LB ADVENT CALENDAR 2009 - ON THE MOUNTAIN OF PRESENTS

Level by Nerkan (Lara Croft)

 

Walkthrough for Levels 1 and 2 by Phil Lambeth, using notes provided by Tom. 

Walkthrough for bonus level started by Alarable and complemented by manarch2.

 

Level 1 - CROFT MANOR

This is a training level, so for your convenience here are the pertinent new moves documented in a walkthrough for another level:

Sprint jump - Press JUMP while sprinting to perform a sprint jump to cross bigger gaps. A precise approach is to stop at the edge and hop backward three times (about 2.5 tiles). Then press and hold SPRINT, UP, and JUMP at the same time; this will make the sprint jump take place at the edge. You can grab ledges as with other jumps, and follow this jump with another jump upon landing.

Anti-Gravity pads [called Spiral Springboards in this level] - Anti-Gravity pads are marked with the text "stand here" and an outline of a box at the edge. Stand in the box and press ACTION to lift off. It is recommended to keep holding ACTION in each instance anti-gravity is used, to grab any ledges and to avoid bouncing off of the ceiling or walls.

Begin by standing in front of the blue spiral, facing N and the 1 sign.  Take a standing jump into the spiral, and Lara will be lifted up so that she can grab the edge of the high ledge (or, depending on where she stands when she jumps, completely over the ledge so that she slides down the other side).   If you jump straight up, you can grab the gray structure overhead as if it were a monkey bar surface, but you can't go anywhere.  

In the area with the 2 sign, jump up to grab the crack in the N wall.  Hold down the action and the jump key at the same time, and Lara will jump higher to grab the top of the ledge.  Pull up and then pull up still higher to find the 3 sign.  Perform a sprint jump as described above, and Lara will land inside the alcove in the N wall.  Push the block forward and over the edge of the balcony in the next room.  Safety drop onto the block and hop down into the indoor pool room.  I couldn't find a 4 sign, and there's nothing to do on the diving board with the 5 sign unless you want to practice your swan dive.  Therefore, pull down the "new game" switch in the N wall to be taken to the next level.

 

Level 2 - Auf dem Verschenkten Berg

After the opening flyby, push the mute button if the raucous rock music drives you nuts.  You're in the upstairs bedroom.  Note the unlit candle for much later, then exit S and go down the stairs.  Push open the doors and look to your right to see a keyhole.  Continue down the stairs and look to your left when you reach the landing.  Go down the E stairs into the pool area and turn right to go through the arched opening.  Take an immediate left and open the chest at the end of the narrow passage for the CRANK. 

Reverse roll and run to the opening.  Turn left, away from the pool, and follow the walkway over a wooden floor until you reach an outdoor area.  Turn right and enter the next building via the W doorway.  Enter the N room to your right and pull up onto the block to your right.  Stand jump N into the upper room and loop around to the left as the camera angle changes.  Walk between the two wooden signs and face the SW jump switch.  Use the look key to regain temporary camera control to line up Lara with the jump switch, then take a running jump there to activate it.  An explosion takes place in the previous room, so return there and take the SILVER SHIELD from the pedestal on the left for SECRET #1.

Go back to the N room, climb up onto the block again and jump N to the higher level.  Straight ahead against the N wall is a moveable Knight, and you need to maneuver it underneath the marked ceiling tiles.  Easier said than done, because the Knight will freely move from N to S and vice versa, but it's strangely resistant to E-W moves.  It also makes a difference whether you push or pull, so follow these instructions closely. Start by pulling the Knight S three times so that it comes to rest under one of the marked ceiling tiles.  Then push it once to the E wall and twice N under the next tile.  Get between it and the wall and push it W two times.  Then push it to the N wall under the third tile.  Now push it all the way to the W wall in the corner.  Squeeze into the corner and push it S four times until it comes to rest beneath the fourth and final tile.  Now pull it once E and push it twice between the signs so that it topples over the edge and shatters on the floor below.  Follow it down and pick up the GREEN KEY.

