The Sparkcog Cartel

Note: This article has information pertaining only to The Sparkcog Cartel in character. For OOC information, click here.
==Overview==
Ever since goblins claimed their independence and intelligence, the Sparkcog Cartel has stood among the five greatest cartels of the Trade Coalition. It is a cartel that often stresses its neutrality, assuring both the Alliance and Horde that not all goblins pick sides. The cartel operates out of several of its cities, which are scattered throughout Azeroth. Under current Trade Prince Zimirvox's rule, the cartel has prospered and massively expanded industrialism, recovering from it's steep decline a few decades previous.
==Sparkcog Territories==
The cartel controls several cities, ports and towns peppered through the many landscapes of Azeroth. These civilizations are often situated in primary trading routes or where expansion seems ideal and imminent. Despite the major cities listed here, various small industrial towns and villages can also be found in Kezan.
*Shipwreck City
Shipwreck is the capital and the main seat of power of the Sparkcog Cartel. It is located on Sparkcog Isle, a small tropical island near Kezan, surrounded by hundreds of trade routes. Hundreds of boats pass by Shipwreck City every month, and it's ports are always bustling with trade. Races from all the corners of Azeroth can be found around the city, more often than not stopping by at the port or taverns. In terms of size and trade, it's key location has made it able to rival even Bilgewater Port.
*Undermine
Undermine is home to all the goblins, although Sparkcog Undermine is the name for an unofficial region of Undermine that is largely dominated by Sparkcog influence. The city is the heart of goblinkind, after all. With the eruption of Mount Kajaro, it was damaged by tremors and lava spills which plagued most of Undermine. Though salvagable, repairs are still being undergone to this day. The destruction has shifted the center of goblinkind from Undermine to the city of Ratchet, another city inhabited by all of the Great Cartels.
*Skyport
Skyport is one of the cartel's more unique ports, stretching far above the wastes of the Thousand Needles and sitting prominently atop a bluff. It was a large center for Zeppelin traffic. Following the Cataclysm, little word was heard from it for many months. Eventually, it was discovered the town had been moderately damaged by the tidal waves, though it's high location avoided further damage and it was eventually able to make a full recovery.
*Gizmospin Port
Gizmospin Port is a fishery and export owned by the mogul, Glucket Gizmospin. Despite being small and humble, it's location is a perfect stop for long journies between Northrend and Kalimdor to the Eastern Kingdoms, and thus it's ports are always getting visitors.
*Westcog Harbor
Westcog Harbor is a large industrious city on Kezan. The entire city is a slum, and nearly the entire populace are factory working drudges. It is built into the side of a mountain and goes down into a harbor. It's most noticeable feature, besides it's towering and massive factories, is it's large and famous Footbomb field. The very small elite and rich class in Westcog lives high up on the city, perched upon it's massive factories which lay a towering shadow over the town. It is rumored that in ancient times Westcog Harbor went deep into the ocean and held a large city underwater, but no ruins have ever been found. Recently, the city has been a source of great controversy as the Baroness of Westcog was killed by what was deemed as a crazed gunman. Some theorists believe that it was a B.O.I assassination, however. Rumors and naysay have only increased after Lead-General Steelwrench placed the city under martial law afterwards. Death squads have been said to be storming the slums, in an attempt to root out the virulent gangs, although the collateral damage has been great. Criminals have also been subject to harsher punishments than usual, with public executions becoming a bit too common for comfort. Media in the city has been closed, although leaked information stated that the Footbomb field was being used as a makeshift boot camp. The event has caused a schism in Sparkcog politics.
