Jacob (Knight)

For other characters named Jacob, see Jacob.

“Hell, yes, I would've. What a great mutant he would've been.”— Marcus.

Knight Jacob was a member of the Brotherhood of Steel in New California, and later a co-founder of Broken Hills alongside the super mutant Marcus, a former soldier of the Unity.^[2]

Background[]

The Brotherhood of Steel, at the apex of its power on the West Coast in the 2180s, allowed its members to take up oaths to fulfill. Knight Jacob was one of those men and women who swore them, promising to destroy mutants as a sort of latter-day knight-errant. This put him on a collision course with Marcus, who, following the destruction of Mariposa and the Cathedral at the hands of the Vault Dweller, took to the wastes.^[2]

Around 2185,^{[Non-game 1]} he came across Marcus. The two fought intensely for a couple of days, neither of them able to get an advantage over the other, before realizing the futility of the fight. Instead, the pair made peace with each other, and Jacob abandoned his sworn oath to destroy mutants and joined Marcus in his travels. As they traveled together, discussing Brotherhood doctrine and the Unity (in particular the plausibility of the supposed neurolink between the Master and the Cathedral's computers), people began to follow them, believing that if they weren't safe with a Knight and a Super Mutant, they weren't going to be safe anywhere else.^[2]^{[Non-game 1]}

Marcus led the growing group to the site of a pre-War uranium mining town he knew about from old maps.^[2] There, he and Jacob founded the settlement of Broken Hills in the fall of 2185.^[3] After ensuring that the town survived winter, Jacob said his goodbyes and moved on, and the two friends would never meet again. Marcus stayed as mayor and sheriff at Broken Hills, though he missed his friend dearly, particularly the arguments between them on FEV dipping and how Jacob "would've been a great mutant" if their first meeting had been different.^[4]^{[Non-game 1]} Inhabitants of the settlement honored their co-founder Jacob by naming their children after him, as is the case with Jacob the Chemist.^[5]^[6]

Even years after the last time he'd seen him, Marcus continued to honor his friend's memory; after the dissolution of Broken Hills, and a disastrous first attempt at making a new mutant haven at Black Mountain in the Mojave Wasteland, Marcus made a second go at the idea and achieved some success with occupying a pre-War ski lodge nestled against Mount Charleston in the 2260s, naming it Jacobstown after his old, old friend. In addition to his broader dream of cultivating peaceful co-existence between mutants and humans, Jacobstown was also established by Marcus as a protected center of research focused on looking into a cure for the nightkin's schizophrenia caused by their excessive usage of Stealth Boys.^[7]^[8]

Appearances[]

Jacob is mentioned in Fallout 2 and Fallout: New Vegas. He is also mentioned in the Fallout Bible.

Behind the scenes[]

In Fallout 2, Jacob is referred to by Marcus as a "Steel Knight."^[2] whereas in the Fallout Bible by Chris Avellone he is erroneously mentioned as a paladin, not a knight.^{[Non-game 1]} Due to the Bible's dubious canonicity, Fallout 2 takes precedence and establishes Jacob's canonical rank as a journeyman knight; when asked about this discrepancy on Twitter, designer Colin McComb (who wrote for Marcus and Broken Hills in Fallout 2) said that the Brotherhood's ranks were not as solidly defined when he wrote for Marcus, but Jacob "seems more like a Knight" anyway, which aligns with Marcus's dialogue.^{[Non-game 2]}

References[]

