York Christmas Truce

In the year of our Lord, --06, the Christmas season came to the island of Shartak. Many people could not decide what to do for that year. Some went gallivanting off to the mountains to find the rumoured Father Christmas and his elves. But there were those who had decided not to go. Some didn't like the mountains, some had other circumstances and the rest of us whined at the fact that we can't get new weapons but we can get a new NPC. (To this, the reply was: It could be worse. In the distant future there will be be a zombie apocalypse, and all they got was to cut trees down and put lights up. Several centuries from now, they'll have been waiting for a new gun for two years.) Others had already been up to Santa, gotten their gift, and soon thereafter died from spirit wailings so were back in town after revival.

Lo though, for the season of good will was around still. Famed pub landlord czech1, in conjunction with the Colonial Police, agreed to open his bar to one and all through the season. The days leading up to celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour the CP proclaimed an open period. Any previous criminals were allowed once more to enter the great city of York. And thus, they came. On top of the regulars who rarely leave the vicinity of the bar, also present were numerous criminals-outlaws-and-vagabonds, many regular citizens, and most interesting of all, an assortment of otherwise (sometimes bitter) enemies: friendly shamans and crazed anti-native extremists breaking bread, Patriots and pirates not gutting each other with rusty knives on sight, MG gang members and Police officers not attacking or insulting each other (too much), Protestants and Catholics not shooting at each other and crying elaborate religious slogans at each other constantly, and an alligator that nobody ever quite worked where its origin was all came. What began was the most shockingly peaceful period of York's history. It was peaceful, as everybody was in the famed czech1's bar, drinking and celebrating, laughing and playing music and dancing and telling jokes, all the days and nights, starting around 20th of December. Finally, the big day (Dec 25) came, and all the celebrators ate drank and were merry. The next day, instead of hot lead and cold steel, the spirit of the season miraculously persisted, and people instead gave one another more drinks, FAK's and gold, more beer and rum, and some recently-procured alligator meat was passed around.

On Boxing Day, many of the more thoughtful ones (read: sober) realized that this truce could continue to the beginning of the year of our Lord, --07. And so, the partying and the general truce continued. Czechy tried to clean up the continuing mess, but it was useless with all the beer and rum and alligator meat. New Year's Eve finally came, much to Czech's relief, as he was running out of furniture. Shockingly, large amounts of drink, and a parrot, were consumed that night.

Nobody who took part in that incredible period of peace in which fanatical enemies and criminals from across the land united in an extended peaceful gathering, will forget that event. Or the fact that by end of January 1st, the bloodshed had sure enough begun once more, as MG leader The Malice stole CP Leader Kjendlie's last pint of vodka, and thus, the 4th invasion of York began. (Or so the barflies in Czechy's would tell it.)

This is a historical article, describing a past event or events that occurred on Shartak.