Third Battle of York

Causes

The battle started when the Mercenary's Guild was hired to weed out the Order of Patriots by ex-member and co-founder Wojciech as he was leaving the island of Shartak. However, this crucial fact was not made known to the public until after the general killing had stopped.

York's Response

The Order of Patriots, an avowed enemy of the Guild, immediately put out a call to arms; the Colonial Police likewise called upon their allies for assistance. In response, the Pirate Hunters and Shartak Rebel Forces leapt into the fray. The Derby Hospitallers' assistance was requested, but no official response was ever made. A number of unaligned Yorkmen rushed to assist in the defense of their home, and the Royal Expedition declared its hospital in York to be safe haven for any non-combatants. At the end of the conflict, the Expedition joined the fight on the side of the Yorkmen.

The Northern Threat

The Jolly Roger Gang, at the guild's request, came down to join in what seemed like a full scale invasion, as did the Scurvy Crew of the Hell-born Strumpet. Both groups made it clear that their involvement was the result of persecution at the hands of the Order of Patriots and the Pirate Hunters. However, Tyler Whitney, captain of the Scurvy Crew, specified that his crew was to attack only members of the Order of Patriots and the Pirate Hunters. In contrast, the Jolly Roger Gang declared war against all of York.

The Battle

The battle was hard fought, with both sides claiming to have inflicted significant casualties upon the other. Both sides launched verbal broadsides at their opponents in an attempt to claim the moral high ground, and attempted peace negotiations between the various groups failed.

The Conclusion

In the end, the fighting simply wound down, coming to a halt. The Mercenary's Guild proclaimed that it had fulfilled its contract and departed, declaring victory; its opponents claimed that the mercenaries had actually been driven out. In the end, it is not clear who, if anyone, was victorious. If each side's reports are to be believed, the battle was costly for all involved.

Effects

The invasion of York brought on an even more furious anti-pirate and anti-mercenary sentiment in York, leading to a bitter hatred between quite a number of the larger groups of Shartak. Many now kill one another on sight, while the omnipresent authority figures of York are finally starting to ally against the common cause of pirates and mercenaries seeking to hunt in York. On the other hand, mercenaries and pirates are now forced into extreme caution if they wish to stop in York - or even if they just wish to pass through it. It is unlikely anyone anti-York or perceived to be so will make it even close to York without scarring.