Jacob Mercer

History

• 

• Born the son of a sailor, he was born with a distaste for the navy already on his tongue. Hearing his mother resent them for taking his father away from her, he heard it almost every day. As a young man he grew up selling the days catch for the fisherman that brought them back from the sea. Peddling his wares on a cart that he had built at the young age of 8 years old. After a few months he was selling oysters, clams,and cockles. A few of the smaller fish too. At this time in his life he was around rum soaked sods and whores for the better part of the day, as he had made an agreement with the whores near the docks. He would sell his muscles at a lower price than all the other peddlers. Then the whore would convince the rum soaked sods looking for a way to keep their masts hard to buy them at double the price. The whore makes even more money, and they split the profits 70/30. The extra money he skims off the top, and keeps for himself. Even at a young age he was fleecing people without really knowing it. Buying and selling fish became his commerce, and soon enough at the age of 12 he was a successful peddler.

  

• Before long he was pulling in good money, and using it to improve his little business. All at such a young age, he was making more money than his own mother. His mother worked as a server at the local pub on the dock. She was a chubby large breasted lady that served drinks to sailors. She was ogled at, grabbed, cat called, you name it she got it. She got decent enough tips though, as an occasional flash of tits was oft to get her a few coins. Though not every night had a ship in port, and those were the nights she drank. When all the chairs were empty, she hardly made any money at all. Getting by on her base wage, and giving the occasional town guard a tug or two. She never sold her body, but tugging a mans pole for a few coins wasn't below her. On these slow nights however she drank. Working in a pub got her safely to a place where she could drink most men under the table. Several nights in a row however she would come back completely sloshed. Finding her son back at home counting his profits for the day. Which that really made her mad. Calling him a cheat, and a charlatan. Demanding that he leave her house to find an honest job. She hit him a few times before, and it never really went anywhere after that. These occasional beatings only strengthened his resolve.

  

• The few times a year that his father was home, he avoided him like the plague. His father was a strict man, and didn't tolerate his mothers drinking. He was ashamed by the way she drank when business was slow. Often hitting her is she came home from the pub drunk. Which then cascaded and resulted in her hitting Jacob for his work. Jacob managed to keep most of his dealing secret from his father, hiding his money in a loose board in the wall of his room. Before long with his father help, by the age of 13 Jacob was working on a ship. Having left his peddling business to a few of his younger friends, he still made a cut of their profits. At the same time, he was out on small schooners and sloops bringing back fish and muscles of all kinds. It was here that he fell in love with the sea. In truth he understood why his father was gone for so long. As everyday, returning to land was the most heartbreaking part of his new job. It seemed to call to him now, like the sirens of the old stories. The soft singing of the seagulls overhead, and the crashing of the waves was like a symphony in his mind. He worked this job until he was 16, and that was when it all fell apart.
  
  His father had been seeing another woman in his spare time during one of his forays home. It was something that even Jacob didn't mind, as his mother had become increasingly worse. Her simple tugs had turned into full stuffings, both front and back. His mother had turned into more of a whore than a maid, as she found she could make more money this way. She was drunk more often than not, and Jacob had heard that she was one of the customers on his small peddling empires payroll. In the meantime, Jacob had reconciled with his father over the past couple of months. Asking what it might take to join the Navy with him. His mother overheard their conversations about this very thing one of the nights she came home from the pub. Smelling of seamen and booze, she stormed into the kitchen screaming obscenities. Claiming that her son would never join up with the Navy. Believing that it was the cause of their failing marriage.

  
• That night she stayed awake in the kitchen, just staring at the largest kitchen knife she had. Talking softly to herself, she took the knife in hand and quietly made her way up to their bedroom. She screamed when she brought the knife down, stabbing wildly into his father's groin. The screams woke Jacob from sleep, and he quickly grabbed the single shot pistol that he had brought a few months back. He carried it on the boat he worked on, as it was smart to keep something in case of pirates roaming the coastlines. Rushing into the room, leading with the gun he saw his mother over a bloody mass of sheets. She turned to him, and rushed around the bed towards him. Knife in the air as she screamed, lining up with him and sprinting at him with the blade. The gunshot was louder than he had expected, and he nearly dropped it after firing. The screams stopped. All sound stopped in that instance, as the only noise that existed now was the persistent ringing. Looking down at what he had done, his mother was missing half of her jaw. Bloody teeth were lodged into a nearby dresser, and the base of her skull was nothing but chipped meat and shattered bone. She was dead, and so was his father. He lie motionless on the bed, and in a panic Jacob turned for the door.
  
  Hearing the bells ringing outside already, as the gunshot was heard from far off. He pried the board off the wall, grabbing a heavy sack of gold coins he had been saving. Grabbing the knife he has stowed with the money, he put on pants and rushed into his parents room again. The thick smell of blood in the air was choking him, but he pressed on. Grabbing various clothes of his fathers, and dumping them into a seperate sack . He stuffed the coins down with the clothes and bolted for the door. He didn't have time to reload the pistol, though his belongings included a powder horn and extra shots. Seeing torchlight outside the front door, he made his way into the basement. Rushing through the floodwaters that flowed in from the bay through the cracks in the foundation, he found the cellar doors and unbarred them. Overhead he heard his door being kicked in, and heavy boots filled the house. He Hit the alley outside like a bat out of hell, turning and bolting down the cobblestone walkway. Hearing the word "murder" yelled loudly from the house he had just left was concerning. He hit the main road, and the seamen came rushing out of the house yelling, "there's a murderer here somewhere, find him", as they rushed through the streets looking for anyone suspicious.
  
  Jacob turned around and headed back through the alley, heading right this time. Making his way down a few blocks he was hoping to avoid the navy entirely. He was looking to get to the docks, as it was early in the morning. He would find some of the lads out on their ships surely this early, doing a little night fishing and preparing for the morning catch. Suddenly there was a guard that hit the road behind him, shouting out to him. Jacob turned and saw the man running towards him, calling out murderer at the top of his lungs. "There he goes", he screamed as he ran towards Jacob. Jacob turned to run, but was met by another guard who recognized him. "Jacob, good morning... Heading to the....", the man stopped as the guard from before came rushing up the alley behind Jacob screaming, "Grab him, don't let him get away, Murder!!". The man looked down at Jacob, grabbing his sleeve. "Son what the hell have you done?", he says loudly as he tightens his grip. Jacob pulled away, but to no avail. The man was too strong for him, and he was too young and tired from the run. Instead Jacob crouched quickly, grabbing the knife he had stuffed into his boot. As he rose back up, he headbutted the guard in the nose, breaking it. Blood flowed down the mans face, and then the knife slipped between his ribs. He let go of Jacob's sleeve, and fell to his knees. Jacob grabbed the man's sword and pistol from his belt, and saying softly under his breath. "I'm sorry.....", before turning to run down the dock. The guard chasing him let out a shot, which struck a stack of boxes far behind Jacob. The sound was terrifying, and made him run that much faster. He never looked back to see if that unfortunate man had died or not.
  
  He hit the dock at blinding speed, practically skidding around the corner by the fishmongers shop. Sprinting for his life to the outer docks he noticed one of the sloops that was preparing for the morning catch. All the lines were tight and tied down, and the sails were trim and ready to unfurl. As he grabbed the helm, the owner stepped out from below deck. Jacob my boy, the day hasn't started yet. Come down for some coffee, just got it in fresh this morning. The man was in his 60's and knew the sea well. His ship was small enough that one man could crew her at great effort, but too small to cross the larger seas without proper provision. Jacob knew the man as Thomas Farland, and had worked for him before. "I need to get the fuck out of here Tom, NOW!", he says with a loud demanding scream. "What's wrong lad, are you in some kind of trouble?", he asks politely before Jacob makes his way to the mooring points long the vessel. "I can't explain Tom, I need to get out of this town", he says as he cuts the lines in a hurry. Tom took the helm, and watched the young man as he freed the ship from the docks. In the town, and bell was ringing loudly. Candles were being lit all around, and the garrison was coming down from the fort on the hill. The old man watched all this commotion, and made his way to the anchor on the bow of the ship. Jacob had unfurled all the sails, and now was just to raise anchor and shove off. It was there that he found old Tom.

