Argent Tournament Grounds

The Argent Tournament Grounds is the location of the base for the Argent Crusade's Argent Tournament, north of Sindragosa's Fall, in the northeast area of Icecrown. It is a sanctuary and a full-featured quest hub with flight masters, profession trainers, and vendors. In patch 3.3.0, the Tournament Grounds' defenses were reinforced with three guard towers - one between the Coliseum and Deathspeaker's Watch, one near the Silver Covenant Pavilion, and one near the Sunreaver Pavilion.
To start the quest-chain of the area, Justicar Mariel Trueheart is present inside the Argent Pavilion just to the west of the Crusaders' Coliseum, while the northern part of the building serves as a chapel of the Light led by Argent Confessor Paletress. The Alliance and the Horde are respectively represented by the Silver Covenant in the Silver Covenant Pavilion and the Sunreavers in the Sunreaver Pavilion.
Built during the war against the Lich King, the Argent Crusade put time and effort into building a sturdy stone arena and a tilting ground as a way to search out the elite warriors they thought had the best chance of taking a run at Icecrown Citadel, since throwing a whole army against the undead would only have increased the number of troops in the armies of the Lich King.
==History==
===Wrath of the Lich King===
During the war against the Lich King, the Argent Crusade announced the beginning of the Argent Tournament, an event that would, among other things, attempt to create some semblance of order between the ever disparate Horde and Alliance, but also to train this large army in preparation for an assault on the Lich King's bastion, and more importantly, to determine the very best fighters present who would then be used to create a small strike force that would lead the charge into Icecrown Citadel. The reasoning behind using a small force to spearhead their assault lay in the fact that any great loss of life that they might suffer would only serve to reinforce the Scourge, and subsequently might leave the rest of the world open to attack. The tournament was also a chance to try to heal the wounds from the disaster at Angrathar the Wrathgate, but it was too soon.
Though criticized, both King Varian Wrynn and Warchief Thrall, respectively accompanied by Jaina Proudmoore and Garrosh Hellscream, made appearances on these grounds and agreed to observe some of the tournament's trials in the Crusaders' Coliseum. Both factions were then represented by the Silver Covenant in the Silver Covenant Pavilion and the Sunreavers in the Sunreaver Pavilion during the Argent Tournament. Argent Peacekeepers maintained a constant vigil throughout the grounds, policing the tournament to ensure there was no conflict between the Horde and Alliance.
However, the tournament drew the attention of the Lich King, who sent forces to disrupt it in a number of ways, with assaults and kidnappings from the Cult of the Damned, the infiltration of the Black Knight in the tournament,The Black Knight's Orders and attacks from Val'kyr, partly in an attempt to free some of their kind which the paladins had captured, though they were unable to inflict any lasting damage.You've Really Done It This Time, Kul Towards the end of the Trial of the Crusader, the Lich King himself appeared in the coliseum and reminded those gathered that the nerubian empire extended far across and beneath the entire continent, then proceeded to shatter the very floor of the tournament grounds, dropping the Crusade's champions deep into a series of underground tunnels to confront a resurrected Anub'arak. Despite the ambush, Anub'arak was vanquished, marking the conclusion of the Argent Tournament, and the beginning of the assault on Icecrown Citadel.Exploring Azeroth: Northrend, pg. 75
===Shadowlands===
During the Scourge resurgence, the tournament grounds came under concentrated attack by the Scourge and became the Crusade's main base of operations in fighting the undead back. As the attack was as sudden as it was unexpected,Securing the Area many valiants laid wounded, while the civilians participated in defending the area as best as they could. Consequently, Justicar Mariel Trueheart requested the support of the Crusade's forces in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor,A Message from Icecrown and with the help of adventurers, they managed to repel the undead and save the lives of many injured.A Valiant Effort
===Exploring Azeroth===
Following the war against the Jailer, the brothers Bronzebeard reported that the tournament grounds have been remade into a place for the Argent Crusade and any who would fight the Scourge to train. They still get the occasional incursion of Scourge, but the undead are aimless once more.Exploring Azeroth: Northrend, pg. 139
==NPCs==
===Quest NPCs===
====Neutral====
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**The Argent Tournament (Alliance)
**The Argent Tournament (Horde)
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**Jack Me Some Lumber
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**A Chip Off the Ulduar Block
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**The Black Knight of Westfall?
