LBAC 2020 - LARA’S BUSY CHRISTMAS: ‘A SCARF STORY’.

Game by Jesus C. Croft

Walkthrough by G&D Productions.

Savegames mentioned in this walk can be found here

Chapter 1: The Manor Part 1.

10 Secrets.

23rd of Dec, 09:38 PM…

A Pistol.

In the S side of the Main hall is a cabinet with a Medipack on top. From the Main Hall, go (W) up the grand staircase and left, left and open Lara’s quarters to the right, follow through a hall with relics and open the door right. Take a right into the wardrobe and in the right hand wall are some shelves with a Pistol. The shelves on the other side have Pistol ammo. Word of warning: do not waste too much ammo.

Opening a Gate.  

Pull that Chinese cabinet (W) out from the back wall twice in one go (in case you stopped pulling and cannot move it again, push it back and try again) and push it right (N), pull it towards the entrance a couple of times and climb on to hop up to the top of the wardrobes, grab Secret #1, a Gold Bar. Push the cabinet over to the other side and get on top of the wardrobe there, pick up a small medipack and go through S, shoot the cover of the fuse box (you’ll have to select the Pistol from the inventory first time) and flip the switch to open a gate*.

The Office Key.

Get out of the wardrobe and go straight up through into the bedroom. Behind the bed is Secret #2, a Gold Bar. Go left of the bed, duck and shoot the crate in front of the door, first pick up the Pistol ammo and then get close to shoot the wooden boards. Open the door and go down, shoot that nice vase and the gate opens, go in to get the Office Key. Back to the Main Hall, left to the grand staircase and straight over to the other landing, right to the last door left and open it, follow through and open the last door left with the Office Key.

The Office.  

On the left wall is a ladder up to the bookcases. Look right of the ladder and find a bookcase with a book sticking out, push it (1). Go up the ladder and left around to find a book, push it (2), left around again to another book, push it (3) and a wall lowers right of you, hop in there and find small storage. Stand close to the two crates right and shoot them for a small medipack and Pistol ammo. The gate on the left (W) was opened when you flipped the switch* behind the wardrobe.

Catacombs.

Go in and right, stand jump and grab the pipe to swing over the steaming hot grates. Climb up right, go right at the closed gate (Secret later) and push the crate down from the lower one and onto a trigger pad, another gate opens. Jump down and go right (W) and then left and follow through to come to the Catacombs under the Mansion, into a cave with pillars.

Several routes you can take here, this is how we did it. Walk left and safety drop from the end, climb down the ladder on the side of this pillar and once down turn left (N) and climb the shed. Go to the wall and safety drop down left, roll and jump at the end over to the ledge (W) where you can shoot a crate for some Pistol ammo. Hop down from the end and throw the floor lever there to open a gate, way up N. Drop to the floor, shoot the planks under the lever and grab Secret #3, a Gold Bar.

Go E, grab back up to the ledge where the ladder is and go up. Walk to the NW corner and hop around the corner of the pillar and from the N side you can grab back up to the entrance ledge. Run-jump and grab the pillar with the stone band (W), go right around and back jump to grab the sloped pillar, pull up, slide and jump to the ledge at the open gate. Follow through, through a pit and up the other side to a crawlspace in the corner, hang out to the right and back jump to grab a pole. Swing while steering left and when Lara is at the ledge end of the pole, jump to the ledge. Stand jump to the next pole and swing to the opening, push the rock out of the way.  

From the next opening a run jump to grab the pole, swing and jump to the pillar. Take a stand jump to grab the next pole and swing to jump to the ledge at the closed gate. Go up the ladder and drop/grab so you can shimmy left along the crack. Just around the corner a back jump to the corner ledge, Stand jump/grab the pole there to swing (just once) and jump onto the broken top of the pillar. Run jump S onto the triangle pillar, There don’t use that pole, but just run jump left of it into the crack E. Use the chain pulley to open the gate below. Run jump back to the pillar SW, right to the pillar N, hop right to the ladder and climb down.

Go into the open gate on the right and come to a small utility room, hop onto the crates to shoot the boxes and get a small medipack and Pistol ammo. Get up to the first floor and flip the switches on the two light posts N and S. A message by dear Papa will be revealed  

“Lara, my dear daughter. Count to ten and do that again. 1964 was a special year and to sum up to avoid a tear. Poor Amelia was taken from us, that’s thirty two years to subtract thus”. R.J.C 

(Spoiler, select text to show 10+10+1964-32=1952). Use that code on the code pad S and the door will slowly open. Go up to another utility room and hop over the barrier so shoot the fuse box, flip the switch opening another gate** (in the catacombs).

