Secrets of Azeroth: Shifting Sands Step Guide
Day 7 of Secrets of Azeroth: the Into the Sands and Out of the Sands quests, three Time-Lost Fragments, and how the step counts toward Whodunnit?.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- Shifting Sands is the Day 7 secret of the Whodunnit? meta-achievement, and the whole hunt is still completable after the live event ended.
- There is no quest literally called "Shifting Sands": the two quests are Into the Sands and Out of the Sands, both from Preservationist Kathos in Valdrakken.
- You use the Idol of Ohn'ahra toy earned on Day 6 to track three Time-Lost Fragments in the desert of southeastern Thaldraszus.
- The three fragments combine into the Incomplete Tablet, which starts Out of the Sands; handing it back to Kathos finishes the day.
- This step has no toy or mount of its own. It advances the meta toward Pattie's Cap and the Honorary Preservationist title.
Here is the corrected walkthrough, since the in-game step name and the quest names are easy to mix up.
What the Shifting Sands Secret Actually Is
"Shifting Sands" is the name of the Day 7 criterion on your Whodunnit? tracker, not the name of a quest. That distinction trips people up, because searching for a "Shifting Sands" quest turns up nothing. The day is actually two quests in sequence, Into the Sands and Out of the Sands, and both are handed in to Preservationist Kathos at the Roasted Ram Inn in Valdrakken.
One more thing worth clearing up: Into the Sands belongs to Day 7, not Day 1. The two Day 1 secrets are A Preservationist and Ceremonial Spear. If a guide tells you Into the Sands opens the whole event, it has the day wrong.
Tracking the Time-Lost Fragments in Thaldraszus
Pick up Into the Sands from Kathos. It rewards the clue item A Clue: The Shifting Sands, which sends you to the windswept desert in southeastern Thaldraszus, just south of Azim near the Shifting Sands flight point.
Summon the Idol of Ohn'ahra and travel on foot. The relic points its beam toward each nearby Time-Lost Fragment as you approach. You need three of them, and the coordinates below mark where they surface.
| Fragment | Location (Thaldraszus) |
|---|---|
| Fragment 1 | /way #2025 58.8 78.2 |
| Fragment 2 | /way #2025 58.5 78.4 |
| Fragment 3 | /way #2025 59.3 78.8 |
Walk rather than fly when you are close, since the idol only reacts on the ground. Once you hold all three fragments, they fuse into the Incomplete Tablet, and that tablet starts Out of the Sands.
Finishing the Day and What It Counts Toward
Out of the Sands asks for one simple thing: carry the Incomplete Tablet back to Preservationist Kathos in Valdrakken. Turning it in completes the quest and ticks the Shifting Sands criterion off your Whodunnit? list.
Do not expect a reward toy here. The collectible you used today, the Idol of Ohn'ahra, was already yours from Day 6. Shifting Sands is a progress step, and the payoff comes once every secret is done, when the meta grants Pattie's Cap and the Honorary Preservationist title. Players who want that mount and achievement secured while they raid can compare our WoW achievement carries for the full Secrets of Azeroth meta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shifting Sands secret still completable?
Yes. Like every Secrets of Azeroth secret, Day 7 is permanent. Into the Sands and Out of the Sands still function, the Time-Lost Fragments still spawn in Thaldraszus, and the step still counts toward Whodunnit?.
Why can I not find a quest called Shifting Sands?
Because there is not one. "Shifting Sands" is the achievement criterion for the day. The quests you actually accept are Into the Sands and Out of the Sands from Preservationist Kathos.
Do I need the Idol of Ohn'ahra for this step?
You do. The Time-Lost Fragments only reveal themselves when you use the Idol of Ohn'ahra toy nearby, which is why Day 6 has to be finished before Day 7.
Where exactly are the Time-Lost Fragments?
All three sit in the desert of southeastern Thaldraszus, near /way #2025 58.8 78.2, 58.5 78.4, and 59.3 78.8. Use the idol on foot to surface each one.
What is the Incomplete Tablet?
It is the item the three fragments combine into. Looting the third fragment assembles the Incomplete Tablet automatically, and the tablet starts the Out of the Sands quest.
What reward does Shifting Sands give?
No standalone reward. It advances the Whodunnit? meta, which awards Pattie's Cap and the Honorary Preservationist title once all of its secrets are complete.
Last reviewed 2026-06-27 against Patch 10.1.7 Fury Incarnate. Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.