• "Get out of my way Tom!", he says as he tries to force his way past. The old seaman still had strength left, and more than a stout heart. "Son whatever you've done, running away will only make it worse..... Turn and face your crime son, you don't want this kind of life for yourself....". Jacob considered that idea for a moment, and after some thought, he drew that long naval pistol from his sack. Pointing it at the old man, and cocking the hammer back. "Get the fuck out of my way Tom!", he says in a loud and intimidating tone. The old man said only one thing after that....., “What about joining the navy son, doesn’t that matter anymore?", he says loudly to the boy. Trying to talk some sense into him, only made things worse. The shot rang out, and the old man chugged up blood as he stumbled backward. Tumbling over the bow of the ship into the water. Bleeding from a wound in his chest, the bullet had blown through a lung. Jacob stood staring blankly at the body in the water, and he shuttered at the creeping horror of what he had done. This one had been harder.... Thomas Farland was his friend, and had known more of his dreams than his own mother. A voice from behind broke his trance. Tucking the pistol into his belt, he started work on the crank for the anchor. Tying it off tightly to the bow, he returned to the helm as the ship caught some wind and was lurching forward from the docks.
  
  The guards had bolstered and gathered on the docks, around 14 of them lining up in two rows. The first row dropped, and they raised their muskets. To this Jacob ducked down low, and a volley came. Burying several balls into the wheel, and snapping off one of the turning rods from the edge. He regained control of the helm, and turned the ship into the wind as the sun was rising. The navy had begun to prepare a ship for departure, but the only navy vessel in port was in need of repairs, as it listed on its side after battle with a large pirate vessel that had been reaving the coastline. There was quite some time before chase was given, and by that point Jacob was well on his way. Once he was out on the sea, all things seemed well enough. However it wasn't until he went below into the small captains cabin under the deck that he broke down and cried. Staring at his hands as they trembled, he wiped the blood off the knife and naval pistol. Blood from that unfortunate guard that caught him earlier that morning on the knife. The pistol was slick with blood from Old Tom. He wondered if that guard was still alive, or if he had passed......

  

• He knew where he would have to go.... Along "The Shiv"... The Shiv was a large peninsula that stretched out from the mainland like a raised finger. In the crease between the mainland and the peninsula was a free port. No navy was found there, just cutthroats and lawless men roamed those places... He supposed that he fell into that way of life now, and he trembled at the idea of it all. He would have to sell his ship and everything on it. Take his chances with everything on his person. It was a better idea than leaving it all to be stolen by anyone with enough sand. At least with it on him he could protect it with his life. Rather than trying to rig it up to a dock, he just beached it instead. Deciding that he would live out of it for now, and that no one could run off with it if it didn't float. He reloaded his pistols, and took them into town with him, along with the sword he had taken off of what was surely a dead man. The town was run down and ragged, but had a strange otherworldly charm to it. He actually liked that lawless nature of it, the lack of discipline and safety. He took some money with him, but hid the rest in a smuggling hide on the ship. Inside Old Tom has a safe, which Jacob used as a decoy filled with rocks. The money he had on him was for new clothes and a scabbard for this blade. Both he found in the same shop, and the prices were decent, so long as you don't ask where these clothes came from. On his way back he paid a few large guys to move some product off the ship for him to sell, and had already taken inventory of the ship. Leaving the safe out assuming the worst. When he returned to his boat home, the safe was already gone, and they were so excited about its weight that they left everything else.
  
  In the morning, the men came with a cart and it was loaded up with everything Old Tom had on board. Finally the boat was set on fire with some oil and a torch, and Jacob was in the clear save for his face. That wasn't that much of a problem, as no one really cared what you looked like. Unless you looked scary. Before long he was hired onto a crew of privateers that were working for the navy. What better place to hide than under their noses, and the privateer life was generous and suited him. Legal piracy, so long as it was against an enemy of the crown. He got his first years of experience in him from this ship. In the end he had technically joined the navy, and he wondered if somewhere his father was proud of him. He got used to the killing, as it became part of his job. He always found a place to hide his things, and this ship was no different. A cavernous space in the wall next to his bunk made a good place for hiding his rather large wealth. He had been saving money for a load of years now, and it was paying off. By the Age of 20 he was able to pay for a letter of Marque, a ship, and a crew all on his own. Though he had stolen a large sum from his fellow crewmates over the years on the privateer ship. Matilda was the name of the vessel he served on.

