Post by Dr. Hendrei Gromsinger on Jun 28, 2021 17:47:17 GMT
As explained in the info thread and the server, we're doing this thing. Dagestan again, collaborative and salt-free.
The final, official app is below. When yours is ready, PM it to me for approval and possible revision.
Feel free to ask any questions in this thread, the Discord server, DMs, PMs, carrier pigeons, or smoke signals.
Also, be mindful of Russian naming convention: characters should have a first name, a patronymic, and a last name.
i.e. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin: first name Vladimir, patronymic Vladimirovich (son of Vladimir - as Putin's father was also called Vladimir), last name Putin.
Our Cast
Click on each of these to find their app.
Mouths of the GM
Approved Characters
Approved NPCs
Face Claims Master List
Occupied Constituency Master List
The final, official app is below. When yours is ready, PM it to me for approval and possible revision.
Feel free to ask any questions in this thread, the Discord server, DMs, PMs, carrier pigeons, or smoke signals.
Also, be mindful of Russian naming convention: characters should have a first name, a patronymic, and a last name.
i.e. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin: first name Vladimir, patronymic Vladimirovich (son of Vladimir - as Putin's father was also called Vladimir), last name Putin.
{Click to load The full app}Basic Info
Name:
Date of Birth:
Place of birth:
Sex/gender:
Height:
Weight:
Ethnicity:
Religion:
Languages spoken:
Complexion:
Hair color:
Hairstyle:
Eye color:
Clothing style:
Distinctive physical features:
Face-claim:
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status:
Parents' names and status:
Issue:
Profession:
Title:
Political Background
Party:
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government):
Past offices held:
Constituency:
Hometown:
Policy areas of interest:
Policy goals:
Personal objectives:
Political mission statement:
Biography
Early Life and Career
The Zakharovich Era
The Safadov Period
The Volkov Era
The Revolution
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear:
Hobbies:
Favorite color:
Is your character introverted or extroverted?
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
Name:
Date of Birth:
Place of birth:
Sex/gender:
Height:
Weight:
Ethnicity:
Religion:
Languages spoken:
Complexion:
Hair color:
Hairstyle:
Eye color:
Clothing style:
Distinctive physical features:
Face-claim:
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status:
Parents' names and status:
Issue:
Profession:
Title:
Political Background
Party:
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government):
Past offices held:
Constituency:
Hometown:
Policy areas of interest:
Policy goals:
Personal objectives:
Political mission statement:
Biography
Early Life and Career
The Zakharovich Era
The Safadov Period
The Volkov Era
The Revolution
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear:
Hobbies:
Favorite color:
Is your character introverted or extroverted?
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
{Click to load The copyable BBCode}
[b][font size="5"]Basic Info[/font][/b]
[u]Name:[/u]
[u]Date of Birth:[/u]
[u]Place of birth:[/u]
[u]Sex/gender:[/u]
[u]Height:[/u]
[u]Weight:[/u]
[u]Ethnicity:[/u]
[u]Religion:[/u]
[u]Languages spoken:[/u]
[u]Complexion:[/u]
[u]Hair color:[/u]
[u]Hairstyle:[/u]
[u]Eye color:[/u]
[u]Clothing style:[/u]
[u]Distinctive physical features:[/u]
[u]Face-claim:[/u]
[u]Image (optional, but strongly recommended)[/u]
[u]Marital status:[/u]
[u]Parents' names and status:[/u]
[u]Issue:[/u]
[u]Profession:[/u]
[u]Title:[/u]
[b][font size="5"]Political Background[/font][/b]
[u]Party:[/u]
[u]Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government):[/u]
[u]Past offices held:[/u]
[u]Constituency:[/u]
[u]Hometown:[/u]
[u]Policy areas of interest:[/u]
[u]Policy goals:[/u]
[u]Personal objectives:[/u]
[u]Political mission statement:[/u]
[b][font size="5"]Biography[/font][/b]
[b][font size="4"]Early Life and Career[/font][/b]
[b][font size="4"]The Zakharovich Era[/font][/b]
[b][font size="4"]The Safadov Period[/font][/b]
[b][font size="4"]The Volkov Era[/font][/b]
[b][font size="4"]The Revolution[/font][/b]
[font size="5"][b]Personality[/b][/font]
[b][font size="4"]Short-form questions[/font][/b]
[u]Greatest fear:[/u]
[u]Hobbies:[/u]
[u]Favorite color:[/u]
[u]Is your character introverted or extroverted?[/u]
[b][font size="4"]Long-form questions (choose three)[/font][/b]
[u]Write a typical joke your character would tell:[/u]
[u]Describe your character's best experience:[/u]
[u]Describe your character's worst experience:[/u]
[u]Who is your character's role model and why?[/u]
[u]How would your character's friends describe them?[/u]
[u]How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?[/u]
[b][font size="4"]Write a sample post from your character's perspective[/font][/b]Our Cast
Click on each of these to find their app.
Mouths of the GM
{1. Her Excellency, Dr. Yulia Isakovna Meyers, President of the Republic (Dr. Hendrei Gromsinger)}Basic Info
Name: Yulia (formerly Julia) Meyers
Date of Birth: Jul. 9, 1946 (age 61)
Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York City, NY, USA
Sex/gender: Female
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft, 6 in)
Weight: About 55-60 kg
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jew
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, English, French (fluent). Azerbaijani, Avar, Yiddish, Hebrew (some).
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: White, dyed blonde
Hair style: Straight hair, just past shoulder length, usually worn down.
Eye color: Gray
Distinctive physical traits: Thick bifocal eyeglasses.
Fashion sense: Yulia typically wears elegant dresses, either monochromatic or in simple patterns. However, for more practical outings, she is partial to a good pair of high-waisted "mom jeans".
Face-claim: Meryl Streep
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Married to Maxim Vladimirovich Vasilyev (1999-)
Parents' names and status: Isaac & Rebecca Meyers (deceased)
Issue: Three stepchildren by Maxim:
Olga (b. 1973)
Ekaterina (b. 1976)
Arsen (b. 1978)
Two step-grandchildren from Olga:
Andrey and Mikhail (b. 2004)
Profession: Politician. Formerly: economist, revolutionary.
Title: Her Excellency, the President of the Republic of Dagestan, Dr. Yulia Isakovna Meyers
Political Background
Party: Independent (2000-), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): President
Past offices held: Chairwoman of the Provisional Government (2005-2007)
Prime Minister of Dagestan (1997-2000)
Deputy Prime Minister (1996-1997)
Minister of Finance (1996-1997)
Minister of Transport (1995-1996)
Director-General of the Ministry of Finance (1993-1995)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Dr. Meyers owns a private home in Tarki, right outside Makhachkala. However, as the sitting President, she currently resides in the Green House, in Makhachkala
Policy areas of interest: Economic development
Policy goals: Establish a stable democracy in Dagestan
Personal objectives: Win reelection
Political mission statement: President Meyers, a Dagestani by choice, has devoted herself to ensuring the security, liberty, and prosperity of her people in all ways.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Julia Meyers was born in 1946 in New York City, the youngest of eight children to Isaac Meyers. Isaac, a former Rabbi, had fled Nazi Germany in 1937 for New York, where he prospered by a variety of activities, including fixing horse races with the mafia. This prosperity allowed him to educate all eight of his children, including Julia, who was educated in Columbia (BA in Accounting, 1968), and Harvard (MBA+JD combined program, 1977; PhD Econ, 1988).
Julia worked for a variety of firms, including Walmart, McDonnell Douglas, J.P. Morgan, KPMG, and McKinsey.
Her work for the last took her to the former USSR, where she audited a variety of large firms.
The Zakharovich Era
Julia Meyers was tempted to work for the Dagestani government in 1993, starting as the Director-General of the Ministry of Finance, and continuing on to run the Ministry of Transport. In this capacity, she proved a tireless worker, although her hard-charging style and opposition to corruption (combined with her American birthplace and lack of a Y-chromosome) placed her at odds with many of her colleagues.
Her primary political patron was Iosif Safadov, who saw this American’s potential both as a relentless administrator, and as a leader.
The Safadov Period
Julia Meyers was one of the three founders of the Reformist movement, alongside Volkov and Safadov. She worked on policy programs, and helped draft the 1997 constitution.
The Volkov Era
Initially, Volkov retained Meyers as his Prime Minister. Their abilities complemented each other, and together, they could keep the army, the populace, and the oligarchs more or less aligned. Their economic agenda included vast public works, funded with oil money, and a great investment in healthcare and education. Some ventures were state-run, others were public-private partnerships (where the oligarchs got a cut), but all were focused on uplifting Dagestan’s population from poverty. The Reformist party was divided between the “Drys”, who backed Meyers’ economic agenda, and the “Wets”, who opposed it.
It was during this era that Meyers, hoping to become more electable, began to change her style. She worked on her accent, strove to be kinder and more personable, Russified her given name, and began to dye her hair to the blonde color of her youth. It is also during this time that she met, dated, and married Maxim Vasilyev, an appellate judge.
In 2000, Volkov’s stark pro-Russian turn proved too much to bear, and Yulia Meyers resigned. The other “Drys” were gradually purged, as they got in Volkov and Lobachenko’s way.
Charged with bogus financial crimes, Meyers spent most of 2001 and 2002 in hiding in the mountains, was held in jail for six months, and then spent much of Volkov’s rule exiled in Azerbaijan. Through a variety of platforms, and illegal visits to the mountain west, she strengthened her status as a sort of folk hero, beloved by all who disliked Volkov. Her Americanness was suddenly forgotten, or forgiven.
The Revolution
With NATO backing, Yulia Meyers incited mass protests against the Volkov regime. What started as student protests in Makhachkala and Derbent, turned into tax revolts in the rural areas, and culminated in the general strike of October 2005. After that, the army simply lost confidence in Volkov, and submitted to Aleksandr Stepanov, Meyers’ compatriot.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Clowns
Hobbies: Hiking, swimming, baking
Favorite color: Magenta
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
The Pope and Bill Clinton die at the exact same time. There's an administrative mix up in purgatory, so the Pope is sent to Hell and Clinton to Heaven.
After 20 minutes the mistake is discovered and rectified. As they're heading down the escalator (Clinton down, the Pope up), the Pope says to Clinton, "I'm really looking forward to meeting the virgin Mary".
To which Clinton replies "You're about five minutes too late".
Describe your character's best experience:
Oddly, Yulia’s best experience was the time she spent underground in the mountains. No matter where she went, she was warmly received, always able to find a bed and a warm meal. The kindness of the people, and their desire to create a better future for themselves and their communities, inspired her to keep going.
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
Yulia makes great company, able to converse with anyone, on a plethora of subjects, in many languages. After a few drinks, she becomes surprisingly fun, with an off-color sense of humor.
She is, however, something of a workaholic, and prone to speechmaking.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Yulia Meyers is a tough taskmaster, but she works herself just as hard as she works her staff. Everyone working for her knows that their perspective will be heard, and that however mundane their task is, they are serving a great purpose, just like she is.
Write a Sample Post from your Character's Perspective
[Pres. Yulia Meyers & Dr. Mahmoud Gaidarov - Presidential Train Carriage, Makhachkala-Derbent Line]
Yulia turned her head from the window towards her trusted Chief of Staff.
”We did it, Mahmoud. I still can’t believe it,” she remarked, still in awe.
”Our work isn’t done, Yulia. We were here a decade ago, and look where that ended,” he reminded her.
”I know, I know, but we’re on the right track. A better one, I think, than we were then.”
”It won’t be easy to stay on track,” he cautioned. "There are some real shitheads along the road."
”We’ll just have to work on it, and I think the people’s representatives, our friends, will work with us.”
Both of them were right. They had a Republic again - if they could keep it.
Name: Yulia (formerly Julia) Meyers
Date of Birth: Jul. 9, 1946 (age 61)
Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York City, NY, USA
Sex/gender: Female
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft, 6 in)
Weight: About 55-60 kg
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jew
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, English, French (fluent). Azerbaijani, Avar, Yiddish, Hebrew (some).
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: White, dyed blonde
Hair style: Straight hair, just past shoulder length, usually worn down.
Eye color: Gray
Distinctive physical traits: Thick bifocal eyeglasses.
Fashion sense: Yulia typically wears elegant dresses, either monochromatic or in simple patterns. However, for more practical outings, she is partial to a good pair of high-waisted "mom jeans".
Face-claim: Meryl Streep
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Married to Maxim Vladimirovich Vasilyev (1999-)
Parents' names and status: Isaac & Rebecca Meyers (deceased)
Issue: Three stepchildren by Maxim:
Olga (b. 1973)
Ekaterina (b. 1976)
Arsen (b. 1978)
Two step-grandchildren from Olga:
Andrey and Mikhail (b. 2004)
Profession: Politician. Formerly: economist, revolutionary.
Title: Her Excellency, the President of the Republic of Dagestan, Dr. Yulia Isakovna Meyers
Political Background
Party: Independent (2000-), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): President
Past offices held: Chairwoman of the Provisional Government (2005-2007)
Prime Minister of Dagestan (1997-2000)
Deputy Prime Minister (1996-1997)
Minister of Finance (1996-1997)
Minister of Transport (1995-1996)
Director-General of the Ministry of Finance (1993-1995)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Dr. Meyers owns a private home in Tarki, right outside Makhachkala. However, as the sitting President, she currently resides in the Green House, in Makhachkala
Policy areas of interest: Economic development
Policy goals: Establish a stable democracy in Dagestan
Personal objectives: Win reelection
Political mission statement: President Meyers, a Dagestani by choice, has devoted herself to ensuring the security, liberty, and prosperity of her people in all ways.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Julia Meyers was born in 1946 in New York City, the youngest of eight children to Isaac Meyers. Isaac, a former Rabbi, had fled Nazi Germany in 1937 for New York, where he prospered by a variety of activities, including fixing horse races with the mafia. This prosperity allowed him to educate all eight of his children, including Julia, who was educated in Columbia (BA in Accounting, 1968), and Harvard (MBA+JD combined program, 1977; PhD Econ, 1988).
Julia worked for a variety of firms, including Walmart, McDonnell Douglas, J.P. Morgan, KPMG, and McKinsey.
Her work for the last took her to the former USSR, where she audited a variety of large firms.
The Zakharovich Era
Julia Meyers was tempted to work for the Dagestani government in 1993, starting as the Director-General of the Ministry of Finance, and continuing on to run the Ministry of Transport. In this capacity, she proved a tireless worker, although her hard-charging style and opposition to corruption (combined with her American birthplace and lack of a Y-chromosome) placed her at odds with many of her colleagues.
Her primary political patron was Iosif Safadov, who saw this American’s potential both as a relentless administrator, and as a leader.
The Safadov Period
Julia Meyers was one of the three founders of the Reformist movement, alongside Volkov and Safadov. She worked on policy programs, and helped draft the 1997 constitution.
