BtB 2020-14-THE HOLY SHELL.

 

Level by dinne.

 

Walkthrough by G&D Productions (Revised Sept. 2020 due to some minor changes in text, no changes in gameplay).


In this walk we’re NOT going to use the “True compass”, meaning the red needle is always pointing the way we describe in the walkthrough, just to avoid confusion.


Download the saves mentioned in this walk here. (updated version)

 

Secrets 1: to get that you’ll have to complete the Side quest; find the 21 Rosaries (Malae) throughout the level.

 

Lara’s Notes:

I should find an entrance to an old cemetery through a hidden passage in the mountains, but the entrance was sealed for centuries and I don't know yet how to open it...

And the notes go on…

In this area, zoologists found a rare species of spiders, which is extremely poisonous. I have only 100 bullets, so I'd better avoid touching their webs, saving my ammo for real emergencies... I don't count on finding any useful item here, this area is unexplored for decades.

Graffiti 1/4.

Go right around a corner into a wider cave and be aware of spiders (they are poisonous, so avoid spider webs); also you have limited ammo and health. So, we are used to just fire away with the pistols… you cannot do that here!

Go into the side cave SE where you’ll find 2 wooden fences. When you look through the right hand one (E, hold “Look”), you’ll get Graffiti 1/4.

Push the Boulder, Graffiti 2/4.

Back N to the wider cave and sharp right around the corner to the S (careful, spiderweb left when you go around the corner). Back flip onto the slope under the wall S, jump and grab the edge, climb up. Turn around, jump and grab the ladder and climb into a tunnel. Go (S) a bit and where the tunnel gets higher, grab up to the crack left. Back jump and grab the crawlspace, follow through keeping left to come to a big boulder left, push it into the shaft. Safety drop down after it and end up in the cave where you saw the 2 wooden gates. Go S where the boulder broke one of the fences and left into the tunnel, crawl as far as you can and press “Look” to get Graffiti 2/4. 

Through the Caves, Graffiti 3/4.

Go back N to the wider cave and right around to the S. As before, back flip onto the slope under the wall there, jump and grab the edge. Turn around and climb the ladder into a tunnel where we left off. Now go sort of straight S and coming out of the tunnel, where you can see a wall with a door in the distance, approach the door…

Those who will see through the 4 ages of knowledge will reach the doors to the afterlife…

Hmm, I hope to find out some inscriptions to solve this...

Turn around and go back through the opening in the wall, take a right. Behind the brown bush is a crawlspace, get in and left, look up W and get Graffiti 3/4.

Shoot Spiders, Graffiti 4/4.

Get back out, and once through the brown bush, take a right, climb up into the opening N and come to a pit (spider down there). Slide in backwards, grab and back jump over to the other side and shimmy left around the corner, another back jump and grab the wide crawlspace, watch out for the spider webs and at the end right are Arrows, but when you take those, three spiders come out (one round each). So be careful, maybe first just wake the spiders, hop back to shoot them and then take the Arrows. Nothing in there as far as I could tell, so go down N and immediately fire one round to shoot the spider.

I need to be careful with my bullets, I'm sure I won't find other magazines around.

Go up left and several spiders here you’ll have to shoot (6), try to use only one round per spider and watch out not to get bitten. Climb up at the end and come to a slope, slide and jump to grab a ladder in a shaft, go up left as far as you can, look left and you’ll get Graffiti 4/4.

Drop down onto the slope (savegame.0) and go straight to that wooden door we saw before, a cut scene takes over…

The Holy Shell.

Go in and left, (don’t shoot vases unless you really have to), go to the scripture on the wall, hit Ctrl and get:

"A list of Tibetan names, these must be Monks, buried here…."

The one in the other end is the same list, only hidden behind some empty vases.

2 Jump Levers, open the S gate and trapdoors

Go to the opening S, walk to the edge and hop back. Run jump and grab a crack in the Tomb. Ledge jump up twice, then drop/grab once and back jump across to grab a crack, go right around a corner till you reach a grey wall and back jump again, grabbing the corner of the Tomb, go left to the next corner and drop down 3x to the last crack and go left around the corner, as far as you can and the one grab back right. Ledge jump up twice, drop/grab down once and back jump (keep Ctrl pressed) to grab a Jump lever, opening the gate in front of you.

