Post by callmedelta on May 14, 2022 16:25:36 GMT -5
King Dante Emil Soleil Della Rosa II, King of Franerre
The Duelist King
Born: Astillia 23rd, 1899 in Pareau, La Metropole Barony.
Age: 31
King Dante Emil Soleil Della Rosa II, Sovereign of Franerre, Shield of Her People, Defender of the Foa Restoration and Mordred’s Revolution, is the 13th King of the Della Rosa line. A 31 year old man with above average height, a full head of black hair, striking blue eyes and a clean shaven chin, the King has reigned for nine years since his coronation in 1921. Before that, however, the King was simple Dante Della Rosa, third in line for the Franerri throne. The middle of five children, Leo Della Rosa, Toussaint Della Rosa, Nicholas Della Rosa, and Anne-Marie Della Rosa, the young Dante never expected to take the throne. Dante’s father, Louis Blanc Epsace Della Rosa VII, was expected to live for another thirty years by the time Dante was born, and either the charismatic Leo or the master of statecraft Toussaint would surely be on the throne. Leo died before he turned 18 due to an accident at sea, and Louis VII would die of a heart attack in 1913. That led to King Toussaint Nìnés Lune Della Rosa I being crowned. He would be struck by an assassin’s bullet soon after coronation, and though he would survive, Toussaint would be plagued by poor health until he died five years later.
During that time, all Dante had done were a few halfhearted attempts to learn how to rule, more concerned with his career as a duelist than being King. He’d never loved his studies that were meant to prepare him for the throne as a child, the sword seemingly the one thing he did care for. Still, Toussaint’s death and Dante’s coronation in 1921 did much to mature the 21 year old King. He settled down with Queen Jadwiga, a descendant of Lusantian colonists and the daughter of Franerre’s largest mining magnate, and quietly swept half a dozen royal bastards under the rug. He’s had two children, the eight year old Caden and two year old Catarina. But most importantly, Dante has dived into the duties of being King with a near-religious fervor. His rule hasn’t been perfect; the King’s refusal to address the alarming lack of safety in the Franerri mining industry directly led to the 1927 Franerri’s Miners’ Strike. The subsequent decision to use the army to quell the strike led to the National Unions of Franerre to the head of a coalition government which King Dante’s stubborn refusal to work with paralyzed the Franerri government for a year before the King apologized. Yet now, the King has risen from his stumbles, a more competent leader and a more humble man.
"Heavy is the head that bears the crown. Lord, do I know that statement well."
Julius Verenes,First Second Chamberman of the National Chamber
A New Generation of Franerri Politician
Age: 36
Born: Obsillia 17th 1895, in Valetence, Metropole Barony
Julius’ story is by no means a unique one in Franerre. His parents, once poor farmers in the countryside, emigrated to Valatence shortly before his birth to seek better fortunes in the city. All they found, however, were cramped and squalid living conditions, dangerous work environments, and poverty. The Democratic People's Party, in their uncontested rule of Franerri politics, only cared about industrialization and preserving their own power. With his natural charisma and oratory skill, Verenes would become a figurehead for the Franerri Worker’s Party, a grand coalition of fishers, factory workers, dockworkers, miners, and the poor tenant farmers who made up Franerre’s working class. The coalition would collapse soon after its first election victory in 1915 due to the attempted assassination of King Toussaint I by a radical communist. While the King would survive, the NUF’s government would not. Since that fateful day, many of the old guard and more radical elements of the party have been shunned away in an attempt to reinvent the party’s image. The culmination of this came when the party officially rebranded to the National Unions of Franerre (Syndicats Nationaux de Franerre), just in time for the 1927 Franerri Miners’ Strike and the army’s violent suppression of the strikers. The resulting backlash catapulted Julius to a narrow election victory in 1928. Since then, the SNF have made great strides despite the stubborn opposition they’ve faced: it’s now illegal to break strikes, a minimum wage has been instituted, and a women’s right to vote is nearly through the National Chamber. Despite that, industrialization has slowed, and the social programs envisioned by Julius just aren’t in the budget. The upcoming 1931 elections will show whether the SNF have done their job, or if 1928 was a fluke like 1915.
"Franerre asks much of her people. Why, then, can she not do much for us?"
