Argent Advance

“	The world is changing at a break-neck pace, and if we don't step up, we'll be left behind - and that means leaving others vulnerable to myriads of threats. We will be a broken shield, useless at best and at worst, dangerous in our floundering attempts to help. Few are beyond redemption, and to give up on those who can still be helped and forged into better versions of themselves, help make the world a better place and assist others in need...that's a crime in of itself, in my opinion.	”
– Cdr. Mirchea Kul'Therin-Soltair

The Argent Advance
Commander:	Mirchea Kul'Therin-Soltair
Chain of Command:	Officers Athelar Valaryon (Captain) Belenos Beltaine (Captain) Senior Enlisted Kahshra Warthirst (Sergeant Major)
Base of Operations:	Current Orgrimmar Backup Hearthglen (Backup) Mobile ACAS Resolute
Affiliations:	Argent Crusade Coalition of the Horde (Neutral Representative)
Founded:	December 2019
Previous Names:	Argent Engineer Corps.
Websites(s):	Website Tumblr
Campaigns:	Current Return of the Scourge (Multi-guild) Past Ergot (Public) In Death's Shadow (WC) Visions of the Vale (WC)
Status:	Active

This article is part of a series on The Argent Crusade
Holdings
Eastern Plaguelands · Western Plaguelands · Hearthglen · Stratholme · Light's Hope Chapel · Verthill Valley · Argent Tournament Grounds · Argent Vanguard
Organizations
Argent Advance · Argent Bulwark · Argent Crusade · Argent Dawn · Argent Onslaught · Brotherhood of the Light · Historical Society · Corps of Engineers · Chaplain Corps · Decoration Committee
Important Individuals
Maxwell Tyrosus · Tirion Fordring · Eligor Dawnbringer · Nicholas Zverenhoff · Eitrigg · Dilan Ravenshield · Lantos Swiftsong · Rease Stoneheart · Orwell Alexis Corett · Mirchea Kul'Therin-Soltair
See also, Argent Crusade, House of Reynolds, Argent Lordaeron

Originally founded as an offshoot of the Argent Corps of Engineers with a global area of responsibility, the Argent Advance was re-named and re-tasked by the Argent Crusade with focusing diplomatic efforts in Kalimdor and specifically the heart of the Horde - Orgrimmar. As such, their focus has been on improving relations between the Horde and the Argent Crusade by assisting its people and government with existential threats, such as the Scourge, Cult of the Damned activity, Twilight Cult and other troubles. Additionally, Cdr. Kul'Therin has pushed for granting humanitarian assistance, with the establishment of health clinics, learning centers, and aide with building other infrastructure aimed at bettering the lives of the common people of the Horde.

Much to the consternation of some, Cdr. Kul'Therin and the Advance have been adamant on giving those of a somewhat 'darker' persuasion a chance within the Crusade - Death Knights, San'layn, Warlocks, Illidari and Shadow Priests are welcome within its ranks, provided they can abide by the codes of conduct and three tenants. They also have contracting positions, for those who might not fit into the Crusade's ranks, but still want to help their cause.

Campaigns

Past

Return of the Scourge

(This campaign was precluded by a Argent Bulwark exclusive series of events.)

With Light’s Shield Tower liberated, forces of the Argent Crusade must now begin to tackle the threat of Corin’s Crossing. The town has become a bastion of Scourge resistance in recent months, and the undead within have been working hard to fortify their positions. The nearly two or three dozen houses that still stood within the city were reinforced with new materials and supplies the Scourge had brought up from their fortified positions in the Plaguewood.

Reinforced with new supplies, one hundred necromancers, and around two thousand new Scourge soldiers, to reinforce the two hundred Scourge within the town, they were well prepared for the worst. Large ditches were dug on the edge of town, from all angles. Barricades were built, and holes were made in walls, and buildings to provide spellcasters and archers vantage points.

Led by Shadow Walker Lillian Peddle, the Scourge intend to put up a fight that makes the Argents bleed to truly recapture the city.

