Guide to Towns

Currency of information

This information was current when the guide was written. However, those reading in 2009 should note that this is over a year old.

Derby Evening Press's Guide to Towns

So you know you want to visit the island, but you aren't sure what town is for you. The Derby Evening Press has compiled a quick reference for towns and their cultures so that you can better decide what town is best for you. Already have a town, but looking for a good group to join? Read the DEP's Guide to Clans.

Native Towns

Raktam

Raktam's relative isolation from outsiders has allowed it to develop futher than its sister settlements. Raktam was once controlled by the powerful Raktamites. Since their decline into obscurity, many Raktam natives are now flocking to the Royal Court of Greater Raktam, the sole native geopolitical power of significance, in commonwealth with the Independent Republic of Fort Creedy. Ruled by its queen, Raktam is becoming a power to be reckoned with.

Wiksik

Wiksik is a non-entity in Shartak politics. Wiksikians who gain prominence typically do so in a manner unrelated to their town. Wiksik is the most mystically-inclined of the native villages. The Wiksik-based Necromancers' Guild urges its members to listen to the ancestors' cries, using their healing arts to cure ailments resulting from the practice. Exorcists find themselves unwelcome in Wiksik, in contrast to other towns, where a peaceful exorcist will find protection from even outsider police forces. Wiksik is occassionally confused with the WickSick Headhunters, the infamous but unconnected native warrior group.

Dalpok

The only native town west of Mt. Shartak, Dalpok has the misfortune of being close to both the shipwreck and York, the two largest hostile population centers on Shartak. As a result, Dalpok has been ravaged again and again by raiders. This has resulted in the town's cultural development being stunted. Only recently, with the rise of the Dalpok Liberation Front, has Dalpok begun to move beyond its status as a helpless victim, although the loss at the Battle of Archer's Pool was a setback for the village.

Outsider Towns

Derby

Derby was once isolated and backwater, completely irrelevant in Shartak politics. Since the rise of the relatively large and well-organized Eastern Federation, this town has arguably become the center of outsider culture on Shartak. The town has gained a reputation for balancing diplomacy and force. Derby hosts the sole active educational institution on Shartak, along with the most popular running newspaper, the Derby Evening Press, sponsor of this publication.

York

The central outsider town, York is the second-largest population center on Shartak. While its location makes it a popular destination for traders and explorers, it is an equally popular destination for invading forces of pirates, natives, and rogue outsiders. York has suffered multiple invasions in its brief history, more than the other two settlements combined. As a result, York clans such as the York Coalition, the Colonial Police, and the 1st Colonial Militia are experienced fighters. However, the proliferation of clans in York means that internal strife is far more common than in their more unified sister cities.

Durham

Durham, the sleepy town on Shartak's western peninsula, is largely ignored in Shartak politics. This is intentional, as its residents, particularly its original defenders, the Durham Pistoleers, prefer sitting out the various conflicts that inflame Shartak on a regular basis. On the other hand, non-residents complain that it is so boring as to not be worth the considerable effort necessary to reach Durham.

Pirate Base

The Shipwreck

The most heavily populated base on Shartak, the Shipwreck is also possibly the most anarchic. While pirate clans appear and last for a time, they tend to be ignored by other pirates, who seem equally happy to kill natives, outsiders, or each other. While many pirates are honorable or peaceful, the actions of the worst pirates have turned much of Shartak against shipwreck residents. Non-pirates are advised to be very cautious about sleeping on land or within the ship, and pirates should be wary outside of their home.