Gelbin Mekkatorque

"Gelbin" redirects here. For the blood elf, seeGelbin (blood elf). For hisBattle of Dazar'alor boss encounter, seeHigh Tinker Mekkatorque (tactics).

Gelbin Mekkatorque
Title	High Tinker, King of Gnomes
Gender	Male
Race	Gnome (Humanoid)
Class	Tinker
Reaction	AllianceHorde
Affiliation(s)	Gnomeregan,Alliance
Former affiliation(s)	Alliance of Lordaeron
Occupation	King of the gnomes, High Tinker ofGnomeregan, Ruler of the cities ofGnomeregan andMechagon,Inventor
Location	Various
Status	Alive
Companion(s)	Elgin Clickspring andFizzi Tinkerbow (assistants),Tread Sparknozzle andPrince Erazmin (advisors),Sicco Thermaplugg (former advisor),Mekkatorque's Mechanostrider (mount)

Gelbin Mekkatorque is the current king of thegnomes andHigh Tinker ofGnomeregan. He was previously the elected leader ofgnomekind, though as one of the perks of his station, he liked to style himself as "King of Gnomes".^[1] Gelbin has been at the helm of the gnome race during some of its most difficult and trying times. Since his title was an elected one, the fact that he held his position throughout such hardship is a testament to the love his people have for him. A brilliantinventor, Gelbin rose quickly to prominence among the meritocratic gnomes with his innovative designs and creative problem-solving skills. He built the very first functioningmechanostrider, assisted in the development of thedwarvensiege engine, and was instrumental in the creation of theDeeprun Tram running fromIronforge toStormwind City.

Although one wouldn’t know it from looking at him, the loss of Gnomeregan weighs heavily on the high tinker. He was unprepared for the invasion that swept through his beloved city, and he was betrayed by atrusted advisor who convinced him to react hastily, resulting in unnecessary deaths. Now Mekkatorque’s brilliant mind has taken on a surgical focus with one single outcome: the retaking of Gnomeregan.^[2]

Following the reunification of Gnomeregan andMechagon, Gelbin was officially proclaimed king of the gnomes, the first monarch to rule all of gnomanity sinceKing Mechagon four hundred years before.

Biography[]

Background[]

A young Gelbin Mekkatorque graduated fromGearshaft University inGnomeregan, and was gifted with a pair ofmithril-rimmed lenses from his friend and fellow graduate,Sicco Thermaplugg, which he wore at almost all times. He rose to fame inGnomeregan after his first - and arguably most popular - invention; the revolutionizing traveling device called theMechanostrider, which provided an effective method of personal transport, finally putting thegnomish race on par with thehumans and theirchargers.^[3] From then on, Mekkatorque continued his work, pumping out invention after invention, each one benefiting and furthering the gnomish race and their technology. His inventions included thegyromatic micro-adjustor, and therepair bot.

Mekkatorque was known for his practicality and his personal quarters were fittingly practical. His creative way of thinking could be represented physically by the very hallways insector 17; a library connected to the drafting room connected to simple foundry connected to the assembly chamber. He had a habit of often getting caught up in his inventive process, spending night after night brainstorming ideas; to the point where most of his resting was done within his working space. His skill as an engineer was unquestionable, having literally earned so many awards that his apprentices asked for him to have a trophy case made in order to store them all.^[3]

Second War and aftermath[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

During theSecond War, theOld Horde took control ofDun Morogh. The Gnomeregan gnomes andIronforge dwarves successfullydefended themselves, and eventually, with the help of theAlliance of Lordaeron freed their home.^[4] Mekkatorque kept atroll-made chair as a souvenir in sector 17 from the first gnomish-assisted foray into a Horde encampment in the Second War. He chose the fierce-looking primitive construction of bone and raptorhide to remind himself of two important points: that his enemies lived in a world shaped from monsters' flesh and bone, and that even tusked, mossy-skinned savages needed a cozy place to sit sometimes.^[3]

Following the victory, the rebuilding ofStormwind City began, and being allied, the dwarves and gnomes decided to help. However, it was evident that travel to and from the north was difficult and slow, as suchMagni Bronzebeard requested a faster solution from Azeroth's most esteemed engineer at the time, Gelbin Mekkatorque. Tinker Mekkatorque, in his office at sector 17 prepared the schematics for theDeeprun Tram,^[3][5] even creating a scale mock-up model of the Tram out of pie tins.^[6] Soon Mekkatorque would take part in the construction of his ambitious subterranean train project, successfully creating a quicker method to travel from Ironforge to Stormwind City. Gelbin keptTuralyon informed about updates or problems. Once, he even informed him about a problem of rats.^[7]

At some point before theThird War, the gnomish electorate chose Mekkatorque to lead their nation as theirHigh Tinker, following his various technological triumphs and their benefits to the gnomish race. For many, he would be viewed as a role model for what the gnomes looked for in a High Tinker. Mekkatorque's best friend,Sicco Thermaplugg, would soon rise up the ranks like Mekkatorque had and gained favor among the intellectual elite, eventually winning the seat of chief advisor to his friend, the High Tinker. A brooding but imaginativeengineer, Thermaplugg served as Mekkatorque's chief advisor for many years, continuing to covet the role of High Tinker with jealousy that would slowly eat away his sanity.^[8]

