"Live or die, the will of the Emperor be done!".
-Grand Inquisitor Jia
Grand Inquisitor Jia was second-in-command of the Lotus Assassins, wielding absolute power in the absence of Death's Hand.
Personal History[]
Grand Inquisitor Jia was an enigmatic figure and her history before the destruction of Dirge is unkown. What is known, however, is that she was once a member of the ecclesiastic Order of the Lotus, meaning that her duties revolved around the spiritual development of the Emperor. In the chaos that followed Sun Hai's usurpation of the Water Dragon's power, Jia not only proved her loyalty to the new order, but rose to prominence as second-in-command of the new Lotus Assassin Order under Death's Hand.
Her position allowed her to brutally enforce the will of Death's Hand. In the minds of many Lotus Acolytes, Jia and Death's Hand became almost a single entity. Lotus Acolytes were taught to fear and respect both in equal measure. Jia even went so far as to adopt a similar dressing style, including a face mask. So fearsome was her reputation and demeanor that her name was used with the same fearful reverence given to Death's Hand and she was described by some Lotus Assassins as being violent and sadistic. The Last Spirit Monk was repeatedly warned by various people about her dangerously capricious nature and lack of tolerance for even the slightest hint of disrespect. It is reasonable to assume that Jia was the head of the Inquisitor branch of the Lotus Assassins, indeed they seem to reflect her determined and ruthless methodology. Working subtly and silently behind the scenes to enforce the Emperor's will while ensuring that all attention and fear was focused directly upon Death's Hand.
As all Lotus Assassins, Jia followed the Way of the Closed Fist.
The Grand Inquisitor Appears[]
Jia is first glimpsed in a flashback, as Jing Woo describes a masked woman leading the Lotus Assassin assault on Two Rivers. Later she is seen talking with Inquisitor Lim through a communication device and expressing impatience about his delay in returning with the Dragon Amulet fragment found in Old Tien's Landing. She informs her subordinate that she is already aware of the Last Spirit Monk's activities in the area. Jia coldly speculates about Lim's ability to deal with the situation. She remains a shadowy presence throughout the rest of the Last Spirit Monk's journey until their stealthy arrival in the bowels of the Lotus Assassin Fortress.
Jia's Folly[]
Her tendency to favor some acolytes over others based on their cunning would be her undoing. Upon arriving at the Lotus Assassin Fortress, the Last Spirit Monk was drawn into the power games of Master Gang and Master Shin. By taking advantage of the environment of animosity, the Last Spirit Monk was able to engineer the death and humiliation of both men, which not only disrupted and crippled almost the entire golem army headquartered in the underground complex but also allowed them to find evidence directly linking Emperor Sun Hai to the activities of the Lotus Assassins.
Fate[]
Jia would meet her end at the hands of the Last Spirit Monk, who killed her as she defended the last Dragon Amulet fragment. After defeating Jia, the Last Spirit Monk is ambushed by Death's Hand himself, summoned by Jia minutes before her own death and survives only thanks to Sagacious Zu's sacrifice.
Combat[]
Jia serves as the final boss of Chapter 3. She is fought in the inner chambers of the Lotus Assassin Fortress and is one of, if not the most dangerous enemy in the game. While not particularly durable, she has the power of the Gem of Storm's Rage at her disposal, which protects her with a magical barrier, inflicting severe damage every time the player hits her in close combat. She is a very effective melee fighter on her own, using a longsword supported by Paralyzing Palm and Tempest to a deadly result, easily carving a helpless player to ribbons within seconds.
A combination of Storm Dragon and reasonably developed Tang's Vengeance during Focus Mode is a viable method of defeating her.
After her death, the player obtains her Gem of Storm's Rage and the final Viper scroll.