Isaac Dufour Jr.,Second First Chamberman of the National Chamber
The Vanguard of Industrialisation and Aristocracy
Age: 64
Born: Fessera 7th, 1866 in Setange, Bordemer Barony
Isaac is one of a few in the government old enough to remember Mordred’s Revolution. On the eve of the Festival of Mordred in 1876, a festival on the Spring Equinox associated with the ancient Franerri pagan goddess of Mordred, massive protests broke out in all major cities over the unpopularity of the current Privy Chamber, one that Isaac Dufour Sr. just so happened to lead. The King aquised to the protesters and a democracy was established, though that just resulted in the Privy Chamber becoming the Democratic People’s Party (Parti Populaire Démocratique) of the new National Chamber. The PPD and the King were united on what Franerre’s course was: industrialize Franerre and protect the privileges of the old colonial nobility who helped fund said industrialization. Franerre needed guns, technology, and wealth, and this was the fastest course to gain all three. When his father retired in 1900, Isaac took over the reins of the party and kept along the same course. That lasted well for 15 years until the Franerri Worker’s Party delivered the PPD’s first ever electoral defeat. Dufour took it in stride, allying closely with the Lusatian Catholic church and making some concessions to the rural farmers to bring them back into the party line. Since then, Dufour has taken a much more keen interest in the rising opposition to the PPD’s rule, but even his measures couldn’t stop the election of the SNF in 1928. Since then, Dufour has worked tirelessly to subtly undermine the SNF in ways that won’t stall Franerre’s growth but will harm their popularity in the polls. Smear campaigns on SNF chambermen, under the table prodding and threats to influence certain votes, and more. Whether or not the underhanded tactics will beat the overt popularity of the SNF, only the 1931 elections will say.
“Factories, railways, docks and shipyards. That is what Franerre needs, and that is what I’ll give her.”
Lehran de Angelis, Director of the Fanerri Foreign Affairs Administration
The Black Songbird of Franerre
Born: Vaylien 29th, 1858 in Ceppo, Setange Barony
Age: 71
Description: A tall man with flowing black hair and a soothing voice, Lehran has served the past three kings of Franerre as their foreign minister beginning in 1888 with a wisdom beyond his years, though nowadays his age seems to have caught up to it. Long serving as a cool head compared to some of the more brash members of Franerre's government, especially early in his tenure, Lehran's main foreign policy strategy has been to cast Franerre's net as far as it can go in both trade and diplomacy. It's thanks to his efforts that Franerre can boast that she has embassies in most major countries across Ourhi, a matter especially controversial when it came to Ulster-Gaelia. On the domestic front, Lehran has been mostly quiet on the aspects of government not related to the FFAA, with the notable exception of women's rights. Long a proponent of them, even as far back as the beginning of his time in office, Lehran allowed women into Franerre's diplomatic corps and worked hard to clamp down on discrimination on the FFAA, an endeavor he's been largely successful in. As Lehran has aged, there has been talk on both sides of the political aisle wishing to replaced Lehran with someone younger, or at least get the man to designate a successor. Lehran has resisted every attempt so far, but the man grows older every day.
“I am simply a pragmatist who wishes the best for Franerre. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Phillipe Mesny, Director of the Franerri Foreign Affairs Administration
The Shadow of a Giant Looms Large
Born: Vaylien 29th, 1904 in Chevaliffre, Bromsole Barony
Age: 29
Description: One cannot talk about Phillipe Mesny without talking about his predecessor, Lehran de Angelis. After the latter's sudden cancer diagnosis on the eve of La Catastrophe, and in his already advanced age, Franerre's longest serving public servant finally retired, leaving Phillipe Mesny to be appointed in his place. Director de Angelis had kept the Foreign Affairs Administration a firmly neutral body in ever-polarizing partisan battle between the SNF and PPD, and so no one openly questioned his judgement when he said that Mesny was to be his preferred successor. But the details of Lehran's departure aren't the only reason his ghost still haunts the halls of the Administration. Lehran had only selected Mesny to be his successor nine months ago, and unfortunately left him in quite the bad spot, to put it mildly thrusting Mesny into a Franerre freshly scarred from the loss of Elenerre. Mesny certainly has his work cut out for him, unprepared and underqualified compared to the shadow of a giant he stands in.
The comparisons between the two directors are ones of absolute contrasts and parallels. Both men were born on the same day nearly 40 years apart. de Angelis was born of a minor noble family, while Mesny is the son of a poor farmer turned factory worker. Lehran was a calm soul, while Mesny is said to smoke a pack a day and start his mornings off with alternating champaign or coffee depending on the day. Lehran was the oldest man in the Franerri government, while Mesny is now the youngest. Both are quiet and calculated in business, but behind closed doors, Mesny is said to be rambunctious joker and swear like a sailor, actions that Lehran would only be caught doing when hell froze over. Lehran may have claimed to have been a pragmatist, but he always seemed to believe in the capability for diplomacy and peace to be the solutions to all of Franerre's problems, that the world was full of rational actors and violence was a last resort. Mesny's home village of Chevaliffre was lost in the Notch, only his aging mother the Battle of Elenerre while his father bled and died in its defense. Both believe that the diverse Administration Lehran cultivated is it's greatest strength, but Mesny seeks to go behind that diversity and give the Administration a unity in vision: cast the nets wide, but choose what gets hauled in carefully. Old friends have played their hand, potential friends still yet to have their chance. There will come a day when Franerre will reclaim what she has lost, and Mesny sees it as his job to make sure that Franerre has as many true friends standing by her on that day, ready to cross the Taln together.
