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Archaeologist

Species	Human
Gender	Male
Home	Witchwood Cavern
Relatives	Unknown
Relationships	Scarlet Robe Maze
Allies	Maze (false ally) Hero of Oakvale (ally)
Enemies	Jack of Blades
First appearance	Fable
Last appearance	Fable Anniversary
Status	Alive (in Fable 1) Dead (in later games)

The Archaeologist is a character in the original Fable (2004), Fable: The Lost Chapters (2005) and Fable Anniversary (2014) who studied the Old Kingdom. His research into the Focus Sites makes the scholar a target of Jack of Blades' minions and forces him to remain constantly on the run.

During the story, the Hero encounters the Archaeologist twice. Their first meeting comes during the quest "Maze's Request", shortly after the events at Twinblade's Camp and before the Arena. Maze summons the protagonist to the Guild and gives him a special task as "a favour": he asks the Hero to find an old "friend" who has got into trouble and needs help.

"An old friend of mine has gone missing. Call himself the Archaeologist. He may have stumbled on to something big. Perhaps big enough to put his life in danger. There's a rumour he may be hiding somewhere in Witchwood. That's is, if he isn't dead already," Maze tells him.

Although it becomes clear much later that Maze's motives are far from friendly, there is no obvious reason to suspect him at this point. The Hero heads into Witchwood on the quest "Find the Archaeologist", knowing only that the scholar has hidden himself behind a Demon Door.

After passing through the area around the Witchwood Cullis Gate, the protagonist reaches the Witchwood Stones and indeed finds the door he is looking for. It will only open for someone who knows its name. Apparently, the Archaeologist intended to remain inside forever, or at least for a very long time, ensuring that neither Jack nor Maze would ever find him. The Hero quickly ruins that plan, however, and discovers a way into Witchwood Cavern.

"So you found me. That's just grand. If you can find me, so can they. I should never have started studying the Focus Sites. But how was I to know Jack was interested in them too. Yes, Jack of Blades!" the Archaeologist tells him when they meet.

In his haste, the Archaeologist leaves his journal with the Hero and runs off in search of a new and safer hiding place.

"I found the Archaeologist hiding in a cave. He knows more than anyone about the Old Kingdom, and it seems there are people desperate for this knowledge. He suggested I'm connected to whatever is happening in Albion right now, and to those strange objects that were unearthed in Orchard Farm. He was a friend of Mother's long ago, and said I may be able to find out about her in the Arena. I will need a nomination card from the Knothole Glade Chief first," the Hero writes in his own journal.

Their next meeting takes place later and under far less favourable circumstances. After the Arena and the battle with the White Balverine, the Hero travels to Grey House for a secret meeting with Theresa. His sister tells him that Jack is holding their mother in Bargate Prison. Only the Archaeologist knows of a secret way inside, but Jack's creatures are already hunting him.

The Guild sends the Hero to rescue the Archaeologist. He arrives at Bowerstone Jail, where the guards explain that they were unable to protect the scholar: Jack's minions have abducted him. The Hero pursues the creatures all the way to the dock on Prison Path and manages to free the Archaeologist at the very last moment.

All this is necessary to learn of an alternative route to the prison — through the old graveyard. After revealing this information, the Archaeologist decides not to stay in one place for long and flees once again, as the threat to his life has still not passed.

Later, the Snowspire Oracle reveals that the Archaeologist moved to the cities of the West disguised as a glove merchant and never opened another book.

Trivia

According to the Snowspire Oracle, the Archaeologist was one of the few scholars who studied the Old Kingdom. At the same time, he was a "fount of misconceptions" on the subject because he "used unreliable sources" and lacked the courage to delve more deeply into the mysteries of that era.
In the game's files, the developers refer to the Archaeologist as the "Trophy Dealer" and "Map Keeper". Some players believe the character may originally have been intended to work as a trophy merchant.

Archaeologist

Trivia

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