Wee Jas
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game, Wee Jas is the Suel
goddess of Magic, Death, Vanity, and Law. Her symbol is a skull in front of a fireball, or just a red skull.
(1983), by Gary Gygax
.
Wee Jas was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka
in Dragon
#88 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon.
Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
(2000).
Wee Jas is also detailed in the Manual of the Planes
(2001), and Deities and Demigods (2002).
(2004).
Wee Jas and her priesthood were expanded upon in Dragon
#350 (2006), in the "Core Beliefs" column.
. She and her sibling Norebo
have been romantically linked. She bears great enmity toward Phyton
, for his dominion over beauty. She jealously dislikes Myhriss
for her claim of dominion over love and beauty. Among the other Suel gods, she is closest to Phaulkon
and Bralm
, and also considers herself an ally of Boccob
, Lendor
, Fortubo
, and Osprem
. She considers Beltar
, Dalt
, her sometimes-lover Norebo, Phaulkon
, Phyton
, and Vatun to be her foes because of their chaotic alignment. She is close to all lawful deities, for she favors Law above all things, and will work with deities such as Heironeous
and Hextor
as the need arises. Demons and other chaotic beings generally despise her for this reason, which makes her on-again, off-again romance with Norebo that much more unusual. She can summon lawful undead or dragons
to do her will.
As written in an article in Dragon
#350, Wee Jas is uncontested in her domains of Magic and Death. Boccob
and Nerull
, greater gods with which she shares the domains of magic and death, are not Suel deities; as a Suel deity, Wee Jas is more or less outside their sphere of influence. It has been suggested that this uncontested power means she will one day expand her influence, possibly to other planes.
, in Tintibulus (called the Patterned Web) and in Ocanthus (called the Cabal Macabre).
and sorcerers
, and many necromancers revere her. As a death goddess, more people look to her for safe passage into the afterlife than harsher deities like Nerull. She is also honored by those involved with upholding and interpreting laws (judges, magistrates, justicars, etcetera), and is sometimes even revered as a love goddess.
Wee Jas was worshiped in Lo Reltarma in Lendore Isle
before the elven conquest of that land. She is worshiped by many in the Pale
. A splinter sect known as the Cult of the Green Lady, which reveres a long-dead Jasian priestess
as a saint, operates from a burial cairn near Diamond Lake
.
For the last 20 years there has been a group of fire elementalist wizards in Hesuel Ilshar known as the Cabal of the Everburning Flame. They are all worshippers of Wee Jas. They work as battlewizards for the church or their homeland and sustain eternal flames in the temples in the Scarlet Brotherhood lands.
Within the Scarlet Brotherhood lands there is a beautiful temple to the Stern Lady in every major city. Notable temples to Wee Jas can be found in Hardby, Alhaster, and Hesuel Ilshar. There is also a major temple in Sasserine
, in the Amedio Jungle, as the town was originally founded by priests of Wee Jas.
Wee Jas's temple in Alhaster is known as the Scarlet Spire.
. Dragon #88 has her alignment as lawful neutral with lawful evil tendencies rather than simply lawful neutral, and most sources since have followed this. Dragon #350 states she is still a greater goddess, but she hides much of her power in a mystical well in order to disguise this fact.
setting for d20 Modern
, Wee Jas's worshippers are called "The Beloved," and hide behind a very selective national fraternity and sorority of business and management majors, known as Epsilon Alpha. Her believers are all said to have a small tattoo of a stylized skull. The tattoo is placed in one of three locations, in the armpit on the arm, in the crotch on the inner thigh, or on the sole of the foot. The tattoo subjects all members to scry spells of other members without a chance for a saving throw.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
roleplaying game, Wee Jas is the Suel
Suloise
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Suloise, also known as the "Suel," are one of the major races of humans inhabiting the Flanaess....
goddess of Magic, Death, Vanity, and Law. Her symbol is a skull in front of a fireball, or just a red skull.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Wee Jas was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game SettingWorld of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983), by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
.
Wee Jas was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka
Lenard Lakofka
Lenard "Len" Lakofka is an American writer of material for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. He was an influential voice in the development of the game, as well as the author of what has been called one the greatest D&D adventures ever written...
in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#88 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Wee Jas was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign, and appeared again in Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins (1998).Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
Wee Jas appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2000). Wee Jas's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk GazetteerLiving Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000).
Wee Jas is also detailed in the Manual of the Planes
Manual of the Planes
The Manual of the Planes is a manual for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. This text addresses the planar cosmology of the game universe....
