Reference: JEM (Pre-Crisis)
Set place between Generations 5 and 6, not actual "Heroes of Mana" themselves, their goal was different. JEM stands for Jumi Elite Militiamen, and refers to the fact that Jumi all bear semblance to gemstones and in fact evolved from minerals of some sort. Of the Jumi military, these were the elite of the elite, and only sixteen were active at any given time. This group in particular was quite exceptional, not just in power, but in their effects on the world. They remained active for one century, disbanding and choosing to let their lives end (as Jumi do when they feel they have served their purpose) when they became the cause of a terrible cataclysm involving Lazale, son of Elazul. They come in groups of fair with two male/female pairs in each group, and they pair off as Guardian/Knight within their own group as well.
Group One
Members: Xander (leader, unpartnered), Pearl (unpartnered), Perry (Guardian to Florina), Florina (Knight to Perry)
Mentor: Elazul Lazuli
Info: The most powerful of the four, and the last group surviving from the previous generation. Any one of them alone was more than a match for the combined efforts of the other three group, and these four are likened to gods themselves because not only are they individually powerful, but against any enemy or enemies, their skills complement each other in an almost too-good-to-be-true way, as if the Goddess Herself formed the group. Combined with their experience of having been part of the previous generation, the toughest missions go to this group.
Xander
Gemstone: Alexandrite
Elements: Heaven and Hell
Weapon style: Sword & Shield
Info: Xander, being an Alexandrite, had two distinct personalities, and each one took a corresponding element. He was awful predictable in this sense, that his Heaven side was more mellow and kind while the Hell side was more aggressive and dark. He is the leader of the group, and he believed only in his own power, having no faith in the rest of his partners. So much so, in fact, that he refused to let any of them actually participate in the missions they were sent on, forcing them and even their mentor to stay behind at some campsite while he singlehandedly finished the mission. Feared by all, and believed to be uncontrollable, he wasn't always an angry, judgmental person. Before he ever joined JEM, because of his power and kindness, he was next in line to be the Clarius. Now, however, he cares only for himself, and he has no qualms with letting the others be sacrificed should they get between him and his enemy and his power. He stays exclusively in his Hell form. Because of his unique elements (the second Jumi in all of history to be aligned with these almost mystical subelements), he is considered the first and last Heaven and Hell Knight (both at once) since five hundred thousand years ago, when the two were thought to be extinct. He even knows their trademark spells and fighting styles. He is the oldest of the group, ten years Perry's (the second oldest) senior, though as it is with Jumi, he's chosen not to age past a physical appearance of about twenty-two. He is believed to be the most powerful Jumi, even excelling Lady Blackpearl in his much shorter life. He is the only Jumi capable of flight, as well, which comes naturally to a Heaven or Hell Knight.
Pearl
Gemstone: Pearl
Element: Gravity
Weapon: War Hammer
Info: Pearl was saved by Xander as a child which prompted her to join the military and learn to fight that she might join his ranks. She got her wish, though Xander refuses to acknowledge her, and she uses that to push herself further. Unfortunately, this makes her come off as a lovetorn floozy, her eyes more on Xander's acknowledgement than actually doing what's right, and she takes a similar haughty attitude that both Lady Blackpearl and Xander give. Once she joined JEM, she was trained by Lady Blackpearl herself. Pearl, however, lacks confidence (again, going back to Xander), and is easily frustrated and irritable as she isn't allowed to prove herself to Xander because Xander won't let anyone work alongside him during missions. What she doesn't realize, however, and neither has anyone else, is that her power has already skyrocketed well beyond Xander's, and it is in fact Pearl who is the most powerful Jumi. She is basically a modern version of Lady Blackpearl, only Pearl can perform magic which Blackpearl could not, and given her element of choice, what Xander can do to any one individual, Pearl can in fact do over a very large area.