  

• He named his own ship Old Tom when it finally recieved it. It was a Carrack, three mast style. Nothing fancy, but it was large and fast enough to get into the rum running business. So while he was killing enemy sailors for the crown, he was smuggling rum for the pirates on the side. It was a top notch business, and it turned him into a celebrity all along the Shiv. Jacob "Rum Hull" Mercer was what the free ports called him. His coming was celebrated, and the name Old Tom was synonymous with a good time. When Old Tom pulled into port, that meant Rum had come to port. Good Rum, imported expensive stuff, as well as cheap swill noone wanted. In the navy occupied ports, Jacob was an ill omen that meant a pirate was coming to town. The name Old Tom, had been coined to a mercenary barge captained by a man so greedy and corrupt, just his touch was said to induce dragon sickness. Spreading the unholy desire for gold, everywhere he went. In truth, he was just a pirate, making a living at the navy's expense. When he was 25 his letter of marque was revoked, and he resorted strictly to piracy for his primary wealth. Running rum on the side when he could, and keeping face with the Navy by moving guns and ammo. Should his ship catch on fire, it would be the end for him, and his crew. Luckily for him that never happened, and it was only a year of this treacherous life when he dug his heels into a free port called "Torin Square". He bought an estate, and a dock all to himself. Running his business off of it, as well as fencing stolen goods from his bouts of piracy. He was a mix of organized crime lord, and renegade pirate. He had become ruthless and feared all along the Shiv. Having grown out of being a rum runner alone, and now known for his power as a pirate lord. Soon enough he was away from port more and more often, bringing back dredged up cannons and guns from navy ships he ran down. When he started preying on Navy ships that he made his first major mistake. This put him on the map for the navy, and a bounty was posted for his head when he was 26. The bounty was so fiercely high that he suddenly had a problem of assassins and bounty hunters coming to claim his head. Over the years he had become a skilled swordsman, and quite the marksman. The sheer number of these people however made his reputation grow, and throughout his entire year as a 27 year old man, he was left alone. Sailing out along the Shiv, hunting every ship that moved. Bringing back new copies of his bounty, and posting them on the bounty board in town for all to see. In a years time he had become the new threat in the ocean, having sold Old Tom for the strength of a Galleon that he named. Dreadnought. In a small amount of time, he had gone from a well known rum runner, to a ruthless slayer of men. Sinking merchant, navy, civilian, fishing tollers, you name it he sank it. Taking everything he could fit in his hold, and dragged it back to his home. Now a bustling city for pirates that prey along the Shiv, the bloodsoaked free port of Pike.This place had become the new hotspot for stolen goods, and anything taboo or unwanted on the seas. Pirates flocked from leagues around looking for their cut of the wealth. This town was booming in the trade of booze, ships, and guns. Having built most of the port out of ships, making it stretch out over the water for at least a mile. It had become the largest port along the Shiv, and the largest pirate port in the world. In such a short time, Jacob had turned it into his fortress. His bustling capital of commerce, where he was the King. He brought home the most swag, the most rum, the most gold, and the most ships. He had become an enigma, and he wanted more and more. Thirsting for newer larger navy vessels he received information about a new navy frigate stalking its way down the Shiv. He jumped at the opportunity.

  Old Tom The Dreadnought

• Nearing the end of his 27th year, he was enthralled with the idea of capturing this vessel for his fleet. So much so that he hadn't considered the dangers lurking within his own ship. In truth this was a mutinous trap, and once they got along along side the frigate. His men turned on him, tying him up and turning him into an Admiral by the name of Wallace. It was this Admiral that had personally requested permission to hunt downJacob Mercer, and bring him to justice. As it would turn out, and that Jacob would learn before his sentence was to be carried out. This older Admiral once had a young son, who was a promising young soldier. Apparently his life was cut short by a boy who had murdered his parents just before meeting him. That same boy ran into this man, and slipped a blade between his ribs. Wallace had Jacob beaten horribly as he explained the story. His men watched the beating happen, and stood by doing nothing. having just turned him in, they were waiting for their reward. The admiral's men raised rifles, and executed all his crew that had come aboard. All before sinking his precious Old Tom to the bottom of the ocean. Jacob himself had the worst to come. He was beaten, whipped, shot twice, and thrown overboard. Before they threw him off the side however, they stripped what was left of his shirt. Bearing his whipped back to the rain that poured down from the sky. Blood trickled out of the wounds from the whip, and bathed the ships deck in blood. Still he lived on, suffering in the name of defiance. They wrapped a rope around his neck, and chains around his feet. When they asked if he ha any last words, he spat in the Admirals mouth. The man backhanded him off the edge, and he was drawn tight by the rope around his neck. He hit the water before the got too tight, and the weight of the ship pressed against his back. The pressure of the water held him against the side of the hull. Scraping him back and forth across the muscles and sharp barnacles that had grown on the wood. He didn't drown, as he could barely breath with his head above the water. Though he had lost the strength to scream, nor would the rope allow him that pleasure. Finally they cut the rope above, and he slipped beneath the waves.

