“Just doing what I'm paid to do - harass the muties until they leave or attack us. If they leave, we let 'em go. If they attack, we wipe them out.”— Norton
Ask them to leave with a Speech check or NCR fame check.
Ask Marcus to pay the mercenaries to leave either 2,000, 2,500 or 3,000 caps (gives Negative Karma for 3,000 caps)
Reward: NCR infamy
Reward: 350 XP without asking for money
Reward: 250 XP with asking for money
Detailed walkthrough[]
The quest is triggered when the player character visits Jacobstown for a second time after discovering it, then leaving and coming back. Marcus will approach at the front gate and tell the Courier that there is a group of NCRmercenaries on the town borders harassing the mutants by shooting near them and at the lodge, generally trying to rile them up. If asked why the mutants don't kill them, Marcus says it is to avoid giving the NCR an excuse to exterminate Jacobstown. If asked if the mercs really are NCR, Marcus is skeptical but cannot rule it out, hence why he wants another human to ask for him.
To resolve the situation, one must go back down the road from Jacobstown and talk to the mercenaries' leader, Norton. If wanting to avoid killing them, the player character has the choice to pay them 2,500 caps or tell them to leave with a Speech check of 65. if one does not have 2,500 caps, they can go back and talk to Marcus who will provide an amount of 2,000, 2,500, or 3,000 caps to pay off the mercenaries (the first two options result in a concerned response but no consequences, whereas requesting 3,000 results in a sad response and Karma loss). Alternatively, a Courier with an Idolizedreputation with the NCR can inform Norton that his employer knows them as a hero, causing him and his mercenaries to apologize and leave without any payment.
If one does decide to kill them, Marcus will not be happy since it will likely result in increased hostilities from humans against Jacobstown and the quest ends with a lower XP reward and NCR infamy.
After completing the quest, the player character will gain 350 XP, or 250 XP if they asked for caps from Marcus, regardless of whether they used a Speech check or gave the caps to Norton.
Quest stages[]
Stage
Status
Description
10
Speak with the leader of the mercenaries harassing Jacobstown.
20
Come to a peaceful arrangement with the mercenaries.
If resolved peacefully, Norton and the other mercenaries will make their way to a campfire at the north end of Highway 95, west of the Brooks tumbleweed ranch.
The mercenaries can be quietly killed while on their way to the campfire without incurring NCR infamy.
PCPlaystation 3Xbox 360 After convincing Norton to walk away via caps, the area just south of Silver Peak Mine shows a non-hostile non-player character on the compass. The spot the compass points to shows an option to talk to Norton and one or more mercenaries. Doing so does not activate a dialogue. [verified]
After convincing Norton to walk away via caps, the area just south of Silver Peak Mine shows a non-hostile non-player character on the compass. The spot the compass points to shows an option to talk to Norton and one or more mercenaries. Doing so does not activate a dialogue. [verified]