Back to the Cave with the Pillars.

Back out of the room, down in the next and out W, run right onto the protruding ledge and go up the ladder, left along the crack as before and back jump to the corner ledge. Hop and grab the pole; swing to the pillar and jump using another pillar to the balcony W, safety drop down into the doorway. Through the room with the rock and stand jump grab the pole, swing/jump and grab the ledge in front of the now open gate.

If you want a secret, go in, jump to the pillar, grab Secret #4, a Gold Bar and immediately hop back grabbing the edge, back jump and grab the exit. Go back up to the open gate.

Run jump and grab the crawlspace W (ignoring the pole) and go through, through the pit with the ledges and to the open gate leading to the cave with the pillars.

Cave with the Pillars, Power Up.

Without the next Secret: Run jump SW (with Ctrl) into the gap in the pillar and run down NW, from that ledge run jump and grab a pole S and swing to the ledge ahead.

With a Secret: From entering run jump left onto the entrance ledge (SE), walk S and stand a step back to jump and grab the pole. Swing to the gap in the corner pillar; turn left and hop back, grabbing the edge. Do a back jump and grab the pole and use the poles to get to the next corner pillar. Turn NE and jump down onto a ledge on the pillar there to grab Secret #5, a Gold Bar. Turn around and hop down SW to the corner ledge.

In the corner, under the pillar is a gap you can crawl through, reaching the gate** you opened. A utility room, straight is a closed door, to the right a big rock (N) push it aside and use the floor lever. The cage left opens up, get in there from the wooden ledge, shoot the cover from the box and use the switch to trigger the alarm (or power), something is shown on daddy’s laptop in the office. 

Back to the Office.

Crawl back out to the ledge, stand jump and grab the pole N and swing to the ledge ahead, Jump to grab the crack in the pillar on the right and ledge jump up to the top. Jump/grab the crack in the right hand pillar (E) and go around to the other side to back jump onto the entrance ledge.

Follow the passage up to the steaming pit and take a right through the gate.

In the small storage up onto the crates and left through the opening, to the right a gate opened and inside is a crate containing Secret #6, a Gold Bar.

Leave S and hop out to the balcony, down the ladder to the ground floor. Push daddy’s chair aside and use the laptop to open a secret passage. Go in and find another code pad (notice the little grey part left side, a Mayan code) we don’t have the code for yet. Follow the passage to a room with a statue and a burning candle. To the right is an Old Video Tape (Croft Data) and to the left is the Manor Key. That’s all we can do for now, so return to the Office and leave (S), go right and follow back to the Grand Staircase, go down to ground floor.

Loop around to the left and open the door on the right. Follow down all the way and when you arrive at a double door go behind the plant on the left for Secret #7, a Gold Bar (Notice the 2 receptacles and big door). Head back to the Main Hall.

Go opposite the Fireplace (S wall) down the steps to the door you can open with the Manor Key.

Once through, take a right and go all the way to the end to find Secret #8, a Gold Bar behind a chair in the left corner. Go back to the big doors. Take the E side corridor, follow through and in the hall with the Christmas trees you’ll find Secret #9, a Gold Bar behind a potted plant SE (you may have to duck).

Two Jump Switches, the Dining room.

Go to the bookcase NW, jump/grab up and ledge jump up to the top of the painting of Queen Charlotte of Great Brittan and Ireland (1771), shimmy left around the corner to the next corner and ledge jump up. Go left to where you cannot go further and go one grab back to be lined up for the switch (little battle flag) and let go and grab to pull it.

Go up the same bookcase, climb jump up and shimmy right to (Charles I), ledge jump up and shimmy passing a second balcony. Drop down to Adam and Eve and go right. Shimmy around to the far end and ledge jump up, right around and to the end, one grab back and use the switch. 

A door opens left (E), enter and open a door to come to the Dining room. Left on a cabinet is Pistol ammo, then go to the projector and insert the Old Video Tape (face E). No need to make notes, when you leave the dining room; the code will appear in the inventory. On the other side (S wall) is a small medipack on a cabinet.

Go back to the Office (out the dining room, through the corridor into the sitting room, to the left up the stairs, right up some more stairs to the great hall. Up the stairs left there and then to the right, follow through the corridors to the end and you are back at the Office. Go into the Secret passage to the Code pad (NE). (Spoiler, select text to show: The code translates to 2571, but then you’ll have to read in from the bottom up, so, 1752).  Enter the code and the door behind you opens up.

