An archaeologist learns about the long-lost and fallen cultures of the past by studying their remains — their bones, their ruins, their surviving masterworks, and their tombs. Those who practice archaeology travel to the far corners of the world to root through crumbled cities and lost dungeons, digging in search of artefacts that might tell the stories of monarchs and high priests, wars and cataclysms.
You relentlessly seek the truth, fascinated by other cultures, from the most ancient and primeval lost lands to the most modern civilisations. By studying other cultures’ customs, philosophies, laws, rituals, religious beliefs, languages, and art, you have learned how tribes, empires, and all forms of society in between craft their own destinies and doom. This knowledge came to you not only through books and scrolls, but also through first-hand observation—by visiting far-flung settlements and exploring local histories and customs.
- Skill Proficiencies: History, and Insight, Investigation, or Perception
- Tool Proficiencies: Cartographer's tools, thieves’ tools
- Languages: Two of your choice
- Equipment: A wooden case containing a map to a ruin, a magnifying glass, a leather-bound diary, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a bullseye lantern, shovel, a miner's pick, a two-person tent, a trinket recovered from a dig site, (choose one or roll for a trinket from the Trinkets table after this background), a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 50 gp
Prior to becoming an adventurer, you spent most of your young life crawling around in the dust, pilfering relics of questionable value from crypts and ruins. Though you managed to sell a few of your discoveries and earn enough coin to buy proper adventuring gear, you have held onto an item that has great emotional value to you. Roll on the Signature Item table to see what you have, or choose an item from the table.
| d8 | Tomb Raider |
|---|---|
| 1 | Medallion |
| 2 | Mini-grappler-crossbow |
| 3 | Fedora |
| 4 | Whip |
| 5 | Utility belt |
| 6 | Fingerless gloves |
| 7 | A well-worn brown leather satchel |
| 8 | A pair of pistols |
When you enter a ruin or dungeon, you can correctly ascertain its original purpose and determine its builders, whether those were dwarves, elves, humans, yuan-ti, or some other known race. In addition, you can determine the monetary value of art objects more than a century old.
Additionally, you can communicate with humanoids who don’t speak any language you know. You must observe the humanoids interacting with one another for at least 1 day, after which you learn a handful of important words, expressions, and gestures—enough to communicate on a rudimentary level.
Suggested Characteristics
Few archaeologists can resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, particularly if such a site is the source of legends or is rumoured to contain the treasures and relics of wizards, warlords, or royalty. They seek to see how other races and civilisations survive — or why they did not. Some archaeologists are driven by intellectual curiosity, while others want the fame and recognition that comes with being the first to discover a new people, a lost tribe, or the truth about an ancient empire’s downfall. Some archaeologists plunder for wealth, while others consider it their calling to illuminate the past or keep the world’s greatest treasures from falling into the wrong hands. Whatever their motivations, archaeologists combine the qualities of a scrappy historian with the self-made heroism of a treasure-hunting scoundrel.
| d12 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I love a good puzzle or mystery. |
| 2 | A signature piece of clothing or distinct weapon serves as an emblem of who I am. |
| 3 | I never accept that I’m out of my depth. |
| 4 | I must know the answer to every secret. No door remains unopened in my presence. |
| 5 | I let people underestimate me, revealing my full competency only to those close to me. |
| 6 | I have no qualms about stealing from the dead. |
| 7 | It doesn’t matter if the whole world’s against me. I’ll always do what I think is right. |
| 8 | I have morbid interests and a macabre aesthetic. |
| 9 | Traps don’t make me nervous. Idiots who trigger traps make me nervous. |
| 10 | Nothing is more important than life, and I never leave anyone in danger. |
| 11 | You might think I’m a scholar, but I love a good brawl. These fists were made for punching. |
| 12 | I’m happier in a dusty old tomb than I am in the centres of civilisation. |
| d12 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Adrenaline. I’ve experienced such strangeness that now I feel alive only in extreme situations. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Preservation. That artifact belongs in a museum. (Good) |
| 3 | Greed. I won’t risk my life for nothing. I expect some kind of payment. (Any) |
| 4 | Escape. I believe there is something beyond the world I know, and I need to find it. (Any) |
| 5 | Legacy. I must do something great so that I’m remembered, and my time is running out. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Greed. I won’t risk my life for nothing. I expect some kind of payment. (Any) |
| 7 | Obsession. I’ve lived this way for so long that I can’t imagine another way. (Chaotic) |
| 8 | Immortality. All my exploring is part of a plan to find the secret of everlasting life. (Any) |
| 9 | Dignity. The dead and their belongings deserve to be treated with respect. (Lawful) |
| 10 | Revelation. I need to know what lies beyond the mysteries of death, the world, or the Multiverse. (Any) |
| 11 | Danger. With every great discovery comes grave danger. The two walk hand in hand. (Any) |
| 12 | Truth. I care about the truth above all else, even if it doesn’t benefit anyone. (Lawful) |
| d12 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ever since I was a child, I’ve heard stories about a lost city. I aim to find it, learn its secrets, and earn my place in the history books. |
| 2 | Everything I do is in the service of a powerful master, one I must keep a secret from everyone. |
| 3 | I owe much to my vanished mentor. I seek to continue their work even as I search to find them. |
| 4 | I have a friendly rival. Only one of us can be the best, and I aim to prove it’s me. |
| 5 | I won’t sell an art object or other treasure that has historical significance or is one of a kind. |
| 6 | The world has been convinced of a terrible lie. It’s up to me to reveal the truth. |
| 7 | I’m secretly in love with the wealthy patron who sponsors my archaeological exploits. |
| 8 | I hope to bring prestige to a library, a museum, or a university. |
| 9 | I want to learn more about a particular humanoid culture that fascinates me. |
| 10 | I have a trinket that I believe is the key to finding a long-lost society. |
| 11 | My mentor gave me a journal filled with lore and wisdom. Losing it would devastate me. |
| 12 | I seek to avenge a clan, tribe, kingdom, or empire that was wiped out. |
| d12 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I talk to myself, and I don’t make friends easily. |
| 2 | I believe that I’m intellectually superior to people from other cultures and have much to teach them. |
| 3 | I’ve picked up some unpleasant habits living among goblins, lizardfolk, or orcs. |
| 4 | I complain about everything. |
| 5 | I have a secret fear of some common wild animal—and in my work, I see them everywhere. |
| 6 | I’m a skeptic and don’t believe in the power of rituals, religion, superstition, or spirits. |
| 7 | I can’t leave a room without searching it for secret doors. |
| 8 | When I’m not exploring dungeons or ruins, I get jittery and impatient. |
| 9 | I have no time for friends or family. I spend every waking moment thinking about and preparing for my next expedition. |
| 10 | I’m exceptionally cautious, planning laboriously and devising countless contingencies. |
| 11 | When given the choice of going left or right, I always go left. |
| 12 | I know the ends always justify the means and am quick to make sacrifices to attain my goals. |