Now first turn left, get onto the ledge W and jump right around the corner into the chamber W, in the wall in front of you is a crack, grab up and back jump to grab a Jump lever raising some trapdoors at the Tomb, which will come in handy. Go back out, jump to those trapdoors and then to the S side.

The Rusty Key.

Go up the stairs and in the next room, in the far right corner, you can grab up to the lower part of the E wall (left of the bowl), that’s where you’ll find Mala (1). From there jump onto the central floor and go to the gate S. Approach one of the Tablets next to the gate and when you hit Ctrl…

"3 Buddha reincarnations for the new awakened era

7 Holy Fires for the sanctification path"

Jump from NE corner onto the wall and go through the opening in the corner. When you walk into the opening E in that room you’ll get a flyby of a Bell, ending at a Big Vase (later). For now go left into the passage S and pick up the Rusty Key left, go back out.

Opening up some shortcut doors.

Go left to that opening where we got the flyby and drop down into that place and open the small door N, go left in that chamber with the red pools we saw in a flyby before, and throw the lever to open yet another door. At the Well take a right and open the small door and this is the room with the Torches (for later), but in the left corner on a low crate is Mala (2). Go back to the Well, left through the door to the red pools and straight W to the Tomb.

Using the Rusty Key.

At the Tomb, look right and spot a Mala on the bottom, dive down and grab the Mala (3). Swim left to the W side of the Tomb and climb out on the trapdoors (you see?).

Turn around and jump into the W chamber. Once again grab the crack in the central wall, shimmy along the left side of the central urn wall and grab up right to the first niche with the urns, then ledge jump up and crawl in to get Mala (4). Go to the back of the chamber and open the door with the Rusty Key.

Go straight, up the stairs into the room with the columns and right around into the corner, face E at the chain pulley and use it. Back out of the room and left around into the passage where a door opened at the end. Watch out, Leopards there, don’t waste ammo, make every bullet count (3 each should do it).

Through the Caves, the Village.

Cross the bridge, there’s a strong side wind and the bridge isn’t too steady either… In the cave keep left and start crawling, where you can walk again keep going left and in one of the caves a loud Bang sounds and startles Lara. Go left and find Mala (5). Roll and go left again, over (or through as you wish, you can grab back up both sides) the pit and then left to a village.

The Bow, Merchant’s Key.

Go up the stairs and left, right around the house and climb up right underneath the beam in the back. Go W and approaching the house W, Lara will look at some rocks left, There’s a Key hidden between them. Can’t take it yet. Take a right and drop to the lower terrace, down some steps and shoot the crates in the doorway right. Go in and collect some Arrows from the back. Go out and straight to a small door, open it and go left up the “stairs” to a bedroom. When you approach the table between the beds you’ll get a message (the little tablets)…

Dear Jinpa, I’m sorry but I have to delay our planned meeting. Someone stole my Golden Lama statue I needed to sell to fix some economic troubles. Hoping to survive this plague, see you soon. (Esc)

Go up the next stairs SW, to another bedroom and open the door NE. In the guestroom on the left bed is another message:

Dear Tsewang, we’re experiencing immense difficulties in our village. The Black Plague is here, my son was a Monk and he passed away a month ago. He followed a painful purification path with other Monks before his death and he is now buried in our Holy Cemetery, where only those who attended this path can have the privilege to rest forever. (Esc)

Head up the stairs again to a trapdoor, face N to open it and climb up S to the loft and go S over the crate to the far corner and find the Bow and Arrows there. Back to the trapdoor (the rest of the loft only has spiders) and right of the trapdoor on the crate is Mala (6). Go back down to the guest room and loop left around down the stairs to a storage, on one of the 3 little barrels is the Merchant’s Key. That’s it. Return up the stairs, left to the bedroom, left down the stairs and make your way back to the outdoors. 

Go left down to the lower terrace, grab a windowsill in the house W, hang in the middle and ledge jump up to the roof, go right to a Jump lever and use it. Enter the stables, go left and pick up Mala (7). Turn around and head into the passage S, left are 3x Arrows. Leave the stables.

Swingpoles, the Rusty Key. 

