Aeshri Hansalo
From Eshraval Saved
Template:Infobox HansaloBorn in Reumina, a village in southern Helminthasse, Hansalo grew up as the second child (first son) of an extended fishing family. He never showed any inclination for politics until his 30th year, when he dropped his name on the rosters for vaer of his faal. Chances are that he would have been elected as vaer, had it not been for two major events: the ruinous thaardom of Helri Uominasse, and the April 1305 rescue of fishermen during a brutal spring storm in the Heskaalna Straits.
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Physical description
Aeshri is about average height for a Raeni from the southern islands. Though he's fairly young, his years on the sea have weathered him a bit. He still maintains his fisherman's build by practicing metharon most mornings of the week. He keeps his blond hair traditionally short, and has taken to wearing it in traditional Raeni windblown fashion--exceedingly convenient when just rolling out of bed. He has typically Ghinni blue eyes and is, as almost all Raeni men, clean-shaven so as to not cover up any tathynam.
Background
Corruption in Ostari
Helri Uominasse had been elected in 1300 on a wave of promises including economic reform and the encouragement of outside investment in Raeni industries. By 1304, several branches of Raeni government were completely bankrupt, social services were left unfunded, and Uominasse was buying real estate in nations with no extradition treaties with Raenamon. In a related scandal, the Naemarha dissolved itself and waited for re-elections to coincide with thaar elections, leaving only the Supreme Court functioning as an instrument of Raeni government.
Rescue in the Heskaalna Straits
In early 1303, in the middle of economic collapse, one of Hansalo's uncles put him in charge of his fleet so he himself could concentrate on running the business. Around April of 1305, a fierce spring storm, worse than the area had seen for nearly 100 years, struck the Straits, stranding a great number of fishing vessels in fatal weather. Hansalo, in coordination with a great-uncle of his, managed to rescue the crews of 7 of 12 ships, before handing over his better vessel to his more experienced great-uncle and returning to port in the lesser ship with as many rescuees as possible. The rescue was news all over the five islands, and he became something of a national celebrity.
Hansalo's election
When pressed, Hansalo has always answered that his reasons for running as a vaer of his faal were personal, and were about doing the right thing. But in the week before the election, as names were being officially written on rosters, someone (to this day unidentified) wrote Hansalo's name on the list for thaar, and not for vaer. As soon as the news was out, formal sponsorhips followed, and he received the necessary number of nominations to make his thaar candidacy official.
He received 83% of the vote, and didn't campaign once. Most political analysts agree that his election was a stroke of luck--the heartache of betrayed trust, and the arrival of a hero whose behavior hearkened back to traditional Raeni values, gave him great popular appeal. But so far, Hansalo has done his best to do right by his people, even performing a tradtional, formal metharon claim-to-power rite for the Chief Justice, who reportedly embraced him at the end of it, axe and all.
In Office
Supported by the Ametharamma political movement, he tends to stick to Raeni tradition but avoids the xenophobia that can sometimes be associated with that kind of conservatism. He is currently working on promoting transparency and responsibility in government, and is keeping a close eye on the volatile situation with Wyktinist states. His ministry is fairly even-handed and broad-based, and he did not balk at the Naemarha's elected president (an associate of the exiled Uominasse). So far the president of the Naemarha has played by the rules.
Hansalo today
Hansalo is not married yet, but on March 18, 1307 he, in teh company of the Righ-Kesjare of Aredighuan, performed the traditional Call to Agreement--singing to Peria Barxem, Assistant Professor of History, Archaeology, and Ametharam Culture, in one of the courtyards of the Raalhaam. She responded according to tradition, challenging him with agreement before agreeing herself.
He is close friends with the Director of Inodeji, Gimor Hierlofaxih, and will be visiting the Director at his family home with Peria in April.
