Hidden Treasure Tips

To paraphrase a song that your parents might have heard: If I had a shovel, I'd shovel in the mornin', I'd shovel in the evenin', all over this land—the land of Albion, that is. Just as the fishing pole allows you to go fishing in almost any body of water—and occasionally net yourself something better than mere fish—all you need in Fable® to become a master treasure-hunter is a ready spade, a sharp eye, and the willingness to rob the occasional grave.

Some treasures will be simple, while others will lead to even better loot. Sure, find goodies underwater or sitting in a convenient treasure chest, but aren't you ready to get some dirt under those fingernails?

This grave is ripe for the diggin'!

Raider of the Lost Everything
You don't need much in the way of equipment to start digging up Albion, but you will need a nose for treasure.

Your Handy Spade
Though your hands are no doubt tough enough to scrabble at the dirt, to find anything under the ground, you're going to need a spade. You can find one for free out in the Lychfield Graveyard, but since you probably won't be heading out there until much later in the game, go ahead and pay for one. The merchants in Bowerstone South should be able to help you.

Tell-Tale Signs of Treasure
The easiest spots to look for buried loot are graveyards, including Lychfield Graveyard (once you get there) and the rather sizeable Oakvale Cemetery. Strangely enough, it's not considered an evil act to dig up and rob the corpses of the people slaughtered in the bandit attack that killed your family.

The Helpful Icon
Move your hero onto a spot that you think hides buried treasure. Then, check your HUD to see if a spade icon appears on bottom of the D-pad graphic. If it does … you've found treasure! Just press down on the D-pad, and you'll start the digging cut-scene graphic. You'll know you've found something good f the animation ends with your hero saying, "Yeah!"

Beyond Grave Robbing
Graves are the most obvious place to look, but Albion's treasures are also hidden in less apparent locations. You also find treasure beneath "fairy rings"—circles of plant life surrounding fresh dirt—that you find in wooded areas and outside farms. They're harder to spot than graves, so keep your eyes open. You also might learn that a particular quest item is hidden in an unusual location (near a statue or some other landmark, for example), but the same principle applies. Go where you've been told to look, but don't dig until you see the spade icon.

Sure, it's creepy, but the rewards can be big.

Win Fabulous Prizes
Treasure takes many forms in Fable, from straight-up cash payments of gold to other items that might not seem immediately useful. Here are examples of objects you might find:

Clothing
The grave out behind the Orchard Farm homestead contains the body of the farmer's mother. Fortunately, he won't notice if you wander around back, dig up her corpse, and strip it down. If you're looking for a piece of a dress (and seriously, there's nothing more imposing to your enemies than a horned brute wearing women's clothing), this is where to go.

Chests and Keys
There are two types of treasure chests in Albion. First, there are the brown chests that you can open and pilfer whenever and wherever you want. (If you find a chest in someone's home and open it, it's not even considered stealing. Take something off the shelf, though, and you're a burglar.) Second, there are the silver chests that require you to possess a set number of silver keys. Find some silver keys just floating in the air, while others will be hidden in the ol' fishing hole. You also find many more keys when you dig up graves and fairy rings.

"Did you see where I left my spade?"

Potions
Sometimes, your find might just be a health or will potion. Other times, you might come across a powerful Ages of Might. You never know what people will stuff into a bottle and bury in this game.

Legendary Treasure Clues
As the Guildmaster will inform you, there's a legendary lost treasure in Albion that only a hero can track down. To find it, acquire all six Treasure Clues. You get some of the clues from non-playable characters when you complete side quests, and you might also find one buried underground.

Quest Items
The reason you get a spade for free at the Lychfield Graveyard is that you cannot complete that quest without one. You need to assemble a set of unique artifacts to open a particular door, and one piece of that set is found in an otherwise unassuming-looking grave. Check each one carefully before you give up on the quest in frustration.

Article by Danny Chihdo