History Main / AncientKeeper

Oh, before I do so, as an [[TitleDrop Ancient Keeper]], I am contractually required to ask you if you'd like to have a spot of tea with me, and then wistfully remark about [[TheAloner how extremely lonely I am]], not having seen a single living soul for several ''[[{{Immortality}} centuries]]'' now. How do I manage to [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld look so good despite my advanced age]]? Well, it's easy when one is an [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots android]]/{{hologram}}/[[OurGhostsAreDifferent helpful ghost]]/LivingRelic designed to [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith fulfill viewer's expectations]] of what an Ancient Keeper of Knowledge should look like/[[JustForFun/SciFiCounterpart magical construct]]/[[OurMagesAreDifferent magician]]. Also, PurposeDrivenImmortality ''is'' part of the standard benefits package. Now if you would, walk this way...mind the creaking floorboards and that stack of stone tablets with the glowing cuneiform on it...

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1549200629089127700
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

Greetings, Adventurers! Welcome to the Archive of Backstory and Plot Advancement! Who am I? Why, I am the [[TitleDrop Ancient Keeper]], and I take care of the place. It is my job to dust the bookshelves, change the lightbulbs, polish the LostTechnology, and provide doddering, yet helpful exposition to any and all heroes who happen to stumble within my realm of influence. Want to find the way to the next plot point? I can point you there. Want to discover the true nature of the GovernmentConspiracy threatening mankind? You'll find that information in that red book on the back shelf three rows down. Want to know the secret past of the hero's father? Look in that pile of dusty, rolled up scrolls over there. Want a copy of the blueprints containing the schematics to the villain's Unstoppable Superweapon? I have that on microfiche. Just walk this way and I'll show it to you.

Oh, before I do so, as an [[TitleDrop Ancient Keeper]], I am contractually required to ask you if you'd like to have a spot of tea with me, and then wistfully remark about [[TheAloner how extremely lonely I am]], not having seen a single living soul for several ''[[TimeAbyss centuries]]'' now. How do I manage to [[OlderThanTheyLook look so good despite my advanced age]]? Well, it's easy when one is an [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot android]][=/=]{{hologram}}[=/=][[OurGhostsAreDifferent helpful ghost]] [=/=] LivingRelic designed to [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith fulfill viewer's expectations]] of what an Ancient Keeper of Knowledge should look like[=/=][[JustForFun/SciFiCounterpart magical construct]][=/=][[OurMagesAreDifferent magician]]. Also, PurposeDrivenImmortality ''is'' part of the standard benefits package. Now if you would, walk this way...mind the creaking floorboards and that stack of stone tablets with the glowing cuneiform on it......

Huh? What's that? You say I look kind of creepy and you wonder if I can be trusted? I assure you, my good man, the information I reveal to you is not only entirely accurate, but extremely helpful. I am required to provide equal assistance to all visitors regardless of importance or heroic status, even if I AM in the employ of the BigBad. Which I may or may not be. Also, I assure you, I do not have my own agenda and would not harm you in any way. Now if you'll just finish drinking your tea--[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial which I assure you has]] ''[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial not]]'' [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial been poisoned]]--I'll show you the way to the Ancient Planetarium which will reveal to you the solar system where the parts to the series' Magical MacGuffin are hidden....

* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}} NEXT'' has Auntie Aqua, a wizened old lady and avatar of the Water Dragon King who guards the secrets of the Clair Bible.
* Lilith from ''VisualNovel/YamiToBoushiToHonNoTabibito''.
* At the end of the first season of ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex,'' [[spoiler:Aoi, AKA The Laughing Man, turns down Aramaki's offer to join Section 9]] so he can remain sort of one of these for a massive, mainly automated library, that still keeps printed books. Given his age and the advanced medicine of time, he could quite likely stay in that position for well over a century, if he wanted.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'': The Keeper of Primus.
[[/folder]]

* ''Fanfic/TheNuptialverse'' has the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin appropriately-titled]] Keeper, an ancient Alicorn tasked with recording [[AkashicRecords everything that's ever happened, ever]]. She's so old, she doesn't even remember her real name or where she came from.
* ''Fanfic/QueenOfAllOni'' has Nameless, a giant feathered serpent who's watched over the evils [[SealedEvilInACan sealed]] in the Vault of Endless Night under Mexico City since before the conquistadors arrived.