"Venger La Catastrophe. Reconquérir La Elenerre. Faites votre part." - A personally signed note from Director Mesny, to new recruits into the Foreign Affairs Administration.
Sylvain Gautier, Minister of Commerce and Prosperity
A Worker's Minister
Born: Fessera 1st, 1893 in Alcasse, Marias Barony
Age: 36
Description: A blonde man with striking hazel eyes, early in his life Sylvain resolved to become a lawyer after seeing his father's fishing business nearly shut down by a fishing conglomerate trying to crush any competitors. Studying hard despite his lack of talent for the craft, Sylvain was granted a scholarship by the Royal Institute of Progress and sent to study at the University of Pareau to become a lawyer when he was 16. Despite this, Sylvain found that he had a natural talent for economics after taking a business course, and so he decided to blend his two loves by serving in the Ministry of Commerce and Prosperity. After graduating in 1917, Sylvain would enter into public service where he would work diligently for the next five years and slowly climb his way through the government ladder. His rise to prominence would halt in 1921 when the right-leaning Democratic People's Party was voted into power, conflicting with Sylvain's more left-wing beliefs. His fortunes would turn around six years later when the National Unions of Franerre won a plurality of seats in the 1928 elections and their preferred candidate for the Minister of Commerce and Prosperity had died of a sudden heart attack just shortly before the election, Sylvain being offered the position in his place. Since then, Sylvain has proudly presided over a growing economy with strong worker's rights, though he's always looking for ways to expand Franerre's prosperity.
“What’s the value in a ‘rich’ nation if the people do not share in the prosperity?”
Marc-Antoine de Leclair, Minister of Commerce and Prosperity
Mines. Factories. Progress. Prosperity.
Born: Mynti 12th, 1878 in Pareau, Metropole Barony.
Age: 54
Description: Dufour and Marc-Antoine are two of a kind, both sons raised in the halls of Franerri power. Sons of men inside the King’s old Privy Council before Mordred’s Revolution brought democracy. Sons of a shared vision for Franerre’s future. A vision of a strong, powerful, industrialized Franerre, with all the glory and prestige she had before colonization. For that vision to come to fruition, Franerre needs more money invested in factories, more in mines, and less in the few social programs the SNF managed to fund during their time in power. Marc-Antoine has been a loyal member of the PPD since it's inception, working his way up in the ranks of the Ministry of Commerce and Prosperity through his cunning mind and diligent work ethic, eventually reaching the head of the Ministry in 1920. During his term as Minister, he continued with the PPD's status quo; heavy subsidies for mines and factories, with some token subsidies to the poor rural farmers who still made up large portions of Franerre's economy and a large chunk of the PPD's electorate. Marc-Antoine enjoyed his three years off during the brief stint of SNF governance, but now that the PPD is back in control of the National Chamber, it’s time for his work to continue.
“There’s no room for ‘the common man’ in the game of nations.”
Nori Zelgius, Franerri Chief of Staff
The Shield of Franerre
Born: Vaylien 17th, 1890 in Saint-Calais, Bordemer Barony
Age: 39
Description: A tall, broad man with neatly-trimmed black hair, Nori Zelgius is the most powerful man in the Franerri Military. Enlisting in the Pinnola Pietra Officer Academy in Setange as soon as he turned eighteen and descending from a line of Condotteri who chose to stay as landed nobles during Queen Isabeau's reformations, Zelgius had the military in his blood. With a level head, natural charm, and a strong work ethic for learning military theory, Zelgius quickly became an aide-de-camp to Colonel Stefanik, a Lusatian advisor teaching at the Academy. When Lusatia offered places for Franerri cadets in the Ivyn Romonyev Military Academy, Zelgius was selected as one of the few recruits to go. There, he would meet one Gauvain Ranulf, and the two became fast friends. The most important thing Zelgius would learn during his time in Lusatia, however, would be his experience in assisting Lusatia in fighting native rebels on the island of Arema. While he secretly sympathized with them, Zelgius knew the opportunity to learn there would be invaluable for Franerre. So, Zelgius fought the rebels, assisting in the use of Lusatia's overwhelming force to learn exactly how they fought. What tactics worked, what tactics didn't. Then, he brought that knowledge back to Franerre. He brought some of the largest reforms to the Franerri military ever seen. He can only hope it will be enough.
"Franerre will give all for her people. Her people will give all for Franerre. They must, or Franerre will die."