Prior to year 18 when the Alliance of Lordaeron splintered, High Tinker Mekkatorque, along with some other leaders, reaffirmed that the gnomes would not leave the Alliance of Lordaeron.^[9]

Fall of Gnomeregan[]

Prior to theThird War, Sicco Thermaplugg and Gelbin had been designing the prototype for the dwarvensiege engine, eventually perfecting it sometime during the war.^[3] While the gnomes continued to supply their allies inLordaeron with their machinery and weapons, the gnomes had taken very little part in the war. When theBurning Legion invaded during the Third War, Gelbin declined to send aid to the Alliance in the form of gnomish personnel, much to their allies' surprise. When the war was over, however, it was revealed as to why the gnomes had not aided the Alliance.^[2]

Dwarven digging operations aroundUldaman awoke the foul race of primitive creatures calledtroggs, which were attracted to the gnomish machinery and built tunnels towardGnomeregan. On the onset of the Third War,^[10] when thekingdom of Lordaeron fell to theScourge,^[11] the brutish troggs broke through the lower reaches of the city, invading from the depths of the earth.^[11]

Mekkatorque was unprepared for an invasion of his own city, but knowing that theAlliance was already busy with theBurning Legion invasion, Gelbin tried to find a way to handle this subterranean invasion without the pre-occupied Alliance.^[2] The brilliant leader believed that protecting Lordaeron from the Scourge was of the utmost importance, so he kept the trogg invasion a secret. For five years, the gnomes secretly fought the troggs but were overrun. The troggs simply dug around their defenses and breached into their engineering quarters.

Mekkatorque approached this invasion as he would any other problem. He remained fearless and calm, relying on the intelligence of his people.^[11] Turning to his advisers, his top adviser and friend MekgineerSicco Thermaplugg put forward a potential plan, releasing a toxic gas that would kill the troggs as they invaded. Sicco had claimed to have tested the radiation levels of the gas claiming to have evidence of its terminal effects on the troggs and had shown Gelbin falsified numbers on its density and volumetric weight. According to Thermaplug's calculations, the gas would stay in the quarantined thoroughfares and lower sections of Gnomeregan, poisoning the invaders as they emerged from the depths while the gnomes waited safely sealed away in the upper urban tunnels, kept away from the population by Thermaplugg'sKleen Wind Domiclic Filters. The urgency to deal with the invasion, and the confidence his trusted friend showed led Mekkatorque to believe it was the best course of action and ordered the gnomes to open the pressure valves of their giant, grinding machines and released toxic radiation throughout the lower levels of the city.^[12]

Mekkatorque could only watch as the plan failed catastrophically. Rather than kill the troggs, most shambled through the gas, becoming enraged as they were irradiated. The filters failed, going straight through them into the homes of Gnomes, killing them as they waited in their homes thinking they were safe.^[12] Mekkatorque was left beside himself with guilt, the casualties of the invasion already high, the gas causing casualties to skyrocket to eighty percent of the population.^[13][14]

Unable to take any more deaths or hold back the Troggs, Mekkatorque was forced to swallow his pride and lead the surviving gnome population out of Gnomeregan to seek refuge with their dwarven neighbors inIronforge, all the while forced to carry the weight of the dead on his shoulders.^[15] During the evacuation of Gnomeregan, Mekkatorque was horrified to discover that Thermaplugg had, in fact, betrayed the gnomish race. Thermaplugg's desire to be High Tinker had driven him mad with envy over the years, driving him to plot against Mekkatorque. His plan was to frame the High Tinker by letting thirty percent of the population die to the gas, then swoop in and save the day and dismiss the troggs; ensuring him the position and Gelbin with the blame of the many deaths.^[12] However, the gas was much deadlier than Thermaplugg anticipated; wiping out eighty percent of the Gnomish population rather than thirty. With such a high amount of deaths, the Gnomes rallied desperately to Mekkatorque, much to Thermaplugg's dismay.

KingMagni Bronzebeard granted them asylum and cleared out an entire district of his city for them to reside in,^[16] which Mekkatorque was already familiar with because of his previous work with the Deeprun Tram. The gnomes constructedTinker Town here. Mekkatorque had only truly found how mad his old friend had become following the evacuation when it was discovered that Thermaplugg remained behind, and the details of his underhanded plans slowly became public, his plans and plots discovered.^[14][17]

World of Warcraft[]

This section concerns content related to the originalWorld of Warcraft.

Gelbin Mekkatorque, now located inTinker Town ofIronforge and having been High Tinker for seven years^[18] continued to lead the Gnomeregan Exiles in their new home, aiding in Alliance operations acrossAzeroth and at the same time devising a plan for retaking their home city,^[14] watching as his people's seclusion slowly dissipated as his people intermingled with other members of the Alliance.^[3] While Gelbin originally assumed his former friend had perished, voyages and observations of the city proved otherwise, as well as revealing the disturbing fate of some of the Gnomes who were left behind. Those who survived mutated into diseasedLeper gnomes, the disease warping their minds, which led to a now mutated and insane Thermaplugg taking over the leper gnomes, ruling them with an iron fist of madness.