* The ''[[Fanfic/{{Cinderjuice}} Contractually Obligated Chaos series]]'' has the [[FairyGodmother Fairy Godfather]], an extremely old ghost with InexplicablyAwesome powers who is also the keeper of a lot of ancient knowledge. He even has the lost pages of the [[StockUnsolvedMysteries Voynich Manuscript]] and can read the weird writing in them.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' example, from the episode ''Film/SpaceMutiny''. The heroes stumble into the villain's headquarters and discover the creepy, Roddy [=MacDowell=]-like old man who guards the people whom Kalgan has put "on ice."
* Box from the film version of ''Film/LogansRun''. He doesn't so much help visitors though as much as [[spoiler: freeze them and turn them into foodstuffs. He's long since forgotten for whom the food was intended. Obviously.]]

-->"You have chosen...wisely."
%%* Vox 114 of the remake of ''Film/{{The Time Machine|2002}}'' might qualify.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': In both ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Red Skull is cursed to serve as the keeper of the Soul Stone. He explains, first to Thanos and Gamora and later to Hawkeye and Black Widow, the high price that must be paid to obtain the stone.
-->"A lifetime ago, I too sought the stones. I even held one in my hands, but it cast me out. Imprisoned me here, guiding others to a treasure I cannot possess."

* The Guardian of the Dragon in the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' Literature/HorusHeresy novel ''Mechanicum''.
* Isaac, the guardian of the cemetery of forgotten books, in ''The Shadow Of The Wind'' and ''The Angel's Game''
* In ''Literature/TheSwordOfTruth'', there are a few of these scattered around the world, often by the wizards from the Great War. The Dream Caster's Wise Man (a hereditary position) and his last-second replacement; (his granddaughter, slightly averting this trope) are a good example: they keep one of the "Central Sites", a scattering of library/bomb-shelter/safehouse/crypt things.

* Midnight from ''Literature/WarriorCats'' is a helpful badger who can speak in cat language. She seems to have an infinite amount of knowledge, and she always shows up to inform the heroes of the next plot point. Also, she's [[spoiler:been around since the dawn of time.]]

* Perhaps the creepiest example occurs in the episode "Elegy" of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959''. Three marooned astronauts stumble upon a world where people seem frozen in time. An AncientKeeper shows up and reveals that it's actually a giant cemetery. [[spoiler: He then takes pains to ensure that the three astronauts become its next occupants.]]
* The librarian Mr. Atoz in the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E23AllOurYesterdays All Our Yesterdays]]". He offered to help the Enterprise landing party go back in time the way the rest of the planetary population had. (Note: "Atoz" was a joking reference to "A to Z", a logical name for a librarian.)
* The creators of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' suggest that Brother Cavil resembles this trope, [[spoiler:especially during "Rapture" where he's prepared to kill D'Anna, and later box her entire line, in order to preserve the identities of the Final Five. We later discover that this is literally true in "No Exit".]]
* ''{{Series/Merlin|2008}}'' has the Fisher King himself being the keeper in his castle, and asking for a MercyKill when he has transmitted his knowledge.

* "Frozen Rainbow" by Saxon is about a man who guards the eponymous frozen rainbow which holds the power of life. He will have to do that for a while longer, since according to the song's last verse, "The secret of the rainbow will never be revealed."

