War stories, articles & game guides
Gamer
Tribute
2026
Expeditions,
War Stories &
Culture
War stories, articles & game guides
Gamer
Tribute
2026
Expeditions,
War Stories &
Culture
“Glory to the Light. You have done it!
<Ares coughs.>
Take the artifact and return it to Valgarde. Lord Irulon Trueblade awaits its return. Fight with honor, friend. Always. Honor.”
<Ares dies.>
-Ares the Oathbound
You will be able to choose one of these rewards:
You will receive:
Upon completion of this quest you will gain:
Quest Giver: Ares the Oathbound (with his dying breath)
Objective: Return the Sacred Artifact to Lord Irulon Trueblade at Valgarde.
Quick Facts
Walkthrough
The Reveal Event
When you hand over the artifact, Lord Irulon Trueblade examines the blade:
“By the Light! Many men and women died to recover this blade. Alas, I fear valiant Ares will not be the last.”
“But you do the Light’s work, hero. This sacred blade will be wielded by Lord Tirion Fordring himself. Even now the Argent Crusade works toward Icecrown. Lord Fordring has vowed that he will tear down the walls of the cursed place himself! And with the blade, he just might stand a chance against the Lich King.”
“Lord Fordring remains our greatest hope.”
As Trueblade speaks, a nearby Cleric of the Crusade steps forward:
Cleric of the Crusade: “That will be enough, Irulon.”
The cleric removes his disguise, revealing himself as Highlord Tirion Fordring.
Lord Irulon Trueblade: “Lord Fordring, you mustn’t reveal yourself!”
Highlord Tirion Fordring: “The boy’s death and, in fact, the deaths of all of the knights involved in the redemption of this blade could have been avoided.”
Highlord Tirion Fordring: “Their passing weighs heavily on my soul.”
Lord Irulon Trueblade: “The path of freedom has always been beset with tragedy, sire. We could not risk losing you. The Order could not have survived such a blow.”
Tirion grimaces.
Highlord Tirion Fordring: “It should have been me that carried the blade. That burden was mine to bear.”
Highlord Tirion Fordring: “But you are right, Irulon. The price of our freedom will undoubtedly cost thousands more of their lives.”
Tirion picks up the Ashbringer.
Highlord Tirion Fordring yells: “Do you hear me, Arthas? The Silver Hand comes for you! Your kingdom shall crumble beneath the weight of justice! By the Light!”
Lore Deep Dive: Why Wasn’t Tirion Carrying the Sword?
Players often wonder why the Highlord of the Argent Crusade didn’t transport the most powerful anti-undead weapon in existence himself. The quest dialogue provides the answer: it was a deliberate security precaution.
Tirion traveled to Northrend incognito, disguised as an ordinary cleric. The Ashbringer was transported separately by Ares and a team of paladins. This way, if the Scourge or Cult of the Damned intercepted the sword’s escort, they wouldn’t capture Tirion as well. The Argent Crusade couldn’t afford to lose both their leader AND their greatest weapon in a single ambush.
The strategy failed partially — Ares’s team was overwhelmed in the Utgarde Catacombs, and the blade was lost among the undead. But Tirion survived to continue the campaign. Trueblade’s words confirm this logic: “We could not risk losing you. The Order could not have survived such a blow.”
Tirion’s guilt over this decision is palpable. He believes he should have borne the burden himself, regardless of the risk. This internal conflict — duty versus personal responsibility — defines his character throughout WotLK.
Cross-Expansion Connections
Explore Howling Fjord’s hidden easter eggs, lore mysteries, and connections across Warcraft history in Vikstone’s Howling Fjord Chronicles, along with the complete quest storyline.
Vikstone's War JournalAres smiled when I returned with the blade.
“Glory to the Light. You have done it.”
He coughed, blood flecking his lips.
“Take the artifact and return it to Valgarde. Lord Irulon Trueblade awaits its return. Fight with honor, friend. Always. Honor.”
Then he was gone.
I carried the blade out of the catacombs and back to Valgarde, where Lord Trueblade waited. His eyes widened when he saw what I held.
“By the Light! Many men and women died to recover this blade. Alas, I fear valiant Ares will not be the last.” He took the weapon. “But you do the Light’s work, hero. This sacred blade was wielded by Lord Tirion Fordring himself. Even now the Argent Crusade works toward Icecrown. Lord Fordring has vowed that he will tear down the walls of the cursed place himself! And with the blade, he just might stand a chance against the Lich King. Lord Fordring remains our greatest hope. The Ashbringer…”
A cleric standing nearby stepped forward. “That will be enough, Irulon.”
Then he removed his disguise.
Trueblade went pale. “Lord Fordring, you mustn’t reveal yourself!”
Tirion Fordring. I had heard the name spoken in Alliance camps from Stormwind to Northrend. He stood before us now, undisguised, grief across his face.
“The boy’s death and, in fact, the deaths of all of the knights involved in the redemption of this blade could have been avoided.”
“The path of freedom has always been beset with tragedy, sire. We could not risk losing you. The Order could not have survived such a blow.”
Fordring grimaced. “It should have been me that carried the blade. That burden was mine to bear.” He paused. “But you are right, Irulon. The price of our freedom will undoubtedly cost thousands more of their lives.”
He picked up the Ashbringer. The blade recognized its master, light gathering along its edge.
Then Tirion Fordring, Highlord of the Argent Crusade, raised his voice so that all of Valgarde could hear.
“Do you hear me, Arthas? The Silver Hand comes for you! Your kingdom shall crumble beneath the weight of justice! By the Light!”
I stood witness to a declaration of war against the Lich King himself.
Ares died for this moment. So had many others. The Ashbringer had returned to the hand that could wield it against Icecrown.
Tirion had the Ashbringer and the war had its weapon, and Valgarde still wanted its harbor cleared, where a diver at the bottom of the bay was running out of air and out of patience for Daggercap Divin’.