Realizing they would need help, the Argent Bulwark sent Sir Daviel Lightblade to seek out Commander Mirchea Kul’Therin to seek out assistance. The Commander readily agreed, and soon the Advance was on its way to joining the Bulwark in sieging the Scourge holed up in the town.

Deployment (02 FEB 2021)

As scheduled, the Argent Advance and the Argent Bulwark met up in Light's Hope for their briefing. Lord Commander Lantos Swiftsong advised them of the situation - that a rogue Knight named Belric Legost is leading a break-away from the Cult of the Damned that calls itself the Order of Dusk. One of his lieutenants, another rogue knight named Jon Reynolds, is leading the 2,000+ strong host of Scourge here in Corin's Crossing.

Our objective? Retake the city, inch by inch, foot by bloody foot, quarter by quarter and put Jon Reynolds down for good. But it won’t be easy. As the combined forces moved from Light’s Hope to Light’s Shield Tower, they learned that a group of a hundred and fifty Argent Crusaders had been assigned to this task alongside their own units, as well as a mortar team pounding the town with suppressive fire from Light’s Shield. After a brief interlude at the tower where gear was checked, bellies filled and wet socks changed, the groups headed out and then split, with the Bulwark taking Camp C and the Advance taking Camp B. Fortifications were established and the lot entrenched themselves for the foreseeable future, nervous for what it might hold.

Missing Argent Patrol (04 FEB 2021)

An Argent patrol, leaving Light's Hope Chapel and set to arrive at Eastwall Tower, did not arrive at their destination and missed two check ins, denoting the need for a search mission. Captain Valaryon and Commander Kultherin were briefed by Argent Command and mustered the Advance to respond, with the addition of Daviel Lightblade from the Bulwark.

Sergeant Major Warthirst got the troops organized and Captain Valaryon briefed them before departing, warning that due to the current situation in the Eastern Plaguelands, they were likely to be met by enemy forces.

Leaving from the northern gate, the Argents spotted a body tucked into the brush not far off the road. This was one of the patrolmen. His body was secured on Captain Valaryon’s mount and the Argents followed his tracks to Browman Mill. Here, the Argents identified another body, and after having checked for traps, they recognized that this patrolman had crawled, wounded, from the pass leading to the Noxious Glade before succumbing to his injuries.

The Argents organized themselves into a vanguard and rearguard and proceeded up the pass, finding it deserted. The Glade, likewise, appeared abandoned until the silence was broken by a mortal’s anguished scream coming from one of two ziggurats.

Sergeant Major Warthirst led a team to the ziggurat while Captain Valaryon secured the pass for exfil. Upon finding hostile forces inside, the rearguard was called up to secure the ziggurat entrance as Warthirst’s team entered and engaged the enemy.

The Cultists inside were in the middle of a profane ritual, disemboweling one of the patrolmen when the Argents engaged. During the melee, Crusaders Rockhorn, Selastrian, and Lightblade freed and carried the surviving patrolmen to safety.

One of the patrolmen stated, in his delirium, that the others were in the other ziggurat.

Time became an issue, and Captain Valaryon led a smaller team from the rearguard to the second, larger ziggurat as Warthirst’s team finished the fight with the Cultists. On entering, the Argents discovered tables covered with blood and gore, but no patrolmen. A voice then taunted them before a massive stone door closed on them, trapping them inside.

Two massive abominations, freshly made and bearing signs that they had been crafted from the remaining patrolmen, engaged the Argents. In an amazing feat of strength, Indamitable managed to lift the stone door high enough for the Argents to escape. Koumorie reinforced the door with ice, but the abominations began smashing at it promptly.

The Argents regrouped in the Glade, the surviving patrolmen stabilized by Crusader Aubade and made ready to depart. The two abominations broke free and, knowing Aubade would require time to get the survivors down the pass, commanded the Argent forces to attack.

The fighting was fierce, some of the Crusaders sustaining life threatening injuries. Captain Valaryon ordered Sergeant Major Warthirst and others to withdraw with the wounded. Then, warning the others to shield their eyes, Valaryon, Drezziri, and Lightblade called on the holy light to temporarily blind the abominations, providing the Argents the cover they needed for a full retreat.

