Shadowlands 1-100 Inscription Profession and Leveling Guide - Patch 9.1

By RenataKane Updated: 2026/01/29

Upcoming Changes to Inscription in Shadowlands Patch 9.2

Inscription in Shadowlands 9.2 will see the following changes. All recipes sources are not yet known.

First Flower - New reagent from Zereth Mortis Herbalism, which can be milled to create existing Shadowlands inks.
Vantus Rune: Sepulcher of the First Ones - Create a Vantus Rune for Sepulcher of the First Ones. We don't know where this comes from yet, but based on other Vantus rune recipes, it will likely be a drop inside the Sepulcher of the First Ones.
Technique: Contract: The Enlightened - Create a contract to increase reputation with The Enlightened every time you finish a World Quest in the Shadowlands. You will be able to purchase this from Vilo, the Quartermaster for The Enlightened faction in Zereth Mortis with Friendly reputation.
Glyph of the Spectral Vulpine - Create the Spectral Vulpine form for Shaman's Ghost Wolf
Glyph of the Spectral Lupine - Create the Spectral Lupine form for Shaman's Ghost Wolf

Why Is Inscription Useful in Shadowlands?

Missives are Inscription-created Optional Reagents for specifying Secondary Armor stats. Since crafted armor may have as many as two slots for Secondary Stats, and only Inscriptionists can make these, these are expected to be in high demand.

Darkmoon Decks will be somewhat easier to make with the introduction of blank cards, which can be inserted into a deck to replace an elusive missing card. This makes these easier to assemble.

Contracts have returned, which help players raise their zone factions.

Making Gold with Inscription in ShadowlandsKorthian AccessoryLearning Shadowlands InscriptionShadowlands InscriptionScribe Au'tehshiDistributor Au'shaInscriptionDistributor Au'bicUmbral InkScribe Au'tehshiInscription Recipes and Reputations

Technique: Codex of the Still Mind - requires Friendly with The Ascended

Technique: Contract: The Ascended - requires Revered with The Ascended

Technique: Contract: The Undying Army - requires Revered with The Undying Army

Technique: Contract: The Wild Hunt - requires Revered with Night Fae

Technique: Contract: Court of Harvesters - requires Revered with Court of Harvesters

Crafter's Mark II - requires Cordial with Ve'nari in The Maw

Shadowlands Inscription PartsShadowlands Herbs and Mass Milling

Death Blossom - gathered from all Covenant zones

Rising Glory - gathered from Bastion

Marrowroot - gathered from Maldraxxus

Vigil's Torch - gathered from Ardenweald

Widowbloom - gathered from Revendreth

Nightshade - gathered rarely from all Covenant zones

Item

Level

Components

Mass Mill Deathblossom

30 55 60 65

20x Death Blossom

Mass Mill Marrowroot

30 55 60 65

20x Marrowroot

Mass Mill Rising Glory

30 55 60 65

20x Rising Glory

Mass Mill Vigil's Torch

30 55 60 65

20x Vigil's Torch

Mass Mill Widowbloom

30 55 60 65

20x Widowbloom

Mass Mill Nightshade

30 55 60 65

20x Nightshade

Shadowlands Inscription InksLuminous PigmentUmbral PigmentTranquil PigmentTranquil PigmentNightshade

Item

Level

Components

Luminous Ink

1 15 20 25

1x Luminous Pigment, 1x Aerated Water, 1x Rune Etched Vial

Umbral Ink

1 15 20 25

1x Umbral Pigment, 1x Aerated Water, 1x Rune Etched Vial

Tranquil Ink

35 65 70 75

1x Tranquil Pigment, 1x Aerated Water, 1x Rune Etched Vial

Shadowlands Inscription Other Reagents

Aerated Water - vendor sold

Dark Parchment - vendor sold

Rune Etched Vial - vendor sold

Sealing Wax - vendor sold

Twilight Bark - mining

Shadowlands Inscription ItemsShadowlands Inscription Contracts

Technique: Contract: The Ascended - Purchase from Adjutant Nikos, in Hero's Rest

Technique: Contract: The Undying Army - Purchase from Nalcorn Talsen, outside the Theater of Pain.