*Blackneedle
Blackneedle is the name given to cartel's number-one oil producing town, owned by the troll Baron Ryypo. The fact that the city is led by a troll might have received attention from the Trade Coalition or other interested parties, were it not for Blackneedle's relative isolation. The name derives from it's location in Thousand Needles, and its rich source of oil around the area. Likely because of its remote location and single export, Blackneedle is not as well developed as most Sparkcog towns, most houses made from locally produced sandstone. The city only houses a single factory, albeit a large one, which churns out barrels to store oil for export. Blackneedle has a surprisingly high employment rate, in large part due to its low population, which is made up almost entirely of oil workers. There are several shops for workers to blow their hard earned pay, as well as sell gimmicky items to tourists or other such visitors.
It was able to survive the flooding of Thousand Needles with minimal damage, however the Twilight's Hammer troubled Blackneedle on a few occasions. Overall, Blackneedle saw a slight boom during the Cataclysm, the dwarven forces of the Barrens buying oil for their war machines. Due to its location near the Skyport, most of its oil is often shipped via their Zeppelins and the two towns hold a close commerce bond. Because of contracts with the Trade Prince, most of Blackneedle's oil is traded internally, only about 25% of it being shipped to other cartels or the nearby Horde.
*Everlook
Everlook, though a Steamwheedle owned town, has very close relations with the Sparkcog Cartel. Various businesses and buildings based in Everlook are owned by the Sparkcog Cartel. Baron Frizerk, the Steamwheedle-aligned Baron of Everlook, also holds close ties with Trade Prince Zimirvox and thus Everlook has a large and noticeable Sparkcog presence.
*Steelvest
Steelvest was once a large fort named Fort Krazzimo built hundreds of years ago. It was here that Trade Prince Keezno Steelvest led a decisive and brilliant tactical victory against the Bronzecrank Cartel, ambushing and crippling their transport fleets as they attempted to sail up the North Trader and attack Port Dynaz. Nearing the conclusion of the first Trade War, Steelvest began repairs to the old fort and built many new houses for Trade War I veterans. Over time, traders and homeless civillians flocked to the city, and it grew. Keezno would mysteriously dissapear five years after the Trade War, leaving his reparations of Fort Krazzimo unfinished. The city was voluntarily completed by his veterans, with funding from various moguls, and named Steelvest in his honor. Since then, it has grown into a prominent city with a small port along the North Trader, and is rich with museums and history commemorating the legendary Trade Prince Steelvest.
*Sludgestream
Sludgestream, like Westcog Harbor, is a heavily industrial city. Although barely considered a city, for it is rather a collection of massive factories conjoined by coincidence. More of the population lives in shacks or abandoned property rather than real homes. Living up to its name, the city spills huge amounts of toxins and pollutants along the North Trader, the river it is based on. Despite the horrible living standards for its denizens, Sludgestream is one of the most heavily invested-in cities in all of the Sparkcog Cartel as every major corporation is pumping their goods out of this cesspool. As one would also expect, Sludgestream has a booming shipping business.
*Port Dynaz
Port Dynaz is a prosperous port city which served as the de facto capital under Reklix's rule, despite Undermine holding more wealth at the time. The city is relatively untouched by goblin industrialism and is a beautiful tropical setting. Around forty years ago during Reklix's reign, the construction of any factories within five miles of the city was banned. Since then, and even for a time before, Port Dynaz has flourished as a high-class city filled with various resorts. Due to its proximity to the Eastern Kingdoms, this was one of the main hubs for non-goblin traders arriving on Kezan, mainly the human kingdoms such as Kul Tiras. Because of this, it was a long held misconception that all of Kezan is a beautiful and tropical paradise, which many still hold today.
* Skyport
Skyport is a zeppelin port located high in the bluffs of Thousand Needles, meant to serve as a refueling station. It works in close conjunction with Blackneedle, thousands of gallons of oil being shipped out of Blackneedle via Skyport zeppelins. It was heavily damaged during the Cataclysm, but has since made a recovery by present day, it's practices resuming.
