Astra Malorum has a Nikolai-exclusive side Easter egg that teleports you into a dark cave system and reveals this version of Nikolai's backstory. It involves a demon called Toor Bala, flashbacks to the Soviet-Afghan war, and one of the creepier sequences in BO7 Zombies. The whole thing takes about 5 minutes once you reach Abyssal Rim, and it rewards you with a Legendary weapon, armor plates, and the Echoes Dark Ops calling card.
- Play as Nikolai, bring or craft 3 Molotovs
- Throw Molotovs at 3 locations in Abyssal Rim to reveal fire footprints
- Follow the footprints to a cave, interact with the goat toy
- Walk through the cave, interact with the altar, survive the escape
- Reward: Legendary weapon, armor plates, Echoes Dark Ops calling card
Our team ran this quest on round 2, before power was even turned on. It is one of the most accessible side Easter eggs in BO7 and does not require any setup beyond Molotovs. If you have already completed the Richtofen side Easter egg on Totenreich, you know the format. Each Dedicated Crew Operator has their own character quest with unique lore. Here is the full walkthrough with screenshots from our playthrough.
Requirements
You only need two things to trigger this side Easter egg. No round requirement, no power, no perks.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Nikolai Operator | Select Nikolai from the Operators tab before starting a match. He is listed as a "Dedicated Crew Operator" with enhanced story content. |
| 3 Molotov Cocktails | Craft at any Crafting Table for 350 Salvage each (1,050 total), or bring Molotovs in your loadout to skip the crafting cost entirely. |
Nikolai joins Richtofen and Dempsey as the third character with a dedicated side Easter egg in Black Ops 7 Zombies. This quest was first discovered by Deantje and covered by MrDalekJD within hours of Astra Malorum's release.
Step 1: Throw the 3 Molotovs
Head to the Abyssal Rim area of the map, near the Wisp T perk machine. All 3 Molotov throws happen in this area.
Throw 1: Find the lamp post near the ammo box on the lower side of Abyssal Rim. Throw a Molotov at the dirt pile directly under the lamp post. Nikolai says a voice line, and once the flames die down, flaming footprints appear on the ground.
Throw 2: Follow the fire footprints down to the bottom of the nearby staircase. Throw your second Molotov on the ground where the footprints end, at the base of the stairs. A second set of flaming footprints appears, leading up the staircase.
Throw 3: Follow the footprints up the stairs. At the top, throw your third and final Molotov under the second lamp post, the one directly across from the top of the staircase. A last set of footprints appears, leading toward a cave entrance on the cliffside.
The throw spots are slightly forgiving thanks to the Molotov splash radius. Take an extra half second to line up your throw rather than rushing it.
Some guides mention a 4th Molotov throw at the cave entrance itself. In our testing, 3 Molotovs were enough to trigger the quest. Bring an extra one as backup if you want to be safe.
Step 2: Enter the Cave
Once the final footprints lead to the cave, look at the rock ledge to the left of the cave entrance. A small wooden goat toy sits there. Hold the interact button on the goat.
A short cutscene plays where Nikolai picks up the goat and throws it into the cave. The screen fades to black and you are teleported inside. From this point, you lose your weapons temporarily and walk through the cave on foot.
Step 3: The Visions
Inside the cave, Nikolai begins having flashbacks. You walk through dark tunnels lit only by dim hanging lights, with water on the ground and mine supports on the walls. The atmosphere shifts from a normal Zombies map to something closer to a horror game.
As you progress deeper, you encounter chalk drawings on the cave walls. One shows Nikolai with his family and a Soviet tank. Another depicts the demon Toor Bala. There are body parts, skulls, and massacred goats scattered on the ground. Nikolai reacts to each discovery with dialogue that fills in his backstory.
You will eventually reach the end of the cave where three goat heads sit on the floor. Interact with each one. Then try to turn back the way you came. The exit is now a dead end.
Step 4: The Ritual Altar
Turn around and walk back through the tunnel. The cave has changed. Where the demon painting was, there is now a full ritual altar. A deer skull mounted on crossed branches, surrounded by candles, skulls, and blood. This is Toor Bala's lair.
Walk up to the altar and hold the interact button. Nikolai reaches for the skull, triggering the final sequence.
Step 5: Escape the Cave
After interacting with the altar, the demon begins chasing you through the cave. Infinite Ravagers spawn in front of you as you run back toward the entrance. You get your weapons back at this point.
You are supposed to die here. The Ravagers will eventually catch you no matter how well you fight. This is scripted. You will not lose your perks or end your game.
A warning from our team: do not bring the Mustang and Sally without PhD Flopper. The Ravagers swarm you in tight quarters, and the splash damage will down you faster than the enemies will. Just run, shoot what you can, and let the scripted ending play out.
After the Ravagers catch you, a final cutscene plays. Nikolai is brought back to Astra Malorum where he crushes the goat toy in his hand. Your loot spawns on the ground around you.