Exit this building, turn left and run across the frozen pond and past the large Christmas tree.  Turn right into the E doorway and enter a dining room in the previous building.  Turn left and locate an opening in the first window alcove beside the large table.  Hop down and descend the blocks into a dark cellar.  Walk forward to trigger a German dialogue between Lara and the devil. When it's over, move the white block all the way S until it comes to rest on the dark tile in front of the 13 sign.  Go back N and climb up onto the block against the W wall.  Use the ladder to reach an upper level. 

Notice the switches in the S wall, each with a number beneath it.  Before proceeding, jump the gap and climb down the ladder in front of the switch marked with an 8.  If the builder had not prevented you from seeing it, by placing an intentionally malicious fixed camera angle here, you would be able to look E and see a dark tile similar to the one below, marked with a 10.  Take my word that it's there.  Climb back up and view the row of wall switches.  Since 5 and 8 add up to 13, jump the gap and pull those two levers to raise the white block from below. Climb down the ladder and push the block E onto the dark tile that you're not able to see. Climb back up, push the 5 switch back up and pull down the 2 switch (8 + 2 = 10, get it?).  The white block is raised to your level. 

Move the white block to the NW opening (not the one straight ahead) and push it over the edge onto the fixed block below.  You couldn't climb up onto it before, but now you can, so climb down the ladder onto the suddenly sturdy white block and take a curved running jump into the sloped S opening.  Go up the stairs and follow the passage to a corner wall switch that activates a spiral springboard in the pool room.  Go back the way you came, past the devil, and pull up the N blocks into the dining room.  Go outside and find two similar spirals.  Ignore them for now and enter the E building via the SE doorway.  Follow the passage to the pool room, where you'll see the spiral springboard on the other side.  Stand on the ledge of the pool between the spiral and the plinth, facing N, and take a standing jump forward.  Lara will glide up and into the previously inaccessible upper level. 

Go up the stairs and ignore the first opening to your left.  Enter the second opening and pull down the wall switch to open one of two nearby doors (there's another wall switch beyond the second one, which you'll get to later).  Continue W along the passage and cross a bridge into the W house.  Turn left and go up the spiral staircase and along the passage to a mirror room.  After conducting an inspection, turn to face the N wall and jump up to grab the invisible crack.  Shimmy left until you're able to pull up into the alcove.  Turn around and take a running jump slightly SW to land on top of the invisible pillar.  Pick up the SCROLL which is of no use to you unless you can read German.  However, Tom has graciously provided an English translation:

Preparation of "invisible make visible-drink":
Put into the heated bowl: water, wine, and finally the most valuable thing of the brewer.
Effect: it makes things visible. Use it wherever you think that there could be something invisible...

 

May as well be Greek, no?  This clue will become clear a bit later, but it doesn't include a crucial warning that I'll give you at the proper time.

You can see a shelf with an artifact on it reflected in the E wall.  However, you can't get to it yet, so don't bother trying.  You'll be coming back here later.

Hop down to the floor and exit this room.  Go down the winding staircase and across the bridge (noting the artifact beyond the bars to your left) into the E building.  Continue down the stairs to the opening and take a running jump into the pool below.  Pull out and exit S to get back outdoors.  Go to the far N spiral springboard and stand in front of it, facing E.  Take a standing jump toward it and keep the jump key depressed as you rise up to roof level.  Grab the edge of the roof if necessary and pull up onto the roof.  Pick up the nearby DEVIL'S PRESENT and step into the green spiral to be warped back to ground level.  Return to the far N spiral springboard and stand in front of it facing W this time.  Use the springboard to activate a jumpswitch in the wall of the W building.  It's easier said than done.  The way I finally got it was by running toward the spiral from the E wall and taking a running jump only when already inside the spiral.  Save your game once you do it successfully.

Climb up onto the nearby block in the W wall and pull up into the wine cellar.  The cover of one of the barrels has lifted, so reach inside for a BOTTLE OF GOOD WINE.  Return to the devil's domain by going to the NE dining room and using the hole in the window alcove to get back down.  Place the Devil's Present in his hands, and the door beside him will open.  Go inside and head up the ramp to an outdoor well.  Stand on the N side of the well and insert the Crank to raise a pail of frozen water.  Reach inside and take a small WATERSKIN WITH FROZEN WATER.  Return to the dining room and use the E exit for a shortcut back to the pool.  Go up the W stairs, turn right and use the Green Key in the keyhole at the top of the second flight.