As the crusaders reached the pass, Captain Valaryon called in mortar strikes on thr abominations as they recovered and gave chase. Three salvos were fired from Light’s Shield with the assistance of Commander Kultherin. Due to his proximity to the abominations as he called in the blasts, Captain Valaryon took shrapnel damage but walked back down the pass with Crusader Rockhorn in her bear form.

The Crusaders regrouped at Browman Mill, stabilized the wounded, and proceeded back to Light’s Hope Chapel.

Upon reaching Light’s Hope, Sergeant Major Warthirst and Crusader Aubade began heroic lifesaving measures to mend the wounded.

Foray into No Man's Land (05 FEB 2021)

The Argent Advance responded to the call from the Argent Bulwark at Siege Camp C to engage in a stealth mission into the no man's land surrounding the military district of Corin's Crossing.

Lord Commander Swiftsong brief the crusaders about the mission before gearing up with procured explosives. The crusaders proceeded out of Siege Camp into the wilderness to the south east of Corin’s Crossing, moving along the lakeside. Swiftsong called for volunteers to scout forward, Captain Valaryon and Crusader Jin-Mo responded.

Jin-Mo proceeded forwards without difficulty, but Valaryon - encumbered by his plate and the soft, muddy ground - was not as successful and the Scourge were alerted to their presence. Jin-Mo and Valaryon split up, with Jin-Mo heading back towards the main group, but the Scourge began moving in her direction.

At this point, Captain Valaryon began making noise to draw the Scourge to him. It worked and the Scourge left Jin-Mo, following Valaryon as he led them away from the group. The Captain issued a direct order for the team to complete the mission as he led the Scourge further into the wilderness.

The main force proceeded towards the military district of Corin’s Crossing to carry out their mission of placing and arming the explosives provided by Lord Commander Swiftsong.

Captain Valaryon became surrounded by three Scourged skeletons. He drew his weapon and faced off against them, alone. The Captain sustained minor injuries from the skeletons before consuming one in a pillar of holy flame and smashing the skull of another with his warmaul.

By this point, Crusaders Aubade, Bran’ath, and Indamitable had broken off the main force to provide aid to the Captain. The last skeleton veered off from the enraged Captain and attacked Bran’ath in it’s escape. And then Indamitable, in his innocence, came up and bearhugged Bran’ath, crushing the last Scourged skeleton between them.

With the danger over and the Captain secured, the crusaders moved off to join up with the main force, whom were setting the last of the explosives. Indi, unaware of the need for stealth, happily greeted their allies before Captain Valaryon told Indi they needed to play the “quiet game”, which Indi played perfectly.

With the explosives set, the Argents withdrew from Corin’s Crossing. Lord Commander Swiftsong ordered Light’s Shield to begin shelling the town to cover the Argent’s withdrawal to safety, and then the explosives were set off, blasting holes in the defenses of the military district, creating opportunities for future Argent incursions.

Someone's Been Eating My Porridge (07 FEB 2021)

The Argent Advance was made aware that the food stores for their siege camp had been ransacked.

Tracks were identified by Crusader Rockhorn and Captain Valaryon, head in opposite directions. The crusaders elected to follow the tracks north. After a ways, they came under attack by a swarm of plaguebats native to the area but were fought off.

Continuing on the trail, the crusaders began to notice blood and ichor in the snow as they followed what appeared to be bear tracks. The crusaders came to a halt when the sound of beastial fighting was heard in the distance.

Crusader Jin-Mo took up an overwatch position while the crusaders set a perimeter. Being unable to adequately see the event taking place, Captain Valaryon ventured further inwards, taking position in an outcropping above. There, he identified to the crusaders that the bear was infact scourged plagued and was being attacked by a pack of plaguehounds.

