A Thief's Ascension, The story of Jak's life from small beginnings Options

[BretonBlood]

I am by no means a writer, in fact I am horrible but figured I'd post a story I wrote on the Bethesda Forums here. I fully expect to be picked apart for my bad writing, this was also written about 2 years ago. I also like to include pictures to somewhat show what is going on since it kind of helps take away some of the burden of creating the scene through writing.

Chapter 1

"Oh wait, aren't you going to eat something before you go to work?"

"I can't I slept in, sorry mom." Jak said as he quickly rushed out the door to head to the Riften Docks.

Once at the docks Jak got to work quickly with the daily chores he was assigned when he got the job. Luckily he had been doing it for so long that even starting late he could get his work done in time, and after a few hours he took a break to relax watching the lake. It was peaceful for awhile until...

"Hey Jak! What are you doing?" The young Breton came up from behind and sat down beside Jak.

"Hello, Fina..." She stretched her legs out across his lap. "Alright then... well I am on my break, I got all my stuff done and before I get back to work I wanted to relax over the lake."

"Oh, that sounds like fun, I mean I can't imagine working here is all that fun."

"It isn't bad, it can get boring but it pays okay. Plus I get to rest here every now and then and take in the view and fresh air."

"It is beautiful, isn't it? "

"So what are you doing here, Fina?"

"I don't have anything to do since I haven't gotten any jobs from the Jarl or anyone, so I decided I would come see you today."

"Lucky me." Jak smirked and Fina smacked his arm.

Jak eventually stood up and explained he had to get back to work, so Fina hugged him and said good bye. Once the sun began set Jak finished up his remaining work, and headed home where his mother cooked a meal while he recovered from another day of working for the Riften Fishery.

As usual Jak worked a long day at the Riften Fishery and decided to go to the Bee and Barb for an afternoon drink. He sat the bar drinking several mugs of mead trying to take the edge off.

"By the gods, Fina? Is that you?"

"Marc?"

"That's right. Wow it has been years, what are you doing in Riften?"

"I live here, in fact I just got back from a job the jarl gave me to go take care some smugglers. What about you?"

"I have been travelling Skyrim looking for potential patrons, and ended up here. It is great to see you, want to get a drink?"

"Umm, sure." Fina and Marcurio headed to the bar to order some mead when Fina noticed Jak sitting at the bar and walked up to him.

"Jak, how are you?" She stood beside him at the bar and Jak nodded his head as Marcurio walked up to the bar. "Marc, this is Jak... Jak this Marc, he is an old friend of mine."

Marcurio greeted Jak, but Jak gave a quick hand gesture and took another drink of his mead. "Jak are you drunk?" Fina asked.

"Not drunk enough." he replied.

"I'm going to change out of my armor. Marc watch him for me and make sure he doesn't get into trouble." Marcurio laughed and agreed to the request.

"She is great isn't she?" Marc gave a sigh, "It's been so long since I've seen her."

"Yeah, she is great..." Jak replied.

Marcurio leaned forward onto the bar, "So what's the story between you two? Are you?"

"We're just good friends." Jak explained.

"Oh. Interesting."

Marcurio began small talk with Jak and explained how he knew Fina from when they used to study magic in Cyrodiil when they were younger. Then he began to rant about how he was a master of the arcane and his skill in battle was unmatched. He also hinted that if Jak ever needed him he could be hired. Jak didn't pay much attention, he instead noticed the coin purse he had hanging from his belt. After a couple minutes Jak went to get up from the bar, but stumbled and Marcurio caught him before he fell.
"I think you have had enough to drink, at least until Fina gets back."

"Fine. Maybe you are right, I'll just go home now. Tell Fina I said bye." Jak made his way to the door, "Sucker." Jak smirked and put the coin purse in his pocket.

[BretonBlood]

Acadian: Indeed Jak is going through a rough time in his life. He is lucky that Fina is such a close friend and cares about him, she only wants him to be happy.

And yes, the best thing for him to keep his mind off of his mother's death is to keep himself busy. For me personally when I experience something sad like a death I find keeping busy helps cope.

And you haven't done the whole Thieves Guild questline, so you don't know anything hahaha.... let's just say Mercer is not my favorite.


Darkness Eternal: Lol I'm glad to have caught you off guard. I was hoping that maybe after Jak was attacked you wouldn't pick up on the fact that his mother may have also been a target.

And indeed she did have some crucial information to tell Jak, alas she couldn't muster the strength to tell him... She also was the reason he began this life, but now that he has almost formed a new family with the Guild he won't feel so alone and he now has another reason to continue his life of thievery.


Author's Note: Sorry this was a little longer, about 2000 words. The remaining chapters won't be this long, it's just this section was hard to find a good break point without it being too short.

Chapter 14

With Jak leading the two made their way deeper into the ruin, they came to a room with a chest and as Jak opened the chest Draugrs burst from their coffins and began to attack. As they continued through the ruins they came across more Draugr and traps, they entered a room and Mercer told Jak to pull the chain and watch out for the spike trap, so he pulled the chain and backed up quickly as the trap sprung. Draugr slept along the walls and as they went by they would kill them to make sure they would not wake up and attack them later.

