Thunderdrome
The Thunderdrome (or simply the Gadgetzan Arena)[1] is the large cage arena in the center of Gadgetzan. It has one door on the north side. Fights are staged here for the entertainment of the populace - the bloodier the better, but are not meant to be to the death.[2] Interested parties should speak to the fight promoter Dr. Dealwell if they wish to participate. Katrina Turner is also involved in the management of the arena.
It was closed down for a long time because of a series of injury lawsuits, racketeering charges, and copyright infringements.[3]
Baron Marin Noggenfogger supervised the settling of scores by combat. No fighting on the streets, unless one wanted a squad of Noggenfogger's mooks aiming hammers at their head. But fighting could and did take place in the Thunderdrome every night. This was supposed to keep the peace in Gadgetzan, but it was suspected by some that the true purpose was to encourage locals and visitors to bet on the outcomes and to allow the baron to take his cut of every wager. Before the Cataclysm, Durgan One-God took Makasa Flintwill to the Thunderdrome to watch the matches.[4]
After the Cataclysm, Makasa, Aramar Thorne, and their friends visited Gadgetzan again. When Makasa was being chased by Malus' Hidden through the streets of the goblin city, she scattered Aram and led the Hidden to follow her to the Thunderdrome,[5] just when a fight had just ended. She proclaimed that these pirates had stolen cheese from her, and so Marin let them fight.[4] As the bets were about to close, Makasa remaining friends - Hackle, Murky, and Taryndrella - raced to the Thunderdrome as well to join her in the fight against the four Hidden members, Reigol Valdread, Zathra (with Skitter), Throgg, and Karrga.[6] As soon as Marin finished counting the bets, the fighting began. The Hidden were mercenaries and did not fight really together, exactly the opposite to Makasa's group who were coordinated, with Drella's magic ultimately defeating the Hidden. With their defeat, Marin declared winners.[2]
When the spectators left, Aram slipped and escaped from Malus, so the Hidden leader arrived at the Thuinderdrome to find his lieutenants beaten. He demanded and threatened Marin to tell him where Aramar was, or else he would have his arakkoa and ogre minions destroy Gadgetzan. Not wanting to risk that, the baron had no choice but to give Malus information about the Crustacean where Aram and his crew were supposedly to be.[7]
Quests
[15-30] The Thunderdrome! 
- [15-30G] Thunderdrome: Grudge Match!
[15-30G] Thunderdrome: Sarinexx! - [15-30G] Thunderdrome: The Ginormous!
- [15-30G] Thunderdrome: Zumonga!
Notes and trivia
- The walls of the Thunderdrome used to block the neutral guards' line-of-sight, allowing Horde and Alliance to gank or otherwise slaughter each other to their content within it.
- It is referred to as the cage.[8] Players originally also called it that.
- Both the Road Warrior bar and the Thunderdrome are references to the Mad Max film series.
See also
References
- ^
[50] Fight Night
- ^ a b Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 43
- ^ [15-30] The Thunderdrome!
- ^ a b Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 41
- ^ Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 40
- ^ Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 42
- ^ Traveler: The Spiral Path, chapter 44
- ^ [15-30G] Thunderdrome: Grudge Match!