SentencingSicco Thermaplugg to death for treason, Mekkatorque enlisted the aid of various Allianceadventurers to venture into the radioactive city and take down the betrayer,^[19] returning reporting the death of Thermaplugg, only for Mekkatorque to later find out it was just a clever facsimile devised by Thermaplugg.^[14] It became clear that retaking Gnomeregan would take more than just a small team, rather a large force of gnomish and Alliance might.

Mekkatorque also sentDirk Swindle toAlterac Valley to defend gnomes fromtauren.^[20]

During the dwarves'brewfest celebrations, Mekkatorque rode out to the festival grounds each day for the ceremonialtapping of the keg.

Wrath of the Lich King[]

This section concerns content related toWrath of the Lich King.

When theLich King awoke, he sent hisScourge into all corners of Azeroth. To defeat thePlague of Undeath and necropolises, members of theChurch of the Holy Light traveled toShattrath and created an artifact of theNaaru's Light. Gnomish adventurers of the Alliance delivered it to Gelbin Mekkatorque to destroy the Scourge.

Operation: Gnomeregan[]

After years of planning, Gelbin Mekkatorque put his plan into action at last and launchedOperation: Gnomeregan, calling support from not only the gnomish people but the Alliance as well. Under Mekkatorque's strategic leadership, the Gnomeregan Exiles and Alliance comrades were priming their forces atSteelgrill's Depot, the staging grounds for the Gnomeregan offensive and the production site of the gnome'smechano-tanks. After the preparations were made, Gelbin led a full assault to wrest control of Gnomeregan's airfield, setting up a surface command post, and ultimately underwent a raid into the tunnels of lowerGnomeregan.

Thermaplugg, however, had one final trick: once the Alliance had reached the center of the city he unveiled theIrradiator 3000. Unable to disarm the bomb in time, Gelbin was forced to recall the forces and hastily teleport to the surface, sealing off Gnomeregan while the irradiation cleared out; planning to continue the assault once that had happened. Despite being unable to fully retake the city, Mekkatorque was happy with the successful first maneuver and the knowledge that Thermaplugg had been dealt a blow he'd not recover from soon. The gnomes had carved out a tenuous foothold inNew Tinkertown, near the techno-city's gates.^[21]

• 
  The mechanostrider Mekkatorque rode during Operation: Gnomeregan.
• 
  Gelbin on the reclaimed surface of Gnomeregan.

Cut Short[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

As the push to retake Gnomeregan continued, Gelbin was eager to inspect his old living quarters ofsector 17, which was recently retaken. Finding it somewhat odd as to how easily the section was retaken, Gelbin was caught up in his own emotions, remembering the past and the fall of Gnomeregan. After years of having to put a strong image for his people, Gelbin finally let his emotions out, weeping over the loss of his people; feeling somewhat better after doing so. As he prepared to leave, he found his mithril spectacles on the arm of his troll chair, left behind during the rush to evacuate the city. Picking them up, he realized too late that it was a trap set out by Thermaplugg as a tripwire was tied to the glasses.

Having ordered his guards away so he could inspect his old quarters, and having forgotten his weaponWrenchcalibur, Gelbin was surrounded by three Troggs as Thermaplugg gloated via intercom over Mekkatorque's falling for his trap. Through careful manipulation and usage of his surroundings, Gelbin successfully dispatched the troggs unarmed. Not willing to allow Gelbin to escape after all this time, Thermaplugg arrived to deal with Mekkatorque personally. Yet in the end, he too was outwitted by the High Tinkerer. Having repurposed the trap's trigger mechanism to take out the troggs, Gelbin released a tensely wound spring that had been holding up more weight than it should have been, which resulted in Thermaplugg being cut in half, losing his legs in the process. Thermaplug did survive though due to his destroyed battle suit cauterizing his wounds, likely with minimal blood loss. Gelbin decided to leave him for dead so that his suffering would be prolonged, citing it as an appropriate punishment for his crimes against the gnomes. He decided that if the rats or the troggs didn't kill Thermaplugg, then he'd think of no one better to lead the troggs than one of their own.^[22]

Elemental Unrest[]

This section concerns content related toWrath of the Lich King.

High Tinker Mekkatorque was present during theElemental Unrest meeting. During the meeting, he mentioned that the large amount of seismic activity could endanger Ironforge.

During theElemental invasion, Mekkatorque protected theMilitary Ward of Ironforge from the elements.

Cataclysm[]

This section concerns content related toCataclysm.

Following theCataclysm, Gelbin Mekkatorque returned his attention to Gnomeregan which had aired out. He can now be found under a tent atNew Tinkertown, the portions of Gnomeregan's surface reclaimed during the battle against Thermaplugg. Mekkatorque sentS.A.F.E., underNevin Twistwrench's command, to retrieve gnome survivors. Mekkatorque personally assembled a team ofclass trainers to prepare the young evacuees for battle,^[23] and made a habit of meeting most of the survivors himself.^[24]The Gnomeregan Exiles were slowly reclaiming portions of Gnomeregan, such as theOld Dormitory. Mekkatorque's units fought against Thermaplugg's irradiated gnome forces, who were bent on keeping the gnomes from rebuilding and finishing their reclamation of Gnomeregan. The High Tinker then hiredKharmarn Palegrip and his demolitions team to close off the trogg advance,^[25] and eventually led a combined gnome and dwarven force in defeating one of Thermaplugg's most loyal henchmen,Razlo Crushcog.^[26]

Wolfheart[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

High KingVarian Wrynn invited Gelbin Mekkatorque to represent Gnomeregan at a meeting inDarnassus and deliver their vote whether or not thekingdom of Gilneas should be accepted into the Alliance. When he arrived, he had a little argument withDrukan. They soon made peace during the banquet, when he was approached by Drukan and had a private talk with him.^[27] Mekkatorque voted to accept Gilneas into the Alliance.