In that long forgotten Storeroom is a chain pulley left (NW) opening another panel in the Library.

Behind the suitcase (N wall) is Secret #10, a Gold Bar. Go out and right back to the Office, up the ladder and around to the opposite side, hop into the opening (E) and slide down…

 

Chapter 2: The Undergrounds.

8 Secrets.

Dec 23rd, the undergrounds of the Manor.

The Laser Sight.

To the left is a relay station, from the higher ground in front, stand jump up onto the roof and drop inside, down again and in the next room find a Medipack left. Use the laptop and a gate opens behind you. Inside are 4 switches, flip only the good ones, not the burned-out one and another gate opens. Go out and right to pick up the Laser Sight. Before you leave, shoot the box next to the entrance to get some Flares. Go back up out of the relay station and head S, passing the opened gate, keep right in the end and shoot a box for a small medipack. Go back to the open gate.

Filling the Basins, open a Big Door.  

Slide down even further underground, there are 4 basins here, all are empty. Go straight and down the stairs, the next place has a big central pillar, go to the right hand side, grab up to a crack and pull up in for some Pistol ammo. Seems you can only jump out, so turn around and use Alt and forward to jump out. Go to the backside (E) and at the right hand corner grab up to a crack there, shimmy left and ledge jump up to the top. Straight in front, above the lions head is a small grey ornament. Shoot that and turn around to spot a second ornament, shoot it too and use the two chain pulleys that became available. Now pull the other two chains and the four basins will fill up. More pillars go down. Go down using the crack and head up the stairs, loop left around into the passage S. Make your way through the stompers (you can also use the poles to have some fun) and use the chain in the next room, a gate* lowers. Return through the passage with the stompers and up the stairs. Take a left through the gate* you opened. 

The Big Pit.

Go down a huge staircase, stand left and hop to grab the crack, drop/grab down and go right around to the other side. Back jump to the next pillar. Go right around one corner and back jump over to the other side, left around one corner and back jump. You’ll probably catch the higher crack, if not, ledge jump up and go left around two corners. Back jump to the other side again (and when you look through that gate left, you can see a Gold Bar). Go right around the corner, well you know the drill by now… when you reach a gate back jump to a crack and get on the pillar. Hop to the front part of the one with the stomper (safe there).

Detour for a Secret: Hang from the edge, shimmy left to the corner of the wall and drop/grab down, go left and drop in a passage, climb up and hop the tiles across the room to the S side, left and around the corner is Secret #1(11), a Gold Bar. Go back over the tiles down to the pit and at the edge of the Pit, grab up left to the crack, shimmy right and up to the front of the stomper ledge.

Hop and grab the crack in the W wall, go right to the next stomper and back jump, go just left around the corner and back jump again. Left around the corner and back jump to a pillar between the stompers. Ahead is a whole series of those things, let’s find out if we can pass underneath. Hang from the pillar, drop/grab down and back jump grabbing the other side, left around and drop on a ledge. Jump and grab N; go left around corner to the end where you can jump up and grab the floor. 

Around the corner you don’t have to use the pole, run jump just right of it and curve left to grab the other side while boulders drop. If you decide to use the pole you just have to be fast and immediately jump off. Go left up in the next tunnel and avoid the boulder trap. Follow up till you reach a side room of the place with the basins, pull Main Chain (for the Big door**, the flyby will show where to go). Now use the other chain in a nice W and a gate lowers as a shortcut. Go into the room with the basins and left towards the staircase there. Go left of the staircase.

Section E with steam vents, to the Big Doors.

From a rock in the corner, hop up into the alcove left in the N wall, go into the back and climb up right (press duck while you climb up). Hang out at the other end and time the steam vents as best as possible while you shimmy right to where you can then pull up. Turn left and pull up in the crawlspace. Crawl along the edge and in the back hang out to shimmy round the corner.

Pull up in for Secret #2(12), a Gold Bar.

Crawl or shimmy all the way left, drop at the steam vent and side flip left. From a flat ledge grab up S, walk left a bit and turn W to grab up even further.

To the S is the Big Door** you opened (well, partially). Go through and follow to an opening in the floor, safety drop down onto a rock. In the two niches in the N wall, left and right of the rock are 2 Pistol ammo pickups. You can jump and grab the corner of the niche from standing on the rock. Shoot the two ornaments above the heads of the Neptune statues and go through the next doors.

Huge Hall with the Fish Puzzle.

