The Brotherhood of Steel, at the apex of its power in the 2180s, allowed Brothers 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, took to the wastes.[1]
Around 2185,[2] 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 neurolink between the Master and the Cathedral computers), people gradually started following them. After all, a Brotherhood Paladin and a super mutant veteran? It doesn't get any safer than that. Marcus led the growing group to the site of a pre-War uranium mining town he knew about from old maps.[1]
There, he and Jacob founded the settlement of Broken Hills in fall of 2185.[2][3] After ensuring that the town survived winter, Jacob said his goodbyes and moved on. Marcus stayed, as mayor and sheriff, though he missed his friend dearly. Particularly the arguments between him and Jacob on dipping and how the latter "would've been a great mutant".[4][2]
Inhabitants of the settlement would honor his memory by naming their children after him, as is the case with Jacob the Chemist (who isn't as open minded as the original, unfortunately).[5][6] Marcus would further honor his memory after the fall of Broken Hills, naming a new settlement after him. Jacobstown was established by Marcus as a safe haven for mutants of all kinds and particularly a center of research into a cure for nightkin schizophrenia.[7][8]
↑ 1.01.11.2The 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)
↑ 2.02.12.2Fallout 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."
↑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)
↑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 Chosen One: "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)