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* Aughra serves this purpose to some extent in ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''.
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Extrapower}}'': The fire majin of Magarda Volcano who has watched the Earth's history since the earliest days of the planet, and serves this purpose in ''VideoGame/ExtrapowerAttackOfDarkforce'' and ''VideoGame/ExtrapowerGiantFist''. In ''Attack of Darkforce'', he primarily gives guidance to V regarding his ore heart, and reveals to Zophy that he has phoenix ancestry and an opportunity to unlock his blood to become a flame hero and a majin himself if he so chooses. In Giant Fist, he is approached at the end of the Magarda Volcano stage, and so serves an expository role for each of the player characters passing through on their route. Sometimes its to give a clue as to the nature of some plot element and point them toward the next objective, as he does when cluing Zophy and his friends in to a possible Latour connection; or to reveal some privileged knowledge, such as giving Wolf the secret backstory of the legendary hero Zophy.
* In ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', many Forerunner installations are watched over by robotic guardians, several of whom have gone [[GoMadFromTheIsolation rather loopy due to being alone for about 100,000 years]]:
** 343 Guilty Spark, the Monitor of Alpha Halo. OK, he ''is'' trying to harm you ([[OmnicidalManiac along with the rest of the galaxy]]), but he's in line with the other bits of this trope. Even then, he initially assumed you knew what you were doing the first time when he almost got you to wipe out all galactic life, which itself is just him following what he's programmed to do in the event of a Flood outbreak. When [[spoiler:his installation]] is destroyed, he instantly becomes a lot more reasonable (since he presumably doesn't have to follow [[spoiler:installation-based]] protocols anymore). However, [[spoiler:he goes off the deep end in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' after getting a new installation, abandoning his previous goal of stopping the Flood in favor of keeping his new post intact]].
** ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'': 2401 Penitent Tangent of Delta Halo ''thinks'' he's doing his job, but he's actually being held captive by the local Flood Gravemind.
** ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'': 031 Exuberant Witness of Genesis is a nice change of pace. While she certainly takes her job seriously, she also sincerely enjoys helping people, and is willing to bend protocol to do so. She's also something of a dorky GenkiGirl. In contrast, the Warden Eternal, the apparent "Keeper of the Domain", is arrogant and rather dismissive of organic life, and turns out to be TheDragon to [[spoiler:a now-crazy Cortana]].
* ''Videogame/HarmoKnight'' {{exaggerate|dTrope}}s this trope by combining it with LivingMacGuffin, RoyalBlood, and DamselInDistress. Princess Ariana is ''all four''. [[spoiler:She is the only one who knows all about the magic staff]], so the 4 heroes are trying to reach her as fast as they can, but then she gets kidnapped by the BigBad, who was also after her.
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' loved this. There are no less than four of these in the game: a droid, a hologram, a sentient AI, and a tribe of living [[{{Precursors}} Precursors]].
** Bioware in general likes the trope. There's also the Prothean VI, Vigil, in ''Franchise/MassEffect'', and the Guardian of the Sacred Ashes in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' - the latter owing more than a little inspiration to the old Crusader in ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade''.
** KOTOR's sort-of sequel ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' has ''legions'' of these. Good luck bumping into less than a half dozen, especially in certain class stories.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': Sahasrahla is an old man who lives in the ancient ruins of the Eastern Palace, ready to give Link expository details about the Imprisoning War and a quest to obtain the Master Sword.
** Impa and Sheik in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' are somewhat ancient keepers. Impa is first met as a kid, explaining she is of the Sheikah race, a race dedicated to serving the royal family. She informs you of Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, as well as teaching you Zelda's Lullaby, an ancient royal family song, before disappearing with use of a Deku Nut. Ironically, Sheik later does almost exactly the same, being a Sheikah who informs Link of the ancient temples, before vanishing with a Deku Nut. [[SecretIdentity But then again, does Sheik really count]]?
** Impa serves the same role in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'', providing protection and exposition to Zelda after she falls to the surface and is pursued by the forces of evil. There's also the old woman guarding the Temple of Time and awaiting the Hero to help him, [[spoiler:who's actually Impa's future self]].
** Impa fills the role once again in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]''. She has spent the last century since the [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Great Calamity]] waiting for Link to wake up and come to Kakariko Village, where she tells him more about the history of Calamity Ganon and points him in the direction of the Divine Beasts.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': The three gurus--they were Zeal's advisers, and inadvertently became Ancient Keepers when they got time-displaced.

* ''VisualNovel/AnalogueAHateStory'' has the AIs *Hyun-ae and *Mute who assist you in accessing the logs of the ancient generation ship. Having experienced the ship's final days firsthand, they can also provide further clarification on the information contained in the logs - although being of opposite viewpoints regarding the ship's [[NoWomansLand feudalistic patriarchal society,]] their interpretations can vary wildly from one another. [[spoiler: Especially given that *Hyun-ae is actually [[BrainUploading a memory imprint]] of a FishOutOfTemporalWater girl who snapped and [[LeaveNoSurvivors switched off the ship's life support systems]] - *Mute knows what she did and hates her for it, but she becomes sympathetic to her if you can show her [[BreakTheCutie what drove her over the edge]].]]
* With the minor quirk of being [[spoiler: a ''stationary'' computer and not an android]], and the fact that you have to [[spoiler: get back stolen memory crystals to repair him before you can actually talk to him]], the Oracle/[[spoiler: Melian]] in ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VI'' fits quite well, as a really ancient being who provides key plot-advancing information. He actually mentions that he'd prefer a bit more active a role (he is ''definitely'' not on the side of the bad guys), but [[spoiler: the damage caused by his memory crystals being stolen]] means he's for the time being limited to providing information and access to a (very dangerous) place where the heroes can find tools they'll need for the final battle.
* The Guardian of the Temple of Sacred Ashes in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' was one of Andraste's first followers, and thus, incredibly old. He acts as the protector of the urn, allowing only truly humble and penitent worshipers to visit it. The Warden is the first potential one in centuries. If the Warden completes the trials of the Gauntlet, they can approach the Urn containing the ashes of the prophet Andraste. However, the Guardian will attack the Warden if they defile it with dragon's blood per the wishes of the AxCrazy dragon cult.