Perry
Gemstone: Peridot
Element: Life
Weapon: Puppets
Info: Perry is Xander's much younger cousin, and in fact the youngest in the group. He's not a very talented fighter, in fact he has no skill at all with any weapon, but his puppetmastery is second to none, having more than perfected the late Gideon's abilities. He is capable of controlling ten thousand puppets at once without any strain for days on end, and, if he is willing to hurt himself, he can control up to one million for an hour. Like most puppeteers, he hides his real body in the shadows, and the walking/talking Perry is in fact one of his own puppets, his voice thrown in via ventriloquism. Perry, seeing that Xander and Pearl treated each other the way they did, immediately became the Guardian to Florina. Unlike Pearl, he's not concerned with Xander's refusing them to fight alongside him. In fact, he prefers reading and playing chess, and he typically has his head in the clouds as he daydreams endlessly. He is a genius, however, a real strategist for the team, and either that or his blood-relation with Xander will occasionally make the senior ask his advice should a mission appear more complicated than "blow everything up." Perry's strategies have never failed, and he rarely needs time to come up with them, exceptionally adept at spatial thinking and reasoning.
Florina
Gemstone: Fluorite
Element: Moon
Weapon: Flute
Info: Like Perry, Florina isn't concerned with fighting. A very carefree spirit, she prefers song and dance to anything violent. However, as a member of JEM, she is certainly something to be feared; a master of illusions, buffing spells, and debuffing spells, she's very quick to weaken any enemy to near infantile power while giving her own team the power of gods, and she's even been able to trap Masters Akura and Elazul in illusions that only she could dispel (where Aki and Elazul are well-known to be so resistant to mental attacks that they're considered immune); she learned from Aki herself. She is Perry's Knight, and is oddly affectionate of the dreamer probably because she is one herself. And even though most other Jumi shy away from Pearl and Xander given their personalities, Florina is quite loyal to them and considers them her friends, even if Xander has never spoken to her directly.
Group Two
Members: Rubis (self-proclaimed leader, Knight to Turlis), Turlis (Guardian to Rubis), Affix (Knight to Olga), Olga (Guardian to Affix)
Mentor: Lady Tempest
Info: The "endless youthful versatile brigaide that can overcome any obstacle with grace and determination," an overly long title that nobody cares for except for Rubis and Turlis themselves, they are indeed at least considered the most versatile group given that they are composed of equal parts weaponplay and sorcery and are host to the four primary elements of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. In raw power, however, they are probably the weakest of the four groups, though they are certainly fearsome, and of all the groups, their teamwork is the best bar none. In fact, their teamwork allows them to accomplish greater feats their "more powerful" friends can't always accomplish. They act more like a family and are very close, though it certainly took them some time to reach that point given their personalities, and their tightness perhaps serves as a role model to future JEM applicants.
Rubis
Gemstone: Ruby
Element: Fire
Weapon: Fists and Feet, supplemented by specially designed boots and gauntlets
Info: The self-proclaimed "Red Beast of Etansel" and self-proclaimed leader of his group, he is a wild boy to the very core and believes eternally in the "springtime of youth," which has made him stop aging himself at around seventeen years in appearance. He is the twin brother of Turlis who is just as hotheaded as he. He loves getting into fights he shouldn't be in, and he is almost too protective of his friends which has sometimes nearly cost him his life in heavier battles. Originally, he was considered too weird with his endless supply of red jumpsuits (his only attire) that was as red as his giant mane of spiked hair and bright red eyes. He considers himself the personal guardian of Etansel, and can be seen frequently running along at high speeds. Actually using his fire element to boost his speed, he is perhaps the fastest of all the JEM, and his reaction is easily the highest. He is a proud martial artist, an expert in numerous styles and is more than capable of mixing them all and changing his stance at any moment's notice.
Turlis
Gemstone: Turquoise
Element: Water
Weapon: Staff
Info: The self-proclaimed "Blue Devil of Etansel," he is just as wild as his twin Rubis, though in a different way. Where Rubis is more hotheaded, Turlis is "too romantic," going into poetic diatribes when they're unwanted (which is always), and trying far too hard to flirt with every female he sees. He's even passed a few kind words to Lady Blackpearl and even the Clarius herself, and given how frequently he is seen flirting with women, he is almost always seen with a blue rose in his mouth. Just as Rubis is red, Turlis is everything blue. He wears a blue suit, a blue tie, his hair is blue and geld ever so perfectly, and even in battle he has a blue jumpsuit to match Rubis's. He is a mage, staying in the background to cover Rubis's assaults so as not to mussle his hair, his abilities with water extend so far as to even create massive tsunamis in the Duma Desert, and, if pressured, he is even capable of pulling all the moisture out of his target, rendering them a pile of dehydrated dust. He hates to kill, though, much preferring one of the others delivers the final blow, but he certainly has no qualms with weakening any enemy.