They entered a hallway and Mercer commented on how there were two more Draugr ahead, Jak happened to notice a trap with an oil lantern, so he cut the string and the lantern fell causing an explosion which killed one of the Draugr. Unfortunately the explosion woke more, and so the two of them charged in and killed the remaining. Jak would let Mercer do most of the fighting and would sneak attack the Draugr while they were focused on Mercer until eventually they all laid dead at their feet. They passed through several more rooms with Draugr and traps, one room even impressed Mercer as Karliah had left bone chimes hanging so that the Draugr would wake up if either of them hit the chimes, but the two of them sneaked through the room easy enough.

Eventually, they reached an odd door.

"Hmm, looks like one of those ancient nord doors that requires a claw," Mercer began talking, "Karliah has most likely gotten rid of the claw by now, so we're on our own. However, these doors have a weakness and if you know how you can exploit it...." Mercer then opened the door and stepped back.

"After you..."

Jak looked at Mercer and then began walking slowly into the room, he took only a few steps into the room when he was struck with an arrow, he immediately felt the effects of a highly concentrated poison and fell to his knees and then to the floor where he blacked out black out for a few moments. When he came to he could barely see two figures in the room, but he could tell it was Mercer and Karliah, they were arguing and Mercer drew his weapons. Karliah knew it was best not to fight Mercer directly and drank a potion making her disappear, so Mercer walked over to Jak.

"Well well, it seems history is repeating itself. I'm afraid you have heard too much and I can't have you going back to Guild and running your mouth. I'll give Brynjolf your regards... Look at the bright side, now you can be with your mother." Mercer then stabbed his sword through Jak's chest and his vision went black....


Jak slowly opened his eyes and his vision started to clear so he stood up.

"Easy, easy. Don't get up to quickly. How are you feeling?" Karliah stood before him.

"What's going on?" Jak looked around dazed, "Wait.. I should kill you for shooting me and trying to kill me!"

"Ha! I saved your life. That arrow had a unique paralytic poison on it, it took me a year to perfect it. That arrow kept you from bleeding out, you should be thanking me."

Jak was speechless, but asked her why she didn't shoot Mercer instead, Karliah then explained how she never had a clear shot and the best decision was to get Jak out of the way. She then said how she had hoped to catch him alive to make him pay for his crimes against the Guild and for killing Gallus. Jak reluctantly believed her since Mercer had tried to kill him and he had no other option but to trust her, so he asked her what she would do next. She told him how she had a Gallus' journal, but she couldn't translate it, but as she explained it dawned on her, "Enthir, of course!" Jak stood by confused and she told him Enthir was one of Gallus' closest friends and that he would be able to translate the journal. Karliah asked Jak to take the journal to Enthir and he agreed as he knew he couldn't return to Riften without proof that Mercer was a traitor.

Jak got on his horse and headed in the direction of Winterhold, he traveled through the snowy landscape looking for the road and until he eventually found it. On the way he came across a fight between two Vigilants of Stendarr and a vampire.

"Help me please!!!" The vampire cried as Jak rode by... he could hear the fear in her voice and it drew Jak in like a moth to a flame and he began to slow down.

"Don't listen to it!! It is trying to deceive you, get out of here!" One of the Vigilants shouted in response.

Jak realized there was nothing he could do and he was not about to risk fighting a vampire so he sped back up and rode off as fast as he could as one of the Vigilants was killed. He arrived in Winterhold and headed for the inn as it was too late to head up to the College and find Enthir, but as luck would have it while Jak sat a table after having finished a meal a mage came up and sat next to him to chat. The mage was Enthir himself, so Jak explained that Karliah needed his help to translate the journal, but he said he could not do it as it was written in Falmer language. However, Enthir told Jak that a Court Wizard named Calcelmo in Markarth could as he had been researching the Falmer and the Dwemer.

In the morning, Jak left and made his long journey of a few days to Markarth, once in the city he entered Understone Keep and found Calcelmo at his workstation. The elf was irritated and yelled at Jak for just approaching him, he then apologized as blamed it on his excitement for his work and Jak asked him about his work and if he could see it. The elf refused so Jak got serious and tried to intimidate Calcemo, but he simply laughed and mocked Jak by saying he could have him thrown in jail with the snap of his fingers. Knowing he was not going to get Calcelmo to give him his work, Jak decided he would just break into the museum and look at it himself, so after sneaking past the guard he picked the lock and entered the museum. Guards were everywhere, but they were easy to sneak by after Jak figured out their patrolling route.

