History/2008

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

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 assumes the title of "Empress of the Three Lands", appoints Blahminco 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 suffers a head injury and disappears. Relationships between the French at Port Breton, the Creedy Republic, and the Royal Court of Greater Raktam deteriorate following claims that Dappled Shadow has 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.

October

• Black Fang dies, and is replaced as Grand Tyrant of the Kingdom of Skulls by Anthor.
• 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/, in a relatively bloodless assault. It is re-named Great Southall, and Solemn is 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 Derby-based Italian clan known as the Machettys come into conflict over the ruins, and the tensions are further inflamed when members of the Republic repeatedly seize back the ruins.
• Templar Bank ceases trading.

December

• The battle over the ruins known as Great Southall or Fort Creedy continued and eventually subsided. Solemn's position as governor evaporated as his support from parties other than /zom/ is withdrawn and Lukas Alexander appoints himself governor. By the end of December the Machettys and their allies appeared to have successfully occupied the ruins under the banner of "Great Southall", although it was not clear who is in charge.

• Raktam was repeatedly and ruinously 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 5000 gold coins in prize money as a consequence of killing three opponents in the battle (a distinction equalled by Kingdom of Skulls leader Anthor), 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.

• Rakmogak cannibals apparently acting in concert 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.