In vanilla, this item dropped from Large Vile Slimes found in the Weeping Cave in the Western Plaguelands.
It was removed from the loot tables in patch 1.6. Players who obtained it before then still possess it.
Although it was a quest item, you did not have to be on a particular quest to obtain it.
Many players have come to the incorrect conclusion that Timolain is the crafter of Ashbringer. It was crafted by Magni Bronzebeard.
EDIT: Legion added the Ashbringer hidden artifact appearance quest line, which pokes fun at this speculation by including Timolain (a lich, who still did not craft Ashbringer).
Last edited by Tyrsenuson 08/07/2019 (Patch 1.13) – edited 5 times
The story behind this item is the richest in the game.
Timolain was a Mage and master Swordsmith who was in service (not willingly) to the Scarlet Crusade. He was instructed to Craft a great weapon for the Ashbringer, Highlord Morgain, The Scarlet Commander. upon doing so he was murdered and fed the the oozes of the plaguelands. this item droped off of 1 slime in the wpl cave that was called "large slime" rather then just slime. it is still there and is strangely magical in nature, it has a mana bar, and casts both arcane misssle and AE. (unlike all other slimes that posion and melee attack you. But for a long time (1.1-1.7) it was the first step to finding the Ashbringer, in the 1.7 patch it was removed from the game due to its inconsistancy with the new planed story of how to get the blade. (as in BC you will beable to craft an uncorupted ashbringer with the help of morgain's other son in outland.
Good luck finding ashbringer. i lost 100+ hours searching for it when i found the phylactery.
BTW a Phylactery is the scroll of demonic encantions that keeps a lich bound to this world and the next. he who controlls a lich's Phylactery controls the lich. proof that Timolain wasnt just a evil mage, but a lich. most likely the reason he was fed to the slime after the completion of the mighty Ashbringer.
PS: this item, and all other linking items to the orginal supposed quest line have stoped droping, if you would like the Role Play of the Ashbringer, Izlude of <Silver Skulls> on the Earthen Ring RP server gives Tours of the RP locations of the Ashbringer story line. (need to be 50+ to see all the locations as we have to go to hearthglen :P)
i don't think this is a horde quest as well, or that the item drops for horde altogether. I have farmed the cave a lot, and never seen the phylactery drop off that caster sludge. Makes a lot of sense tho why he would be a caster. This ashbringer story gets cooler and cooler...
it's the phylactery of the srachmage/lich that made ashbringer for the scarlet highlord, and presumably something needed for the continuation of the eranikus quest line, as the spiritspeaker in witnerspring needs something related to this guy.
In vanilla, this item dropped from Large Vile Slimes found in the Weeping Cave in the Western Plaguelands. It was removed from the loot tables in patch 1.6. Players who obtained it before then still possess it. Although it was a quest item, you did not have to be on a particular quest to obtain it. Many players have come to the incorrect conclusion that Timolain is the crafter of Ashbringer. It was crafted by Magni Bronzebeard.
EDIT: Legion added the Ashbringer hidden artifact appearance quest line, which pokes fun at this speculation by including Timolain (a lich, who still did not craft Ashbringer).