Tides of War[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

When word of thefall of Theramore reached the rest of the Alliance Gelbin Mekkatorque personally journeyed to Stormwind City. Upon arriving he and other Alliance leaders and representatives began planning a counterattack against the Horde's naval blockade ofKalimdor. Over the course of the meeting, Mekkatorque quietly asked if anyone had been to Theramore following its destruction. He was then informed byPrince Anduin thatJaina Proudmoore herself had been there. While voicing joy at her survival Gelbin couldn't help but wonder why Jaina wasn't helping them in strategizing. He was informed byKing Varian Wrynn that she was pursuing her own methods.^[28]

Mists of Pandaria[]

This section concerns content related toMists of Pandaria.

Mekkatorque andOverspark participated in theSiege of Orgrimmar, Mekkatorque showing up in theUnderhold to help Alliance adventurers againstWar Master Kragg and theKor'kron guards. He was present when the leaders of the Alliance and Horde met afterGarrosh' defeat.

• 
  The High Tinker arrives in the Underhold.
• 
  Gelbin fighting against the Kor'kron.
• 
  Gelbin in the aftermath of the Siege.

War Crimes[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

Gelbin was invited to attend the trial ofGarrosh Hellscream in theTemple of the White Tiger alongside the other Alliance leaders. When the Horde and Alliance leaders met at the temple a few days prior to the start of the trial,Jastor Gallywix argued that Garrosh should be tried by his peers so he could make compensation to those he had wronged. Gelbin laughed humorlessly and retorted that Gallywix meant monetary compensation. Jastor replied that that would be an acceptable form.^[29]

Legion[]

This section concerns content related toLegion.

With the events about to unfold on theBroken Shore, High Tinker Mekkatorque commanded his people to get outfitted and ready for battle — any way they know-how, leading to the creation of gnomishhunters.^[30] Mekkatorque and a contingent ofGnomeregan Tinkerers accompanied KingVarian Wrynn's vanguard on the assault on the Broken Shore. Mekkatorque fought at the Broken Shore on his ownsteam armor and used it to call in air support from the AlliancegunshipSkyfire at King Varian's command. During theBattle for the Broken Shore, the Alliance forces were left vulnerable by theHorde's unexpected retreat. The Alliance tried to retreat on theSkyfire but was impeded by a summonedfel reaver. Through his steam armor, Gelbin caught a falling Stormwind soldier by their cape. The Alliance forces watched helplessly as King Varian Wrynn sacrificed himself by distracting the Burning Legion forces so that the Alliance forces could fly to safety. In the aftermath of the battle, Mekkatorque attended the funeral of Varian Wrynn.^[31]

When anAlliance player reaches Prestige Rank 2, Gelbin can be found inStormwind Keep alongside other notable leaders of the Alliance. During [10-45] A Royal Audience, he is present at the ceremony hosted by KingAnduin Wrynn that congratulates the character for their battles against the Horde, following their receiving of the [Grand Marshal's Medal of Valor] from the King, as well as an artifact appearance.

Before the Storm[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

Gelbin was present in a meeting withMagni Bronzebeard inIronforge. He was accompanied by his advisorCaptain Tread Sparknozzle. He wondered whetherAzeroth could heal herself. He also receivedAzerite samples to study and choseSapphronetta Flivvers to go toSilithus.^[32]

Battle for Azeroth[]

This section concerns content related toBattle for Azeroth.

Mekkatorque and his forces joined theBattle for Lordaeron with the help ofAlleria Windrunner, who created aVoid portal to transport both his gnomish troops and her ownvoid elves.^[33]

From his airshipThe Strider Mekkatorque led an attack on the Horde'sAzerite mining operations inDrustvar onKul Tiras, using an army of remote-controlled robots.Jastor Gallywix and hisG.M.O.D led the Horde's reprisal, and then confronted Mekkatorque and his own mech suit in the sky only for the G.M.O.D to run out of fuel, giving Mekkatorque the chance to knock Gallywix out of the sky.^[34] Once the G.M.O.D was operational again, Gallywix attackedThe Strider aboveTiragarde Sound to draw out Mekkatorque. As they foughtThe Strider began to fall apart and so Mekkatorque fled, leaving Gallywix to wonder how to break through his mech's Proto Layered Optimal Titan Armor.^[35]

Tides of Vengeance[]