(2001), and Deities and Demigods (2002).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
Wee Jas appears in the revised Players Handbook for this edition (2003). Her priesthood is detailed for this edition in Complete DivineComplete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Wee Jas and her priesthood were expanded upon in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#350 (2006), in the "Core Beliefs" column.
Description
Wee Jas always appears as a highly attractive human female; other than that, details of her appearance vary wildly. It has been suggested that she could appear as another humanoid race if she wanted to, and that her appearance varies by what her followers in the area would consider most attractive. Wee Jas normally wears her holy symbol as a piece of jewelry.Relationships
Wee Jas is a daughter of LendorLendor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Lendor is the Suel god of Time, Tedium, Patience, and Study. His holy symbol is a crescent moon superimposed upon a full moon surrounded by stars...
. She and her sibling Norebo
Norebo
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Norebo is the Suel god of Luck, Gambling, and Risks. His symbol is a pair of eight-sided dice.-Publication history:...
have been romantically linked. She bears great enmity toward Phyton
Phyton (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Phyton is the Suel god of Nature, Beauty, and Farming. Phyton's symbol is a scimitar in front of an oak tree.-Publication history:...
, for his dominion over beauty. She jealously dislikes Myhriss
Myhriss
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Myhriss is the Flan goddess of Love, Romance, and Beauty...
for her claim of dominion over love and beauty. Among the other Suel gods, she is closest to Phaulkon
Phaulkon
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Phaulkon is the Suel god of Air, Wind, Clouds, Birds, and Archery...
and Bralm
Bralm
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Bralm is the Suel goddess of Insects and Industriousness...
, and also considers herself an ally of Boccob
Boccob
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Boccob is the god of magic, arcane knowledge, balance, and foresight. He is known as the Uncaring, the Lord of All Magic, and the Archmage of the Deities...
, Lendor
Lendor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Lendor is the Suel god of Time, Tedium, Patience, and Study. His holy symbol is a crescent moon superimposed upon a full moon surrounded by stars...
, Fortubo
Fortubo
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Fortubo is the god of Stone, Metals, Mountains, and Guardianship. Originally a member of the Suel pantheon, Fortubo abandoned the Suloise upon discovering that the Suel were behind the creation of the derro...
, and Osprem
Osprem
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Osprem is the Suel goddess of Sea Voyages, Ships, and Sailors.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :...
. She considers Beltar
Beltar (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Beltar is the Suel goddess of Malice, Caves, and Pits. Her holy symbol is a set of opened fangs poised to bite.-Publication history:...
, Dalt
DALT
N,N-Diallyltryptamine is a psychedelic drug of the tryptamine class. Alexander Shulgin reports that DALT is active at 42 mg orally, producing a +1 on the Shulgin scale, and being back to baseline by 4 hours. It is said to have a similar potency to DMT, being active at doses of approximately 40-100...
, her sometimes-lover Norebo, Phaulkon
Phaulkon
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Phaulkon is the Suel god of Air, Wind, Clouds, Birds, and Archery...
, Phyton
Phyton (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Phyton is the Suel god of Nature, Beauty, and Farming. Phyton's symbol is a scimitar in front of an oak tree.-Publication history:...
, and Vatun to be her foes because of their chaotic alignment. She is close to all lawful deities, for she favors Law above all things, and will work with deities such as Heironeous
Heironeous
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Heironeous is the Oeridian god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a...
and Hextor
Hextor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Hextor is the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny....
as the need arises. Demons and other chaotic beings generally despise her for this reason, which makes her on-again, off-again romance with Norebo that much more unusual. She can summon lawful undead or dragons
Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...
to do her will.
As written in an article in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#350, Wee Jas is uncontested in her domains of Magic and Death. Boccob
Boccob
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Boccob is the god of magic, arcane knowledge, balance, and foresight. He is known as the Uncaring, the Lord of All Magic, and the Archmage of the Deities...
and Nerull
Nerull
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, as well as in the game's default pantheon of deities, Nerull is the Flan god of death, darkness, murder, and the underworld. He is known as the Reaper, the Foe of All Good, the Hater of Life, and the Bringer of...
, greater gods with which she shares the domains of magic and death, are not Suel deities; as a Suel deity, Wee Jas is more or less outside their sphere of influence. It has been suggested that this uncontested power means she will one day expand her influence, possibly to other planes.
Realm
Wee Jas has two realms in AcheronAcheron (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Acheron , also known as The Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, is a lawful neutral/lawful evil-aligned plane of existence...