Gauvain Ranulf, Franerri Chief of Army
The Pacifist General
Born: Fessera 14th, 1894 in Pareau, Metropole Barony
Age: 35
Description: A man of middling height and shaggy brown hair often seen tucked under a military cap, Ranulf was probably the last person one would have expected to be a general during his childhood. Short, scrawny, unassuming, and the son of a devote Lusatian Catholic pacifist couple, it seemed like the all the cards in the world were stacked against Ranulf's current path in life. A bright child, Ranulf's favorite subject during his school years was always history. It was through this study of history, that Ranulf found one fact had been played out time and time again through all nations of the world: powerful nations were those that could be the most peaceful. Powerful nations, those with strong militaries, did not have wars declared on them, they conquered others. If one could be in charge of the military, to make sure she were never wielded to conquer and trample and burn, a powerful military was the most peaceful thing in the world. So Ranulf enrolled in the Pinnola Pietra Officer Academy at the age of 22, where he would meet one Nori Zelgius. The two were fast friends, often having discussions over the differences in ideology and morality between them. Despite their differences, both were selected to be sent to the Ivyn Romonyev Military Academy in Lusatia. Ranulf didn't gain the experience fighting in Arema the same way Zelgius did, though he still did gain plenty of valuable experience. Elevated in Franerri army command by the new Chief of Staff Zelgius as a man he could trust, Ranulf still had a few uncertainties about his role in the military and has often advocated against the army's use in favor of diplomatic options. Despite that, he remains as committed as ever to the nation of Franerre.
"Believe it or not, I'm a pacifist. Do not mistake that for an inability to fight for my country."
Thomas Calvere, Director of the Army Information Bureau
The Coiled Snake
Age: 45
Born: Vaylien 4th, 1885 in Elenerre, Bromsole Barony
Born to a pair of poor factory workers in Elenerre, Thomis Calvere is a man of dark tan skin, closely cropped brown hair, amber eyes, and a thin, wiry frame. An intelligent man with an uncanny ability at understanding crowds, Thomas was recruited into the Army Information Bureau after his mandatory conscription was completed. Thomas found himself climbing the ranks fast in the AIB, the organization being largely concerned with propaganda and civilian media despite being an army institution. Thomas originally picked up the nickname ‘the Snake’ due to the large tattoo on his back from his time in the infantry, though it proved to be eerily accurate with his time in the AIB due to the cold, logical demeanor he took when handling his job. Calvere’s slow and steady rise through the ranks came to a cap in 1924, when he reached the rank of Director. Since then, Thomas has made sure to keep the Bureau’s involvement in Franerri affairs quiet and unassuming, just the way he likes it.
“The truth isn’t important. It’s what people think and feel where the real power is.”
Blaise Guillaume, Franerri Chief of Navy
A Man Overcoming His Past
Born: Astillia 29th, 1877 in Camoux, Estiere Barony
Age: 53
Blaise Guillaume is many things. The Franerri Chief of Navy. The commander of the most elite division in Franerre, the Royal Marines. Cousin to Isaac Dufour Jr., one of the most important politicians in Franerre. A loving husband and father. The one thing he is not, however, is respected. Blaise knows exactly why. He replaced the extremely popular Admiral Richard Chaupan before the aging man was ready to retire. He had a drinking problem, before he swore off alcohol three years ago after plenty a public gaffe. He wouldn’t have gotten to this position if it weren’t for his familiar connections to Isaac, despite the fact Blaise is competent at his job, if not stellar. He pushed for the increase in size of the navy when most everyone, especially the army, saw it as a waste of money. It was only thanks to Dufour that he was able to have the ships he does, and yet still, the one thing Guillaume could never get was respect. Despite what everyone may think of him, Blaise is a tough man. He will sail on in his duties, no matter the insults or slights thrown his way.
“For all the abuse thrown our way, the Navy is Franerre’s first and most vital line of defense. It is best we never forget that, and make sure everyone else doesn’t either.”
Virgil Legault, Director of the Franerri Royal Gendarmerie
The Hurricane
Born: Astillia 28th, 1891 in Desterque, Estiere
Age: 40
Description: A tall, lithe man with grey hair falling to the middle of his back, Legault’s career in the FRG started when he was conscripted into the Franerri Army at 18. Already having some knowledge of policing due to his wish of being a civilian police officer, Legault decided to enter the Gendarmerie as a way of furthering his career during the mandatory military training. After the end of his year-long conscription Legault decided to make the combination military police and security service his career of choice. After serving on the force for a decade, Legault was one of the officers on duty during the assassination attempt on King Toussaint Nìnés Lune Della Rosa I in 1919 and personally subdued the would-be assassin, earning a scar across his left eye for his trouble. A national hero for his actions, gaining the nickname ‘The Hurricane’ for how fast he reacted to the assassin, and with much of the old upper echelons of the organization perceived as incompetent for allowing the assassination to happen in the first place, Legault used his experience and newfound popularity to rapidly rise through the thinned ranks of the Gendarmerie. He was appointed Director in 1922, and has used his eight years of service as head of the organization to broaden the organization’s horizons. With the threat from Kumosenkan and Galra becoming ever more worrisome by the day, Legault began to work closer with Generals Zelgius and Ranulf to create the Strategic Sabotage Corps and the Patriotic Partisan Corps. The former was devoted to the destruction of infrastructure that would be needed by invading armies in case of retreat, and the later was devoted to the creation of partisan units in occupied territories using hidden arms caches planted before any potential war. For eight years now, Legault has worked to make Franerre as safe as he can from threats both from within and without. The results will speak for themselves.