The Volkov Era
Initially, Volkov retained Meyers as his Prime Minister. Their abilities complemented each other, and together, they could keep the army, the populace, and the oligarchs more or less aligned. Their economic agenda included vast public works, funded with oil money, and a great investment in healthcare and education. Some ventures were state-run, others were public-private partnerships (where the oligarchs got a cut), but all were focused on uplifting Dagestan’s population from poverty. The Reformist party was divided between the “Drys”, who backed Meyers’ economic agenda, and the “Wets”, who opposed it.
It was during this era that Meyers, hoping to become more electable, began to change her style. She worked on her accent, strove to be kinder and more personable, Russified her given name, and began to dye her hair to the blonde color of her youth. It is also during this time that she met, dated, and married Maxim Vasilyev, an appellate judge.
In 2000, Volkov’s stark pro-Russian turn proved too much to bear, and Yulia Meyers resigned. The other “Drys” were gradually purged, as they got in Volkov and Lobachenko’s way.
Charged with bogus financial crimes, Meyers spent most of 2001 and 2002 in hiding in the mountains, was held in jail for six months, and then spent much of Volkov’s rule exiled in Azerbaijan. Through a variety of platforms, and illegal visits to the mountain west, she strengthened her status as a sort of folk hero, beloved by all who disliked Volkov. Her Americanness was suddenly forgotten, or forgiven.
The Revolution
With NATO backing, Yulia Meyers incited mass protests against the Volkov regime. What started as student protests in Makhachkala and Derbent, turned into tax revolts in the rural areas, and culminated in the general strike of October 2005. After that, the army simply lost confidence in Volkov, and submitted to Aleksandr Stepanov, Meyers’ compatriot.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Clowns
Hobbies: Hiking, swimming, baking
Favorite color: Magenta
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
The Pope and Bill Clinton die at the exact same time. There's an administrative mix up in purgatory, so the Pope is sent to Hell and Clinton to Heaven.
After 20 minutes the mistake is discovered and rectified. As they're heading down the escalator (Clinton down, the Pope up), the Pope says to Clinton, "I'm really looking forward to meeting the virgin Mary".
To which Clinton replies "You're about five minutes too late".
Describe your character's best experience:
Oddly, Yulia’s best experience was the time she spent underground in the mountains. No matter where she went, she was warmly received, always able to find a bed and a warm meal. The kindness of the people, and their desire to create a better future for themselves and their communities, inspired her to keep going.
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
Yulia makes great company, able to converse with anyone, on a plethora of subjects, in many languages. After a few drinks, she becomes surprisingly fun, with an off-color sense of humor.
She is, however, something of a workaholic, and prone to speechmaking.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Yulia Meyers is a tough taskmaster, but she works herself just as hard as she works her staff. Everyone working for her knows that their perspective will be heard, and that however mundane their task is, they are serving a great purpose, just like she is.
Write a Sample Post from your Character's Perspective
[Pres. Yulia Meyers & Dr. Mahmoud Gaidarov - Presidential Train Carriage, Makhachkala-Derbent Line]
Yulia turned her head from the window towards her trusted Chief of Staff.
”We did it, Mahmoud. I still can’t believe it,” she remarked, still in awe.
”Our work isn’t done, Yulia. We were here a decade ago, and look where that ended,” he reminded her.
”I know, I know, but we’re on the right track. A better one, I think, than we were then.”
”It won’t be easy to stay on track,” he cautioned. "There are some real shitheads along the road."
”We’ll just have to work on it, and I think the people’s representatives, our friends, will work with us.”
Both of them were right. They had a Republic again - if they could keep it.
{2. Dr. Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov, Chief of Staff to the President (Dr. Hendrei Gromsinger)}Basic Info
Name: Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov
Date of Birth: Mar. 4, 1944
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russian SFSR, USSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.9 meters
Weight: about 110 kg
Ethnicity: Avar
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Languages spoken: Russian, Avar (fluent). Azerbaijani, Chechen, Arabic (some). English (limited). German (choice cuss words).
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Once brown, now white
Hair style: Slicked back to project fullness, somewhat long.
Eye color: Blue
Fashion sense: Practical. Wears off-the-rack suits, or casual farmer's attire (i.e. overalls).
Distinctive physical characteristics: Mahmoud is tall and sturdy in build. Many say he's intimidating.
Face-claim: Jonathan Frakes
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Divorced. Was married to Aksana Murdadovna (1968-1999)
Parents' names and status: Ghazi and Alisa, deceased
Issue: Two sons:
Murad (b. 1969)
Shamil (b. 1970)
Several grandchildren
Profession: Bureaucrat, Dentist.
Title: Dr. Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Chief of Staff to President Meyers
Past offices held: Cabinet Secretary (1997-2000), Director-General of the Ministry of Finance (1996-1997), Director-General of the Ministry of Transport (1995-1996)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Kochubey
Policy areas of interest: All areas
Policy goals: Maintain a stable democracy, implement his economic vision.
Personal objectives: Keep his boss, Yulia Meyers, on the job, and therefore keep his influence.
Political mission statement: Mahmoud Gaidarov is a public servant, devoted to the work of bringing security and prosperity to the nation, through the vision of Yulia Meyers.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Mahmoud was born in Makhachkala, to Dr. Ghazi Shamilovich Gaidarov, a local physician. An Avar, Ghazi was not part of the elite cadres of Communist Party officials, but was able to take good care of his family. Mahmoud was able to attend university in Moscow, and studied dentistry. However, he maintained an interest in political science and economics, which he kept secret from the KGB.
The Zakharovich Era
During the Zakharovich era, Mahmoud’s views were more accepted in the establishment, and he successfully became a public servant. At first working in middling roles, his big break came by hitching his wagon to Julia Meyers, for whom he became a trusted lieutenant and hatchet man.
The Safadov Period
Mahmoud followed Meyers through Safadov’s time, rising alongside her.
The Volkov Era
Naturally, when Meyers fell, Gaidarov fell too. Regularly harassed by the SNB, he had to return to dentistry, working in the far north of the country.
The Revolution
As she returned to power, Yulia Meyers brought Mahmoud Gaidarov back. She needed his skills once more, and he was happy to oblige.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Snakes.
Hobbies: Debating, poker.
Favorite color: White.
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
His divorce. On account of his long hours of work and sometimes difficult personality, Mahmoud inadvertently pushed his wife away, until she left him. He is no longer in touch with her, and rarely sees his adult sons.
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
Lively. Mahmoud drinks a lot, talks a lot, and makes for fascinating conversation when he’s let his guard down. He’s also a fierce poker player.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Intense. Mahmoud is just as demanding as his boss, but grumpier and less compassionate. He expects excellence, and does not suffer fools gladly. His scoldings are the stuff of legends.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Dr. Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov & Mr. Pavel Ivanovich Kovalyev - the Green House]
”Blyat!”
This particular word was well-known to those who worked with Mahmoud Gaidarov. The dude had a temper, and his face was suitably red as he descended the stairs from the residence.
“You, there, Pavel Ivanovich,” he hollered at a young staffer.
The staffer stepped forward nervously.
“Yes, Mahmoud Ghazievich?”
“Do you think it’s appropriate for President Meyers, our President, the President of the goddamn Republic, to come to the state opening of parliament in dirty, sweaty, stinky, day-old clothes?” Mahmoud admonished.
“No, sir,” Pavel mumbled.
“Then why is the closet in her residence still dirty?”
“Cleaners didn’t show, sir.”
“So clean it yourself, Pavel Ivanovich. Get a mop.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s not rocket science,” Mahmoud followed up, as the kid scurried upstairs. “When she gets back from Brussels tonight, I want that closet f*cking sparkling!”
There was no reply.
Name: Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov
Date of Birth: Mar. 4, 1944
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russian SFSR, USSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.9 meters
Weight: about 110 kg
Ethnicity: Avar
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Languages spoken: Russian, Avar (fluent). Azerbaijani, Chechen, Arabic (some). English (limited). German (choice cuss words).
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Once brown, now white
Hair style: Slicked back to project fullness, somewhat long.
Eye color: Blue
Fashion sense: Practical. Wears off-the-rack suits, or casual farmer's attire (i.e. overalls).
Distinctive physical characteristics: Mahmoud is tall and sturdy in build. Many say he's intimidating.
Face-claim: Jonathan Frakes
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Divorced. Was married to Aksana Murdadovna (1968-1999)
Parents' names and status: Ghazi and Alisa, deceased
Issue: Two sons:
Murad (b. 1969)
Shamil (b. 1970)
Several grandchildren
Profession: Bureaucrat, Dentist.
Title: Dr. Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Chief of Staff to President Meyers
Past offices held: Cabinet Secretary (1997-2000), Director-General of the Ministry of Finance (1996-1997), Director-General of the Ministry of Transport (1995-1996)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Kochubey
Policy areas of interest: All areas
Policy goals: Maintain a stable democracy, implement his economic vision.
Personal objectives: Keep his boss, Yulia Meyers, on the job, and therefore keep his influence.
Political mission statement: Mahmoud Gaidarov is a public servant, devoted to the work of bringing security and prosperity to the nation, through the vision of Yulia Meyers.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Mahmoud was born in Makhachkala, to Dr. Ghazi Shamilovich Gaidarov, a local physician. An Avar, Ghazi was not part of the elite cadres of Communist Party officials, but was able to take good care of his family. Mahmoud was able to attend university in Moscow, and studied dentistry. However, he maintained an interest in political science and economics, which he kept secret from the KGB.
The Zakharovich Era
During the Zakharovich era, Mahmoud’s views were more accepted in the establishment, and he successfully became a public servant. At first working in middling roles, his big break came by hitching his wagon to Julia Meyers, for whom he became a trusted lieutenant and hatchet man.
The Safadov Period
Mahmoud followed Meyers through Safadov’s time, rising alongside her.
The Volkov Era
Naturally, when Meyers fell, Gaidarov fell too. Regularly harassed by the SNB, he had to return to dentistry, working in the far north of the country.
The Revolution
As she returned to power, Yulia Meyers brought Mahmoud Gaidarov back. She needed his skills once more, and he was happy to oblige.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Snakes.
Hobbies: Debating, poker.
Favorite color: White.
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
His divorce. On account of his long hours of work and sometimes difficult personality, Mahmoud inadvertently pushed his wife away, until she left him. He is no longer in touch with her, and rarely sees his adult sons.
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
Lively. Mahmoud drinks a lot, talks a lot, and makes for fascinating conversation when he’s let his guard down. He’s also a fierce poker player.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Intense. Mahmoud is just as demanding as his boss, but grumpier and less compassionate. He expects excellence, and does not suffer fools gladly. His scoldings are the stuff of legends.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Dr. Mahmoud Ghazievich Gaidarov & Mr. Pavel Ivanovich Kovalyev - the Green House]
”Blyat!”
This particular word was well-known to those who worked with Mahmoud Gaidarov. The dude had a temper, and his face was suitably red as he descended the stairs from the residence.
“You, there, Pavel Ivanovich,” he hollered at a young staffer.
The staffer stepped forward nervously.
“Yes, Mahmoud Ghazievich?”
“Do you think it’s appropriate for President Meyers, our President, the President of the goddamn Republic, to come to the state opening of parliament in dirty, sweaty, stinky, day-old clothes?” Mahmoud admonished.
“No, sir,” Pavel mumbled.
“Then why is the closet in her residence still dirty?”
“Cleaners didn’t show, sir.”
“So clean it yourself, Pavel Ivanovich. Get a mop.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s not rocket science,” Mahmoud followed up, as the kid scurried upstairs. “When she gets back from Brussels tonight, I want that closet f*cking sparkling!”
There was no reply.
{3. Colonel-General (Ret.) Aleksandr Semyonovich Stepanov - National Security Advisor to President Meyers (Dr. Hendrei Gromsinger)}Basic Info
Name: Aleksandr Semyonovich Stepanov
Date of Birth: Oct. 4, 1956 (age 50)
Place of birth: Tpig, Dagestan, Russian SFSR, USSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.80 m
Weight: About 80 kg
Ethnicity: Half-Russian, half-Azeri
Religion: Shi’a Muslim
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Silver
Eye color: Blue
Face-claim: Lior Ashkenazi
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Married to Irina Kirillovna since 1987
Parents' names and status: Semyon Yakovich and Roza Kamalovna. Married, alive.
Issue: Viktor (b. 1987), Olga (b. 1991), Yakov (b. 1995)
Profession: Politician, formerly soldier
Title: The Honorable, Colonel-General (Reserves) Aleksandr Semyonovich Stepanov.
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): National Security Advisor to President Meyers
Past offices held: Minister of Defense (late 2005), Commanding General of the Armed Forces (1997-2001)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Tpig
Policy areas of interest: National Security
Policy goals: Secure Dagestan’s independence and defensive position, esp. against Russia
Personal objectives: Stabilize the country enough that he can confidently go tend to the family farm.
Political mission statement: Gen. Stepanov is a warrior who has fought for Dagestan’s freedom and safety; his priority remains making the nation a safe place for his children to live (and give him grandchildren someday soon)
Biography
Early Life and Career
Aleksandr was the product of a Dagestani love story, the child of an ethnic Russian former Red Army officer and an Azeri peasant girl. He was raised in the mountains of southwest Dagestan, on his mother’s ancestral farm, immersed in the land and its people.
When he was old enough (1974), Aleksandr enlisted in the Red Army, serving valiantly in Afghanistan, where he won many decorations and rapid promotions. He served in the armored forces, rising to the rank of Colonel in the Red Army.
The Zakharovich Era
When Dagestan declared independence, Aleksandr had no doubt that he would return to serve his nation. He joined its military, held a variety of commands, and rose to the rank of Major-General by the year 1996. He was close to General Volkov in this time.
The Safadov Period
It was Stepanov who held off Hussainov’s coup attempt in 1996, a valiant act that saw him promoted to command the army when Volkov was elevated to Prime Minister. The young General established good relations with the whole of the reformist leadership, his interest in democracy motivating him to maintain such broad ties.
The Volkov Era
Just like Yulia Meyers, Aleksandr Stepanov gradually grew disillusioned with Volkov’s policies. Repressing the Chechens and Old Guard was one thing, but joint operations with the Russians were simply too much, and as he refused to support these, the General was sacked by Volkov’s government in 2001.
From that point on, Stepanov was a dissident leader, traveling the West to develop strategic relations with NATO powers, while making illicit radio broadcasts from the mountains into Dagestan.
The Revolution
During the general strike, the military attempted to work with the oligarchs to train and employ soldiers in place of the striking workers. When the oligarchs didn’t go along, the Generals realized that the Volkov regime simply wasn’t durable anymore, and so reached out to their old pal Stepanov, to express their willingness to allow the revolution to happen. Stepanov coordinated with his peers, and the military abandoned Volkov.