* The Greybeards, Arngeir in particular, serve this role for the Dragonborn in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''. To varying extents, Esbern of the Blades and Kodlak Whitemane of the Companions are also contenders for this trope.
* The BigBad of VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity, Thaos is an evil version of this. His job, as given to him by the gods no less, is to make sure ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow stay that way [[KnightTemplar by any means necessary]] and he is willing to do all kinds of [[MoralEventHorizon atrocities]] to do it.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect1:'' Vigil is a sci-fi version, an ancient AI that's been waiting for someone to show up for almost fifty thousand years, just so he can explain about the Reapers. The next game indicates he deactivated shortly after his chat with Shepard.

* Phix in ''Webcomic/WapsiSquare'', keeper of the Bibliothiki (a kind of archetypal library presumably containing every book ever written) is a female [[spoiler:sphinx]].
* In ''Webcomic/RiceBoy'', there was an unnamed six-armed guy in the library of Seen. He pretty much lived in the library, and was almost done reading every book there.
* [[http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=041027 The Arachnaseus]] from ''[[Webcomic/SluggyFreelance Sluggy Freelance's]]'' "That Which Redeems" arc fills this role.

* Frostbite in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' where he keeps the ancient Infi-Map.
* WesternAnimation/KimPossible has two examples of this. Sensei from the Yammanuchi School keeps the secrets of Mystical Monkey Power and the Lotus Blade. Monkey Fist has a keeper for his mansion, who deals with similar secrets as Sensei.
* Dungeonmaster from the animated ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983''.
* Kuzco and Malina run into the Royal Chalice Keeper in the ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewSchool'' who has apparently been guarding a bunch of chalices (including a very important one) for a thousand years. He's very deprived of human interaction and is quite stumped when Kuzco (somehow) beats his "Choose wisely" on the first pick...

* In the film version of ''Film/AeonFlux'', one of these guards the DNA archive floating above the city.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

-->'''Malina:''' "We've ''got'' to find the Chalice of Eternal Power!"\\
'''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Very well... 'tis ''one'' of these!" *''displays entire table filled with chalices''*\\
'''Kuzco:''' "Yeah, thanks for narrowing it down."\\
'''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Take your time and choose wisely..."\\
'''Kuzco:''' *''picks up the chalice right in front of him after thinking for half a second''* "Gooot it! Let's go." *''leaves*\\
'''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Wait! You didn't take your time! Come back! Please don't leave me... my next coffee break isn't until October."

* In the film version of ''Film/AeonFlux'', an AncientKeeper guards the DNA archive floating above the city.

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'': One of the knights who originally found the grail in the middle ages has remained behind to guard the room where the true grail and many decoys are kept, kept alive by the grail's power for 700 years. He initially things Indy is there to relieve him of his duties, but gives information regarding the grail and its power.

-->"I guide others to a treasure I cannot possess."

* The librarian Mr. Atoz in the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "All Our Yesterdays". He offered to help the Enterprise landing party go back in time the way the rest of the planetary population had. (Note: "Atoz" was a joking reference to "A to Z", a logical name for a librarian.)

* ''VisualNovel/AnalogueAHateStory'' has the AIs *Hyun-ae and *Mute who assist you in accessing the logs of the ancient generation ship. Having experienced the ship's final days firsthand, they can also provide further clarification on the information contained in the logs - although being of opposite viewpoints regarding the ship's [[NoWomansLand feudalistic patriarchal society,]] their interpretations can vary wildly from one another. [[spoiler: Especially given that *Hyun-ae is actually [[BrainUploading a memory imprint]] of a FishOutOfTemporalWater girl who snapped and [[KillEmAll switched off the ship's life support systems]] - *Mute knows what she did and hates her for it, but she becomes sympathetic to her if you can show her [[TongueTrauma what drove her]] [[BreakTheCutie over the edge]].]]

