Jiana Hexum

Jiana Hexum
Official art of Jiana Hexum, by Azraelion.
Type	NPC
Actor	Matthew Mercer
Character Information
Pronouns	she/her
Race	Elf
Age	The equivalent of the human 60s
Languages	Common, Elvish[presumed]
Place	Jrusar
Connections	Ashton Greymoore Violet
Profession	Aristocrat
Status
Status	Alive
Appearances
First seen	"Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10)
Last seen	"The Aurora Grows" (3x49) (via Sending)
Stream	Campaign Three (6 episodes)

Jiana Hexum (pronounced /dʒiˈɑːnə ˈhɛksəm/) is a wealthy elven woman who lives in the Lucent Spire of Jrusar, and is a former burglary target and current employer of Ashton Greymoore. As an NPC, Jiana Hexum is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description

Fan art of Jiana Hexum, by Pyromeekorai.

Fan art of Jiana Hexum, by AnnaSassiArt.

Appearance

A mature elven woman, Jiana appears to be approximately the equivalent age of a human in her sixties. She has short auburn brown hair and a smooth, tan complexion. When she first appeared in Campaign Three, she wore delicate necklaces wrapped around a high collar and a brooch of jet black stone set in gold just above her solar plexus. Her sleeves billowed and tightened above the elbow. Later, when she first met the rest of the Bells Hells, Jiana wore a long dark blue robe with dull bronze trim that dragged along the floor.

Personality

According to Ashton, she is a "collector of sorts", and while she is not a kind person, she does always keep her word and is a fair employer. They also indicated that she was stubborn and skeptical but would accept reasonable proof of Cyrus Wyvernwind's innocence.

When dealing with Ashton, Jiana seemed somewhat amused by him. She also seems to have a friendly rivalry with others in her social class, having made a bet with one of them that she could hire a crew to steal an item from their home successfully.

Jiana is unmarried and has no heirs.

Biography

Background

Several years before 843 PD, Ashton and the rest of the Nobodies broke into Jiana's home as part of a job. Jiana walked in on the attempted burglary and used magic to push Ashton back. They fell out the window and were gravely injured. The rest of the Nobodies left Ashton behind when they left Jrusar, and Jiana was eventually able to track down Ashton because of his distinctive head injury. Rather than turning them into the authorities, she instead asked for their services to pay off their debt to her. Ashton accepted.

Starting in early 843 PD, Jiana began to play a violin, taking lessons from Dinah Veshur, a prominent violinist in Jrusar.

"Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10)

Jiana allowed Ashton Greymoore into her mansion and requested their assistance in a wager that she would be able to successfully steal a designated item from her rival Evon Hytroga in the Heartmoor Hamlet. Ashton's remaining debt could be wiped away if they burgled successfully. Ashton agreed to take the offer to the then-unnamed Bells Hells for their consideration. Jiana also told Ashton that Vali Dertrana likely had ties to the Chandei Quorum.

"A Dance of Deception" (3x13)

Jiana also attended the ball hosted by the Chandei Quorum. When she and Ashton noticed each other at a distance, she gave them a patronizingly impressed look and returned to socializing.

"Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17)

Jiana allowed the Bells Hells into her mansion to discuss championing her in the wager against Evon, offering 500 gold apiece (minus Ashton) for competence and double for excellence with a statue guarding her entrance in the cards. She also revealed that nosy aristocrat Isha Sabanis had sent her team to embarrass both sponsors, so time could not be wasted. Soon after, the Bells Hells accepted and left for the Heartmoor.

"Fight at the Museum..." (3x21)

Imogen notified Jiana via Sending that they had won the wager against Evon Hytroga. Additionally, among the papers that Ashton stole from Evon was a page on Jiana's dealings in Wildemount, concerning several small crates shipped separately. Ashton vaguely recalled seeing one of these crates when the Nobodies attempted to steal from Jiana, but they could not remember anything more.

"Promise and Potential" (3x22)

Bells Hells went to Hexum Manor to claim their prize from the wager and found Jiana practicing the violin. After her teacher left, she gave each member of the party 500 gold. When Ashton turned over the papers about Evon (leaving out the document about Jiana's dealings), she gave them a bonus of a cut ruby and a diamond bracelet. Fearne asked to take one of the illusory busts, and Jiana told her she could as long as she could carry it herself; Jiana also asked if she could speak with Fresh Cut Grass. They accepted, as long as Ashton could stay in the room. She agreed to these terms and inspected FCG, who appeared to find it uncomfortable. After FCG left, Jiana told Ashton that she released them from their deal, but she'd be interested in working with them or with other members of Bells Hells in the future.

"What Dreams May Come" (3x34)

Armand Treshi, after being abducted by Bells Hells from the Seat of Disdain in Bassuras, revealed to them that he had been facilitating the transport of valuable goods between Marquet and Wildemount, and that in his smuggling Jiana had been his ally, being the one who kept those goods in his mansion until it was time to send them.

"Pyrrhic Return" (3x35)

During their journey back to Jrusar Bells Hells, looking for possible allies to resurrect Laudna, thought about Jiana Hexum, and FCG contacted her via Sending, asking if she would be able to help. Lady Hexum answered in a creepy and elusive way, making the cleric send a second message asking about what did she want as payment; again, Jiana avoided giving a direct answer, proposing to meet and talk about it, but the adventurers (and especially an aggressive Ashton) dismissed the idea, realizing that surely the old elf would want Fresh Cut Grass himself as payment.

"The Aurora Grows" (3x49)

Bells Hells contacted Jiana via Sending during their voyage from Gelvaan to Bassuras, asking for potential contacts there, and Jiana recommended they look for supplies from Yunis and mention her name.

Relationships

Ashton Greymoore

After a break-in that Ashton was involved in went south at Hexum's manor, Jiana made a contract with them instead of turning them into the authorities. After successfully winning a wager set between her and Evon Hytroga, Ashton was now free of his debt and was offered new opportunities in the future.

Ashton considers Jiana's influence to be immense, and when they and their friends are in a tough situation their first thought is to contact Hexum for help, even if that creates a new debt.

Fresh Cut Grass

During the conversations Jiana had with Bells Hells, she became increasingly interested in FCG due to their abilities that went beyond most automatons she had interacted with and offered to pay them to send any automatons with similar capabilities to her manor.

Character information

Notable items

• Enchanted bust, changing its appearance to match the appearance of the one who observes it.

Abilities

Jiana either possesses items that can magically push someone back or is a magic user herself.

Appearances and mentions

• Campaign Three
  • "Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads" (3x06), mentioned only (first mentioned), unnamed
  • "A Woodworker's Quandary" (3x08), mentioned only (as J.H.)
  • "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) (first appearance)
  • "Chasing Nightmares" (3x11), mentioned only
  • "A Dance of Deception" (3x13)
  • "The Tunnels Below" (3x15), mentioned only
  • "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17)
  • "A Hungry Jungle" (3x18), mentioned only
  • "Omens Above" (3x19), mentioned only
  • "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21), via Sending
  • "Promise and Potential" (3x22)
  • "A Stage Set" (3x32), mentioned only
  • "What Dreams May Come" (3x34), mentioned only
  • "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35), via Sending
  • "Ominous Lectures" (3x45), mentioned only
  • "The Aurora Grows" (3x49), via Sending
  • "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65), mentioned only
  • "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79), mentioned only

Trivia

• Lord Ariks Eshteross called her "an openly retired spinster", which means she has never married.

References

Art: