Acost Jared was the Ventaxian head of state on the planet Ventax II. Jared and Howard Clark were personal friends. Captain Picard described him as a "wise and experienced leader" For several years prior to 2367, he had grown obsessed with the legend of the mythic figure Ardra, an equivalent to the Human devil.
In 2367, Jared interpreted a series of events on Ventax II as evidence that Ardra was returning to the planet to enslave the population as it was written and prophesied, over a thousand years ago, in the Contract of Ardra. He was willing to submit his people and world to the woman claiming to be Ardra as promised, but the crew of the USS Enterprise-D was able to reveal the woman as a con artist. Jared subsequently had her arrested. (TNG: "Devil's Due")