During the transition period, many presumed Stepanov would be Meyers’ favored candidate for Prime Minister, and a public favorite as well, but the General had no interest in that job.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Dentists.
Hobbies: Tending to the sheep, hunting, fishing, horseback riding
Favorite color: The green of thriving pastures
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Introverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Hi hungry, I’m dad
Describe your character's best experience:
The days he’s spent on the farm with his parents, and later, with his own wife and children. On his land, Aleksandr feels truly at peace.
Describe your character's worst experience:
His time in exile, away from the land and the people he loved, was torture for Aleksandr, but not as much as the cocktail parties he attended in the west. As a mission-oriented, blunt man, prone to the odd verbal gaffe, these events were unbearable for him.
Who is your character's role model and why?
Aleksandr is inspired more than anyone else by his grandfather Kamal. That man taught him the joys of living and working on the land.
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Colonel-General (Ret). Aleksandr Stepanov - Men’s Bathroom, Camp Rabin, Tel Aviv]
”Blyat.”
Aleksandr’s big mouth had done it again. His meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz had been going swimmingly, until the Dagestani just had to make an off-the-mark comment about Israel’s recent boondoggle in Lebanon. The briefing book had said that Halutz was widely blamed for that war’s poor outcome, and not to mention it to him, but Aleksandr had forgotten that in the heat of the moment.
”I need to tell Yulia.”
One of Yulia’s pipe dreams was that she, as the Jewish leader of a Muslim-majority state, could bring peace to this part of the world - once she brought stability to Dagestan. Perhaps the warm personal relations she had with local leaders could smooth over Aleksandr’s gaffe, or perhaps Halutz would be forced out and the inopportune joke forgotten.
Name: Aleksandr Semyonovich Stepanov
Date of Birth: Oct. 4, 1956 (age 50)
Place of birth: Tpig, Dagestan, Russian SFSR, USSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.80 m
Weight: About 80 kg
Ethnicity: Half-Russian, half-Azeri
Religion: Shi’a Muslim
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Silver
Eye color: Blue
Face-claim: Lior Ashkenazi
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Married to Irina Kirillovna since 1987
Parents' names and status: Semyon Yakovich and Roza Kamalovna. Married, alive.
Issue: Viktor (b. 1987), Olga (b. 1991), Yakov (b. 1995)
Profession: Politician, formerly soldier
Title: The Honorable, Colonel-General (Reserves) Aleksandr Semyonovich Stepanov.
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): National Security Advisor to President Meyers
Past offices held: Minister of Defense (late 2005), Commanding General of the Armed Forces (1997-2001)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Tpig
Policy areas of interest: National Security
Policy goals: Secure Dagestan’s independence and defensive position, esp. against Russia
Personal objectives: Stabilize the country enough that he can confidently go tend to the family farm.
Political mission statement: Gen. Stepanov is a warrior who has fought for Dagestan’s freedom and safety; his priority remains making the nation a safe place for his children to live (and give him grandchildren someday soon)
Biography
Early Life and Career
Aleksandr was the product of a Dagestani love story, the child of an ethnic Russian former Red Army officer and an Azeri peasant girl. He was raised in the mountains of southwest Dagestan, on his mother’s ancestral farm, immersed in the land and its people.
When he was old enough (1974), Aleksandr enlisted in the Red Army, serving valiantly in Afghanistan, where he won many decorations and rapid promotions. He served in the armored forces, rising to the rank of Colonel in the Red Army.
The Zakharovich Era
When Dagestan declared independence, Aleksandr had no doubt that he would return to serve his nation. He joined its military, held a variety of commands, and rose to the rank of Major-General by the year 1996. He was close to General Volkov in this time.
The Safadov Period
It was Stepanov who held off Hussainov’s coup attempt in 1996, a valiant act that saw him promoted to command the army when Volkov was elevated to Prime Minister. The young General established good relations with the whole of the reformist leadership, his interest in democracy motivating him to maintain such broad ties.
The Volkov Era
Just like Yulia Meyers, Aleksandr Stepanov gradually grew disillusioned with Volkov’s policies. Repressing the Chechens and Old Guard was one thing, but joint operations with the Russians were simply too much, and as he refused to support these, the General was sacked by Volkov’s government in 2001.
From that point on, Stepanov was a dissident leader, traveling the West to develop strategic relations with NATO powers, while making illicit radio broadcasts from the mountains into Dagestan.
The Revolution
During the general strike, the military attempted to work with the oligarchs to train and employ soldiers in place of the striking workers. When the oligarchs didn’t go along, the Generals realized that the Volkov regime simply wasn’t durable anymore, and so reached out to their old pal Stepanov, to express their willingness to allow the revolution to happen. Stepanov coordinated with his peers, and the military abandoned Volkov.
During the transition period, many presumed Stepanov would be Meyers’ favored candidate for Prime Minister, and a public favorite as well, but the General had no interest in that job.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Dentists.
Hobbies: Tending to the sheep, hunting, fishing, horseback riding
Favorite color: The green of thriving pastures
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Introverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Hi hungry, I’m dad
Describe your character's best experience:
The days he’s spent on the farm with his parents, and later, with his own wife and children. On his land, Aleksandr feels truly at peace.
Describe your character's worst experience:
His time in exile, away from the land and the people he loved, was torture for Aleksandr, but not as much as the cocktail parties he attended in the west. As a mission-oriented, blunt man, prone to the odd verbal gaffe, these events were unbearable for him.
Who is your character's role model and why?
Aleksandr is inspired more than anyone else by his grandfather Kamal. That man taught him the joys of living and working on the land.
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Colonel-General (Ret). Aleksandr Stepanov - Men’s Bathroom, Camp Rabin, Tel Aviv]
”Blyat.”
Aleksandr’s big mouth had done it again. His meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz had been going swimmingly, until the Dagestani just had to make an off-the-mark comment about Israel’s recent boondoggle in Lebanon. The briefing book had said that Halutz was widely blamed for that war’s poor outcome, and not to mention it to him, but Aleksandr had forgotten that in the heat of the moment.
”I need to tell Yulia.”
One of Yulia’s pipe dreams was that she, as the Jewish leader of a Muslim-majority state, could bring peace to this part of the world - once she brought stability to Dagestan. Perhaps the warm personal relations she had with local leaders could smooth over Aleksandr’s gaffe, or perhaps Halutz would be forced out and the inopportune joke forgotten.
{4. Mukhtar Tulyakbay, Esq. - Legal Counsel to the Government of Dagestan (Dr. Hendrei Gromsinger)}Basic Info
Name: Mukhtar Azamatovich Tulyakbay
Date of Birth: June 4, 1953 (age 53)
Place of birth: Aktau, Kazakh SSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Ethnicity: Kazakh
Religion: Atheist
Languages spoken: Kazakh (native), Russian (fluent, accented), English (conversational)
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Black
Hairstyle: Curly, short, receding hair, with mustache
Eye color: Brown
Clothing style: Wears a light grey suit with a yellow or green tie, always
Distinctive physical features: His mustache
Face-claim: Sacha Baron Cohen
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Single, never married
Parents' names and status: Azamat and Natalya, both deceased
Issue: No known children
Profession: Attorney
Title: Mukhtar Tulyakbay, Esq.
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Legal Counsel for the Government
Past offices held: Special advisor on constitutional reforms (1997-1998)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Izberbash
Policy areas of interest: The legal system, especially constitutional law
Policy goals: Maintain balance between the presidency, the cabinet, the courts, and the parliament
Personal objectives: Be nominated and confirmed to the Supreme Court
Political mission statement: Mukhtar Tulyakbay is the attorney of the people, keeping their government from running amok.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Mukhtar Tulyakbay was born to a family in Aktau, Kazakhstan. His father, Azamat, was a prominent attorney and local CPSU leader. As such, Mukhtar grew up in a comfortable existence, being educated in Moscow to become a lawyer himself.
The Zakharovich Era
During much of the Zakharovich period in Dagestan, Mukhtar was in his native Kazakhstan, where he tried to see a stable, non-authoritarian government take hold, with little success.
The Safadov Period
Seeing the exciting developments in Dagestan, Mukhtar moved to that country and aligned himself with the Reformists. He became a prominent voice on constitutional reforms behind the scenes, advising the group and especially Yulia Meyers.
The Volkov Era
The Volkov era was a difficult one for Mukhtar, as his work was torn apart by various unconstitutional acts. He left Dagestan for his native Kazakhstan, where he practiced law as a private attorney.
The Revolution
After the revolution, Mukhtar returned to Dagestan, taking the powerful office of Legal Counsel in the provisional government. In this position, he interprets statutes and constitutional provisions for the cabinet and President. His legal opinions are considered to bind the government, unless challenged in court. As a careful constitutional scholar, Mukhtar's opinions usually hold up quite well.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Drowning
Hobbies: Tennis
Favorite color: Yellow
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Very extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Dark humor is like food: not everyone gets it.
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Oddly, not the years in the political wilderness, but rather the experience of presenting his work at the 1997 constitutional convention. Mukhtar, though a sharp legal mind, was never good at expressing himself verbally, and by many accounts made a fool of himself with a series of malapropisms, off-color remarks, and other verbal gaffes. That experience kept him from being nominated to the bench during the Volkov-Meyers era.
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Mukhtar Tulyakbay is two people: the Mr. Tulyakbay of the written word, and the Mukhtar of the spoken word. In writing, he is sharp as a knife, eloquent, and almost infallible in his grasp of facts and law. In speech, he is a bumbling buffoon, enthusiastic and affectionate but with a foot stuck firmly in mouth.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[NPCs - Mukhtar Tulyakbay and Mahmoud Gaidarov - "Caspian Treasures" Seafood Restaurant, Izberbash]
"Yulia will not make me a Minister of Justice?" a disappointed Mukhtar asked, too upset to enjoy his caviar.
"She can't," Mahmoud Gaidarov explained, blunt as ever. "The Minister of Justice is a public-facing official, and we both know you're not up for that."
"But I can have a speaksman, and my legal mind is second to one," the Kazakh protested.
"You mean spokesman, and second to none, and that's the problem, Mukhtar. Yulia wants you to stay in the OLC."
"I will stay, but let Yulia know that I am very disappoint."
Name: Mukhtar Azamatovich Tulyakbay
Date of Birth: June 4, 1953 (age 53)
Place of birth: Aktau, Kazakh SSR
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Ethnicity: Kazakh
Religion: Atheist
Languages spoken: Kazakh (native), Russian (fluent, accented), English (conversational)
Complexion: Fair
Hair color: Black
Hairstyle: Curly, short, receding hair, with mustache
Eye color: Brown
Clothing style: Wears a light grey suit with a yellow or green tie, always
Distinctive physical features: His mustache
Face-claim: Sacha Baron Cohen
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Single, never married
Parents' names and status: Azamat and Natalya, both deceased
Issue: No known children
Profession: Attorney
Title: Mukhtar Tulyakbay, Esq.
Political Background
Party: Independent
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Legal Counsel for the Government
Past offices held: Special advisor on constitutional reforms (1997-1998)
Constituency: n/a
Hometown: Izberbash
Policy areas of interest: The legal system, especially constitutional law
Policy goals: Maintain balance between the presidency, the cabinet, the courts, and the parliament
Personal objectives: Be nominated and confirmed to the Supreme Court
Political mission statement: Mukhtar Tulyakbay is the attorney of the people, keeping their government from running amok.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Mukhtar Tulyakbay was born to a family in Aktau, Kazakhstan. His father, Azamat, was a prominent attorney and local CPSU leader. As such, Mukhtar grew up in a comfortable existence, being educated in Moscow to become a lawyer himself.
The Zakharovich Era
During much of the Zakharovich period in Dagestan, Mukhtar was in his native Kazakhstan, where he tried to see a stable, non-authoritarian government take hold, with little success.
The Safadov Period
Seeing the exciting developments in Dagestan, Mukhtar moved to that country and aligned himself with the Reformists. He became a prominent voice on constitutional reforms behind the scenes, advising the group and especially Yulia Meyers.
The Volkov Era
The Volkov era was a difficult one for Mukhtar, as his work was torn apart by various unconstitutional acts. He left Dagestan for his native Kazakhstan, where he practiced law as a private attorney.
The Revolution
After the revolution, Mukhtar returned to Dagestan, taking the powerful office of Legal Counsel in the provisional government. In this position, he interprets statutes and constitutional provisions for the cabinet and President. His legal opinions are considered to bind the government, unless challenged in court. As a careful constitutional scholar, Mukhtar's opinions usually hold up quite well.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Drowning
Hobbies: Tennis
Favorite color: Yellow
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Very extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Dark humor is like food: not everyone gets it.
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Oddly, not the years in the political wilderness, but rather the experience of presenting his work at the 1997 constitutional convention. Mukhtar, though a sharp legal mind, was never good at expressing himself verbally, and by many accounts made a fool of himself with a series of malapropisms, off-color remarks, and other verbal gaffes. That experience kept him from being nominated to the bench during the Volkov-Meyers era.
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Mukhtar Tulyakbay is two people: the Mr. Tulyakbay of the written word, and the Mukhtar of the spoken word. In writing, he is sharp as a knife, eloquent, and almost infallible in his grasp of facts and law. In speech, he is a bumbling buffoon, enthusiastic and affectionate but with a foot stuck firmly in mouth.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[NPCs - Mukhtar Tulyakbay and Mahmoud Gaidarov - "Caspian Treasures" Seafood Restaurant, Izberbash]
"Yulia will not make me a Minister of Justice?" a disappointed Mukhtar asked, too upset to enjoy his caviar.
"She can't," Mahmoud Gaidarov explained, blunt as ever. "The Minister of Justice is a public-facing official, and we both know you're not up for that."
"But I can have a speaksman, and my legal mind is second to one," the Kazakh protested.
"You mean spokesman, and second to none, and that's the problem, Mukhtar. Yulia wants you to stay in the OLC."
"I will stay, but let Yulia know that I am very disappoint."
Approved Characters
{1. The Honorable, Dr. Tarlan Lavkhovich Elkanov, Mayor of Derbent - Liberal (tpc)}Basic Info
Name: Tarlan Lavkhovich Elkhanov
Date of Birth: February 12, 1963 (age 44)
Place of birth: Houston, Texas, USA
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.79 m (5 ft, 10 in)
Weight: 72-76 kg
Ethnicity: Lezghin
Religion: Sunni Islam
Languages spoken: Lezghin, English, Azerbaijani (fluent), Russian, Avar (working proficiency, acccented), some Polish phrases
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Dark brown
Hairstyle: Short, straight, balding and hair with a v-shaped hairline.
Eye color: Blue
Clothing style: Tarlan wears tailored three-piece suits in most public appearances. Privately, he usually wears flannel shirts, layered with sweaters in winter.
Distinctive physical features: Not one feature, but the collection of his physical features exude an image of old money to the trained eye. The suits, hair, and perfumes are subtle, unlike flashy new money types, but well-made.
