In World of Warcraft:WoW Cataclysm Goblins History
History
First appearances
Cataclysm Goblins first appeared in Warcraft II published by Blizzard Entertainment in December 1995, and have appeared or been referenced in many sources since.
Their earliest appearance chronologically was in the War of the Ancients trilogy; Neltharion created the Demon Soul before the War of the Ancients with the help of Cataclysm goblin artificers — hinting that the goblins may be an ancient race. The Faceless of the Deep also mentions remembering when they were created, potentially hinting the involvement of the Old Gods, or at least the longevity of their servants.
Early history
Cataclysm Goblins have been around for a long time, but the creatures were reclusive. Long ago, the Cataclysm goblins were a native race of the Isle of Kezan, and didn’t have a fraction of their current intelligence. There, the race lived as slaves to the jungle trolls, mining the subterranean tunnels where the trolls didn’t like going. However, soon the goblins unearthed a mineral known as kaja’mite (a strange mineral named after Mount Kajaro). The trolls valued the mineral, using it in voodoo rituals, and forced the subterranean goblins to continue mining the mineral. The goblins soon came to sense at some basic level that the mineral held enchantments unknown to the trolls. The goblins hoarded the mineral, using it to fashion crude objects of power deep within Undermine’s twisting tunnels. However, the mineral had some unexpected side effects, it causes the goblins to grow in intelligence. Soon, Cataclysm goblins developed technology, if just crude weapons and armor.
With their increased intelligence, Cataclysm goblin cunning rose, and soon the race enacted a plan to free themselves from the trolls. In little time, the Cataclysm goblins owned the Isle of Kezan, and declared Undermine their capital. Cataclysm Goblins rapidly expanded their knowledge of technology. Cataclysm Goblins created Azeroth’s first steam technologies. Rumors are that goblin technology back then was far more advanced than current dwarven technology. Cataclysm Goblins established themselves as master technicians, selling their goods on the open market. However, the power within the kaja’mite artifacts were finite, and soon dwindled, needing to be replaced. Eventually, kaja’mite ran out altogether. Desperate, goblins spread out into the world, attempting to find any pockets of kaja’mite they might have missed. Unfortunately, over the next few thousand years, up until roughly five hundred years before the First War, the Cataclysm goblins could find no further deposits of kaja’mite and Cataclysm goblin intelligence peaked. Without kaja’mite to strengthen their minds, Cataclysm goblins were unable to reproduce their brilliant technology or properly maintain it, and their works rapidly devolved into the crude juryrigged machines of today. The world began to fear the volatile machines, and sales dropped considerably. Goblins always had a love of money, however. With the loss of their intelligence and slow degradation of their technology, goblins embraced commerce. About two hundred years before the First War, the beginnings of Trade Fleets sailed out of Kezan and into the world.
First and Second Wars
Cataclysm Goblins chose war as the perfect opportunity to cash in some gold, and began building their trade empire during the First War.By the Second War, the goblins had established themselves as the traders of the world. Then, they became exclusive partners with the Horde. A Horde ambassador ventured forth and met with a single trade prince (rumored to be the Steamwheedle Cartel, perhaps Trade Prince Steamwheedle), asking for the goblins to provide machines and technology to the orcs, in exchange for spoils and gold. In the beginning, the arrangement seemed perfect. The goblin trade prince believed that the orcs would win the war, so he found it natural to join the winning side. As the profits flooded Undermine’s coffers, the goblins expanded their slave markets. However, other goblins disagreed and remained neutral; thus, only this single trade prince and his subordinates joined the Horde. In the end, the trade prince realized his mistake and left the Horde, and the goblin race remembers the mistake and remains neutral to this day. The goblin race as a whole, in fact, is neutral. They discovered it was more profitable to play both sides against each other.
