Artemus, Keeper

Early Years

Almost nothing is known of the young Keeper Artemus before the start of Thief: TDP. At some point he was recruited by the Keepers and underwent Keeper training. Artemus ended up raising to become a respected member of the Keeper Council. Artemus appeared highly skilled and his abilities were even almost a match for a Master Thief.

The Dark Project

While walking through street one day, a young boy noticed Artemus. He didn't seem to be seen by anyone else but appeared to have a bag of gold. he made a grab for it but Artemus was too quick for him. Noting his talent, Artemus left the boy with an option of staying on the streets or joining the Keepers. After a thought, the boy, Garrett, caught up with Artemus and started his training.^[1]

He then proceeded to oversee Garrett's training^[2] and kept an eye on him, even after he left the fold. After being betrayed by Constantine, Artemus was one of the two Keepers that saved Garrett's life. ^[3]

After Garrett had defeated Constantine, Artemus caught up with him near a Mechanist statue. He stated that Garrett still had much to learn but had followed the prophecies as they were written. He also informed Garrett that there were some books that he was not made aware of, written in glyphs, which Garrett should read. Garrett stated he didn't need the Keepers and didn't want anything more to do with their prophecies. However, Artemus knew that he would be required to do more and that nothing had changed. Soon the Metal Age would come.^[4]

The Metal Age

Artemus was there when Garrett was summoned to hear the Keeper prophecies of the Metal Age. Garrett wasn't interested in the prophecies as he believed it was meaningless and he would take care of himself. Artemus followed him to keep the door open between Garrett and the Keepers. He gave Garrett some information on who was behind Truart's motives for killing Garrett in hope that he would help them after he had finished with his business.^[5]

When Viktoria started her attack on Soulforge Cathedral, the Council did not wish to interfere but Artemus went against orders to see Garrett and tell him what was happening. He hoped the glyphs were wrong this time.^[6]

However, the prophecies were right as always. When Karras died at Soulforge, Artemus met Garrett outside the gates of the Cathedral. Garrett wondered if all what had happened, including the deaths of Karras and Vikoria, were written in the Keeper Books. Artemus confirmed they were and there was more. Garrett then told Artemus to tell him about it.^[7]

Gathering Shadows

Little is known about Artemus's activities at this point. It appears that Garrett did not gain much useful information and his view of the Keepers and their books returned to its earlier state. Artemus appeared to start to notice things amiss with the Keepers and began his night time journey, however little knowledge was gained.

Deadly Shadows

Knowing Garret would visit Bertha's Fence Store in Stonemarket, Artemus left a note with him to meet at Terces Courtyard^[8]

Garrett arrived at Terces Courtyard to find Artemus who told him of the Keeper interest in The Chalice and Jacknall's Paw in return for access to the prophecies as Interpreter Caduca reads them. He then leaves Garrett with a note with this information on the items and stating he will meet him again in two nights time.^[9]

With some interest in why Orland requested such items, Artemus requested some information on the sentients themselves from Keeper Osteria.

When he returned, Artemus took Garrett to the Keeper Library as Caduca read from the prophecies. Despite Garrett claiming how little use it was, Artemus believed they had to understand the prophecies in order to prevent them, showing a different attitude from the past as he now appeared to believe the prophecies didn't follow as written, but would be changed.

When the Stonemarket Clocktower fell, and Caduca was found dead, Garrett was put on trial in front of the Council. Artemus tried to stand up for Garrett but it was of little use. After Garrett escaped, Artemus noted something was wrong with Garrett, but didn't believe he was guilty and that Orland had lost his balance. Other acts, such as a priced gold trinket being valued by the order, all but convinced Artemus that the order had lost its balance. He kept on making journeys at night to try and find out information outside the normal Keeper protocol.^[10]

However, Orland had noted something amiss with his most trusted colleague^[11], yet still trusted him enough that Artemus had one of the few ways to access Orland's Chambers.^[12]

Before the dawn after the trial, Artemus left the Keeper Compound without stating where he was going or when he planned to return^[13] as he felt he no-longer knew who to trust, yet confided in a fellow Keeper about it.^[14] Before he left, he requested the Letters of the Diocen. These had gone missing but he had already left before he could hear that report.

In truth, Artemus had gone on his own mission to get to the truth of what had been going on. He ended up at Gamall's Lair where he met up with Garrett again. He had been reading her library and figuring out her true plan. Despite this, he hadn't quite worked out why Gamall had made a map marking the correct locations for The Final Glyph to be activated, which would lead to her undoing. He did, however, learn that Gamall wanted to destroy the glyph. This confused Garrett as Orland and the reminding members of the council had told him to do the same thing. Artemus was not impressed that the Council was still lying to Garrett at such a stage and told him he should get the final artifacts while he had a word with Orland himself. ^[15]

Artemus found Orland and told him how he had lost his balance and should tell Garrett the truth.

Death

At some point after meeting with Orland, Artemus was found by Gamall and killed. She then took his form to meet up with Garrett when he left the Wieldstrom Museum with the artifacts. When Orland went to tell Garrett the truth and what was going on, he was surprised to meet Artemus. As he was trying to tell Garrett what to do with the artifacts, Gamall killed him and dropped her guise as Artemus.

After activating the final glyph, Garrett return the artifacts to their 'owners'. He was then set upon by a young female thief, a repeat of how Garrett had come to become a Keeper.^[16]

Trivia

Much of the information on Artemus before TDS is based on the Keeper that appears in cutscenes in the first two games. While it is likely, it has not actually been confirmed that the Keeper is Artemus. Both share the same voice actor, Nate Wells.
In Thief and Thief II, the unnamed Keeper, assumed to be Artemus, is listed as Keeper Nate in the game cretis. This name comes from the Keeper's voice actor, Nate Wells. This name was only used in the credits and not in the game itself. While this might mean that the Keeper's full name is Nate Artemus, it is likely that the name "Nate" was overwritten as being non-canon.

Artemus' belief that prophecy can be changed, conflicts with the rest of the Order's stance that it is as good as fact.

Artemus is frequently called 'Arty' and 'Arty-guy' in TDS game files.^[17].

In TDS, the female Keeper in the splinter group claims that Artemus hadn't been seen since before the trial, despite the fact that he was present at the trial.

Notes

External Links

Nate Wells' IMDb profile

[1] TG B01

[2] TG M1 A Keeper's Training

[3] TG B12

[4] TG Cs14

[5] T2 CS05

[6] T2 B16

[7] T2 CS16

[8] Stonemarket: In-game text#SMartemusnote

[9] Stonemarket: In-game text#SMartifactnote

[10] Keeper Library: In-game text#KCartemus

[11] Keeper Library: In-game text#KCorland

[12] Keeper Library: In-game text#KCthreesigns

[13] TDS resources conversations#KCArtyGuy1

[14] TDS splinter group

[15] TDS artemus returns

[16] TDS final cutscene

[17] Flags.txt and KCArtyGuy1.sch

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