The first chapter of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a full tutorial. Get used to the controls, learn the basic mechanics of stealth and rock climbing. Follow the path forward, jumping over obstacles and holes until you reach a cave. Climb up to the platform ahead and jump onto the ledge near the far wall. Move along the wall to the right until you can get to the other side. Run and jump over the large hole to reach the ledge on the right. Climb up the moss on the wall. If it breaks, just jump up to another section.
Once you climb up the wall, you’ll find two paths. One goes straight ahead, the other goes slightly to the left, up the slope. Follow the upper route to find a small hole you can crawl through. Hidden here is a whetstone, the only collectible in the area.
Go back down and go straight to another wall. Go through this section and watch the cutscene. Soon you will reach Gollum’s cave.
When the orcs approach the tunnel with the spider, hide in the grass on the right. One of them will go for a torch; sneak up behind the other one and hold Q to choke the enemy. After Gollum and Smeagol finish talking, pick up the stones near the bridge and throw them at the burning lamp in the middle. You will know you are aiming correctly when the flight path is displayed in green instead of white. You can have no more than 5 stones at a time. Watch the cutscene.
Escape from the Nazgul
Gollum is injured. Go forward until you see three mushrooms that you can collect and eat to restore your health points. Doing so will restore your mobility. Enter the abandoned tunnels. The tutorial will continue and you will learn how to use Gollum’s intuition. In this mode, the picture will turn black and white, but all important objects will be highlighted in more colorful colors – blue, red, orange. You need to go right, left and right, but all this is in vain. The Nazgul will still catch Gollum, so you can immediately run into their clutches.
Chapter 2
At the end of the first chapter, Smeagol was captured by the Nazgul and taken to the slave pits beneath Barad-dûr. Some chapters will take place here, and the hero will have to learn to survive. The second chapter will be much longer than the first. When you regain control of Gollum in the cell, pick up the token thrown away by the guard and lie down by the window. If you wish, you can talk to different characters, but this does not really affect anything.
After the cutscene, follow the guard. In the courtyard, turn right and enter the booth with the other slaves. Continue following the group along the long corridor. Then, after talking to the Master, the Fragile Man will lead you to the left. Climb the stairs to the left of the gate to begin the test.
Go down to the closed area and attract the attention of the beast. Once it chases you, run into the pen on the left and climb up the far wall. Pull the lever above the gate to trap the monster. The orcs will release two more beasts. Move across the arena in the other direction until the mobs notice you. Then run forward, jumping over wooden barriers and bumps on which you can wait for your stamina to regenerate. Go to the next stone; the beasts will continue to pursue Gollum, destroying wooden fences.
After the second rock, run right to reach the pen. Jump over the fence and climb the far wall. At the top, you need to walk along the rafters and reach the lever. Moving along the beams is easier with CTRL (crawl) held down, since Gollum is more maneuverable in this position.
Once you pull the lever, you will automatically return to the Beastmaster. Get into the booth to go to the mines. Once there, you can talk to the witch in the corner cage, then follow the Fragile Man through the tunnels. Talk to the minemaster on the right, then return to the Fragile Man.
Search for tokens
Gollum is tasked with finding the tokens of the dead workers in the mines. When the Brittle Man stops, continue along the ledge to descend into the mines. Climb the wall and drop down to the platform in the center. Hanging on the edge, jump down to the ledge below where you just came from. Upon landing, you’ll see two workers ahead of you; to the left, in the grass, is a worm that you can eat to heal yourself. Behind you is the first body; grab the token, then head down the ladder.
When you reach the lava flow, head right to find a second corpse. Return to the stairs and follow the path on the left until you find a lift with a lever. Pull the lever and ride it up. Follow the path clockwise to find a third body, then climb up the pillar behind Gollum. Jump along the ledges on the pillars, and grab onto the hanging boulders to reach the ledge above. There’s another worm behind the orc crouched on the ledge; grab it and head down the tunnel. In the next room, there’s a tunnel of sorts in the right corner; you can’t actually get into these tunnels. Instead, turn left.
When you reach the scaffolding, you’ll find two routes. Go left to start. Run along the wall and jump at the very end to reach the ledge and grab the Bat Wing collectible . Return to the fork and go right, running along the wall above the chasm to find the fourth body. You can find two more worms hidden in an alcove to the left. Go down the two ladders next to the corpse and go right, past a pair of orcs standing below. Pick up the fifth token in the alcove on the right, halfway down the path, then go down another pair of ladders.
There’s a wide area between the third and fourth ladders, but there’s nothing there. Find the fourth and final ladder near the entrance. There’s a living worker on the right, but he won’t be around for long. Take his token so you don’t have to go after the last one, or ignore him. After making your decision, take the left path. When you reach the very end, run up the wall and cling to the walls. Jump left, past a couple of chattering orcs. Climb up and go forward to find a token near a cave-in on the right. Jump onto the ledge beyond the abyss to find the seventh corpse. If you previously picked up the token from the slave who died before your eyes, you’ll automatically return to the mine foreman. Otherwise, you’ll have to find the eighth corpse.
We set fire to the barrels
Line up behind the man in blue and wait for the guard to call you. Go right and hand in the tokens. You can listen to the Beastmaster discussing the fate of the sick spider. Once you’re done, go up the ramp to Gollum’s cell. Go into the open cell on the right side and grab the Old Metal Spoon (collectible) . You can talk to the Frail Man and the Brutal Orc to learn their backstory; when you’re ready, go to sleep by the window.
At the start of the second day, get into the booth on the right and head towards the mines. If you heard the Beastmaster talking about the spider, you can tell the witch in the cage about it. She will pass on a message for the Beastmaster!
Talk to the Foreman at the bottom, then follow the Fragile Man to the levers and tunnels. Grab the redstone from the pile on the right and crawl through the tunnel that the Fragile Man opens. If you need to replenish your food supplies, there’s a worm at the end of the tunnel on the right. Climb down the curved wall on the right and crawl through the tunnel. Repeat the process in the next shaft, and at the end of the second tunnel you’ll find a red barrel; insert the redstone and return to the Fragile Man the same way. The smoke from the explosion is toxic, so the longer you stay in these tunnels, the more damage you’ll take.
After talking to the Fragile Man, he’ll open another gate; crawl through the next tunnel. Avoid the holes on the way to the next barrel; light it on fire, then return to the Fragile Man. He’ll take Gollum down and open a third tunnel. If you need to replenish your health, look for a worm just before the last lever.