Affix
Gemstone: Sapphire
Element: Earth
Weapon: 2-Handed Broadsword
Info: Affix is a fighter through-and-through, and a real tomboy and toughie. In fact, when she and Rubis first met, they immediately got into a brawl, and they proceeded to brawl almost every day. She's a heavy drinker, too, and if she's not fighting, she's at the local bar, probably going to cause a fight very soon. Her weapon of choice is most peculiar; she has a fairly average frame (though her body is more solid than it appears), but her broadsword is roughly twice her size and too heavy for her to actually life. She drags it around, having dulled the blade, and she uses it more as a blunt weapon. She uses her element, however, to compensate: making pillars of earth push up her sword for her, she creates various changes in the immediate area surrounding her from the ground that allow her to manipulate her blade freely. Let the earth do the work for her, she figures. And true enough, she's never had to strain to carry her blade. Their mentor, Lady Tempest, uses the same fighting style, and in fact was from whom Affix learned, the Jumi quite fascinated by a smallish woman wielding a blade much too large for her. In battle, like Rubis, Affix is quick to rush in, pummeling everything in sight with her blade, but make no mistake; although she's good at using the earth to propel her blade along, she's just as talented in using it to push her blade back and defend herself. Rarely has Affix ever taken a beating.
Olga
Gemstone: Opal
Element: Wind
Weapon: Boomerangs, Chakrams, Shurikens, anything throwable
Info: A bookworm of a bookworm, having taken a liking to Erid, Elazul's oldest son, she always has her nose in a book and is always learning something. She's fairly quiet and softspoken, and it's nearly impossible for the others to gauge her mood without going into her Core directly. This frequently leads to Rubis and Turlis speaking for her, usually as a prank, which leads brawls with Affix. When she does speak, it's usually in one or two word responses to questions. When she's not with her group, she's studying in the library with Erid, or she's lying in the gardens reading. In battle, though, she's an accomplished multitasker, able to send every weapon she has (which is a lot) out through wind manipulation and give them all very discrete, individual, and prioritized tasks. Most multi-weapon users just send all weapons on the same path, but she's able to manipulate up to fifty or so individually. Her wind magic is also impressive, as she can create multiple cyclones within one another that rotate in different directions, allowing for impenetrable shields and easy nullifying of spells. She's probably the most magically inclined of JEM, and it all starts with those books of hers.
Group Three
Members: Marina (leader and Knight to Taz), Taz (Guardian to Marina), Amy (Knight to Harold), and Harold (Guardian to Amy).
Mentor: Akura "Aki" Ross
Info: Considered "The Impenetrable," all four members have some ability or abilities that perfect their defenses, and they are the first to be summoned for any defensive missions. Unfortunately, their teamwork is a little off. Harold is a bully to Taz, which upsets Marina, and Amy doesn't seem to care. When they get sent on missions, they tend to split into three directions, all going their own way except Taz who goes with Marina, and they all seem to have their own idea about how to get the mission done.
Marina
Gemstone: Aquamarine
Element: Ice
Weapon: Rapier
Info: Although Jumi are considered to be "perfect" in physical beauty, Marina's is so far up there she's likened to a goddess of beauty. It doesn't help that her personality matches as well. And to top it all off, she studied under Elazul Lazuli himself in fencing, and she is easily the best of the swordsmen (and women) of all the Jumi, JEM or otherwise, second only to Elazul himself. She sees the good in everyone, including the local terror/bully Harold, and as such is Taz's only true friend and has been his friend since they were children. It was no surprise, then, that these childhood friends became Knight and Guardian. Along with her unrivaled swordplay, she is a very excellent manipulator of her favorite element, ice, and mix all of her talents, her beauty, and her personality, not only was she made leader of the group by Aki, because of Xander's hostile nature, she is now next in line to be Clarius. There isn't a single person who dislikes her, and when she isn't dealing with JEM related issues, she can be seen playing with children in the park or tending to her family's gardens. Unlike other Tier Two Jumi, because of her nature, she is quite wealthy, wealth that she passes on to her family, and they enjoy a luxurious life at the top of Etansel. If she becomes Clarius, she will be the first Tier Two Jumi in all of Fa'Diel history to be such.
