Gäles-Ifrik Gelärhisgir

Gäles-Ifrik Gelärhisgir (Whiteridge Sethrian pronunciation: /gæles ifɾik gelæɾisgiɾ/), IGN FireDolphin556, is a Sethrian linguistic scholar, historian, journalist, and politician, currently serving as co-owner of The Sethris Times and as a Neire of Sethris since October 6, 2022 and as Kagnere (President) on and off since January 9, 2023, until he was deposed on July 31, 2023.

Early Life
Born into the well-known Gelärhisgir family of Whiteridge Hussars (Elöbrökmuri), his father was Tsarhe-Dalk Gelärhisgir, a high-ranking military officer. His mother was Gefrala-Masmë Gelärhisgir (née Molytsel), a prominent apothecary and healer. He spent most of his childhood fishing in the Whiteridge River with his cousin Vel-Mäst. He is a Lüetiheltfar. Although he was never a very talented warrior, his father always wanted him to follow in his footsteps and join the Elöbrökmuri. Gäles-Ifrik had other ideas, however, and began to travel Sethris at age 16 and keep a journal of his travels and the people he met. He spent about four months living among the Northern Koldëti before travelling to Zirbenburg, where he stayed for only twenty days. He then lived in Avaris for nearly a year, where he met Volkif Kalfël-Irëstir, at that time heir to the throne of Sethris. While in Avaris, he discovered his passion for language, and studied profusely on the linguistic history of Sethris.

Linguistics
After briefly studying at the University of Sethris, Gelärhisgir returned home to Whiteridge where he discovered a strange patterned stone buried on the banks of the river. After unearthing it, it was discovered that the stone's patterns contained engraved Old Sethrian runes spelling out a few stanzas of an epic poem. After deciphering them and reconstructing the runic alphabet, he began work on fully reconstructing Old Sethrian itself based on the runestone and other records of the extinct language. He has since become one of the leading scholars on the topic of Old Sethrian alongside fellow linguist Evëlin-Töve Yvantsel.

Using notes from his trip around Sethris and partially based on some of Yvantsel's earlier work, he began work on a project to create a written standard for the Sethrian language, which is now the official written standard of the language. He is also noted for his Languages of Sethris series of books, which seek to document the linguistic history of Sethris and its extinct and extant dialects, including information on the Old Sethrian, Modern Sethrian, Vinvüri, Geksirari, and Koldëtari languages.

Military
Shortly after returning to Whiteridge at age 17, he finally fulfilled his father's wishes and joined the Elöbrökmuri. However, due to Sethris's continuing pacifist policies, he has never been deployed into active combat; the closest he has ever come was volunteering for the Shattered Isles-Bel-Ismer war on the side of Bel-Ismer; the war never occured. He was appointed the leader of the Elöbrökmuri soon afterwards due to his devotion to Sethrian history. He reformed several customs of the Elöbrökmuri that he viewed as problematic, and for the first time began allowing non-humans and followers of religions other than Lüetivyrn into the organization. He also had a new fortress constructed in Whiteridge, which is called Elöbölv.

Journalism
Gelärhisgir's cousin Vel-Mäst founded The Sethris Times, an international Sethris-based newspaper. Shortly after the newspaper was founded, Gelärhisgir was hired by Vel-Mäst and then-owner Lev. He became a prolific writer for the newspaper and was eventually promoted to owner. After Lev's abrupt departure from the Times, he became co-owner and 50% shareholder, along with Vel-Mäst.

Politics
Following his father's death when Gelärhisgir was 20, his cousin Vel-Mäst was elected as the fifth Kagnere (President) of Sethris. Volkif Kalfël-Irëstir (now Hasafi) and Vel-Mäst decided, together with the support of the Council of Sethris, that Gelärhisgir was fit to be appointed Neire (a high-ranking political position). Although initially eager to accept the offer, Gelärhisgir soon began to feel the pressure of public office, as well as uncertainty about the legitimacy of his position because the people responsible for appointing him were close personal friends.

He has also served as Mayor of Winderburg since the departure of the previous mayor and all its citizens. As there was no longer anyone living there, he decided to convert it to a national historic site commemorating the Battle of Vindetsöth, a battle during the Pavrhitsöth Imperial Period of Sethris that resulted in the formation of the Elöbrökmuri. Afterwards, Völkif Yalfël-Irëstir, who had succeeded Vel-Mäst as Kagnere, decided that he would not run for a second term. Gelärhisgir considered running himself, and with the support of Vel-Mäst, announced his campaign. His campaign promised the further protection of Sethrian democracy and amendments to the constitution. He won the election in a landslide victory with 85.7% of the national vote, and shortly afterwards announced in an official presidential address the formation of the Ember Party, which Vel-Mäst promptly joined.

Presidency
During his first term, Gelärhisgir introduced frequent presidential addresses as part of his policy of government transparency. Throughout his term, he worked on a fully amended constitution, which passed through the Neire and Gëire councils unanimously. He also made the choice to hold a nationwide referendum on the amendments, which also passed. The following election, he was voted in for a second term, which proved to be largely uneventful.

