Archaeology isn't a field known especially for its glamor, it's slow, contemplative work. That made it a perfect field for the quiet Russell Neswood, whose research into Ancestral Puebloan society and economics (written alongside his brother, also an archaeologist) has marked him as an adolescent anthropologist to watch out for. Rusty, as his co-workers call him, is fairly no-nonsense about his work. Whether he's in the field digging up artifacts, or in a lab studying them, he treats his work with the utmost importance, and that's why his sponsors, the construction company Birchwood, brought him in, despite his youth. Rusty sees the real value in what he does - the past speaks, and though its voice may be barely a whisper, he's committed itself to making sure that its message is heard. Just... don't talk to him too much about written records. He's not a big fan of those. Thinks they create an unnecessary historical bias, and resents the precedence they seem to have over physical history.

But let's be real - no one's really interested in him for his dissertation on historic trade routes in the American Southwest. Much more topical is the role he and his brother played in shutting down an elaborate black market smuggling ring, one that had been looting artifacts and selling them to high-profile museums. So maybe there was some adventuring to be had, of the archaeological sleuthing variety, but Rusty just wants to make sure that the dignity of humanity's personal history is respected. Luckily for him, this does not often require him to enter the public eye - he much prefers to keep to himself, especially after an accident at a dig site that resulted in the death of his brother.

Rusty is, externally, quiet and serious - he carries himself with an intensity unusual for his age, which can make him seem precocious (or precious, like a child who desperately wants to be respected). This calm exterior belies a hidden undercurrent of passion that both drives him and holds him back. Detail-focused and analytical, Rusty's not too sure how to approach casual conversation, but that's okay. Silent company is just as fine; small talk isn't his thing.