SAVING, CHECKPOINTS & TECH SUPPORT: This game incorporates autosave checkpoints. If you only rely on one save slot, you may run into trouble if you get stuck, encounter a bug, or if your autosave becomes corrupted. To avoid problems, I highly recommend changing your save slot in the pause menu at least once per level. If you encounter a serious bug, I encourage you to visit the Official Shadow of the Tomb Raider Support Forum and or put in a support request with Square Enix. PC save files are available for download here.
AREA 6: THE HIDDEN CITY (Lower Paititi)
Updated: 9/2/21(†)
Weapons/Gear: Various from Merchants, including Rope Ascender and Lockpick
Camps: 10 (Quipu Overlook*, Paititi Market, Temple District, Village Caves, Fishing District, Unuratu's Home, Temple Path, Temple of the Sun*, Abandoned Village*, Belly of the Serpent)
Outfits: Blue Heron Tunic, Manko's Boots (plus various others from the Merchants)
Challenge Tombs: 1 Challenges: 4 Treasure Chests: 2 Crypts: 2 Relics: 17 Documents: 24 Murals: 16 (17)** Survival Caches: 22 Monoliths: 5 Archivist Maps: 4 Explorer Backpacks: 4
Side Missions: Dice with the Dead, Hearts and Minds Part 1 - Retrieve the King's Horn, Hearts and Minds Part 2 - Retrieve the Savior's Amulet
Annotated Level Map: Lower Paititi | Hidden City Complete
NOTES: This level is BIG so I'm breaking it up into three separate pages: Lower Paititi (before the CENOTE level), covered on this page; Upper Paititi (after the CENOTE); and Hidden City Revisit (after MISSION OF SAN JUAN). There are certain areas, side missions, etc., you can't finish until you return to this level later in the game. The PATH OF BATTLE CHALLENGE TOMB and CRYPT OF OLLANTA, THE POTTER, west of the lower city are accessible now, but I have included them in the HIDDEN CITY REVISIT walkthrough to minimize backtracking. The item totals above are for this section only.
*Starred camps are outside the city proper and are not counted in the total on the in-game map. There are also several camps in the upper city and outlying areas, which will be covered in the next section.
**The 17th mural is found in the Head of the Serpent area, covered on a separate page but linked below.
OBJECTIVE: Find the Hidden City
As Lara emerges on the cliffside after completing the Trial of the Eagle, she's able to speak with Jonah briefly before he enters a cavern and the signal breaks up.
CIFFSIDE LEDGE AND BASE CAMP: Gather a few resources here and "discover" the Quipu Overlook Base Camp since you may want to return here later. (screenshot) The in-game map is still calling this "Location Unknown," but later it will be shown on the map as part of the Hidden City.
When you're ready, move out onto the pointed rock that juts out toward the nearest of the dangling quipu. Jump out toward it and press Interact/Grapple to grapple the quipu. (screenshot) Swing forward, press Jump to release the cable, then Interact to grapple the next quipu, then the third, and the fourth. As you swing forward after grappling the fourth one, jump and grab the ledge ahead. It may take a little trial and error, but you'll get a feel for it. The trick is not to try and swing back and forth while hanging, just maintain forward momentum.
Beyond the ledge is a second set of quipu and a cave opening beyond. When you jump out and grapple the first quipu, the one directly ahead breaks off and plummets into the valley. So you can't just swing and grab it. (screenshot) As Lara dangles from the first quipu, she says she can't stay here, but don't panic. You can take your time. Angle the camera toward the nearest quipu, a little to the left, and start swinging back and forth a few times to gather momentum. Then as Lara swings forward, jump and grapple the second quipu. Swing forward but don't wait to swing back. Immediately jump, and grapple the third quipu, then the fourth, then swing and jump onto the ledge. (screenshot)
POOL AND PATH THROUGH THE FOREST: Move through the tunnel to a wooden ledge overlooking a pool. The game prompts you to swan dive. Jump forward then quickly press C on the keyboard, Circle/B on the controller to dive. A successful swan dive initiates the High Diving Challenge. (screenshot) Execute 3 more dives off similar wooden platforms to complete it. Don't worry if you miss this first dive. You can reload the checkpoint and try again if it's convenient, but there will be other opportunities.
Gather a few resources in the pool, including some gold ore embedded in the north wall of the first pool, and a supply canister and jade ore on the south wall of the second pool with the waterfall. Then climb out and follow the path to the northeast.
As you duck under a tree that has fallen across the path and enter a clearing strewn with skeletons, Lara again tries to contact Jonah. She says she thinks she's found the Hidden City and is going to look for the serpent with the silver eye.
OBJECTIVE: Find the Serpent with the Silver Eye
ABANDONED VILLAGE: Start up the path with the stone steps, ahead on the left. (screenshot) Continue up another flight of steps and under a stone archway. The first document (1/42), Fawcett's Legacy (Search for the Hidden City), is lying on the ground just to the right of the next flight of stairs leading up to the east. (screenshot) Lara can also cut down the animal hide in the wooden frame next to the document to add it to inventory. As you're doing this, Lara hears someone struggling nearby.
At this point, you can choose whether to explore this area more thoroughly or follow the story. If you head for the top of the stairs you'll be whisked along to the Hidden City and won't be able to return here for a while. There's no right or wrong answer here, but you will need to return to this area anyway, while doing a Side Mission. Also, there are a number of collectibles you can't reach yet because you don't have the right gear.
I recommend taking a brief detour to grab some gold and other resources. There's hardwood and various herbs, as well as birds, rabbits, and wild llamas you can hunt if you feel so inclined. About halfway along the south side of the village is a door with a rope coil. Use a rope arrow to pull it down. Inside you'll find 2 piles of gold ore and a container of black powder, which you can use to craft explosives. (screenshot) The second barrier, to the left of that one, that can only be pulled down with the ROPE ASCENDER, which you don't have yet. There are also a few climbable trees that will allow you to reach resources on branches, ledges, and rooftops, and the stone house opposite the one where you found the gold contains a resource canister.
The rest of this area, including the pool to the northwest and the nearby WOLF DEN and a CRYPT, are covered later in this walkthrough, since you're missing some gear you'll need to fully explore. Climb the stairs to the east to trigger a cutscene.
This is a long one so I won't describe the whole thing. The short version is Lara saves the life of a boy who turns out to be the son of one of the Hidden City's leaders. The city, called Paititi by the locals, is the place Lara has been seeking, and the woman knows the location of the mysterious "serpent with the silver eye." The cult whose members attacked the boy, is somehow linked to Trinity, and since they share this common enemy, the woman agrees to help Lara find the Silver Box in order to keep it out of Trinity's hands. To ensure that Lara sticks to the plan, they will be holding Jonah hostage.
OBJECTIVE: Join Unuratu in the Market District
When you emerge outside, Lara gets her first look at Paititi, a small but thriving city. You receive a large XP award and a new objective. For now, just follow the woman, who at last introduces herself as Unuratu, Paititi's Queen in Exile. Lara is now wearing the Blue Heron Tunic. An on-screen message explains that blue and gold are the colors of the queen's rebel faction and will allow you to interact with certain local people. You won't be able to change outfits or use your weapons in certain parts of the city. (More on that later.)
After the last cutscene, a photograph, The Cult of Kukulkan, is added to the Artifacts menu, in the Lara's Notebook Story. Examine it to learn more about the mysterious men in green.
As you follow Unuratu down toward the river, you can listen in on conversations between locals. Etzli, the boy, tells his mother about someone named Hakan who has been acting suspiciously. A bit farther on, someone asks the queen about the newcomer. "She's here to help me find something I lost," Unuratu tells him. When you reach the bridge across the river, Etzli stops to pet a llama. Unuratu tells you to look around if you like and she'll be waiting in the market on the other side of the river. (Follow this link to continue the story.)
If you're going for 100% completion, there's lots to do here. You'll also want to sell resources and buy supplies before moving on. There are notes about the MARKET and a TRAVELING MERCHANT below.
At this point, you also unlock The Forge DLC Side Mission back in KUWAQ YAKU, provided you have purchased and installed that expansion pack.
SIDE MISSION – DICE WITH THE DEAD: As Unuratu takes her leave, the game alerts you about a nearby Mission Giver. If you check the map, you'll see the Mission Giver icon has appeared just across the bridge to the west. Activating Survival Instinct outlines a boy in green. (screenshot)
Before crossing the bridge, take a moment to pet the llama, like Etzli did. (screenshot) If you pet 5 llamas you'll unlock the Como Te Llama achievement/trophy. Other llamas are marked with yellow dots on the annotated level map. (There are also a few llamas in the Mission of San Juan level, which you'll explore later.)
Since Side Missions are optional and fairly lengthy, the details are included in a separate DICE WITH THE DEAD MISSION WALKTHROUGH. Even if you're not after 100% completion, I recommend doing this mission since it will introduce you to the politics of Paititi and reveal a few special items/areas. It will also introduce you to an important merchant. Completing the mission also earns XP and 250 gold pieces, though I'm not sure where a little kid like Takiy would have gotten all that money.
BUG NOTE: If Pisco the Dead is invisible when you first meet him, it's crucial that you reload an earlier save and restart the mission. If you talk to Pisco while he is invisible, you may still be able to interact with the other NPCs involved in the mission, but when you return to Pisco later, you won't be able to talk to him and therefore will not be able to complete the mission. This will prevent you from getting 100% completion. See this Reddit thread for details. If you've already triggered the bug, try loading an earlier save (last campsite, backup, etc.) or, if you're playing on PC, download a save file.
PAITITI MARKET: The city's main market is located on the west side of the river between the two bridges. Once you pass through it the first time, the two main merchants will be marked on your map. As far as I know, these two merchants offer the same wares throughout the game. The Paititi Market Base Camp is just outside the southern wall of the market. (screenshot)
FIRST MERCHANT (northeast corner):
WEAPONS: SERPENTWOOD BOW (4,200 gp), ATLATL BOW (5,800 gp),
GEAR & AMMO: HUNTER'S QUIVER (2,200 gp), regular and fire arrows, ADVENTURER'S QUIVER (3,800 gp). (Large containers are available after unlocking the Crow's Hoard skill.)
OUTFITS: Mantle of Six Sky - protection from projectiles (5,600 gp), Kantu's Boots - harvest more animal resources (6,900 gp)
SECOND MERCHANT (southeast corner):
WEAPONS: REINFORCED KNIFE UPGRADE (2,900)
GEAR & AMMO: SATCHEL (2,600 gp), RUCKSACK (3,500 gp). (Large containers are available after unlocking the Crow's Hoard skill.)
RESOURCES: Medicine, Perception Plants, Focus Plants, Endurance Plants, Salvage, Eagle Feathers, Condor Feathers, Jaguar Hide, Black Powder, Black Wolf Hide, Albino Capybara Hide, Empress Jaguar Hide
TRAVELING MERCHANT MORAEKAH: You'll probably first encounter her if you complete the Dice with the Dead Side Mission (above). During and shortly after the mission, she can be found outside a house on the tier just above and to the southwest of the bridge leading to the upper city. (screenshot)
WEAPONS: NEP-14 AUTOMATIC PISTOL (6,100 gp)
GEAR & AMMO: LASER SIGHT - for all rifles (2,800 gp), ROPE ASCENDER (3,300 gp), LOCKPICK (2,800 gp), Venom (for poison ammo), Dart Poison (for fear arrows), Flare Rounds, Poison Grenades, Fear Arrows. (Some of these unlock later in the game when you have the skills to use them.)
OUTFITS: Crimson Huntress - more XP from hunting, increased duration for Focus herb effects (7,200 gp)
Later in the game, you'll find Moraekah in different locations. (Follow the link for details if you don't mind minor spoilers.)
NOTES: If you're not sure which items to buy, and you are going for 100% completion, I recommend buying the ASCENDER and LOCK PICK from Moraekah, and the KNIFE UPGRADE from the woman in the marketplace as soon as possible. These will enable you to unlock treasure chests and access most areas blocked by barriers. You'll also need a SHOTGUN for some barriers, but you'll get one in the course of the story. Next, go for the HUNTER'S QUIVER and SATCHEL. The satchel will allow you to collect more resources, which you can use or sell for gold. You'll eventually have more gold than you can spend, but these items are good early choices.
BUG NOTE: Some Xbox One players have had issues with 100% completion due to a bug, which has apparently been fixed in Update 3 (released 10/3/18). If you have not patched your game, I recommend doing that a.s.a.p. If you can't patch for some reason, you may want to avoid buying all but essential equipment (e.g., satchels and pouches, and later the rope ascender, lock pick, knife upgrade). See this thread on the LCO Forum for details.