Run and jump across the gap, then jump to the red barrel at the end of the path. Immediately jump back onto the platform to avoid the explosion after activating the barrel. Crawl through the tunnel on the right to return to the main area. Go to the mine foreman and try to get into the cabin to return to the barracks. A brutal orc will stop Gollum. Choose either option, as you will end up in your cell either way.
The next day
Follow the tunnels to the main area and talk to the Beastmaster. Tell him about the witch, then follow the Brittle Man into the sewers. Crawl through the tunnel he opens and jump into the pool below. Swim to the far side, where you can get out on dry land. You will be chased by wild animals, from which you will have to run across the entire area. As always, jump over obstacles and stand on rocks to restore stamina. If you fall into the water, you can get out on the far side.
More beasts will appear. Run through the pens until you reach the high ground at the other end. Climb the wall to the platform on the left and enter the sewer pipe. Soon you will find yourself in a huge and tall shaft. If you need to heal, look for a worm halfway up. Once at the top, jump back and reach the restricted area.
During the cutscene, you’ll see some guards and a path to follow. Jump to the right and climb down the wall to reach ground level. Hide behind the crate in the center of the hallway to avoid being spotted, then run to the right. If you’re quick, you can sneak through the tunnel to the next room. Even if the orc spots you, he won’t be able to follow you (he’s too big for that hole; he can shoot his crossbow, though).
Hide behind the barrels next to the patroller; wait until he’s turned away, then sneak up behind him and choke him to make it easier. There’s a room to the right with food and a rock; grab both, then jump over the crates in the middle of the barrel room. If you turn left, you can stun two more orcs, including the one guarding the main entrance. This isn’t necessary, but it will give you an emergency escape route if you’re spotted later.
There’s an armored orc in the passage on the right. You can’t stun these enemies! Crawl counterclockwise along the wall and throw a rock at the lantern on the crate; this will distract the enemy. Continue moving along the outside of the room and sneak towards the exit. Follow the tunnel to the left. You’ll find yourself in a corridor with another armored orc. Move forward when he turns his back to you and stick to the shadows near the left wall. You can go around the orc on the left, but wait for him to turn away again. Wait for him to scan the corridor, then crawl towards the exit across the road. He might catch a glimpse of you, but not enough to provoke a chase.
Turn left to get another healing item and a stone, then go right. Hide behind the boxes, pick up two stones and distract the orcs: throw a stone at the metal object in the middle of the room. When the orc on the left goes to explore, climb the wall he was standing by.
Jump onto the platform on the right and into the next room; drop down and go right to hide behind the boxes. Move along the edge until you reach a large group of orcs. Ahead is a small hatch that allows you to enter the crawlspace. Use the hole in the wall to reach the scaffolding and climb up the wall to the right. Keep to the edge of the platform until you find a ladder. Climb up and jump left to continue climbing.
Jump back to the top of the wall, climb the ledge on the left side to avoid the orcs. Wait for the orc with the lantern to go to the right, climb up and move to the booth on the left. Hide in the box. It is best to use CTRL to move silently. If you attract even the slightest attention from the orcs, you will no longer be able to interact with the box.
How to get into the room with the map
The next area requires a leap of faith; look for the planks jutting out from the square-shaped platform. Don’t worry, there’s a pool of water below, so Gollum won’t fall to his death. Get out on dry land and climb the ladder on the right. Stay in the shadows and move to the right; if you go too far, you’ll be spotted by orcs. Climb into the small hole in the wall and disable the lantern. Crawl past the guards, staying in the shadows. In the next room, look to the left for a stone.
Move to the far wall. Hide in the shadows and move right under the orc’s nose. At the end of the wall, turn right; you can drop under the platform with the guard or climb up on it from the side. Crawl under the platform to find a worm, carefully climb up and move along the edge to the left. Halfway there will be an area where you can restore stamina; do so, then go to the end of the bridge. Hide behind a pile of junk and ambush the patrolling orc. Otherwise, just ignore him and move on. Enter the small dark room on the right side of the bridge; there is a stone in the corner.
Wait at the entrance to the room with the two orcs; throw a rock at the lantern on the right to distract the armored enemy ahead, then sneak behind him to the other end of the room. You need to time it so that the patrolling orc has his back to Gollum. Sneak around the corner, picking up the bugs on the far side, as the patrolling orc can see you! Head to the end of the platform and drop down to the area below.
Jump onto the platform opposite, then onto the wall. Repeat the jumps a few times, jumping back (F key) to go through the tunnel. Swing and jump over the gap. At the end of the path, run up and jump to the left to reach the ledge near the upper crossbar. Jump up, then back to grab the crossbar itself. Jump onto the platform above where you came from.
Climb the wall on the left and jump back to continue climbing. You’ll find a spinning gear with several bars. Grab one, time it right, and jump forward to a climbing wall. Run up the wall on the right and climb the beams to the next climbing wall; drop down and go left. At the top of the spinning gear, jump onto the wall that Gollum can grab onto. In the next section, run up the right wall. Jump off and land on the platform above. Wall run through the next gap and move clockwise along the platform to find another climbing wall.
There’s a large gear at the top – too thick to hang from. Jump onto the platform in the center of the gear, timing it so you don’t hit the poles. Do the same thing from the other side, and climb the wall to the left. Climb up the bars, turning around to face the center platform in time, and jump onto it. You can jump to the hole in the wall with the gears to find a passage to the collectible .
From the central platform, climb onto the roof. There’s a ledge on the left side of the wall with gears that will allow you to climb onto it. Climb down the wall to find a lever that controls a crane. Pull it, then go to the ramp behind you and turn left. Jump on the hanging platforms to get across the gap to the rotating pillars. Move to the other side of the first pillar and drop down to the disk below you. Jump across to the next platform and climb up the wall. At the top, perform a reverse jump and find more gears above.
Climb onto the smooth gear; you need to take a running jump to land as close to the center as possible, as it’s easy to fall off the edge. Jump onto the gear above. Go to the far side, to another gear, and jump onto the bars attached to it. Turn around and jump back until you hit the spikes above. Continue climbing, using the ledges on the large disks.
At the top of the climbing wall, rotate the camera to face the pillar and jump towards it when a ledge appears to grab onto. Wait and jump onto another climbing wall (red) that you need to climb to the right. Continue upwards; at the top of the slanted wall, jump off and land on the platform. Make sure you have time to regenerate your stamina, then run up and jump onto the ledge on the right. Climb up the left side until you reach an area with footholds to regenerate your stamina again.