==Sparkcog's History==
===Ancient Sparkcog===
The details of the beginning of Sparkcog are blurry, but it is commonly agreed that it founded its roots nearly 9,000 years ago, as the Goblins began to surge in their intelligence. The Sparkcog Cartel quickly rose in power from Sparkcog's first unknown and ingenious Trade Prince, presumed to be named Trade Prince Sparkcog. From that time and ever since, it has been one of the strongest Cartels and a major figure in the Trade Coalition.
Over this period of thousands of years the Sparkcog Cartel created a multitude of magnificent machines and performed great technological feats, as did all other goblins at the peak of their intelligence. They created magnificent underwater cities and research facilities which spanned all around Kezan, some even connecting to the Undermine. The Sparkcog also created various cities on Kezan, many which still prosper today, but have no trace of their great past.
===The Sparkcog Schism===
During a time approximately 1,000 years ago, the Sparkcog had suffered a great schism and a devastating civil war. Though the goblins of Kezan had thousands of wars, even at their great intelligence, this one was commonly noted to be the most devastating. Under the Trade Prince Nolarz Guzzik, a rebel Mogul named Qizon Ironrex amassed a large group of followers and led a rebellion against the Trade Prince. Though the reasons of this war are often subject to fiery debate, whether Qizon wanted Trade Prince for himself, or the Trade Prince was unpopular among many of his Moguls, it is agreed that there was never a chance of unity between the two parties.
The war destroyed many of Sparkcog's settlements, some which lie in ruins to this day forever lost in the jungle, and killed millions of goblins. After the war, both Qizon and Nolarz were killed, and none of their predecessors were strong enough to uphold power. The Sparkcog fell into chaos and anarchy, with various temporary and weak leaders coming to power. The Sparkcog Cartel would actually cease to exist in this chaotic period, until a new Trade Prince had finally seized totaly power. This trend of weakness, however, would only continue over the years, and cause the Sparkcog Cartel to dramatically decrease in it's status and power.
===Sparkcog's Decline===
As Kaja'mite began to run out nearly five hundred years ago, the Goblins' intelligence rapidly dropped. The goblins' once-magnificent machines slowly became volatile, crude, and dangerous. Sparkcog's once great underwater cities also fell into ruin, due to poor maintenance and natural forces. They were inevitably all abandoned, and left as ancient ruins to an old empire.
These circumstances did not help the Sparkcog's situation after the Great Civil War, which the Cartel still had not recovered from. The Sparkcog's power and territories had shrunk over half of what it use to be, and various Cartels had began aggressively taking their land. For centuries the Sparkcog Cartel was considered the weakest of the Great Cartels, and at one point was even excluded from it's mention. However, As the first Trade War began, one legendary Trade Prince was able to rise amidst the chaos and fend off three other cartels.
===The First Trade War===
Keezno Steelvest, greatly lacking in economic and business skills, made up for it in his brilliant military prowess. He adopted the last name "Steelvest" for he always wore a heavy, bullet-proof chestplate. Forming his own military regime and overthrowing the last weak Trade Prince, Keezno was able to temporarily strengthen the Sparkcog.
Knowing Sparkcog's weakness, the rivaling cartels sent only small expeditionary forces into Sparkcog territory, expecting easy and quick plunders to fuel larger battles in other places. Regardless, the Sparkcog was still being besieged on every side. This did not lead Keezno to falter, and as Sparkcog was again plunged into chaos he devised his own strategy.
Keezno practiced a policy of luring, by engaging and retreating enemy armies to coerce them to follow. Strategically, he lured his own rivals into each other. As his enemies fought amongst eachother, using his superior knowledge of the landscape, he charged the cartels as they fought eachother, cutting down his rivals battle by battle. For those that survived, Keezno engaged in a brutal harassment campaign utilizing guerilla warfare until their enemies where husks with no morale. Though his forces were not well armed, Steelvest's very presence and patriotic sermons were said to make any goblin deny a gold coin for a chance to die for his cartel.
