Steamwheedle Cartel

Steamwheedle Cartel
Main leader	Trade Prince Steamwheedle
Secondary leaders	Marin Noggenfogger Gazlowe Baron Revilgaz The Great Pisani Trade Baron Silversnap
Race(s)	Goblin
Capital	Gadgetzan
Other major cities	Ratchet, Booty Bay, Everlook, Mudsprocket, Bogpaddle, Fuselight, Fuselight-by-the-Sea
Theater of operations	Azeroth
Main language	Goblin
Secondary languages	Common, Orcish
Affiliation	Trade Coalition
Formerly	Orcish Horde

The Steamwheedle Cartel is one of the largest and most successful of the Goblin Cartels in 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, employing anyone regardless of their affiliation if they can produce results.

History

Cataclysm

This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.

Despite the Bilgewater Cartel - the new playable Goblin race in Cataclysm - joining the Horde, the Steamwheedle Cartel maintained its neutrality.

According to a quick line in the Bilgewater Cartel reputation bar, the Bilgewater cartel now has the title of most powerful cartel on Kezan (though its not known how exactly literally this should be taken).

They have a footbomb team called the Steamwheedle Sharks. They later leave their cartel to join Gallywix.

Playable Goblin Death Knights appear to originally be part of the Steamwheedle Cartel, as evidenced by Gally Lumpstain in A Special Surprise, although they later join the Bilgewater Cartel. They may have just helped Gally join the Steamwheedles, and stayed as Bilgewaters themselves.

The Cartel expanded as they have established new towns such as Fuselight in Badlands, Bogpaddle in the Swamp of Sorrows and an unnamed goblin resort in The Steam Pools.

Places under their control

Towns run by the Steamwheedle Cartel

Name	Zone	Directions	Status
Bogpaddle	Swamp of Sorrows	Northeast of Marshtide Watch	Active
Booty Bay	Cape of Stranglethorn	South of Hardwrench Hideaway	Active
Edj	Isle of Kezan	Southern shore of Kezan	Unknown
Everlook	Winterspring	Central	Active
Fuselight	Badlands	West of Fuselight-by-the-Sea	Active
Fuselight-by-the-Sea	Badlands	East of Fuselight	Active
Gadgetzan	Tanaris	West of Steamwheedle Port	Active
Mudsprocket	Dustwallow Marsh	Southwest of Theramore Isle	Active
Ratchet	Northern Barrens	Southeast of the Crossroads	Active
Steamwheedle Port	Tanaris	East of Gadgetzan	Destroyed

They also control Smokywood Pastures.

Possible towns

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

Name	Zone	Directions	Status
Area 52	Netherstorm	West of Cosmowrench	Active
Cosmowrench	Netherstorm	East of Area 52	Active
K3	The Storm Peaks	Southeast of Frosthold	Active

Arenas

The Steamwheedle Cartel also runs the Arena PvP System with the battlemasters all being goblins and the Arena Rewards vendors being located in Gadgetzan, Area 52 aswell as in neutral cities.

In the RPG

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG and is considered non-canon.

During the Second War, a Horde ambassador met with a single trade prince and convinced him and his subordinates to join the Horde (while the rest of the goblin race stayed neutral). This may have been Trade Prince Steamwheedle. Some Horde members have tried to improve relations with the Steamwheedle Cartel. Perhaps with enough persuasion, the goblins could be convinced to rejoin the Horde for the first time since the Second War. This is unlikely to happen however, as the trade prince realized his mistake and left the Horde, and the goblin race remembers the mistake and remains neutral to this day.

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

Relationship with the Venture Company

The Steamwheedle Cartel runs Ratchet. The Venture Company has also been said to run Ratchet. The Venture Trading Company may be the cartel's parent company. If so, some fans speculate that the Steemwheedle Cartel has some members with internal conflicts of interest. Members of the Cartel sometimes give quests that go against some Venture Company's operations, and also are not as hostile as their parent company. However in the RPG the Venture Co is not as hostile as it is portrayed in the game, and is an independent group that has its hands in almost everything including a sizeable ownership of Ratchet, and Undermine. However, even in the RPG, it also has branches in various locations that are hostile to other groups (or rather other groups are hostile to it), usually in Horde lands

Naming

It was likely named after Trade Prince Steamwheedle (who may be the Goblin Tinker Ratso Steamwheedle, a neutral hero in Warcraft III).

Neutrality

It is interesting that both Trade Baron Silversnap and Marin Noggenfogger, rulers of Bogpaddle and Gadgetzan respectively, make a point to address the neutrality of the Steamwheedle Cartel. It is possible that this reinsurance of their neutrality could be due to the Bilgewater Cartel joining the Horde and that members of the Steamwheddle could be worried that their customers may incorrectly believe that all Goblins work on the same side.

Insane in the Membrane

In patch 3.1.0, a new Feat of Strength has been added. [Insane in the Membrane] which when exalted with the four Steamwheedle Cartel cities, honored with Bloodsail Buccaneers, and exalted with Ravenholdt and Darkmoon Faire will give the player the title "<name> the Insane".

Go and kill the Southsea Swashbucklers, Southsea Pirates and other related mobs in Tanaris around Lost Rigger Cove (the area to the east of the Caverns of Time). Each mob gives 5.5 rep with Gadgetzan plus 2.5 rep with each of Booty Bay Everlook and Ratchet. (NB: estimated from, sometimes 5 or 6, sometimes 2 or 3, and with the guild perk Mr. Popularity for +10%).

See also

Mobs that affect reputation

Patch changes

• Patch 1.6.0 (2005-07-12): If you resurrect after being killed by goblin guards, they will no longer re-attack.
  

External links

• Steamwheedle Reputation Guide for steps and tips on getting to exalted.