There are more ways to go through this part, this is the route we took, for the alternate, see below (Alternate route)

Turn right, stand jump/grab the pole and swing the poles to the left so you can jump to that stone beam. Turn right and hop onto the ledge in the wall, turn left and hop to grab the slope, pull up and jump to the next ledge. Stand jump out with a curve to grab the last pole and swing to the ledge. Follow the ledge around to the far SW corner (watch out for gaps) and swing two more poles to get to a gate on the right. Shoot the vase to get a Medipack and then turn around, go straight to the Fish statue (N) and push it off the ledge.

Alternate route: from the entrance jump into the pool below, get out of the water W and go S to climb the ladder, this way avoiding all those dangerous jumps and poles... but what’s the fun in that, eh?

After pushing the statue down, turn around, go left and swing two poles (E), the next opening right has a floor lever and a block will go down.

In the right hand corner is a hole in the wall with Secret #3 (13), a Gold Bar.

Back out to the ledge and right, swing one pole to the ledge in the corner, grab up left and shimmy left around corners to an opening in the wall. Go in and find a second Fish statue, push it out of the room and down (W). Jump out to the beam ahead and then a nice dive into the large pool below. Get out on the low side E, go left and make your way to the floor lever in front of the statue N, draining the pool with that lever.  To the left of the statue (NW corner) is a Medipack.

Go back over to the right (E) side where that statue you pushed down is and move it around to get it into the drained pool too (near the S wall is a small medipack). Once the statue is down in the drained pool, do a run jump down into that sink where all the water went in. Climb out (E) and move the statue onto the different looking tile N of it, a gate is shown. Go SW and move the second statue there onto the second tile and the gate* opens up.

Now go N and left where you see a slope with a column behind it, from the slope grab up into the niche N and go up once more left, hang out above the steep slope and ledge jump up and grab up left. Go jump the ledges to the S and find a pillar with a ladder there. Go up and use the same route to get to the SE corner, by using the poles, then left along the cracks and into the room there. To the left and jump out to the bridge, go right around up to the gate* you opened. Follow through and down some steps and take a right.

Wind Tunnels.

Strong crosswinds here, hop over, run left against the wind, hop over and run right against the wind to jump to a safe corner. Go on like this till you come to a Hall with a large trapdoor in the middle (save.0).

In the back are two niches with vases, shoot both for 2 small medipacks. In the NW corner, left of the entrance is a small slope in the corner, stand on it to grab the crack in the pillar, ledge jump up once, hang left at the corner and back jump to grab a pole. There is also a wind blowing in this room so be prepared.

You’ll have to get to the end of the pole. (If Lara refuses to do so, turn her around (down cursor) and she will be at the tip, turn around again and proceed), swing and jump with a left curve grabbing the next pole, then onwards to the crack in the next corner pillar, ledge jump up and go right around to the wall. Those steam faces hurt you, so watch your health… Pull up at the wall and run jump W to grab the pole, hanging left then jump with a right curve to the next and then to the corner pillar again. Well you know the drill by now, time the steam faces and swing the poles to get to an entrance up in the NE corner (save.1).

Grab up right in the back of that passage and ledge jump up. Upstairs loop around left into a room with a floor lever, when you use it, that big trapdoor opens up and will provide a vertical updraft.

Behind the statue is Secret #4(14), a Gold Bar.

Go out and onto the balcony. Stand on the edge and hop back, run jump straight W and the updraft should carry you into a passage in the upper region. Follow the passage to the Hall of Fire.

Upper Region, Hall of Fire.


First go right around, hop into the water in the back and find Secret #5(15), a Gold Bar in a niche S. Swim back to the front of the structure.

Between the two lady statues in the water (E) is an opening, swim in and keep right, then left to pick up Pistol ammo. Swim back out and look W, the second tower in the back has underneath a Medipack and also a small medipack. Go get those and come back, climb out at the stairs and go up to the terrace. Throw the two levers between the columns and the place will fire up. Looks like we first have to get to an opening up N, from the stairs NW you can jump to the tower.

Hop onto the block N of the pillar, stand back from the pillar and stand jump to grab the ledge at the back side when the flames are on the other side, pull up and quickly turn left, run against the pillar and grab up to the top. Run jump and grab the ledge N, inside are two vases, left is empty and right has a small medipack. Pull the chain in the back and a gate lowers across the cave (you can see Lara in the distance). Go out, run jump down onto the ledge right of the pillar (or go through the water and back up there). Run jump over to the S Tower, go around to the S side and grab up to the ledge, hang above the water, right hand corner and pull up when you can, turn a bit right and hop up to the next ledge, get to the other corner, turn left and hop up, turn left, run against the pillar and grab up before the clockwise flame gets to you (save.2).  

