Hey guys, I've been wondering about Jakben Imbel, from the Thieves' Guild quest. I did some research on wikipedia (not the best source, I know, but it seems on the level in this case) and apparently an Earl is the British equivalent of a Count (or a Duke in the early middle ages), so that sort of implies there's a County Imbel somewhere out there, probably in High Rock, being that he's a Breton, and the British-sounding title and all. (or maybe Vvardenfell, where his family's from).

The thing is, in the same wiki article, it says "in the present day a number of earldoms take their names from towns, mountains, or simply surnames", and the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Imbel_Genealogy seems to imply Jakben doesn't actually own any land, and his title is just taken from his surname, which is a little odd for the medieval setting of Oblivion, but what can you do.

I mean, he's a scumbag vampire, so you can't really trust that he's even an Earl at all, but I'm assuming the Elder Council (or someone high up anyway) would've noticed this discrepancy and had him executed for impersonating a noble, so I'd like to work on the assumption that he is actually a noble.

So, what's the verdict? County Imbel, real or not? :shrug:

Well considering the dates are in the thousands, it must be from the first Era. The Third and Second didn't last that long.

That's some 3000 thousand years ago, IIRC Wayrest became a city state around that time.

Don't think it matters much if he ever had land or not.

edit: 1E 1100 Wayrest becomes a city-state.

Bretons have titles for everything and tend to have more siege equipment than friends. His land was probably taken from him at some point.

He might just have that title because he's very wealthy, I'm after so many long years he's been alive he's accumulated alot of money, probably from theiving and title of earl could be a cover.

He is probably somehow noble, but most of Tamriel is so, distantly. He has just maintained his rich life through his gifts of stealth.