↑ Marcus: "{234}{mcs38}{While Jacob was alive, I thought the Master was wrong. But it seems that while some men can heed the call and rise above it all, most just run away.}"
(Hcjacob.msg)
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 The Chosen One: "{107}{}{Who are you?}"
Marcus: "{124}{mcs7}{I’m Marcus. Helped build the place. Now I’m sheriff.}"
The Chosen One: "{125}{}{You helped build this place? That must have been a long time ago…}"
Marcus: "{128}{mcs8}{Long story. Want it short or the whole thing?}"
The Chosen One: "{130}{}{Hell, I’m not too busy. Let’s hear it all.}"
Marcus: "{136}{mcs10}{Right...After the Master and the vats were destroyed, I wandered a bit. No place to go. One day got attacked by this fool wearin’ power armor.}"
The Chosen One: "{137}{}{Really?}"
Marcus: "{138}{mcs11}{That was Jacob, from the Brotherhood of Steel. He’d sworn some oath to destroy muties. We tussled for a while – probably a day or two. After a while, we just started laughing. What was the point?}"
The Chosen One: "{139}{}{Then what?}"
Marcus: "{140}{mcs12}{We became friends. Headed off together. Then other people started following us. Guess they figured if they weren’t safe with a mutie and a Steel Knight, safe just wasn’t going to happen. }"
The Chosen One: "{141}{}{So you set up here. Why?}"
Marcus: "{142}{mcs13}{Uranium mine. I knew there was one around from old maps. Now anybody’s welcome here – ‘long as they act right. Others might not think much of us, but nobody’s more free than we are. There ya go.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)
↑ The Chosen One: "{107}{}{Who are you?}"
Marcus: "{124}{mcs7}{I’m Marcus. Helped build the place. Now I’m sheriff.}"
The Chosen One: "{125}{}{You helped build this place? That must have been a long time ago…}"
Marcus: "{128}{mcs8}{Long story. Want it short or the whole thing?}"
The Chosen One: "{129}{}{Give me the short version.}"
Marcus: "{133}{mcs9}{Right. Me and a human named Jacob built this place around that old bank about 60 years ago. Anyone’s welcome here, long as they keep the peace.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)
↑ The Chosen One: "{143}{}{Wait… you were friends with a guy from the Brotherhood?}"
Marcus: "{216}{mcs32}{Damn right. Best friend I ever had.}"
The Chosen One: "{217}{}{Yeah, right, you would’ve dipped him just like everyone else.}"
Marcus: "{219}{mcs33}{Hell, yes, I would've. What a great mutant he would’ve been.}"
The Chosen One: "{220}{}{I don't think he'd be happy to hear you say that.}"
Marcus: "{222}{mcs34}{(laughs) We had this argument all the time. (sigh) I miss that hard-head.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)
↑ Anti-mutant conspiracy
↑ The Chosen One: "{110}{}{What can you tell me about Broken Hills?}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{148}{}{Why don’t you tell me how you feel about mutants first?}"
The Chosen One: "{149}{}{I hate them.}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{152}{}{In that case, I’ll give you the real history.}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{153}{}{A human named Jacob – I was named after him – founded this place. The mutant Marcus came along and forced everyone under his rule. }"
Jacob the Chemist: "{164}{}{He’s been ruling here ever since the Master was destroyed. He puts down anyone who disagrees with him… or they just "disappear." The place looks civilized on the top of things, but the truth is that it’s a killing ground for bloodthirsty mutants. There's a friend of a friend who had friends who disappeared after speaking up.}"
(Hcjacob.msg)
↑ The Courier: "What's the history of Jacobstown?"
Marcus: "Was a resort Pre-War. I renamed it to Jacobstown after an old friend. Died a long time ago. I figured us mutants needed a place to call our own. Town's far enough away from humans so they don't bother us much. One of these days I'm hoping we can trade with the rest of the wasteland. No more fighting, just... get along."
(Marcus' dialogue)
↑ The Courier: "What's wrong with the Nightkin?"
Marcus: "Nightkin suffer schizophrenia from the Stealth Boys they're always using. One of the reasons I settled Jacobstown was so they could be cured. While they're in town, the Nightkin aren't allowed to have Stealth Boys so their craziness doesn't get worse. Trouble is the Nightkin don't like being visible, either. They don't take being exposed too well."
(Marcus' dialogue)

Non-game

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Fallout Bible 0 Timeline repair: Second strike:
"2185 Summer At high noon, Marcus and Brotherhood of Steel Paladin Jacob cross paths many, many miles southwest of Broken Hills and punch and shoot each other for a few days. Eventually, they give up, unable to get an advantage over the other. The two start traveling together, arguing over Master and BOS doctrine and whether or not the Master could truly neurolink his biology into the Cathedral computer network."
"2185 Fall Marcus and Jacob, along with the trail of ghouls, humans, and super mutants, found the community of Broken Hills."
"2186 Spring Jacob moves on, says goodbye to Marcus, then moves on for parts unknown."
↑ Colin McComb on Twitter: "I don't think the ranks had been really defined when I wrote that - but he seems more like a Knight to me. Not sure if that's canon now, though."