* Vox 114 of the remake of ''Film/{{The Time Machine|2002}}'' might qualify.

* The Grail Knight in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'': "You have chosen...wisely."

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Film]]

* Vox 114 of the remake of ''[[Film/TheTimeMachine2002 The Time Machine]]'' might qualify.
* Aughra serves this purpose to some extent in ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''.

* ''Franchise/{{EXTRAPOWER}}: The fire majin of Magarda Volcano who has watched the Earth's history since the earliest days of the planet, and serves this purpose in ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce'' and ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERGiantFist''. In Attack of Darkforce, he primarily gives guidance to V regarding his ore heart, and reveals to Zophy that he has phoenix ancestry and an opportunity to unlock his blood to become a flame hero and a majin himself if he so chooses. In Giant Fist, he is approached at the end of the Magarda Volcano stage, and so serves an expository role for each of the player characters passing through on their route. Sometimes its to give a clue as to the nature of some plot element and point them toward the next objective, as he does when cluing Zophy and his friends in to a possible Latour connection; or to reveal some privileged knowledge, such as giving Wolf the secret backstory of the legendary hero Zophy.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''Videogame/HarmoKnight'' takes the Ancient Keeper trope UpToEleven by combining it with LivingMacGuffin, RoyalBlood, and DamselInDistress. Princess Ariana is ''all four''. [[spoiler:She is the only one who knows all about the magic staff]], so the 4 heroes are trying to reach her as fast as they can, but then she gets kidnapped by the BigBad, who was also after her.

* In ''TabletopGame/MagiNation'', the Orothean (uh, he's a merman) Blu guards the Archive, just as his father did, and his father before him, and so on until, apparently, the beginning of time.
** In the video game, the main character comes and opens up Blu's Archive and discovers a pair of magic boots. Needless to say, Blu was pretty disappointed to learn his family spent ten generations guarding footwear.

* The Keeper of Primus in Marvel's ''ComicBook/TheTransformers'' comic series.

* FanFic/TheNuptialverse has the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin appropriately-titled]] Keeper, an ancient Alicorn tasked with recording [[AkashicRecords everything that's ever happened, ever]]. She's so old, she doesn't even remember her real name or where she came from.
* ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni'' has Nameless, a giant feathered serpent who's watched over the evils [[SealedEvilInACan sealed]] in the Vault of Endless Night under Mexico City since before the conquistadors arrived.
* ''FanFic/DiariesOfAMadman'' has one in Athena, who guards a vast collection of the world's knowledge in her library within a PortalBook.
* The [[Fanfic/{{Cinderjuice}} Contractually Obligated Chaos series]] has the [[FairyGodmother Fairy Godfather]], an extremely old ghost with InexplicablyAwesome powers who is also the keeper of a lot of ancient knowledge. He even has the lost pages of the [[StockUnsolvedMysteries Voynich Manuscript]] and can read the weird writing in them.

* Dungeonmaster from the animated ''WesternAnimation/{{Dungeons and Dragons}}''.

Oh, before I do so, as an [[TitleDrop Ancient Keeper]], I am contractually required to ask you if you'd like to have a spot of tea with me, and then wistfully remark about [[TheAloner how extremely lonely I am]], not having seen a single living soul for several ''[[TimeAbyss centuries]]'' now. How do I manage to [[OlderThanTheyLook look so good despite my advanced age]]? Well, it's easy when one is an [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot android]][=/=]{{hologram}}[=/=][[OurGhostsAreDifferent helpful ghost]] [=/=] LivingRelic designed to [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith fulfill viewer's expectations]] of what an Ancient Keeper of Knowledge should look like[=/=][[JustForFun/SciFiCounterpart magical construct]][=/=][[WizardsAndWitches magician]]. Also, PurposeDrivenImmortality ''is'' part of the standard benefits package. Now if you would, walk this way...mind the creaking floorboards and that stack of stone tablets with the glowing cuneiform on it......

** ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'': 031 Exuberant Witness of Genesis is a nice change of pace. While she certainly takes her job seriously, she also sincerely enjoys helping people, and is willing to bend protocol to do so. She's also something of a {{Adorkable}} GenkiGirl. In contrast, the Warden Eternal, the apparent "Keeper of the Domain", is arrogant and rather dismissive of organic life, and turns out to be TheDragon to [[spoiler:a now-crazy Cortana]].

