Mack Stanton

"I don't like playing private eye. But if there's some artifact at stake—especially one that's the key to greater loot—I can't resist."

- Mack Stanton's journal

Mack Stanton was an investigative treasure hunter operating out of San Francisco. A specialist in artifact recovery, he became involved in a hunt for Jacob Carlisle and Carlisle's Chinese Foo dog sculpture.

Early life and education
As a child, Stanton was fond of tales of long-lost civilizations and missing treasures. This interest led, in college, to Stanton pursuing classes in archeology. However, Stanton had little patience for classwork and note-taking, preferring instead to engage in field work.

Stanton finally dropped out of college when presented with an opportunity to join a team to Central America that was searching for a long-lost city in ruins. While the expedition was little more than an opportunity for their rich patron to experience an exciting holiday, it further encouraged Stanton's interest in adventurous archaeological field work.

Treasure hunter
"I told her I specialize in finding antiquities, following tattered maps and clues from crazed shamans."

- Mack Stanton's journal

Stanton eventually set up office in San Francisco as an investigative treasure hunter. During his career, he located and recovered several stolen artifacts for local museums, and indulged eccentric millionaires in quests to find lost treasures. He also once traveled to Mexico City to prevent a rival "antiquities agent" from selling the ill-gotten collection of one of Stanton's clients. At one point, he was also approached to locate the lost tomb of King Midas, though it is unknown whether he took the job, as he regarded the offered pay as insufficient.

During the course of his career, Stanton acquired a number of items that peppered his main office. Among them were a tribal shield and spears, a blocky statue of presumably Central American origin, a statuette of a bird, and a map of Skull Island.

By 1935, Stanton primarily focused on recovering stolen items for one of the local museums, and on accompanying some of the more rugged expeditions into the field.

The Carlisle Incident
"A missing husband, a stolen statue, and a lost treasure. Right up my alley."

- Mack Stanton's journal

Stanton had just finished closing a case he had entitled "the Case of the Missing Mummy" on an otherwise slow afternoon when he was approached by Christine Carlisle. In a state of tears, Carlisle explained that her husband, Jacob, had been missing for days after they'd had an argument.

Personality and traits
"Look, I'd love to help you find Kin Midas's lost tomb, but not if you aren't paying me…"

- Mack Stanton

Behind the scenes
Mack Stanton is the player character for the solitaire adventure "The Carlisle Incident" in the West End Games book Indiana Jones Adventures. The adventure was written by Peter Schweighofer and illustrated by Paul Daly.