By the end of the Trade War, Keezno had plundered thousands of Macaroons worth of supplies without ever having to leave his borders, they all came to him, and regained a century worth of lost territory. Unfortunately, Keezno was only a military genius, and though order in the Sparkcog Cartel had been greatly improved, the economy was still lackluster. Despite being ruthless and effective, he was said to have a heart of gold, and was widely respected. Around five years after the First Trade War, Keezno took a pilgrimage to Mount Kajaro's top to clear his mind from the intrigue of the politcal world. He would never return, and though he was fervently looked for by his supporters, not even a body was located. Anarchy ensued again, until Dazian Reklix, once a dragon gunner for Steelvest's army, and afterwards a successful profiteer, rose to power.
===Reklix's Rule===
Under Reklix's rule, the Sparkcog's economy began to pick up and trading grew. Though still considerably weak, Sparkcog was now much more wealthier, and supported a growing military due to Keezno's reign. Trade Prince Reklix reestablished contact with The Steamwheedle Cartel, an age old ally to the Sparkcog and the only cartel that did not invade the Sparkcog Cartel during the first Trade War. With Steamwheedle support and a restoration to stability, the Sparkcog made a huge recovery and regained much of their former power in only a few years. By the time the next Trade War broke out, ten years after the first, the Sparkcog Cartel was ready to combat their enemies as a goblin power once again.
As Trade War Two broke out, Reklix would lead the Sparkcog into the conflict with their allies, the Steamwheedle Cartel. However, the true mastermind behind the Sparkcog war strategy was Zazzin Steelwrench, a brilliant general of the Steelwrench military family. The Sparkcog would prove to be a much stronger force than they were in the first Trade War. They were beginning the path to reclaim their place among the Great Cartels of Kezan.
After the war, Reklix would come into competition with a rising goblin star, Gastro Zimirvox. Dazian was intelligent, but he led his emotions dictate him beyond logic. This was not helped by the fact he was slowly delving into insanity from repressed memories of the Trade War. Eventually, Gastro gained the upper hand, and usurped the title of Trade Prince from Dazian Reklix. Though Reklix had laid a strong economic foundation, the Sparkcog Cartel would grow into much greater heights and reclaim it's former glory under the new Trade Prince.
===New Prince in Town===
Under Gastro Zimirvox's rule, the Sparkcog Cartel went under a great transformation. "New" was the theme of his early reign, new companies, new moguls, new towns, new barons, new weapons, new generals. Two new Trade Wars would engulf Kezan again, but wisely Zimirvox was able to manipulate his way out of both. Both were also multitudes less destructive than the first two, as goblinkind had learned to fear the debts of war. The Third Trade War would last only a year, and the Fourth was fought only in Undermine, but did cause considerable chaos in the subterranean city.
As Kezan began to calm down after decades of turmoil, the Sparkcog continued to grow. In less than a decade, they had truly reclaimed their place among the Great Cartels and consolidated their seat on the Trade Coalition as a serious position. However, Zimirvox had realized he lacked a strategic seaport. Though the Sparkcog had plenty sea-side towns and cities, they each had some sort of obstacle which, under many different reasons, could not be dealt with simply. He too wished to get away from Kezan, which he felt was a volatile keg that could explode at any moment, as it had done only decades prior.
Gastro looked away from Kezan, to an unclaimed jewel, an untouched island in the South Seas. It was here, after a controversial but well covered-up history, Sparkcog Isle was claimed. On it, numerous small towns sprung, but most importantly the great city of Shipwreck was founded, growing at such stunning rates it would become the Sparkcog's new capital within a decade, and make the Urban Development magazine's top ten developers.
===Present Day===
Present day, the aging Trade Prince Zimirvox has continued to rule the Sparkcog Cartel from his mansion in Shipwreck City. Through trickery and public favor, he has managed to avoid assassinations and keep himself in power. The Sparkcog can now proudly say it is a dominating power in Kezan, far from the weak shell it was decades prior.
==Products and Industry==
Like all of its cousin corporate families, the Sparkcog Cartel manufactures, produces and sells a wide variety of products which are not only signature to, but symbolic of the cartel and its employees.
