How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Eberron
Jaela Daran
This thirteen year-old girl holds the highest position in the Silver Flame faith, the Keeper of the Flame, and transitively, the leadership of Thrane. Ascending to the position in 993 YK, Jaela was only six years old at the time the Flame chose her. She succeeded Tagor, a Keeper who has tried to moderate the church for decades, opposed by High Cardinal Krozen and his cadre of hard-line conservatives. Although young, she was key in the Thronehold peace negotiations, and her wisdom and faith are respected even by non-believers.
Candiates for the Keeper position are usually imbued with powerful divination abilities. Jaela became famous at age four for predicting catastrophes. When the Diet brought Jaela into their presence, it is said she immediately revealed a plot of Whispering Flame cultists within the highest parts of the church, showing her direct connection to the Flame.
Since 300 YK, there have been 13 Keepers, with tenures varying from one to 86 years, but an average of 45 years of service to the Flame. The position of Keeper has evolved over the centuries. There have been times when the Keeper was the absolute authority on all issues in the church, but since the creation of the Diet of Cardinals, this power has been largely delegated to the council’s powerful members. Although the Keeper still technically has final say over any issue in the Church (and by extension, Thrane), the political reality means that a Keeper who looks to oppose the Diet must expend massive political capital and risk rumors of heresy.