Mekkatorque sailed with theAlliance navy during theirassault on Dazar'alor. Once a majority of the Horde's forces were lured toNazmir, the Alliance navy began their invasion. TheGolden Fleet sought to impede the Alliance navy's path, but the Alliance had secretly planted explosives on their ships beforehand. Just as Gelbin was about to remotely detonate the explosives with his remote detonator machine, Gelbin's floor collapsed from the impact of one of the Golden Fleet'sballistae missiles. Gelbin fell below the deck ofJaina's ship and pulled himself out of the rubble so he could rush to re-position his remote detonator. Once the remote detonator was upright again, Gelbin pushed the detonator button and blew up the entire Golden Fleet stationed there, allowing the Alliance navy to invadeDazar'alor with little resistance. Gelbin was saddened to hear thatGrong was turned into aRevenant byBwonsamdi's magic and urged Alliance adventurers to be merciful while putting him down. During theSiege of Zuldazar, Mekkatorque dueled Gallywix in hissteam armor, once again defeating him, and proceeds to serve as a raid boss for Horde players. He was seriously injured during the battle but escaped using an escape pod, which was tended to byElgin Clickspring and another gnomish engineer. However the escape pod placed him in suspended animation, and neitherJaina Proudmoore nor Stormwind's priests know how to help him recover from his injuries,^[36] whileHalford Wyrmbane andNathanos Blightcaller referred to him as being dead.^[37]

Visions of N'zoth[]

Although he was still alive, Gelbin's escape pod began to lose power and his pulse began to slow, despite the efforts of the Kul Tiran healers.Kelsey Steelspark, desperate to save the High Tinker, worked with Allianceadventurers to have Mekkatorque's pod transported toMechagon, hoping themechagnomes there would be able to save him.^[38]Waren Gearhart believed that an existing device could be modified to gain access to Gelbin without disrupting the pod's life support.^[39] However, thecopter carrying the pod was shot down by the island'stroggs, and the adventurers were forced to recover the pod and kill the troggs who had downed the copter.^[40] As work proceeded to unlock the pod,Prince Erazmin wished to learn both from his own people about what made an ideal leader, and from their allies from Gnomeregan about why they followed Gelbin, as a baseline for restoring his mental function.^[41] After the pod was opened, a [Spark Reactor] recovered fromKing Mechagon's Annihilo-tron was delivered fromMechagon City to jump-start Gelbin's heart, and the High Tinker at last awakened.^[42]

Grateful to Erazmin and his people for their aid, the High Tinker elected to return the favor by helping retake their home. Gelbin, Erazmin, Kelsey, and the Alliance adventurer teleported into Mechagon City and cleared out the last of King Mechagon's loyalist machines.^[43] With Mechagon liberated, Prince Erazmin expressed the desire to reunite their people and asked Gelbin to lead them. Gelbin accepted, on the condition that Erazmin stands with him as both counselor and friend. Without hesitation, Erazmin agreed. Addressing the crowd at the High Tinkertory in Mechagon City, Kelsey announced the reunification of Gnomeregan and Mechagon, and proclaimed Gelbin as the new king of an undivided gnomekind.^[44]

He later attended the summit hosted byAnduin Wrynn inStormwind City to declare the armistice of theFourth War. He stood next to Erazmin throughout the announcement and clapped for Anduin's declaration that the armistice was signed. Unlike most of the leaders, he, Erazmin, andAysa Cloudsinger, remained behind in the embassy and engaged in a conversation followingTyrande Whisperwind's rejection of the armistice.^[45]

Locations[]

Notable appearances
Location	Level range	Health range
Brewfest	??	5,578,000
New Tinkertown	??	19,018,400
Kor'kron Barracks	103	87,227,400
Inner Sanctum (Siege of Orgrimmar)	113	104,450,600
[10-45] The Battle for Broken Shore	??	329,045,207
[10-45] The Fallen Lion	??	1,438,233,728
[10-45] Demons Among Us	113	2,301,174
[10-45] A Royal Audience	113	1,380,704,384
[1-70] The Great Gnomeregan Run	110	1,143,193,700
Stormwind Embassy	??	11,174,900

Notable appearances
Location	Level range	Health range
[10-50] The Battle for Lordaeron	??	10,224,000
Drustvar	120	17,344,400
[60] Mech versus Airship	120	4,336,100
Battle of Dazar'alor	??	33,996,940
High Tinker Mekkatorque (tactics)	??	LFR Scales Normal + Scales Heroic + Scales Mythic 111,187,630

Abilities[]

Tiragarde Sound

•  G6 Rockets!
•  Proto Layered Optimal Titan Armor — Mekkatorque is immune to damage.
•  Thunderclap — Inflicts Nature damage to nearby enemies and slows their movement by 25% for 8 sec.

Battle of Dazar'alor

Main article:High Tinker Mekkatorque (tactics)#Abilities

•  Life Support — Mekkatorque's robotic suit keeps him in a state of suspended animation.

Operation Gnomeregan

The subject of this section was removed fromWorld of Warcraft inpatch 4.0.1.

•  Bomb — Bombs all enemies in a selected area, inflicting Fire damage.
•  Goblin Dragon Gun — Deals 27 fire damage for 8 sec to all targets in a cone in front of the engineer using the weapon. That is unless it explodes.....
•  Mekkatorque-Cannon — Mekkatorque calls down a sat-strike, inflicting damage to an enemy.
•  Mekkatorque-Missiles
•  Mekkatorque-Ray — Mekkatorque fires his Mekkatorque-Ray, inflicting damage to targeted enemy and all nearby enemies.
•  Super Shrink Ray — Shrinks up to 10 enemies, reducing their attack power.