  

• Floating out in the open water, slowly sinking the weight of the ocean began to crush him as he sank down. The water forced its way into his lungs, and he knew that he only had a few minutes left. Feeling the crushing depth press against his chest, he finally just let go and drowned. Thrashing for a moment at the rush of discomfort and panic, it was all over in a few moments. Just as the last rays of light touched his panicked face, whose eyes were bleeding from the depth. A tentacle wrapped around his ankle, pulling him down deep. Reaching the floor of the ocean, where a sinkhole had opened up in the sand. A great tentacle had slipped through that opening, and now pulled him through it. Slowly he came back to life as he was dragged down. The pain of the crushing weight of the ocean came back, his eyes bled profusely now as he was pulled down and down into the abyss below. The tendril let go of him, and the chains dragged him to the floor of a cavern. Two horrid creatures stepped forth, and each seemed to be a different form of fish crossed with man. Speaking in a guttural language that he couldn't understand, not that he could properly hear. Blood gushed from his ears, as his inner ears had popped from the pressure. They dragged him to what looked like a mermaid, but more feral and horrifying, in an adjoining cavern. Each of these places filled with water and darkness, but he could hear the muffled speech of these creatures. Though what they were doing with him he couldn't say. They laid him on a pedestal, and the feral, fanged mermaid touched and moved his body. It was only later that he understood they were healing his wounds, and mending his bones. She drew the bullet out of his stomach, tasting the blood that seeped out of the opening before sealing it up. Before long blood no longer poured from him, and he felt much much better. Though his eyes were still distorted and bloodshot, he could feel no blood from them now. Same with his ears, as he could hear better, but still at great distortion.
  
  He was then brought to another sinkhole, and thrown over it with the chains still wrapped around his feet. He fell for what felt like years, dropping deeper and deeper into an inky black abyss. Finally he hit the bottom, and a cloud of sand rose where his feet struck the floor. The weight was excruciatingly painful, but he couldn't escape it here... Was this where he died, or was there more for him here..... Suddenly a great tnetacle wrapped around him, and raised him up before a giant eye. He was terrified by this at first, then strangely calm and content. Like it was someone that had been calling for him for his whole life, and he had only now just figured out who they were. It helped him relax. A tendril rose up, and a little inky black octopus appeared from one of the suckers on this massive arm. It latched onto his skin, and sliced the skin open. Crawling inside a space under his skin, the space just over his heart. Where suddenly he felt a strange feeling. Like a cold hand just wrapped around his heart, or in this case a tentacle. It was then that the creature came into focus, and it was bigger than he could have imagined. It spoke to him in a language that he didn't understand at first, but the longer that octopus writhed under his skin, the more he could understand. Suddenly the octopus rose to the surface of his skin, marking it from beneath like an ink black tattoo of an octopus, though its shape was a little off. The great beast Had given him power, and after a moment he could fully breath the water around him. He could feel his arms getting stronger, and more muscular. More defined..... Another massive tentacle swiped over his head, and a sinkhole opened up beneath him in the sand. A voice deeper than one thought possible rang out in the blakness. "Remain, or return?", it says as it motions towards the sinkhole in the sand. Jacob thought for a moment, and spoke in its ancient tongue. "Return". The tentacle dropped him into the hole, and the ocean spat him back out. Shooting out of the water onto a beach in the middle of the ocean. Off to the side was a dingy, and off the coast was a schooner that had been trolling for fish along the Shiv. Jacob smiled, and stood from the beach . Assuming it was all some kind of dream, he tore open his shirt. Finding the mark of the Kraken over his heart. Suddenly the sounds of the sea had changed... It was calling to him now.... For the first time, it was calling for him to return to it. He walked along the beach to the Dingy, and looked stoically towards the schooner just off shore.