Taz
Gemstone: Topaz
Element: Metal
Weapon: None, though he supports two shielded gauntlets and carries a very large shield on his back.
Info: Unfortunately, not all Jumi are perfect. Taz is the "ugly" Jumi, a boy with a lazy eye, a slouch in posture that makes him appear almost hunchbacked, his tone makes him appear dimwitted, and his legs are uneven, giving him a limp. In fact, his limp is so severe that he physically and athletically cannot keep up with any other Jumi. His physical appearance made him the target of bullying throughout his life, and only Marina ever showed him kindness. As a result, he has vowed his life to hers, and although he tried to learn how to fight to one day protect her, his body refused. So instead, he learned the arts of the Defender Knight, and his determination and desire were so powerful that he became an almost impenetrable shield (which also helped deter his bullies). In fact, it was his so strong defensive spells that were one of the only reasons he was even considered for JEM. The other reason was that Marina, then heavily sought after by JEM, refused to join if Taz couldn't be her Guardian. He is inseparable from her, and they have worked together long enough that they don't even need to speak for him to support her properly. Unfortunately, he is still the target of bullying, but since he still has Marina, and now that he's capable of defending himself, he doesn't mind so much anymore. Still, he has confidence issues, which is very rare for a Jumi, and he lives a very poor, impoverished life given that Topazes, like Lapis Lazulis, are considered "the bottom of the bottom" in Jumi gemstone hierarchy. He keeps this a secret from Marina and everyone else.
Amy
Gemstone: Amethyst
Element: Thunder
Weapon: Bow
Info: Amy is one of the most "humanized" of the Jumi in JEM in that her personality makes people forget sometimes she's a Jumi at all, only remembering since she has her Core. With the help of the Clarius, she even, like Elazul, reduced her Core to act as a mere pendant on a necklace chain instead of the large, gaping orb in the center of the chest. Although she is an archer, she specializes more in support than assault, and she is frequently the creator of massive cage-like electrical bolts from her arrows that offer her and her team protection. As a thunder practitioner, however, she is quite skilled in manipulating it to make her arrows travel as fast as lightning, ensuring no enemy can dodge them. She's a gambler, though, and has no problems running off for the nearest casinos. She's also a heavy drinker, actually a close friend of Affix's, and the two are frequently seen in the bars together when she's not gambling.
Harold
Gemstone: Emerald
Element: Sand
Weapon: None
Info: Harold is the "neighborhood bully"; a very large, powerful looking Jumi (as most Emerald Jumi are) who delights in torture and mindbreaking. Easily the strongest of all JEM in musclepower combined with his deadly manipulation of sand make certain that nobody is willing to stand up against him. Except for Marina, who, though able to see the light in anyone, has no fear to Harold and can frequently be seen shunning him. He doesn't counter, though, either out of some respect for her or merely because she was made leader of their four-man cell. In spite of his bullying nature, he is actually an animal enthusiast, particularly the smaller, defenseless ones (such as Rabites), and he has shown loyalty to Etansel (a bit of a necessity to be a part of JEM). Not much else is known about him, though he seems to have favorited picking on the poor Taz for his appearance, his "uselessness," and how attached he is to Marina.
Team Four
Members: Damod (leader, Knight to Adam), Adam (Guardian to Damod), Celes (Knight to Garnet), Garnet (Guardian to Celes)
Mentor: Kaburi/Noah
Info: The last of the groups, and the most hated because of Adam, this group really can't get along with itself. The girls swoon over Damod, Adam hates everyone, and Damod, though polite, seems awful apathetic to the JEM cause. Not only that, but their mentor, Kaburi, or Noah, is a drunken pervert who shows no real indication that he wants to seriously guide the four to be anything great. They are frequently under the target of Group One, even though Kaburi is Elazul's master and a demi-god, whom they were originally supposed to replace should Group One ever fall given their overall power. Indeed, if not for lack of cooperation, they are the most powerful of the three new groups to JEM.