He opted to watch the event play out, but the plaguebear fled and began charging the crusader’s position. Fearing that his crusaders would be overrun, Captain Valaryon called in a series of mortar blasts from Light’s Shield Tower over the dedicated comms. A pair of plaguehounds broke off from pursuing the bear and assaulted Valaryon’s position as he called in the blasts.

The plaguebear survived the mortar shelling, though the plaguehounds were destroyed. The crusaders engaged in battle with the bear, subduing it, while Valaryon fought off the plaguehounds that had attacked his position, killing them, but sustaining serious injuries resulting in the loss of his eye.

The Advance returned to camp with the plaguebear’s body for autopsy to assist in asserting whether there was a risk of contamination of the food stores.

Military District Siege Pt. I (09 FEB 2021)

Crusaders from the Argent Advance and Argent Bulwark were called by Lord Commander Swiftsong and briefed on the impending siege on the military district of Corin's Crossing. Charging Daviel Lightblade and Captain Athelar Valaryon with leadership over the companion regiments, the crusaders were informed that the Argent Crusade would be hammering the district with artillery fire prior to the ground invasion.

As they were being briefed, the Crusade began firing on the city with mortars and gnomish repeating rifles.

Earlier in the week, a team had performed a stealth mission to plant explosives in the military district and weaken the defenses, allowing the crusaders to take advantage and enter the district without taking heavy fire.

The crusaders engaged with the enemy on the streets, battling waves of scourged skeletal and ghouled combatants before establishing and fortifying a foothold in the district.

Residential District Siege Pt. I (10 FEB 2021)

With a foothold established in the military district, the Advance was tasked with invading and fortifying their own foothold in the residential district of Corin's Crossing, forcing the Scourge forces in the city to split their defenders between the multi-pronged attack.

Captain Valaryon coordinated the assault with Sergeant Major Warthirst and elements of the Argent Crusade artillery service. The residential district was shelled by mortar fire before the Advance charged into the district.

They were met with heavy resistance, fighting down waves of skeletal warriors and abominations. The Argent artillery, along with the mage Arathyr Valaryon, adjusted their position and began firing on the back lines of the Scourge to assist the embattled crusaders.

At one stage in the battle, Crusader Jin-Mo was gravely injured, necessitating the need for Arathyr to blink into the battle and bring the pandaren sniper to Crusader Aubade for emergency medical assistance. Arathyr then returned to the artillery team and continued the bombardment.

As the Advance was beginning to overtake the defenders, a Scourge Meat Wagon arrived at the backlines and fired upon the Argent artillery, obliterating their position. It was later learned that Arathyr survived the blast, but the other Argents were infected and ghouled, attacking the Advance’s rear.

Fighting a battle on two fronts, the Advance put to rest their scourged Argent brothers and then in a joint effort destroyed the Meat Wagon.

The Argent Crusaders from Light’s Hope that accompanied the Advance in the assault suffered moderate to heavy losses and the Advance medical team worked heroically to save those gravely wounded. The Advance established and fortified their foothold in the residential district, ready to push in further and take control of Corin’s Crossing in conjunction with the Bulwark forces.

Residential District Siege Pt. II (14 FEB 2021)

After establishing their foothold in the Residential District of Corin's Crossing, Captain Valaryon ordered several scout units to survey the district to ascertain the enemy's position in order to successfully engage and root out the enemy forces. The scouts had identified that there seemed to be a Slaughterhouse nearby, churning out fresh abominations to reinforce the Scourge's defenses.

In the middle of Captain Valaryon’s briefing of the Advance and Bulwark Crusaders, the foothold came under attack by a contingent of Scourge Meat Wagons. The Captain ordered the crusaders to carry out a Search & Destroy mission, stating that the scouting missions indicated the Slaughterhouse to be somewhere on the eastern edge of the district.

Under Commander Kul’therin-Soltair’s leadership, the crusaders set out from the foothold as Captain Valaryon commanded the artillery units against the Scourge assault.

