Writing a walkthrough takes time, but based on the lovely emails you wonderful people send, written guides still help. It’s taken a bit of time to write this one up due to not having time, but here’s The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow walkthrough – a game from Cloak and Dagger Games and Wadjet Eye Games.
There are a few dream sequences in The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow but haven’t covered those in detail as they’re straightforward. Also, Tomasina has the option to tell the truth or lie. These don’t affect the outcome, so choose whichever you prefer unless stated here.
If you haven’t finished it yet, this guide will take you through 100% completion – a.k.a. the storyline and achievements. As with all guides, exhaust the conversations, take your time, and enjoy the ride.
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow Walkthrough
The start is simple: walk and talk, get to Bewlay station, and read your letter. A local will arrive, so ask for directions, then keep heading right until you get to the Plough and Furrow pub. Interact with the man outside and, when given the opportunity, slap him for an achievement. Go into the pub.
Before speaking with anyone, interact with all the plates and paintings by right-clicking on them (it’s achievement related), then talk to the landlord. Ask for a room, then select your coins and give them to him. After the conversation, go upstairs and click on the plate and painting on the bedroom wall. Take the jug of water on the drawers to the left and the matchbox to the right. Go back to the landlord and exhaust your options, then speak with Cyril on the far right of the bar.
After waiting for Mr Shoulder, buy Arthur an ale by speaking with the landlord, then hand it to Arthur. Use the jug of water on him once he passes out, then follow him into the toilet. Steady. Knock on both doors, leave the pub, and head into the alley. Pick up the glove and remove the wood blocking the door. Go back outside and head right to follow the stranger. Once he escapes, go back to the pub and get some sleep.
Adventus
Leave the bedroom and talk to Stanley the landlord. Exhaust the dialogue, then leave. Talk to the local to the right, then head left to speak to the children, then go to the church. Pick up the trowel to the right and talk to Mrs de Plancy about Father Roache. Go into the church and take the necklace. Leave, then take a left and head north and speak to both children, then return to the crossroads and take a left to meet the vicar. Use your handkerchief on the spectacles, then use the glass on the vicar. SAVE YOUR GAME. Talk to him about Leonard, and he’ll take you to his home.
When Roache stops you to ask about Shakespeare, select Hamlet (the wrong answer). Outside Leonard’s house, pick up a hen for an achievement. Talk to Roache, then interact with the stone on Leonard’s door to prompt a Shakespeare question. Select Romeo and Juliet for the wrong answer. Look through the window. Walk to the clothes and use the glove with the hanging glove. When Roache offers to walk back with you, refuse and then answer Much Ado About Nothing for The Fool achievement. If you’re going for 100%, load your saved game and then reply with the correct answers:
- Richard II
- Othello
- Romeo and Juliet
You’re the proud owner of The Scholar achievement. Save your game, then walk left and sit on the bench until an achievement pops up with Rest. Return to the church and tell Mrs de Plancy about Roache’s illness for an achievement. Go left to where you met Roache, then left again, then south and talk to the workmen about logs. Back to the crossroads and head south, then keep going left to reach the train station. Speak with Arthur, then return to the square via your map and head to the exit to the left of the pub. Talk to Henry, look through the window, then back to the pub.
Speak with Stanley and ask to open a tab, as well as ask about Leonard. Give him the silver necklace to open a tab. Go back to Henry and buy him a drink. Keep repeating until you get the achievement Hob’s Barrels. Go back to where you met the children by the beck (north of the church) and talk to the girl about her doll. Go back to the pub and take a right, and you’ll see Wally. Ask about Myrtle to find out about the Fair Folk. Head to the graveyard and go north and inspect in between the mushroom circle and use your trowel.
Return to Jane and give her the doll. Follow her until you reach the hole. Use the trowel to open the hole up. Use the match for it to go out, then return to the town and find Cyril. Buy him a drink, then go back to Henry and buy him another. At the pub, they’ll argue, allowing you time to break into the postmasters. Use the hairpin to break in. Once you have your gear, go back to the beck and use the chisel on the fossil. Go to the blacksmith in town and ask about the lantern. Trade the fossil for some paraffin. Combine it with your lantern, then go back to the hole to find Jane. Use your map to travel to the graveyard area and head north.