Face-claim: Féodor Atkine
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Unmarried (closeted homosexual)
Parents' names and status: Lavkha and Karolina, alive
Issue: None, four adopted children:
Svetlana Nikolaievna (born 1990)
Magmoudali Aliyev (born 1994)
Amir Apashev (born 1998)
Rabiyat el-Derbenti (born 2002)
Profession: Mayor of Derbent, part-time professor at Derbent University, formerly economist
Title: The Honorable, Mayor of Derbent, Dr. Tarlan Elkhanov
Political Background
Party: Liberal (2005- ), Independent (2000-2005), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Mayor of Derbent (2000- )
Past offices held:
Member of the Dagestani Council of Economic Advisers (1997-2000)
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Derbent Center (52nd)
Policy areas of interest: Economic development, minority rights, transitional justice
Policy goals:
-Ensure constitutional protection of property rights.
-Advance Lezghin and queer rights in Dagestan.
-Investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the running of detention camps during the Volkov government.
Personal objectives:
-Put loyal men in the Ministry of Justice.
-Retain his influence in Derbent.
Political mission statement:
Mayor Elkhanov, the latest of a long line of vigilant watchmen, dreams of a Dagestan where justice and freedom are upheld.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Tarlan Elkhanov was born in 1963 to Lavkha Elkhanov, a petroleum engineer, and Karolina Elkhanov. His ancestors were the Lezghin chieftains of Derbent. His great-uncle was a minister in the Mountain Republic, and a great-grandfather was a wealthy fur trader who invested in oil. Emigrating to the United States in 1921, the Elkhanovs drew upon their oil wealth (stored in Swiss bank accounts) to secure a comfortable life after their wealth in Dagestan was seized by the Bolsheviks. The Elkhanovs settled in Houston, having found employment and investment opportunities in America's growing oil industry.
Tarlan was the youngest of seven children. Because of that, he had some freedom to pursue employment outside of the family business. Educated in Berkeley (BS Mathematics, 1985), Columbia (MS Mathematics, 1987), and Chicago (PhD Economics, 1992), he planned to pursue a career in academia, but the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent privatization of the Soviet economy brought many opportunities for a young economist with connections to the region. Boarding a plane headed to Moscow, Tarlan worked under Jeffrey Sachs, advising the Yeltsin government on privatization.
The Zakharovich Era
Having been assigned to the Caucasus, Tarlan worked with the nascent Dagestani government for almost a year (1992-1993). He participated in the privatization of the oil industry, meeting Yulia Meyers in the process (she had been auditing oil firms in the Caucasus). During that period, he was forced to resign when he attempted to expose conflicts of interest between the economists responsible for the auction of Soviet oil assets and the oligarchs buying said assets. If Tarlan returned to US academia, he feared retaliation from the economists whose corruption he had attempted to expose, possibly hindering his advancement. He had readied himself for life as an adjunct professor in America when the Dagestani Ministry of Finance offered him the job of advising the creation of a credit market. Tarlan, seeing the possibility of a new life in his ancestral homeland, accepted the job and became a naturalized Dagestani citizen.
Having concluded his job contract, Tarlan was offered a permanent job in the Ministry, but refused. He had a personal disdain to Dagestani bureaucrats, many ex-Soviet officials - the same that took his family's fortune in 1921. He was even more disgusted by oligarchs - many of them were Communist insiders that ate up the 'people's' wealth like vultures, wealth they had taken away from Tarlan's and many other families in the name of equality. While his experiences taught him to hide his disdain under a diplomatic facade, Tarlan refused to work permanently under oligarch or bureaucrat. Instead, he went on to teach at Derbent University and consult in the private and public sector on a per-project basis. During this time, he acquired the Elkhanovs' historic residence (whose owners after the Elkhanov family were ex-Communist bureaucrats) using his share of the family fortune, invested in several properties, and engaged in philanthropy.
The Safadov Period
Tarlan was an early member of the Reform movement, seeing the party as the best chance Dagestan had to escape the bureaucratic and corrupt Old Guard. Using his family's credentials as past chieftains of Derbent and their money, Tarlan helped organize the Derbent chapter of the movement. When the Reformists won power, he joined the government as an economic advisor.
After Safadov came out as gay, Tarlan (a closeted gay man himself), began to exploit the momentum the announcement made by creating safe havens for the Derbent queer community. As a professor in Derbent University, Tarlan protected young queer students from persecution. As a relatively wealthy landowner, many of Tarlan's properties became meeting places for the queer community.
In both these roles, Tarlan's organizing mainly revolved around administrative tasks, analysis, and the use of his wealth, and left public roles for other people.
The Volkov Era
Tarlan continued work as an economic advisor until Meyers' resignation in 2000. He ran for Mayor of the Derbent in the 2001 mayoral by-election (the previous Mayor had been a Dry, and was prosecuted by the Volkov administration) as an independent. Running against an ex-military man endorsed by Volkov, Tarlan banked on his family's reputation, money, philantrophy, the Derbent queer community's activism, and Reform 'Drys' to win. He won in a landslide, confirming to Volkov that Derbent was a hotbed of anti-Volkov resistance. Instead of prosecuting Tarlan like they did the last Mayor, and possibly losing again and instigating further instability, the central government accepted the election results.
The Volkov administration then adopted a strategy of aggressive centralization in dealing with resistance in Derbent. The military set up a base in the city, SNB cells infiltrated Derbent society, and the central government engaged in a tug-of-war with the Derbent government for the loyalty of the local police. Tarlan attempted to shield as many people as possible from the kidnappings and persecution that followed, hiding activists in his properties, chartering planes out of the country, and ferrying dissidents through the Caspian to Azerbaijan. Tarlan's circle of dissidents in Derbent, intellectuals and journalists alike, became the founding members of the liberal party. Tarlan, due to fears of starting riots in Derbent, personally avoided prosecution, walking a tightrope of collaboration and secret resistance. However, others were not as lucky - the poet Nikolai Gaydarov, his lover, died in a detention camp in 2002. He adopted his daughter, Svetlana, and went on to adopt the children of many kidnapped dissidents during his tenure as Mayor.
In organizing resistance against the Volkov administration, Tarlan had to collaborate with some oligarchs whose properties had been nationalized and redistributed to Volkov's supporters. This collaboration slightly mellowed his disdain of oligarchs - Tarlan appreciated the oligarchs as a useful tool, offering much wealth and (sometimes) skill, but lacking an understanding of noblesse oblige (an understanding which Tarlan thought he possessed). It was foolish for the nascent resistance to drive oligarchs away, but also foolish to let oligarchs take too much control - dangle the right bait, Tarlan realized, and the oligarchs would follow.
The Revolution
Derbent had frequently contacted Meyers before the revolution, and was the center of protests in 2005. Tarlan directed Derbent police to protect the protesters, avoiding the repression that had happened in Makhachkala. Rare sights of police and citizen banding together against the military were seen in Derbent at that time. Tarlan openly supported the protests when it turned to a tax protest, and at one the time personally directed the protesters to Sabnova detention camp, freeing the dissidents imprisoned there.
He remained Mayor of Derbent in Meyers' provisional government, and was one of the founding members of the Liberal Party. During this time, he supported the families of the disappeared in petitioning for the prosecution of Volkov loyalists, and was dismayed when the same loyalists were allowed to run for president.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Not doing enough
Hobbies: Hiking, Reading, Cooking
Favorite color: Beige
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Introverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
His early years in Derbent. In every corner of the city, he discovered something new about his family's past, thus feeling a deep connection to the city. He had walked through every street in Derbent several times by the time he was Mayor, encountering trusting smiles of acceptance from the people.
Describe your character's worst experience:
His time as Mayor in the Volkov Era. Tarlan saw many close friends disappearing and turning up dead. He feels he could have done more the prevent them, and shoulders immense guilt as a result. He asks himself every day: did he deserve safety when others lived in fear?
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
A dedicated and generous friend. Tarlan never refuses a favor, be it money, company, or some other thing. In conversations, he listens more, offering deadpan observations (sometimes funny, sometimes helpful) in between, and in rare times bursting into overly-detailed stories or rants about some aspect of life that annoys him. All his friends know about the most recent incompetent staffer, or the entitled Karen-like petitioner. Periodically, he checks up on friends, asking a series of questions you'd think came out of a job interview.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
A distant, hands-off superior. Work under Tarlan looks like getting a stack of papers detailing your new job (fortunately, his briefings are relatively detailed. - Tarlan always describes what he wants in clear detail, and points to ways of achieving that goal) and being left alone for months. Every two weeks, Tarlan would take his little notebook and cross out jobs done. If someone's work isn't crossed out by the deadline, he'll cross out their name. However, failure is rarely the case, as his own dedication to work motivates Tarlan's subordinates. As well as that, long-time subordinates know that he's always open for a question - he appreciates the courage. Why many more don't is obvious for all except him, his status being intimidating to many.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Mayor Tarlan Elkhanov & Mikhail Timurlov - Memorial for the Disappeared (formerly Sabnova Detention Center), Derbent]
The eyes of the dead stared at Tarlan. He had requested a private tour of the memorial, a few hours before its opening to the public. Tarlan looked at the pictures of his kidnapped compatriots - they should have been to ones to give a speech, not him. Why should anyone care about what he had to say, never spending a day locked up in the place? He never liked long speeches anyway. He planned to give a short speech, then give the stage to the families of the disappeared.
"Sir?"
Tarlan turned to find Mikhail, one of his staffers, hired only a month ago.
"What is it, Mikhail?"
"Lobachenko, sir," Mikhail said, his eyes trying to avoid looking at Tarlan and the pictures of the dead - to no use.
Tarlan raised an eyebrow and stared at him, nodding slightly.
"Go on, Mikhail."
"He left, sir. On a plane to Russia."
Tarlan produced his notebook from his suit's pocket. He looked at the most recent page.
"Did Tormasov call the Ministry of Justice?"
"He did, sir-" the crossed-out task on Tarlan's notebook said as much, "but people at the ministry-"
Tarlan could guess the response, "Refused. Said something about reconciliation, politically-motivated prosecutions?"
"Yes, sir."
"I see. Unfortunate. You may go, Mikhail."
Unfortunate, Tarlan thought. Those bloody dunderheads in Makhachkala let another bloodsucking parasite go - can't they realize it by now? This'll just be another open invitation for those brutish types to impose their desires upon others, to restrict our freedoms for their own wants, with no care of how people in their station ought to behave. Tarlan paced around the room, biting his lip.
The dead stared at Tarlan. Their tormentor now walked free, never to return to Dagestan and face justice. And it was his fault - just like how Nikolai had been his fault, or Olga, or Anastasia. Tarlan stopped - no more.
"Mikhail!"
The young staffer walked back in, eyes averted.
"Call Shamil. Tell him I'll run."
Mikhail sighed in relief.
"Yes, sir."
"Go now, Mikhail."
Tarlan looked back at the disappeared. Someone should care about what he had to say now.
Name: Tarlan Lavkhovich Elkhanov
Date of Birth: February 12, 1963 (age 44)
Place of birth: Houston, Texas, USA
Sex/gender: Male
Height: 1.79 m (5 ft, 10 in)
Weight: 72-76 kg
Ethnicity: Lezghin
Religion: Sunni Islam
Languages spoken: Lezghin, English, Azerbaijani (fluent), Russian, Avar (working proficiency, acccented), some Polish phrases
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Dark brown
Hairstyle: Short, straight, balding and hair with a v-shaped hairline.
Eye color: Blue
Clothing style: Tarlan wears tailored three-piece suits in most public appearances. Privately, he usually wears flannel shirts, layered with sweaters in winter.
Distinctive physical features: Not one feature, but the collection of his physical features exude an image of old money to the trained eye. The suits, hair, and perfumes are subtle, unlike flashy new money types, but well-made.
Face-claim: Féodor Atkine
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Unmarried (closeted homosexual)
Parents' names and status: Lavkha and Karolina, alive
Issue: None, four adopted children:
Svetlana Nikolaievna (born 1990)
Magmoudali Aliyev (born 1994)
Amir Apashev (born 1998)
Rabiyat el-Derbenti (born 2002)
Profession: Mayor of Derbent, part-time professor at Derbent University, formerly economist
Title: The Honorable, Mayor of Derbent, Dr. Tarlan Elkhanov
Political Background
Party: Liberal (2005- ), Independent (2000-2005), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Mayor of Derbent (2000- )
Past offices held:
Member of the Dagestani Council of Economic Advisers (1997-2000)
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Derbent Center (52nd)
Policy areas of interest: Economic development, minority rights, transitional justice
Policy goals:
-Ensure constitutional protection of property rights.
-Advance Lezghin and queer rights in Dagestan.
-Investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the running of detention camps during the Volkov government.
Personal objectives:
-Put loyal men in the Ministry of Justice.
-Retain his influence in Derbent.
Political mission statement:
Mayor Elkhanov, the latest of a long line of vigilant watchmen, dreams of a Dagestan where justice and freedom are upheld.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Tarlan Elkhanov was born in 1963 to Lavkha Elkhanov, a petroleum engineer, and Karolina Elkhanov. His ancestors were the Lezghin chieftains of Derbent. His great-uncle was a minister in the Mountain Republic, and a great-grandfather was a wealthy fur trader who invested in oil. Emigrating to the United States in 1921, the Elkhanovs drew upon their oil wealth (stored in Swiss bank accounts) to secure a comfortable life after their wealth in Dagestan was seized by the Bolsheviks. The Elkhanovs settled in Houston, having found employment and investment opportunities in America's growing oil industry.
Tarlan was the youngest of seven children. Because of that, he had some freedom to pursue employment outside of the family business. Educated in Berkeley (BS Mathematics, 1985), Columbia (MS Mathematics, 1987), and Chicago (PhD Economics, 1992), he planned to pursue a career in academia, but the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent privatization of the Soviet economy brought many opportunities for a young economist with connections to the region. Boarding a plane headed to Moscow, Tarlan worked under Jeffrey Sachs, advising the Yeltsin government on privatization.
The Zakharovich Era
Having been assigned to the Caucasus, Tarlan worked with the nascent Dagestani government for almost a year (1992-1993). He participated in the privatization of the oil industry, meeting Yulia Meyers in the process (she had been auditing oil firms in the Caucasus). During that period, he was forced to resign when he attempted to expose conflicts of interest between the economists responsible for the auction of Soviet oil assets and the oligarchs buying said assets. If Tarlan returned to US academia, he feared retaliation from the economists whose corruption he had attempted to expose, possibly hindering his advancement. He had readied himself for life as an adjunct professor in America when the Dagestani Ministry of Finance offered him the job of advising the creation of a credit market. Tarlan, seeing the possibility of a new life in his ancestral homeland, accepted the job and became a naturalized Dagestani citizen.
