Davard Callidax

Deputy for Shipping 2022

Deputy for Justice 2010-12

Deputy for Infrastructure 2008-10

**Davard Jon Callidax** is an Espaerian politician who has served as Sezir of Magnapor since 2022. A major figure in the city's politics, he served in various positions on the City Committee under the Sezirships of Immanuel Carpas and Martain Peck, most notably as Deputy for Planning. A member of the Prosperity Party, he has been Senator for Nasshai North in the St James Senate since 2011, and was Councillor for Galanside in the Magnapor City Council from 2003 to 2022.

## Life and career

Callidax was born in 1968 in Flumdos, to a comfortable background as the second son of Aderric Callidax, a leading Jamesian senator in the '60s and '70s. Aged 18, Davard attempted to enrol in the elite 22 Templars, following in the footsteps of his brother Ric, but was turned away on account of poor vision. He instead studied law at the University of Westleigh, graduating with distinction in 1991 to begin a career as a barrister initially in Westermere and then in Baxley.

Callidax returned to St James in 2002, arriving in Magnapor to serve as a lawyer in the Weeping Trials that brought down the New Vision Party government of George Valens. Callidax was prosecutor for the high-profile trial of Valens's Commerce Deputy Simeon Optis - after its successful conclusion, the 35-year-old lawyer, young and photogenic, made national headlines for his soundbite to the press: "Well, they say justice is blind, but today it most certainly isn't *Un*blind".

Off the back of the Weeping Trials, Callidax became renowned in the legal world, and considered going private. Yet, reportedly on the advice of his father, he instead opted to convert his spell of popularity in Magnapor into electoral fortune. He succeeded in this, being elected Councillor for Galanside in 2003 on a Prosperity Party ticket. Callidax's entry into city politics coincided with the entry into government of a shaky Coalition between the traditional rivals of the Prosperity Party and the Conservative Bloc; an alliance of convenience to squeeze out the NVP. Despite his complete political naivety, Callidax's background as a doughty, no-nonsense prosecutor against the NVP's highest made him an ideal figure for ministerial office. Far too green for a Deputyship, he was instead appointed the head of an 'Electoral Corruption Commission'.

Despite his inexperience, Callidax threw himself into his new position, and over the next few years would spearhead the effort by the coalition government to undo the damage to Magnapor's electoral institutions wrought by Valens's administration. A surely meteoric rise up the ranks of government was only stunted by the power of the Conservative Bloc in the coalition, who were ever-reluctant to cede high positions to skilled Prosperity Party councillors. In 2006, Callidax was appointed Second-Deputy for Justice under Martain Peck, beginning a close partnership between the two men that would continue through the decade.

The success of the Prosperity Party in the 2007 City Council elections allowed them to form a government in their own right - Callidax initially remained in his position under Peck, but in 2008 was raised to the City Committee as Deputy for Infrastructure, tasked with managing Magnapor's transport networks. His appointment was part of a new initiative by the Prosperity Party to overhaul and reform the city's outdated road infrastructure, not addressed since major works in the 1970s. As the party's up-and-coming young politician, Callidax fit the bill nicely as a "fresh pair of eyes" to address the traffic gridlock issues. He proved a capable minister, yet also a steadily-disliked one as his road engineering projects caused mass disruption for weeks on end. A necessary hardship, as Callidax would argue, yet no less annoying and disruptive. "Blame Callidax" became a popular refrain amongst commuters late to work due to cancelled and delayed public transport. Especially contentious was large-scale maintenance to the Robert C. Mackenzie Bridge, that initially throttled traffic flow to a third of its capacity for three months, and then closed the bridge completely for a full year. Such an alarming timespan came about due to works overrunning into the winter and having to be postponed as a result - they were still ongoing when Callidax left the Infrastructure Department in 2010 to make his next leap up the levels of government.