Appeared In:

Jal's Tale
Swampwitch
A Touch of Madness

Occupation:   Lightning League Spy

Equipment:

• Dagger: Jal wears a dagger that he can use in combat. He also uses it to slice through objects. It has a grey handle and a tan-and-brown scabbard.

• Explosives: Jal carries circular spheres full of explosives. He throws these spheres at his enemies. They are powerful enough to shatter concrete and blow Monster Minds into the air.

• Flash Grenades: Create bright bursts of light that blind unshielded eyes and optical sensors.

• Smoke Bombs: Jal's smoke bombs are circular objects that contain a fog-like gas. Jal throws these bombs when he needs to slip away and cover his tracks. They explode on impact, releasing the gas and creating an area of low visibility.

• Spaceship: Jal has his own starcraft, which he uses to travel.

• Throwing Blades: Jal carries silver-colored, lightning-bolt shaped blades that he throws when attacking his enemies. He often uses them to blow out Monster Mind tires. They can also be used to generate a red electrical force field that forms a barrier against the Monster Mind vehicles. (Lizzard's Note: Don't ask how they do this. They just do.)

Appearance:

Jal is an adult jackal-humanoid. He has a long black-nosed snout, reddish fur, and cream-colored clawed hands. His eyes are golden with cat-like pupil slits. (Lizzard's Note: When Jal's mind was wiped clean by Dr. Zorg, his pupils became round. They returned to their original shape after Gillian restored his memory. The same phenomenon is often noticed in high school students forced to listen to lectures in math class.) Jal wears a violet tunic, blue pants, and a green shoulder cape. He wears a green half-mask over his eyes that has a flap hanging down over each cheek. He also wears brown boots, a brown belt and brown "wrapped" gauntlets. Jal carries his dagger on the left side of his belt. He carries his other weapons in his belt or underneath the back of his tunic.

Strengths:

Jal is a master spy and survivalist, able to handle even the most dangerous situations by himself. As a spy, Jal is able to obtain the most accurate information available. He has a high degree of acrobatic agility, and possesses amazing fighting skills. Jal has a strong will and knows mind techniques that help him resist mental probes. He is able to pilot his starship with skill. Jal has solid contacts with Audric and Lightning League.

Weaknesses:

Jal has been targeted by the Monster Minds in the past because they know that he is an ally of the Lightning League. Jal's memory was once wiped clean by Dr. Zorg, but he was able to get all his memories back without any apparent side-effects.

History:

Jal Gorda, a spy, is friend to both Audric and the Lightning League.

When he was a young child, his family and village were destroyed by the Monster Minds. He swore that they would pay. Audric rescued Jal from a life of slavery. Jal told Audric that someday he would return the favor.

He now does so, by reporting Monster Mind activities and Audric's movements to Jayce and the Lightning League. Jal taught Jayce advanced fighting techniques. It was Jal who suggested to Jayce that he install a self-destruct simulation in the Pride -- just in case. This self-destruct simulation came in very handy later.

In Swampwitch, Jal met with Jayce in a remote alley. There he reported that Saw Boss was sending a strike force to Marg in order to capture Swampwitch, a nature spirit with great powers over plants. When the two friends were ambushed by the Monster Minds, Jal told Jayce that he was on his own and leapt to the rooftops to escape. (Lizzard's Note: Jayce, for his part, escaped with ease in Armed Force. This incident should not reflect poorly on Jal. Jayce was never in any real danger from the few troopers that were present, and Jal knew it.)

In A Touch of Madness, Jal was the one who informed the Lightning League of the dangerous new Madness Vines. He provided them with a clipping on which to experiment as well as a video with detailed information on the vines. After the exchange of these items, Jal, Jayce, and Oon were forced to escape from a Monster Mind attack on the secret meeting place. Jal threw a flash grenade in order to confuse the troopers long enough for them to make their respective getaways.

In Jal's Tale, the spy was forced to evade more Monster Mind troopers. Saw Boss wanted Jal captured alive because he knew Audric's current whereabouts. Jal avoided capture by using smoke bombs, throwing blades, and acrobatic stunts. While escaping down an alleyway, he was tricked and shot by Noak, Saw Boss' secret agent. Jal was then taken to planet Naar and hooked up to Dr. Zorg's mind-sifter, a machine that scans people's brains for information. Jal fought back by using a special mind-technique. References to Audric caused him to think only of their first meeting, and not the scientist's current location. No matter how much torture he suffered, Jal refused to budge. In his desperation, Dr. Zorg fed too much power into the machine and wiped Jal's memory clean. When the League came to rescue him, Jal didn't know who they were. They offered to restore his memory. Luckily, he was willing to trust them. Gillian evaluated the damage and used both science and magic to restore Jal's memory. Jal returned the favor by throwing explosives at the approaching Monster Mind troopers. Jal then revealed to Jayce that Audric was on the planet Garvos, but he didn't know for how long.

The League went back to the Pride only to discover that Saw Boss teleported his headquarters on top of it. The League couldn't penetrate the evil Black Light -- but Jal could. While the League distracted the Monster Minds, Jal snuck into the headquarters. He was discovered, but successfully avoided capture. Jal made it to the Pride's bridge and activated the self-destruct simulation. Saw Boss retreated, fearing that the barge really was going to explode. The barge was free to go. Jal and the League then went on to Garvos. There, they discovered that Audric had already left. Jal felt that it was all his fault, as his capture had delayed the League, but Gillian assured him that he was not to blame.

Jal still serves as a spy for his friends, although his current whereabouts are unknown.