In the next area Jak found a strange rod and upon picking it up it caused a dwemer spider to start following him, he soon found out the spider was under his control and had it attack the mercenaries hired to guard the place. The spider killed most of the mercenaries, but was eventually overpowered by one, as it died the spider sent out an explosive shock wounding the mercenary so Jak came in and finished the job. He eventually came to a room with a wizard who was studying, so while he was entranced by his work Jak easily sneaked by and went through a door leading him outside to a balcony overlooking Markarth, it was a beautiful sight. Continuing along the balcony, he found the room he was looking for, he walked to the top of the tower and found a stone tablet with the Falmer language on it. Thinking fast he grabbed some charcoal and rolled up paper that was laying around and began writing down what was on the tablet. Suddenly the wizard and some mercenaries came into the tower, "I'm telling you I heard something in here. Check every inch of this place, for anything suspicious." The wizard said as Jak noticed a ledge that went around the room straight to the entrance, so he climbed on the ledge and made his way out.

He then found a hidden path that lead him to the waterfall, and he had to make a decision to jump or risk getting caught by going back through the museum. Jak wasn't about to get caught so he closed his eyes and jumped, he couldn't believe how lucky he was when he saw a skeleton in the water as he assumed that person had made the same jump with a different result. With the translation in his possession all he needed to do was return to Enthir.

Upon arriving in Winterhold, Jak returned to the Frozen Hearth and asked the owner about Enthir, he said a woman had shown up and they headed to the cellar. He entered the cellar and found the two standing at the end talking. After exchanging a few words Jak handed over the translation and Enthir went around the table and began to translate, "This is interesting... but highly disturbing." Enthir said as he continued and then Karliah asked about Mercer and the Twilight Sepulcher. Enthir said he had just got to the part and that Gallus had found out about Mercer's deeds and was about to inform the Guild. Karliah was relieved to know that they had all the evidence they needed to clear her name and reveal the truth about Mercer, she turned to Jak and said they needed to make haste to the Ragged Flagon before Mercer could do anymore damage to the Guild. Before she left she gave Jak Gallus' sword as a gift saying Gallus would be proud, Jak accepted the sword and looked it over as Karliah left.

Jak got some rest and left the next day to return to Riften, and once there he knew he would not be able to go in the Guild's secret entrance so he made his way to the Ratway and into the Flagon. Karliah approached him after entering, "We should hurry, I think some of the members here are starting to catch on to who I am." Jak nodded and the two headed to the Cistern.

"Jak? Mercer said you were dead? What are you doing here with that traitor? You better have a good reason for this." Brynjolf, Vex, and Delvin all glared at Karliah.

"Please, lower your weapons, I have proof that I am innocent and that Mercer is the traitor." Karliah retorted.

Brynjolf reluctantly lowered his weapon, as did Delvin and Vex, and she handed Gallus' journal to him. He began to read and couldn't believe what he saw, but Karliah reassured him that it was all true. Brynjolf wanted further proof so he wanted to look into the vault. Delvin used his key, then Brynjolf used his and as he opened the doors to the vault he couldn't believe his eyes, "Everyone get in here now! It's all gone!" They all entered the vault to find it completely empty and Brynjolf knew Karliah was telling the truth. Vex got angry and wanted to go after Mercer, but Delvin and Brynjolf calmed her down and said they needed a careful plan. Brynjolf approached Jak and said he wanted to talk with him.

"I'm sorry, Jak. I'm sorry I even doubted you, when Mercer told me that you had attacked him at Snow Veil Sanctum and that you were working with Karliah the whole time I didn't want to believe it, but I've known Mercer for so long I trusted him."

"It's alright Brynjolf... What are we going to do now though?"

"Well, I am going to talk with all our contacts and see if we can find where Mercer might have went, and I want you to go to his house here in Riften. Maybe you can find something on where he might have gone." Brynjolf sighed, "And believe me when I say this lad, this is the last place in Skyrim I want to be sending you, so be careful."

He then told Jak about a way to get into his house my using a ramp that Mercer had installed, all Jak had to do was shoot it with an arrow and it would lower. When Jak left the Guild it was night so he took the opportunity to break into Mercer's house, he did as
Brynjolf instructed and shot the ramp and then entered the house. Jak killed the first guard, with his new blade Karliah had given him, and continued to the downstairs where he didn't come across anymore guards and he found a suspicious cabinet. Upon examining it he found it had a false back which led him to the cellar of the house. The house soon turned into a series of tunnels that Mercer had put in underneath the house and it was loaded with traps. Jak made his way carefully through the tunnels avoiding all of Mercer's traps and eventually he found a room with Mercer's plans, a note, and a strange bust. There was also a display case with a unique sword that almost looked like ice, as he approached it he noticed a label on the display that said Chillrend, so Jak unlicked it and took the sword for himself. Jak to the Guild to tell Brnjolf what he found, and lucky enough the tunnels under Mercer's house led right to the Ragged Flagon. He placed the bust on the desk and handed Brynjolf Mercer's plans. Brynjolf looked them over and was shocked to find out that Mercer was going after the Eyes of the Falmer, one of Gallus' pet projects. Brynjolf stated that Mercer going after the Eyes of the Falmer was just an insult to the Guild after everything he had done, he then informed Jak that Karliah needed to speak with them...