Jana Ridah

Jana Ridah
Gender	Female
Race	Miqo'te
Clan	Keeper of the Moon
Citizenship	Ul'dah

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Appearance

Years learning how to hunt and trap animals in the Black Shroud followed with a harder life in Gridania after the Calamity have kept Jana lean and toned. The clothing she wears reflects her own self-image as an adventurer, usually being simple and protective. She's gotten used to wearing a pair of glasses while working for Maelvaan's Gate, needed for her to "work the damn grimoire," though she will never admit that they also help her accuracy with a bow. Late nights of studying as well as losing sleep from her own stresses have led to Jana going around with dark circles under her eyes and a somewhat slouchy posture.

History

While all Jana will voluntarily share with most others is that she's an adventurer originally from Gridania, she was actually raised in a small Keeper of the Moon settlement in the East Shroud. It was there that Jana learned the basics of using a spear and a bow, how to track and trap game, and how to turn it into food and leather, all while well within the bounds enforced by the Wood Wailers. However, much of what she knew was wiped out by the Calamity, and the Wailers that her family had known had gone off to war and never returned. The remaining Keepers scattered with the subsequent Garlean establishment of Castrum Oriens, some making it to larger living groups in the area, others retreating further into the forest to live as poachers. Jana's mother Dina was able to escape to Gridania with her two children, but Jana and her sister Khena weren't able to save her from an illness she had caught while traversing the shroud. The two young Miqo'te scraped out a living by hunting small game around the city and selling the meager meat and furs to other refugees for a few years. It was during these first years of the seventh umbral era that Jana learned how to fight bare-handed, fending off competition that was more likely to poach and draw attention from the authorities (though her fights often drew them over regardless).

On the fifth year of the umbral era, Jana and Khena decided to put their money together to escape their life as homeless, small-time hunters. With her share of the savings, Khena was able to rent her own small lodging and join the Lancer's Guild in Gridania, while Jana loaded up on supplies and made the journey to Ul'dah, saying she was chasing the promise of further riches while honing her skills as a pugilist. In reality, Jana was trying to chase her idea of “revenge”: By learning how Magitek worked, she hoped to turn the Garlean war machines of her youth against them and cleanse the Shroud of their presence.

During her time in Ul'dah, Jana joined both the Pugilists' and Adventurers' Guilds, where she improved her ability to fight bare-handed and with knuckle weapons while working around Thanalan as an adventurer for hire. With time, she also joined the Free Brigade of the Immortal Flames, mostly taking small assignments and saving up for such luxuries as her own chocobo (named "Khenta," after her sister). But as time passed and battles escalated, Jana found herself fighting during the battle to capture Castrum Meridianum, Operation Archon. Eager to see magitek in-person once more, she followed the Flames to victory, but it was then that she knew she could never learn how to harness that power by simply fighting it as a soldier or adventurer. After doing some research, she determined that the best way to advance would be to make her way to Limsa Lominsa, where Jana enrolled with the Arcanists' Guild and began to study the manipulation of Aether, planning to learn how best to apply it to metalworking.

Upon her return to Ul'dah, however, her station within the Immortal Flames led to her being an accessory to more than few conspiracies, including that which claimed the life of the woman who had named her her lover for less than a day. With Natalie's death, and after having done her best to change herself to be worthy of the Sworn's affection, Jana receded further into solitude than ever before, fleeing Thanalan for a few weeks for fear of imprisonment for her part in the events at the La Noscean dockside raid. Eventually, Jana returned to her duties in Ul'dah, and aided the city's protectors once more. Over the course of these adventures, she got to know the slanderous reporter Spahro Llorn, who named Jana as her new girlfriend. Back in the social scene once more, Jana struggles with the bloody breakdown she had over her last relationship's sudden end while trying not to jeopardize her new one.

