Janie Kerias

"'All my life I’ve been looking for a place like this. If I turn back now I’ll have given up on everything I’ve ever worked for.'""-Janie on 6th of Sharus AeP 446: Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 3 Echoes of the Ancients."Professor Kerias was an archaeologist from Mordehall and the primary researcher on Lord Keel’s expedition to the Southern Isles. She was the mentor of Genna and Sylvie and recruited them both to work in the Mordish Birding Society. Janie’s work on the expedition was critical for its success and when she published the two new regular enchantment rituals they found as well as the Codex of Verin Teval she was nominated to become a Lord Professor of Mordehall.

Silver Mists and Bloody Tides
Janie Kerias was born in Mordehall near the Roadani border. She later became a teacher at Cape Red University. Before that she studied languages and had become an expert on the Elder Tongue. She was secretly recruited to join the group working towards establishing a Mordish Republic. Shortly before AeP 446, Professor Kerias was investigating an old ruin and found True Compass pointing south. She brought it to the attention of certain individuals in her school who worked with her to set up an expedition to investigate it. That trip was financed and run by Lord Keel. Both Janie and Keel belonged to the secret society.

Janie was already onboard the Kirinda’s Jewel when Daxian, Jack, and J’Kar arrived. She had boarded the ship with her student Genna. On the night before they set sail she explained the True Compass and where it was pointing to the assembled expedition leaders. The following day she had a long extended meeting with Lord Professor Kline, Genna, Sylvie and Palo. There she began to develop a respect for Sylvie. She sat through dinner that night carefully watching the assembled VIPs, especially J’Kar. When the storm hit the following day she rode it out in the main keep with most of the other VIPs.

Janie was the leader of the group that landed on the island of Karabour. Using the compass as a guide she took the group to one of the central steaming lakes. However when Steel Eagles attacked, despite her best efforts one still maimed Genna. Janie insisted Genna get proper medical care and convinced Jack to walk the girl back to shore. When she took a watch during the night at the shores of the lake she heard the siren. Janie helped build the raft that would take them across the lake. She used that time to consult with Sylvie and J’Kar confiding in them how important it was to her that this trip succeed. When they crossed the lake Janie was hurt by the siren’s call. She lead the group towards the reliquary entrance and when Palo fell down the stairs she caught him and J’Kar. Janie was in awe of the mosaic of Ghendar they found. She informed the group of its historical importance. When J’Kar suggested they keep this secret from Lord Keel she played along and agreed. Janie’s strength wasn’t in deception, her main focus was in cataloging this amazing find.

On the trip back across the lake she was caught in the siren’s trance. She lost control of her actions and dove into the lake. Jack had to jump in and rescue her. She was in a daze afterward and when she was in the water she swallowed a parasite. Janie contracted the White Pox and was sick for the next few days. She went in and out of consciousness while tended to by Genna and Sylvie. Sylvie used an ocean stone to solidify Janie against the sickness. Janie was eventually healed when Sylvie and Genna gave her the cure they found in Crow’s Harbor. She used this time to tell Genna about what they really found in Karabour. She also expressed her gratitude to both the students for helping save her life.

A day later Janie lead a group out of the city to follow the map found on Karabour. When they found the crypt on the 14th of Sharus she deciphered the runes on the wall. Both Janie and Kline were fascinated to find traces of every old god but Nezeril. When the group finally descended to the last room Janie translated the text there. She realized that the crypt held the secrets to human enchanting spells, several normal enchanting spells, and a codex detailing what was called Verin Teval. Or more literally, the end of the world. The codex deeply shook her. When J’Kar demanded she give him the human enchanting scrolls to hide from Keel she refused. Neither at this time realized they were both working for Keel. They agreed to give Keel the regular enchanting scrolls. When she left the crypt she saw Iron Eye’s fleet. Knowing she wasn’t a fighter she went below decks and all through the battle worked on translating the codex. But before this she realized J’Kar was also part of the secret society when he confronted her.

Work With the Birding Society
After the return to the mainland Janie published the regular enchanting rituals. For this she gained great renown and was chosen by the Count of Tasserich as a candidate for Lord Professor. She travelled with Lord Keel to Spring Dale where they went to meet with the Scarlet Brotherhood so she could meet the Kaiser and the Emissary of Emotion himself. The Hall of Witnesses was the first place she met the Count. Also on this trip she and Keel both revealed how important the rebellion was to them. Janie went on to become a Lord Professor and work with Keel’s society to try and make the human enchantment rituals work. She recruited Sylvie and Genna to come with her.

After the trip with Keel to the Hall of Witnesses she returned to Pruzer. She found that just before her return a lab assistant named Dan Irem, had stolen some notes on the living enchantment rituals. She quickly organized a group of Society in Pruzer to find him. Janie used the title The Professor when dealing with them. She also didn’t tell them the exact nature of the ritual. After the first day of investigation, The Curator and Skua returned to her. They told her that the group working with The Thief was from Pellisberg and that they had already left the city. She decided then to send Sylvie with the group. Sylvie was from the county of Pellisberg and was a skilled unamancer. In the morning she introduced her student to the group and sent them off.

Appearance
Janie had blonde hair she kept tied back. She was short and always kept a work bag with her. She was known to wear leather gloves and grey scholar’s robes.

Relations
Genna was a research student of Prof. Kerias and later a good friend. Janie trusted her enough to recruit the girl to the rebellion. The same was true of Sylvie. Although Sylvie and Janie met for the first time on the Southern Isles expedition the two trusted each other immensely. Sylvie had saved Janies life a few times and Janie had protected the girl from the eyes of the lords.

Janie was hesitant to work with Lord Keel even though they both belonged to the same secret group. However she respected his efficiency and later his dedication to their cause. Similarly J’Kar Burin and Daxian also worked with their group.

Powers
Professor Kerias was a talented archaeologist and linguist. She spoke the Elder Tongue fluently as well as several of it's ancient dialects. Her archaeological talents were important on both Karabour and Piyla in finding the ancient enchantment rituals. She was also a quick study and was able to quickly pick up a dialect of the Elder Tongue that was unknown to her in only a few days.