Christian Zen

Christian Zen was a founding father of Akarv, serving the nation as its first Vice President under Adam Akarvon and its second President. Despite being the nations second president Zen is usually associated with establishing many of the departments and policies that would come to define modern Akarv.
As a member of the Cult of Inversion Christian Zen was aware of the motivation behind the Voldranian exodus, and was one of Adam Akarvon's closest allies even before they were elected to the positions of President and Vice President. When they were elected Zen largely took a back seat approach, allowing Akarvon to be the face of the nation while he worked behind the scenes to do whatever Akarvon could not.
Despite his relative public silence, Zen became recognized across the region as a pivotal part of the government and a key ally of Akarvon's. This acknowledgement and his association with Akarvon led to his winning the presidency in 8 AE after Akarvon made the decision to step down.
Akarvon is praised even in modern times as Akarv's founder and a pivotal leader in establishing the basis for a stable civilization in a virgin land, but his administration was objectively chaotic and unorganized, due to the prioritization of survival over expansion. By the time Zen took office most people had settled into their new lives and survival was no long a pressing concern, and more and more people started to look towards the government and how it could help the new nation grow. As the nations new leader, Zen spearheaded the effort to better organize Akarv and its government.
Zen's first act as President was to legitimize the militia established by Akarvon, laying the groundwork for Akarv's formal military with the help of Lurvanian Military Commander Isabel Corinna. Even though there were no real threats to justify a large, formal military Zen saw it as necessary, in part to prevent another Ghern crisis and also to prepare Akarv for a theoretical Void Devourer attack.
By the end of his first term Zen and his political allies had fully established the Akarvian Senate, a body of government responsible for representing the people more directly that had the exclusive ability to draft new laws. Zen easily won reelection in 12 AE, and continued to spend the next four years strengthening the Senate and Military's legitimacy, while also laying the framework for the nations court system, including its High Court. By the end of Zen's presidency in 16 AE the nations three bodies of government had taken form, and department heads had been appointed to oversee several of the important aspects of day to day life in the nation.
Zen left office after his second term, much like Akarvon, and settled down in Akarv City. He allowed his successor, Niles Karav, to fully take over and within a few years he had fully disappeared from the public eye. He enjoyed a brief, peaceful retirement as the nation continued to expand, but in May of 25 AE he suddenly passed away under mysterious circumstances. When his association with the Cult of Inversion was discovered decades later his cause of death was determined to have been suicide, something common among members of the cult.
Category:Voldranians Category:Characters Category:Akarvians Category:Politicians Category:Leaders Category:Deceased