Personality

After Natalie's death, Jana tends to carry herself in a distanced manner, generally coming off as either gloomy or creepy. She's no stranger to the trials brought upon the survivors of the Calamity, and the trials she's placed upon herself have led to her further deviations from social norms. She is capable of working hard when she has a clear goal in front of her, but Jana doesn't take work itself very seriously, having faith in her own combat prowess to see her through. She acts confident to the point of arrogance when within the confines of “adventuring,” but is a lot more hesitant in almost every other aspect.

Affiliations

Khena Ridah (sister): Jana's relationship with her sister is somewhat strained by their disagreement over how to use their savings. Partially as an attempt to prove her wrong, Jana sent gil back to her sister during the early time of her adventuring in Ul'dah. They haven't had direct contact with each other since their initial separation, though Jana has learned that her sister's smart investments have led her to success.

Dina Ridah (mother, deceased): The matriarch of the small Ridah family, she was instrumental in teaching the two girls how to live off of the forest without disrespecting the Elementals. Her death of illness just outside of Gridania proper has left Jana disillusioned with the "protectors of the Hedge," and was a key reason for her choice to seek her fortunes in Ul'dah.

Rumors

Common Rumors

• "Comes by to gear up sometimes. Lotta flatbread and water. Thought adventurers made more money than that?" - Ul'dahn Food Stall Merchant
• "She's in a private's uniform, but the way she fights is like no one's ever seen!" - Immortal Flames Recruit

Rare Rumors

• "Comes by for leves every so often, though not as much as she used to. Guess she landed cushier jobs." - Levemete
• "Sure, she's strong, but promoting her to lead a unit is... Well, she isn't known for putting others' safety in mind." - Immortal Flames Veteran

Super Ultra-Rare Ascended++ Rumors

• "Ridah? Small family, wiped out by the Calamity. Heard two of them made it to Gridania, but they don't count anymore." - East Shroud Trapper
• "She used to work here, studied for a while before going back to Ul'dah to 'make her fortune' or whatever people go to Ul'dah for. Showed up out of the blue one day to work on a smuggling case, dunno what came of it before she left again." - Arcanists' Guild Veteran

PC Rumors

• "Handed her a couple things ta read 'bout bein' closer ta Rhalgr. Hope she does good wit' it, whether she puts it ta practice or not." - Berrod Armstrong
• "Curious young lass, would 'ave never picked 'er for someone to serve in a Grand Company. I'm still 'appy for 'er assistance, for she sets a good 'xample to others of her rank." - Kale Aideron
• "She unfortunately has a few quirks to deal with, but in the end, who doesn't? Past a disagreement or two on her ethics and moral compass, I'm fond of her. - Leanne Delphium
• "She spoke at the Destroyer's stone, shared a story about the difference between saying something and acting on something; actions being louder than words. I still think about it and how much it reminds me of her. Would do well to be in her company." - Jancis Milburga
• "I have seen her working on and off. She is very good at guard duty. Like she is around most corners. She is very, very observant and anyone lucky enough to be under her watch should feel safe." - Jancis Milburga
• Rare Rumor: "There was a time when she and I. I found her to be quite compulsive. Too much so, dangerous. But I was mistaken and she has shown me that despite not needing to. I look in her eyes and still see it. Curious how it ties us together; try to do something for the other out of guilt." - Jancis Milburga
• "I heard she punches pretty hard when you've got her pinned down." - unidentified Miqo'te
• "A woman I'd not expect to run into so often as I do, from that fateful battle at the Steps of Faith to putting out fires in the Twelveswood, I've doubts there is any assignment she won't deign possible to do." - Orrin Halgren

Other Notes

Jana is an adventurer with the Echo, having used this power gained shortly after the Calamity in her pursuit of power and revenge. With its protection, Jana has joined other adventurers in felling the primals Titan, Ifrit, Shiva, and Ramuh, though this is not all the Echo has done for her. Seeing it as a curse along with its blessings, Jana is haunted by the visions of the enslaved dragons within Allagan Ruins, from the point of view of some unknown adventurer who made the journey deep underground to confront Bahamut himself...

Jana's Echo also leads her to seek out others who posses a Soul Crystal, this being one of the few ways Jana will willingly show another person her "Soul of the Summoner".