Damod
Gemstone: Diamond
Element: Dark
Weapon: Scythe
Info: The most polite of them all, he and Xander rival one another for the girls' affections. Though whereas Xander is cold, Damod is warm to the others, and he has no qualms at all with openly dating women of any race or closeness to him. Still, he seems oddly unattached to anything at all, coming off as one who is simply going through the motions of life, never complaining, and always smiling. He is exceptionally skilled in battle, however, acting as a true stereotype of an "assassin," and he has no problems with putting himself in danger to protect the rest of his friends. Well, except Adam. He was only made leader, however, from a random picking from their mentor Kaburi, who actually changed his mind fairly frequently before settling back on Damod. His politeness has put him pretty high with Marina, whose sincerity rivals his niceness, and the two are actually good friends because of it, having been so since before they joined the military, let alone JEM. He even treats Taz with friendliness, and the three are seen together after missions fairly frequently just talking about this or that. As a Tier One Jumi, he was originally in line after Xander for the title of Clarius, but his detachment and lack of interest quickly pushed the decision over to Marina, a decision he actually openly supports and encourages her to accept.
Celes
Gemstone: Celestite
Element: Light
Weapon: Spear
Info: Celes is perhaps the most girly in JEM, spending a great deal of time looking pretty for her various dates with Damod when he accepts, and she acts awful attached to him. She would rather go shopping than fight, and she loves to gossip about the other Jumi and is quick to get emotional. However, there is no mistake in her power--as a spear wielder, she is considered second only to Marina in actual skill, and she is fiercely competitive with her fellow JEM (even if Marina doesn't return it). She keeps herself very busy with anything, even if she has to train, just because she doesn't like to sit still, fearful it might make her become lazy and thus "not pretty," either in battle or looks. She isn't a frequent magic user, and her spells are never spectacular, but she's more than shown herself to be extremely adept with light spells, even so powerful as to flash incinerate a small area (not a feat easily done. Flash incineration even requires Aki to manipulate at least ten thousand handsigns to cover a "decent" area), though not without a good deal of strain. She is close to Garnet.
Garnet
Gemstone: Garnet
Element: Sun
Weapon: Bo Staff
Info: Close friend to Celes, she is similar in attitude, though lacking the fiery spirit of Celes. And being around Marina and Celes who certainly outshine her in looks, she spends more of her time honing her fighting skills and studying the other groups than flirting or prettying herself up. Most of her training time is spent with the other girls in JEM, and she shows a slight aversion to boys for currently unknown reasons; she's not afraid of them or disgusted with them in a way that might indicate something traumatic earlier in her life, no, she just prefers the female company. She's one of the few Guardians to prefer the frontlines in battle, typically gluing herself to Celes so Celes doesn't "ruin her makeup" or whatever Celes might whine about, not at all afraid to get down and dirty herself, nor judgmental on Celes's overtly feminine nature.
Adam
Stone: Adamantite (not a gemstone)
Element: None (forced into Wood by Kaburi who noted "everyone do everything but you and wood. So you do wood!)
Weapon: None (forced into axes by Kaburi who noted "everyone do everything but axes. So you do axes!)
Info: A mistake, no doubt. Nobody knows how he got into JEM: he can't do anything; he can't fight or cast magic. He's not very intelligent, either, and he's extremely headstrong and brash, jumping into situations he can't deal with at all, insulting the other party members for their "stupid" fascination with Damod, his clear jealousy toward the others and willingness to make Celes and Garnet fight between themselves in spite of how close they really are--he's generally just a jerk. And he gets picked on for his uselessness, too, and in spite of that, he has the nerve to even pick on Taz, who at least can do things for himself. Adam was never part of the military, so his sudden acceptance into JEM without passing any tests at all has more than angered the other Jumi, and even Marina in all her kindness occasionally loses her temper with him. It was thought he had some hidden special talent within him, but even in the most desperate of times, Adam has proven himself time and time again that he's incapable of doing anything at all for himself or for others. Harold, brash as he is, even went so far as to point an angry finger and curse the Clarius herself over this "atrocity." Nobody even knows where Adam lives or if he even has a home, as he's seen just wandering Etansel at night. Heck, a few weeks before the initiation of the new JEM members, nobody even knew Adam existed. Unfortunately, Adam is not a "true" Jumi in that his Core is not a gemstone but a typical mineral. The Clarius's son, also named Adam, was known for this as well, but that Adam was a well-respected Jumi who earned his place among the Jumi in spite of his Core's shortcomings. This Adam just gives everyone a migraine.