Climb up and take another running jump, then immediately drop down to enter the wooden structure. At the end of the tunnel, swing on the bar and be sure to turn around to climb onto the roof. Climb up the ledge and use the window. Avoiding the orcs inside the room, make your way to the stairs on the right and climb up. Use Gollum’s senses to spot enemies and cover.
Use the climbing walls to reach the upper levels of the building. You’ll find yourself on a platform above two armored orcs; be aware that they can still detect you, but won’t be able to approach you. If you’re spotted, retreat to the ground floor and wait for the alarm to go off. When you reach these orcs, immediately crawl under a large table to avoid detection. There’s another table against the wall to the right; crawl under it and wait for an opportunity to sneak up on the metal object near the orc guarding the exit.
Interact with it (if you have rocks, you can throw them from a distance), then go back under the table. When the orc turns his back on you, run past and turn right. Go up the ramp to find some food, go back down and cross the ledge. Climb the outer wall. If necessary, crouch with CTRL to avoid making noise. At the end of the ledge, jump up and climb to the next floor. You need to jump from narrow ledges, so take your time. At the top, look for a room with a map. Study each map highlighted in blue using Gollum’s senses until you find the right one. There are enemies in the room, so if necessary, hide under the table. There is also a window on the side that will allow you to get out.
Once you find the tower map, get out through the side window. Wait for the orc to leave the bridge and run to the booth. After escaping, you’ll have to collect new tokens. It’s pretty simple here – move from marker to marker until Gollum passes out.
How to help a Fragile person
After the cutscene, pick up the red rocks on the right and climb into the small tunnel on the left. Climb to the top of the shaft until you return to the adits. Turn left and follow the path along the wall. Run along the wall and jump higher. Climb up and to the right, to the upper ledges. From the beam, jump higher and follow left. Jump back to the climbable wall. At the top, jump to the right.
Proceed along the wooden scaffolding to find an egg that can be used to heal. Jump onto the platform across the gap, use the rafters, and soon hear orcs talking. Run along the narrow beam and make a long jump to the ledge ahead. Climb up and hide in the shadows near the fence to avoid being spotted by the orcs. When the orcs turn away, crawl behind the barrels on the left, grabbing a rock along the way. Continue moving clockwise around the room, using the shadows of the boxes and barrels for cover.
If you need to disable the lantern to distract the orcs, throw a rock. Otherwise, get to the ramp leading out of the room and, if possible, eliminate the two orcs above. You need to crawl up to the orcs while holding CTRL, otherwise they will turn around at the noise. After dealing with the orcs, climb up the wall to the upper storage room. Place the red rock in the barrels marked with a black cross and run along the path to the left to avoid the explosion. In the next room, jump from the scaffold onto the moving platforms; ignore the prompt and do not look at the pit, otherwise you will die from the explosion.
After the cutscene, you will be interrogated by the Cruel Woman. You can side with Gollum and betray the Fragile Man, or follow Sméagol’s plan and blame the Cruel Orc instead. Either way, once the gameplay resumes, return to your cell and sleep by the window. The next day, return to the yard. If you relayed the witch’s words to the Beastmaster, you will hear him tell everyone that he healed the spider himself. Sméagol will ask Gollum to intervene; if Sméagol wins the bet, the story will continue later. When you are ready, follow the group to the left and enter the booth.
Chapter 3
When the cabin arrives at the breeding pit, follow the bridge until the orc stops. Pull the lever and move deeper into the location alone. There will be a dead end at the end. Stand on the grate in the center of the circle and jump up to reach the upper platform. Climb the wall to the top of the shaky structure and turn around. Jump onto the crossbar, swing and reach the ledge near the wall.
Pull the lever in front of you and climb the wall on the right. Jump onto the platform to reach the crossbar. Shift to the left and jump onto the ledge ahead. Your stamina will be almost depleted, so let it regenerate.
Activate the feeder on the right and go to the left side of the area. Activate another lever. Standing in front of it, look ahead and to the right. You will see several platforms that can be reached by jumping. Climb up and crawl along the planks to reach the fourth feeder. Find the crossbars in the center of the area. Use them to reach the climbing wall ahead and slightly to the left. At the top, go left and activate the last feeder. Gollum will return automatically. Get in the cabin and go to the barracks.
There’s nothing else going on in the main area, so head to the cell and call it a day. As you go up the ramp, you’ll be able to examine the skulls, and the nearby orcs will be discussing the traitor’s mark. If you covered the Brittle Man and then blackmailed him in Chapter 2, a piece of bread will appear on the floor of the cell.
Candlestick
When the gameplay resumes, take the booth to the left of the Cruel Woman’s platform. You’ll be taken to the Tower. Follow Balrath down the hallway and turn left. When Balrath is called, go to the opposite end of the hallway to find a painting of the Witch King. Then head up the stairs to the Candlemaker’s office. Try to open the door, then run down the wall on the left to reach a passageway leading into the room. Drop down to the rafters near the ceiling and drop down to the floor.
There’s a flask on the table that you can steal. Go to the door and look through the keyhole to eavesdrop on the conversation between the Candlemaker and the Mouth of Sauron. You can explore this room if you want. If you helped free the witch from the mines, she’ll be standing next to the bookcases at the far end. You can talk to her.
Look through the keyhole to the right of the wall map and wait for the conversation between the Candlemaker and the Mouth of Sauron to end. Go to the Candlemaker and choose who to blame. After the cutscene, the timeskip will occur.
How to hatch a chick from an egg
Follow Balrath to the bird breeding hall; on the way you will see the Mouth of Sauron again, but Balrath will not allow you to follow him. Talk to the Candlemaker, and he will order you to use various devices to hatch the egg. Take the blue egg from the cage near the keys and place it in the pot on the left. Select a jug with any color to paint the egg. Depending on the color of the shell, you will get a black, brown or white chick. This slightly affects future dialogues, but nothing more. Next, you need to prepare the incubator by adding the required amount of wood and using the bellows. There are several hints in this area with the formula for breeding chicks.
The clue is behind the cells near the keys – black color. Two branches and three times press on the bellows.
The clue is in the niche behind the hatching nest (where you put the egg to warm it up) – brown. Three branches and press the bellows four times.
The clue is behind the pillar in front of the stove – white. Four branches and press the bellows twice.
Once the oven is set to the color of the egg you want, place it in the hatching nest and pull the lever. If the combination is correct, a cutscene will play. After talking to the Candlemaker, return to the chamber. You can stay to listen to the conversation between the Candlemaker and the witch (if she was freed), or head straight to the booth.