Technique: Contract: The Wild Hunt - Purchase from Aithlyn, inside the Heart of the Forest

Technique: Contract: Court of Harvesters - Purchase from Mistress Mihaela, in Darkhaven

Item

Level

Components

Contract: The Ascended

80 85 90

5x Luminous Ink, 5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Contract: The Undying Army

80 85 90

5x Luminous Ink, 5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Contract: The Wild Hunt

80 85 90

5x Luminous Ink, 5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Contract: Court of Harvesters

80 85 90

5x Luminous Ink, 5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Shadowlands Inscription Weapons and Offhands

Item

Level

Components

Newly Departed Codex

Offhand

20 30 35 40

10x Luminous Ink, 10x Umbral Ink, 50x Dark Parchment

Soul Keeper's Column

Staff

25 40 45 50

22x Umbral Ink, 3x Twilight Bark, 1x Sealing Wax

Soul Keeper's Spire

Staff

25 40 45 50

22x Luminous Ink, 3x Twilight Bark, 1x Sealing Wax

Shadowlands Inscription Darkmoon Decks, Cards, and WildcardsDarkmoon Card of DeathBlank Card of the IndomitableBlank Card of VoracityBlank Card of ReposeBlank Card of Putrescence

Item

Level

Components

Darkmoon Card of Death

80 95 110 125

7x Luminous Ink, 7x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Darkmoon Card of the Indomitable

80 95 110 125

1x Blank Card of the Indomitable, 1x Tranquil Ink

Darkmoon Card of Putrescence

80 95 110 125

1x Blank Card of Putrescence, 1x Tranquil Ink

Darkmoon Card of Voracity

80 95 110 125

1x Blank Card of Voracity, 1x Tranquil Ink

Darkmoon Card of Repose

80 95 110 125

1x Blank Card of Repose, 1x Tranquil Ink

Darkmoon Deck: Indomitable +61 AGI or STR. Use: Surround yourself with a phalanx of 5 shields. Attacks against you destroy one shield, reducing the damage taken from the attack up to 428-1284. The amount reduced depends on the topmost card in the deck. Lasts 10 sec. Created from Darkmoon Card of the Indomitable.

Darkmoon Deck: Putrescence +61 INT. Use: Cause the target to explode with energy, dealing 10667 Shadow damage split evenly to all enemies within 10 yards. Enemies hit are 4.28-12.84% more likely to be critically hit by you. The critical strike chance amount depends on the topmost card of the deck. Lasts 10 sec. Created from Darkmoon Card of Putrescence.

Darkmoon Deck: Voracity +61 AGI or STR. Use: Drain Haste from the target and empowering yourself for the same. The amount drained depends on the topmost card in the deck. Lasts 10 sec. Created from Darkmoon Card of Voracity

Darkmoon Deck: Repose +61 INT. Use: Project a web of healing energy forward, healing allies that touch it for 7147. The width of the web depends on the topmost card in the deck. Created from Darkmoon Card of Repose

Shadowlands Inscription Vantus RunesVantus Rune Technique: Castle NathriaVantus Rune Technique: Sanctum of Domination

Item

Level

Components

Vantus Rune: Castle Nathria

115 120 125

10x Luminous Ink, 10x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Vantus Rune: Sanctum of Domination

100 115 120 125

10x Luminous Ink, 10x Umbral Ink, 10x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Shadowlands Inscription Codexes and Tomes

Item

Level

Components

Tome of the Still Mind

15 30 32 35

3x Luminous Ink, 3x Umbral Ink, 25x Dark Parchment

Codex of the Still Mind

70 72 75

7x Luminous Ink, 7x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 75x Dark Parchment

Shadowlands Inscription Lockpicking Writ of Grave Robbing

Item

Level

Components

Writ of Grave Robbing

10 25 30 35

1x Luminous Ink, 1x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Shadowlands Inscription TransmogFae Revel MasqueTechnique: Fae Revel MasqueBrightgleamFae Revel Masque

Item

Level

Components

Fae Revel Masque

100 105 110

3x Luminous Ink, 3x Umbral Ink, 2x Twilight Bark, 1x Sealing Wax

GlyphsMark of the Nightwing RavenLegion Inscription

Technique: Mark of the Duskwing Raven - requires Honored with Dreamweavers can be bought from the Dreamweavers Emissary, Sylvia Hartshorn, in Val'sharah.

Shadowlands Inscription

Technique: Mark of the Twilight Runestag - requires Revered with The Wild Hunt and is available from The Wild Hunt quartermasters, Liawyn in Oribos and Aithlyn in Ardenweald

Technique: Mark of the Sable Ardenmoth - requires Honored with Court of Night and can be purchased from the Court of Night emissary, Spindlenose, in Ardenweald

Shadowlands Inscription

Technique: Mark of the Gloomstalker Dredbat - sold by Ta'tru at the Night Market in Revendreth for 25 of a common item. This changes so check first. Ta'tru can be found at /way 51.0 78.8

Technique: Mark of the Regal Dredbat - low drop rate from Shrieking Evedweller and Dire Evedweller at Dominance Keep in Revendreth

Mark of the Shimmering Ardenmoth - requires performing a task for Droman Dawnblossom in Ardenweald.

