What is Shartak?
1.
A massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set on a mysterious island (named Shartak). Natives and outsiders hunt and explore, war against other clans, and when not slaying pirates or tigers, players can search for weapons, items, berries, herbs, etc.
Shartak is free-to-play and completely browser-based - there are a few things different about the Shartak experience that are unique and completely different than common MMORPGs. One such example is the simple browser-based graphics, which may take several days to get used to, along with the simple interface of limited moves. (There is not in-game chat, although there are clan news-blasts, and an IRC channel.)
Meta-gaming is a huge component of Shartak.
For new players who have a hard time figuring out the limited Action Point system (limits your moves per day), there are the official Shartak Forums and Shartak Wiki, which are extremely active, and mostly populated by the players themselves. The forums are split into two sections: in-character and not-in-character.
Creativity is rampant, and while most characters have clever names of pirates, explorers, warriors, soldiers, shamans, villagers, scouts, etc... there are one or two colorful characters who have assumed cross-dressers as their in-game persona.
The players actually write the ongoing stories of the game, based on the foundation of Shartak's structures. This game has very free-flowing game-play, and involves lots of strategy, inanity, fun, and self-reliance.
While the entire community of active players is easily over 900, new players are welcome to participate (if not encouraged to impact) the meta-gaming aspect of the game.
Past issues of Shartak Newsletters can be found on the wiki, and politics (ranging regularly, from self-declared Queens, to Cheiftains overthrowing other villages, and to Shaman healers being assassinated) can be followed or learned on the forums.
BASIC STORY: For several hundred years the island of Shartak has been populated by three native tribes from the villages Dalpok, Raktam and Wiksik. More frequently in recent weeks, strangers known to the natives as "outsiders" are appearing on their island wearing odd looking clothes and carrying flashing boxes and loud sticks.
Initially the strangers kept to the coastline and out of the jungle, but now they're getting adventurous and heading inland towards the villages. It won't be long before they stumble across the villages and learn of the treasures of the tribal ancestors.
"I'm going to Mount Shartak to search for Shargle eggs, then next week I'm going to assassinate all the roaming Shamans, before the head-hunting competition..."
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