Useful Threads Archive 2

Time is Money: A guide to Goblins in Cataclysm by Adnaw

1. History:

The goblins in the distant past were originally slaves to an un-named tribe of jungle trolls and forced to mine. It is believed that their handling of the mineral Kaja’mite is what over time gave them their advanced intelligence and eventually allowed them to turn the tables on their troll slave masters. They now enslave that tribe of trolls in the Kaja mines.

Most goblins remained neutral and did not side with any factions during the wars between the Alliance and Horde, selling their services to whoever paid the best at the time.

Most goblins live among the many islands in the South seas. They are ruled over by various Trade Princes. Each Trade Prince heads his own trade cartel.

Deathwing flew over Kezan just at the end goal of the historic Bilgewater Buccaneers vs. Steamwheedle Sharks match. Deathwing speaks of doom and destruction flying off. Shortly after, the volcano Mt. Kojaro explodes and sinks the island.

Trade Prince Gallywix takes passengers on his yacht to escape the island at a steep price, and only the rich can afford it. They are soon after locked up, to be sold as slaves. The Trade Prince has dreams of taking over Aszshara and rebuilding a new goblin capital there.

The Alliance, seeing boats on the horizon as the goblins escape from their island, decide to sink them before checking if they were enemy ships. “No witnesses.” Many do not survive the sinking of the ship. Those that do find themselves on another tropical south seas island.

The Goblins land on this new island to find it is also hosting other sentient life. There are tribes of cannibal pygmies,as well as shipwrecked Horde and Alliance. Harboring no love for the Alliance that so unmercifully sunk the goblins, they agree to help the Horde in a mission.

The mission that the goblins help with is to release the Old Horde Warchief Thrall from imprisonment by the Alliance. Thrall, grateful for the help and seeing promise in the goblins, offers them a place in the Horde under Trade Prince Galiwyx and the new Warchief Garrosh Hellscream.

The horde, Alliance, and Goblins must leave this island as the volcano on this island also begins to become active and works towards sinking this island as well. The Horde transport the goblins with them and bring them to Orgrimmar.

The goblins finally make it to Aszshara where they immediately begin to re-sculpt the landscape. Inspired by the land’s horseshoe shape the goblins remake it into the symbol of the Horde.

2. Geography:

Kezan: Goblin capital and technological paradise. Now Sunk due to the Cataclysm.

Kaja’mine: Located in the south seas these mines yield the valuable mineral Kaja’mite.

Kajaro Trading Compay (KTC): A company part of the bilgewater Cartel based in Kezan.

Bilgewater Harbor: The main base of the Bilgewater Cartel and new capital of the Bilgewater Goblins. It is located in Aszshara.

The Slums: A small black market and slum area located on the border of Orgrimmar and at the end of the Valley of Spirits.

Azshara: Once a highborne colony and then home to naga, the goblins have taken over much of the territory as their own. They have reshaped the land and built a new capital, Bilgewater Harbor there. They have also built the marvel of modern invention, the Goblin Rocketway, around the length of it.

3. Major NPCs:

Sassy Hardwrench: She helps organize the evacuations from the various survivors and as well sets up a resort in Stranglethorn Vale.

Hobart Grapplehammer: One of the greatest goblin Inventors. His inventions help save the Bilgewater goblins. Also known for his invention Town-in-a-box.

Trade Prince Gallywix: Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel, he is devious and underhanded, ready to kill his own to make a buck. He is allowed to remain as the head of the Bilgewater Cartel by Thrall under the requirement that he treats those in his cartel better and follows the Horde under Garrosh Hellscream.

Uncle Bedlam: Head of the Bilgewater Battallion. Face of all recruitment propaganda.

Thrall: He is being held as a secret prisoner of the Alliance. The goblins help the orcs in gratitude for their help, to rescue him. Once rescue he offers the goblins a place in the Horde.

4. Other NPCs (For name suggestions):

MALE

Chip Endale - Civillian

Bamm Megabomb - Hunter Trainer

Maxx Avalanche - Shaman Trainer

Foreman Dampwick - Bilgewater Foreman

Brett “Coins” McQuid - Vendor

Fizz Lighter - Mage Trainer

Evol Fingers - Warlock Trainer

Ace - Civillian

Gappy Silvertooth - Bling Merchant

Bruno Flameretardent - Bum

Sudsy McGee - Bum

Szabo - Custom Clothier

Vinny Slapchop - Merchant

Grimi Greasefingers - Innkeeper

Friz Groundspin - Flightmaster

Geexle Spinspark - Engineer

FEMALE

Sally “Salvager” Sandscrew - Vendor

Megs Dreadshredder - Marketing Rep

Sister Goldskimmer - Priest Trainer

Candy Cane - Civillian

Izzy - Civillian

Frankie Gearslip - Bum

Missa Spekkles - Shades peddler

Slinky Sharpshiv - Rogue Trainer

5. Military:

Gob Squad - an army of crack operatives and demolitions experts.