LOWER CITY COLLECTIBLES: At this point you can't access the UPPER CITY, in the southeast quadrant of the map. This will be unlocked later. You can, however, explore the lower city freely before meeting up with Unuratu to advance the plot. I won't cover every bundle of sticks, box of cloth, or aquatic plant, so keep your eyes open, and don't hesitate to play the nosy outsider. Lara won't get in trouble even if she steals things from people's homes. You can also interact with many Paititians to hear more about daily life and the political situation here. I will flag important citizens, like Mission Givers. You'll probably just want to explore on your own, but in case you need help finding certain collectibles, here are some highlights. (Later I will add a separate Collectibles Guide, like the one in the Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough.)
HIDDEN CITY CHALLENGES and the TEMPLE OF THE SUN CHALLENGE TOMB are covered below the collectibles lists. The ABANDONED VILLAGE and CRYPT to the northwest of the city, are also included here. The CRYPT and PATH OF BATTLE CHALLENGE TOMB west of the city will be covered later.
If you gather all the major collectibles in the LOWER CITY and complete the TEMPLE OF THE SUN CHALLENGE TOMB, you should have several Skill Points to spend before you even start the next part of the story. As always, choose the skills that suit your play style, but if you need recommendations, I would suggest Raposa's Wit (Warrior), which unlocks the next tier of weapon upgrades. You can then use the resources you'll gather around Paititi to upgrade the weapons you have. Caiman's Breath (Scavenger), which helps Lara hold her breath longer underwater. Puma's Feint (Warrior) is not absolutely necessary, but if you used the Dodge Counter and Dodge Kill skills in the previous games, this is the same thing. It will be especially useful in one of the upcoming levels. If you'd rather rely on weapons, go for the Serpent's Glint (Scavenger), which lets you craft flare rounds for the pistol. This will come in handy once you reach the Cenote level. If you're attempting to unlock all the achievements/trophies, you should also unlock Serpent's Strike and Serpent's Fury (Scavenger) by the middle of the game so you can use the latter to unlock the Chain Gang achievement/trophy. We'll cover that in upcoming combat sections.
MARKET DISTRICT
TEMPLE DISTRICT
The temple itself is built into the cliff wall on the southwest side of the city. (screenshot) You can't enter the temple unaccompanied, but you can look around outside. The Temple District Base Camp is just to the right of the ornate entrance. (screenshot)
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
There's no hard demarcation between Paititi's various neighborhoods. I'm just breaking things up so that hopefully it will be easier to find each item.
FISHING DISTRICT – NORTHWEST PAITITI
The area north of the Paititi Market and west of the river is a mostly open area devoted to farms and fishing. There are still a few pick-ups to be had.
EAST OF THE RIVER
If you want to keep exploring the city, swim southward, away from the waterfall and climb out of the water on the stone steps on the left (east) bank. (screenshot) There are other places you can climb out of the water, and the bridge you crossed earlier links east and west sides of the city, but the list below begins with the northeastern section.
TEMPLE OF THE SUN CHALLENGE TOMB: The entrance to this tomb is at the southern tip of the city. There are two ways in: The more circuitous route takes you past mural #6, document #4, and relic #8. The more direct route is through a flooded passageway inside a nearby house. For details, see the separate TEMPLE OF THE SUN CHALLENGE TOMB WALKTHROUGH. It includes the Temple Path Base Camp, the Temple of the Sun Base Camp; an archivist map (2/7); 3 murals, Mirrors (11/23), Temple of the Sun (12/23), and Fertility God (13/23) ; 5 documents, Contract (13/42), Disease and Death (14/42), Journal of T. Serrano (15/42), The Monkey Twins (16/42), and The Paddler Gods (17/42); a survival cache (17/34); and one of the platforms for the High Diving Challenge. Examining the tomb stele unlocks the Seeker Skill Hoatzin's Hunger, which automatically increases the amount of natural crafting resources Lara obtains from each source.
PATH OF BATTLE CHALLENGE TOMB: The way to this tomb is on the northwest side of the city. The map location is show in this screenshot. If you speak to man standing near the tunnel entrance, which is decorated with a jeweled skull, feathers, and red paint (screenshot), he'll tell Lara about the trials cultist warriors face on the Path of Battle. The tomb entrance is then marked on your map. You can explore this side area now, but to save backtracking, we'll combine it with part 3 of the Hearts and Minds Side Mission during the HIDDEN CITY REVISIT walkthrough.