Turn around to see that a block has been raised.  Use it to access a catwalk leading to an area with several numbered wall switches.  First, go all the way N and pull the lone switch you'll find there (you'll remember it from earlier). The nearby door opens, affording a shortcut to the bridge connecting the two buildings.  Take that shortcut and go right at the T-intersection.  Turn right into the opening at the top of the stairs and hop onto the suspended beam.  A flyby gives you an outline of what you need to do next.  Go back to the numbered switches and pull the two that are marked 11 and 2.  Return to the suspended beam to find a raised platform.  Use it to jump W to the block marked 13.  Pull up, pick up the BLUE KEY and jump back to the raised platform/beam. 

Simply run off the beam into the water below, pull out and exit S or N to get back outdoors.  Enter the W building via the SW doorway and use the Blue Key in the keyhole to lower the cover behind you.  Turn around and take the SILVER BALL from the plinth.  Get back up to the connecting bridge, using the spiral springboard in the pool room.  Enter the W building and turn right into a small dining room.  Squeeze past the table and pick up a TORCH in the far corner of the room.  Continue through the W passage until you reach a much larger room with a boiling pot on a dais.  Use the flame under the pot to light the torch.  Just for fun, try to pick up the small medi-pack near the SW knight statue. 

Take your lighted torch and return to the pool room.  Go up the W stairs, turn right and continue through the open doors opposite the balcony.  Go up the winding stairs to the room where you began the level and light the candle in the NE corner.  The nearby door opens, so go inside and take the VALUABLE RING from the outstretched wooden hand.  You're now through with the torch, so you may leave it here if you wish.  Go back downstairs and return outdoors to the twin spiral springboard area.  Enter the E building via the SE opening and turn left just inside to find another boiling pot.  Place the frozen waterskin in it to melt the ice and be sure to take the FILLED WATERSKIN before leaving.  Go to the pool room and either use the catwalk above the raised block or the spiral springboard to get back up to the connecting bridge.  Go across to the W building and turn right.  Follow the passage to the room with the first boiling pot.  Empty the waterskin into it.  Right now, before doing anything else, go to the barrel in the SW corner, under which that elusive small medi-pack rolled earlier, and reach inside for the RED KEY.  (If you don't get it now, it disappears when you place additional items in the pot.)  Go back to the boiling pot and empty the Bottle of Good Wine into it.  Finally, toss in the Valuable Ring by standing in front of the pot facing the two knight statues (which may take a bit of doing, but be persistent).  The GREEN DRINK then appears, so grab it out of thin air.

Return to the bridge and continue across into the S opening and up the spiral staircase.  Follow the passage to the mirror room and use the crack in the N wall to get back into the alcove.  Take a running jump slightly SW to the pillar and face S.  Standing in the center of the pillar, use the action key to place that Green Drink you just concocted.  A pushable block magically appears in front of you, so step forward and push it over the edge of the pillar.  Hop down and push the block E as far as you can.  Climb up on the block and jump up to grab the invisible shelf.  Pull up and step forward to pick up the GOLDEN KEY.

Exit this area and return to the bridge downstairs.  Cross over to the E building and take the first right into that passage leading to the numbered wall switches.  You now need a total of 16, so push the 2 switch back up and pull down the 5 switch (the 11 switch is already down). Go back to the bridge passage, take a right and then another right at the top of the stairs.  Jump to the suspended beam and find that another platform has been raised at the S end.  Use it to jump to the 16 block in the S wall.  Pull up and insert the Golden Key in the receptacle.  Turn around, jump or dive into the pool below and pull out.  The cover over the NW plinth has been removed, so go there and take the GOLDEN BALL.

