I love the Warlock Quest variant, but the ending lacks excitement. I have had two ideas to use this with the hidden endings rule:

1. Start with four quests as per the card. In fact, use all the rules on the card except for the last. When you reach the end, draw an ending card at random. If you draw the WQ ending, you win if you have four quests completed, otherwise you lose (like HBV). If you draw another ending, quests are irrelevant. The ending of course stays in effect for the rest of the game. (Alternatively, if somebody draws WQ and loses it could be shuffled back in for the next player to draw again).
2. Follow all rules on WQ card except the ending. To win you must reach the CoC with four quests completed AND draw another (different) ending and follow its instructions.

I think both of those work, but I wouldn't use either of them. The point to the WQ endgame is what happens in general play, not the endgame. While I don't like the commercial quests, I applaud FFG for figuring out one thing missing among the diversity of old endgames of 2E... doing something during the game itself instead of just at the end.

And in this case, accomplishing those four quests on top of normal play and activity, is the endgame unto itself. Once you finish them, you've met the criteria already to go be king of the hill. They took the fast ending in the rulebook (first one to the Crown of Command) and add something a bit different to expand upon that pure "race" ending structure for those groups who were tired of (1) the same old Command spell or (2) another uber-Enemy to kil. It was good notion and kept simple for a reason.

I actually pretty much agree with you. although the ending in WQ is downplayed, I think that's okay since the adventure factor it adds to the game more than compensates. I thought of this as something I might pitch to my group one day for a change, not as a regular house rule. I've never posted a house rule, so I thought I'd put this one up.

I like Warlock Quests - I don't think it needs "fixing".

Most certainly play the options; and every group should do it once in while. I never meant it shouldn't played as you stipulated, if it sounded that way. I only meant to eplain why I alone wouldn't play it that way. One endgame used is enough for me....

Though when we tried the Warlock Quest (just once so far), we use the Talisman's Tasks pack I created (and am now expanding). Those cards aren't ones that 9 out of 10 groups would use, especially not the newer, younger players familiar with only 4E® and wanting simple trades and teleport back to the Warlock. The TT cards make the game slightly longer, but not as much as some assume; the Forced March rule keeps things moving quickly (with some risk). And the TT cards provide a lot more interaction and CvC than the commercial ones.

The goal is to complete 4 quests, and there's nothing like stealing one half or almost completed from another character. The winner actually did that twice and complete two others on her own for the four that were necessary. (Yes, we bent the rule a little, requiring 4 completed quest but not necessarily the 4 that each drew.)

So, admittedly... I too mess with the commercial endgames my own way.