Visit Droman Dawnblossom in Ardenweald and follow the dialogue prompts
Pick up the Fae Net
Go to Val'sharah and find a Vale Flitter
Use the Fae Net while targeting the Vale Flitter
Make sure you get the Glowing Moth buff - you now have 20 minutes to get back to Droman Dawnblossom
Visit Droman Dawnblossom in Ardenweald and follow the dialogue prompts
You will learn Mark of the Shimmering Ardenmoth

Technique: Mark of the Midnight Runestag - looted from runedeer, including Runestag and Juvenile Runedeer in Ardenweald. It is a reasonably common drop and should only take a few minutes to farm. Note: When the patch first dropped, Revered with Wild Hunt was required to learn the pattern, but this is no longer the case.

Shadowlands Inscription Optional ReagentsOptional Reagents

Missive of Critical Strike

40 85 92 100

8x Luminous Ink, 2x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Missive of Haste

40 85 92 100

6x Luminous Ink, 4x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Missive of Mastery

40 85 92 100

4x Luminous Ink, 6x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

Missive of Versatility

40 85 92 100

2x Luminous Ink, 8x Umbral Ink, 1x Tranquil Ink, 1x Dark Parchment

There is no Crafter's Marks III or Crafter's Mark of the Chained Isle for Inscription.

Item

Level

Components

Crafter's Mark I

45 50 52 55

5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment, 3x Sealing Wax

Novice Crafter's Mark

50 45 47 50

5x Umbral Ink, 1x Dark Parchment, 1x Sealing Wax

Crafter's Mark II

65 70 72 75

15x Umbral Ink, 5x Dark Parchment, 5x Sealing Wax

Leveling Inscription in ShadowlandsTranquil InkNightshadeTranquil PigmentTranquil Ink

Level Range

Item

1-25

Luminous Ink
Umbral Ink

25-30

Tome of the Still Mind

30-40

Mass Milling, any type

40-92

Missive of Critical Strike
Missive of Haste
Missive of Mastery
Missive of Versatility

92-100

Darkmoon Card of Death

Shadowlands Inscription World Quests

Bastion: Inscription: Invocation of Duty

Maldraxxus: Inscription: Litany of Might

Ardenweald: Inscription: Hymnal of Reprise

Revendreth: Inscription: Catalog of Sins

Comments

Comment by Cyberium

Do they intend to keep Inscription this boring till the end of WoW? I miss the time when we're responsible for creating game-chaging glyphs.

Comment by Fraizure

From what I have seen looking at the pop-ups when you hover the Darkmoon Deck cards they say they are crafted from a Blank Card of Repose or whatever type of deck you are trying to make and of course the uncommon ink as per usual. I think that would be a great way to help streamline the process of making these decks. The old way was a huge resource sink and heavily RNG. But if we can craft blank cards of said deck then we eliminate a metric ton of resource sink. I for one hope this is the case. Always bugged me that it was 1:52 in hopes of getting the card you need to finish a deck.

Comment by andreios

It's not just a new parchment; looks like from the tooltip that the inks will require a new water(Aerated Water) and a new vial (Rune Etched Vial). Going back to the old days of expansion-specific incidental mats it seems...

Comment by orca2017

I have never tried inscription but I want to start in shadowlads seems like a fun profession

Comment by Tofu

Anyone know if the darkmoon cards will have a day cooldown again?

Comment by AkariWolfgirl

Important to note, there is currently an issue where crafting reagents for Inscription can not be placed into an inscription bag. (I cant put ink and pigment into my burnished inscription bag personally.) Hopefully this will be remedied soon.

Comment by alpanhell

Are you sure the description of Blank Cards is correct? You're saying they're "wild cards" but it doesn't look like they're that way. They allow you craft a random card in a particular deck (which just allows a little less rng, you still get rng for the card you get).

Why would it have you craft a random card in a particular deck if it's a "wild card"?

Comment by Lilus

I'm gonna be that guy: it's called a scribe, not an inscriptionist.

Comment by lyricagent

Has anyone had trouble learning quartermaster bought items? The Codex says friendly with Ascended, which I am, but I can't learn it and I'm not sure why. My inscription is maxed at 100.

Comment by chinane

Doesn't really make sense to not take all the orange and yellow Mass Milling skillups. Seems a lot more cost efficient.

Comment by Frenkminator

Do I need to level up my alt to L60?
OR I just have to Escape the Maw then I can learn all the Inscription-recipes if choose not to repeat the storyline?

Comment by Bufe

Twilight Bark - mining

sold in 2x by Distributor Au'Sha in Orebos occationally.

As well as from other vendors

Twilight Bark#sold-by

Shadowlands 1-100 Inscription Profession and Leveling Guide - Patch 9.1

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