I'd love to see more RP aspect to this. First, I'd like to see someone who gives a reward at the top for counting the steps and proving an answer. Closer you are, better it is, possibly up to a blue 440+ item for your spec?
I'd also like to see a debuff going up the stairs and you aren't allowed to mount (pre 90 only, of course, as you can fly right over later). Why? Because it'd be cool! Forces you to stop and talk to the loremaster.
Perhaps if you've completed the whole thing before on a toon you don't have to for alts but the first time I think it'd have been neat to really feel like you're climbing all those steps.
well i dnt see the point of not allowing people too ride on a mount on the stairs.
the people who skip things like the Loremaster and other npc's on the stairs and magically going to be interrested in them then.
sounds like an uncessary slowdown.
as for the counting stairs and providing answer and depending how close you are on the correct answer. i like that idea, though the rewards shouldnt be anything big since sites like wowhead will have the answers on such things long before it goes live through the beta.