Broker

Broker
	; Artificer Xy'mox in Hearthstone.
Faction/Affiliation	Broker cartels; Enlightened; Independent
Homeworld	Unnamed realm
Area(s)	Shadowlands

Not to be confused with Broken.

Brokers in Oribos

Brokers in Tazavesh

Brokers in Zereth Mortis

Brokers are a race of humanoid energy beings native to an unnamed realm of the Shadowlands.^[1]^[2] Independent from the Covenants and the Maw, they possess an innate affinity for anima and act as soul-traders that can move freely around the realms. They navigate through the In-Between, the space between the different realms of the Shadowlands, which also hosts various broker cities, most of which are hidden and change location on a whim, one of these cities is Tazavesh, the Veiled Market.^[3]^[4]

History

There is a claim that brokers were once another race of beings entirely, shunning their original name and form in pursuit of the anima they have proven to be so adept at tracing.^[5]

Since the brokers first set out from their realm of origin upon their great barge cities that navigate the In-Between, they have been driven, first and foremost, by one goal: to learn the truths of the First Ones and lay claim to their ancient secrets. The journey began by seeking centers of knowledge that legends told were shaped by the First Ones' hands, such as Oribos, Baraneth, Nirem-Ahn, Korthia, and more. In some cases, they were successful; in others, they continue their search.^[6]

The brokers were finally able to set foot in Oribos due to a whim of a navigator belonging to the Cartel Au.^[7] Following their discovery of the city, the brokers were allowed to establish themselves within. After the arrival of living mortals from Azeroth to Oribos, they quickly started providing a variety of exotic merchandise and profession knowledge to them. In the wake of the current anima drought, the brokers have taken the chance to capitalize on new opportunities for profit and perhaps more.^[1]

Appearance

A Commerce Enforcer in Tazavesh flanked by two normal brokers.

Brokers use encounter suits which are designed to be aesthetically pleasing to mortal sensibilities.^[8] These suits are humanoid-shaped, usually with two legs and two arms, and with a mask instead of a face. The suits come in a variety of clothes and mask shapes. Some brokers can be seen using bigger encounter suits with four legs and four arms. The brokers themselves seem to not have a solid form, instead what looks like a blue flame, or red in the case of some cartel assassins, can be seen where their heads would be.

Culture

Brokers are savvy, adaptable, and keep their true intentions to themselves.^[1]^[9] They value success, and are not afraid to display the results of their endeavors.^[10] Brokers travel extensively and learn from the denizens from every realm they visit which allows them to cater their offerings to the needs of their clientele.^[11] Some brokers, such as Opulence Ba'hare, value the accumulation of information and knowledge, which in turn allows them to accumulate much influence and wealth.^[10] The lure of information is appealing enough for certain brokers, such as Ve'nari, for them to even go to places as dangerous as the Maw.^[12] Some brokers consider their fellow cartel associates as family members.^[13] There are few things more distasteful to a broker than a patron incapable of discretion.^[14]

Brokers do not only sell, they also collect and put their collections on display.^[15] Their methods of storage are bigger on the inside.^[16] Brokers use children's toys to teach their cartel's encryption methods.^[17] They use their own type of robots like the P.O.S.T. Master or the Prying Eyes for example.

Purrkins are a traditional pet of the brokers and the two have a mutually beneficial relationship -- a necessity in Broker culture.^[18]

Cartels

Broker society is divided into cartels. Each broker's name has the name of their cartel attached as a prefix; for example, Opulence Ba'hare is of Cartel Ba, and Ta'lan the Antiquary is of Cartel Ta.