Quests[]

This section concerns content related toCataclysm.

•   [1-30] Meet the High Tinker
•   [1-30] The Fight Continues
•   [1-30] A Triumph of Gnomish Ingenuity
•   [1-30] One More Thing
•   [1-30] Crushcog's Minions

The subject of this section has been removed fromWorld of Warcraft.

•  [1-70] The Great Gnomeregan Run
•   [70] Ironforge

The subject of this section was removed fromWorld of Warcraft inpatch 4.0.3a but is present inClassic Era.

•  [35D] The Grand Betrayal

Operation Gnomeregan

•  [80] A Few Good Gnomes
•  [80] Words for Delivery
•  [75] Operation: Gnomeregan

Inventions[]

Gelbin Mekkatorque invented numerous gadgets, devices and machines:

• Mechanostrider
•  [Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor]
• Repair bot
• TheDeeprun Tram
• Prototype of the dwarvensiege engine^[3]
• High-Velocity Nostril Squeeges^[6]

Personality and traits[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

Gelbin Mekkatorque, before the fall of Gnomeregan, was the absolute peak of all things a Gnome could aspire to be, a brilliant tinker who invented countless wonderful inventions and a trusting friend who valued his fellow gnomes. After the fall of their city and the massive loss of gnome lives, Mekkatorque grew far wearier and consumed with guilt, as he felt it was his fault for trusting Sicco Thermaplug, his close friend, in his attempt to rid them of the Trogg problem plaguing the city. Guilt, and a desire to not be pitied by the dwarves who had taken them in, would plague Mekkatorque until Gnomeregan was assaulted by his forces. The lives lost still weighed heavily on his mind, despite systematically beginning to reclaim their home and his hope dimmed for the future, as the melancholy of his life before the fall of Gnomeregan clung to his heart and mind until Thermaplugg tried to kill him in his recently reclaimed quarters. During the fight, Mekkatroque regains his hope for the future and realizing that despite Thermaplug's betrayal, it had been because of his friends, the Alliance, and everyone's hard to work who had died in reclaiming the city for the sake of the Gnomes. Mekkatorque has now banished his inner demons, regaining his hope and belief that trust in his friends, will cause Gnomeregan to not only raise again but to be even better than it once was.^[22]

Aside from his own personal feelings, Mekkatorque is incredibly inventive, and quick-witted during a fight. Before becoming High Tinker, Mekkatorque invented an incredible amount of useful items, of which he believed would benefit all of Gnomekind. Above all, he exemplifies what is best in Gnomes, which is why he was elected to the position of High Tinker and is still a much-beloved leader amongst them, as he is creative, and compassionate. He is motivated by curiosity, inventiveness, and altruism. His biggest flaw is his own inability to properly deal with his emotions because he feels he must be a leader first and foremost, and be "Gelbin", second. For Mekkatorque, understanding the universal laws of the world and science is easier than understanding himself, but even then, he can come to learn and grow as a person given enough time and personal reflection. His friendships and responsibility to his people and the Alliance are what guide him as a person and as a leader.^[22]

Counting prime numbers is a way for him to relax his mind, as well as talking to himself - something he had refrained from doing after the fall of Gnomeregan.^[3]

Punctuality had never been one of Mekkatorque's strong suits, but he likes to keep track of time to know exactly how late he is going to be.^[46]

Sometimes he wields a weapon namedWrenchcalibur,^[12][47] while mostly he is armed with a shield and mace or fights in steam-powered armor.

Quotes[]

• "I trusted Thermaplugg. Never did I expect that he would betray us."^[48]
• "Once again, Gnomeregan will be our home!"^[49]
• "Aproperly accelerated gnome in battle is a thing of terrible beauty."^[50]

World of Warcraft[]

Mekkatorque's voice was changed in patch 3.3.3, as were his lines of dialogue.

Gossip

Welcome to Tinker Town!

Greeting

• I just love to tinker!
• Necessity is the firstcousin of invention.
• Welcome, friend!(Added in 3.3.3)
• Why hello there! How can I help?(Added in 3.3.3)
• Hello there! Welcome to Tinkertown.(Removed in 3.3.3)
• Any news from Gnomeregan?(Removed in 3.3.3)

Aggro

I won't stand for that!

Killing a player

Pick on someone your own size!

In Mechagon City[]

This section concerns content related toBattle for Azeroth.

Greeting

• Well, fancy seeing you here!
• Is there something on your mind?
• When in doubt, plan it out!
• There's always time to tinker!
• Got something to report?

Pissed

• There's a joke I COULD tell, but I'm still workshopping it!
• Watch it! Keep poking me, and I'll show you gnomercy! That's GNOME-mercy! Get it?!
• You make me regret ever LEAVING MY ESCAPE POD!

Farewell

• For Gnomeregan!
• Remember: Safety first!
• Perseverance is a true blueprint to success.
• I'm counting on you!
• Never reject an idea out of hand.

Brewfest speech[]

At 7:55:Ipfelkofer Ironkeg yells: In 20 minutes High Tinker Mekkatorque will tap the Brewfest Keg!

