TR Forge Advent Calendar 2015 - Winston's Christmas Calamity

Level by AgentXP

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth, assisted by tartancroft's video walk.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

It's Christmas Eve in Croft Manor.  Run past the roaring fire and pick up flares near the Christmas tree.  Push the button in the N wall to open the door and trigger a raucous Frank Sinatra rendition of "Let It Snow."  Exit, turn right and go to the E wall.  Jump up to grab the crack and shimmy left until you can pull up into an alcove.  Turn around and jump onto the chandelier.  Jump NE to the next window alcove.  Push the button there for a panoramic view of the entrance room where Winston is cleaning up after a careless guest.  Jump NW to the other chandelier, and from there NE to the next window alcove for a chocolate bar (small medipack). 

Jump NW onto the landing and pull down the light fixture (a disguised wall switch) (1 of 5) for a downstairs cut scene.  Turn right and enter the guest bedroom.  Go through the phantom red curtain E and push the button to move aside a piece of furniture elsewhere.  Exit this room, turn right and follow the landing past the living room to a N door you can kick open.  Enter the sparse bathroom and find a chocolate bar in the shower stall.  Exit the bathroom, turn right and enter the dark opening in the W wall.  Go up the stairs to the attic, loop around left and find some flares in the SE alcove.  Run past the keyhole toward the piece of furniture you moved earlier (revealing a receptacle), turn right and find another chocolate bar in the NW alcove.  Nearby is a pile of TORCHES.  Grab one and find your way back downstairs in the darkness.  Turn right at the landing and go into Lara's bedroom (first doorway in the S wall).  Carefully light your torch in the fireplace, exit and go downstairs to the entrance room.

If you happened to choose the stairs to your left (NE), a message appears on your screen: "The drawing room switches have all reset..."  Presumably we'll learn the significance of that later.  Pause for more flares in the NE alcove, then take the right (NW) archway into the gymnasium.  Drop your torch near the light fixture in the N wall and pull it down (2 of 5) for a cut scene showing the same area as before (when you pulled down the first light fixture).  Go to the nearby NW corner and find a climbable wall (W).  Climb up, shift left and drop down onto a wooden platform.  Face S and stand jump to the pole.  Swing and jump to the next pole, swing and jump to grab the crack.  Shimmy left around two corners and pull up into the opening.  Turn left and jump up to activate the jump switch.

Safety drop to the floor and push the nearby button (S wall) to trigger a soulful (and rather cringeworthy)rendition of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Turn around and run NE to an alcove.  Jump up to grab the N crack and ledge jump up to the next crack (jump key while holding down the action key).  Turn around and jump to the S crack (down arrow key while holding down the action key).  Shimmy right around two corners and release and grab to activate the jump switch.  Return to the first crack, ledge jump up, jump back to the next crack as before, but this time shimmy right around just one corner. Jump back to grab the W crack and ledge jump up to the top of the pillar. 

Take a running jump to grab the S ledge and pull up.  Activate the jump switch to your right, then pull down the wall switch to open a door down below.  Jump back to the pillar and run jump N with a right curve so you'll hit the sloped surface and slide down backwards.  From the center of the slope, take a rolling back flip to activate the jump switch behind you.  Get back onto that same pillar by repeating your jumps beginning with the crack in the NE alcove.   Once there, run jump W and roll in midair.  Immediately jump when you hit the far slope so you can grab the ceiling.  Monkey swing all the way to the N wall and release to activate still another jump switch to raise a nearby platform.

Run up the nearby ramp, turn left and jump to grab the raised platform.  Pull up, turn right and jump into the dark NE alcove.  Push the button to move another piece of furniture and get back down to the floor.  Pick up your lighted torch, which should be near the door you opened earlier, and enter the pool area.  Go around the pool and light four wall torches (the camera becomes fixed each time, but you can restore control with the look key), then finally light that huge candelabra between the two pillars.  You'll hear the sound of a trap door opening in the pool.  Leave your torch in a safe place in case you need it later and find two huge vases in the NE and NW alcoves.   Pull out the NW one to expose a SECRET SANTA (1 of 8).

Jump into the pool and swim down through the opened trap door.  Pick up the FRONT DOOR KEY, pull out and go to middle alcove in the E wall.  Hidden behind the potted tree is a wall switch that opens a door in the main entrance room.  Exit the pool room and the gymnasium.  Run past the busily occupied Winston and open the front door with your key (the other door you just opened is to your right).  Go outside into the snowy night and turn right.  Go through the S opening and head SE toward the trees adorned with colorful lights.  As you approach the corner Lara's attention is drawn to the frozen pond.  Push the nearby vase N onto the ice.  Its weight causes the ice to break.  Jump into the frigid water, pick up LARA'S ROOM KEY and quickly get out. 

Run W along the rear of the house and find an open door near the SW corner.  Enter the kitchen and vault onto the table for a CARROT.  On the counter is a chocolate box (large medipack).  Exit NW to the dining room and loop around left for some flares near the pile of presents.    Locate the nearby light fixture (3 of 5) in the S wall and pull it down for a familiar cut scene.  Hop onto the long table for a chocolate bar.  Push the button in the N wall if you'd like to hear Bing Crosby's classic treatment of "White Christmas."