Use the nearby spiral springboard to get back up to the bridge passage.  Turn left into the passage leading to the numbered wall switches.  You now need a total of 7, so push up the 11 switch and pull down the 2 switch.  Return to the suspended beam and use the raised platform to jump to the 7 block on the E wall.  Insert the Red Key in the receptacle and dive down into the pool.  Pull out and take the GOLDEN SHIELD from the SE plinth for SECRET #2.  Go up the W stairs and turn left at the landing.  Follow the passage until you reach a balcony overlooking the pool.  Place the Silver Ball and the Golden Ball on the outstretched hands.  A flyby takes you into the next building, where you see the gate guarded by the little piggie, near the place where you picked up the Silver Shield, swinging open to give you access to that "mountain of presents." 

 

Bonus Level - Gestrandet II - Demo

After the cutscene ends, go forward and turn left. Vault up on the higher of two blocks (the one that's left of the spike trapped one).

Stand in SW corner and turn slightly SW. Jump and grab the crack ahead S. Shimmy right and pull up in the crawlspace. Safety drop out the other side.

Run jump E to grab the swingpole and land on a ledge ahead. Run jump with grab E. You will grab an edge.
Shimmy right until you can pull up. Turn left (N). Jump grab the higher ledge left. Pick up a Gold Key (Load in inventory).

Walk out to the W edge and run jump grab to the suspended track W. Turn left to the S and run jump grab to the rope. Swing ahead to the strangely suspended ledge.

Run jump forward through the opening to arrive in a room with a firebowl N, a rope suspended boulder W,
interesting blocks as well as a grate door E, and keyhole next to some double doors S. Go S to the keyhole and use the Gold Key to open the grated door E.

Inside find two pointy pushables and two torches. Grab a torch and go back to light it at the firebowl N. Now go stand near the pulley with the rope suspending the boulder to ignite it. When the boulder falls it will open trapdoor below it. Go down in the boulder pit and use the floor lever.

Stand E of the boulder and face N. Grab the edge of the block and use the "jump" key to grab up to the higher level. Notice that the floor lever raised and lowered some blocks here. Your objective is to move the pointy pushables to the raised marked blocks.

Move one pointy pushable next to the raised blocks W and the other one on the lowered block N against the higher marked block. Now go down in the boulder pit and use the floor lever again. Return above.

Push the W block to the W against that higher marked block. And push the other pointy along the raised path onto the marked tile. Back down in boulder pit to use floor lever for the last time. Return above to push the last pointy onto its marked tile. Electricity will spark between them and the outside area N will be flooded.

Jump in the water and swim to the NW. There is an underwater door. Open it and swim through. When given a choice swim left. Lara will be carried away by the current and taken for quite a little ride. I tried fighting the current to avoid going over the falls but doubt that it's possible.

When the current finally stops, Lara can climb out of the water. Run up the N ramp into a new area. Go to the NW corner, shimmy left and climb up to the rooftop. From here you have to do the sprint-jump explained in the Croft Manor level to get up to the SW building, taking a curved sprint. Climb up and push the pushable down on the floor. Lara will fall down too. Put the pushable aside and pick up the Bunch of Keys.

Go into the S courtyard. In the middle S part, beside a yet low raising block, you can use the Bunch of Keysto raise it. Climb on it, then on the higher stage. In the very far SW corner, you can spot and use a jumpswitch, which activates some blocks in the area where you climbed out of the water.

Return all the way there, climb the SW block and jump to the first platform, then on the first block. Hang off the ledge facing S, then do the ledge jump and climb up onto the slope. Backflip onto the next block, repeat the sequence once again and backflip once more, then repeat the sequence a last time to get on the highest floor.

Run around the walkway and don’t fall into the water, it would take you back down. Follow the river with a left curve and jump over it to the other side. Go to the NW corner and jump up to get on the rocks, from those you can do a sprint-jump to the W ledge on the other side of the waterfall. To the W you can jump on another ledge, do the sequence used on the slopes to get up here (hanging off the ledge, jumping higher) to get up.

Jump to the ledge of the house, shimmy left and hoist up. Run along the path and drop down the block, then run-jump to the rock formation in the S, get up and follow the track until you can get Lara on top of the roof to your right.

Jump up to the next stage. You can either jump to the S balcony and use the tightrope, or use the N rocks to get directly to the N balcony. Here, you can use the floor lever and after pushing it the level ends abruptly.

THE END