At 8:05:Ipfelkofer Ironkeg yells: In just 10 minutes High Tinker Mekkatorque will tap the Brewfest Keg!

Ten seconds left:Ipfelkofer Ironkeg yells: High Tinker Mekkatorque is on his way! The "Tapping of the Keg" ceremony will begin in a few minutes!

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: It's so good to seeing so many of you here to celebrate this time honored festivity. We've suffered many tragedies this year, so a celebration like Brewfest is a welcome and jubilous occasion.

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: Years ago, whenKing Magni approached me about these festivities I assured him that we gnomes could make Brewfest an event to remember. But Magni, knew that we gnomes had other tasks that we should focus on. He wanted to keep it simple and honor the past.

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: King Magni must have sensed some disappointment as he did allow a slight change. He allowed me a chance to tap the Brewfest Keg. I remember spending nights trying to figure out how to efficiently and quickly open the keg and distribute its contents such that all participants will receive equal parts quickly and efficiently.

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: With plans drawn up, I had my top men and women begin work on a machine to do that exact task! We had calculated down to the second how best to dist-

• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: BOOORING!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Speed it up, Tinker!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Drink, Tink! Drink, Tink! Drink, Tink!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Yak, yak! Let's get to the drinking!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Just tap the keg already!

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: Well... I guess that no one here is going to want to hear about the Keg Tapper prototypes 74205 and 75633... Maybe if I spoke about prototype 1701-D, you would get excited...

• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: BOOORING!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Speed it up, Tinker!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Drink, Tink! Drink, Tink! Drink, Tink!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Yak, yak! Let's get to the drinking!
• Maeeve Barleybrew yells: Just tap the keg already!

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: Right, right... So let's start the countdown from ten, ready? TEN!

Brewfest Crowd yells: FIVE!

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: Oh... okay, I'll just wait for zero then...

Brewfest Crowd yells: FOUR!

Brewfest Crowd yells: THREE!

Brewfest Crowd yells: TWO!

Brewfest Crowd yells: ONE!

Gelbin taps the keg.

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: The keg is tapped! Now I would like to propose a toast. Don't worry, I'll keep it short and sweet.

High Tinker Mekkatorque yells: Drink and be merry!

Operation: Gnomeregan[]

This section concerns content related toWrath of the Lich King.

At last it is time for the exiled gnomes to return.

Once again Gnomeregan will be our home!

 What is going on here?

The dwarves have kept us safe in their home for some time now, and for that we thank them. However, the traitorous Thermaplugg's occupation of our home must at last come to an end.

Gnomeregan has festered beneath the atomic weight of our ill-conceived plan for too long. The detonation of the radiation bombs drove us from our city, but now we possess the technology to take it back!

We will regain what is ours... and bring Thermaplugg to justice!

 What is your plan?

Operation: Gnomeregan is divided into a number of phases:

First, we must retake the air tower. This will allow our planes to give us air support as we move towards Gnomeregan's main entrance.

In addition, a cache of mechanized Battle Suits was discovered in one of the nearby buildings. Once we have those suits, our assault on the entrance should be unstoppable.

Then, we go straight for Thermaplugg in the heart of Gnomeregan!

Dialogue

Main article:Operation: Gnomeregan (quest)#Script event

New Tinkertown[]

This section concerns content related toCataclysm.

Operation: Gnomeregan was a success. Sure, that dastardly Thermaplugg had an unforeseen trick up his sleeve, but we have him on the run! It's only a matter of time before Gnomeregan is cleaned up and in our hands again!

Dialogue

Main article:The Fight Continues#Notes

Main article:Down with Crushcog!#Notes

Iceflow Lake[]

Gossip

Crushcog's defeat will send a powerful message to his master, Thermaplugg. The gnomes of Gnomeregan will not be stopped!

Siege of Orgrimmar[]

This section concerns content related toMists of Pandaria.

My expertise is needed elsewhere, heroes! When you see Garrosh, tell him he should've invested in gnomish technology!

Dialogue

Main article:Underhold Nexus#Quotes

Main article:Garrosh Hellscream (tactics)#Quotes

Legion[]

This section concerns content related toLegion.

Main article:The Battle for Broken Shore (Alliance)#Notes

Stormwind Embassy[]

The young king reminds me so much of his father. More than he realizes, I think.

He's the right person to lead this effort and bring new faces into the Alliance.

Battle for Azeroth[]

This section concerns content related toBattle for Azeroth.

Main article:The Battle for Lordaeron#Notes

Main article:Grong, the Revenant#Quotes

Main article:Grong, the Jungle Lord#Quotes

Main article:High Tinker Mekkatorque (tactics)#Quotes

Notes and trivia[]

