In counting Fable’s Reaver as a “silly scoundrel,” I will admit that I’m stretching the phrase’s definition a little. For Reaver, one of Fable‘s main characters in its second and third installments isn’t quite a foe, but neither is he a friend. He’s also not silly in a strict sense, but his penchant for flamboyance and overstatement makes him appear rather more ridiculous than less at times. It is true, however, that Reaver is a scoundrel through and through, especially in Fable 3, so here we are.

Reaver’s story begins in Fable 2, where he’s the Hero of Skill, one of the three heroes the Hero of Bowerstone, the protagonist, must seek out. He’s not all bad, but this Albionite is an ex-pirate who somehow managed to secure eternal youth for himself, so…he definitely not all good. This becomes very apparent when it’s revealed that Reaver actually wants to sacrifice the protagonist’s youth to take as his own. This plan never gets put into motion, and instead, Reaver and the Hero of Bowerstone end up in a reluctant alliance. And even though Reaver bestows his skill to the Hero of Bowerstone, the fact remained that he could not be trusted entirely.

Fast forward several centuries to Fable 3, where Reaver, who has not aged a day (how questionable is that?!), has become the face of business and manufacturing in a restored and expanded Bowerstone. Under its King Logan, Reaver found massive success in running several of the city’s industries, which, as one might imagine, came at the cost of his workers, all of whom he treated horribly. Within the game’s first act, the new Hero of Brightwall has a minor interaction with Reaver, but it’s in the second act that Reaver becomes the Hero’s main focus.

After the events of Fable 3’s first act, the Hero is named Albion’s new ruler and then must…well…start ruling. Which really means that they have to make a series of economic and social decisions that will guide Bowerstone’s future. Reaver steps in as the seedy businessman to represent the more scandalous choices the new ruler can make. Should you build a school or a factory? Should you upgrade worker housing or maintain its lowly state in favor of gaining more taxes? Should you donate to Bowerstone’s coffers or keep all your riches to yourself? In every case made for taking the high ground, Reaver counters with a baser approach, and his arguments honestly border on asinine. Then again, the whole setup is altogether ridiculous, and the choices don’t really matter in the end.

The Fable games are known for their simple take on the RPG genre, but that doesn’t mean they are without memorable characters. Reaver, the silly scoundrel that he is, is a standout among them. He will always and only ever make decisions that fall in his favor. And even though this once-mighty pirate may not have intended to become enthralled in business, his ridiculous greed and outrageous nature likely set his fate long ago. He’s no dunce; and despite his wit, his foolishness does him no favors.