Well-known cartels

Cartel Al - They are focused on following the path of the First Ones and securing their secrets. They appear to have a small presence in the broker city of Tazavesh. They sent an expedition, led by Al'firim, looking for the Sepulcher of the First Ones who ended up abandoning the cartel and becoming the Enlightened.
- Enlightened - Once members of Cartel Al, the Enlightened have abandoned the pursuit of profit and glory out of devotion to the First Ones.
Cartel Au - The cartel established itself as the main source of all crafting-related services in the Hall of Shapes. Agents of the cartel can also be found in Maldraxxus where they provide challengers for the Theater of Pain. They are also one of the leading cartels in Tazavesh, the Veiled Market where they specialize in providing hospitality and entertainment.
Cartel Ba - They operate in the Broker's Den, in Oribos, where they focus on supplying various items for the mortals in collaboration with Cartel Ta. They also supposedly operate the Primary Office for Sending Things (P.O.S.T.) in Tazavesh.
Cartel So - They have a presence in Tazavesh where they might be the cartel operating the Opulent Nexus. They also have a small presence in Oribos. Their leader, So'leah, aimed to acquire the pieces of a relic of the First Ones which would make her powerful and thus empowering her cartel. She was ultimately stopped by Al'dalil and the Maw Walkers, leaving the cartel leaderless.
Cartel Ta - They specialize in sourcing exotic beasts and items and providing transportation. They are one of the more prominent cartels, operating the Hall of Curiosities and the Idyllia in Oribos, Transfer Station Ta in Bastion, the Night Market in Revendreth and the Tazavesh Portal Authority.
Cartel Ve - A cartel that has a reputation for creeping around dangerous places in search of treasure. They sent an expedition to the Maw led by Ve'nari. Agents of the cartel can be seen in the Maw and Torghast, Tower of the Damned.
Cartel Xy - They specialize in acquiring and selling anything and everything of value. They are one of the leading cartels in Tazavesh where they own the Grand Menagerie. Cartel Xy members have been seen in Castle Nathria, Korthia, and in Zereth Mortis looking for priceless artifacts.
Cartel Zo - They seem to be primarily focused on security work, being the main peacekeepers in Tazavesh and one of the city's leading cartels. They also have a presence in the Enclave in Oribos where they seem to be interested in observing how the Maw Walkers do battle, be it through arena matches, battlegrounds, or out in the Shadowlands, and reporting their findings to the Observer.

Lesser known cartels

Cartel Fe - They are known for bounty hunting according to Fe'tajid who is the only known member of the cartel.
Cartel Ko - Nothing is known of this cartel aside from Ko'tul being a member.
Cartel Ku - Nothing is known of this cartel aside from Supplier Ku'bin being a member.
Cartel Tu - Nothing is known of this cartel aside from Tu'kol being a member.

Notable

Artificer Xy'mox plundering the Sepulcher of the First Ones.

Name	Role	Affiliation	Status	Location
Artificer Xy'mox	Leader of Cartel Xy.	Cartel Xy	Deceased	Castle Nathria, Sepulcher of the First Ones
Ve'nari	Purveyor of Cyphers.	Independent	Active	The Maw
Al'dalil	The self-proclaimed foremost expert on broker culture.	Cartel Al	Active	Tazavesh, the Veiled Market
So'leah	Leader of Cartel So	Cartel So	Deceased	Tazavesh, the Veiled Market
Firim	Led the expedition that discovered Zereth Mortis	Independent	Active	Zereth Mortis
Al'Ara	Formerly an elder of the Enlightened, she has since rejoined Cartel Al	Cartel Al	Active	Zereth Mortis, Oribos

Notes

The brokers share a lot of similarities with ethereals through their appearance, culture, and society divided into cartels.
The belts of some brokers bear the same pattern that can be found around Oribos and on other First One artifacts in the Shadowlands.
The [Ancient Broker Headpiece] made Ta'lan wonder if this belonged to some forgotten precursor or previous history of the brokers or some group of brokers who are hiding themselves.
They are not permitted to enter the Other Side.^[19]
Though Ve'nari is the only broker operating in the Maw, as she escapes assassins of Cartel Ve who are trapped with her, the brokers in Oribos of Cartel Ba somehow managed to procure items from the Maw for Kel'Thuzad.^[20]^[21]^[22]

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.

Most of the items sold by the Antique Vendor and Toy Vendor in the Gilded Landing in Tazavesh mention various brokers, some of which, judging from their names and what we know of broker naming rules where their cartel's name is affixed as a prefix to their name, might hint at other broker cartels that haven't been encountered yet.

[Hyperlight Moccasins] mentions a broker named "By'ron", which might point to the existence of a Cartel By.
[Vi'ller's Preserved Eye] mentions a broker named "Vi'ller", which might point to the existence of a Cartel Vi.
[Pa'hix's Runepuzzle] mentions a broker named "Pa'hix", which might point to the existence of a Cartel Pa.

However, this speculation is to be taken with a big scoop of salt as other items the vendors sell are filled with inconsistencies like [Urn of Knowledge] for example mentioning a "Ny'lad of Cartel Ta" which wouldn't fit with what we know about broker names and instead seem to be more focused on referencing various things in the real world.