Up the stairs NE again, left and right around, climb up under the beam, climb a ladder N to the higher street, straight up the ramp and right through a dark alley. Right around the corner and at the fence, Lara will spot some poles. Jump grab the one on the corner of the house swing and jump to the next with a right curve, then to the next and while swinging steer left so Lara moves left and jump to grab the next, steer left again and jump left onto the corner of the roof (savegame.1). Go over the top and look for a window in the E wall get through that. Go towards the doorway E and right behind the cabinet is Mala (8), now go into the passage E and right, open a small door and go left down the hole in the floor, follow the passage down and loop left around for another Rusty Key.

Merchant’s House.

Go open the double doors NW and go out, left through the passage into the courtyard E, open the door E with the Merchant’s Key. Go in and right to the SE corner, shoot the crates in that corner for Mala (9). Go up the stairs and right around into a bedroom and find a message on the bed:

My Dear Choden, I crafted two lion statues for your wedding, but someone stole them last night. I’m sorry, I will bring some flowers instead.

Cave, Revolver and Pickaxe.

Go out the window W (run right onto the crate below) and find Mala (10) on the chair NW. (Don't shoot here, otherwise enemies will come out. Better wait for the Revolver.) Head N into the alley (closed door) and go into the Cave N, slide down a bit and get a short flyby showing a crevice right. That’s a bit misleading as there’s nothing to be done there this moment, we need explosive Arrows there.

So, for now just slide down to the bottom of the cave, pull the dead guy away and pick up the Revolver and a Pickaxe (key in the rocks is shown). In the SE corner you can grab up to a crack and ledge jump up along the right hand side to get back up and out of the cave.

The Sight.

When you go back into the alley (S), that door will open and 2 Mercenaries will emerge, another one will come from the street S shoot them with the Revolver and pick up 2x Revolver ammo. Go into the house they came from and grab 2 First Aid Kits from the cabinet, 3x gurung breads, Pistol ammo and the Laser Sight from the table

The Shop Key.

Remember the burning stove here and go outside, right and in the far right corner onto the bale of hay, jump grab up into the window we came from, down the stairs in the Merchant’s house and SW and left to the courtyard go straight and past the double doors down right to the lower yard. In the far left corner are those rocks, pry the Shop Key out of them with the Pickaxe.

Go back E and right up the ladder, straight up the slope and right/left into a street with two blue doors. Open the one W, go in and upstairs, next to the bed is a message:

Dear Kalsang, despite the plague we’re making good progress My father discovered a new method to convert regular Arrows into Explosive Arrows for our guards, using Fire and some powder we got from a merchant. They explode on contact and it is very easy to craft them! We’ve got a small workshop for that on the Main square.

A Torch.

Leave the house and open the opposite door with the Rusty Key. Inside a flyby will take over of Torches and where to ignite them. Pick up a Torch from the oven N and go out of the house, go right, loop left around the fence though this street to the N, go straight N along the wooden hose to a gate, drop the Torch at the gate. Turn around go back a bit and look in the flowerbed SE for Mala (11).

Go W along the right hand side of the wooden house (workshop) to Main Square and left around…

This seems to be the workshop mentioned in that letter... I might try to bring some fire to see what I can get...

The Workshop, Opening Shortcuts for the Torch.

Go around to the opther side of the workshop (where you found the Mala), turn W and look in the left hand corner of the workshop for a closed window (wooden panel), jump up and shoot that panel (pistols will do). Get inside and pick up 2x Arrows. Open the double doors and go straight and at the column left to open the door there with the Shop Key.

Shoot two spiders as you enter. Watch out for more spiderwebs and go NW for Mala (12) on the counter in the back.

Ignite the Torch.

Then go to the NE corner and through the small door and on a yard with a small pool to the gate E and open it. Turn around and loop right to another gate and open that one to get your Torch. Turn around, loop left through the E gate to the yard where the Cave is to the right, go left into the alley and right into the house where you found the Sight. Ignite the Torch there.

Bring Fire to the Workshop. 

Go out, left, on the yard right and through the gate NW, right through the gate S and left to the Main square, right around into the Workhop. A cut-scene takes over…

Light the Holy Torches.