Chapter 4
Return to the cell, talk to the new prisoner and go to the yard. On the way, talk to Feeder to find out what Gollum was doing during the timeskip. Get into the right booth to take the new prisoner to the pits with the animals. You need to lead Grashneg past the animals. Order him to move towards the gate, along the wall to the left. When he stops at the point between the gate and the lever, order Grashneg to go to the middle of the room. As soon as the animals notice him, he will turn back, moving out of their way. The animals themselves will run straight into the pen. Order Grashneg to close it by interacting with the lever.
How to tame a bird
Talk to the Candlemaker and head up. After the cutscene, use companion mode to command the bird to knock down the jug hanging from the balcony. Climb up to the passage near the door that was initially locked. But instead, jump to the right to end up on top of the astrolabe under the ceiling. Approach the bird, and when you scare it away, return to the Candlemaker. Take the bread from the table and go to the bird. Throw the bread at the indicated place, then interact with the chick.
Use companion mode twice to knock down the jug and pick up the statue, then head to the Candlemaker. Enter the office and interact with the cage to return the bird and trigger a cutscene. You will find yourself outside the room.
Spying on the Cruel Woman
Jump across the beams to the balcony with the bell and climb inside. There are orcs here, so hide under the small table on the left. Go clockwise around the room, staying under the tables until you get back to the office. Get close enough to the Cruel Woman to hear what she says. You can hide in any of the places marked with yellow markers. When she leaves, climb out the window and jump onto the same balcony. This time, go counterclockwise around the office to avoid the orcs and watch for the woman herself.
Chase her and the other orcs. Preferably crawling, so as not to make noise. Go down the stairs. When the enemies follow the corridor with the orcs standing still, use the shadow on the wall opposite each of them. It’s pretty simple. When the Brutal Woman and the orcs enter the elevator, jump on top. Go down into the shafts and stay on top to keep up with the group. When the Beastmaster tells you where Snarra is, go right and climb the tower to outrun the woman.
Once you find the ledges on the wall, climb up and move left. Jump in the opposite direction. Climb to the center and jump higher. Continue using reverse jumps to climb up two parallel walls. When you get to the flat platform, look at the wall on the left and run up it. Follow it up and to the right. Sneak up and eliminate Snarra. Go past the body and take a running jump across the gap onto the climbing wall. When you reach the top of the wall, you will automatically return to the barracks. Talk to Grashneg and go to bed.
Chapter 5
At the beginning of the chapter, Gollum and Smeagol will discuss their escape plan. After the conversation, you will find yourself at the entrance to the Tower. Go up to the office (the door is open, Balrath does not suspect anything) and talk to the Candlemaker standing by the birdcage. When he lets you go, return to the balcony behind the door of the main office and talk to the witch. While Zana and the Candlemaker are talking, use the hole above the door to return to the office. Both characters are looking at the map, so act silently, return to the birdcage and open it. Follow the bird through the window on the opposite side of the room and jump down to hang on the ledge. Jump to the roof on the right, move through the metal structure. Climb to the right and up the outer wall.
Continue up the outside of the tower until you reach a bird that flies off to a new location. At the end of the roof, you’ll need to hang off the edge to find and climb onto another surface. Move counterclockwise, down to the bird’s location. You’ll see the Candlemaker’s Keychain. Enter companion mode and command the bird to pick up the keys. Once you’ve got them, use the narrow ledges outside the tower to drop down, then climb the wall on the far side of the roof. Jump further. Note that each ledge you jump to will be closer than the last, so you’ll want to jump shorter distances each time.
At the end of the path, climb up the wall; the ledge is hard to spot, though easy to jump onto. Follow the path to the left, jump down to the window, and climb back into the Candlemaker’s office. Exit the room and use the bookshelves on the left side of the room to reach the rafters and climb out through the hole (for ventilation or something).
How to get to the top of the bird tower
Go down and turn left in the hallway to reach the enclosure. Use the bars at the far end of the room to begin climbing. At the second bar, turn around and jump to the climbing wall. At the top, go left and follow the corridor to the abandoned rooms. Move counterclockwise, run up the wall and cross the gaps. At the top, follow the beams and jump to the outer wall to continue climbing.
At the top left of the climbing wall, pull yourself up into a small hole and onto a platform above. This will trigger a cutscene and a cage that will collapse into a cage. Climb back down through the hole and drop down to the platform below; from there, jump to the rafters above the beams Gollum was on earlier. Head to where the beams intersect and climb up the narrow wall. At the top, on the left side, there will be another wall you can climb. Beyond that, there will be a series of ledges that will allow you to cross to the other side of the chasm. On the far side, climb up to the main rafters and walk along them. Note that this will drain your stamina, so don’t linger!
Use the climbing wall to continue left. Jump back to the narrow set of rafters. At the far end, there’s a tall, thick beam; there’s no indication that you can interact with it, but if you do, it will fall down and form the necessary bridge. Use it to swing across to the other side of the room and climb up to the rafters. At the very top of the tower, run and jump towards the exit illuminated by a blue light. On the other side, you’ll automatically be dropped into the execution chamber. Jump across the gap at the end of the tunnel and wait for the red light to go out.
How to get through the execution chamber
Continue along the narrow ledge above, but be sure to keep an eye on your stamina. Drop down at the far end and hide behind the barrier to avoid the light. As long as you stay at ground level, you can hide behind the walls. Continue until you’re prompted to examine the room; you’ll see an overview of the route you need to take. When the light goes out, climb up the ledge and hang off the other one at the end of the hallway. Then, run along the wall to the platform opposite. There’s a small rock you can hide behind to wait out the next flash of light; as long as you stay in the shadows, you’ll be fine.
When the lights go out, wall run twice and climb up to the far corner, into the safe room. Use the bar to cross the gap. At the far end, when you’re hanging under the barred window, jump down to the wall below that you can grab onto and immediately jump back to another bar.
This is going to be the tricky part. The second bar is too far away to reach by jumping. Instead, move slightly to the left and jump as far as you can, letting go of the bar just as Gollum’s feet are at their highest point. You’ll barely grab the climbing wall, slowing your fall enough for Gollum to survive. Climb through the hole at the top of the wall opposite the red lantern and drop down. If you’re not perfect, you’ll likely take a little damage from the red light. Once you’re safe, heal up and hang onto the bars of the rotating mechanism ahead. Jump into the middle of the wheel. From here, you need to jump onto a small platform in the corner. Use the ledge to get under the grate blocking the way, then drop down onto the rotating platform below.
