The first thing you would notice is that the region is named Black Morass. Swamps of Sorrow and Blasted Lands were one region, until the magics unleashed by the Dark Portal turned the surrounding swamp terrain into red clay. Black Morass is the original name shown in early Azeroth Maps. It is also known as Swamps of Sorrow back in Warcraft: Orcs and Humans.

If you wish to initiate yourself into Warcraft lore, you should read Warcraft: The Last Guardian - which covers the events of Warcraft 1: Orcs and Humans.  The book tells the story of Medivh, and the opening of the Dark Portal that gave entry to the orcs into Azeroth. Khadgar—in Shattrath City—was Medivh’s apprentice by the way.

To enter Caverns of Time: Dark Portal dungeon you must have completed Caverns of Time: Durnholde (Old Hillsbrad). This is a 5-players dungeon. The dungeon is open for level 66 players. However, I recommend your team to be between level 68-70.  The last boss is level 72. After completing the first dungeon of Old Hillsbrad, talk to Andormu - outside, near the clockwork of Caverns of Time. He will provide a new quest, asking you to talk to Sa’at - an agent of the Scales of the Sand faction (Bronze Dragonflight). You can find Sa’at at the entrance of the Dark Portal dungeon after you zone-in.

This is the quest offered to complete the Dark Portal Dungeon:


THE BLACK MORASS

Sa’at: The Infinite Dragonflight have abandoned all pretense of subtlety. They plot to destroy the Guardian, Medivh, and prevent the Dark Portal from ever opening. While outwardly, this may appear a boon to the forces of the Alliance, it is in actuality catastrophic and will result in your world ending.

You must venture through the timeway leading to the Black Morass. Go west and then south, past my future self, until you reach the tunnel that houses the swamp specimens. Cross over and speak with Sa’at.

QUEST OBJECTIVES

Travel through the Caverns of Time to the Black Morass during the opening of the Dark Portal and speak with Sa’at.

First, you must clear your way to the southern area of Black Morass.  Once you see Medivh on the horizon, warn your team members not acquainted with the event to not approach Medivh.  Kill all the stealthed leopards, crocs and spiders in a semi-circle around Medivh’s surroundings.  You will know why.

You don’t need to clear the whole dungeon, only your way toward the south and the semi-circle around Medivh.  Once you are satisfied there aren’t any trash mobs in the nearby area, walk in to Medivh.

The event will start when Medivh begins to talk.  This is a time-scripted event.  The dungeon’s goal consists in killing the Rift Lords and Time Keepers to seal the Time rifts.  There are eighteen portals to be opened during the scripted event.  One at a time will open if you are fast enough.

The time rifts open in one out of three random locations.  Left, center or right.  Sometimes the next rift will open at the same spot.  So be sure to look back to double check.  As soon as you see a yellow rift open, your tank needs to rush in and grab aggro.  Time is of the essence.  Don’t waste time.  Engage the Rift Lord or Time Keeper that keeps the rift opened.  Dragonkin and whelps will start pouring in through the rift.  Mage and Rogues do a good duo to take care of any mobs coming through the rift. The Tank, healer and another teammate should take care of killing the Rift Lord / Time Keeper.  When the mage and rogue are done, they should assist the Tank.

This is a DPS race.  The event is timed. If you do not get rid of the rift in an allocated time, you will get two rifts opened.  And that is not a good thing.  You should give up and restart the event if you see two rifts opened due to lack of DPS.  You do not need to abandon the dungeon to reset nor need to kill all the animals again.  Let Medivh die, and he will be respawned within 5 minutes.

The female dragonkin can be somewhat nasty.  They do firewave AOE, frost bolts to a single target, and sheep polymorph among other abilities.  The huge winged Rift Lords do a lot of damage.  Priests must cast a shield on the Tank as soon as the mortal strike debuff icon shows up, then toss a renew, and a big heal.  The Rift Lords do Nature AOE damage with their warstomp.  However, they are easier than the female caster.

