Boots of Springheel Jak (Quest)

Overview
Faction: Thieves Guild Prerequisites: Completion of Arrow of Extrication and 800 gold fenced. Quest giver: Gray Fox, via one of his messengers Methredhel or Amusei Reward: 500 gold

Background Information
Amusei will meet you in a major city and ask you to meet the Gray Fox at Ganredhel's House in Cheydinhal. The Gray Fox wants you to steal the Boots of Springheel Jak (item) from a former thief who died many years ago. He knows that a descendant of Springheel Jak, Jakben, Earl of Imbel, lives in Imperial City.

Walkthrough
Head to Imperial City and ask around for Jakben's house. He lives in the Imperial City Talos Plaza District at Jakben Imbel's House in the main courtyard. Lockpick into his house when no one is around and sneak through. Jakben is out of the house at night, but at home during the day, and he has one servant. Sneak upstairs into his Private Quarters.

In his private quarters, you'll find a book of the Imbel genealogy, but won't reveal anything useful about the location of the boots. A message will come up telling you to ask Jakben himself about his ancestor and the boots. You can simply wait around for Jakben to return (if you happen to be there at night). When he sees you, he'll be afraid, but simply ask him where it is and he'll tell you it's in the crypts downstairs in the basement.

Head to the basement and into the crypt. There will be five vampires with very nice loot (Vampire Battlemage, Vampire Scout, Vampire Spellsword, Vampire Thief, and Vampire Patriarch). The Patriarch is guarding the last room where Springheel's coffin lays, however, once you search the area and the coffin, you'll find a strange diary note.

Head back upstairs and find Jakben, or wait a few moments after reading the diary and he'll come to you. You'll discover that Jakben himself is a vampire and is Springheel Jak, so you'll have to kill him to get the boots (remember to avoid killing the servant). Kill Jakben, take the Boots of Springheel Jak (and whatever armor is on his body, as it is usually magical and/or rare), and return to the Gray Fox in Cheydinhal for your reward.

Before you finish up with talking to Gray Fox---There is a book of some sort, can't remember the name, in which you can aquire during this quest. If you have the book in you inventory when you talk to the Gray Fox at the end of the quest, then you will not be able to finish Boot's of Springhell Jak, and get your Cowl of Nocturnal. I'd just drop all the books you got before you go to the Gray Fox then talk to him..or don't overwrite your file until the last quest gets going.

Alternative Strategy
Instead of going through the family crypts to find the journal, you may simply kill Jakben. When you attack him, he will summon his armor and boots and you can lift the boots from his corpse. Note that you will likely have to pay a bounty, although it may be minor if no one catches you.

Trivia
Take a second look at Springheel Jak's new name: Jakben Imbel, or Jak be nImbel. This is a play on "Jack Be Nimble," a nursery rhyme about jumping.

The name Springheel Jak may also be a reference to Spring Heeled Jack a figure from english folklore

Next Quest: The Ultimate Heist