History/2008

This is a list of historical events that happened on Shartak during 2008.

January

• The Durham Crisis begins and ends, resulting in the destruction of the Durham Pistoleers. Guerilla warfare around Creedy continues between Commonwealth forces and the 1st Colonial Militia for weeks.
• A democratic insurgency against the Royal Court of Greater Raktam reaches a crescendo in Raktam.
• Civil war ignites in Wiksik between the newly established Necromancer's Guild and its opponents.

February

• A regency is appointed over the Royal Court of Greater Raktam.

March

• The first Amazingly Great Shartak Race is organised by Johan Crichton and features contestants including Lama, Oktavius, SofaKing, Maximillion Pike and Jesus.
• Debates and an election are held in Durham. Ron Burgundy is elected Governor of Durham.
• Clans find a way to distribute news to their members.
• Easter Bunnies make a return to the Island, this time bringing eggs for people to find.
• Blue Hummingbird, Queen of the Royal Court of Greater Raktam, dies and appoints Sofaking as her successor.

April

• The Spring X-Game I - Durham competition begins in and around Durham.
• Oktavius wins the first Amazingly Great Shartak Race.
• War between the Kingdom of Skulls and the Eastern Federation over Midway Island is averted and the French population is transplated to Port Breton. Port Breton subsequently joins the Commonwealth with the Royal Court of Greater Raktam and the Independent Republic of Fort Creedy.
• The Commonwealth of the Royal Court of Greater Raktam, the Independent Republic of Fort Creedy and Port Breton enter into a non-aggression pact with Durham.

May

• Skull Face wins the Spring X-Game I.
• The notorious Wicksick Headhunters share their special knowledge of how to remove the heads of their foes and prepare them as trophies.
• The Pwotters arrive on Shartak.
• The 1st Colonial Militia war with the Eastern Federation.

June

• A grand combat is held on Unity Island.

July

• The Pwotters destroy York and kill all of its inhabitants, including the shaman and the trader. The Order of Patriots turn to their former enemies for assistance against the Pwotter horde. Most of the Pwotters leave Shartak before any meaningful counterattack can be made.

August

• 14th August 2008 - The ocean between the mainland and Rakmogak becomes passable again. Explorers arrive at Rakmogak and immediately come into conflict with the cannibals of the island.
• A new island is discovered off the coast of Derby by Raivo, and is called Arivo Island. A tunnel entrance leads into the extensive tunnel network extending under Shartak.
• Port Bristol, later re-named Bristol Yards, is established.
• Dappled Shadow assumed the title of "Empress of the Three Lands", declared Blahmicho as King of Greater Raktam in Sofaking's absence, and declares Black Fang, Grand Tyrant of the Kingdom of Skulls, a pretender to the throne of Wiksik. While assembling an army to march to Port Breton to reclaim for Wiksik the buffer zone negotiated between the Kingdom of Skulls and the Eastern Federation, Dappled Shadow suffered a head injury and disappeared. The relationship between the French at Port Breton, the Creedy Republic, and the Royal Court of Greater Raktam was threatened by claims that Dappled Shadow had declared war upon Derby.

September

• The Mercenary's Guild is reformed.
• The Raktam court room sees a succession of people sitting on the Royal Throne, including Head-Onna-Stick, the first puppet leader of Raktam, following the vanishing of Blahmicho.
• Sofaking returns to Raktam and reclaims his throne.
• After a peaceful and productive reign power is passed from Ron Burgundy to the newly elected DarkFerret.

October

• The Grand Tyrant, Black Fang of the Kingdom of Skulls dies, and is succeeded by Anthor, who proclaims himself the Avatar of the Kingdom of Skulls.
• The Greater Shartak Unification Coalition forms in Durham and York and sets out to invade the native settlements, beginning with Wiksik.
• Fungi are discovered in the tunnels beneath the island.
• The Pirate High Command is established.
• Rakmogak cannibals raid Derby.

November

• The Independent Republic of Fort Creedy is invaded and seized by the 1st Colonial Militia and /zom/. New names are proposed for the location of at first Hades Hope and then Great Southall, with Solemn appointed governor. The Republic's ally, the Royal Court of Greater Raktam is simultaneously besieged by the GSUC. Over the course of the month, /zom/ and the Durham-based Machitty clan come into conflict and the situation becomes an ongoing guerrilla war when members of the Republic return to the ruins.
• Templar Bank ceases trading.

December

• The battle over the ruins known known as Fort Creedy or Great Southall continues. By the end of December the squabbling over who (if anyone) has actually won continues with no resolution in sight. The year ends as it began with guerilla warfare as Creedy and Zom forces clash with GSUC and the 1st Colonial Militia.

• Raktam was repeatedly raided by the Greater Shartak Unification Coalition, with substantial casualties to both sides including many non-combatants. By early December the GSUC finally withdrew, proclaiming victory: the claim to victory was equally shared by the Royal Court of Greater Raktam who said they successfully repelled the assault.

• The Battle of the Crazy Falls took place between various factions of natives and outsiders. Divine intervention in the form of bolts of lightning against various outsiders who attacked prior to the starting time of the battle resulted in a conclusive native victory, claimed jointly by the Kingdom of Skulls and the Royal Court of Greater Raktam. Eyes of a Hawk won 5,000 gold coins in prize money as a consequence of killing three opponents in the battle (a distinction equaled by Frodor), and was proclaimed champion of the battle. Erstwhile native empress Dappled Shadow died a permanent death during the battle, apparently assassinated on contract by Rex Feral.

• Santa appeared at his grotto again, dispensing gold and items to those who have been both bad and good. Santa died seven times during the holiday period, somewhat less than the Yuletide gorefest of 2007. This is due to the fact that the the Rakmogaki Collective intervened in the Grotto, slaying anyone who threatened the Big Fat Red Saint. A large concentration of spirits also led to the slaughter.

• The Bone Gnawers Clan repeatedly raided Derby, prompting intervention by the Greater Shartak Unification Coalition.

• The First Annual Pirate High Command Christmas Party and Rumfest at the Hanged Misfit pub in Derby attracted strong crowds of holiday-makers. Violence was remarkably subdued.

• The Botheringham FC Supporters' Club Club House becomes the first fully-customized hut, internally and externally, based in York.