Having concluded his job contract, Tarlan was offered a permanent job in the Ministry, but refused. He had a personal disdain to Dagestani bureaucrats, many ex-Soviet officials - the same that took his family's fortune in 1921. He was even more disgusted by oligarchs - many of them were Communist insiders that ate up the 'people's' wealth like vultures, wealth they had taken away from Tarlan's and many other families in the name of equality. While his experiences taught him to hide his disdain under a diplomatic facade, Tarlan refused to work permanently under oligarch or bureaucrat. Instead, he went on to teach at Derbent University and consult in the private and public sector on a per-project basis. During this time, he acquired the Elkhanovs' historic residence (whose owners after the Elkhanov family were ex-Communist bureaucrats) using his share of the family fortune, invested in several properties, and engaged in philanthropy.
The Safadov Period
Tarlan was an early member of the Reform movement, seeing the party as the best chance Dagestan had to escape the bureaucratic and corrupt Old Guard. Using his family's credentials as past chieftains of Derbent and their money, Tarlan helped organize the Derbent chapter of the movement. When the Reformists won power, he joined the government as an economic advisor.
After Safadov came out as gay, Tarlan (a closeted gay man himself), began to exploit the momentum the announcement made by creating safe havens for the Derbent queer community. As a professor in Derbent University, Tarlan protected young queer students from persecution. As a relatively wealthy landowner, many of Tarlan's properties became meeting places for the queer community.
In both these roles, Tarlan's organizing mainly revolved around administrative tasks, analysis, and the use of his wealth, and left public roles for other people.
The Volkov Era
Tarlan continued work as an economic advisor until Meyers' resignation in 2000. He ran for Mayor of the Derbent in the 2001 mayoral by-election (the previous Mayor had been a Dry, and was prosecuted by the Volkov administration) as an independent. Running against an ex-military man endorsed by Volkov, Tarlan banked on his family's reputation, money, philantrophy, the Derbent queer community's activism, and Reform 'Drys' to win. He won in a landslide, confirming to Volkov that Derbent was a hotbed of anti-Volkov resistance. Instead of prosecuting Tarlan like they did the last Mayor, and possibly losing again and instigating further instability, the central government accepted the election results.
The Volkov administration then adopted a strategy of aggressive centralization in dealing with resistance in Derbent. The military set up a base in the city, SNB cells infiltrated Derbent society, and the central government engaged in a tug-of-war with the Derbent government for the loyalty of the local police. Tarlan attempted to shield as many people as possible from the kidnappings and persecution that followed, hiding activists in his properties, chartering planes out of the country, and ferrying dissidents through the Caspian to Azerbaijan. Tarlan's circle of dissidents in Derbent, intellectuals and journalists alike, became the founding members of the liberal party. Tarlan, due to fears of starting riots in Derbent, personally avoided prosecution, walking a tightrope of collaboration and secret resistance. However, others were not as lucky - the poet Nikolai Gaydarov, his lover, died in a detention camp in 2002. He adopted his daughter, Svetlana, and went on to adopt the children of many kidnapped dissidents during his tenure as Mayor.
In organizing resistance against the Volkov administration, Tarlan had to collaborate with some oligarchs whose properties had been nationalized and redistributed to Volkov's supporters. This collaboration slightly mellowed his disdain of oligarchs - Tarlan appreciated the oligarchs as a useful tool, offering much wealth and (sometimes) skill, but lacking an understanding of noblesse oblige (an understanding which Tarlan thought he possessed). It was foolish for the nascent resistance to drive oligarchs away, but also foolish to let oligarchs take too much control - dangle the right bait, Tarlan realized, and the oligarchs would follow.
The Revolution
Derbent had frequently contacted Meyers before the revolution, and was the center of protests in 2005. Tarlan directed Derbent police to protect the protesters, avoiding the repression that had happened in Makhachkala. Rare sights of police and citizen banding together against the military were seen in Derbent at that time. Tarlan openly supported the protests when it turned to a tax protest, and at one the time personally directed the protesters to Sabnova detention camp, freeing the dissidents imprisoned there.
He remained Mayor of Derbent in Meyers' provisional government, and was one of the founding members of the Liberal Party. During this time, he supported the families of the disappeared in petitioning for the prosecution of Volkov loyalists, and was dismayed when the same loyalists were allowed to run for president.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Not doing enough
Hobbies: Hiking, Reading, Cooking
Favorite color: Beige
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Introverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
His early years in Derbent. In every corner of the city, he discovered something new about his family's past, thus feeling a deep connection to the city. He had walked through every street in Derbent several times by the time he was Mayor, encountering trusting smiles of acceptance from the people.
Describe your character's worst experience:
His time as Mayor in the Volkov Era. Tarlan saw many close friends disappearing and turning up dead. He feels he could have done more the prevent them, and shoulders immense guilt as a result. He asks himself every day: did he deserve safety when others lived in fear?
Who is your character's role model and why?
How would your character's friends describe them?
A dedicated and generous friend. Tarlan never refuses a favor, be it money, company, or some other thing. In conversations, he listens more, offering deadpan observations (sometimes funny, sometimes helpful) in between, and in rare times bursting into overly-detailed stories or rants about some aspect of life that annoys him. All his friends know about the most recent incompetent staffer, or the entitled Karen-like petitioner. Periodically, he checks up on friends, asking a series of questions you'd think came out of a job interview.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
A distant, hands-off superior. Work under Tarlan looks like getting a stack of papers detailing your new job (fortunately, his briefings are relatively detailed. - Tarlan always describes what he wants in clear detail, and points to ways of achieving that goal) and being left alone for months. Every two weeks, Tarlan would take his little notebook and cross out jobs done. If someone's work isn't crossed out by the deadline, he'll cross out their name. However, failure is rarely the case, as his own dedication to work motivates Tarlan's subordinates. As well as that, long-time subordinates know that he's always open for a question - he appreciates the courage. Why many more don't is obvious for all except him, his status being intimidating to many.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Mayor Tarlan Elkhanov & Mikhail Timurlov - Memorial for the Disappeared (formerly Sabnova Detention Center), Derbent]
The eyes of the dead stared at Tarlan. He had requested a private tour of the memorial, a few hours before its opening to the public. Tarlan looked at the pictures of his kidnapped compatriots - they should have been to ones to give a speech, not him. Why should anyone care about what he had to say, never spending a day locked up in the place? He never liked long speeches anyway. He planned to give a short speech, then give the stage to the families of the disappeared.
"Sir?"
Tarlan turned to find Mikhail, one of his staffers, hired only a month ago.
"What is it, Mikhail?"
"Lobachenko, sir," Mikhail said, his eyes trying to avoid looking at Tarlan and the pictures of the dead - to no use.
Tarlan raised an eyebrow and stared at him, nodding slightly.
"Go on, Mikhail."
"He left, sir. On a plane to Russia."
Tarlan produced his notebook from his suit's pocket. He looked at the most recent page.
"Did Tormasov call the Ministry of Justice?"
"He did, sir-" the crossed-out task on Tarlan's notebook said as much, "but people at the ministry-"
Tarlan could guess the response, "Refused. Said something about reconciliation, politically-motivated prosecutions?"
"Yes, sir."
"I see. Unfortunate. You may go, Mikhail."
Unfortunate, Tarlan thought. Those bloody dunderheads in Makhachkala let another bloodsucking parasite go - can't they realize it by now? This'll just be another open invitation for those brutish types to impose their desires upon others, to restrict our freedoms for their own wants, with no care of how people in their station ought to behave. Tarlan paced around the room, biting his lip.
The dead stared at Tarlan. Their tormentor now walked free, never to return to Dagestan and face justice. And it was his fault - just like how Nikolai had been his fault, or Olga, or Anastasia. Tarlan stopped - no more.
"Mikhail!"
The young staffer walked back in, eyes averted.
"Call Shamil. Tell him I'll run."
Mikhail sighed in relief.
"Yes, sir."
"Go now, Mikhail."
Tarlan looked back at the disappeared. Someone should care about what he had to say now.
{2. His Excellency Abdullah Nazirbegovich Karimov, Minister of Foreign Affairs - People's Party (Frederick the Great)}Name:
Abdullah Nazirovich Karimov.
Date of Birth:
19/4/1952 (54 when the game starts).
Place of birth:
Urus-Martan, Chechen ASSR, Russian SFSR.
Sex/gender:
Heterosexual male.
Height:
1.80 m
Weight:
85 KG.
Ethnicity:
Chechen.
Religion:
Sunni Muslim, slowly becoming practicing.
Languages spoken:
Fluent in Russian, Avar and Chechen, achieving fluency in English and Azerbaijani.
Complexion:
Fair.
Hair color:
Black.
Hairstyle:
Comb over to the right.
Eye color:
Black.
Clothing style:
Western but at home wears casual long and loose clothes, much like the Irani/Pakistani Shalwar Qameez he has grown fond of.
Distinctive physical features:
None.
Face-claim:
Ron Livingston.
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status:
Married to Zenap Karimova.
Parents' names and status:
Nazir Karimov and Fatima Karimova, both alive.
Issue:
Muhammad (born in 1980).
Ali (born in 1984).
Aliyah (born in 1986).
Profession:
Statesman, oligarch.
Title:
His Excellency, sir maybe used alternatively.
Political Background Used to be the Secretary of the Dagestani branch of the CPSU. Later became Prime Minister and then Minister of Industry for Dagestan. Founded the now-defunct LDC (League of Dagestani Centrists). Co-founder of the Dagestani People's Party (DPP).
Party:
Dagestani People's Party (DPP).
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government):
Foreign Minister.
Past offices held:
Minister of Industry ('97-2000).
Prime Minister ('96).
Constituency:
Contesting Tatayurtovsky (the 6th District)
Policy areas of interest:
Keeping Dagestan away from Russian hands.
Policy goals:
Retaining a democracy in Dagestan.
Personal objectives:
Becoming PM again.
Political mission statement:
Abdullah Nazirovich Karimov, a common Dagestani man of humble origins is set to develop all sectors of life for the average Dagestani, so that we all may prosper together!
Biography
Early Life and Career
Abdullah was born in 1952 to a peasant family in Chechnya. His father was an average peasant who had went to fight the Nazis a decade before his birth and was in Berlin when the war ended. His mother though didn't have anything notable to her name. He was the second of six children, all of them being:
Umar.
Abdullah.
Razia.
Jafar.
Aqeel and;
Ayesha.
He went to an ordinary school and from childhood wanted to do something for his native Chechnya, but didn't remain the case as his peasant family later relocated (due to his father's job) to Dagestan.
In Dagestan he went to an technical institute, becoming a mechanical engineer by 1972. As the vast majority of Soviet citizens were compelled to take up the membership of the CPSU, so did he, but reluctantly.
His ranks within the party and his aspiration to do something for the Dagestanis both grew rapidly in the 70s and 80s and by the time the USSR was dying, he was in some powerful positions.
The Zakharovich Era
Zakharovich assumed the Presidency in the 90s and since Abdullah was the Regional Secretary of the CPSU in Dagestan and had some ambitions in him, he was given a cabinet position. But by 96 he was the PM, though with little power. After Zakharovich died, though, things got really interesting.
The Safadov Period
Safadov and Company initially weren't really kind to Abdullah and he believes that his indecisiveness in state affairs and his temper back then were the reasons why he got removed from office and was reduced to being the Minister of Industry. Either way, he bided his time and eventually things started to look better for him.
The Volkov Era
He retained his ministry and initially was very supportive of Volkov and Meyers. Though with Volkov going nuts by the year, Abdullah found it quite hard to simply even exist as a statesman, mainly because he had been the first Prime Minister.
This time period was without a doubt the worst Karimov had faced thus far in his whole life. Like Meyers he too had false charges that the Volkov administration used to get him out of the public scene.
His family, siblings, their families and even his elderly parents would be under the watch of the SNB. It eventually got to the point that he was forced to send all of his siblings still in Dagestan, their families and his parents all to Azerbaijan (with his elder brother Umar).
Two of his kids had to fake identities so they could get to Azerbaijan and later he narrowly avoided arrest and with his wife and younger son and had to flee south.
But all wasn't bleak for the Karimovs. Umar, his elder brother, had been building up an empire of sorts using all that petrodollar in Azerbaijan that he had been investing in since Azerbaijani independence. He had already owned one oil well and a refinery in the nation and the money Abdullah brought in was used to expand the business by buying numerous gas stations throughout Azerbaijan.
All the Karimovs (his kids and siblings, all being relentlessly targeted by the state apparatus) reunited there.
During this time Meyers alongside some of her closest men and women managed to make it to Azerbaijan where the Karimovs made them feel at home. Karimov had a shit ton of money, and Meyers had some great ideas.
Contacts Meyers and Karimov had in the west and elsewhere were then used to start a massive propaganda war against Volkov.
The Revolution
Meyers launched a student protest which eventually became a tax revolt and finally the Army sided with the opposition and Volkov fled to Russia. Meyers became the transitionary Prez, while the Dagestani People's Party (PP) was co-founded by a number of figures, the Karimovs among them.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear:
Being killed in a firefight.
Hobbies:
Tending his massive garden, owning guns (SMGs and Assault ones on which he has great command over) and of course magdumping at his firing range.
Favorite color:
Blue.
Is your character introverted or extroverted?
Extroverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Describe your character's best experience:
Without a doubt when he first became PM it was like he was on cloud nine.
Describe your character's worst experience:
An entire SNB team was sent to arrest him by Volkov, he narrowly escaped in a car with his personal security detail. He and his people, wife and one son included were shot at and he almost lost his right arm. If it hadn't been for the security and his son shooting back, there would have been no Abdullah Karimov.
How would your character's friends describe them?
Karimov still has some of his indecisiveness and temper, but they have mostly lessened, but they aren't totally gone either.
He is a generous person with a big heart and loves to care for everyone around him. Spending money (that he has a lot of) and resources to better the economic and social situations of those around him could easily be called a hobby.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
Muhammad: It's Uncle Umar on the line!
Abdullah: Yes, yes it's me Abdullah. No.....no we had already told you we can't buy those 5 gas stations for 2.1 million? No what do you mean they aren't reducing the price! Umar, tell them it's either 2 million dollars in round figure or we're out of this deal! Yes, bye!
Muhammad: You don't think even 2 is a bit too much?
Abdullah: Nah it ain't that expensive either. You have to remember that those five gas stations all are in Coastal Baku. That is some pricey real estate area! And we NEED those five.
Abdullah Nazirovich Karimov.
Date of Birth:
19/4/1952 (54 when the game starts).
Place of birth:
Urus-Martan, Chechen ASSR, Russian SFSR.
Sex/gender:
Heterosexual male.
Height:
1.80 m
Weight:
85 KG.
Ethnicity:
Chechen.
Religion:
Sunni Muslim, slowly becoming practicing.
Languages spoken:
Fluent in Russian, Avar and Chechen, achieving fluency in English and Azerbaijani.
Complexion:
Fair.