However, in the prelude to the next federal election, a Hrabian businessman named Onleóś Kannović entered the Sethrian political space. He announced his intention to run against Gelärhisgir for Kagnere, and although his campaign included sentiments of respect for Gelärhisgir's reforms and amendments to the constitution, he still pursued the presidency tenaciously. Shortly after the elections began, Vel-Mäst noticed perceived irregularities in the votes for Kannović and publicly accused him of attempting to sway the election in his favour by inviting several non-citizens to vote. Ogóroнrb Päтyкović, a Hrabian nationalist who had previously advocated for Hrabian independence from Sethris, seemingly admitted to Vel-Mäst's accusations, and the alleged fraudulent votes were removed. Gelärhisgir was inaugurated for a third term but announced that he would not pursue a fourth due to the stress the political controversies had caused him.

Final term in office and Seabreeze conflict
After a prolonged break, Gelärhisgir returned to politics to run against Pјoкr Anäsтyкović, a Hrabian who had succeeded Päтyкović as Premier of the Hrabian Autonomous Region after his assassination. Gelärhisgir announced Hartöm-Sildifar Ykasfel, a member of the Ember Party who had previously served as Kagnere in Gelärhisgir's absence, as his running mate. During a rally for Gelärhisgir in Avaris, Anäsтyкović began his own campaign nearby. Feeling angered by the rhetoric used by Anäsтyкović, Gelärhisgir challenged him to a public debate at the city center. The debate was fierce and lasted for hours. Anäsтyкović brought up points such as Gelärhisgir's association with the Sethris Times and the Neire council, which he believed was undemocratic. Gelärhisgir agreed with him on the latter issue and announced his intention to dissolve the council if elected again. After the debate ended, Gelärhisgir was once again victorious in the election by a slim margin.

Immediately afterwards, Gelärhisgir dissolved the Neire as his first action upon reentering office. He attempted to increase the executive power of the elected Gëire and have them fulfill the same role. A new name, Elvëire, was selected to more accurately reflect the council's position (Gëire means "low council" in the Sethrian language, while Elvëire means "great council"). Rapid elections were held, and five new councilors were inaugurated, including Anäsтyкović running under his new political party, the Bloк Hrbsкij (Hrabian Bloc).

Over the coming weeks, the town of Seabreeze in northern Sethris became irritable. Tensions boiled over, leading to the Ogórogród Incident, in which violent clashes between Sethrian officials and militaristic citizens of Seabreeze arose. Anäsтyкović held a trial for one of these citizens. Gelärhisgir was not present at either the Incident or the trial, but was informed later. The mayor of Seabreeze began to speak of independence. Volkif Kalfël-Irëstir, at that time serving as the Minister of Diplomacy during the government's difficult transition period, advised that it was best to declare war as soon as possible and not let Seabreeze dig their roots too deep. This sentiment was shared by the former Neire and supported by the Elvëire. As Seabreeze was located within the Hrabian Autonomous Region, even Anäsтyкović and Kannović were prepared to cooperate with the federal government. However, Gelärhisgir was determined to uphold peace, and hoped to reach an agreement at a diplomatic meeting. Volkif prepared an ultimatum to be given to the leadership of Seabreeze at that same meeting.

At the meeting, things quickly derailed as the leader of Seabreeze repeatedly denied the severity of the situation. Before the ultimatum was even delivered, he insulted and berated Gelärhisgir and other government officials who were present and showed a general lack of attentiveness. Once Volkif arrived to present the ultimatum, the Seabreeze officials were furious and quickly departed from the meeting. It soon became clear that the demands were not being followed, and Sethris began gearing up for war despite Gelärhisgir's hesitation.

Coup and exile
During the lead up to the war with Seabreeze, the former Neire became dissatisfied with the reforms under Gelärhisgir's presidency. Also, due to the state emergency, the Neire had de facto resumed operations as government officials, which frustrated the Elvëire. This caused Volkif Kalfël-Irëstir, the Hasafi and one of Gelärhisgir's closest friends, to start planning a coup against Gelärhisgir, alongside Koldëti general Hakávald Lavestru of Clan Agvámir. They recruited nearly all of the former Neire with the exception of Atreiyen (even Ykasfel, his vice president).

On Gelärhisgir's twenty-fifth birthday, he went to the capitol building in Avaris seeking an update on the Seabreeze situation, only to find the former Neire sitting solemnly at the meeting table. They informed him of their intentions and asked him to comply. Utterly powerless to stop them and knowing that any form of civil war would certainly destroy the entirety of Sethris, Gelärhisgir surrendered and fled the capitol. This event is sometimes sarcastically referred to as Gelärhisgir's Happy Birthday due to the date of its occurrence.

Volkif and Hakávald established a diarchy in Sethris with themselves and their families as royalty and much of the former Neire as nobility. Due to their respect for him, some of them sought Gelärhisgir to join them in running the new government, but he refused due to his stubborn commitment to democracy. Blaming himself for his government's destruction, he left his home in Whiteridge to enter a self-imposed exile somewhere within the nation, hoping to be forgotten entirely in order to avoid being remembered only as the fool who let democracy in Sethris die.