Graz Eldar

Graz Eldar was an Akarvian politician and the "Second founder" of the nation, serving as its first President and leader during its reformation in New Voldrania. Internationally many in New Voldrania consider him the nations primary leader, and domestically he is considered to be Adam Pyro's biggest political rival.
==Personal History==
Eldar was born in 14 AE in Akarv City to wealthy parents. Both had been political advisors in the Old World run out by the constant warfare, so Eldar grew up surrounded by politics and political figures. So it was that in 32 AE, at the age of 18, Eldar ran for public office with no experience or organized support. He lost without a contest and determined to abandon his political ambitions after such a humiliating defeat.
Fortunately for Eldar his family had been long time friends of former Akarvian president Niles Karav, who inspired Eldar to pick himself up, dust himself off, and get back out in the field. With Karav's backing Eldar was able to win a Senatorial election in 34 AE. The position lasted only a single term, as Eldar would face defeat yet again in 38 AE when a much more popular candidate beat him out. Eldar's actions while in the Senate did not go unnoticed, and early in 39 AE President Gordon Hull urged for Eldar to be instated as ambassador to Fallnavor.
Eldar would spend about the next four years of his career traveling between Akarv and Fallnavor, serving as the nations primary diplomatic bridge. Relations between the two nations had never been particularly strong, but Eldar was able to strengthen their bonds until they once again collapsed with the passing of the Akarv-Fhia War. At the end of 42 AE, as the war was just beginning, Eldar was reassigned from Fallnavorian ambassador to Council Representative by President Alan Fruith. Ironically, Eldar would go on to represent Akarv's interests when the Council intervened in the Akarv-Fhia War in 44 AE.
During his years as Council Representative Eldar became widely recognized as one of Akarv's top diplomatic figures; Akarv's voice to the rest of the world. This earned him massive popularity and recognition, but it also came with its fair share of skepticism. After five years as Representative he retired in 47 AE with the goal of pursuing higher office.
In 48 AE Eldar utilized his newfound popularity to run for the Presidency of Akarv. He found himself competing against fellow Populous Party member Jeffery Michaels, the current Vice President, for their parties nomination. Eldar remained confident he could win over Michaels, but in the end the members of the Populous Party voted to support the Vice President over the former Representative, thus eliminating Eldar's chances of winning the Presidency. Michaels would go on to win the primary election, but Eldar was once again faced with a crushing political defeat, and allowed himself to fall out of the public eye for the duration of his opponents term.
To Eldar's joy, many eventually came to regret their decision to nominate Michaels. He had misread isolationist desires and had gone so far as to completely ignore requests for international aid by the Eirros settlement. A series of errors made in poor judgement left many wishing Eldar had been their candidate over Michaels. While this worked to repair Eldar's ego it was not enough to get him to run for the Presidency a second time. In 52 AE he was shocked to find that a young and inexperienced politician, much like he had been, had gone to win the Presidency. The new President, Adam Pyro, was quick to bash heads with the rapidly growing ego of Fallnavor, and so he reached out to Eldar for diplomatic assistance. In 53 AE Eldar suddenly found himself in the position as Head of International Affairs right in the midst of the Near War.
Pyro and Eldar worked closely throughout the former's eight year term as President, and infamously did not get along. Pyro often accused Eldar of being a stuck up grouch too strict in his views, while Eldar saw Pyro as inexperienced, immature, and very rash in his decision making process. Despite their rapidly growing rivalry the two couldn't be closer allies, and despite their rhetoric they respected the decisions of the other. It was through their combined leadership that Akarv was able to hold strong through the Near War, and Eldar played a major role in building Akarv's alliances during the whole ordeal. In 56 AE Eldar was approached by Yoren, who informed him of Fallnavor's planned Council coup. While Pyro would ultimately publically call Fallnavor's rule out on the plot, Eldar was instrumental in handling the information. In the end the Near War never escalated to combat and the bond between the two politicians was cemented.