Hair color:
Black.
Hairstyle:
Comb over to the right.
Eye color:
Black.
Clothing style:
Western but at home wears casual long and loose clothes, much like the Irani/Pakistani Shalwar Qameez he has grown fond of.
Distinctive physical features:
None.
Face-claim:
Ron Livingston.
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status:
Married to Zenap Karimova.
Parents' names and status:
Nazir Karimov and Fatima Karimova, both alive.
Issue:
Muhammad (born in 1980).
Ali (born in 1984).
Aliyah (born in 1986).
Profession:
Statesman, oligarch.
Title:
His Excellency, sir maybe used alternatively.
Political Background Used to be the Secretary of the Dagestani branch of the CPSU. Later became Prime Minister and then Minister of Industry for Dagestan. Founded the now-defunct LDC (League of Dagestani Centrists). Co-founder of the Dagestani People's Party (DPP).
Party:
Dagestani People's Party (DPP).
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government):
Foreign Minister.
Past offices held:
Minister of Industry ('97-2000).
Prime Minister ('96).
Constituency:
Contesting Tatayurtovsky (the 6th District)
Policy areas of interest:
Keeping Dagestan away from Russian hands.
Policy goals:
Retaining a democracy in Dagestan.
Personal objectives:
Becoming PM again.
Political mission statement:
Abdullah Nazirovich Karimov, a common Dagestani man of humble origins is set to develop all sectors of life for the average Dagestani, so that we all may prosper together!
Biography
Early Life and Career
Abdullah was born in 1952 to a peasant family in Chechnya. His father was an average peasant who had went to fight the Nazis a decade before his birth and was in Berlin when the war ended. His mother though didn't have anything notable to her name. He was the second of six children, all of them being:
Umar.
Abdullah.
Razia.
Jafar.
Aqeel and;
Ayesha.
He went to an ordinary school and from childhood wanted to do something for his native Chechnya, but didn't remain the case as his peasant family later relocated (due to his father's job) to Dagestan.
In Dagestan he went to an technical institute, becoming a mechanical engineer by 1972. As the vast majority of Soviet citizens were compelled to take up the membership of the CPSU, so did he, but reluctantly.
His ranks within the party and his aspiration to do something for the Dagestanis both grew rapidly in the 70s and 80s and by the time the USSR was dying, he was in some powerful positions.
The Zakharovich Era
Zakharovich assumed the Presidency in the 90s and since Abdullah was the Regional Secretary of the CPSU in Dagestan and had some ambitions in him, he was given a cabinet position. But by 96 he was the PM, though with little power. After Zakharovich died, though, things got really interesting.
The Safadov Period
Safadov and Company initially weren't really kind to Abdullah and he believes that his indecisiveness in state affairs and his temper back then were the reasons why he got removed from office and was reduced to being the Minister of Industry. Either way, he bided his time and eventually things started to look better for him.
The Volkov Era
He retained his ministry and initially was very supportive of Volkov and Meyers. Though with Volkov going nuts by the year, Abdullah found it quite hard to simply even exist as a statesman, mainly because he had been the first Prime Minister.
This time period was without a doubt the worst Karimov had faced thus far in his whole life. Like Meyers he too had false charges that the Volkov administration used to get him out of the public scene.
His family, siblings, their families and even his elderly parents would be under the watch of the SNB. It eventually got to the point that he was forced to send all of his siblings still in Dagestan, their families and his parents all to Azerbaijan (with his elder brother Umar).
Two of his kids had to fake identities so they could get to Azerbaijan and later he narrowly avoided arrest and with his wife and younger son and had to flee south.
But all wasn't bleak for the Karimovs. Umar, his elder brother, had been building up an empire of sorts using all that petrodollar in Azerbaijan that he had been investing in since Azerbaijani independence. He had already owned one oil well and a refinery in the nation and the money Abdullah brought in was used to expand the business by buying numerous gas stations throughout Azerbaijan.
All the Karimovs (his kids and siblings, all being relentlessly targeted by the state apparatus) reunited there.
During this time Meyers alongside some of her closest men and women managed to make it to Azerbaijan where the Karimovs made them feel at home. Karimov had a shit ton of money, and Meyers had some great ideas.
Contacts Meyers and Karimov had in the west and elsewhere were then used to start a massive propaganda war against Volkov.
The Revolution
Meyers launched a student protest which eventually became a tax revolt and finally the Army sided with the opposition and Volkov fled to Russia. Meyers became the transitionary Prez, while the Dagestani People's Party (PP) was co-founded by a number of figures, the Karimovs among them.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear:
Being killed in a firefight.
Hobbies:
Tending his massive garden, owning guns (SMGs and Assault ones on which he has great command over) and of course magdumping at his firing range.
Favorite color:
Blue.
Is your character introverted or extroverted?
Extroverted.
Long-form questions (choose three)
Describe your character's best experience:
Without a doubt when he first became PM it was like he was on cloud nine.
Describe your character's worst experience:
An entire SNB team was sent to arrest him by Volkov, he narrowly escaped in a car with his personal security detail. He and his people, wife and one son included were shot at and he almost lost his right arm. If it hadn't been for the security and his son shooting back, there would have been no Abdullah Karimov.
How would your character's friends describe them?
Karimov still has some of his indecisiveness and temper, but they have mostly lessened, but they aren't totally gone either.
He is a generous person with a big heart and loves to care for everyone around him. Spending money (that he has a lot of) and resources to better the economic and social situations of those around him could easily be called a hobby.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
Muhammad: It's Uncle Umar on the line!
Abdullah: Yes, yes it's me Abdullah. No.....no we had already told you we can't buy those 5 gas stations for 2.1 million? No what do you mean they aren't reducing the price! Umar, tell them it's either 2 million dollars in round figure or we're out of this deal! Yes, bye!
Muhammad: You don't think even 2 is a bit too much?
Abdullah: Nah it ain't that expensive either. You have to remember that those five gas stations all are in Coastal Baku. That is some pricey real estate area! And we NEED those five.
{3. The Honorable Victor Yakovich Katz, Mayor of Makhachkala - Progressive (Victor Katz)}Basic Info
Name: Victor Yakovich Katz
Date of Birth: January 13, 1948
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan
Sex/gender: Heterosexual Male
Height: 185cm
Weight: 90kg
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, German, English, French (Fluent), Yiddish, Hebrew (Cannot speak fluently)
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Grey / White
Hairstyle: Short, bushy, combs his hair to both sides.
Eye color: Blue
Clothing style: Suits or shirts
Distinctive physical features: Scar beneath his lips
Face-claim: Harrison Ford
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Unmarried
Parents' names and status: Yakov & Sofia Katz
Issue:
Natasha Rachmaninoff (Partner)
Profession:
Mayor of Makhachkala (Current)
Professor, Dagestan State University, Economics (Former)
Professor, Berlin Humboldt University, Economics (Former)
Title:The Honorable
Political Background
Party: Progressive Party (PP)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Mayor of Makhachkala (1999 - )
Past offices held: N/A
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Sovetsky (32nd)
Policy areas of interest: Welfare
Policy goals: Creating a Social Democratic government in Dagestan
Personal objectives: Becoming the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Finance, or the Prime Minister
Political mission statement: Mayor Katz dreams of a Dagestan without terror and poverty.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Victor Katz was born in a Jewish family on January 13, 1948. His great-grandfather, Jean-Jacques Katz, a German Jew from Paris, had moved to Dagestan in 1895 right after the Dreyfus Affair. Victor's grandfather, Julien, was only 5 years old at the time. Julien met Ekaterina, a Russian Jew, and gave birth to Victor's father, Yakov. Yakov too got married to a Russian Jew, Sofia. Yakov owned a locally famous Deli, and led a middle-class Dagestani family. Victor, growing up, proved to be an excellent student, and showed promising grades in Mathematics, History and Economics. The teachers did not like him, due to his 'abrupt and rebellious behavior', such as refusing to sing the Soviet Anthem or refusing to praise Khrushchev.
Victor's such behavior was noticed by the principal, and then by the local party officials. Yakov, who had ties with the party, decided to bribe them to send his son into exile in Western Germany. Victor's relatives lived in Berlin, so Victor entered the Berlin Humboldt University in 1966 and got his Ph.D. for Economics in 1973, and Philosophy in 1977. During his time in Berlin, he witnessed both the light and darkness of Capitalism, and became gr terested in Keynesian Economics and Social Democracy. He developed a strong hatred towards Marxism, and became an even greater Anti-Communist then he was in high school.
Victor became an Economics professor in Berlin Humboldt University in 1975 and taught Keynesian Economics to his students. He was well-known for criticizing Communism and the Soviet Union. In the middle of his class, he would often say "Now, my friends, this is why Khruschev is a total idiot!".
The Zakharovich Era
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Victor decided to return to his homeland, Dagestan. He left Humboldt University, and became a professor of Economics in Dagestan State University. He was quite famous in DSU, mainly as an oddball who left Humboldt for a small university in Dagestan. He was offered a job in the Ministry of Finance, but he refused to work with an unready government. He rather chose to write books about the financial situations of Dagestan and Social Democracy in general to enlighten the Dagestani public. Unfortunately, his years in Germany rusted his Russian, and he wasn't the best writer in Dagestan. Not many Dagestanis would read his book until years later when Victor became more well-known after his frequent exposure in the mass media.
Victor, who became short of money after his failure in his books, started exposing himself in the public media. But he didn't do it just for money: He quickly became well-known for criticizing Communism and promoting Social Democracy. Victor, realizing that much, much more Dagestanis watch TV than books, decided that television was the way to enlighten the public. In one of the television debates, he also met Natasha Rachmaninoff, one of the leaders of the feminist movements in Dagestan, and started dating. Both Natasha and Victor were against the concept of marriage, so they would stay as partners
The Safadov Period
No event of significance has happened in Victor's life during this period. He did publicly advocate democracy on mass media, though.
The Volkov Era
He, who was now one of the most well-known intellectuals, decided to jump into politics. He decided to run for the mayorship of Makhachkala, the city that he himself was born in. The reputation of a man who gave up Humboldt for his homeland would help his public image. His opponent was a man from the military, who had close to no knowledge in Economics and Social Science. The frequent appearances in television made Victor a master in public debates, and Victor has crushed his opponent in all three public debates, despite his imperfect Russian due to his long stay in Berli. Victor had won the election, and became the mayor of the largest city in Dagestan.
Victor, now known as Mayor Katz, showed hostility towards Volkov's authoritarian and pro-Russian regime. Victor joined the newly forming Progressive Party, and secretly backed student protests in Makhachkala. He also was introduced to Mayor Elkanov and Dr. Meyers, and pledged his support for their anti-Volkov movement.
The Revolution
Victor couldn't do much about the police and the military in Makhachkala, as Volkov himself assumed command of all public forces in the city. Victor instead joined the protests with the students, some of which were actually taught by Victor himself while he was a professor, and gave public speeches against the tyranny of the Volkov regime.
Victor remained the mayor of Makhachkala under Meyer's government, and became one of the founding members and a leader of the Dagestani Progressive Party.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Russians
Hobbies: Reading, golf
Favorite color: Blue
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
A Soviet man was arrested by the NKVD for shouting "Khruschev is an idiot! The only thing Khruschev does well is criticizing Stalin!" in the Red Square. A trial was held, and the man was sentenced to 41 years in the gulag. The man was horrified, and said "Why? The longest sentence I can get for criticizing the commissar is twelve months!". The judge, without even a blink, applied "Yes, but you can get up to 40 years for shouting a state secret out loud.".
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
Willy Brandt. He's one of the greatest Social Democrats in history, and he's a very truthful man. Also, both Brandt and Victor is/was the mayor of the largest city in his country. Victor and Brandt met once when Brandt visited Humboldt for his speech, and Victor was convinced that Brandt is one of the finest men in Germany.
How would your character's friends describe them?
Victor is a very extroverted man, but he's bad at concealing his feelings. He's the type of man who has to say what he has in mind out loud. He's very intelligent, but he's not too diligent. He's very unpretentious, and is bad at lying. He also likes to laugh out loud, and tell (sometimes horribly bad) jokes. His bad jokes seem to have come from Germany.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Victor Katz & Kurt Weber - Humboldt State University]
Victor was tired as hell after his lecture. Surely, he wasn't that dumb when he was in College.He sat in his chair in his office, and began reading his favorite book, <Crime and Punishment>. Suddenly, Kurt Weber came walking in his office.
Oh, yes. That's one of the smart ones.
Victor quickly made a slight smile, and replied, "What is it, boy?"
Victor tried hard to recall the gentleman's name, but quickly gave up.
"Professor Katz, can you open up a lecture on the Economic History of Eastern Europe?"
Hmpf. For the idiots who have troubles understanding Classical Economics?
Victor grumphed and replied, "I doubt there's there's enough students who have even the most basic understanding required for an in-depth study in that subject."
Kurt couldn't hide his disappointment. "Please, professor. You're from Dagestan, aren't you? There's not many professors who knows well enough about that topic."
Victor didn't want any more lectures. He already had more than enough. "Why do you need one, anyways?"
Kurt replied, "For my graduate thesis, professor Katz."
Victor felt bad for the boy, and handed him his book from the bookshelf. "Here, this is a book a friend of mine wrote. It's a fine book, though it'll be a bit hard for an undergraduate to read. If you have any questions, you may ask them after class."
Kurt was relieved, and thanked his professor. He took the book, and left Victor's office.
Such a diligent boy, Victor thought as he quickly returned to the Dostoevsky he was reading.
Name: Victor Yakovich Katz
Date of Birth: January 13, 1948
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan
Sex/gender: Heterosexual Male
Height: 185cm
Weight: 90kg
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, German, English, French (Fluent), Yiddish, Hebrew (Cannot speak fluently)
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Grey / White
Hairstyle: Short, bushy, combs his hair to both sides.
Eye color: Blue
Clothing style: Suits or shirts
Distinctive physical features: Scar beneath his lips
Face-claim: Harrison Ford
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Unmarried
Parents' names and status: Yakov & Sofia Katz
Issue:
Natasha Rachmaninoff (Partner)
Profession:
Mayor of Makhachkala (Current)
Professor, Dagestan State University, Economics (Former)
Professor, Berlin Humboldt University, Economics (Former)
Title:The Honorable
Political Background
Party: Progressive Party (PP)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): Mayor of Makhachkala (1999 - )
Past offices held: N/A
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Sovetsky (32nd)
Policy areas of interest: Welfare
Policy goals: Creating a Social Democratic government in Dagestan
Personal objectives: Becoming the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Finance, or the Prime Minister
Political mission statement: Mayor Katz dreams of a Dagestan without terror and poverty.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Victor Katz was born in a Jewish family on January 13, 1948. His great-grandfather, Jean-Jacques Katz, a German Jew from Paris, had moved to Dagestan in 1895 right after the Dreyfus Affair. Victor's grandfather, Julien, was only 5 years old at the time. Julien met Ekaterina, a Russian Jew, and gave birth to Victor's father, Yakov. Yakov too got married to a Russian Jew, Sofia. Yakov owned a locally famous Deli, and led a middle-class Dagestani family. Victor, growing up, proved to be an excellent student, and showed promising grades in Mathematics, History and Economics. The teachers did not like him, due to his 'abrupt and rebellious behavior', such as refusing to sing the Soviet Anthem or refusing to praise Khrushchev.