Exit the dining room, run toward the open front door and turn right to enter the SE sitting room.  Loop around right and pull down the light fixture wall switch (4 of 5)for the same cut scene as before.  Exit this room, run upstairs, head along the landing to the SE doorway and enter the guest bedroom.  Push the button near the bed to open a door leading to the balcony.  Step outside and find a chocolate bar in the plant stand.  Back in the room, pull down the light fixture wall switch (5 of 5), and that NE door downstairs finally opens.  Go on down there and enter the dark room to trigger this onscreen message: "Winston blew the fuse! I need to fix the lights..."

Go back upstairs into Lara's bedroom (SW corner).  Run past the fireplace and loop around left to use Lara's Room Key to open the door to the balcony.  Step outside and find the FUSE hidden in the plant stand.  Before leaving the bedroom, open the NW door to the bathroom and find a SECRET SANTA (2 of 8) in the shower stall.  Exit to the landing and turn left.  Run to the doorway to the attic and go upstairs.  Run back to the SW corner and insert the Fuse into the receptacle you noted upon your earlier visit here. Go back down to the NE room off the main entrance room, where the guests now have some light.  Lara looks to her left, toward the fireplace, as she enters. Locate what looks like a flashing blue flame NW (which wasn't there before you fixed the lights) and stoop down there to pick up the KEY TO WINSTON'S ROOM.

Before leaving, go past the guests to the left of the Christmas tree and pull down the wall switch.  You get a cut scene of Lara's bedroom, so go back up there and look in the alcove to the left of the bed for ANGEL'S BATTERY.  The name provides a clue where it's supposed to go.  Exit the bedroom, turn left and follow the landing all the way around to the den/living room (middle doorway, N wall).  Turn right at the entrance and go to where part of the bookcase has shifted to reveal the TEAPOT.  Reverse roll and push the button in the SW corner for a cringeworthy (presumably courtesy of the same "singer," although the instrumentation is pleasant enough) version of "In the Bleak Midwinter."  There's a chocolate bar between the sofa and the presents under the Christmas tree. 

Go up the W stairs and see the onscreen message: "Winston forgot to put the out fire for Santa..."  As Lara enters the bedroom her attention is drawn to the statute of an angel perched on a pedestal.  Find a chocolate bar in the nearby plant stand, then stand behind the angel, facing her wings, and apply Angel's Battery.  Another bookcase shifts its position nearby.  As you approach the harmless shimmering red apparition, another message (premature, this time) appears: "This Bible is one from the crypt, how did it get here?"  Pick up the BIBLE and see that the fire has gone out in the fireplace.  Locate the ladder there and climb up to the roof.  "Is that you, Santa Claus?"  Endure the pop tune as you run S to the chimney and pull up for a freebie SECRET SANTA (3 of 8).

Hop down and run back NE to find Santa and sleigh with only one reindeer.  Pick up WINSTON'S PRESENT between Santa and reindeer, then continue running NE up the sloped roof.  When you reach the E end, look down for a ledge and hop down for another freebie SECRET SANTA (4 of 8). Jump back onto the roof and head S for a chocolate bar on the lower ledge to the left.  Hang from the S end of that ledge and safety drop a long distance, sacrificing a good bit of health in the process, for another SECRET SANTA (5 of 8).  Safety drop to the ground near the front door and go back into the manor.  Up the stairs and continue NW all the way up to the attic.  The Key to Winston's Room fits the SE lock, so open the door and enter.  Lara's attention is drawn to her right, so place Winston's Present on the small table.

A door opens behind you.  Turn around and enter the small closet for the FREEZER KEY.  You know where that goes, so return all the way down to the main floor and enter the kitchen.  The freezer is around the corner to the left, so insert the Freezer Key in the lock and enter for this dire message: "No!! Winston is frozen again! He needs a cup of tea..."  Vault up onto the ledge and pick up the APPLE FEED.  Leave frozen Winston behind and return to that NE room downstairs where Winston had blown the fuse.  Just inside is a small Christmas tree on a round table.  Pull it back once and push it W to open a painting in the wall ahead.  Climb up inside and pull down the timed (but not tightly) wall switch for a cut scene in the main entrance room.

Exit this room, turn right past the stairs, go to the right-hand arch and turn right to go through the timed doorway and down the stairs into connecting rec rooms and a viewing area for the aquarium.  In the first room move the table underneath the ceiling hole, climb up and jump facing S to grab and pull up.  Step past the trail of dead fish and jump into the aquarium.  Look on the W wall nearby and pull the timed underwater lever to raise an underwater gate.  Flip turn and quickly swim all the way around counterclockwise to find some flares near the gate you just opened.   You don't have time for both, so if you want the flares you'll have to go back for air and pull the lever again.

