Giants in Kael Drakkel or giant camps in the Eastern Wastes and Great Divide provide the needed trophies. A group is recommended. Turn in Ring 4 + giant trophies to Seneschal Aldikar in Thurgadin.
Rings 6–9 — Progressive Giant Hunting
▶Each subsequent ring requires trophies from increasingly powerful sources:
- Ring 6: Named giant trophies from Kael Drakkel
- Ring 7: Major named from Kael Drakkel (King Tormax lieutenants)
- Ring 8: Trophy from the Wakening Land or Velketor's Labyrinth named
- Ring 9: Requires a trophy from a major raid-level encounter in Velious, potentially involving the Temple of Veeshan tier
Each turn-in follows the same pattern: give your current ring and the required trophy item to Seneschal Aldikar in Thurgadin. He will reward you with the next ring in the progression. For Rings 8 and 9, raid-level assistance is expected.
Ring 10: The Coldain Ring War
Ring 10 — the Ring of Dain Frostreaver IV — requires completing the Coldain Ring War event. This is a large, multi-wave battle in the Great Divide where the Coldain defend against giant attackers. You must have Ring 9 to participate and receive Ring 10.
The Ring War Event
▶The Ring War event involves defending the Coldain against multiple waves of Kromzek giants. A well-organized raid force is required. Healing throughput is paramount — the Coldain NPCs must survive for the event to succeed.
Once your raid is in position, initiate the Ring War by speaking with the event-trigger NPC. Giant forces will begin spawning in waves. Assign dedicated teams to handle each wave direction.
Multiple waves of giants attack from different angles. Each wave escalates in difficulty. Key named giants appear in later waves. Protecting Dain Frostreaver IV is critical — if he dies, the event fails.
Tip: Assign dedicated healers to keep Dain and his guard NPCs alive. DPS groups should intercept giants before they reach the main Coldain formation.
After the final wave is defeated, Dain Frostreaver IV acknowledges your contribution. Turn in Ring 9 to him to receive the Ring of Dain Frostreaver IV — one of the best rings available in the Velious era, with exceptional all-stats and a prestigious appearance.
Tips & Notes
- Complete Rings 1–4 while leveling in Great Divide — the early rings are straightforward and the items are useful upgrades.
- Rings 5–9 can be farmed alongside normal raiding progression through Kael and Temple of Veeshan. The trophies are often obtainable as side loot during guild raids.
- The Ring War event is server-wide — coordinate with your guild on scheduling. The event has a reset timer, so failed attempts have a cooldown.
- The Ring War is also connected to the 8th Coldain Prayer Shawl — items from the Ring War event are required for the shawl's final stage.
- Coldain faction is required throughout. Do not kill Coldain NPCs.