Out of the eighteen rifts to shut down, three will spawn bosses.  You get a boss at rift 6, 12 and 18.  Onscreen - at the top-center - you will see a counter such as Time Rifts Opened: 0/18.  The first boss is Chrono Lord Deja - a biped-humanoid with dragonlike features.  He does mortal strike, and warstomp.  Those are the two abilities that you need to care the most.  Prayer of Healing is useful here.  However, rangers should help by bandaging themselves at max range and try to avoid the AOE (Area of Effect).

The second boss at rift# 12 is Temporus - an Infinite drake.  He is the most hated of the three bosses.  Temporus inflicts a debuff that can be compared with Kurinaxx’s in Ahn’Qiraj (20) dungeon.  Temporus stacks this debuff up to 8 times and further on the tank.  This is overkill, and healers will be strained and drained of mana in no time to keep the tank alive.  The simple way to handle this is to kite Temporus.  The tank will have to watch his own debuff.  Once it hits 4 stacks, the tank needs to run around while throwing a few hit and run attacks.  Enough to keep aggro while the rangers take care of DPS (Damage per second).

The last boss, at rift# 18, is an Infinite dragon named Aeonus - and he hits pretty hard.  The dangerous part is his Time Stun.  Everyone is immobilized and unable to cast during 5-8 seconds.  Healers need to keep throwing renew, regrowth or rejuvenation on the tank before the Time stun afflicts everyone.  When the stun is over, make sure to spam the shield button on the tank, and recover by throwing a mending and big heal.  Once the last boss dies, the rifts will stop opening and Medivh will say his final words.  The Orcs will enter through the Dark Portal and retreat to deliver the news to Gul’dan.  You should go back to Sa’at, who will send you to talk with Andormu outside of the dungeon.  You will now be able to talk to Soridormi who has a new quest for you titled The Vials of Eternity.

Below is the dialogue on general chat where Medivh, the Rift Lords, Time Keepers, and the three bosses talk.  Read the transcript and don’t miss the video footage:

Medivh: The time has come! Gul’dan, order your warlocks to double their efforts! Moments from now the gateway will open and your Horde will be released upon this ripe, unsuspecting world!

Rift Lord: History is about to be rewritten! You will never defeat us all! No! The rift ...

Rift Lord: Let the siege begin! You will accomplish nothing!

Chrono Lord Deja: Why do you aid the Magus? Just think of how many lives could be saved if the portal is never opened, if the resulting wars could be erased ...

If you will not cease this foolish quest, then you will die! Time ... is on our side.

Time Keeper: Carry on! Victory at all costs!

Medivh: The shield is nearly gone! All that I have worked for is in danger!

Time Keeper: There is no time to waste!

Temporus: Your days are done.

Medivh: Champions! My shield grows weak! My powers must be concentrated on the portal! I do not have time to hold the shield!

Temporus: You should have left when you had the chance.

Why do you persist? Surely you can see the futility of it all. It is not too late! You may still leave with your lives ...

So be it ... you have been warned.

My death means ... little.

Aeonus: The time has come to shatter this clockwork universe forever! Let us no longer be slaves of the hourglass! I warn you: those who do not embrace the greater path shall become victims of its passing! We will triumph. It is only a matter ... of time.


DEFEAT DIALOGUE:

Medivh: No! Damn this feeble, mortal coil! (Medivh dies.)


VICTORY DIALOGUE:

Medivh: I am grateful for your aid, champions. Now, Gul’dan’s Horde will sweep across this world like a locust swarm, and all my designs, all my carefully-laid plans will at last fall into piece.

Orcs of the Horde! This portal is the gateway to your new destiny! Azeroth lies before you, ripe for the taking!

(Row upon row of Orcs enter Azeroth through the Dark Portal)

Shadow Council Enforcer: Gul’dan speaks the truth! We should return at once to tell our brothers of the news! Retreat back through the portal!