| Jacob Seneron | |
| |
| Profile | |
| Status: | Dead |
| Age: | 40 (at time of death) |
| Race: | Human |
| Gender: | Male |
| Class: | Warrior |
| Nation: | Libaterra |
| Faction: | |
| Era: | Third Age |
Jacob Seneron was a member of the House of Seneron who became a member of the Clergy of Mardük and a close underling of Kareth d'Zarnagon during the Great War. He began wandering aimlessly after the death of Mardük until he found a new purpose serving the Totenkopfs. He was also contacted by the Clergy of Nergal, and Nergal himself eventually used him as a vessel. The possessed Jacob confronted the heroes of the Grand Alliance in the Ruined Kingdom, but he was eventually slain in a brutal battle by Axikasha Keiran who was possessed by Hephaestus.
Biography[]
Early Years[]
- "So, how is your father, the Baron, doing nowadays?"
- "He's doing fine, thanks to the clergy that gave him the monopoly in exporting Libaterran food and spice to the other countries. We've always given economic support to the clergy, and I'm glad that the Clergy was generous enough to let my father continue running his business like in the old days."
- —Egendaul Korath and Jacob
Jacob was born into the wealthy House of Seneron in Etheril. He was the oldest son of Baron James Seneron who taught him the skills of a warrior. His skills eventually brought him into the attention of the Clergies of Mardük and Nergal, and he began serving in the forces of Darkness, hoping to gain more power. He got to know Count Frederic Drima who was a good friend of his father's, and he befriended the dark elf Egendaul Korath and eventually began serving under Zarnagon.
Jacob and his uncle Jeremiah and brother Jonathan never truly got along as Jacob considered Jeremiah and Jonathan to be idiots. Jeremiah, however, was oblivious to Jacob's shady connections and just thought that Jacob was having love troubles, and Jonathan just decided to ignore Jacob. James eventually sent Jeremiah into exile, and Jonathan left on his own. Jacob was more than pleased by this fact and quickly forgot that he had even had an uncle and a brother. Although Jonathan would have adventures abroad, Jeremiah would not forget Jacob. Fate would have more in store for all of them.
James and Jacob helped the Clergy of Mardük and the Yamatians take over Etheril and eventually Libaterra itself, and he would remain at his father's side to consolidate the clergy's rule for a while. This deal benefited the House of Seneron in the long run, as Jacob's father gained a monopoly over the Libaterran market and thus more wealth than he had ever dreamed of. Jacob and his family would live in luxury while the commoners in Libaterra suffered in poverty.
Distreyd Era[]
Shady Connections[]
- "Do not worry, Admiral. I have known Jacob Seneron for quite some time, and I can assure you that he is more than skilled enough for us to use."
- —Egendaul Korath to Yousei Kaizoku about Jacob
Jacob was eventually assigned to Remon, and he met with Egendaul and The Shadow in Ravensworth sometime after the Battle of Drithenspire. He learned of the rebellion of Marcus Sarillius and that Drima had died in battle. Jacob's help would thus be needed in the coming days, and he soon proved to be a worthy replacement for the deceased Drima.
The meeting with Admiral Yousei Kaizoku commenced in a local tavern, and Jacob liked the elf's plan to frame Marcus for murdering innocent Remonians and thus turning the populace of Remon against Marcus's growing army. Jacob was personally responsible for finding mages who would eventually help Kaizoku put the sinister plan in motion and cast the illusion of Marcus attacking Remonian villages.
Jacob also helped Egendaul send the black mage Rune to the Alliance and make Rune act as a double agent. Although Jacob did not know Rune's exact orders, he could feel powerful magic within the man and was certain that Rune could provide the Clergy of Mardük with vital information about the Alliance's movements.
Battle of Folsworth Woods[]
- "So, did it work? Did they trust you?"
- "Oh yes, they think I'm trustworthy enough... However, now that your precious friends are dead and this battle has finally commenced, I don't need you anymore. Actually, you might be dangerous if you're captured alive and you tell our enemies what we're planning. I'm sorry, Jacob, but I have to do this."
- "No, wait, what are you doing? You can't just kill m--!"
- —Jacob and Rune
Jacob eventually marched with the rest of the Remonian clerics of Mardük towards Folsworth Woods to destroy the heroes. He heard that the dark cleric Firion Korath's elaborate plot had failed and that Marcus had gained new allies from the elves of Folsworth Woods and Maar Sul. Although the forces of Yamatians and clerics of Mardük would still outnumber the Grand Alliance's army, Jacob nevertheless said that the battle would not be an easy one.