“The Hurricane’s winds blow in every corner of Franerre.”
The Duelist King
Born: Astillia 23rd, 1899 in Pareau, La Metropole Barony.
Age: 31
King Dante Emil Soleil Della Rosa II, Sovereign of Franerre, Shield of Her People, Defender of the Foa Restoration and Mordred’s Revolution, is the 13th King of the Della Rosa line. A 31 year old man with above average height, a full head of black hair, striking blue eyes and a clean shaven chin, the King has reigned for nine years since his coronation in 1921. Before that, however, the King was simple Dante Della Rosa, third in line for the Franerri throne. The middle of five children, Leo Della Rosa, Toussaint Della Rosa, Nicholas Della Rosa, and Anne-Marie Della Rosa, the young Dante never expected to take the throne. Dante’s father, Louis Blanc Epsace Della Rosa VII, was expected to live for another thirty years by the time Dante was born, and either the charismatic Leo or the master of statecraft Toussaint would surely be on the throne. Leo died before he turned 18 due to an accident at sea, and Louis VII would die of a heart attack in 1913. That led to King Toussaint Nìnés Lune Della Rosa I being crowned. He would be struck by an assassin’s bullet soon after coronation, and though he would survive, Toussaint would be plagued by poor health until he died five years later.
During that time, all Dante had done were a few halfhearted attempts to learn how to rule, more concerned with his career as a duelist than being King. He’d never loved his studies that were meant to prepare him for the throne as a child, the sword seemingly the one thing he did care for. Still, Toussaint’s death and Dante’s coronation in 1921 did much to mature the 21 year old King. He settled down with Queen Jadwiga, a descendant of Lusantian colonists and the daughter of Franerre’s largest mining magnate, and quietly swept half a dozen royal bastards under the rug. He’s had two children, the eight year old Caden and two year old Catarina. But most importantly, Dante has dived into the duties of being King with a near-religious fervor. His rule hasn’t been perfect; the King’s refusal to address the alarming lack of safety in the Franerri mining industry directly led to the 1927 Franerri’s Miners’ Strike. The subsequent decision to use the army to quell the strike led to the National Unions of Franerre to the head of a coalition government which King Dante’s stubborn refusal to work with paralyzed the Franerri government for a year before the King apologized. Yet now, the King has risen from his stumbles, a more competent leader and a more humble man.
"Heavy is the head that bears the crown. Lord, do I know that statement well."
Julius Verenes,
A New Generation of Franerri Politician
Age: 36
Born: Obsillia 17th 1895, in Valetence, Metropole Barony
Julius’ story is by no means a unique one in Franerre. His parents, once poor farmers in the countryside, emigrated to Valatence shortly before his birth to seek better fortunes in the city. All they found, however, were cramped and squalid living conditions, dangerous work environments, and poverty. The Democratic People's Party, in their uncontested rule of Franerri politics, only cared about industrialization and preserving their own power. With his natural charisma and oratory skill, Verenes would become a figurehead for the Franerri Worker’s Party, a grand coalition of fishers, factory workers, dockworkers, miners, and the poor tenant farmers who made up Franerre’s working class. The coalition would collapse soon after its first election victory in 1915 due to the attempted assassination of King Toussaint I by a radical communist. While the King would survive, the NUF’s government would not. Since that fateful day, many of the old guard and more radical elements of the party have been shunned away in an attempt to reinvent the party’s image. The culmination of this came when the party officially rebranded to the National Unions of Franerre (Syndicats Nationaux de Franerre), just in time for the 1927 Franerri Miners’ Strike and the army’s violent suppression of the strikers. The resulting backlash catapulted Julius to a narrow election victory in 1928. Since then, the SNF have made great strides despite the stubborn opposition they’ve faced: it’s now illegal to break strikes, a minimum wage has been instituted, and a women’s right to vote is nearly through the National Chamber. Despite that, industrialization has slowed, and the social programs envisioned by Julius just aren’t in the budget. The upcoming 1931 elections will show whether the SNF have done their job, or if 1928 was a fluke like 1915.
"Franerre asks much of her people. Why, then, can she not do much for us?"
