Jack Nelson

**Jack Nelson** is the main protagonist of *Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout*.

An experienced Firewatch lookout who's just accepted a new job at the Ironbark State Park, it's not long before Jack stumbles across a murderous cult who will do anything to keep their existence a secret.

## Biography

### Early life

The only things currently known about Jack as of yet is that he lived in Los Angeles, California with his father, Sister (Kayla Nelson) and likely his mother. He took the job at Ironbark State Park when he was 24 in 2002, leading his birthday to be 1978 or at the very least, late 70s. Throughout his life, Jack Nelson has, since his first job, only had salaries able to 'make ends meet', in his own words, unable to treat himself to nice clothes and expensive restaurants. His biggest accomplishment, as said in the introduction to Fears to Fathom Episode 4: Ironbark Lookout, is purchasing an RV with financial help from his father, whom is unnamed. This RV, which is used multiple times throughout the beginning and once at the end of Ironbark Lookout, is both his home and the only sense of a home he had at the time of the story.

### Ironbark Lookout

The inciting incident that brings him to Tower 11 is his transfer from one outpost to another, which he was not disturbed with due to his RV and enjoyment of travelling. Mitch Scott informs him of his transfer to Tower 11 via Jack's phone. Jack had also previously heard good things about Mitch Scott from an unnamed person named 'Josh'. Jack also got his ID on May 2, according to the phone. Jack Nelson also arrived on a Friday, according to a message from Mitch Scott.

Kayla Nelson, Jack's sister, informs him of a good diner just after Roseburg, an assumed town nearby Ironbark State Park. Jack, hungry from the long drive, parks his RV outside of the diner and sits down inside, ordering food which is chosen by the player's choice. After eating (and paying), he starts his RV and continues his drive before arriving at the park's entrance at 8:02 PM. At this time, flavor text also says that Jack would 'Like to include the location of this park, but I don't want anyone seeking out the utter horrors I've seen in these woods'. After meeting and getting jumpscared by Billy at the entrance, After informing Billy that he's a lookout, not a camper, Billy says that he didn't know hiring was on at the time of the story, furthering the theory that the cult has associations with the Ironbark State Park. After Billy opens the trail gates, Jack begins hiking to his tower. Billy, before Jack leaves, informs him that he shouldn't go too far north.

Jack arrives at his tower at 11:32 PM. Once he reaches the top, he types in the password to the computer before being interrupted by his radio equipment on the desk blaring static. The static cuts and a man greets Jack, calling him 'New Guy' and asking for his name. This man is revealed to be Connor Hawkins via dialogue, who continues asking questions and talking with Jack. Soon after this, Connor recommends Jack starts a fire via the wood stove in his room as the temperature was beginning to drop. Connor mentions the smoke from his chimney and heads to bed.

Upon waking up on Day 2, Jack is standing outside his lookout. Upon walking inside, the radio blares and Connor informs Jack of smoke north of Tower 11. The smoke, being white, means that it is a campfire. Connor tells Jack that, because Tower 11 is closest to that area, that he must go and put it out. While on a trail, the scream of an adult man can be heard. When reaching the camping spot, a tent, along with several other items including a radio, machete, grill, jerrycan, lantern, et cetera. Once the fire is put out with the nearby bucket and pond, Jack can see the silhouette of an antlered man past the emergency closure sign. Calling out results in no response, but this furthers Jack's paranoia and reveals to the player that there is something in the woods. Upon reaching his tower again at 9:07 PM, Jack is unable to 'shake the sense that something is terribly wrong. Jack reports the vacant campsite and scream to Connor, who plays the scream off as a Red Fox. When Jack informs him that it was a manly scream, Connor mentions the missing kids, who plays off the rumors as kids making up stories to try to scare people. Jack completes his tasks and gets a photo from his sister, which contains a casserole recipe. Jack makes it, eats half of it, starts the wood stove fire and heads to bed.