Jacob also learned of Egendaul's hate for Kaizoku, but he wanted to keep his feet in both camps so that he would be in the winning site when the personal conflict between the two powerful individuals would escalate. This troubled Egendaul who nevertheless believed that Jacob would eventually side with him instead of Kaizoku, and Jacob let him think that way as he did not want to offend him. Jacob would soon have to think of other things as he was ordered to start building the fortress with the help of his mages, and he eagerly began working, hoping to gain Kaizoku's trust with this act.
Things turned out more complicated when Sergeant O'Brien, the leader of the Remon Corps who had sided with the Yamatians after witnessing the attacks of "Marcus" against the Remonians, had suddenly decided to not fight after all. This troubled Jacob deeply, but O'Brien assured him that nothing bad would happen. Although the other clerics were content with this, Jacob began suspecting that agents of the Alliance had somehow managed to tell O'Brien the truth about the illusion of Marcus attacking, but he decided to let the matter be for the time being.
The Battle of Folsworth Woods began promisingly, but soon the Grand Alliance began the attack in full force and even had help from a the mysterious Akai Tora and Myrdosin elves who rode their fast pegasus horses into the Yamatians' rear. Jacob witnessed or heard the deaths of many of his companions and saw how the morale of the Yamatian troops dropped while the Alliance's forces pressed on. He sent a fellow cleric, Tanya, to safety and then he suddenly met none other than the double agent Rune on the chaotic battlefield.
Jacob inquired whether Rune had succeeded in his mission, and Rune explained that everything was going as planned. However, Rune suddenly stated that he had to kill anyone who knew of his origins in the Clergy of Mardük so that he would not be revealed as a double agent. Rune apologized, and before Jacob could act, he hit Jacob with a fireball. Rune was about to finish Jacob off but was interrupted when a fellow Alliance warrior appeared and dragged him elsewhere.
Jeremiah happened to discover Jacob's unconscious body and asked his friends to save his nephew. Jacob remained alive, but he would have to confront his uncle as well as the soldiers of the Alliance once he woke up.
New Masters[]
- "We both were shocked when we met after all these years and especially because we were fighting on opposite sides, but I know you don't want to turn your back on your own uncle, so please help us, or at least help me, Jacob."
- "And why would I want to do that, uncle? My loyalty lies with the clergy, and nothing you say or do will change my mind. I've chosen my path, and you have to respect that."
- —Jeremiah Seneron and Jacob
Jacob found himself bound after the battle, and eventually Marcus Sarillius himself appeared, asking Jacob to translate a coded text that only a cleric of Mardük could decipher. Jeremiah tried to plead with Jacob to comply, but Jacob coldly mocked his uncle and claimed that his loyalty to the Clergy of Mardük was absolute.
However, Rune himself was around and forced Jacob to translate the text by making Jacob feel unimaginable pain. Jacob wanted to expose the treacherous Rune to the Grand Alliance but realized that Rune would rather kill him than let him do it. He was too weak to resist Rune's magic and translated the text of the letter which soon alerted the Alliance about the plans of the Clergy of Mardük.
It turned out that the letter was meant for Jacob and other clerics loyal to Zarnagon and that Jacob had been ordered to assassinate the dark cleric Dante Albrigant who was Zarnagon's rival in Remon. The information in the letter made the Alliance decide to capture Dante and to find out what sort of secret experiments were going on in Dante's tower. The Alliance hoped to use Jacob's knowledge to use Dante's experiments and devices against the Clergy of Mardük itself, and Jacob was crushed about being forced to betray his fellow clerics.
Jacob would have to help the Alliance a bit longer, though. Because he knew many of the secret greetings of the clergy, he was forced to come along as the Alliance sent some of its soldiers, who wore the robes of the Clergy of Mardük, to infiltrate Remonton and to capture the Council of Regents, who ruled Remon. Jacob was indeed crucial as he informed the infiltration group of the locations and identities of the members of the Bakufu, and he helped the disguised heroes walk into the Palace of Justice without any interference from patrolling clerics of Mardük. These actions would eventually lead to the First Battle of Remonton as the heroes would open the gates and let the army of the Alliance pour into the city.
However, Jacob only helped the Alliance because he feared that the heroes might kill him if he did not co-operate. It did not help matters that some members of the Alliance were downright hostile to him and humiliated him. He would remember some of the rude members such as the dark cleric Jonathan Ferron, who had seemingly defected to the Alliance, and the female warrior Axikasha Keiran for years to come.
Jacob eventually managed to escape during a battle of Fragnar when a hooded cleric who looked like Dante appeared and decimated the attacking Alliance forces effortlessly. Jacob would go in hiding and not help the Clergy of Mardük during the later years of the Great War. He decided to bide his time and wait how the war would turn out, although the years after the war turned out even more uncertain than he had expected.