Isaac Dufour Jr.,
The Vanguard of Industrialisation and Aristocracy
Age: 64
Born: Fessera 7th, 1866 in Setange, Bordemer Barony
Isaac is one of a few in the government old enough to remember Mordred’s Revolution. On the eve of the Festival of Mordred in 1876, a festival on the Spring Equinox associated with the ancient Franerri pagan goddess of Mordred, massive protests broke out in all major cities over the unpopularity of the current Privy Chamber, one that Isaac Dufour Sr. just so happened to lead. The King aquised to the protesters and a democracy was established, though that just resulted in the Privy Chamber becoming the Democratic People’s Party (Parti Populaire Démocratique) of the new National Chamber. The PPD and the King were united on what Franerre’s course was: industrialize Franerre and protect the privileges of the old colonial nobility who helped fund said industrialization. Franerre needed guns, technology, and wealth, and this was the fastest course to gain all three. When his father retired in 1900, Isaac took over the reins of the party and kept along the same course. That lasted well for 15 years until the Franerri Worker’s Party delivered the PPD’s first ever electoral defeat. Dufour took it in stride, allying closely with the Lusatian Catholic church and making some concessions to the rural farmers to bring them back into the party line. Since then, Dufour has taken a much more keen interest in the rising opposition to the PPD’s rule, but even his measures couldn’t stop the election of the SNF in 1928. Since then, Dufour has worked tirelessly to subtly undermine the SNF in ways that won’t stall Franerre’s growth but will harm their popularity in the polls. Smear campaigns on SNF chambermen, under the table prodding and threats to influence certain votes, and more. Whether or not the underhanded tactics will beat the overt popularity of the SNF, only the 1931 elections will say.
“Factories, railways, docks and shipyards. That is what Franerre needs, and that is what I’ll give her.”
The Black Songbird of Franerre
Born: Vaylien 29th, 1858 in Ceppo, Setange Barony
Age: 71
Description: A tall man with flowing black hair and a soothing voice, Lehran has served the past three kings of Franerre as their foreign minister beginning in 1888 with a wisdom beyond his years, though nowadays his age seems to have caught up to it. Long serving as a cool head compared to some of the more brash members of Franerre's government, especially early in his tenure, Lehran's main foreign policy strategy has been to cast Franerre's net as far as it can go in both trade and diplomacy. It's thanks to his efforts that Franerre can boast that she has embassies in most major countries across Ourhi, a matter especially controversial when it came to Ulster-Gaelia. On the domestic front, Lehran has been mostly quiet on the aspects of government not related to the FFAA, with the notable exception of women's rights. Long a proponent of them, even as far back as the beginning of his time in office, Lehran allowed women into Franerre's diplomatic corps and worked hard to clamp down on discrimination on the FFAA, an endeavor he's been largely successful in. As Lehran has aged, there has been talk on both sides of the political aisle wishing to replaced Lehran with someone younger, or at least get the man to designate a successor. Lehran has resisted every attempt so far, but the man grows older every day.
“I am simply a pragmatist who wishes the best for Franerre. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Phillipe Mesny, Director of the Franerri Foreign Affairs Administration
The Shadow of a Giant Looms Large
Born: Vaylien 29th, 1904 in Chevaliffre, Bromsole Barony
Age: 29
Description: One cannot talk about Phillipe Mesny without talking about his predecessor, Lehran de Angelis. After the latter's sudden cancer diagnosis on the eve of La Catastrophe, and in his already advanced age, Franerre's longest serving public servant finally retired, leaving Phillipe Mesny to be appointed in his place. Director de Angelis had kept the Foreign Affairs Administration a firmly neutral body in ever-polarizing partisan battle between the SNF and PPD, and so no one openly questioned his judgement when he said that Mesny was to be his preferred successor. But the details of Lehran's departure aren't the only reason his ghost still haunts the halls of the Administration. Lehran had only selected Mesny to be his successor nine months ago, and unfortunately left him in quite the bad spot, to put it mildly thrusting Mesny into a Franerre freshly scarred from the loss of Elenerre. Mesny certainly has his work cut out for him, unprepared and underqualified compared to the shadow of a giant he stands in.
The comparisons between the two directors are ones of absolute contrasts and parallels. Both men were born on the same day nearly 40 years apart. de Angelis was born of a minor noble family, while Mesny is the son of a poor farmer turned factory worker. Lehran was a calm soul, while Mesny is said to smoke a pack a day and start his mornings off with alternating champaign or coffee depending on the day. Lehran was the oldest man in the Franerri government, while Mesny is now the youngest. Both are quiet and calculated in business, but behind closed doors, Mesny is said to be rambunctious joker and swear like a sailor, actions that Lehran would only be caught doing when hell froze over. Lehran may have claimed to have been a pragmatist, but he always seemed to believe in the capability for diplomacy and peace to be the solutions to all of Franerre's problems, that the world was full of rational actors and violence was a last resort. Mesny's home village of Chevaliffre was lost in the Notch, only his aging mother the Battle of Elenerre while his father bled and died in its defense. Both believe that the diverse Administration Lehran cultivated is it's greatest strength, but Mesny seeks to go behind that diversity and give the Administration a unity in vision: cast the nets wide, but choose what gets hauled in carefully. Old friends have played their hand, potential friends still yet to have their chance. There will come a day when Franerre will reclaim what she has lost, and Mesny sees it as his job to make sure that Franerre has as many true friends standing by her on that day, ready to cross the Taln together.
"Venger La Catastrophe. Reconquérir La Elenerre. Faites votre part." - A personally signed note from Director Mesny, to new recruits into the Foreign Affairs Administration.