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* Impa and Sheik in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' are somewhat ancient keepers. Impa is first met as a kid, explaining she is of the Sheikah race, a race dedicated to serving the royal family. She informs you of Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, as well as teaching you Zelda's Lullaby, an ancient royal family song, before disappearing with use of a Deku Nut. Ironically, Sheik later does almost exactly the same, being a Sheikah who informs Link of the ancient temples, before vanishing with a Deku Nut. [[SecretIdentity But then again, does Sheik really count]]?

* The librarian Mr. Atoz in the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries episode'' "All Our Yesterdays". He offered to help the Enterprise landing party go back in time the way the rest of the planetary population had. (Note: "Atoz" was a joking reference to "A to Z", a logical name for a librarian.)

* Perhaps the creepiest example occurs in the ''Series/TwilightZone'' episode "Elegy." Three marooned astronauts stumble upon a world where people seem frozen in time. An AncientKeeper shows up and reveals that it's actually a giant cemetery. [[spoiler: He then takes pains to ensure that the three astronauts become its next occupants.]]

* ''{{Series/Merlin}}'' has the Fisher King himself being the keeper in his castle, and asking for a MercyKill when he has transmitted his knowledge.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Impa and Sheik in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' are somewhat ancient keepers. Impa is first met as a kid, explaining she is of the Sheikah race, a race dedicated to serving the royal family. She informs you of Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, as well as teaching you Zelda's Lullaby, an ancient royal family song, before disappearing with use of a Deku Nut. Ironically, Sheik later does almost exactly the same, being a Sheikah who informs Link of the ancient temples, before vanishing with a Deku Nut.
** [[SecretIdentity But then again, does Sheik really count]]?
** Impa serves the same role in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'', providing protection and exposition to Zelda after she falls to the surface and is pursued by the forces of evil. Simultaneously (thanks to time travel), she exists as an old woman guarding the Temple of Time and awaiting the Hero to help him.

[[quoteright:300:[[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lastcrusade-knight_5449.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:"You have chosen... wisely."]]

-----

* The Guardian of the Dragon in the Warhammer 40,000 Horus Heresy novel ''Mechanicum''.

* The old Crusader in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'': "You have chosen...wisely."

* In ''MagiNation'', the Orothean (uh, he's a merman) Blu guards the Archive, just as his father did, and his father before him, and so on until, apparently, the beginning of time.

Oh, before I do so, as an [[TitleDrop Ancient Keeper]], I am contractually required to ask you if you'd like to have a spot of tea with me, and then wistfully remark about [[TheAloner how extremely lonely I am]], not having seen a single living soul for several ''[[TimeAbyss centuries]]'' now. How do I manage to [[OlderThanTheyLook look so good despite my advanced age]]? Well, it's easy when one is an [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot android]][=/=]{{hologram}}[=/=][[OurGhostsAreDifferent helpful ghost]] [=/=] LivingRelic designed to [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith fulfill viewer's expectations]] of what an Ancient Keeper of Knowledge should look like[=/=][[SciFiCounterpart magical construct]][=/=][[WizardsAndWitches magician]]. Also, PurposeDrivenImmortality ''is'' part of the standard benefits package. Now if you would, walk this way...mind the creaking floorboards and that stack of stone tablets with the glowing cuneiform on it......

* The BigBad of VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity, Thaos is an evil version of this. His job, as given to him by the gods no less, is to make sure ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow stay that way [[KnightTemplar by any means necessary]] and he is willing to do all kinds of [[KickTheDog atrocities]] to do it.

** Impa fills the role once again in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''. She has spent the last century since the [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Great Calamity]] waiting for Link to wake up and come to Kakariko Village, where she tells him more about the history of Calamity Ganon and points him in the direction of the Divine Beasts.

---> '''Malina:''' "We've ''got'' to find the Chalice of Eternal Power!"
---> '''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Very well... 'tis ''one'' of these!" *''displays entire table filled with chalices''*
---> '''Kuzco:''' "Yeah, thanks for narrowing it down."
---> '''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Take your time and choose wisely..."
---> '''Kuzco:''' *''picks up the chalice right in front of him after thinking for half a second''* "Gooot it! Let's go." *''leaves*
---> '''Royal Chalice Keeper:''' "Wait! You didn't take your time! Come back! Please don't leave me... my next coffee break isn't until October."