Hold on to the edge of the wheel to get under the grate. You need to use the upper and lower ledges. Behind the second grate, climb up the wheel again and jump to the next one. Move and jump onto the climbing wall halfway. Go down, move left and hide behind the stone barrier to wait out the next flash of red light. Once it goes out, climb up the wall on the right until you reach the rafters in the upper left corner. Gollum will see the carriage. Crawl along the narrow beam to reach the carriage. Jump onto the roof and pull the lever to go down into the sewer.
How to get out of the sewer
When the gameplay resumes, head forward, right, and down the stairs. Jump off the platform into the water and emerge near the stairs on the left. Wall run across the top of the stairs to the lever on the right and pull it to raise the water level. This will create a bridge. In companion mode, have the cart driver cross the bridge and direct him to the lever at the top of the stairs. When the water level rises again, swim left to emerge onto a new area. Pull the lever on the wall to lower the bridge for the driver and have a companion pull the lever on the stairs behind you. Gollum can pull the lever himself, but this will cause the driver to drown, resulting in a game over.
Once the cabbie is on the upper platform, pull the lever yourself to drain the water. Go to the second lever and pull it to drain the water. Stand on the floating bridge and tell the cabbie to pull the lever at the top. When the water rises, walk across the bridge and you will be able to reach a new lever at the top of the chamber. Swim to the barrels in the water. Move all three so that they are grouped around the chain supporting the chandelier. Next to the lever you just pulled. Then swim to the chain from the opposite chandelier. Ask the cabbie to lower the water level; if done correctly, you will end up on top of the chandelier, while the barrels will weigh down the other one, lifting you up.
Once both levers are active (jump to the second one and pull it), the entire chamber will be empty. Jump into the water to go down to the bottom with it (otherwise you’ll have to climb down the walls). Meet the cab driver at the exit – it’ll take him a while to get there, so be patient.
Once he opens the door, head up the stairs. He’ll be waiting at the top of the hallway, and you should go first and deal with the patrolling orcs. Start by jumping onto the crate hanging above the cart. Use it to jump up to the attic on the right. Wait for the orc below to walk up the stairs, then drop down and attack him from behind. After that, deal with the second enemy by hiding under the cart. Once both orcs are dead, hide in the cart and wait for the cutscene to end. You’ll find yourself in the labs underneath the tower.
Spider tunnels
Choke the orc at the table and examine the research he was working on. Pull the lever on the right to use the elevator. At the bottom, follow the tunnels to another lever and use it to open the gate. Crawl through the small illuminated passage on the right to reach the spider tunnels. Ahead, where the shadow of a spider running past will appear, you can find a worm. If you don’t need it, climb the left wall to reach another passage.
The tunnel is long and will require you to drop down in several places. Keep going until you see some spider eggs. Carefully make your way through the room, avoiding the spiderlings. Getting caught in a trap won’t result in instant death like the orcs, but you’ll take a fair amount of damage. Make your way to the lit candle and the tunnel behind it. Find the spider eyes on the left side of the room, then climb up the wall. You can use the dark areas under the rock ledges to hide from the spiders moving along the wall. They move much faster than Gollum, so if you’re spotted, you’re guaranteed to get caught.
At the top of the wall, climb up the ledge on the left, under the ceiling, and make your way to the tunnels below. If you get spotted by a spider, keep moving. Run through the tunnels and when you come out the other side, you can find some healing food on the left. You’ll probably need it. Once you’ve escaped the spiders, climb up the wall on the left and move clockwise along the edge of the adit. Run along the wall and jump at the end to reach the ledge above. At the edge of the cliff, look for a crossbar on the left – between two stalactites. Swing and jump across the two crossbars, jump back up to the top of the climbing wall to reach the ledge on the stalactite. Climb to the top and take a running jump to reach the next platform. From here, you can climb down the ledges in the far part.
Jump onto the platform by the far wall and go left. Use the crossbar to reach the dark platform beyond the lava. Use another pole to get onto a wall you can grab onto. Jump across the platforms to find another tunnel on the right with two beetles that restore health. Jump across the lava at the end of the tunnel, fully restore your stamina, and move on. You will be chased by spiders, so you will need to speed up by spending stamina. However, save stamina for running along the wall. After the second wall you run along, go right to avoid being attacked by a spider on the left wall. Then the tunnel turns sharply to the left, outside the catacombs.
How to open the gate
After the cutscene, climb up the wall ahead and head clockwise along the walls of the mine. When the path splits, use the ledge on the left to find a piece of Boar’s Tooth , then go back and take the path on the right. There’s a gate at the top, but that’s not the way to go! Instead, turn around and hang off the ledge above the center of the main room to continue heading clockwise toward the exit. Once you reach it, a cutscene will trigger. Gollum and Smeagol will argue about whether to kill the orc below or just wait for him to go away. Either way, he’s not the only orc in the area. Hide under the cart near the entrance and wait for an opportunity to go left. The safe route is the long way counterclockwise, and be sure to hide behind the carts whenever you can.
Don’t try to kill the orcs. You’re almost guaranteed to be spotted by others. When you’re behind a couple of boxes with an armored orc, throw a rock at the steel ball on the left. The enemy will move away, and you’ll be able to crawl under the cart he was watching. Move left and turn off the lantern to darken the room. Move forward until you’re behind two orcs guarding the gate. Climb over the ledge on the right. When the driver calls you, crawl under the cart and hide under it until the man finishes talking. Go up the ramp leading behind the cart, go right.
At the top, there’s a barrier you can hide behind from the two armored orcs. To the right of it is a wall you can climb. Use it to reach a narrow platform above the orcs and go past them. Pull the lever in the next room to lower the bridge and begin the climb to the bat cave. Take the left path and hide in the troll’s helmet until the orc watching the bridge turns away. Then choke him. This orc’s patrol route is long, so you’ll probably need to be patient.
Climb the wall on the left side of the bridge and go to the edge of the long scaffolding to grab the collectible. Backtrack, instead of falling down, jump onto the thick ropes that span the gap and crawl to the platform opposite. From there, you can jump to the right and climb onto another set of ropes. Follow the path to the left and pull the lever on the platforms against the wall. Climb onto the edge of the crane above and drop down to the platform below. Jump to the ledge on the cliff, then onto the diamond-shaped climbing wall, then onto another ledge on the left, which will allow you to drop down to a platform that leads into a cave with bats.
Use the rock platforms ahead or the climbing wall on the left to reach the stalactite in the middle of the adit. Jump into the tunnel leading to the exit. Outside, jump to the right and climb down the wall. When you reach a ledge, move right and jump to the next wall. Use the bar on the right to cross the gap, continue moving and soon fall onto the climbing wall. This will bring you to ground level. Climb under the first cart you come across to hide from enemy eyes and go to the stairs to the right of the gate.