ABANDONED VILLAGE (revisit): This is the isolated area in the jungle to the northwest of the city. You passed through it briefly when you first entered Paititi and rescued Etzli from the cultists. At that time we didn't explore the whole area. Let's return there now to clean up.
NOTE: Before setting out, you may want to visit the MARKET to sell some resources and free up space in your inventory, especially gold, jade, and hides. If you don't yet have the SATCHEL and REINFORCED KNIFE UPGRADE, try to get them now from the woman merchant. The ROPE ASCENDER, sold by the traveling merchant, Moraekah, will also come in handy.
The path leading to the ABANDONED VILLAGE is just southwest of the Fishing District Base Camp, near the north end of the river. You may have passed it earlier and spoken to a man who had been attacked by wolves. Speaking to him marks the location of a Black Wolf Den on your map. Enter the jungle just to the left of this man. (screenshots and map detail)
The path leads through a muddy area, a narrow opening, and another muddy area, then eventually to the Abandoned Village Base Camp. This is the same area where you found Etzli caught in the snare when you first arrived in Paititi. Light the fire if you like, then turn around to face the direction you came from. Climb the curving stairs near the camp. At the top, follow the path forward, jump off the edge, and grapple the dangling quipu for the Dropping Decimals Challenge. (screenshots)
Head down the steps into the lower village. At the bottom of the steps, turn left. Climb into the stone building with the rope-wrapped beam in the doorway. (This rope was not here earlier.) Turn around and shoot a rope arrow into the beam in the doorway of the building across the way. Then climb the rope line and drop down in the doorway of the other building. There's a document (18/42) Expedition Report (Yucatec/Inside Out), sitting on the floor. Don't exit the building the way you came in. Instead, go through the doorway to the east to find a buried survival cache (18/34) and an archivist map (3/7), which will reveal various collectibles on your map. Drop down off the ledge beyond the map to get back the camp where you started. (screenshots)
Return down the stairs to the lower village and turn left again, this time just beyond the second set of steps. If you missed document (1/42), Fawcett's Legacy (Search for the Hidden City), when you first came throught this area, get it now. Continue around the stone wall to an open area with an altar decorated with skulls. Two nearby huts have barriers across their doors. You may have already pulled down one of them with a rope arrow. Even if you did, check inside again because the gold ore and black powder may have respawned. Use the ROPE ASCENDER to pull down the other barrier. Inside is a document (19/42) Lopez's Arrival (Subjugating Paititi), a container of black powder, and in a second small room to the left, some jade. Cross the village to the northwest side. On the left, just before the doorway with the path leading down to the pool, is another rope-ascender barrier. Pull it down and enter the hut to find more jade, a canister of supplies, and another document (20/42), Covering the Tracks (Search for the Hidden City). (screenshots)
Follow the path down to the water. On the left is a partially submerged hut with some gold and supplies inside. There are various resources scattered around the bottom of the pool, a deposit of gold ore in the north wall below the high-diving platform, which we'll get to momentarily. There's also some jade hidden in a little cave on the southeast side of the pool. (screenshots)
ABANDONDED VILLAGE – BLACK WOLF DEN: Climb out of the water on the northwest bank, near the entrance to the wolf den. Dig up a survival cache (19/34) just to the right of the cave entrance, and loot the resource container off to the right. Now, if you like, you can enter the den and fight some wolves. This is not necessary for 100% completion, but you will get some supplies, gold, and an explorer backpack (4/6), which will help find other survival caches and a crypt entrance. (screenshot)
If you do decide to fight, you only have your bow at this time, no guns, so you may want to move into the cave and draw the wolves out a few at a time. They attack first from ahead and from the right. If things get rough, you can run back to the pool, where the wolves won't follow. You may be able to shoot from the shallow water, but after a moment, the wolves will return to the cave, and you'll have to go in and get their attention. (screenshots)
NOTE: The fight is very similar to the one in the wolf den in the Howling Caves Challenge Tomb in Kuwaq Yaku, so if you need additional help, such as with the dodge/evade mechanic and QTE button prompts, check out that section.
Once you've defeated the wolf pack and the black alpha wolf, take their hides. Black wolf hide (a.k.a. "sparkle fur") is a rare resource, used for crafting outfits. So even if you don't have inventory space for regular hide, you can still get it.