Lara now has explosive Arrows. With one Holy Torch already lit we’ll have to find 6 more. Go through the alley NE, right through gate N. To the W side of the yard with the pool and look up E to find Torch 2/7. Go through the passage E and just in the yard look up SE for Torch 3/7.

Little Detour for the House Key.

Now that we have explosive Arrows, go onto this yard and right, up into the cave N and slide down onto the lower ledge. That broken cage in front of you can still be used, run jump and grab the right hand vertical pole and turn right so the left pole is behind the one you’re on (out of sight), down to just a bit above the bottom end and back flip with roll to grab that crevice (Lara will not "roll" when you try it from too high on the pole - savegame.2-hold Ctrl while it loads). Shimmy left and just on the part where the crevice goes down again near the left end, back jump and grab the solid platform, it will lower down. Run jump and grab the climb wall N and go up into the back of the cave. Watch out, Leopard there, go left into a valley and shoot two Eagles (let them get close). Go to that little shack left and shoot the wooden barrier with an explosive Arrow. Go in and take the House Key from the hook. Go out and left around, and up two ridges there are some crates of fruits, in front of them is Mala (13).

Buddha Statuette 1/3.

Back to the Cave W, climb down and drop and grab back up out in the SE corner. Straight out of the cave and left through the gate. Left of the little pool is the door you can now open (with the House Key). Go left inside and it seems all stolen items are here. In the back you see two small lion statues and right is a chest, inside is a Buddha Statuette 1.

A lot of Mercenaries, Holy Torch 4, More Arrows.

Leave the house, go through the gate SE, shoot the bad guys and pick up 3x Revolver ammo. Go S through the street with the 2 blue doors and right, shoot a Mercenary left and one right in the alley, that one has Revolver ammo. The house with the swingpoles is now open and run inside, there is a Mercenary dropping Revolver ammo. On the bale of hay are 3x Arrows.

Hmm… I could convert these arrows too…

To do that, travel back N, right to Main Square and left into the Shop, go close to the stove. Go back out, left around through the alley, right through the gate N, left through the other gate and to the yard where the cave is to the right. Go left into the alley and right around the corner are three Mercenaries. One drops Revolver ammo, the other two came empty handed, from the crate in the corner into the window again and down to the ground floor where a Mercenary will drop Revolver ammo. Go out the door SW and through the courtyard and right into the house with the double doors where the Rusty key was (Yes, there was a shorter route but with less ammo pickups). Go S and left up the stairs, at the short ladder jump and grab up to the floor above and out to the balcony W, from the NW corner Lara will spot a guy on the roof below, shoot him. Look N and shoot that Holy Torch (4/7).

Hop over the fence onto the roof below, go drop down from the N side and make your way down the terrasses on the W side to the far S end where we entered the Village before, you’ll meet two more bad guys on the way. One in the open house left (Revolver ammo) and one on a balcony right around the next corner (you can take him out before he sees you and he has a First Aid Kit.

Back to the Holy Shell.

Now that you have raided the Village, head back into the cave S, right and through the pit, couple of bad guys on the first crossing, go straight, then keep right and crawl through to the canyon with the bridge, watch out, still windy. Halfway over, look right (N) and spot Holy Torch (5/7). Proceed over the bridge (It could be possible Lara still runs sideways, like on the bridge. In that case go back to a save and try again). Go left into the cave, crawl through and right through the door, follow the passage and go left to the burial chamber, straight to the Tomb.

Another Torch.

Hop to the trapdoors and go left (S) up the stairs. Grab up in the NE corner and go through the wall. Left to the opening in the other end and down into that room (camera shows a Bell in the ceiling). Through the small door N, left to the Well and shoot Holy Torch (6/7) there. That’s also the place where you can ignite Torches now. Go right (N) through the door and in the back right, pick up one Torch. Back to the Well and ignite the Torch, go out W and right. Drop the Torch in a safe place (not under that Bell in the ceiling), climb the block W and shoot the Bell with the Revolver and Sight. The Bell will drop and a rope will hang from the ceiling.

Grab up to a ledge on a column just E of the Bell and stand jump to grab that broken monkey climb up E, go left and drop to grab a crack, go around the corner and then 3 grabs left. Back jump and grab the rope, swing cross to the balcony and go inside.. Go left around the corner and straight E to find a lever on the left side, a door* opens where the Bell is.