Rewards
Completing the Nikolai side Easter egg gives you:
| Reward | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Legendary Weapon | Weapon | Spawns on the ground after the cutscene. In our runs it was always a shotgun (Echo 12). Some players report the Akita or other weapons. |
| Armor Plates | Equipment | Full armor plates spawn alongside the weapon. |
| Molotov Cocktails | Equipment | 3 Molotovs returned to you after the quest. |
| Echoes | Dark Ops Calling Card | Permanent unlock. Features a skeleton holding a glowing orb. |
Getting a free Legendary weapon on round 2 is a strong start to any match. The earlier you complete this quest, the more value you get from the weapon before it falls off in later rounds. Combined with the Echoes calling card, this is one of the more rewarding side quests in BO7 Zombies.
Lore: Nikolai's Backstory
The cave sequence reveals that Nikolai was a Soviet tank commander during the Soviet-Afghan war. Unlike his Spetsnaz comrades, he felt shame about the atrocities committed against Afghan civilians. When he found a family in the mountains, he told them to hide in a cave to protect them from the arriving soldiers.
What Nikolai did not know was that a demon called Toor Bala already lived in that cave. The demon killed the family, using their body parts to build its lair. It stole their eyes to see, their mouths to feed, and lined its chambers with their skin. Worst of all, it used Nikolai's voice to lure the family deeper into the cave.
The demon marked Nikolai as a "most favored servant," which connects to why he ended up in the Dark Aether. The quest ends with the narrator saying that Nikolai "will never be able to make light, but he will try." It is one of the darker pieces of storytelling in the BO7 Zombies campaign, and explains why the community calls it the "Nikolai PTSD Easter egg."
This follows the same pattern as the other character side quests. Richtofen's Echoes of the Damned on Totenreich explores his Gruppe 935 past, while Dempsey's "Good Soldiers" quest on Ashes of the Damned covers his military background. Treyarch is building out each character's backstory one map at a time. For a deeper breakdown of the lore, BlackOpsAmazing has an excellent analysis on YouTube.
Tips for Completing the Nikolai Side Easter Egg
- Bring Molotovs in your loadout to skip the crafting cost. You can start the quest immediately without spending Salvage.
- Do this quest as early as possible. A free Legendary weapon on round 2 gives you a massive head start for the rest of the match.
- The quest takes 3 to 5 minutes from the first Molotov throw to receiving your rewards. No need to set aside a full game session for it.
- Avoid using explosive weapons without PhD Flopper during the cave escape. The Ravagers swarm you in tight spaces and self-damage will down you unnecessarily.
- This quest does not affect the main Astra Malorum Easter egg. You can complete both in the same match without any conflicts.
- Solo-friendly. No co-op mechanics required. Having a teammate with extra Molotovs is helpful but not necessary.
- If you need a solid loadout for Astra Malorum, check our best BO7 Zombies loadout guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Molotovs do you need for the Nikolai side Easter egg?
You need 3 Molotov Cocktails. Craft them at any Crafting Table for 350 Salvage each, or bring them in your loadout. The throw spots are slightly forgiving due to splash radius, but aim carefully to avoid wasting one.
Can you do the Nikolai Easter egg on round 1?
Technically yes, but round 2 is more realistic. You need enough points to open doors to reach Abyssal Rim and either 1,050 Salvage to craft 3 Molotovs or Molotovs already in your loadout. Our team completed it on round 2 before turning on the power.
Do you actually die during the Nikolai cave escape?
Yes, but it is scripted. The Ravagers and demon will eventually catch and kill you no matter what. This is intentional and part of the Easter egg sequence. You do not lose perks, and your game continues normally after the cutscene.
What weapon do you get from the Nikolai side Easter egg?
You receive a Legendary-tier weapon. In our testing it was always a shotgun (Echo 12), though some sources report getting other weapons like the Akita. The weapon spawns on the ground along with armor plates and Molotovs.
What is the Echoes calling card in BO7?
Echoes is the Dark Ops calling card earned by completing the Nikolai side Easter egg on Astra Malorum. It features a skeleton holding a glowing orb. This calling card was reportedly glitched at launch and auto-unlocked for some players, but it has since been patched.
Does the Nikolai side Easter egg affect the main quest?
No. The Nikolai side Easter egg is completely standalone. Completing it does not lock you out of the main Astra Malorum Easter egg, and the main quest does not need to be active or completed first.
Who is the demon Toor Bala in BO7 Zombies?
Toor Bala is the demon that lived in the cave where Nikolai hid an Afghan family during the Soviet-Afghan war. The demon killed the family and used Nikolai's voice to lure them deeper. It marked Nikolai as a "most favored servant," connecting to his presence in the Dark Aether.
If you want to discuss the Astra Malorum Easter eggs or need help completing them, join 40,000+ players in the COD Central Discord. We have dedicated Zombies channels where our team and community break down every new map on day one.