Socialist League of Sorrenia

Socialist League of Sorrenia
Leader	Adam Scargill
Ideology	• Republicanism  • Socialism  • Left-wing Nationalism
Colours	Maroon
Country	Sorrenia

History

War of the Sorrenian Succession

Two years after the dissolution of the Sorrenian Federation, several disparate groups began to form, with the intention of ousting State troops and reconstituting a socialist state in Sorrenia.

Over time, organisational leadership began to orient itself around Bowburn, which was traditionally a hotbed of socialist support, and retained organisational and media infrastructure. In turn, the leader of the Bowburn Workers Council, Adam Scargill, gradually assumed de facto leadership of the League.

The League met with initial success, routing the small State garrison, following this up with the successful conquest of Durham, and Sorrenia's traditional capital of Levaria. As this occurred however, those opposed to a return to socialism began to organise in the north and north-west. A varied group of monarchists, conservatives, and centrists, they came under the control of King Ronald.

After shoring up his support, Ronald attacked the Bernician contingent of the Socialist League, seizing their coveted store of armaments, and over time, the Royalists pushed the League out of Levaria, Durham, and eventually Bowburn.

Retreat to Horden

Their defeat in Bowburn led to a general route to Horden, led by Scargill. The Sherburn Workers Council however, led by Harold Wanton, secured an amnesty deal with the Royalists, and peacefully acquiesced. This embarrassing defeat was compounded by the 'Horden Carnage', in which Dradelian troops almost wiped out the League, along with the Haswell Plough Workers Council, who betrayed Scargill and joined the Dradelians.

Though dramatically weakened, Scargill and his followers were able to recuperate, and assumed de facto control over the pit village of Horden. Aware that a quick defeat of the Royalists was now impossible, he set about defending what he now held, and declared the People's Republic of Horden.

Though still angered by the Dradelian attack, and betrayal of his Dradelian allies, Scargill secured an alliance with the Dradelian Revolutionary Front, an armed nationalist organisation in Easington, to Horden's north.

Current Operations: April 2018 -

Scargill has managed to retain power in Horden, though has been unable to expand into larger nearby settlements, such as Peterlee. Along with the Dradelian Revolutionary Front, the Socialist League conducts operations within the county of Dradelia, including raids on government bases, and attacks on their patrols. As a result, Scargill has been able to secure almost unchallenged control over Horden.

Along with this, the League was able to take over the B1283 road, connecting Horden to Easington Colliery (the latter under DRF control). With this, the League has been able to coordinate effectively with DRF rebels.

At several points, government forces have negotiated truces with the Socialist League, only for them to be broken by both sides. Phillip Pompeia began notorious for breaking his own government's truces, and was eventually recalled from the Horden front. Peace talks consisted of several meetings in Easington, with shared talks between the government, the DRF, and the League.

Though at several points peace seemed immanent, the League and DRF always ultimately pulled out, leading to a continuation of the conflict.

Workers Councils

Bowburn

The Bowburn Workers Council comprised the majority of the Socialist League; Bowburn had historically been an epicentre of left-wing support, and as such, housed a significant infrastructural network in the form of left-wing organisations and media outlets.

The BWC was the first to call for a restoration of the Sorrenian Federation, and quickly ousted the small fascist contingent stationed in the town. As its leader, Adam Scargill quickly emerged as a new leading figure in left-wing Sorrenian politics.

Throughout the War of the Sorrenian Succession, the BWC took on organisational duties, and over the several days of fighting, centred greater political control in Bowburn. Upon their defeat in Levaria, the various workers councils all retreated to Bowburn, further centralising command in Scargill's hands.

However, after a failed siege of Durham from the south, and several more hours of fighting, the Socialist League was defeated; the BWC followed Scargill and retreated, along with the Horden Workers Council, to Dradelia, which thus far had avoided conflict.

Despite his previously unquestioned leadership, Scargill was challenged by Harold Wanton, leader of the Sherburn Workers Council, who returned to his own village and accepted an amnesty deal. Though ousted from Bowburn, the BWC remains among the most loyal followers of Scargill, and continue to agitate for socialist rule in Horden.

Sherburn

Sherburn was quick to join the Socialist League after Scargill's declaration, and amassed a considerable following, both from Sherburn Village itself, and several other surrounding villages. Harold Wanton was elected leader of the SWC, and quickly established communication links with Scargill; though initially independent administratively, the need for a shared strategy quickly led to Wanton submitting himself to Scargill, as the de facto leader of the whole Socialist League.

The SWC was instrumental in seizing Levaria, after they entered Durham from the east and aided the tired Bowburn fighters. However, along with the other members of the Socialist League, they were eventually routed from Durham and retreated to Bowburn.

Here, Wanton spoke to several leading members of the SWC and agreed that amnesty was a desirable outcome, allowing them to work for change from within the now-monarchist Sorrenian system. This agreement was struck between Wanton and the King, leading to a mass abandonment of the Socialist League by the Sherburn fighters, as those who remained loyal to Scargill retreated to Horden.

Though The Republicans (headed by Wanton) reportedly maintains communication with the Socialist League, it is believed that Scargill remains incensed by this supposed betrayal, forcing communication to go through intermediary figures within the People's Pravda.

As the largest body of leftists now remaining in Sorrenia, Wanton and the SWC formed 'The Republicans', Sorrenia's leading left-wing party. They also assumed control of much of the organisational infrastructure in Bowburn, including the media network. However, as Sorrenia grew with the Great Expansion, the relative power of the SWC shrunk, now outnumbered by figures from Newcastle, Sunderland, Hortania, and other locations.

Haswell Plough

In the several years of hiatus within Sorrenia, Dradelia had declared independence; there were however those within Dradelia who sought to restore socialism in the region. Several days after Scargill's declaration, a contingent of socialists from Haswell Plough travelled to Durham, and aided him in taking the historic capital of Levaria. Unlike most other workers councils, the HPWC had no single leader.

Though relatively small in number, the HPWC quickly became renowned for their large arsenal of weapons, which allowed the Socialist League to create a siege of Durham, though this eventually fell.

The HPWC, along with Scargill, retreated to Horden in Dradelia, rejecting the idea of amnesty. However, Scargill's taking of Horden angered the Dradelians, leading to a sudden attack from the north. The HPWC in turn betrayed Scargill, joining the Dradelians and almost completely destroying the Socialist League.

The sudden invasion of Dradelia by the monarchists led to a retreat by the Dradelian National Army and the HPWC; after their eventual defeat, the Council disbanded and returned to Haswell Plough. There remains rumours however that members of the Council eventually joined the Dradelian Revolutionary Front, an organisation using both political and armed means to secure Dradelian independence.

Others

Other fighters for the League were sourced from many disparate groups, many of whom were small in number and lacked organisational cohesion. Of these groups, two were large enough to be called 'Workers Councils'.

The Bernician Workers Council was located in Chester-le-Street, and initially constituted a great prize for Scargill, as they possessed a significant number of weapons. However, the Bernicians were unable to meet up with their southern counterparts, and, separated, eventually surrendered to the superior monarchist forces.

The Levarian Workers Council was located in the old capital of Sorrenia; unlike most of the League, who retreated after their defeat at the hands of the monarchists, the Levarians remained in Durham, utilising guerrilla tactics to weaken the Royal Army, while the bulk of the League began a siege of Durham to the south. Upon Scargill's retreat to Horden and Wanton's amnesty deal, the LWC was disbanded.