Jakomyn Moriarty

Jakomyn Moriarty

Race: Human

Homeland: Calisham (just outside Calimport)

Alignment: CG

Diety: Mystra

Jakomyn Moriarty was born just outside Calimport. He was the third son in his family of 5 children. His father ran a fairly successful mercantile business selling everything from spices to arms and armor up and down the coast of Faerun. The profit made by the business allowed them to live in relative luxury in their nice house on the outskirts of the city.

Jak’s oldest brother was a natural salesman and was destined to take over the family business one day. The middle brother was a strong and cunning individual who not only excelled at salesmanship, but also the arts of combat and strategy. He accompanied all caravans to oversee their safety. Jak’s two younger siblings were girls. The oldest had inherited their father’s keen business sense and shrewd marketing skills while the youngest was simply a spoiled brat with no discernable skills other than getting her way on every matter.

Jak, on the other hand, did not really have the gift with sales the others had. He was also a little too scrawny to provide much intimidation or protection to the caravans. What he did excel at was learning, languages, and information-gathering. His father, who had wanted all his sons to be greater merchants than he was, found Jak to be a bit of a disappointment. As with everything else, Jak simply took this in stride and kept on with his studies. He hoped that, one day, he could find a use and make his family proud.

In his constant studies, Jak kept hitting road blocks in his search for knowledge of the arcane. As his frustration built, his paths to finding the knowledge he sought became less and less honorable. He would sneak into places he was not supposed to be, copy down any texts he could find, then leave to study them later. He never actually stole any of these texts, although he had to “borrow” some of the longer ones so he would have time to copy them down before returning them. In his quest for arcane knowledge, he had become quite the rogue.

On one of his “borrowing outings,” he was pilfering a sizable book of incantations and other such texts. As he was making his way out, he was surprised by the owner of the home when he returned early from his appointment. The veteran mage easily snared the young knowledge thief. As he held Jak there, silently looking at him just hang in the air helplessly, his expression became one of curiosity. Jak, of course, was terrified. Not only had he been caught by a powerful mage, but the mage had not summoned the authorities. Jak swallowed hard and held out the tome in a defeated gesture. He decided it was just best to tell the truth and get it over with.

“Apologies, Sayyid. I seemply weeshed to learn from these book. I was goeeng to return eet as soon as I had copied eet for study.”

The mage just held him there a few moments more. He looked into Jak’s eyes as if searching for some hidden trace of mischief or untruth. After a few tense minutes…which seemed like hours to Jak…the mage lowered him to the ground. He then took the tome and tucked it under his arm as he turned to walk back into the room that had housed it.

“Come, boy. Let us decide what to do with you,” said the mage. His tone let Jak know there was no arguing and that he had no choice in the matter. He followed with his head down.

The mage lead him into the sanctum room where he had found the book. He placed it carefully back on its pedestal and said a few words Jak did not understand. A soft bluish light covered the book. “There…maybe that will keep prying hands from this.” He then turned to Jak and frowned. “Exactly how many such…pilferings…have you committed, boy?”

Jak swallowed hard…or at least tried to. His mouth had gone dry as the deserts surrounding his home. “I…I deed no keep count, Sayyid.” He shrugged a bit and continued. “Um…quite a few, I suppose.”

The mage tilted his head slightly. “Funny that I have not heard of any thefts of magical tomes from any of my colleagues in the area. Perhaps you are overestimating your accomplishments, boy.”

Jak looked up, his fear replaced by his honor being called into question. “Sayyid…I may have done theengs I am no proud of een my search for knowledge. But I have no lied about any of eet.” He then went on to tell of his various outings with names, places, and what he had learned from each. He basically confessed to a number of criminal acts before even realizing what he had said. As soon as it hit him what he had done, Jak went silent and held his head in his hands.

By the time he looked back up to the mage, his head was spinning with thoughts of prison…or worse. Who knows what a bunch of angry wizards might turn him into? Then he saw the amused look on the mage’s face and heard the soft chuckle from his lips. The mage was actually laughing at him. Jak did not know whether to be insulted, relieved, or terrified. When the mage, still chuckling, snapped his fingers, Jak just knew he was to be a newt or something. Instead, a tray of water and wine floated into the room and settled upon the table next to the mage.

Through a huge smile, the mage began to speak to Jak in a less formal and accusing tone. “You look absolutely parched, boy. Have a drink. The water, mind you...you are too young for the wine. That is for me.” With that, the glass of water floated over to Jak. He took it and sipped gingerly at the cool liquid. The mage just laughed.

“Drink up, boy. I assure you it is not poisoned or enchanted.” Then the mage poured himself a glass of the wine and began sipping it while he watched Jak with amusement in his eyes.

After Jak had finished about half the water, the mage began to speak again. “So, boy…you have a name?”

His throat finally wet again, Jak nodded. “I am Jakomyn Moriarty, Sayyid.”

The mage smiled and nodded. “Moriarty, eh? One of the merchant’s boys?” Seeing Jak’s face go white at the thought of his father being disgraced, the mage waved his hand dismissingly. “No, boy…I am not going to inform your father…or the authorities, for that matter…of you transgressions.” He leans in a bit and smiles. “So long as we can come to an…arrangement.”

Jak’s curiosity finally overwhelmed his fear. “And what type of arraignment would you ask, Sayyid?”

Confident he had Jak’s attention, the mage leaned back, took a sip of his wine, and laid out his offer. The mage offered to teach Jak the arts arcane, languages, and anything else he had knowledge of in return for two things. First, Jak had to promises to never reveal what he had been doing to anyone else. Not the authorities, not his family, and especially not the other mages in the land. Secondly, he had to swear to follow any of the mage’s instructions to the letter and serve as his apprentice until such time as he was deemed worthy to go out on his own.

Jak thought about this offer for about half a second before agreeing wholeheartedly. What was not to like about this deal? His past was never to be discussed and he would get the knowledge he had so long sought after. A win-win situation in his mind.

So, as the years went on, the old mage taught Jak all he could of magic, languages, and the world in general. Jak’s inquisitive mind soaked in all he was taught like a sponge. He learned fast and never questioned his master and always made him proud. In return for the teaching, his master sometimes sent him on special…collecting…missions. On these jaunts, he was asked to do what he had done for all those early years. He would sneak into a rival mage’s sanctum, pilfer any arcane tomes, and then return them as soon as they had been copied. The arcane knowledge his master provided only made these jobs easier.

When Jak’s master had finally decided he was ready to go out on his own as a full-fledged wizard, Jak returned home to see his parents and siblings. His father, though a bit reluctant to admit it, was proud of his son for his accomplishments. It seems he had tried his hand at wizardry long before he became a merchant and had failed to learn more than a handful of silly catrips. So Jak had, in essence, done better than his father…which is all he ever wanted for his children.

Jak joined his brothers on a trade journey to the Sundren valley one summer. His spells provided added protection…and some entertainment…to the caravan on this long journey. When the reached the valley, Jak decided to stay a while and see if he could make his own way in this place far from home. He said his farewells to his brothers and started his new life in Sundren Valley.