, in Tintibulus (called the Patterned Web) and in Ocanthus (called the Cabal Macabre).
Dogma
Wee Jas thinks of herself as a steward of the dead. Though she is a relatively benign death goddess, she has no problem with undead being created - as long as they are not reanimated against their will, and their remains are procured in a lawful manner. Wee Jas is unconcerned with questions of morality; if it can be done within the confines of the law, she will allow it. Jasidan priests teach that magic is the key to all things. Jasidan are expected to show respect towards their predecessors and the departed.Scriptures
- The Abominable Devastation. This is a short text considered heretical by most of the Jasidin church. It suggests that Wee Jas deliberately removed the defenses of the Suel Imperium, leaving them vulnerable to the Rain of Colorless Fire in punishment for their sins against magic.
- The White book. This tome, over a hundred pages long, explains in a detailed manner the funerary customs of the Suel. Its rites and prayers, which differ according to a corpse's former status in life, can be used to prevent a spirit from rising as one of the undead.
Worshippers
Followers of Wee Jas are known as Jasidin. Wee Jas is especially popular with Suel wizardsWizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
and sorcerers
Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)
The sorcerer is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A sorcerer is weak in melee combat, but a master of arcane magic, the most generally powerful form of D&D magic. Sorcerers' magical ability is innate rather than studied...
, and many necromancers revere her. As a death goddess, more people look to her for safe passage into the afterlife than harsher deities like Nerull. She is also honored by those involved with upholding and interpreting laws (judges, magistrates, justicars, etcetera), and is sometimes even revered as a love goddess.
Wee Jas was worshiped in Lo Reltarma in Lendore Isle
Lendore Isles
In the Dungeons and Dragons World of Greyhawk campaign setting, the Lendore Isles, also known as the Spindrift Isles, are a collection of five large islands in the Solnor Ocean, just off the eastern coast of the former Great Kingdom...
before the elven conquest of that land. She is worshiped by many in the Pale
Pale (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Pale, properly known as the Theocracy of the Pale, is a political state situated in the Old Aerdy West region of the Flanaess, west of the Rakers....
. A splinter sect known as the Cult of the Green Lady, which reveres a long-dead Jasian priestess
Green Lady
Green Lady may refer to:*Chinese Girl, a painting by Vladimir Tretchikoff*Lady of the Green Kirtle, the main villain in C.S. Lewis's book The Silver Chair*Green Lady of Fyvie, a ghost that supposedly wanders the corridors of Fyvie Castle...
as a saint, operates from a burial cairn near Diamond Lake
Diamond Lake (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Diamond Lake is a mining town. Situated on the north shore of a lake of the same name, Diamond Lake is located in the Cairn Hills, and lies three days ride east of the Free City of Greyhawk.-Government:Diamond...
.
For the last 20 years there has been a group of fire elementalist wizards in Hesuel Ilshar known as the Cabal of the Everburning Flame. They are all worshippers of Wee Jas. They work as battlewizards for the church or their homeland and sustain eternal flames in the temples in the Scarlet Brotherhood lands.
Clergy
Priests of Wee Jas, known as Karuth, wear layered full-length hooded robes of alternating gray and black. Customarily, their hoods are left hanging in the back to reveal their jewelry-adorned heads. They wear jewelry with skull and gem motifs on their arms and necks as well, and carry staves. Their favored weapon is the dagger, but they will use many weapons of the sort favored by mages.Temples
Temples of Wee Jas are built like wizards' towers. They are decorated with beautiful art, and each contains an extensive library. Some have permanent magical fires on the tops.Within the Scarlet Brotherhood lands there is a beautiful temple to the Stern Lady in every major city. Notable temples to Wee Jas can be found in Hardby, Alhaster, and Hesuel Ilshar. There is also a major temple in Sasserine
Sasserine
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the fictional city-state of Sasserine is a locale in the Amedio Jungle that serves as the starting point for the Savage Tide Adventure Path currently being published in Dungeon Magazine.-History:Sasserine was...
, in the Amedio Jungle, as the town was originally founded by priests of Wee Jas.
Wee Jas's temple in Alhaster is known as the Scarlet Spire.
Rituals
Services to Wee Jas include the reverent flattery of her icons, offering of finery and gems, and magically produced fires. Most temples have extensive magical and law libraries, and all endeavor to preserve what few fragments still remain of the ancient Suel laws. Urban Arcana indicates that sororities and fraternities dedicated to her include large marble altars, used for initiating pledges, known as suitors, and possibly for blood sacrifices of animals.Holy days
- Nights of a waxing moon. On those nights when Celene or Luna are waxing, Jasidin light magical bonfires, create illusions, and offer praise and sacrifice to their goddess.