Go down the stairs on the left at the other end of the gate. Stay in the grass until you reach a ramp in the center of the courtyard. Use it to reach the next set of stairs. For some reason, you can’t kill the orc from above, despite him not having a helmet, so just ignore him and crawl to the next level. Use the crossbar to get over the animal pens. Climb the ledges to get to the other side.
Wait on the platform above the gate. When the cart comes down, jump into it. The best way to do this is to hang on the edge and press E to release your grip. While the cart moves across the bridge, you need to hang on the side. Jump as needed to avoid getting knocked down by obstacles. For the first part of the path, you need to hang on the right side, only rising to jump over the second obstacle. This will allow you to pass the first group of orcs without any problems.
Immediately after the enemies, move to the middle of the cart’s roof to avoid the barrier. Then you need to jump onto the platform and run along it after the cart. If you miss the first one, hang on the edge and wait for the next one. Hang on the left side of the cart to avoid the next barrier and the enemy group. Run across another platform. Then hang on the left side and dodge the first barrier. Quickly move to the right to avoid the second one.
Jump over the next two obstacles. Jump onto the climbing wall as the cart moves underneath. Run along the other wall and jump back to grab the ledge. Use the rafters to climb up the ledge on the left, at the side of the tunnel. Follow it up.
On the roof, pick up the dead beetle on the left and climb up the ladder on the right. Run and jump off the edge of the scaffolding to reach the climbing wall opposite. Once you reach the top, Gollum will finally escape Barad-dûr.
Chapter 6
At the start of the chapter, Gollum returns to his hideout in Cirith Ungol. Follow the bird through the small tunnel in the corner and up the shaft, as you did at the beginning of the game. Climb along the wall on the left to follow the driver. At the end of the path, you’ll climb to the top of a cliff and see several orcs that the driver is about to run into. Jump over the gap, drop down to the high ground above the orc camp, and push the log to the right. This will scare the beasts, and the driver will be alerted to the presence of enemies. Move left and wait in the grass for the orc to pass, then crawl past the other two enemies. Climb down the edge of the cliff on the right to go through the gate, and lower the ladder on the left to help the driver up.
How to find Shelob
Lead the driver into Shelob’s lair by following the path: right, right, left. You can use your heightened senses to find the right route. When you reach the room, crawl along the tunnel to the right. Hang on to the ledge at the very end and jump to the right. Then – in the opposite direction. At the far end of the chamber, there are two passages, both leading to a lever that lowers a bridge for the driver. The right path is dangerous, as it involves a difficult combination of wall running and jumping, but you will be rewarded with a collectible – an orc tooth .
Pull the lever, then lead the driver deeper into the tunnel. When you reach Shelob’s storeroom, go left, then right. You’ll see an entrance to a lair with a bright green glow; go inside and look for a lit room at the end of the tunnel on the right. Climb to the top of the shaft, and follow the small tunnel. In the room with the green orb, drop down the hole in the floor to find Shelob. Gollum and Smeagol will argue about whether to feed the driver to her.
How to get away from Shelob
After the argument, run towards the screen to escape Shelob. Use the green markers on the floor to take a safe route, jumping over the webs. When the path splits, run along the wall to avoid the huge web. Gollum’s stamina does not drain during the chase, so hold the sprint button at all times! When you fall into the room below, Shelob will stop chasing. Climb up to the upper chamber, move left, and carefully drop down to the other side.
Use the bar at the very bottom of the cave to cross the gap and climb as high as you can. At the other end of the ledge, take a running jump to grab the far wall. Jump back and Shelob will appear again. Keep jumping backwards without changing your position and gravity will do the rest of the work for you. Crawl through the tunnel to the right to begin the second chase sequence.
There is one particularly tricky section during this chase; after running along the wall, you need to jump over a web. Then jump diagonally to the left of the green marks on the floor and immediately – diagonally to the right. If you make a mistake, you will fall into the web. At the end of the chase, a cutscene will start, ending the chapter.
Chapter 7
Wait for the elves to open the door, then follow them up until they stop at another door. Open it to enter the garden, and grab the caterpillar near the arch to the left of the elves sitting on the bench. Climb the rocks near the entrance to the river; Smeagol will see a butterfly. Follow it up and catch it when it lands on the jar on the windowsill. Crawl through the small gap at the top of the wall. On the other side, look for a column on your left that you can climb down. When you return to the ground, follow the path to the river.
Crawl down the ramp to remain silent. When you approach a group of elf guards, collect the rocks scattered around and crawl to the left. Unlike the orcs in Mordor, the elves are too skilled to strangle them, even if you manage to sneak up on them from behind. Hide behind the crate and throw a rock at the metal object to the right of the lone elf. When he moves away, sneak behind him into the tunnel he was guarding. At the bottom is a room with a lone elf; hide under the table until you have a chance to go through the door opposite. Turn left and look for a stream guarded by elves. Swim past them unnoticed and exit to the right, passing under the bridge.
There are two paths here: the left one requires more agility, you will have to run along the walls to cross the raging rapids, but there will be no elves. The right path is guarded by elves, and you will have to carefully move between the small patches of grass on either side, timing it correctly to avoid enemies. Eventually, jump into the stream and swim until you see a small bridge with an elf on top. Climb up to the left of it, move up the stairs ahead until you see the pools.
Dive into the water and swim under the bridge on the left where there are two elves. Swim to the shore on the right and climb out of the water. Hide in the grass and collect the mushrooms. Return to the water on the other side of the shore and swim under the arch ahead. On the other side, dive underwater and move left to avoid detection. Resurface when you reach the wall. Climb to the upper pool. Keep to the right wall and swim to the opposite shore; if you are detected, continue forward and hide around the corner until the elves finish searching. Swim to the right and climb out onto the shore. Move up the ramp on the left.
Follow the river up, staying on the rocks to avoid the current. Many of the jumps require a running start, so I recommend taking your time and restoring your stamina. Again, when you reach the end of the tunnel, there will be two paths. The left path is faster, but more dangerous, as you can fall off the rapids. On the other hand, this way is much easier to get the collectible – fish bones .
In the next area, you’ll be introduced to a new wall jumping mechanic; when you see walls with white handprints and footprints, Gollum can temporarily cling to them. Jump onto these walls, then jump again. You’ll need to do this quickly, or Gollum will fall. Use the new ability to reach the other side of the chamber, where you’ll be in a beam of sunlight. A cutscene will show you some rocks that you need to climb. Follow the path around the mountain and start by climbing the purple flowers. Move up and to the left, use the bar to jump into the tunnel and jump across the gap to the next section. On the other side, you can climb onto the roof of the tunnel.
