Gadgetzan Times Issue #1

SHIMMERING FLATS — the sounds of desert creatures and sandstorms have been replaced. Gone is the clattering of scorpids, evicted from their natural home by the powerful roar of engines. As engineers from around the world congregate to create the fastest machine ever to traverse these once open plains, Gadgetzan Times was given the unique opportunity to talk with some of the pit crew. "What we are trying to achieve here is not simply a land speed record." G.T. was told by Gregor Fizzwuzz, assistant to the great Brassbolts brothers, "I mean sure, we want to build something that will be remembered through history as a fine piece of Gnomish Engineering, but more importantly; we want to beat those Goblins!"

It's true that the Gnomish engineers have progressed far in the development of their 'racers' but following them step for step technologically have been the Goblins who know a money-maker when they see one. "The Gnomes never build anything that works," remarks Ed Sprockett, one of the goblin crew-workers, "They spend so much time tinkering and fiddling with the little things that they forget that they are working on a larger project. The smaller components that regulate the internal lighting and the cushions on their seats may be good ideas but if the 'thing' never moves, it's a complete waste of time."

The Gnomes and the Goblins have been out here in the Shimmering Flats for a long time trying to build a better speed racer than each other. So how much progress has been made?$B$BG.T. tried to pose this question to one of the Brassbolts brothers but they were surprisingly reluctant to speak. Instead, young Fizzwuzz spoke up again:$B$B"Well. We've come a long way from mechanostriders that's for sure!" he laughs. "There's still a lot of work to do but we feel that great strides have been taken and we are close to a breakthrough."

He took this opportunity to give G.T. a sneak peak at the marvelous progression away from the mechanostrider which was the Gnomish racer. "Sure, it looks like a water tower crossed with a zeppelin," he said with a nervous smile, "but it has major changes to its basic structure which are going to make it much better." "The stripe will make it go faster!" For the time being, it seems that Goblin technology has little to fear from the Gnomes.