Victor's such behavior was noticed by the principal, and then by the local party officials. Yakov, who had ties with the party, decided to bribe them to send his son into exile in Western Germany. Victor's relatives lived in Berlin, so Victor entered the Berlin Humboldt University in 1966 and got his Ph.D. for Economics in 1973, and Philosophy in 1977. During his time in Berlin, he witnessed both the light and darkness of Capitalism, and became gr terested in Keynesian Economics and Social Democracy. He developed a strong hatred towards Marxism, and became an even greater Anti-Communist then he was in high school.
Victor became an Economics professor in Berlin Humboldt University in 1975 and taught Keynesian Economics to his students. He was well-known for criticizing Communism and the Soviet Union. In the middle of his class, he would often say "Now, my friends, this is why Khruschev is a total idiot!".
The Zakharovich Era
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Victor decided to return to his homeland, Dagestan. He left Humboldt University, and became a professor of Economics in Dagestan State University. He was quite famous in DSU, mainly as an oddball who left Humboldt for a small university in Dagestan. He was offered a job in the Ministry of Finance, but he refused to work with an unready government. He rather chose to write books about the financial situations of Dagestan and Social Democracy in general to enlighten the Dagestani public. Unfortunately, his years in Germany rusted his Russian, and he wasn't the best writer in Dagestan. Not many Dagestanis would read his book until years later when Victor became more well-known after his frequent exposure in the mass media.
Victor, who became short of money after his failure in his books, started exposing himself in the public media. But he didn't do it just for money: He quickly became well-known for criticizing Communism and promoting Social Democracy. Victor, realizing that much, much more Dagestanis watch TV than books, decided that television was the way to enlighten the public. In one of the television debates, he also met Natasha Rachmaninoff, one of the leaders of the feminist movements in Dagestan, and started dating. Both Natasha and Victor were against the concept of marriage, so they would stay as partners
The Safadov Period
No event of significance has happened in Victor's life during this period. He did publicly advocate democracy on mass media, though.
The Volkov Era
He, who was now one of the most well-known intellectuals, decided to jump into politics. He decided to run for the mayorship of Makhachkala, the city that he himself was born in. The reputation of a man who gave up Humboldt for his homeland would help his public image. His opponent was a man from the military, who had close to no knowledge in Economics and Social Science. The frequent appearances in television made Victor a master in public debates, and Victor has crushed his opponent in all three public debates, despite his imperfect Russian due to his long stay in Berli. Victor had won the election, and became the mayor of the largest city in Dagestan.
Victor, now known as Mayor Katz, showed hostility towards Volkov's authoritarian and pro-Russian regime. Victor joined the newly forming Progressive Party, and secretly backed student protests in Makhachkala. He also was introduced to Mayor Elkanov and Dr. Meyers, and pledged his support for their anti-Volkov movement.
The Revolution
Victor couldn't do much about the police and the military in Makhachkala, as Volkov himself assumed command of all public forces in the city. Victor instead joined the protests with the students, some of which were actually taught by Victor himself while he was a professor, and gave public speeches against the tyranny of the Volkov regime.
Victor remained the mayor of Makhachkala under Meyer's government, and became one of the founding members and a leader of the Dagestani Progressive Party.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Russians
Hobbies: Reading, golf
Favorite color: Blue
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
A Soviet man was arrested by the NKVD for shouting "Khruschev is an idiot! The only thing Khruschev does well is criticizing Stalin!" in the Red Square. A trial was held, and the man was sentenced to 41 years in the gulag. The man was horrified, and said "Why? The longest sentence I can get for criticizing the commissar is twelve months!". The judge, without even a blink, applied "Yes, but you can get up to 40 years for shouting a state secret out loud.".
Describe your character's best experience:
Describe your character's worst experience:
Who is your character's role model and why?
Willy Brandt. He's one of the greatest Social Democrats in history, and he's a very truthful man. Also, both Brandt and Victor is/was the mayor of the largest city in his country. Victor and Brandt met once when Brandt visited Humboldt for his speech, and Victor was convinced that Brandt is one of the finest men in Germany.
How would your character's friends describe them?
Victor is a very extroverted man, but he's bad at concealing his feelings. He's the type of man who has to say what he has in mind out loud. He's very intelligent, but he's not too diligent. He's very unpretentious, and is bad at lying. He also likes to laugh out loud, and tell (sometimes horribly bad) jokes. His bad jokes seem to have come from Germany.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Victor Katz & Kurt Weber - Humboldt State University]
Victor was tired as hell after his lecture. Surely, he wasn't that dumb when he was in College.He sat in his chair in his office, and began reading his favorite book, <Crime and Punishment>. Suddenly, Kurt Weber came walking in his office.
Oh, yes. That's one of the smart ones.
Victor quickly made a slight smile, and replied, "What is it, boy?"
Victor tried hard to recall the gentleman's name, but quickly gave up.
"Professor Katz, can you open up a lecture on the Economic History of Eastern Europe?"
Hmpf. For the idiots who have troubles understanding Classical Economics?
Victor grumphed and replied, "I doubt there's there's enough students who have even the most basic understanding required for an in-depth study in that subject."
Kurt couldn't hide his disappointment. "Please, professor. You're from Dagestan, aren't you? There's not many professors who knows well enough about that topic."
Victor didn't want any more lectures. He already had more than enough. "Why do you need one, anyways?"
Kurt replied, "For my graduate thesis, professor Katz."
Victor felt bad for the boy, and handed him his book from the bookshelf. "Here, this is a book a friend of mine wrote. It's a fine book, though it'll be a bit hard for an undergraduate to read. If you have any questions, you may ask them after class."
Kurt was relieved, and thanked his professor. He took the book, and left Victor's office.
Such a diligent boy, Victor thought as he quickly returned to the Dostoevsky he was reading.
Approved NPCs
{1. Regina Ismailova, Esq. - Liberal (tpc)}Basic Info
Name: Regina Abramova Ismailova
Date of Birth: December 24, 1975 (age 31)
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan Autonomous SSR
Sex/gender: Female
Height: 1.6 m (5 ft, 3 in)
Weight: 52-57 kg
Ethnicity: Mountain Jew
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, Avar, Lezgin, Azerbaijani, Chechen, Kumyk (fluent), English (proficient), Hebrew (some)
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Brown
Hairstyle: Shoulder-length hair, worn down.
Eye color: Brown
Clothing style: Blazers and elegant dresses in formal occasions, though sometimes Regina pairs a blazer with less formal t-shirts. Privately, Regina wears loose, comfortable dresses and t-shirts.
Distinctive physical features: None
Face-claim: Natalie Portman
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Widowed, previously married to Andrei Antonovich Adamov
Parents' names and status: Abram and Esther, both dead.
Issue: One son, Misha (b. 2003)
Profession: Partner at Adamov, Ismailova & Associates, activist, former political prisoner
Title: Regina Ismailova, Esq.
Political Background
Party: Liberal (2005- ), Independent (2000-2005), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): None
Past offices held:
None
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Makhachkala Campus District (27th)
Policy areas of interest: Law (esp. transitional justice), gender equality.
Policy goals:
-Investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the running of detention camps during the Volkov government.
-Ensure equal rights for all genders.
-Bring the Dagestani legal system closer to Western legal systems.
Personal objectives:
-Increase name recognition through securing higher office.
-Punish individuals involved in the detention camps of the Volkov government.
Political mission statement:
A vote for Regina is a vote for Dagestan’s future: free, just, and accepting to all.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Regina Ismailova was born in 1975, the only daughter of Abram Ismailov, a Soviet linguist and intellectual, and Esther Ismailova, née Avshalomova, a sociologist. Abram taught Regina the languages spoken by Dagestan’s largest ethnic groups at an early age, and invested heavily in her education. Having lived in Makhachkala’s University District in her childhood, Regina was influenced by the many intellectuals who were her parents’ coworkers. The combination of Abram’s investment to Regina’s education, interaction with intellectuals, and her own intelligence made Regina something of a child prodigy, enrolling in Dagestan State University’s Law program on a state scholarship in 1992, at the young age of 16. Abram had plans to send Regina abroad, but his own limited financial resources constrained Regina’s education to only the best Dagestan had to offer.
The Zakharovich Era
University was not the best place for an overconfident 16-year-old used to thinking she was the smartest in the room. Regina struggled socially during her first year, finding it hard to relate to most other (male, much older) students. She initially survived by forming close friendships with her professors, many having already been acquaintances of her parents (and b visiting them often after class. In her second year, she found company in DSU’s feminist association, meeting many other young, ambitious women like her. The many protests and seminars the association would arrange started the groundwork for her involvement in Dagestan’s feminist movement. At the start of her fourth year, a more emotionally open Regina met Andrei Adamov, another fourth-year student, and dated him. Both graduated summa cum laude in 1996.
The Safadov Period
Both Regina’s parents and her thesis advisor, Dr. (now Prof.) Ifraimov , seeing that the fall of the Soviet Union would bring the Dagestani legal system close to the west, recommended her to study abroad. Because of a lack of funds, this was not yet possible, and instead Regina studied for the bar and interned in the Safadov government (using Abram’s connections at DSU). During her internship, Regina was tasked with translating the recommendations that a committee of economists, including Tarlan Elkhanov, had for Dagestan’s credit market into legalese. Elkhanov was impressed with Regina’s work, and was doubly impressed when Regina passed the bar with an almost-perfect score on her first try. He began to mentor Regina, and after learning of her plans to study abroad, helped Regina achieve her ambitions by securing her a seat in the University of Chicago Law School’s JD program. How much of that was due to Tarlan’s contacts and money, and how much of that was due to Regina’s own ability is unclear, both Tarlan and Regina had secured valuable allies in each other.
Regina started her JD in 1998, barely 22 years old. She did well, though she did not excel as much as when she was in Dagestan, mainly because Chicago had its own pool of exceptionally talented people. Regina wrote for the Chicago Law Review and the Derbent post, graduating above average, though not the top, of her class in 2001.
The Volkov Era
After passing the bar in Chicago and returning to Dagestan, Regina married Andrei, and with a loan from the Elkhanovs, set up a mid-sized law firm in Makhachkala, Adamov & Ismailova. The firm soon gained a reputation for being the only law firm that dared to legally represent the many government officials Volkov arrested on false charges, with Regina representing the firm in many of the court trials that followed. Volkov had planned to broadcast the trials on TV, to scare his opponents into submission, but Regina’s performance as defense attorney made it clear that the trials were a sham, and that the charges were bogus. Instead of scaring his enemies, the trials emboldened resistance against Volkov, and the trials soon moved away from the public eye. Regardless of her performance, however, most of the people Regina represented were convicted by the Volkov government.
Frustrated by her inability to win through legal means, she began illicitly helping those prosecuted under the Volkov government. Underground, she helped fake many legal documents to help them escape Dagestan, cooperating with her parents’ circle of DSU professors and her husband Andrei, both in contact with anti-Volkov cells in Makhachkala. Tarlan Elkhanov tried to keep Regina safe, but his power was very limited in Makhachkala, where local security forces were personally controlled by Volkov.
Regina would give birth to a child, Misha, in 2003, but her joy would be cut short in 2004, when SNB agents finally identified her. Regina was arrested along with Andrei and her parents, held in Adanak Detention Center. As was the fate of many other prisoners, Regina was mistreated – starved, beaten, and tortured by the SNB, she endured captivity for almost a year. Her experience created an intense hatred of the Volkov regime, even more than what she had.
The Revolution
Regina did not hear much of the Revolution’s beginnings. Guards did not come to count the prisoners one day, and then she heard a commotion outside of her cell. She saw a mass of students heading for the detention center, with virtually no resistance from the guards. The camp had been abandoned, and the students promptly broke the gate down. Regina walked from the camp to a new Dagestan, one which she had worked so hard to achieve.
This was not without loss, however. Regina soon heard news of Andrei and her parents’ death under torture. The news brought her into a flurry of activity: she returned to her law firm, now dealing with reclaiming properties confiscated by the Volkov regime. She organized the Dagestani Association of Political Prisoners, advocating for the conviction of those responsible for the Volkov era detention camps. She participated in many marches and joined the Liberal party.
With her previous fame from the televised trials of Volkov’s enemies, and her relentless campaigning, Regina has become one of the most recognisable figures in the Liberal party. Many believe, including Regina herself, that she is the future of the party.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Being cheated out of her fair share.
Hobbies: Meditation, Painting
Favorite color: Royal Purple
Theme song: Still Sane - Lorde
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Regina’s time resisting the Volkov regime. Beating old men that had doubted her in court felt good. Always thinking of ways to outsmart the SNB kept her mind sharp. She was popular, constantly stimulated, and purposeful – this stayed even in prison, where lasting longer than the guards expected was a victory, however small.
Describe your character's worst experience:
Adapting to the newly-free Dagestan. Regina had no enemy to outsmart and beat. She had lost permanent fixtures of her life – Andrei and her parents, despite all her efforts. Then, she had to raise a child, and make something out of herself in this new democracy. Regina felt, and still to some extent feels, betrayed by the death of her loved ones, confused, and purposeless. She may not admit it, but all the organizing Regina did was for her: she needed a distraction from all those feelings.
Who is your character's role model and why?
Yulia Meyers. Like many other Dagestani women, Regina is enamoured by the idea of a woman that broke the glass ceiling, being better than her male co-workers in the business of governing, resisted dictatorships, and secured the love of the Dagestani people.
How would your character's friends describe them?
This depends on when you met Regina.
When she was younger, Regina could be described as a spirited youth, or an arrogant and entitled brat. She is not a patient listener; conversations with her were only fun because she had many interesting things to say. Many would regret correcting her – she would come with a tirade as to why she was right, and you were wrong and would throw a tantrum if you were not convinced by the smartness of her arguments. Overall, however, very few were friends with young Regina. She was closed off and prickly most of the time.
During her later years in DSU up until her imprisonment, Regina was a much more agreeable person. She would listen sometimes and would nod in disagreements. She also became much wilder, loving to drink, laugh, and dance. This was not to say that she lost her competitive edge – she was still competitive, still tried to down the most drinks out of the group, dance the best, and give the smartest takes. However, the arrogance of young Regina had been replaced with a confidence that she would eventually beat them all – no need to push it.