[1] Marcus: "{234}{mcs38}{While Jacob was alive, I thought the Master was wrong. But it seems that while some men can heed the call and rise above it all, most just run away.}"
(Hcjacob.msg)

[MarcusBHSLong-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 The Chosen One: "{107}{}{Who are you?}"
Marcus: "{124}{mcs7}{I’m Marcus. Helped build the place. Now I’m sheriff.}"
The Chosen One: "{125}{}{You helped build this place? That must have been a long time ago…}"
Marcus: "{128}{mcs8}{Long story. Want it short or the whole thing?}"
The Chosen One: "{130}{}{Hell, I’m not too busy. Let’s hear it all.}"
Marcus: "{136}{mcs10}{Right...After the Master and the vats were destroyed, I wandered a bit. No place to go. One day got attacked by this fool wearin’ power armor.}"
The Chosen One: "{137}{}{Really?}"
Marcus: "{138}{mcs11}{That was Jacob, from the Brotherhood of Steel. He’d sworn some oath to destroy muties. We tussled for a while – probably a day or two. After a while, we just started laughing. What was the point?}"
The Chosen One: "{139}{}{Then what?}"
Marcus: "{140}{mcs12}{We became friends. Headed off together. Then other people started following us. Guess they figured if they weren’t safe with a mutie and a Steel Knight, safe just wasn’t going to happen. }"
The Chosen One: "{141}{}{So you set up here. Why?}"
Marcus: "{142}{mcs13}{Uranium mine. I knew there was one around from old maps. Now anybody’s welcome here – ‘long as they act right. Others might not think much of us, but nobody’s more free than we are. There ya go.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)

[4] The Chosen One: "{107}{}{Who are you?}"
Marcus: "{124}{mcs7}{I’m Marcus. Helped build the place. Now I’m sheriff.}"
The Chosen One: "{125}{}{You helped build this place? That must have been a long time ago…}"
Marcus: "{128}{mcs8}{Long story. Want it short or the whole thing?}"
The Chosen One: "{129}{}{Give me the short version.}"
Marcus: "{133}{mcs9}{Right. Me and a human named Jacob built this place around that old bank about 60 years ago. Anyone’s welcome here, long as they keep the peace.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)

[5] The Chosen One: "{143}{}{Wait… you were friends with a guy from the Brotherhood?}"
Marcus: "{216}{mcs32}{Damn right. Best friend I ever had.}"
The Chosen One: "{217}{}{Yeah, right, you would’ve dipped him just like everyone else.}"
Marcus: "{219}{mcs33}{Hell, yes, I would've. What a great mutant he would’ve been.}"
The Chosen One: "{220}{}{I don't think he'd be happy to hear you say that.}"
Marcus: "{222}{mcs34}{(laughs) We had this argument all the time. (sigh) I miss that hard-head.}"
(HcMARCUS.msg)

[6] Anti-mutant conspiracy

[7] The Chosen One: "{110}{}{What can you tell me about Broken Hills?}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{148}{}{Why don’t you tell me how you feel about mutants first?}"
The Chosen One: "{149}{}{I hate them.}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{152}{}{In that case, I’ll give you the real history.}"
Jacob the Chemist: "{153}{}{A human named Jacob – I was named after him – founded this place. The mutant Marcus came along and forced everyone under his rule. }"
Jacob the Chemist: "{164}{}{He’s been ruling here ever since the Master was destroyed. He puts down anyone who disagrees with him… or they just "disappear." The place looks civilized on the top of things, but the truth is that it’s a killing ground for bloodthirsty mutants. There's a friend of a friend who had friends who disappeared after speaking up.}"
(Hcjacob.msg)

[8] The Courier: "What's the history of Jacobstown?"
Marcus: "Was a resort Pre-War. I renamed it to Jacobstown after an old friend. Died a long time ago. I figured us mutants needed a place to call our own. Town's far enough away from humans so they don't bother us much. One of these days I'm hoping we can trade with the rest of the wasteland. No more fighting, just... get along."
(Marcus' dialogue)

[9] The Courier: "What's wrong with the Nightkin?"
Marcus: "Nightkin suffer schizophrenia from the Stealth Boys they're always using. One of the reasons I settled Jacobstown was so they could be cured. While they're in town, the Nightkin aren't allowed to have Stealth Boys so their craziness doesn't get worse. Trouble is the Nightkin don't like being visible, either. They don't take being exposed too well."
(Marcus' dialogue)

[Bible0Timeline-3] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Fallout Bible 0 Timeline repair: Second strike:
"2185 Summer At high noon, Marcus and Brotherhood of Steel Paladin Jacob cross paths many, many miles southwest of Broken Hills and punch and shoot each other for a few days. Eventually, they give up, unable to get an advantage over the other. The two start traveling together, arguing over Master and BOS doctrine and whether or not the Master could truly neurolink his biology into the Cathedral computer network."
"2185 Fall Marcus and Jacob, along with the trail of ghouls, humans, and super mutants, found the community of Broken Hills."
"2186 Spring Jacob moves on, says goodbye to Marcus, then moves on for parts unknown."

[10] Colin McComb on Twitter: "I don't think the ranks had been really defined when I wrote that - but he seems more like a Knight to me. Not sure if that's canon now, though."

[1]

[2]

[Non-game 1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[Non-game 2]