• Gelbin was to appear in a scraped LegionfallMage Tower challenge for stealth classes assisting the heroes to take the army of Sicco Thermaplugg and the traitorous gnome himself.^[51]
• As ofBattle for Azeroth, Mekkatorque is one of the four surviving Alliance rulers from the Second War, the others being KingMagni Bronzebeard (who was petrified during the events of "The Shattering", but has returned as a crystalline herald for Azeroth),Kurdran Wildhammer of theWildhammer clan and KingGenn Greymane of Gilneas; KingTerenas of Lordaeron, KingThoras Trollbane of Stromgarde,Admiral Proudmoore of Kul Tiras,Lord Perenolde of Alterac,Antonidas of Dalaran, KingAnasterian Sunstrider of Quel'Thalas and KingVarian Wrynn of Stormwind have all died (all murdered with the exception of Perenolde, who died in prison) in the interim, though Trollbane was raised years later as adeath knight to be aHorseman of theKnights of the Ebon Blade.
• Apparently he is an excellent harmonica player.^[52]
• InWorld of Warcraft, Gelbin Mekkatorque is a few inches taller than other gnomes.
• Engineer "Spark" Overgrind bore the title "Envoy of Mekkatorque".
• Despite not being aleper gnome, Gelbin is often derailed byJastor Gallywix as being a "radioactive dimwit"^[53] or a "radioactive freak".^[54] Gallywix otherwise also refer to him as Mekko.^[35]
• High Tinker is an elected position, though the rulers are allowed to choose grand titles for themselves. Gelbin calls himself "King of Gnomes", which oddly seems to mirror Sicco Thermaplugg's self-styled title of "King of Gnomeregan", which was an act of egotism on his part. He does, however, unlike Thermaplugg, acknowledge that he doesn't actually hold any legal authority.^[55]
• When heading to tap the keg atBrewfest each year, Mekkatorque rides a whitemechanostrider resembling a [White Mechanostrider Mod B]. DuringOperation: Gnomeregan and theSiege of Orgrimmar, he instead rides a blue mechanostrider simply known asMekkatorque's Mechanostrider, which can also be found near his tent in New Tinkertown.
• During Operation: Gnomeregan Mekkatorque says "IT'S A TRAP! That's a fully functional irradiator!" which is a reference toStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi where Admiral Ackbar yells "It's a trap!" after discovering that the second Death Star is functional and that they've been lead into a trap.
• The Spark Reactor is an obvious reference to the arc reactor created by Marvel Comic's Tony Stark/Iron Man.
• Gelbin andVol'jin, the Darkspear leader, share a number of odd similarities. Both of them were betrayed by a most trusted friend (Sicco/Zalazane), both were forced out of their homes, both lead a force to retake their homeland (Operation: Gnomeregan/Zalazane's Fall), duringBrewfest both of them rode out of their respective cities to the festival grounds at 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. each day for the ceremonial tapping of the keg, and prior to the Cataclysm they both were in another race's "capital" (Ironforge/Orgrimmar).
  • Furthermore, both Vol'jin and Gelbin are unattackable by members of the opposite faction, and are not part of the  [For the Horde!] or  [For the Alliance!] achievements respectively.
• In moments when Gelbin is overcome with feelings of distress, he calms himself by closing his eyes and counting prime numbers until the feelings retreat.^[3]
• The [Blue Punch Card] humorously says he wears night elf underwear.
• Strangely, Gelbin wasfriendly to Horde players frompatch 4.0.3a untilpatch 4.1.
•  [High Tinker Mekkatorque's Silver Coin] can be fished from theDalaran Fountain.
• Gelbin is voiced byDino Andrade.
• He appears in theWorld of Warcraft: Trading Card Game'sDrums of War set as well as theThrone of the Tides set.
• He appears asa legendary card inHearthstone. The golden version of the card is no longer obtainable and was rewarded to players who helped test the in-game store during the game's beta test. His flavor text reads:"He's the leader of the gnomes and an incredible inventor. He's getting better, too; He turns things into chickens WAY less than he used to."
• Hisgeneric name during [40-70] Ascension is Rustbolt Defender.

Gallery[]

World of Warcraft

• 
  Mekkatorque before patch 3.3.3.
• 
  High Tinker Mekkatorque inpatch 3.3.3, before patch 8.1.
• 
  Mekkatorque size comparison.
• 
  Gelbin in his suit, in theStormwind Embassy.
• 
  Alpha model.

Art

• 
  Gelbin byWei Wang.
• 
  On theWorldbreaker TCG expansion art.
• 
  Mekkatorque, King of the Gnomes, in theTCG.
• 
  Gelbin in the patch 8.1 key art.

Other

• 
  Unused model forHeroes of the Storm.

Videos[]

• The Story of Gelbin Mekkatorque
• Seeking Fate
• Battle for the Broken Shore finale (Alliance)

Patch changes[]

• Patch 8.1.0 (2018-12-11): New model.
  
• Patch 8.0.1 (2018-07-17): Level updated to 120.
  
• Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Level updated to 110.
  
• Patch 6.0.2 (2014-10-14): Level updated to 100.
  
• Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): Level updated to 90.
  
• Patch 4.1.0 (2011-04-26): No longer friendly to Horde players.
  
• Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23):
  • Moved to Gnomeregan.
  • Updated for level 85.
    
• Patch 3.3.3 (2010-03-23): New model and voice lines.
  
• Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Level updated to 80.
  
• Patch 2.0.1 (2006-12-05): Level updated to 70.
  
• Patch 1.7.0 (2005-09-13): Racial leaders have been made stronger and are now worth slightly less Honor.
  

See also[]

• Mekkatorque's Escape Pod
• Mekkatorque's Secret
• Image of High Tinker Mekkatorque

References[]

External links[]

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