The crusaders reached the eastern edge of the district without issue, identifying a dilapidated farmhouse. While part of the regiment under direction of Sergeant Major Warthirst established a perimeter around the farmhouse, others entered inside - unfortunately engaging a tripwire trap, catching Commander Kul’therin in an explosion. While the Commander was being healed, the crusaders continued inside. A second tripwire was engaged, blowing out the staircase leading to the upper level, cutting off Crusaders Rockhorn, Indamitable, and Reijah.

As they investigated, Rockhorn came to realize that one of the wall panels was not secure. The panel lifted free and the tauren was met by the face of a scourged ghoul hidden within the walls. The ambush triggered, more ghouls popped out of the walls, surrounding the crusaders.

Downstairs, aware of the situation, Crusaders Lightblade, Geometric, and Commander Kul’therin attempted to reach the ambushed crusaders upstairs. Lightblade was injured in the process, while Commander Kul’therin deathgripped himself to the second level to engage in the battle.

Outside, the crusaders became aware of movement in the treeline. Three abominations then broke out of the forest and charged down at the farmhouse.

Jolien and Feng, scouting a neighboring building, identified this as the Slaughterhouse and returned to assist in the fighting with the knowledge of their appropriate target.

The crusaders in the farmhouse cut down the ambushing ghouls and returned outside to find their comrades locked in fierce battle with the Abominations. Many injuries were sustained as the Abominations forced their way in, flanking and trapping the crusaders. During the battle, Captain Valaryon arrived at the head of a column of Argent cavalry, assisting the crusaders in fighting off their foes.

With the Abominations finally defeated and the medical team of Warthirst and Aubade heavily engaged in life-saving measures, a stealth team of Argents with Feng were provided with satchel charges. They proceeded into the Slaughterhouse, sneaking towards the basement to set the charges on the support columns of the building to ensure nothing could be salvaged after the building was bombarded by artillery. While inside, the team became aware of several necromancers discussing their ambush of the crusaders, referring to the leadership of someone named ‘Levarra’ through a rune of discourse.

Levarra made the necromancers aware that their ambush had failed and called on them to call for more reinforcements to put down the crusaders. The stealth team escaped, warning the others, and Indamitable shielded the doorway, obliterating the Cultists as his friends escaped. Once all were safely evacuated, the satchel charges were set off, destroying the building. The Argent artillery then set to work, ensuring the Slaughterhouse was leveled.

Military District Siege Pt. II (16 FEB 2021)

Having established a foothold in the Military District, the joint forces of the Bulwark and the Advance proceeded further, ordered by Lord-Commander Swiftsong to secure the town square and chapel to fully entrench their position within the city.

After briefing the crusaders, Brother Lightblade and Captain Valaryon headed further into the city, encountered a Scourge force under direction of a necromancer. Valaryon ordered the crusaders to engage the enemy and take out the necromancer while he provided cover, assaulting the right flank. Bulwark crusaders pressed the left, while a demon hunter named Syl leapt over the Scourge forces and slaughtered the necromancer.

The battle was finished swiftly as the crusaders cut down the Scourge and continued pressing inwards. They were then ambushed in a narrow corridor by a swarm of miniature scourged beings. Clandros suffered significant injuries as he was mauled, and Alderton was pulled to her feet before suffering a similar fate. The paladins and Crusader Aubade then called upon the Light, obliterating their foes.

The crusaders then began making for the Chapel.

Residential District Siege Pt. III (17 FEB 2021)

After weeks of battle, it had become clear that the Advance would take, and hold, the Residential District, helping to pave the way for the joint Argent Crusade forces to retake Corin's Crossing. In this knowledge, the Scourge of the district attacked the foothold with the remainder of their forces, buying time for the Cultists to escape.

While the Argents battled, Cultists made their way into the nearby town hall. As the last of the Abominations sent by the cultists was being attacked, Jolien became aware of the actions occuring inside. The cultists were speaking of readying a weapon and intended to escape, destroying their exit on completion.

The Advance forced their way inside, killing the remaining cultists to discover an Orb of Translocation inside. Knowing that the cultists would destroy the second orb at any moment, a selection of the crusaders passed though.