Walk right and knock on the door and talk to Mr Briden. After the conversation, show him your letter. Click on the gate to enter the fields. Return to Mr Briden to gain permission to dig, but you need to return to the pub. Head to your room, drink with Arthur, and see a cutscene.
Expiscor
Pick up the book and talk to Stanley, then outside, speak with Roache. Go to the crossroads and talk with Arthur, then head to where the workmen were cutting trees. Use the chisel on the resin to the bottom right, then go South once more. Talk to Mother Mildred, then head to Leonard’s house, meeting Arthur along the way. You’ll meet with Leonard on Margaret’s bench. After asking him all the questions, walk to the right to meet the Wilding and mention the bow. When she flees, find Mr Briden to gain permission to excavate. Give him the stone, then head back to town, speak with the apple seller, accept the apple, and then talk with Miss Tompkins. Go back to the pub, talk to Joe and then take a sugar cube. Tell Leonard you have permission, then attempt to take the knife out of the table. Leave the pub and speak to the blacksmith to remove it for you. Go into the alley and give the horse the sugar. Use the knife on the horse, combine it with the wax, and then the bow.
Go to the Devil’s Toe and interact with the girl. Tale the fiddle after the cutscene. Return to the Briden Farm, knock on the door and ask for milk. Pick up the bucket and use it on the goat. Go back to Mr Briden, then fast travel to Mother Mildred. After the cutscene, ask about a remedy, walk to the beck and take the elderflower from the shrub. Go to the church and speak to Mrs de Plancy inside. Outside the church, look at the bottom row of memorials, second from the right and use the chisel to get the key. Use it on the door to the left of the main entrance. Once at the top, take the flowers to the right and return to Mother Mildred.
Give Mildred the ingredients, then return to the square. Speak to Jane and give her the apple (combined with the worm). You may need to do this a couple of times as you need to swap the cowsbane with the elderflower on the cart. Take it back to Mildred, then take the remedy to Mr Briden, and you’ll get the milk. Return to the square and hand the milk to Miss Tompkins by the blacksmith. Talk to Ms Fenswick and then speak to the Lord of the house. After the conversation, leave, head to the church, and talk to Mrs de Plancy about the cakes. Leave and walk right to the graveyard, inspect the grave and cross and speak to the grave keeper. Return to Mrs de Plancy to find out about the flowers.
The flowers are found in the manor. Try to take them, and you’ll be told to bugger off. Speak to Ms Tompkins to hear about Mr Ambrose. Go to the square and talk to the chap outside the pub, then keep walking right. Use the knife on Mr Ambrose. After the dialogue, return to the scene, take the flowers and give them to Mildred for an achievement. Now the church and handing over the flowers to Mrs de Plancy. At the grave, when she asks you about fear, say “Not at all” for the Dauntless achievement. Go inside the church and take the basket, then go to the manor, and when James asks if you want to share the cakes, reply, “Why not”. Back to the pub! Talk to the patrons, leaving Arthur until last. Go into the alley to talk to Arthur, then once James leaves, speak to the horse for an achievement. Return to the pub and listen to the music to end the second day.
Incantamentum
Interact with Herbert for another achievement. Leave the room, speak with Stanley, and then walk to Leonard’s home. Outside his house is a small box – use the key on it. Return to the barrow via Briden’s Farm. Once inside, briefly exit to see Horace and crew have abandoned you, then use the knife on the flowers. Then, move the rocks, followed by the trowel on the boards. Follow the path until you get to two panels and a door. Use the chisel on the left panel, then place the stones in this order:
- Journal
- Shoulder
- Briden
Move to the next panel and click in this sequence:
i a w a b p a c a z
Next, use the trowel on the pot with a lid. Take the crank handle, then use it in the box on the far left. Take the glowing seeds. Use the trowel on the soil, then place the seeds inside. Take the pot on the right and use it on the water on the left wall. Pour it on the seeds. Use the knife on the wheat and place it on the right arm. Next, use the knife on the roots and combine it with the crank. Place that on the left arm. Leave the room and go through the door leading north. Inspect the statue on the left to get the serpent key. Leave and walk right, use the pot on the greasy substance and take the north exit next to the goat.