**The Black Knight of Silverpine?
**The Seer's Crystal
**The Stories Dead Men Tell
**There's Something About the Squire
**The Black Knight's Orders
**The Black Knight's Fall
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====Alliance====
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**Mastery Of The Charge (Alliance)
**Training In The Field (Alliance)
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**Mastery Of The Shield-Breaker (Alliance)
**Learning The Reins (Alliance)
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**Mastery Of Melee (Alliance)
**Up To The Challenge (Alliance)
**The Aspirant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Aspirant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Aspirant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Aspirant)
**A Valiant Of Darnassus
**A Valiant Of The Exodar
**A Valiant Of Gnomeregan
**A Valiant Of Ironforge
**A Valiant Of Stormwind
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Alliance)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Champion Rises (Alliance)
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**The Grand Melee (Alliance)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Alliance)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Alliance)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Champion Rises (Alliance)
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**The Grand Melee (Alliance)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Alliance)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Alliance)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Champion Rises (Alliance)
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**The Grand Melee (Alliance)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Alliance)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Alliance)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Champion Rises (Alliance)
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**The Grand Melee (Alliance)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Alliance)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Alliance)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Alliance Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Alliance Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Alliance Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Alliance)
**A Champion Rises (Alliance)
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**The Grand Melee (Alliance)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Alliance)
====Horde====
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**Mastery Of The Charge (Horde)
**Training In The Field (Horde)
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**Mastery Of The Shield-Breaker (Horde)
**Learning The Reins (Horde)
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**Mastery Of Melee (Horde)
**Up To The Challenge (Horde)
**The Aspirant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Aspirant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Aspirant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Aspirant)
**A Valiant Of Orgrimmar
**A Valiant Of Sen'jin
**A Valiant Of Silvermoon
**A Valiant Of Thunder Bluff
**A Valiant Of Undercity
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Horde)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Champion Rises (Horde)
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**The Grand Melee (Horde)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Horde)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Horde)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Champion Rises (Horde)
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**The Grand Melee (Horde)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Horde)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Horde)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Champion Rises (Horde)
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**The Grand Melee (Horde)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Horde)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Horde)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Champion Rises (Horde)
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**The Grand Melee (Horde)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Horde)
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**A Valiant's Field Training (Horde)
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**The Valiant's Charge
**A Blade Fit For A Champion (Horde Valiant)
**A Worthy Weapon (Horde Valiant)
**The Edge Of Winter (Horde Valiant)
**The Valiant's Challenge (Horde)
**A Champion Rises (Horde)
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**The Grand Melee (Horde)
**At The Enemy's Gates (Horde)
===Goods and services===
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====Alliance====
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====Horde====
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===Trainers===
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==In Hearthstone==
Following the Lich King's defeat, the Tournament Grounds continued to be used in the name of fun, becoming the setting for The Grand Tournament, the second expansion for Hearthstone.
==Notes and trivia==
*East of the Grounds, a graveyard is present.
*During the Argent Tournament, the bards told tales of travelers offering winter hyacinths to a lonely maiden in return for gifts.A Worthy Weapon
*Innocuous Scarabs periodically appear and crawl around the grounds, hinting that Anub'arak is waiting below.
*The main building is shaped like the Argent Crusade symbol.
*Despite being in Icecrown the Northrend world map treats the Argent Tournament Grounds as belonging in the Storm Peaks.
==Gallery==
File:Argent Tournament Grounds.jpg|The Coliseum under construction.
File:Argent Tournament Guard Towers.jpg|The guard towers added to the tournament grounds in patch 3.3.0.
File:Orgrim's Hammer at the Tournament.jpg|Orgrim's Hammer patrolling above the Tournament Grounds.
==Patch changes==
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==References==
Category:Argent Tournament
Category:Neutral settlements
Category:Churches
Category:Sanctuaries