ABANDONED VILLAGE CRYPT – CHUKI, THE WEAVER: Follow this link for the CHUKI'S CRYPT WALKTHROUGH, which includes a mural, Chuki, The Weaver (14/24); 2 survival caches (20/34 and 21/34), a relic, Lord and Lady of the Dead (15/28); an archivist map (4/7); and a sarcophagus containing an outfit component, Vestige: Manko's Boots, and 750 gold pieces. You'll also pass a condor's nest for the Keep Calm and Carrion Challenge and one of the diving platforms for the High Diving Challenge on the way.
If you more or less follow this walkthrough, you should achieve fluency in the Yucatec Ancient Dialect around now. This will enable you to read the Fluent Yucatec monolith (5/7) in the Temple District. The clue leads to a survival cache (22/34) near the Proficient Yucatec Monolith (1/7). Follow this link for details and screenshots.
OBJECTIVE: Join Unuratu in the Market District
When you're ready, meet Unuratu and Etzli outside the south entrance to the MARKET. (screenshots) Walk toward the crowd gathered near the southern bridge to trigger a cutscene.
Lara joins Unuratu, Etzli, and Hakan near the waiting citizens as the cult leader is carried out from the upper city on a litter. Despite his ornate mask, Lara immediately recognizes Dominguez. He holds the Key of Chak Chel aloft proclaiming it "the instrument of our unity and salvation." The queen explains that during a Cleansing, it is the duty of Paititi's leader to embody and sacrifice the god Kukulkan in order to save the world. Unuratu herself has prepared for this, but now Amaru, the cult leader and her late husband's brother, plans to take her place and complete the ritual, remaking the world according to his own design. Lara tells Unuratu that she's met this man and heard his message before. Lara and Unuratu agree that the best course of action is to find the Silver Box of Ix Chel before the cult discovers it then hope that Amaru can be convinced to do the right thing. As Amaru is carried on into the city, Hakan produces a knife and tries to attack him. Unuratu intervenes, urging Hakan to wait until the time is right. She sends Etzli to scout ahead, so he won't be drawn into the conflict, and urges Lara to follow.
OBJECTIVE: Meet Etzli at the Base of the Mountain
After the cutscene, a photograph, Amaru, is added to the Artifacts menu, in the Lara's Notebook Story. It shows Dominguez wearing his regalia as the leader of the Cult of Kukulkan. Examine it to learn more about Amaru/Dominguez's rise to power in both Trinity and Paititi.
Lara contacts Jonah by walkie-talkie. He tells her he's made friends with Uchu and settled right in. Naturally. She tells him about Dominguez and her plan to head for the Eye of the Serpent to get the box before the next cataclysm hits.
ENTERING THE TEMPLE: Etzli is waiting for you at the entrance to the temple, on the west side of the city, near the Temple District Base Camp. (screenshots) The boy shows Lara the entrance to the temple and tells her she'll know the area she seeks by the smell of death. He also warns her to watch out for the cult patrols. As you enter, you receive a large XP award for advancing the story.
Just inside, on the left, is a document (21/42), Troubled Lands (Mam/Founding Paititi), and on the right some gold ore. (screenshot) Continue into the next room to find a relic (16/28) Macuahuitl (Cult of Kukulkan) in a box on the far side of the room (screenshot), as well as a container of supplies in the far left corner.
DEEPER INTO THE CAVERNS: Follow the hallway to a deep chasm. Use the horizontal bar to swing over to the climbing wall. Rappel down, swing back and forth, and jump onto the ledge ahead. (screenshots) Pick some mushrooms. Then drop down to the lower ledge and loot a resource container. From there, grapple-swing across the cavern to the broad ledge to the northwest, where you'll find more mushrooms and the Belly of the Serpent Base Camp. (screenshot) Rest at the camp if you like. Then, if you've purchased the REINFORCED KNIFE UPGRADE, cut down the braided rope barrier near the campfire and drop down into a little room with still more mushrooms and 2 piles of jade. Climb out of this room then continue up the stairs to find another document (22/42), Trinity Arrives (Subjugating Paititi), sitting on a ledge at the top. (screenshots) Continue through the low tunnel to the west. When you emerge on the other side, there's a mural (15/23), Unuratu's Uprising (Quechua/Rebellion of Paititi) on the left. (screenshots) Examine it, then proceed through the narrow passageway into the foul-smelling area Etzli described, the BELLY OF THE SERPENT.
