Northrend has thrown many challenges at the heroes of both the Alliance and Horde. From the first initial landings of our soldiers, to the Wrathgate crisis and most recently the apparent awaking of an Old God, but nothing stands up to what challenges await them still. Icecrown, the final battle against the treacherous Lich King, looms over Azeroth. With so much at stake the Alliance cannot simply throw heroes into the challenge unprepared, and thus High Lord Tirion Fording of the neutral Argent Crusade has organised a great Argent Tournament, a proving grounds to test the martial prowess of the finest Azeroth has to offer.

While the jousting of recent months was the initial stage, with a grand coliseum now completed, Tirion Fordring now wishes to find the very best heroes to reduce the number of casualties in the siege of Icecrown. To do this Fordring’s hunters have captured the greatest beasts Northrend has to offer; Jormungar Worms from the caves in Dragonblight, or the vicious Yeti which covers the Stormpeak Mountains, are just some of the beasts to challenge the combatants. The heroes will face off in combat against other heroes who also seek to win a place within the final siege.

It has even been rumoured that a Wilfred Fizzlebang, a wizard of questionable repute, is preparing the summoning of a demon to pit against the would-be heroes. Also, Champions of the both the Alliance and Horde have been forming teams, to fight against one another to test they skills and valor.

With the recent attacks on the Crusaders coliseum made by the Lich Kings maidens of shadow known as the Val'kyr, the Argent Crusade has stepped up security, though with the aid of the Argent Confessor Paletress and her most trusted priests, The Crusade have managed, with effort, to grab themselves  two of these Val'kyr, locking them in chains of light.

Fordring himself also has another motive for holding such events: he has often expressed his wishes for the Alliance and Horde to come to some peaceful agreement in their current dispute. King Varian of Stormwind and Lady Proudmoore of Theramore are to join the Horde’s masters – Thrall, as well as, controversially, Garrosh Hellscream – in watching the grand tournament. With recent outrages from the Wrathgate to the Purple Parlour Incident still fresh in the minds of those rulers, however, it remains to be seen whether a peaceful settlement will be reached – or whether or not our enemies want peace at all.

Along with this, Tirion has also allowed champions to train their skills within the coliseum. Groups of five are able to sign up and compete with the champions of the Horde, as well as some individuals within the Argent Crusade. The jousting is, as ever, a primary part of this competition, and once the opposing champions have been defeated upon their steeds, combat on foot swiftly ensues; the heroes are expected to deal with the champions in a sensible manner and allow them to leave the fight alive. After the champions have bested their opponents, one of two Argent Crusade veterans will enter the ring: Eadric the Pure, the champion of the Crusade or Argent Confessor Paletress, both the final challenge to test the skills of the heroes.

Only time shall tell who will finally meet the Lich King at Icecrown, but with the Argent Tournament still ongoing… will you answer the call?