Despite wanting to run for the Presidency in 56 AE Eldar abstained, he acknowledged Pyro's strength in leadership during the Near War and did not want to challenge the Governments consistency with signs of the Ghernian War brewing. In the time between James Navor II's instatement and the Ghernian War Eldar spent almost all of his time establishing relations with the new Fallnavorian government, forming to closest bond the two nations had ever experienced. He had effectively done what he had failed to do as ambassador and made Fallnavor an ally to Akarv. This relationship held strong as the Ghernian War commenced, and the two nations worked closely together to combat Tripoly and Tedre's aggression.
By 59 AE Eldar had already made plans to run for the Presidency, having experienced a surge in popularity due to his proximity to Pyro. When the Fall of Voldrania occurred in 60 AE Eldar remained determined, and was one of the largest proponents of the nation doing everything it could to maintain its identity, which included going ahead with the regularly scheduled election. It took until the refugees arrived in New Voldrania to tall the votes, but when it was all said and done Eldar was determined to be the tenth President of Akarv, and the first in the new world.
Much like Adam Akarvon sixty years prior, much of Eldar's presidency was defined by settlement and construction. The government was quickly reestablished, as the framework already existed, and so there was an effective body of leadership to help the nation rebuild itself. Eldar also made an active effort to reach out to New Voldrania's pre-existing nations, and in 63 AE confirmed Akarv's entry into the newly formed "EVAIN" alliance. Much to the nations collective frustration, a second Near War had broken out between Akarv, backed by EVAIN, and the members of the Western Accord alliance, formed by former rivals of Akarv to control the Council. Tensions would never reach the same levels as they did in the 50s, but many found it funny that Presidents Eldar and Pyro both dealt with similar crisis' during their first terms, and each had the other as their top diplomat.
Eldar remained wildly popular throughout his first term, being heiled as the leader who refounded Akarv, and prevented it from succumbing to chaos and disaster. But his second term would see his popularity dive, due largely to how he handled the politics concerning the Namessian Islands. Through the early 60s it became increasingly evident that political extremist Vala Khan had been causing strike in the islands between Akarv and Jados, and many had grown concerned over how much support she had garnered. Eldar consistently wrote her and her supporters off, even when Pyro himself tried to warn him. At the end of 66 AE Khan and her supporters announced that they had successfully gained enough Council votes for national recognition, declaring the islands as the new nation of Namess.
Eldar immediately tried to combat this move made by Khan, but their independence had largely been achieved due to support from members of the Western Accord. Attemtping to retake the islands or delegitimize them could only result in a war between EVAIN and the Western Accord. In order to avoid war Eldar was forced to acknowledge the legitimacy of Namess as a nation, an act that was seen by many as Eldar giving in to the demands of power mongers like Khan, or enemies like the Western Accord. Even Pyro was skeptical on Eldar's decision, and for the next two years Eldar spent much of his time behind closed doors attempting to redeem himself. Pyro worked tirelessly to ease tensions in the region while Eldar continued to focus on domestic growth and stability, but the damage had already been done.
In 68 AE Eldar was at the end of his Presidency, and threw his support behind his Vice President Norman Grahck. Despite Grahck's popularity for his role in the Ghernian War his proximity to Eldar hurt his campaign, and so the Karavist candidate, Sarah Nass, won the election with Adam Pyro's backing. At 54 years old Eldar made the decision to officially retire from politics, ending a career spanning over 30 years.
Eldar spent the remainder of his life with his family in Alred City, watching silently as the world fell into and bounced back from the chaos of the Nether War. As time went on his reputation improved, and history saw him as the great leader in reestablishing the nation he had been originally. He was never able to escape his failure to prevent Namess' secession during his lifetime, though. On July 6, 88 AE, Eldar passed away in his sleep at the age of 74.
Category:New Voldranians Category:Voldranians Category:Characters Category:Akarvians Category:Politicians Category:Leaders Category:Deceased