NOTE: Follow this link for the separate BELLY OF THE SERPENT and HEAD OF THE SERPENT WALKTHROUGH, which includes one mural, mural (1/1) Awaits (Mam/Homecoming).
AFTER THE BELLY & HEAD OF THE SERPENT
OBJECTIVE: Outrun the Cultist Soldiers
When you return to Paititi after the BELLY OF THE SERPENT and HEAD OF THE SERPENT levels, Etzli is captured and Lara must outrun a group of cultists. Don't bother trying to fight, and don't hesitate too long in any area or Lara will be cornered and killed.
Start by running up the stairs directly ahead when the cutscene finishes. At the top of the stairs, veer to the right. Dodge the potato cart being pushed in from the left and run up the wooden ramp. Continue forward along the ledge, then use the horizontal bar to swing forward. Run into the next house and out through the doorway on the right. Run between the citizens on the left and cultists on the right and climb onto the wooden scaffolding. Run forward and scramble up onto the upper level of the scaffolding. Run forward and jump to grab another higher section of scaffold. Pull up and continue forward. Jump to grab the horizontal bar, swing forward, crash through the next bit of scaffolding, and slide down to the ground. (screenshots)
Run into the next building. There's a brief cutscene as a several cultists begin to close in. As soon as you regain control, run out the other side of the building and into the next one. Continue through to the other side. Just as you're about to jump clear, another cult soldier grabs Lara and they crash down through the next building ahead. The cultist gets hung up on a rafter, but Lara lands safely in the dimly lit tunnel below. (screenshots)
You probably didn't have time to notice or care, but upon your return to the city, a Silver Statuette, the serpent-shaped key, was added to your Artifacts collection in the Path of the Stars Story.
OBJECTIVE: Return to Unuratu's Home
Now that you're back in one piece, you receive an XP award and a radio call from Jonah. He'd like you to return to Unuratu's place to speak with Uchu. You also need to tell the queen what's happened to her son. When you emerge from the tunnel, the Paititi Market Base Camp is just ahead on the right. (screenshot) If you like you can use the camp to Fast Travel to Unuratu's Home Base Camp. Or stop at the MARKET to buy and sell, then make your way across the river and up to Unuratu's on foot. The woman standing near the campsite will reinforce the message about speaking to Uchu, and he'll be marked on the map as a Mission Giver. The entrance to Unuratu's home is also marked as the main objective. (screenshots)
NOTE: There's no need to avoid the cult members stationed around the city. They won't attack, but you still won't be able to enter the upper city, at the end of the southern bridge.
When you reach Unuratu's home on the upper east side of the city, Lara tells her what's happened. Unuratu examines the silver key Lara found and suggests that it belongs to the Mountain Temple, near where the cult is holding Etzli. After a bit of strategizing, they agree that Unuratu will attempt to rescue her son while Lara goes after the Box.
OBJECTIVE: Enter the Mountain Temple
Once again, you can choose to follow the story or take a detour to do Uchu's mission. The situation with Etzli seems dire, but since it's just a game after all, the boy will be fine if you ignore him for a while.
SIDE MISSION – HEARTS AND MINDS (Parts 1 and 2): Uchu and Jonah are standing near the Unuratu's Home Base Camp. If you speak with Uchu now, he'll ask you to undertake a task: Retrieve the King's Horn. If you complete that task, he'll ask you to do a second, related task: Retrieve the Savior's Amulet. Details are included on two separate pages RETRIEVE THE KING'S HORN and RETRIEVE THE SAVIOR'S AMULET.
Accepting the Savior's Amulet mission will enable you to explore MANKO'S CRYPT, where you'll find 2 documents, The Cult's Control (23/42) and Protection (24/42), as well as the one called The First Emperor (8/42) if you didn't pick it up earlier; a relic, Golden Effigy (17/28); a mural, The Peasant Savior (16/23); and a sarcophagus containing an Artifact, The Savior's Amulet plus 750 gold pieces. (This crypt does not count toward the Speak of the Dead Challenge.) Uchu will also give you 700 gold pieces, 350 after completing each task. Returning to Uchu with the Savior's Amulet also unlocks the Hearts and Minds Achievement/Trophy. If you don't want to do these quests now, you can avoid Uchu or accept the mission and wait until later to complete it. The Hearts and Minds Mission also has a third objective, Retrieve the Champion's Bow, which becomes available later in the game. It is covered in the HIDDEN CITY REVISIT walkthrough.