Go left of the lever to some beds SW and find Mala (14) on the pillow. Detour for a Mala: Go N and in the middle of the room right into a passage (we’ll be here later too), come to a crack up right, shimmy left along the crack and drop at the swinging Blade. Make your way through the first two Blades (look at which side they hang) and look down right, shoot the Monk with Revolver, slide down and grab Mala (15) before the Monk recovers. Run into the hole and you are back in the red pools room. Get out and E and left to the room with the Bell.

Swim with the Torch, for Buddha Statue 2.

Grab your Torch and go into that door* you opened W, walk slowly into the deadly water and swim along the right hand side (don’t touch the dead Monks), almost straight and walk up to the ledge, turn left, walk to the edge jump up once and then hop back, run jump over to the ledge S and go right around the corner. Save and throw the Torch through the gap, be sure it is through and go back to the water. Hop back over to the other side and turn left. Stand jump grab SE to the monkey climb and follow into the next part of the cave, go left and get the Torch and go further into the cave, another loud bang when you enter a wider room. Go right and at the closed gate left and right are tow objects you can ignite.

Hmm.. this was clearly lit by fire back in the day…

Timed Swings. 

The gate opens and a chain pulley is now revealed under the wooden pole. You can leave the Torch here. When you pull the TIMED chain, the door opens at the other end of the passage up the stairs N. Face NE at the chain before you pull, turning a bit right sprint up the stairs and at the top of the stairs, jump grab the first pole, immediately jump off (no swinging), run jump to grab the next pole and swing/jump immediately to the next, jump off immediately and run jump to the last horizontal pole, jump and grab the wooden beam. Stand jump forward out of the hole and start sprinting through the weird passage avoiding the holes in the floor by zigzagging to get through that gate in the end (savegame.3). Go get Buddha Statuette 2 from the shrine.

Back through the weird passage, open the gate with the also Timed lever and get through the first couple of poles, to the left, in the niche where the big hole in the floor is, is a crawlspace with Mala (16).

Through the Traps.

Proceed further through the pole passage, down the stairs and straight, in the next room left and swim through the infected water. Wade up W and in the room with the Bell go up to the ledge E of the Bell again, to the monkey bars, the crack and the rope to get to the balcony, go in and loop right around into the passage to the Blades, grab the crack, go left around and drop. Make your way through the Blades to get to multiple Spike traps. The idea is to hop with Ctrl onto the trap when the spikes are down and jump up grabbing the bars, maybe go forward a bit, but you should still be able to see the spike popping under Lara and drop when the spikes are down, stand jump forward and do a running jump with Ctrl to go below the ceiling and to safety (savegame.4). Next is a chain with darts flying (I took the right hand one), you’ll have to try and time the Darts while keeping balance in a weird camera angle, just through the opening is another set of Darts (savegame.5).

A Gong Stick.

Go down the stairs into a room with a Buddha Statuette in a cage, right around the corner are crates with Mala (17). Use the lever NW to open the gate N and go through, go down the stairs and come to a room with a Crowbar door W, go straight to the far left hand corner (NE) and into the passage, at the crossing take the left side follow up to a small door right and go through to a Library, left around the corner of the wall is a Jump lever, opening a door near the crossing we came from. In the E wall is a shelf in the wall with books, that’s where you’ll find Mala (18).

Go back through the small door, left and down to the crossing, straight up the other end and right through the small door into a cave, shoot the Leopards as they appear and find a dead guy in a niche right, pull him away from some Revolver ammo. Go to the end of the cave where the Gong Stick will be shown on some crates  in a small cave across the broken bridge. Shoot the crates with the Revolver and the Stick is thrown into another cave (we can reach). Turn around, go back through the cave and just before going through the door, go left into that “cage” and get Mala (19). Go through the door, down to the crossing and left down to the room with the Crowbar door, open it and go over the bridge again, into the cave and just to the right is the Gong Stick.

Use the Gong, Break the Cage.

Back across the bridge, through the Crowbar door and to the back of the room, left into the staircase to the room with the Gong. When you give the Gong a good bang, the cage will lift after a bit. Save and hop in… be ready. When you pick up the Buddha Statuette (#3), the cage will close and Wraiths show up with a short cutscene; there are three blue spheres floating about in the room, you’ll have to shoot those to get things back to normal, but watch your health also (savegame.6).