A Worker's Minister
Born: Fessera 1st, 1893 in Alcasse, Marias Barony
Age: 36
Description: A blonde man with striking hazel eyes, early in his life Sylvain resolved to become a lawyer after seeing his father's fishing business nearly shut down by a fishing conglomerate trying to crush any competitors. Studying hard despite his lack of talent for the craft, Sylvain was granted a scholarship by the Royal Institute of Progress and sent to study at the University of Pareau to become a lawyer when he was 16. Despite this, Sylvain found that he had a natural talent for economics after taking a business course, and so he decided to blend his two loves by serving in the Ministry of Commerce and Prosperity. After graduating in 1917, Sylvain would enter into public service where he would work diligently for the next five years and slowly climb his way through the government ladder. His rise to prominence would halt in 1921 when the right-leaning Democratic People's Party was voted into power, conflicting with Sylvain's more left-wing beliefs. His fortunes would turn around six years later when the National Unions of Franerre won a plurality of seats in the 1928 elections and their preferred candidate for the Minister of Commerce and Prosperity had died of a sudden heart attack just shortly before the election, Sylvain being offered the position in his place. Since then, Sylvain has proudly presided over a growing economy with strong worker's rights, though he's always looking for ways to expand Franerre's prosperity.
“What’s the value in a ‘rich’ nation if the people do not share in the prosperity?”
Marc-Antoine de Leclair, Minister of Commerce and Prosperity
Mines. Factories. Progress. Prosperity.
Born: Mynti 12th, 1878 in Pareau, Metropole Barony.
Age: 54
Description: Dufour and Marc-Antoine are two of a kind, both sons raised in the halls of Franerri power. Sons of men inside the King’s old Privy Council before Mordred’s Revolution brought democracy. Sons of a shared vision for Franerre’s future. A vision of a strong, powerful, industrialized Franerre, with all the glory and prestige she had before colonization. For that vision to come to fruition, Franerre needs more money invested in factories, more in mines, and less in the few social programs the SNF managed to fund during their time in power. Marc-Antoine has been a loyal member of the PPD since it's inception, working his way up in the ranks of the Ministry of Commerce and Prosperity through his cunning mind and diligent work ethic, eventually reaching the head of the Ministry in 1920. During his term as Minister, he continued with the PPD's status quo; heavy subsidies for mines and factories, with some token subsidies to the poor rural farmers who still made up large portions of Franerre's economy and a large chunk of the PPD's electorate. Marc-Antoine enjoyed his three years off during the brief stint of SNF governance, but now that the PPD is back in control of the National Chamber, it’s time for his work to continue.
“There’s no room for ‘the common man’ in the game of nations.”
Nori Zelgius, Franerri Chief of Staff
The Shield of Franerre
Born: Vaylien 17th, 1890 in Saint-Calais, Bordemer Barony
Age: 39
Description: A tall, broad man with neatly-trimmed black hair, Nori Zelgius is the most powerful man in the Franerri Military. Enlisting in the Pinnola Pietra Officer Academy in Setange as soon as he turned eighteen and descending from a line of Condotteri who chose to stay as landed nobles during Queen Isabeau's reformations, Zelgius had the military in his blood. With a level head, natural charm, and a strong work ethic for learning military theory, Zelgius quickly became an aide-de-camp to Colonel Stefanik, a Lusatian advisor teaching at the Academy. When Lusatia offered places for Franerri cadets in the Ivyn Romonyev Military Academy, Zelgius was selected as one of the few recruits to go. There, he would meet one Gauvain Ranulf, and the two became fast friends. The most important thing Zelgius would learn during his time in Lusatia, however, would be his experience in assisting Lusatia in fighting native rebels on the island of Arema. While he secretly sympathized with them, Zelgius knew the opportunity to learn there would be invaluable for Franerre. So, Zelgius fought the rebels, assisting in the use of Lusatia's overwhelming force to learn exactly how they fought. What tactics worked, what tactics didn't. Then, he brought that knowledge back to Franerre. He brought some of the largest reforms to the Franerri military ever seen. He can only hope it will be enough.
"Franerre will give all for her people. Her people will give all for Franerre. They must, or Franerre will die."
