THE SEARCH FOR MAAT

LEVEL BY ALI KESKIN (GROMBLE)

WALKTHROUGH BY ANYA MARIE MCDONALD

You start this level by falling down a pit. Lara screams just before she lands in water. Since you cannot climb up the way you came, swim through the tunnel. As the tunnel ends you emerge in a pool with a grassy block partly submerged.

Surface and climb upon the grassy block. You should be facing west. Look ahead and see a ladder on the wall. Go and climb the ladder. Once at the top of the ladder you see a coffin to your right. Behind you in the center of the room is a block with a spiraling light on it. Further exploration of the room reveals another coffin and
some benches in the corners of the room and an opening on the southeast wall. The floor of this room is not solid, as there are places where Lara will fall to the room below, so be careful up here. Now go and climb the block with the spiraling light and get the crowbar.

As Lara picks up the crowbar, get ready to defend her against a couple of skeletons that have come out to play. But since you do not have the fire power to deal with them, make a hasty run for the opening on the southeast wall. But, be careful because there is a deep pit near this entrance.

Now once you are through the entrance and beyond the deep pit, run down the ramp, but watch out for the second pit with spikes that will shoot up. So, jump over the pit and use a medipack as soon as you are at the bottom because of the poison darts that will have hit Lara on her way down the ramp. Go towards the bench to your right, but do not bother blasting it because it is empty. Instead, turn right and use the crowbar on the door there. Once the door is open turn left and go to the end of this passage and turn left again. As you turn into this next passageway deal with the golden harpy that wants to make a meal out of Lara. At the end of this passageway you come to a room with a pool. Further past the pool is a ladder(that's for later) to your left and to your right are coffins.

Ok, so let's go and get the first piece you will need later. Head over to your left and on the wall to your left is the first of 4
golden beetles you will need. Once you have the bug, head for the ladder, that is
unless you want what is in the coffin on the other side of the pool. But remember, if you go and get the goodie you will have to deal with two skeletal playmates instead of the one that will come to life as you near the ladder (your choice).

Now go to the ladder and through the door you saw opening in the flyby. Once you
are through the door you are in a room filled with water. Turn left and runjump to
the little ladder. Climb up and backflip, and you will land on a platform. As you turn
around you see a skeleton lying on the floor, so be watchful of it. Make your way
over to the right and all the way to the end. Now face to the south and runjump to
the ledge where the jump switch is. Once you have pulled the jumpswitch a flyby shows you where you need to go next. But, if you need more health, there is a large medipack opposite from where you are, so go get it if you need it. Either way, dive into the water and swim to the door you saw in the flyby.

There is an airhole just shortly after you enter the open underwater door, so get some air if you need it or continue on to the end of the underwater passage and up to the surface without getting air. Once you surface and climb out of the water you find you are in a room with a small pyramid in the center of the room with energy bolts flashing around it.

Turn right and go to the pool in the corner. Dive in and swim through the opening and
get the Wand of Life and watch the flyby of an underwater door opening up. Now return to the room you just came from and go to the pool in the southeast corner of the room and dive in.

Swim down and through the door and about halfway down the underwater passage go up and surface and get your second golden beetle, the goodies in the room and
watch the flyby of yet another underwater door opening. Then get back into the water
and swim to the end of the passage and up until you can surface again. Once you are
out of the water draw your guns and get ready to blast the harpy that will attack.
Go to the next room and get the Gem of Light off the pedestal. Then go to the ladder on your left ahead of you and climb up.

Now turn around and jump back, catch the edge and climb down the ladder into the next room. As you reach the bottom of the ladder turn to your left and go get your 3rd golden beetle. You will also see a flyby of a door opening up. So, leave this room and go climb the other ladder in the room where you got the Gem of Light. On your way to the other
ladder you will pass by the door you saw opening in the flyby, but do not go through
the door now. Once you are at the top of the second ladder go through the crawl space and into the next room. In this room is a pedestal with some goodies on it and two reach-in switches on either side of the pedestal. Go and pull the one on your left
(not sure what it does or opens); the one on the right unleashes a swarm of hungry
little beetles that will attack Lara, so unless you are a glutton for punishment do not pull it. Once you have pulled the switch, leave this room and go through the door you opened when you got your 3rd golden bug.

Once you are through the door it will close behind you, so you cannot go back the way
you came. Continue on in this passage until you get to the end and a door on your left opens. Go through this door and watch as it too closes behind you. It seems you are trapped in this room (remember with tomb raiding, things are not always as they seem). At the other end of this room is a place where you can place the Wand of Life, so go and do it. As you place the Wand of Life a flyby shows a block rising up. Turn around and you will see the block in front of you.

Go and climb the block and go up to the room above. In this room you see the Papyrus of Maat scroll on a pedestal. As you go towards the pedestal to get the Papyrus of Maat a swarm of little beetles comes out to munch on Lara, so grab the Papyrus of Maat, watch the flyby and make tracks out the door to your left with the beetles and a harpy hot on your tail.

Climb the ladder at the end of this passage and fall into a pool. You see an open door that leads into a big room, but don't go that way; go the other and swim up until you once again come to the room with the pyramid in the middle of the room that has energy bolts around it. Get out of the water and go to the pool in the southeast corner of the
room and swim through the opening. Swim until you can surface. Once you get out of the water you are in a pitchblack room. You can barely make out a pedestal in the distance when a harpy starts to attack Lara, so deal with it. Light a flare and head toward the pedestal. As you get near the pedestal you see that it is in a pit. Jump down into the pit and look for a place to put the Gem of Light. Once the gem is in place the room will light up.

Climb out of the pit and look for the opening and go through it. Turn left and go on until you have to turn right. You will come to a room with a black pyramid up high a little and three doors. Go to the first door on your left and get the 4th golden beetle.

Now that you have all four golden beetles, climb up to the black pyramid and place them
around it. Once the 4th golden bug is in place get the winding key from within the pyramid and go through the door in the east wall to leave this room and then through the door in front of you. Go to the end of this passageway and climb the ladder. At the top of the ladder you see a large room, and as you get closer to the opening a flyby shows you the room and a demigod waiting to do battle with Lara.

Deal with the first demigod and then with the second one and then climb down and get the Amulet of Virii he drops. Now go and climb the other ladder in the room. Once you get to the top of the ladder you see a place where you can place the Amulet of Virii, so do so and the door will open. Go through the door and the level ends...

(This is a great level, but I would have loved to have seen more to it than there was. Maybe the author will have a level that continues this adventure. One can only hope.)