Jack wakes up at 2:27 AM to a feeling that caused his eyes to drift open. A silhouette through the window can be seen, but when Jack rises and looks outside the figure moves out of vision. After a short time, Jack opens the door to find an animal skull and candles with satanic symbols. Jack radios Connor, who is displeased about being woken at 2:00 in the morning and shoves off the skull and candles as kids playing pranks. Jack, with a sense of unease and his door locked shut, heads to bed cautiously.

Waking up the next day, Jack does not know if the night earlier was a dream or not. Jack feels something about that night that 'feels darker' than kids playing pranks. He then says "There is something strange happening in those woods." before the day starts at 8:34 PM. Upon seeing a flare be shot into the sky from the woods, Jack returns to his radio station and is connected to a lost hiker. The hiker begins to freak out and ask for Jack's help. The hiker describes where he is, which Jack then consults the map and points the hiker in the right direction. Soon after Jack tells him where to go, the hiker says 'I'm right here' followed by 'I hear you' and 'I hear your whistles'. Jack says that the whistles are not his, in which the hiker says that he can see Jack 'behind the trees on his right'. Jack says that it isn't him, but before the hiker can respond, Jack hears a knock at his door and the radio connection cuts. The knocking was from Billy, who came up to his tower to drop off supplies. Jack reheats the casserole from the previous night, eats it, completes his tasks and goes downstairs to get firewood. However, his return is interrupted by a man named Silas who says he was doing routine maintenance. Silas speaks with an ominous word usage and tone. Jack lights the fire in his tower before being called again by Connor. Connor asks what took him so long, and Jack tells him that he ran into Silas. Connor asks 'Ran into who?', showing that Silas wasn't actually a member of Ironbark State Park. This is then confirmed after Connor informs Jack that the radio tower Silas said he was working on has been out of service for years. Jack then goes to bed.

2 nights later, the day starts at 9:18 PM during a heavy storm. Connor tells Jack that the computers have a system update. Jack updates the computer, however, the update is interrupted by the power cutting out. After starting the generator up again, Jack uses the portable restroom, which shows the player a hiding spot via audio detection. After some time, Jack is woken up in the night by Connor who tells him that there is more smoke that Jack has to check out because Connor is working on his generator. Zooming in using the binoculars, it is revealed to be cult members in a circle around a burning alter. This cult, known as the Ironbark Cult, is a satanic cult that wears antlered clothing. Jack takes a photo of the cult, in which they all stop and turn towards the tower after noticing the camera flash. Jack gasps and the cult members run off towards his tower. Jack sees one quickly advancing towards his tower, in which he runs inside and ducks under the bed, beginning an audio sequence. After the cult member leaves, Jack runs outside and downstairs, where he is spotted by the same cult member. Hiding in the port-a-potty, Jack waits for the cult member to leave, which he then runs away and to his RV. After a narrow escape, Jack explains that he radioed the HQ of Ironbark State Park. Mitch Scott, the man who brought Jack to Tower 11, says that Jack is just feeling crazy. The morning after the incident, authorities ran an investigation of the area, yet found 'no signs of misconduct'. This furthers the theory that all members of Ironbark State Park, including the police, are members of the Ironbark Cult. Even after people assured him it was nothing, Jack says that it was the last time he ever set foot in Ironbark State Park.

## Personality

Throughout Fears to Fathom Episode 4: Ironbark Lookout, Jack displays himself as a cautious man, often inquisitive and 'hellbent' on making sure the people at Ironbark State Park know what is going on, despite their likely association with the Ironbark Cult itself. Jack prefers solitude, according to flavor text during his drive to the diner. Following shortly after that flavor text, he also says that he loves nature.

## Trivia

* Jack is scared twice by Billy, who greets him with a sawed-off shotgun upon entry to Ironbark State Park and Silas, who came out of nowhere upon exiting the supplies hut.
* Jack is the first protagonist in the series to receive a physical appearance, as every protagonist before him is never seen physically.