Open the Big Gates, shoot the Big Vase, Drainage Handle.

Enter the door N again, down the stairs and straight through the room into the passage NE, left at the crossing and follow through passing the small door to come to a pit, grab the ceiling bars to get across. In the next storage room, go right at the wooden doors, just left around the corner of the doors is a lever opening them. Turn around and shoot a crate NW for Mala (20). Go E into the back and find the chain SE, this one will open the gates we can shoot a Big Vase through (one we saw in a cut scene). Go back and right around through those wooden doors you opened, in the E wall is the opening with the slope behind it, shoot the Vase down there, the Big one. Now be careful and slide down don’t touch the corpses and pick up the Drainage Handle.

Using the Drainage Handle, Gold Key.

Turn left (S) and swim into the opening, stay close to the bottom swim through and left to wade out near the room with the Bell. In the room with the Bell go left, at the Well right and in the storage room left in an alcove is where you can use the Drainage Handle. The Well is shown, go back there (S) and drop in and pick up the Gold Key. Climb out and go back to the room with the Bell, W and right. Climb the wall W and up through the opening above, through the room with the two pits and jump to the central floor of the next room.

When you approach the door S and hit Ctrl: 

3 Buddha reincarnations for the new awakened era (Done)

7 Holy Fires for the sanctification path (One missing)

So we need one more Holy Torch, turn around and look up on top of that big pole in the middle, shoot that Holy Torch. The door will open and inside you can use the Gold Key. A Bang and fire bowls are shown, get to the ground floor below and the new opening is S, go in and in the big Buddha room to the gate S, use 2 of the Statuettes there and the gate opens, but we cannot go in there yet because of a burning floor.

Using Statuette 3, the Fire Lever.

Turn around and go left along the wall to an opening with Spikes E, walk slow through the spikes and jump to grab the ladder, go up through a trapdoor (also opened by placing the Buddhas) and back flip to the floor above. Go straight into the next room (with the grated floor) and place Buddha 3 on the right hand wall. A gate** will open in front of a lever we go to now. Go back into the passage E, left and crawl through the low part, then take a left and left around the corner into a cave with vases. In the left wall is a crevice, crawl through and get out the other end. Here you are, at the lever controlling the fire in that room below.

Using the Fire Lever.

Throw the lever, get back through the crevice and right (E) into the passage, right and at the part where you have to crawl a loud explosion occurs. Baddies storm into the place and are obviously after the Artefact. (To play both possible endings, you could save here and try the other option later).

Good Ending (with the Secret). For the second option, scroll down

 

Well, those guys are on the burning floor aren’t they? Get back through the crevice to the lever and throw it back to the Baddies will fry… Then throw the lever back to kill the flames and get back through the crevice, E and right into the passage through the crawlspace, left E to the ladder and just run in with a roll, landing in water to soften the drop (exercise for the Bad Ending version). Climb up at the Spikes and walk through slow, Go into the passage S, pick up Mala (21) where that native dropped it and a screen shows where you can use it. Then climb up to the block to get the Shankha. When you go out of the room, a flyby shows where to go.

But we want our Secret reward, no?

Picking up the Secret Reward.

Head back into the Spike passage E, upstairs and to the room with the grated floor where the Buddha was used, go to the left wall where the eyes are and the wall will magically open up, follow the winding passage up to a beautiful cave and jump up the hill from the E side where the light comes in. Pick up Secret #1, the Quartz Skull. Make your way back down to where we left off, the big hall below.

Enter the opening caused by the explosion and follow through to where a flyby kicks in. Lara takes over, she knows you’re tired…

The End.

 

“Bad” Ending (No Secret).

After the explosion and the Baddies storming in, you’ll have to get to them before they destroy the Artefact. Crawl through the crawlspace, out of the passage left and just before the trapdoor and ladder, roll so you’ll drop backwards into the water below and can get up to the Spike traps, walk slow and you won’t make it in time… That Native destroys the Shankha and releases an Evil Monster. Shoot the guy and pick up the Shankha. Enter the opening caused by the explosion and follow through to where a flyby kicks in. Lara takes over, she knows you’re tired…

The End.