Continue climbing the wall to the right; at the bottom there will be a passage that leads to a dead end, but there is a collectible there . Once you have it, go back and take the higher path. At the top of the rise, jump over another gap. Go to the end of the ledge and use the stairs on the right to climb up to the Elven King’s Palace.
How to get a blind elf to talk to you
In the Great Cave, follow the elves until they sit down, then go through the large doors on the left. Cross the garden and talk to Gandalf, who is sitting on a bench. Go through the doors to return to the basement. In the basements, on the right hand side, is the kitchen. Be sure to look in there and pick up the collectible . Go to Mell’s cell. Talk to her through the window to trigger a cutscene.
Mell isn’t interested in talking, so head to the entrance to Gollum’s cell. You’ll see a ramp leading up above the door. Use it to reach the vent leading to Mell’s cell. Try to open the door, return to the kitchen and talk to the cook. Take the apple from the barrel near the entrance and place it on the table outside Mell’s window. Talk to her, after which a time skip will occur. Go to the kitchen and get some wine for Mell. Talk to her again.
Take the shell she gives you and head out into the garden. Jump onto the rocks in the pond where the elves are chatting to trigger another cutscene. Then, go up the ramp on the left to begin your ascent to the Sparkling Grotto.
How to get a shell
When the Violent Elf taunts you, climb up the right wall and use the bar. After landing on the balcony, climb up the wall on the left. At the top, crawl left to avoid the Elven sentries. Wait for the guard on the left to turn away, and then crawl clockwise around the perimeter of the room. From the balcony, jump over the rock on the right to get behind the guard watching the area. You’ll come to a ramp leading into the next room. Don’t go too far; when the ramp turns right, you’ll come across a door with a guard. Instead, run up the wall to the ledge above and use the bar to reach the platforms on the left.
Continue climbing to reach the pool. You’ll hear Mell’s voice. Head to the tower on the left and wall run to start climbing. After the first ledge, you’ll find yourself on a small veranda; grab the marble piece from the table (collectible) , then continue up. Climb the purple vines to reach the room above, run up the far wall, and jump back down to reach the next set of ledges. Climb through the small window at the top and jump left. Ring the bell at the top of the tower and take a running jump into the pool.
Climb out of the water via the purple vines on the left. Climb up and to the right, along the vines on the wall. At the end, use the ledges to reach the pool on the next level. Move left to find Gwendil’s room. There will be a small pool on the left, where Mell can ask you a riddle. The answer is “Grievance”. Examine the Riddle Master’s door and look for the candle on the table on the left. Return to the door and go inside. A little further to the left is a room with a wooden sculpture. Climb the shelves on the right to find a climbing path leading to the attic; you will have to jump on the platforms. At the top is the shell that Mell needs. Take it and leave this area.
How to get to the Elven King’s chambers
Go to the second tower on the other side of the pond terrace. Climb up the inner walls until you reach a window with a long ledge. Climb out. Above the window is another climb point that you can use to continue climbing. Climb up and to the right to reach the second bell and ring it, then drop back into the pool. Climb up the center wall; at the top, jump to the ledge on the left and follow the path. You will come to a wall and can run up it. Before you do, collect the mushrooms to replenish your health.
At the top of the wall, jump down to the shore on the other side of the pool. Climb up and run along the wall along the mountain. Continue climbing using the purple vines and the ledges they lead to. When you can’t climb any further, jump back and slide left along the bar until you can drop down to the platform below. Continue climbing the wall and at the top of the climb you’ll find the entrance to the Sparkling Grotto. You’ll be given a choice: continue or stay.
Swim forward until you see a bank on the right that you can climb onto. The door to the room is locked, so jump across the stream to the ledges on the other side. Climb up and jump back to a higher position. Use a running jump to reach the platform to the right of the door and follow it to the end of the ledge. Jump onto the step-like rocks. If you want, you can take the left path to the bottom of the stairs to find a pearl , or immediately follow it up and to the right.
Wall run to the top of the waterfall and climb the purple vines at the back of the chamber. Jump back to another set of vines that leads to a platform near the ceiling. Go to the end of the platform and turn around; there’s a ledge to the right that you can climb. This will drain most of your stamina. Drop down to the other side and continue crawling along the wall until you reach a small tunnel that leads to Thranduil’s chamber.
How to get silver bell
Drop down into the hallway and turn right to find a large harp. Pull the rope to activate the mechanism on the ceiling. Climb the shelves along the far wall to reach the ledges of the nearby column. Jump onto the rotating mechanism and turn around. Time your movements carefully to jump to the pillar on the other side.
Jump from one column to another to reach the ledge by the wall and continue climbing. Go right until you can jump onto the upper mechanism. Swing on the bar and wait for it to turn; you probably won’t have enough time, so wait for the mechanisms to return to their original position.
Once you use the bell, Gandalf and Thranduil will return. Gollum will hide behind the curtains; move carefully from curtain to curtain to avoid being seen. There will also be a guard here who is much more attentive, so use your heightened senses to keep an eye on him.
How to Escape from Elven King Thranduil
Make your way around the room clockwise, hiding behind the tables to avoid enemies. Once you’re behind the wine bar, wait for the guard to turn around before running to the right. Sneak up on the guard patrolling that side and quickly hide behind the curtains before he turns around. Continue moving counterclockwise around the room until you can slip past the guard at the door to the room where Thranduil and Gandalf are arguing. You might want to wait until Gandalf leaves before going inside. It’ll be one less pair of eyes on you. Stay to the right; there are more guards, but at least you can outrun them. If Thranduil sees you, the game will end. Go through the door in the right corner.
How to return the silver bell to Mell
Outside, hide in the flowers on the left and optionally pick up a nearby rock. Throw it at the steel object behind the guard to distract the elf, and drop down the hole behind him. Drop down to the rafters (not to ground level, or you’ll fall into the clutches of another elf). Climb up the rafters to the left and drop down into the flowerbed behind the next group of enemies. Wait for the guard patrolling the left exit to turn away, then run into another flowerbed. Move forward to the area behind the arches where another elf is patrolling. Hide in the flowers behind him until you have a chance to get to the other side, and do the same to the enemy in the next room.
