I agree with the OP, when I did the escort with Fording my first time, it was a rush. Watching this powerful paladin crush the elies of Hearthglen, while my Orc was in their Scarlet Crusade desguise.

It was the first escort that I had done that had elite mobs, and I wasn't even worried. I had Taelan protecting me. Good times, I might have to revisit WPL again just for the fun of that event.