The crusaders found themselves aboard a necropolis. They came under attack immediately, and were nearly slain. Commander Kul’therin estimated that the necropolis was running on a skeleton crew but still presented danger for the injured crusaders. One of their comrades, a druid, began creating a portal for them to escape, regroup, and counter attack.

Captain Valaryon attempted to remain behind with Commander Kul’therin, but was ordered back to his troops. Vowing to come back for him, Athelar left Mirchea and Halandor behind with the druid, taking the portal back to Light’s Hope Chapel.

With the necropolis heading across the sea towards the shore, and with an armament capable of leveling the city of Corin’s Crossing, the Captain must now organize a counter strike against the necropolis to defend the Argents still fighting and recover the Advance’s missing Commander, as Mirchea and Halandor work within to disable the flying weapon.

Argent Advance's Finale (21 FEB 2021)

With Commander Mirchea and Crusader Halandor left behind on the necropolis, they began to move stealthily through the fortress, seeking to find a way to disable the weapons systems and put an end to the threat it posed. Evading a hunting party of geists, the two Death Knights reached the command deck and laid eyes on the commander, Mistress Levarra, a San'layn.

Back at Light’s Hope Chapel, Captain Valaryon had organized a counter strike, and called on volunteers to launch an aerial assault by hippogryph on the necropolis as it flew towards them over the Forbidding Sea and destroy it by any means necessary to prevent it from reaching Corin’s Crossing. Equipped with satchel charges, Captain Valaryon and the Crusaders left Light’s Hope.

As Athelar and the Crusaders flew towards the necropolis, Mordramas, Mirchea warned the crusaders of incoming fire as the necropolis fired upon the approaching crusaders. Sustaining only limited injuries, the crusaders reached the command deck and began their ground assault. But not before Mirchea and Halandor were discovered and trapped behind enemy lines, surrounded.

The assault team smashed a hole through the Scourge defenses, fighting to reach their companions as Halandor fought off a pack of geists and Mirchea engaged a Death Knight supported by packs of skeletal warriors on his own.

The Crusaders fought hard, cutting down the Scourge and regrouping near the command center, defeating the Death Knight and confronting Mistress Levarra.

During the fight, the San’layn had sacrificed her cultists and fed on their blood, empowering herself. And as the Crusaders confronted her, Daviel Lightblade was seized and dragged to her feet by a tendril forged of blood. She threatened the crusaders with his death before Commander Kul’therin commanded the crusaders to attack.

The fight was long and brutal, the San’layn attacking with many tendrils of blood, the ends of which had been hardened into sharpened barbs. As they finally beat her, the San’layn used her magics to weaponize the blood within her and tore herself apart in a final act of vengeance, impaling several Crusaders as her blood hardened and ripped from her body in hundreds of spears.

With the battle over, those crusaders able to set their charges and the necropolis was destroyed as Mordramas neared the shoreline, flying from the explosion in the nick of time. The necropolis crashed into the shallows near land, only minutes away from being in range of Corin’s Crossing and wreaking destruction.

The crusaders returned to Light’s Hope victorious, the residential district secured and Mordramas destroyed. With the siege nearly in hand, all that remained was for the Bulwark forces to secure the military district from the remaining Scourge forces.

Commendations and Promotions (28 FEB 2021)

Siege of Corin's Crossing Campaign Medal

All members of the Advance who fought in this battle received this medal.

Argent Crusade Commendation for Leadership

Captain Athelar Valaryon

Argent Crusade Medical Cross

Sergeant Major Kahshra Warthirst

Crusader Dylaina Aubade

Ashen Band of Courage

Crusader Tsuko Jin-Mo

Crusader Kuepa rockhorn

Crusader Indamitable

Crusader Halandor Nightwish

Commander Mirchea Kul’Therin-Soltair

Contractor Jolien

Contractor Bran’ath Dragonbane

Argent Crusade Ribbon of Sacrifice

Captain Athelar Valaryon

Crusader Uolin

Promotions

Corporal: Kuepa Rockhorn, Drezziri, and Tsuko Jin-Mo.