After her imprisonment, Regina turned into a much more melancholic person. She rarely talked about her problems (in contrast to younger Regina that would always talk about how stupid the world was), was not as merry, and seemed listless. Sometimes she would lose her train of thought in the middle of talking. However, she has also become extremely protective of her friends, constantly checking on them. While their interactions were not as merry, Regina has become something of a reassuring constant in many people’s lives.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Demanding. Professes to like criticism, but rarely applies them. Structured – she has the whole day planned, including yours. A damn good worker.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Regina Ismailova & Tarlan Elkhanov – Central City Hotel, Makhachkala, 2005]
“Misha is alright.”
Regina looked away from the ticking clock, striking eleven. Tarlan Elkhanov – Uncle Tarlan, as Regina called him, was at the doorway. Regina stopped pacing about and sat on the hotel room bed. She didn’t know what the bed felt like. She figured a five-star hotel’s bed should be better than the bunks she was accustomed with, but any bodily sensation she felt was overwhelmed by worries - worries of Misha, Andrei, Papa, and Mama.
“Thank you, Uncle Tarlan. And Andrei? Papa? Mama?”
Tarlan Elkhanov let out a sigh and looked past Regina, onto the streets of Makhachkala, filled with protesters.
“We didn’t find them, Regina. I’m sorry.”
Regina felt an irresistible tug moving her to Tarlan, a tug that lifted her off the bed and emptied her body whole at the same time. She walked, but Tarlan felt even more distant – when she was face-to-face, staring at Tarlan’s eyes, it seemed he was a world away.
“Have you looked at the records? They might have been transferred somewhere-“
“Yes. We’ve looked at everything.”
The records said that on the 27th of December 2004, Abram Ismailov and Esther Ismailova died of wounds received during interrogation. Andrei Adamov was shot dead while trying to escape on New Years’ Eve.
“What did they say?”
Tarlan did not want Regina to know, not now, but he knew Regina wanted answers. He repeated what the records said, word by word.
“I’m sorry.”
“Couldn’t you have done anything?”
“Regina, you know I can do little outside of Derbent. Look – we’ve all lost someone; we’ve all tried our best-“
“Your best was sitting in a mansion in Derbent, while we were beaten every day in prison?”
“Regina, I-“
“Get out.”
Tarlan knew this was a mercy. He knew he wouldn’t like what was coming. Tarlan walked out, closing the door behind him. He heard sounds of curses, in every language spoken in Dagestan, cursing the camp guards, cursing Volkov, cursing him. He heard fists punching walls and broken walls. He had not seen Regina like this before. He waited, hotel guests shifting around in his sight, until the sounds of smashing turned into cries. Tarlan knocked at the door.
“Regina, may I come in?”
“Yes.”
Tarlan went back into the hotel room. He held Regina’s right hand, putting them in between his arms, in between Regina’s wails.
“We’ll make all this mean something. I promise.”
Name: Regina Abramova Ismailova
Date of Birth: December 24, 1975 (age 31)
Place of birth: Makhachkala, Dagestan Autonomous SSR
Sex/gender: Female
Height: 1.6 m (5 ft, 3 in)
Weight: 52-57 kg
Ethnicity: Mountain Jew
Religion: Jewish
Languages spoken: Russian, Avar, Lezgin, Azerbaijani, Chechen, Kumyk (fluent), English (proficient), Hebrew (some)
Complexion: Pale
Hair color: Brown
Hairstyle: Shoulder-length hair, worn down.
Eye color: Brown
Clothing style: Blazers and elegant dresses in formal occasions, though sometimes Regina pairs a blazer with less formal t-shirts. Privately, Regina wears loose, comfortable dresses and t-shirts.
Distinctive physical features: None
Face-claim: Natalie Portman
Image (optional, but strongly recommended)
Marital status: Widowed, previously married to Andrei Antonovich Adamov
Parents' names and status: Abram and Esther, both dead.
Issue: One son, Misha (b. 2003)
Profession: Partner at Adamov, Ismailova & Associates, activist, former political prisoner
Title: Regina Ismailova, Esq.
Political Background
Party: Liberal (2005- ), Independent (2000-2005), Reformist (1997-2000)
Current office (in the outgoing, provisional government): None
Past offices held:
None
Constituency: Running for the Assembly in Makhachkala Campus District (27th)
Policy areas of interest: Law (esp. transitional justice), gender equality.
Policy goals:
-Investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the running of detention camps during the Volkov government.
-Ensure equal rights for all genders.
-Bring the Dagestani legal system closer to Western legal systems.
Personal objectives:
-Increase name recognition through securing higher office.
-Punish individuals involved in the detention camps of the Volkov government.
Political mission statement:
A vote for Regina is a vote for Dagestan’s future: free, just, and accepting to all.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Regina Ismailova was born in 1975, the only daughter of Abram Ismailov, a Soviet linguist and intellectual, and Esther Ismailova, née Avshalomova, a sociologist. Abram taught Regina the languages spoken by Dagestan’s largest ethnic groups at an early age, and invested heavily in her education. Having lived in Makhachkala’s University District in her childhood, Regina was influenced by the many intellectuals who were her parents’ coworkers. The combination of Abram’s investment to Regina’s education, interaction with intellectuals, and her own intelligence made Regina something of a child prodigy, enrolling in Dagestan State University’s Law program on a state scholarship in 1992, at the young age of 16. Abram had plans to send Regina abroad, but his own limited financial resources constrained Regina’s education to only the best Dagestan had to offer.
The Zakharovich Era
University was not the best place for an overconfident 16-year-old used to thinking she was the smartest in the room. Regina struggled socially during her first year, finding it hard to relate to most other (male, much older) students. She initially survived by forming close friendships with her professors, many having already been acquaintances of her parents (and b visiting them often after class. In her second year, she found company in DSU’s feminist association, meeting many other young, ambitious women like her. The many protests and seminars the association would arrange started the groundwork for her involvement in Dagestan’s feminist movement. At the start of her fourth year, a more emotionally open Regina met Andrei Adamov, another fourth-year student, and dated him. Both graduated summa cum laude in 1996.
The Safadov Period
Both Regina’s parents and her thesis advisor, Dr. (now Prof.) Ifraimov , seeing that the fall of the Soviet Union would bring the Dagestani legal system close to the west, recommended her to study abroad. Because of a lack of funds, this was not yet possible, and instead Regina studied for the bar and interned in the Safadov government (using Abram’s connections at DSU). During her internship, Regina was tasked with translating the recommendations that a committee of economists, including Tarlan Elkhanov, had for Dagestan’s credit market into legalese. Elkhanov was impressed with Regina’s work, and was doubly impressed when Regina passed the bar with an almost-perfect score on her first try. He began to mentor Regina, and after learning of her plans to study abroad, helped Regina achieve her ambitions by securing her a seat in the University of Chicago Law School’s JD program. How much of that was due to Tarlan’s contacts and money, and how much of that was due to Regina’s own ability is unclear, both Tarlan and Regina had secured valuable allies in each other.
Regina started her JD in 1998, barely 22 years old. She did well, though she did not excel as much as when she was in Dagestan, mainly because Chicago had its own pool of exceptionally talented people. Regina wrote for the Chicago Law Review and the Derbent post, graduating above average, though not the top, of her class in 2001.
The Volkov Era
After passing the bar in Chicago and returning to Dagestan, Regina married Andrei, and with a loan from the Elkhanovs, set up a mid-sized law firm in Makhachkala, Adamov & Ismailova. The firm soon gained a reputation for being the only law firm that dared to legally represent the many government officials Volkov arrested on false charges, with Regina representing the firm in many of the court trials that followed. Volkov had planned to broadcast the trials on TV, to scare his opponents into submission, but Regina’s performance as defense attorney made it clear that the trials were a sham, and that the charges were bogus. Instead of scaring his enemies, the trials emboldened resistance against Volkov, and the trials soon moved away from the public eye. Regardless of her performance, however, most of the people Regina represented were convicted by the Volkov government.
Frustrated by her inability to win through legal means, she began illicitly helping those prosecuted under the Volkov government. Underground, she helped fake many legal documents to help them escape Dagestan, cooperating with her parents’ circle of DSU professors and her husband Andrei, both in contact with anti-Volkov cells in Makhachkala. Tarlan Elkhanov tried to keep Regina safe, but his power was very limited in Makhachkala, where local security forces were personally controlled by Volkov.
Regina would give birth to a child, Misha, in 2003, but her joy would be cut short in 2004, when SNB agents finally identified her. Regina was arrested along with Andrei and her parents, held in Adanak Detention Center. As was the fate of many other prisoners, Regina was mistreated – starved, beaten, and tortured by the SNB, she endured captivity for almost a year. Her experience created an intense hatred of the Volkov regime, even more than what she had.
The Revolution
Regina did not hear much of the Revolution’s beginnings. Guards did not come to count the prisoners one day, and then she heard a commotion outside of her cell. She saw a mass of students heading for the detention center, with virtually no resistance from the guards. The camp had been abandoned, and the students promptly broke the gate down. Regina walked from the camp to a new Dagestan, one which she had worked so hard to achieve.
This was not without loss, however. Regina soon heard news of Andrei and her parents’ death under torture. The news brought her into a flurry of activity: she returned to her law firm, now dealing with reclaiming properties confiscated by the Volkov regime. She organized the Dagestani Association of Political Prisoners, advocating for the conviction of those responsible for the Volkov era detention camps. She participated in many marches and joined the Liberal party.
With her previous fame from the televised trials of Volkov’s enemies, and her relentless campaigning, Regina has become one of the most recognisable figures in the Liberal party. Many believe, including Regina herself, that she is the future of the party.
Personality
Short-form questions
Greatest fear: Being cheated out of her fair share.
Hobbies: Meditation, Painting
Favorite color: Royal Purple
Theme song: Still Sane - Lorde
Is your character introverted or extroverted? Extroverted
Long-form questions (choose three)
Write a typical joke your character would tell:
Describe your character's best experience:
Regina’s time resisting the Volkov regime. Beating old men that had doubted her in court felt good. Always thinking of ways to outsmart the SNB kept her mind sharp. She was popular, constantly stimulated, and purposeful – this stayed even in prison, where lasting longer than the guards expected was a victory, however small.
Describe your character's worst experience:
Adapting to the newly-free Dagestan. Regina had no enemy to outsmart and beat. She had lost permanent fixtures of her life – Andrei and her parents, despite all her efforts. Then, she had to raise a child, and make something out of herself in this new democracy. Regina felt, and still to some extent feels, betrayed by the death of her loved ones, confused, and purposeless. She may not admit it, but all the organizing Regina did was for her: she needed a distraction from all those feelings.
Who is your character's role model and why?
Yulia Meyers. Like many other Dagestani women, Regina is enamoured by the idea of a woman that broke the glass ceiling, being better than her male co-workers in the business of governing, resisted dictatorships, and secured the love of the Dagestani people.
How would your character's friends describe them?
This depends on when you met Regina.
When she was younger, Regina could be described as a spirited youth, or an arrogant and entitled brat. She is not a patient listener; conversations with her were only fun because she had many interesting things to say. Many would regret correcting her – she would come with a tirade as to why she was right, and you were wrong and would throw a tantrum if you were not convinced by the smartness of her arguments. Overall, however, very few were friends with young Regina. She was closed off and prickly most of the time.
During her later years in DSU up until her imprisonment, Regina was a much more agreeable person. She would listen sometimes and would nod in disagreements. She also became much wilder, loving to drink, laugh, and dance. This was not to say that she lost her competitive edge – she was still competitive, still tried to down the most drinks out of the group, dance the best, and give the smartest takes. However, the arrogance of young Regina had been replaced with a confidence that she would eventually beat them all – no need to push it.
After her imprisonment, Regina turned into a much more melancholic person. She rarely talked about her problems (in contrast to younger Regina that would always talk about how stupid the world was), was not as merry, and seemed listless. Sometimes she would lose her train of thought in the middle of talking. However, she has also become extremely protective of her friends, constantly checking on them. While their interactions were not as merry, Regina has become something of a reassuring constant in many people’s lives.
How would your character's subordinates or staffers describe them?
Demanding. Professes to like criticism, but rarely applies them. Structured – she has the whole day planned, including yours. A damn good worker.
Write a sample post from your character's perspective
[Regina Ismailova & Tarlan Elkhanov – Central City Hotel, Makhachkala, 2005]
“Misha is alright.”
Regina looked away from the ticking clock, striking eleven. Tarlan Elkhanov – Uncle Tarlan, as Regina called him, was at the doorway. Regina stopped pacing about and sat on the hotel room bed. She didn’t know what the bed felt like. She figured a five-star hotel’s bed should be better than the bunks she was accustomed with, but any bodily sensation she felt was overwhelmed by worries - worries of Misha, Andrei, Papa, and Mama.
“Thank you, Uncle Tarlan. And Andrei? Papa? Mama?”
Tarlan Elkhanov let out a sigh and looked past Regina, onto the streets of Makhachkala, filled with protesters.
“We didn’t find them, Regina. I’m sorry.”
Regina felt an irresistible tug moving her to Tarlan, a tug that lifted her off the bed and emptied her body whole at the same time. She walked, but Tarlan felt even more distant – when she was face-to-face, staring at Tarlan’s eyes, it seemed he was a world away.
“Have you looked at the records? They might have been transferred somewhere-“
“Yes. We’ve looked at everything.”
The records said that on the 27th of December 2004, Abram Ismailov and Esther Ismailova died of wounds received during interrogation. Andrei Adamov was shot dead while trying to escape on New Years’ Eve.
“What did they say?”
Tarlan did not want Regina to know, not now, but he knew Regina wanted answers. He repeated what the records said, word by word.
“I’m sorry.”
“Couldn’t you have done anything?”
“Regina, you know I can do little outside of Derbent. Look – we’ve all lost someone; we’ve all tried our best-“
“Your best was sitting in a mansion in Derbent, while we were beaten every day in prison?”
“Regina, I-“
“Get out.”
Tarlan knew this was a mercy. He knew he wouldn’t like what was coming. Tarlan walked out, closing the door behind him. He heard sounds of curses, in every language spoken in Dagestan, cursing the camp guards, cursing Volkov, cursing him. He heard fists punching walls and broken walls. He had not seen Regina like this before. He waited, hotel guests shifting around in his sight, until the sounds of smashing turned into cries. Tarlan knocked at the door.
“Regina, may I come in?”
“Yes.”
Tarlan went back into the hotel room. He held Regina’s right hand, putting them in between his arms, in between Regina’s wails.
“We’ll make all this mean something. I promise.”
Face Claims Master List
- Meryl Streep - Yulia Meyers
- Jonathan Frakes - Mahmoud Gaidarov
- Lior Ashkenazi - Aleksandr Stepanov
- Féodor Atkine - Tarlan Elkhanov
- Ron Livingston - Abdullah Karimov
- Natalie Portman - Regina Ismailova
- Harrison Ford - Victor Katz
Occupied Constituency Master List
- 6th District
- 52nd District