Quick Overview
The Steamwheedle Cartel established its port on the eastern coast of Tanaris to connect the desert trade with ships crossing the South Seas. The decision to maintain a harbor in Tanaris brought the cartel into conflict with the coast's less lawful inhabitants. Goblin enterprise joined its inland roads to the wider sea, creating chances for trade and new reasons for enemies to fight over shipping.
Full History
The Steamwheedle Cartel established its port on the eastern coast of Tanaris to connect the desert trade with ships crossing the South Seas. Gadgetzan's inland merchants needed access to cargo that could not arrive overland, while sailors needed a place to unload supplies without crossing the dunes. The road between the town and the harbor made the two settlements parts of the same commercial undertaking.
The decision to maintain a harbor in Tanaris brought the cartel into conflict with the coast's less lawful inhabitants. Southsea pirates operated from sheltered coves and looked upon trading vessels as opportunities for plunder. The port's merchants could bargain across faction lines, but neutrality offered no protection against raiders who wanted cargo rather than customers.
Steamwheedle Port thus helped make Tanaris more than an isolated desert. Goblin enterprise joined its inland roads to the wider sea, creating chances for trade and new reasons for enemies to fight over shipping. The port was neither a royal possession nor a fortress raised after conquest. It grew because a merchant cartel saw a route worth keeping open despite the danger.
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