Take the coin from the top left statue. Take the severed hand on the right. Use the greasy substance on the crank second to the left. I didn’t get this puzzle at first, but the journal does state all eyes must face towards the seventh Archontic. (the middle one). Click on the centre bust to get a bust piece. Leave the room and place the bust piece on the panel in front of the goat. Go back to the cat (Herbert?) and give them the severed hand to get another coin. Exit and return to the room to the left and use both coins in the vessel. Inspect the panel below and push the third, fifth and seventh letters at the top row, then the last letter on the second row. All of these characters appear once, whereas the others are duplicated (it states this in the journal about singularity). Take the rod and the moon. Look at the wheel on the left of the wall.
Put the serpent key into the centre, move the Ouroboros rod to the ‘9 o’clock position’ and the serpent rod to ‘1 o’clock’, moving the dials to match that. Leave the room, head to where the cat was, and interact with the hole to get another moon. Put the pieces in the panel on the floor by the goat and enter the room it was guarding. Pick up the page. Use the trowel on the soil and take the horn. Interact with the statue head on the right, using the horn. Use the horn on the eye to pop it out, then pick it up. Place in the niche. Move the horns facing down to reveal a key that can be used in the recess next to the niche. Another key is shown in the left recess; take it and use it on the statue’s head. Next, use the violin on the hole that is exposed. Press the notes in this order (1 being the string furthest to the left).
1 3 2 3 1
The ‘dream’ sequences are straightforward, so I won’t list them. Walk through the door and walk through the door on the left. Pick up the page, then walk through the door on the right. Then the middle, then the middle again. Head into the entrance. As for the final chapter, Vindicta, that’s an epilogue to watch. How did you find the ending? I thought it was great!
Achievement List
Arrival – just show up.
The Slap – opt to slap Arthur outside the pub.
Into the Night – happens after Arthur’s disappearance.
ADVENTUS – chapter reward.
The Bloodletter – cut Father Roache using the glass from the spectacles.
Lockpicker – open the door to the Postmaster using the hairpin.
Fossil Collector – take the fossil by the beck using the chisel, then swap with the blacksmith when you want paraffin.
Hob’s Barrow – when you find the barrow.
The Scholar – get all the answers to Roache’s Shakespeare questions: Richard II, Othello and Romeo and Juliet.
The Fool – get all the above wrong.
Feathered Friend – pick up a hen outside Leonard’s house.
EXPISCOR – chapter reward.
A Moment of Reflection – sit on Margaret’s bench until the achievement pops up.
A Family Connection – Story reveal.
The Mystery Man Revealed – Leonard appears in the story.
Permission Granted – Get Briden to allow access to the barrow. Just ask!
The Abandoned Fiddle – pick it up when the Wildling flees.
The Swap – use your cowsbane with the market stall’s elderflower (need Jane to distract her by giving her the rotten apple with a worm in it).
Eunice the Provider – Briden will milk the goat once you get the remedy for him.
Elopers – get Mr Ambrose back to Ms Tompkins.
Dauntless – when at the grave with Mrs de Plancy, when she asks about death, say, “Not at all”.
Scandalmonger – after witnessing Roache throw up, tell Mrs de Plancy about it.
Romance on the Moors – accept James’ invitation to eat cake.
INCANTAMENTUM – chapter reward.
Herbert – interact with the cat in your bedroom at the start of the INCANTAMENTUM chapter.
The Seal is Broken – open the barrow – story-related.
Temple – uncover the temple.
The Goat Below – encounter a goat in a point and click?!
Ceasing the racket – play the violing to the hole in the temple (string order is 1 3 2 3 1).
The Final Descent – head down into the abyss.
VINDICTA – chapter reward.
Abraxas Rex – complete the game.
An Ode to Tondbert – look at all the paintings in the pub.
A Curious Collection – the same, only look at the plates.
Hob’s Barrel’s – keep drinking with Henry.
Cartographer – visit all locations.
Abandoned – exit the barrow once you go in to see Horace and crew have left.
Zoolinguist – after the conversation in the alley, the night before the excavation, when everyone has left, talk to the horse.
Hellebore – after meeting Mr Ambrose, return to the road, pick up the pink flowers and give them to Mildred.
Rest – sit on the bench on the moors until the achievement pops up.