MOUNTAIN TEMPLE ENTRANCE: There's a base camp early in the next level, but before heading to the temple entrance, you may want to spend any Skill Points you've accumulated, buy and sell items, upgrade your weapons, and possibly change outfits. There are still some outfits Lara can't equip within Paititi, but you can choose from among the other outfits you've found and purchased. You'll be heading into a few combat-heavy sections, and you won't return to Paititi for a little while.
When you're ready, head for the area with the many small, terraced pools in the north of the city. (screenshot) As you climb to the top of this area, look for Moraekah, the TRAVELING MERCHANT in one of the little shacks on the left. You'll probably hear Rimak's drums before you see them. (screenshot) Trade with her if you like, then climb to the top tier to find the entrance to the temple. (screenshot)
HIDDEN CITY CHALLENGES
HIGH DIVING CHALLENGE: There are 6 diving platforms in and around the city. You only need to dive off 4 of them to complete the High Diving Challenge. You may have already done the first high dive from the platform where you enter Paititi from the Trial of the Eagle. If not, no worries. There are several more opportunities. The platforms are marked with red dots on the annotated level map and mentioned in the relevant sections of the walkthrough. This page includes a roundup with screenshots, as well as tips for executing the swan dive maneuver.
CHANGING THE WEATHER CHALLENGE: There are 5 purple frog totems hanging around the southwest part of the city. Lara can't use her weapons here, but you can target the rope coils holding up the totems to pull them down in order to complete the Challenge: Changing the Weather. For the locations of all 5 frogs, check the purple dots on the map and this page with screenshots.
DROPPING DECIMALS CHALLENGE: As you explore the west side of the city, keep an eye out for hanging quipus, similar to the ones you used to swing across the canyon when you first entered the Hidden City. Grapple-swing on 3 quipus to pull them down for the Challenge: Dropping Decimals. Check the orange dots on the map and screenshots for details.
KEEP CALM AND CARRION CHALLENGE: As you explore Paititi you'll come across a number of condor's nests. Loot 3 nests to complete the Keep Calm and Carrion Challenge. Condor nests look a lot like regular birds' nests, but they are marked with a special condor head icon. (screenshot) The feathers are also more rare and so more valuable. Even after completing the challenge, you can collect more feathers to sell and use for crafting outfits. I have not included a separate page for this challenge, but several nests are mentioned in the bulleted lists above, and marked with blue dots on the annotated level map.
SPEAK OF THE DEAD CHALLENGE: There are 5 crypts in and around the city. Explore 4 of them (i.e., locate and open the sarcophagi inside) to complete the Speak of the Dead Challenge. One of the crypts is covered in the ABANDONED VILLAGE section above. We'll explore the others later on. (Note that Manko's Crypt, which you visit during the Side Mission, Hearts and Minds: Retrieve the Savior's Amulet, does not count toward this challenge.)
REVISITING THIS LEVEL LATER IN THE GAME: When you leave for THE MOUNTAIN TEMPLE, you will only have completed about half of the HIDDEN CITY. You will return here soon and unlock some previously unreachable areas.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 10/14/18 - First draft of walkthrough posted online. Made a few minor tweaks later the same day.
10/18/18 - Added labels for first four challenges and llama locations to the annotated level map.
10/29/18 - Added Puma's Feint skill suggestion.
11/11/18 - Attempted to clarify the numbering of the side missions.
12/2/18 - Added note about Manko's Crypt not counting toward the Speak of the Dead Challenge.
12/8/18 - Added gold awarded for completing each side mission.
12/20/18 - Added screenshot and map marker for the exit from the Cenote level, near the Fishing District base camp.
1/9/19 - Added note about The Forge DLC and info about the Hearts and Minds Achievement/Trophy.
3/13/19 - Added language proficiency needed to decipher monoliths #3 and #4, thanks to Stu40000.
5/15/19 - Added note about large resource/ammo containers becoming available after unlocking the Seeker skill Crow's Hoard.
5/31/19 - Tweaked the skill recommendations slightly.
10/20/20 - Added bug note about Dice with the Dead mission.
8/20/21 - Renumbered missions and made a few minor tweaks while working on the Guide to 100% Completion and Quick Collectibles Guides.
9/2/21 - Added the names of the documents, relics, and murals found in the side areas covered on separate pages.
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