Gauvain Ranulf, Franerri Chief of Army
The Pacifist General
Born: Fessera 14th, 1894 in Pareau, Metropole Barony
Age: 35
Description: A man of middling height and shaggy brown hair often seen tucked under a military cap, Ranulf was probably the last person one would have expected to be a general during his childhood. Short, scrawny, unassuming, and the son of a devote Lusatian Catholic pacifist couple, it seemed like the all the cards in the world were stacked against Ranulf's current path in life. A bright child, Ranulf's favorite subject during his school years was always history. It was through this study of history, that Ranulf found one fact had been played out time and time again through all nations of the world: powerful nations were those that could be the most peaceful. Powerful nations, those with strong militaries, did not have wars declared on them, they conquered others. If one could be in charge of the military, to make sure she were never wielded to conquer and trample and burn, a powerful military was the most peaceful thing in the world. So Ranulf enrolled in the Pinnola Pietra Officer Academy at the age of 22, where he would meet one Nori Zelgius. The two were fast friends, often having discussions over the differences in ideology and morality between them. Despite their differences, both were selected to be sent to the Ivyn Romonyev Military Academy in Lusatia. Ranulf didn't gain the experience fighting in Arema the same way Zelgius did, though he still did gain plenty of valuable experience. Elevated in Franerri army command by the new Chief of Staff Zelgius as a man he could trust, Ranulf still had a few uncertainties about his role in the military and has often advocated against the army's use in favor of diplomatic options. Despite that, he remains as committed as ever to the nation of Franerre.
"Believe it or not, I'm a pacifist. Do not mistake that for an inability to fight for my country."
Thomas Calvere, Director of the Army Information Bureau
The Coiled Snake
Age: 45
Born: Vaylien 4th, 1885 in Elenerre, Bromsole Barony
Born to a pair of poor factory workers in Elenerre, Thomis Calvere is a man of dark tan skin, closely cropped brown hair, amber eyes, and a thin, wiry frame. An intelligent man with an uncanny ability at understanding crowds, Thomas was recruited into the Army Information Bureau after his mandatory conscription was completed. Thomas found himself climbing the ranks fast in the AIB, the organization being largely concerned with propaganda and civilian media despite being an army institution. Thomas originally picked up the nickname ‘the Snake’ due to the large tattoo on his back from his time in the infantry, though it proved to be eerily accurate with his time in the AIB due to the cold, logical demeanor he took when handling his job. Calvere’s slow and steady rise through the ranks came to a cap in 1924, when he reached the rank of Director. Since then, Thomas has made sure to keep the Bureau’s involvement in Franerri affairs quiet and unassuming, just the way he likes it.
“The truth isn’t important. It’s what people think and feel where the real power is.”
Blaise Guillaume, Franerri Chief of Navy
A Man Overcoming His Past
Born: Astillia 29th, 1877 in Camoux, Estiere Barony
Age: 53
Blaise Guillaume is many things. The Franerri Chief of Navy. The commander of the most elite division in Franerre, the Royal Marines. Cousin to Isaac Dufour Jr., one of the most important politicians in Franerre. A loving husband and father. The one thing he is not, however, is respected. Blaise knows exactly why. He replaced the extremely popular Admiral Richard Chaupan before the aging man was ready to retire. He had a drinking problem, before he swore off alcohol three years ago after plenty a public gaffe. He wouldn’t have gotten to this position if it weren’t for his familiar connections to Isaac, despite the fact Blaise is competent at his job, if not stellar. He pushed for the increase in size of the navy when most everyone, especially the army, saw it as a waste of money. It was only thanks to Dufour that he was able to have the ships he does, and yet still, the one thing Guillaume could never get was respect. Despite what everyone may think of him, Blaise is a tough man. He will sail on in his duties, no matter the insults or slights thrown his way.
“For all the abuse thrown our way, the Navy is Franerre’s first and most vital line of defense. It is best we never forget that, and make sure everyone else doesn’t either.”
Virgil Legault, Director of the Franerri Royal Gendarmerie
The Hurricane
Born: Astillia 28th, 1891 in Desterque, Estiere
Age: 40
Description: A tall, lithe man with grey hair falling to the middle of his back, Legault’s career in the FRG started when he was conscripted into the Franerri Army at 18. Already having some knowledge of policing due to his wish of being a civilian police officer, Legault decided to enter the Gendarmerie as a way of furthering his career during the mandatory military training. After the end of his year-long conscription Legault decided to make the combination military police and security service his career of choice. After serving on the force for a decade, Legault was one of the officers on duty during the assassination attempt on King Toussaint Nìnés Lune Della Rosa I in 1919 and personally subdued the would-be assassin, earning a scar across his left eye for his trouble. A national hero for his actions, gaining the nickname ‘The Hurricane’ for how fast he reacted to the assassin, and with much of the old upper echelons of the organization perceived as incompetent for allowing the assassination to happen in the first place, Legault used his experience and newfound popularity to rapidly rise through the thinned ranks of the Gendarmerie. He was appointed Director in 1922, and has used his eight years of service as head of the organization to broaden the organization’s horizons. With the threat from Kumosenkan and Galra becoming ever more worrisome by the day, Legault began to work closer with Generals Zelgius and Ranulf to create the Strategic Sabotage Corps and the Patriotic Partisan Corps. The former was devoted to the destruction of infrastructure that would be needed by invading armies in case of retreat, and the later was devoted to the creation of partisan units in occupied territories using hidden arms caches planted before any potential war. For eight years now, Legault has worked to make Franerre as safe as he can from threats both from within and without. The results will speak for themselves.
“The Hurricane’s winds blow in every corner of Franerre.”