Once past the timed gate, swim to an intersection.  To your right is a chocolate bar; to your left is an ornate tile where you can pick up the GARDEN KEY.  The gate ahead opens automatically into Lara's indoor pool, so swim up and pull out.  Your lighted torch should be somewhere nearby, so retrieve it and exit through the gymnasium and out the front door.  Turn left and go past the hedges and the fountain and enter through the opening in the N wall.  To your left is a closed gate and ahead is a closed door, both requiring keys.  Drop your torch in front of the closed gate and look for a NW alley next to a ramp, partially obscured by a dead tree.  At the end of the alley is a SECRET SANTA (6 of 8).  Go back and use the Garden Key to open the W gate. 

Take the torch inside with you (cut scene) and run forward to the monolithic monument.  Drop your torch onto the raising tile just in front of the monument and return to the entrance gate.  On the block to your right is a wall switch.  Pull it to raise platforms all around the monument, but only for a short period of time.  Hop onto the nearest platform, pick up your torch and start lighting the four wall torches.  Just for fun, see how many you can manage to light before having to go back and pull down the wall switch again.  When all four are lit, a trap door opens next to the N wall. 

Toss your lighted torch down into the shaft and climb down after it.  Leave the torch where it dropped for now and follow the passage to a pushblock.  Push it in to reveal a passage to your right.  Hop over the first hole (strong current) and the second (same thing) and jump into the water at the third hole.  Pull out N at the fourth hole for a chocolate box.  Jump back into the water and swim all the way S to find a timed underwater lever.  Pull it down, flip turn and pull out.  Jump over the second hole, into the water at the third hole and swim all the way to the N wall.  Swim up the shaft and through the timed trap door.  

Pull out into a dark room somewhere in the manor and face N.  Ahead are two phantom red curtains, one to your right and the other to your left.  Go through the left one first and pull back the table two times.  Get up on it, jump up right to grab the crack and shimmy right around multiple corners until you can go no further.  From the middle of the last block, jump back to activate the jump switch (cut scene of a door opening near a chandelier). Get back onto the table you moved, and this time jump up left to grab the crack.  Shimmy left around one corner and jump back to grab the next block.  Pull up, turn to face NE and take a running jump to the dark area behind the cross.  There you will find a chocolate box. 

Take a running jump SE down to a ledge, turn around and stand jump NE into the alcove.  Place the Bible where it belongs (cut scene of a door opening) and hop down to the previous ledge.  From the N end, climb down the ladder into an enclosed area where you'll find a chocolate box.   Climb back up and safety drop from the S end of this ledge (no ladder this time) into another enclosed area.  Pull down the wall switch (cut scene of another door opening near a chandelier).  Turn around, run to the S wall, jump up from the left corner to grab the crack, and ledge jump to reach the top.  Turn right and run off the W end into the water below.  Pull out and go once more to the table you moved earlier.

Get on the table, pull up left, shimmy left around the corner and jump back to grab the next pillar.  Pull up, light a flare and jump up SW into the dark alcove.  Step forward, grab the STABLE KEY, go back and jump SE around the corner to land on the next block.  With your back against the W wall, stand jump down to the chandelier.  Turn right and take a running jump with grab to glide into the S opening.  Pull down the wall switch, turn around and jump down into the water, pull out and get on that table you moved one more time.  Jump up left to grab the crack, shimmy left around the corner and jump back to grab the next block.  Pull up and run jump S to grab the next higher block.  Pull up, turn left and stand jump to grab the chandelier.  Pull up and run jump E to grab the next chandelier.  Pull up and run jump slightly NE to activate the jump switch in the alcove.   

From the ledge you land on, stand jump up SE two times into an alcove with a SECRET SANTA (7 of 8).  Get back down to the floor and finally it's time to enter that NE red phantom curtain.  You're greeting with a message telling you: "I need to pull this switch twice." Translated, this means for you to pull the wall switch down, then pull it back up.  Do so (cut scene of the pool each time) and jump into the water, down through the trap door and swim all the way S (cut scene of the trap door closing).  Don't pull the underwater lever now, but pull out S and return to where you left your torch.  Use the ladder to climb back up to the courtyard, exit E and turn left to that closed door.  Use the Stable Key to open it and go inside to greet a stately horse.  Offer it the Apple Feed, mount it and ride outside.

Go through the S opening, turn right and ride W along the narrow alley and up the ramp to strains of "Sleigh Ride."  Continue until you reach an open area with a closed gate to your right.  Dismount and vault up next to the snowman.  Stick the Carrot in its nose area and the gate opens.  Get back on the horse and ride on through.  An onscreen message tells you: "Shop's closed, maybe the delivery guy left something outside..."  Turn left and ride over the pond to break the ice.  Dismount and retrieve the TEA BAGS.  From the pond, go S and pull up onto a block just behind a snow-covered tree.  Pick up the SECRET SANTA (8 of 8, congratulations).

Get back on the horse, note the red mail receptacle on your way out and ride S through the open gates.  Continue S up the snowy ramp and turn left on the other side to ride E until the end of the hedges.  Turn left there and ride N through the opening to the front door of the manor.  Dismount, enter the manor, go to the kitchen and into the freezer where Winston remains frozen, combine the Teapot and the Tea Bags to make the POT OF TEA, and offer it to poor Winston.  He thaws out instantly, all is well, the party's on, and everyone has a Merry Christmas.  Enjoy the concluding flyby.