*Gizmospin Industries
Gizmospin Industries is a large corporation owned by Mogul Glucket Gizmospin. The industry manufactures several of the cartel's most popular accessories and consumables.
* Lungbuster Cigars
Smoking tobacco is in constant high demand, and anyone who has ever tried one of Gizmospin Industries' famous Lungbuster Cigars will note its surprisingly high quality complemented by a sweet aroma. (It really smells like oil, ironically.)
*Sparkcog Cola
Sparkcog Cola is a popular soft drink found in numerous vending machines produced by the Sparkcog Cartel: despite being a Sparkcog creation, it is drunken by goblins of any affiliation. Its success lies in a reclusive recipe that has been held top-secret for many years. It was once owned by Zimirvox Inc., but upon it's partition the recipe was sold to Gizmospin Industries.
*Root Brew
Root Brew is another popular soft drink manufactured by Gizmospin Industries. Though not as popular as Sparkcog Cola, it still finds itself making millions.
*Footbomb
The Sparkcog Cartel has its own footbomb team called the Sparkcog Swashbucklers. They are a fairly successful and competitive team and have won the Kezan Cup twice in the last decade.
*Hobgoblins
The Hobgoblin business gained popularity around twenty years ago, near the founding of Shipwreck City. It has now expanded to a massive industry and originally fueled much of Shipwreck's income during it's starting days.
*Auctions
The cartel is perhaps famous for its wide variety of extravagant and intriguing auctions. Often hauling in treasures from all over the world, many Sparkcog settlements sport a neutral and often times very successful auction house.
==Military==
Sparkcog's success lies in its neutrality, and its neutrality relies on its resourceful bruisers to keep the peace in each settlement. The cartel invests heavily in its bruisers and navy, and boasts one of the most powerful dreadnaughts in the South Seas, The Steel Leviathan, which is ironically of Boltkrieg origin, commandeered by General Vixx Steelwrench. Vixx Steelwrench serves as the High General, or Lead-General, having the highest authority among the military yet not absolute power. Though he is titled a general, he also serves in part as an Admiral, controlling his own fleet. Vixx works closely with the Bureau of Investigation, and is considered one of the "Big Three," the cartel's highest officials who know it's most clandestine operations. This three includes the current Trade Prince, Gastro Zimirvox, and the anonymous B.O.I Director, known only as 'Two-Gun'.
The Sparkcog Cartel has three other Commanding Generals, who are directly under Vixx, Kazgin Ironbolt, Greel Boomzork, and Wrench Forgeblast. Along with their generals, they have two Grand Admirals, serving similar roles as the generals: Grizzlo Sharktide and Keez Deviltooth. Though some may believe such a large army is over-the-top, the South Seas is a dangerous territory to tread, sea monsters, pirate fleets, and enemy cartel raids are far from uncommon. Such armies are only the bare minimum to keep order within the chaos of goblin life.
The Bureau of Intelligence is, as it's namesake, the intelligence branch of the cartel. They are extremely secretive and the public know little to nothing about them, including the identities of any members or the leader.
Under the military is the Bruiser force, which serves as the civilian police agency. They must enforce the law that the Trade Prince has put in and keep some semblance of order in the chaos that is goblin society. The bruisers are divided by various Chiefs split up by city or town districts. The "Big Chief", more officially known as the Chief Executive, is the overseer of the entire Bruiser force of the Sparkcog Cartel. As well as being Chief Executive, he also holds the title of Chief of Shipwreck, and bases himself from the capital city. Sometimes the Chief Executive may appoint someone else Chief of Shipwreck, although this has not happened currently. The current Chief Executive and Chief of Shipwreck is Gruck Sharpwrench.
they got to the azerite first btwCategory:Trade PrinceCategory:GoblinCategory:The Sparkcog CartelCategory:CartelCategory:Retired Guild