Bilgewater Battalion - Goblin Army

Goblin Military Airborne - Air force mainly used for dropping priests into strategic locations.

6. Culture:

The goblin culture is as most things in their life based around money. The more gold and assets a particular goblin can gain the greater their social ranking and status. The highest status would be to become rich enough to found your own cartel. The second highest priority to money to goblins is invention and production. Followed closely by explosions.

Footbomb is the goblins national sport. A game played on a field where each team dons shredders and attempts to throw bombs at one another. it appears to work mostly on a last man standing to win but does involve scoring goals as well. The Bilgewater Buccaneers play vs the Steamwheedle Sharks in Kezan just before its destruction.

The goblins have a very practical outlook on religion, “What can it do for me?”. Some goblins choose to harness the powers the elements bestow upon them and others have found the path of the light. The one thing in common with all religious goblins is that all of their work comes at a price.

Goblins although viewing themselves as more intelligent and better at turning a profit than all other races generally harbor no direct dislike of the other races and are more than willing to work with or employ other races.

7. Inventions and Discoveries:

Kaja’mite - a mineral that is able to do almost anything, it also makes those that contact or imbibe it actually more intelligent. It is what helps goblins come up with their greatest ideas and inventions as well as gives them their superior intelligence.

Warrior-matic NX 01 - A machine similar in appearance to a decoy that with the proper amount of money inserted can be used to teach goblins the arts of being a warrior.

Kaja’cola - A drink that offers the imbiber extreme increases of intelligence for short durations of time.

Goblin All-in-1-der Belt - A battery powered belt that allows various tools and gadgets to be attached to it. Various existing attachments include a taser, rocket jumper, rocket launcher, amazin g-ray (ray gun), Blastcrackers (dynamite), Ear-o-scope (for hearing small noises), infini-fold lockpick, Kaja’mite Drill

Disguise Cap - A cap that when worn can be disguised to give you a different appearance in pre-determined locations.

Experiment 9 - Using a specially designed cap Hobart Grapplehammer is able to focus and create greater intelligent thought in raptors. Experiment 9 uses this new found intelligence to build a rocket and taking the other experimental raptors along shoots into space to populate a new planet.

Town-in-a-box - As is sounds it is one of Grapplehammers most famous inventions. It is a small and compact box that when the lever is pushed explodes into an instant town.

Robot Shark - works much like a submarine but is able to shoot rockets and shoot lasers from its eyes.

Rocket Boots - Allows the wearer to float in the air.

Goblin Rocketway - A roadway designed for transportation and racing rockets. Various terminals allow for stopping and refueling as well as picking up and dropping off riders.

Shredder - A large Robot able to equip many attachments, but mostly known for its large shredding saw blades of doom.

8. The Cartels:

Bilgewater Cartel - Lead by Trade Prince Gallywix and now based in Aszshara. this cartel is aligned with the Horde.

Steamwheedle Cartel - The Steamwheedle Cartel is the largest and most successful of the Goblin Cartels of Undermine. It is a neutral organization that controls several cities and towns around the world, and has allied themselves with a number of other groups such as the Blackwater Raiders in Booty Bay. The Steamwheedle Cartel has made a great deal of profit from maintaining neutrality in the conflict between the Horde and the Alliance. Their services are always available to the highest bidder, and they employ anyone regardless of their affiliation if they can produce results.

The Venture Company or Venture Trading Company - Venture Co. is the most notorious goblin organization, deforesting and plundering the world for its natural resources. Mogul Razdunk owns and runs the Venture Company. It is an independent faction.

9. Wowpedia Links ( for further research):

Goblin - http://www.wowpedia.org/Goblin_(playable) & http://www.wowpedia.org/Goblin

Bilgewater Cartel - www.wowpedia.org/Bilgewater_Cartel

Trade Prince Gallywix - www.wowpedia.org/Trade_Prince_Gallywix

Isle of Kezan - http://www.wowpedia.org/Isle_of_Kezan

10. Places to look for character inspiration:

London Labor and London Poor (Excellent source for goblin concepts): http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/MayLond.html

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Imaginarium_of_Doctor_Parnassus

Time Bandits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Bandits

Brazil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_(film)

GURPS Goblins: http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/Goblins/

American Psycho: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho

Casino: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino_(film)

Bonfires of the Vanitites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bonfire_of_the_Vanities