- Goddess' Blush. On the 4th of ColdevenGreyhawk CalendarThe Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
, Jasidin gather at a temple to burn a piece of jewelry as a sacrifice to the Taker. - Ruby Convocation. A holiday mainly for clergy and laity of high status, the Ruby Convocation is held every ten years. On this festival, modeled after an extravagant ball, contacts are made and reinforced, stories are told, and knowledge is exchanged. At the end, the guests drink wine out of a goblet with a ruby sitting in it; this is known as the Ruby Toast, and is given in thanks to the Ruby Sorceress. After the drink, the ruby is cast into a fire.
Myths and legends
- The Arcane Well. This myth claims that Wee Jas is secretly a greater goddess, the majority of her divine power hidden in a magical well. Although this is supposedly a secret held from the greater gods themselves, mortal followers of Wee Jas all seem confident of the tale's veracity. The well is said to be somewhere within the Stern Lady's realm in Acheron, guarded by powerful servitors and at least one bound demigod. Great wizards are said to be born with a drop of power from the well granted them by the Witch Goddess.
- The Godless Dead. According to this tradition, those who don't worship any single deity with any particular devotion go to Wee Jas by default after they die. She keeps them in her realm for a time before reincarnating some of them, memories of their former lives wiped clean.
- Love is a Gamble. This is the story of the romance between Wee Jas and her lover Norebo, who was created by Lendor almost as her polar opposite. While some versions of the story hold that he seduced her, in this tale she definitely seduced him, and in the morning he escaped the Taker's grasp. She pursues him, and he runs, their love sometimes flaring bright and other times her wrath flaring just as vividly. She attempts to bind him with her laws and traditions, and he shows her how love is about risk and adventure.
- The Hellfurnaces. Legend has it that the first argument between Wee Jas and Norebo caused the southern Crystalmist Mountains to erupt into flame, creating the Hellfurnaces.
Status
Wee Jas was described in the first edition Greyhawk references and Dragon #88 (the first description of Wee Jas that is longer than one sentence) as a "greater" goddess, but her status was demoted to "intermediate" in From the AshesFrom the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
. Dragon #88 has her alignment as lawful neutral with lawful evil tendencies rather than simply lawful neutral, and most sources since have followed this. Dragon #350 states she is still a greater goddess, but she hides much of her power in a mystical well in order to disguise this fact.
Wee Jas in Urban Arcana
In the Urban ArcanaUrban Arcana
Urban Arcana is a campaign setting for the d20 Modern roleplaying game that builds on a small campaign model included in the original rulebook. It adds much in the way of magic and monsters to the game, and contains rules for things such as playing Shadowkind characters.In the world of Urban...
setting for d20 Modern
D20 Modern
d20 Modern is a roleplaying game designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. It was published by Wizards of the Coast in November 2002, and uses the d20 System...
, Wee Jas's worshippers are called "The Beloved," and hide behind a very selective national fraternity and sorority of business and management majors, known as Epsilon Alpha. Her believers are all said to have a small tattoo of a stylized skull. The tattoo is placed in one of three locations, in the armpit on the arm, in the crotch on the inner thigh, or on the sole of the foot. The tattoo subjects all members to scry spells of other members without a chance for a saving throw.
Additional reading
- Brown, Anne. Player's Guide to Greyhawk (TSR, 1998).
- Gygax, GaryGary GygaxErnest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, and Frank MentzerFrank MentzerJacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
. The Temple of Elemental Evil (TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1985). - Jacobs, James, Erik MonaErik Mona-Career:Erik Mona served as the editor-in-chief of Dragon magazine since 2004 and Dungeon magazine from 2004 to 2006; at the time, both magazines were published by Paizo Publishing, until the license through Wizards of the Coast expired in September 2007...
, and James SutterJames SutterJames Hutchinson Sutter was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand.He represented the Gladstone electorate from 1881 to 1887, when he retired.-References:...
. Savage Tide Player's Guide. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006. - Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood (TSR, 1999).
- Schneider, E. Wesley. "Wormfood: Making an Entrance." Dragon #340. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006.
- Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"
External links
- Wee Jas Dissected Part I and Part II, an analysis of the history of Wee Jas in the various editions of D&D.
- Wee Jas Resurrected, a view of Wee Jas that attempts to unify the diverging descriptions.