Crawl through the long flowerbed along the right wall until you reach a guard blocking a ledge. Distract him by throwing a rock at the object on the left, then jump down before he returns to his post. Run down the center of the cliff to land on the rock jutting out from below. Don’t try to jump onto the rock in the middle of the river; instead, take a running jump to the vine on the far side. Drop down and jump onto the bank on the left. You’ll find a path that leads behind a rock pillar to the ledge above. You can jump onto it.
At the top of the next ramp, there’s a large wall with vines. Around this time, Mell will contact you. Climb up and to the right to get inside the abandoned tower, and continue climbing the ledges on the right wall. At the top, turn left to get the collectible . Hang off the edge on the right and jump off. After a few falls, you’ll land on the ground at the far side of the tower. In the next area, Mell will ask you to find a mask. Look for the one on the left as the stream turns right. You can either snuff out the candle or walk past it.
Follow the stream until you reach a guarded area. Hide in the flowers and go forward. On the left side is a wall that you can climb up. There are also guards there, but much fewer. Sneak past the enemy on the balcony and jump off the other side. Run along the wall to the next platform and jump over the barrier to get the collectible .
In the next hallway, a single guard patrols the narrow corridors. Wait for the enemy to go into the near of the two passages, and then move to the far one. Jump over the railing to the platform below. Use the bar on the left to jump higher, above the building, and leave this place. Talk to Mell through the window of her cell and go through the door on the right to shortcut to the door. Place the bell on the enchanted device, go inside and talk to Mell again. Lead Mell out of the cellars; outside, follow the path to the left, along the riverbank. There will be a guarded bridge on the left hand side. So go along the bank to the right and approach the waterfall. Mell will open a secret passage. At the end of the tunnel, open the door to complete the chapter.
, Chapter 8
Move forward until Mell addresses you. Continue along the path that goes to the right and you will see a tree with purple flowers on your left that you can climb up. Move around the table on the vines clockwise until you can climb up the branches. Jump to the top of the tree and take the item you need. Go down and give it to Mell. Smeagol and Gollum will start arguing. The text in the choices is incorrect: Gollum wants to take the medicine, and Smeagol wants to refuse it. Continue forward and wait for Mell to create a bridge across the river. Enter the caves and move forward. Escort Mell to the bell tower.
How to collect food for Mell
Examine the paintings and start climbing up, jumping onto the platform above the painting of the Eye of Sauron. Jump over to the broken platform in the center of the room and run along the wall. Grab the ledge above and jump back. Jump onto the small ledge on the opposite wall. Climb up, grab the egg, go back and crawl through the tunnel to the right of where the egg was. At the end of the branch, use a running jump to reach the ledge opposite. Follow the path, collect the large mushroom on the right (after falling). Go forward and enter the cave on the right. You can climb up in the back and collect the snail. Return to the main path and use the crossbar to reach the trees. Climb through the branches to find the caterpillar. Eventually, you should find yourself at the bottom of the hill. Return to Mell and give her the food.
How to hide from purple lights
After the cutscene, run along the top of the tower using the same route as before. When your path is blocked by one of the purple lights, throw a rock at the nearby bell to make it disappear. Follow the trees to the bottom of the hill, timing your jumps so as not to hit any of the lights. If you hit a light, you will make it disappear, but you will also lose half of your health. Climb the hill, hitting the bells to chase away the lights. Collect food along the way to restore your lost health. When your path is blocked by a pair of stationary lights, look to the right. The third light is blocking the bar leading to the trees; throw a rock at the bell behind the light and begin your climb.
When you reach the first branch, jump to the left and grab onto the trunk. Jump to the ledge above and climb up to the right. Carefully drop down onto the branch and use it to get back up the hill. A trio of wisps will be moving slowly from side to side ahead. Run through the middle when there is a safe gap between them and climb up the wall. The narrow passage ahead is blocked by a wisp. Follow it and wait for it to rise slightly, then run under the wisp. You will find more trees that you can climb; the third branch is difficult to land on as it is curved, but you need to use it to reach the climbing wall. Climb to the left along the top of the wall to avoid the wisp. At the end, jump back down and move down to Mell. In the next area, move to the large tree and talk to Mell.
How to solve the ritual stone puzzle
Use your heightened senses to follow the path highlighted in blue. First, check the tree for a broken staff, then follow the blue path to the runestone “at 11 o’clock!” around the tree (assuming Mell is at midday). You need to locate all the elves.
– Eristor. Examine the broken staff behind Mell. Behind and to the right of Mell.
— Dondofer. Knife. Examine the blood on the shore of the northwestern pond. Follow the trail to the knife blade. Dive into the pond and look for the handle at the bottom. Opposite Mell.
– Thurien. Bare feet. Check the area near the stone bridge south of the ritual circle to find Thurien’s boots. Look in the middle of the small pond to the east to find two petrified elves. Follow the path across the steps to find Thurien’s footprints. To the left of Mell.
– Priann. Feathers. From the petrified elves, follow the path to the right. Mell will mention that only one of the elves did not wear feathers, and you already know where Turien stood. Therefore, the stone to which the feathers lead must belong to Priann. Behind and to the left of Mell.
— Tselon. Bow. Check under the arch at the back of the area to find a cluster of arrows. Climb the tree overhanging the northern edge of the large pond where you found the knife handle to find a bow. Follow the path from the bow to Tselon’s Stone. To the right of Mell.
– Setil. Scythes. Given the placement of the other elves, there’s only one stone left, so it belongs to Setil. Right behind Mell. You’ll hear whispers when you approach one of the elves’ things.
Once you’ve found the right solution, follow Mell into the purple fog. Gollum and Smeagol will argue about whether or not to eliminate Mell after she’s done her job. Then, follow the fog until you see another cutscene.
Chapter 9
Back in Mell’s cell, take the fish left by the Cruel Elf and the egg lying on the table. Go outside and go upstairs to talk to Neldis the cook. She will send you to the garden to collect stones. Climb to the top of the garden using the same route as before and collect the first stone. You will hear a conversation between Thranduil and the guards. Eavesdrop on it, return to the main garden and collect the plant growing behind the bench.
Talk to the guards at the fire and tell them you’re ready to go. Follow them to the Elven King’s Gardens. Enter the tower through the door that opens and exit through the back door. Turn around and climb the wall. You need to follow the same route as during the escape in Chapter 7. At the top, pick the mistletoe. You will automatically go to the Riddle Master’s Room. Go to the bedroom and examine the mirror in the far corner by the window. You will see a slightly changed room. Turn the dial on the table to the left and make sure the candle by the fountain and the candle above the window are lit. The third one needs to be extinguished.
Once you’ve done everything correctly, examine the mirror again and a secret passage will open. