The Rune of Command quest chain

Both the Horde and the Alliance investigate the Rune of Command used by the Iron Rune Dwarves in Howling Fjord.

The Rune of Command

 * The Book of Runes (Alliance)  or The Book of Runes (Horde)

and have noticed that the Iron Dwarves of Giant's Run, in the northeast part of Howling Fjord, are coaxing stone giants out of the ground and inscribing them with runes. These npcs ask members of their faction to go to Giant's run, steal the pieces of the rune books they hold, and return an assembled for study.

The iron dwarves don't have any problem with you. Rather, they don't have any unresolved issues. It's resolved... that they want to kill you. You return the favor. You kill a number of the stonecallers and binders, until you conclude that you've got a complete copy of the book of runes. ... and perhaps kill a few more, just to help the cause.


 * Mastering the Runes (Alliance) or Mastering the Runes (Horde)

Ashtotem (or Belvar) study the book you brought back, and discovered that the runes they are carving are used to bind and compel. They've also discovered that the runes are carved with enchanted tools. To duplicate the iron dwarves' work, they'll need a set of the tools. That's where you come in.

More dead iron dwarves. Not a moral issue, since the iron dwarves are at war with you. You don't necessarily have to kill them, since the toolboxes are just sitting there where a well-timed distraction ("Look! Air!") would let you get them. But hey, distractions are work.


 * The Rune of Command (Alliance) or The Rune of Command (Horde)

One set of tools later, Belvar (or Ashtotem) is ready to carve you a set of runes to try out. They've used much more limited runes than the iron dwarves have, feeling that they'll be more useful and less dangerous.

You take the runes (carved on a convenient stone tablet) to Giant's run, and try them out on one of the neutral stone giants there. As advertised, the giant responds to your control. ... and with such a powerful ally, you cannot help but use him against the leader of the iron dwarves at Giants' Run: Binder Murdis.

While the iron dwarves consider this "merely a setback", it's progress.

Rewards

 * about from completing all the quests.