Jacob managed to find some clerics of Nergal who appeared in Remon after the Cataclysm. He caught the attention of Nergal, the God of War, because his family had always been loyal supporters of the Clergies of Nergal and Mardük. He heard the voice of the God of War who informed him that he had a seen a vision with Jacob leading his armies into victory and avenge the deaths of the Korath brothers by killing the remaining members of the Grand Alliance.
Nergal ordered Jacob to seek out a group of death seekers known as the Totenkopfs and become a member. Jacob would rise in ranks thanks to his fearless actions and eventually become one of the high-ranking Totenkopfs serving directly under the mysterious Master. However, his true allegiance lay with Nergal, and he planned to betray the Totenkopfs eventually and set Nergal's grand plan in motion.
Godslayer Era[]
On Death's Trail[]
- "I will expect everyone to surrender and hand this city over to me. If any of you dare to resist, I shall annihilate all of you! You have already seen that I hold power over the sun, so think carefully: your lives may depend on the choice you make!"
- —Jacob addressing the people of Remonton
Jacob was the leading Totenkopf in Remonton in 1016 AE. He met with a fellow Totenkopf, Zenobia, who brought him instructions from the Master as well as a talisman which held a powerful ice elemental within. Jacob was more than eager to do what he was instructed to do, especially when he found out that his old enemies Axikasha Keiran, Marcus Sarillius and Shyralis had appeared in Remonton.
When a solar eclipse temporarily darknened the sky, Jacob finally acted. He and the rest of the Totenkopfs appeared on the rooftops and taunted the citizens and the former Alliance members. He ordered them all to surrender, but he never actually expected them to do that. This was confirmed when Proninist guards appeared and ordered Jacob to drop down his weapons. Jacob had waited for that exact moment to happen and dropped the talisman he had been holding, which broke as it hit the ground. When the Proninists were about to pursue Jacob who fled the scene, the ice elemental suddenly appeared from the broken talisman and began destroying Remonton.
While Ax and her companions were busy fighting against the ice elemental, Jacob ordered Zenobia to proceed with kidnapping a knight named Mordecai de Ardyn who had an important variant of the Blood Fever within his body. The kidnapping was a success, and Ax's group didn't realize at the time that Mordecai had been in on the Totenkopfs' scheme all along. Jacob and the Totenkopfs fled with the ostensibly reluctant Mordecai to the Ruined Kingdom while the Wanderers fought and barely defeated the ice elemental which managed to decimate the city and many citizens at the end of the Second Battle of Remonton.
Echoes of War[]
- "I don't know what the hell you're doing here, you bastard, but don't think you or your Totenkopf goons can walk away as if nothing has happened!"
- "I have no intention of leaving yet. I'll take the shards of Dawn from you even if I have to rip your pretty arms off!"
- —Axikasha Keiran and Jacob
Jacob remained in the Ruined Kingdom for a year, getting everything ready while the Totenkopfs conducted experiments on the ravaged Mordecai. When Xerathas d'Zarnagon and Varalia Earthhaven kidnapped Marcus and brought to the temple, Jacob was watching their move and realized that Ax would certainly follow and fulfill Nergal's vision.
When Ax's group got into the temple, they soon ended up in a three-way battle between the kidnappers and Jacob's Totenkopfs. Zenobia caught Xerathas by surprise and stole his sword Inferno, and Jacob ordered her to take the sword and Mordecai to safety while he would take care of Ax and Marcus. Ax soon recognized Jacob as the one who had unleashed the ice elemental which had killed her crew, and Jacob taunted Ax about it.
Nergal soon possessed Jacob and tried to attack, but another god, Shakkan, cast a barrier to hold down the possessed Jacob. Nergal used the opportunity and continued taunting Ax and the other Alliance members, revealing that he had planned everything and lured them all together. He also said that the heroes had traitors in their midst, and he even revealed one of them, Belial de Ardyn, who tried to attack him as soon as the barrier vanished but was easily defeated.
Ax and the possessed Jacob soon began a fierce duel. Although Ax was a fine warrior, Jacob had had years of experience and had the advantage of being possessed by the God of War, and he eventually defeated Ax, piercing her chest. Nergal and Jacob probably would have won as they faced the other, weakened heroes, but suddenly he faced not only the released Shakkan who used the body of Mori'sul Agara but also the recovered Ax who was now possessed by Hephaestus.
Death[]
- "You may have won a battle, but the war is far from over! Remember: I am War!"