Jump over to the open gate (no Ctrl), go in and right to use the chain igniting the last pillar and opening the gate W. This time I jumped into the water, got out at the stairs and jumped from tower to tower to get to the W one. This one is even higher, but the principle is the same Face W, jump/grab up when the flame passed and run to the other corner, turn left and hop up, run to the other corner, and so on. Wait on the third ledge; you are between flames. Hop to grab the thick ledge, go right around the corner so you can watch the flames, ledge jump up when the time is there, run up against the pillar to grab up to the top. Run jump over to the structure.

A Detour for a Secret: Go left to the S side and at the corner left you’ll get a view of the next Secret. Run jump onto the rock and grab the edge as you slide off, shimmy left to the end and pull up to stumble up onto the roof. Go get Secret #6(16), a Gold Bar. Hop down into the pool, get out on the stairs (NE) and make your way over the towers to the last one W. Go up as before and jump to the structure W (save.3). 

The Sacred Crosses.

Enter and at the small pool loop around left, go up through the crevice and down in a hole to find Pistol ammo. Get back out and stand in the N side of the pool looking S to shoot that round ornament above the pool, look up above the entrance (E) to shoot a second ornament, the door behind you opens up. Go in and left through the opening in the fence to get the Sacred Cross there. A gate opened behind you, inside is a floor lever opening another door at the small pool 

Behind the wall with the statue is Secret #7(17), a Gold Bar.

Go back to the small pool and through the door you opened on the left (N), Lara takes over. Get some air, light a Flare and dive down E into the steep tunnel, just follow through and left, then straight through an opening and get up in the Drained Pool. Go N a bit and left, from the slope into the niche, hang out and ledge jump up. Get up to the floor and a rope is shown on the upper ledges. Jump the ledges to the S, up the ladder on the pillar. Right and right, two poles to the corner ledge and follow the ledges with some jumps to that rope. Face W and swing high to jump and grab the crack in the pillar, ledge jump up and jump into either one of the openings left or right. Go into the back, a passage with stairs down to a room with Fire Heads, vases are empty.

Dive into the far right (NE) pool, swim through a crevice S to a room with Secret #8(18), a Gold Bar. Get back out.

When you look at the faces on the pillar behind the Fire heads, you’ll see the tongue is a switch, but only 3 of them have those and they are TIMED. So from the entrance best go left or right around, push and hop back turning towards the next switch get there fast and do the same to get to the third. Get to the pedestal and stand diagonally on a corner away from the remaining flame and pick up Sacred Cross II, best immediately back flip, landing in a pool in case you caught fire.

A cave opened in the back of the room (N), follow up to a storage room. Lara takes control…

Chapter 3: The Manor - Part 2.

1 Secret and a bonus if you found all secrets.

Dec 23rd, Off to the Crypts.

Spiritual Room.

Go right/left into the Main hall and left towards the Grand staircase, go right of it and open the door.

Follow the corridor down to the door where the two Sacred Crosses can be used. In the Spiritual Room are 2 big and 2 small vases, SE- Pistol ammo, NE- Torch. NW- is empty, SW another Torch.

Give the Ladies some Warmth.

Pick up a Torch and head back up the stairs to the Main hall, halfway there a lengthy flyby kicks in. In the Main hall go left (E) through the curtains and left into the corridor, follow through to the room with the 4 Ladies. Throw the Torch where you can find it again and shoot the 4 round ornaments above the statues.

Opening the Crypt.

Pick up the Torch; ignite it at one of the fireplaces and return through the main hall to the Spiritual room. Ignite the 4 bowls in the corners and the door will open (N). No need to take the Torch, it will be taken from you anyway….

Once in the crypt with the Tombs, loop right around the first Tomb to find Secret #1(19), a Gold Bar (N).

Bonus: Only if you found all Secrets, a door will open on the first floor of the Mansion. Not needed to complete the adventure, but as a bonus. Go out of the Crypt, up to the Main Hall and up the Grand Staircase, left / left and then right through the door to the Quarters of Lara’s parents. Follow through and open the door right to the bedroom. On a cabinet N is a Letter… Having read that, you can continue. Go back to the Crypt; you know where that is by now.

 

On the SW Tomb is a tiny switch just under the lid, at the S side. Shoot it and after the tomb moved aside, go down and pick up Mommy’s Knitting Kit….

 A Merry Christmas to you too…

 

G&D, Dec. 2020.