- —Nergal through Jacob
Although Jacob and Nergal did their best to fend off the multiple attackers, the power of two gods and a group of mortal heroes was too much, and Jacob's body was getting exhausted from the battle. Jacob let Nergal taunt Ax for the final time about the possible survival of Shyla Locken, Queen of Libaterra, and that Ax had never been intended to be the destined bearer of the magic sword Dawn. Hephaestus guided Ax's hand, however, and eventually Jacob was decapitated. Nergal left the body, and Jacob's violent life finally came to an end. His body was buried beneath rocks as the temple he had been fighting in collapsed on top of him.
Appearance[]
Jacob had distinctive red hair and beard. He also had rather intimidating eyes, and he rarely smiled. He wore a black robe that he used both in the ranks of the Clergy of Mardük and the Totenkopfs. He was of medium build and size, being rather muscular and fit for his age.
Personality and Traits[]
Jacob hardly showed any positive emotions at least during the time he served the forces of Darkness. He was pleased to see his enemies suffer and was always eager to torture people both mentally and physically.
Powers and Abilities[]
Jacob was a regular warrior and thus possessed very little magic. He was very fit and could fight well, though, and few could match him in a one-on-one duel. When the god Nergal possessed him, he became faster and more powerful and could even use middle-level black magic spells against his opponents. All these advantages were not enough, though, when he had to fight against a group of heroes and two gods single-handedly, although he nevertheless managed to hold them off for a surprisingly long time with the help of Nergal.
Relationships[]
Axikasha Keiran[]
Although Jacob despised many heroes of the Grand Alliance, Ax was on top of the list. He could not understand how a woman could become a skilled warrior, and he wanted to beat her down just to show men's superiority over women. This hate became even more visible when Ax was one of the people who forced Jacob to betray the Clergy of Mardük and help the heroes infiltrate Remonton. He would finally have his revenge as he let the ice elemental loose to kill Ax's friends, and the two finally settled their differences in a fierce duel within the Ruined Kingdom.
James Seneron[]
Jacob admired his father James above all others. His father had been a great warrior, and Jacob aspired to follow his father. However, he was never able to please his cruel father, and this drove him to the path of Darkness. The relationship between the two was always one-sided, but Jacob never stopped admiring his father.
Jeremiah Seneron[]
Jeremiah had always loved his nephew, but Jacob did not feel the same way. Jacob considered Jeremiah a coward and not worthy to be a warrior, whereas Jeremiah always assumed that Jacob would turn out to be a good person even if James was a cruel father. The two eventually confronted each other during the Great War, and Jeremiah was shocked to discover that Jacob was serving the Clergy of Mardük. The two would never reconcile, and Jacob did not want anything to do with Jeremiah.
Jonathan Seneron[]
Jacob never liked his younger brother, Jonathan. He saw Jonathan as a foolish dreamer who had listened to Jeremiah too much. When Jonathan eventually left the family to travel the world, Jacob was glad that he did not have to see him again. Jonathan had never liked Jacob much either, so the two never got along and tended to avoid each other.
Kamen Grimgaze[]
Jacob never considered the Master of the Totenkopfs anything but a means to an end. He served the Master loyally and eventually became one of the Blessed, who were high-ranking Totenkopfs. However, the Master was aware of Jacob's obedience to Nergal and let him have his fun, and Jacob seemed to sense the Master's feelings but did not mind it much. The two knew that collaboration would be crucial. Jacob was planning to betray the Master eventually and take over the Totenkopfs, but his death in the Ruined Kingdom prevented him from ever moving forward with the idea.
Nergal[]
Nergal never considered Jacob as anything but a pawn, but Jacob did not mind. He was honoured that the god considered him to be a suitable host with which to set insidious plans in motion. Jacob also liked the opportunity that Nergal gave him to fight against old foes such as Ax and Marcus. At the end of the duel Nergal left Jacob to die although he could have healed him if he had wanted to, but Jacob died with the last laugh, mocking his opponents and revealing disturbing information which Nergal had intended him to do.
Yousei Kaizoku[]
Jacob was one of the few clerics who actually admired the elven admiral Kaizoku. He recognized many traits in him that his father had, and maybe he saw Kaizoku as a proper brother. Kaizoku did not give Jacob any privileges, however, but Jacob did not mind. Jacob continued working with Kaizoku until the end of the Battle of Folsworth Woods when Kaizoku escaped and Jacob was captured.
Zenobia[]
Jacob considered Zenobia nothing more than a pawn. He ordered her around, but he did not treat her as cruelly as Cain. He was pleased that Zenobia was both intelligent and obedient, and he ordered her to carry out important missions such as kidnapping Mordecai and snatching Xerathas's magic sword Inferno. The two never became close, however, and they always had a master-servant relationship until Jacob died in the Ruined Kingdom.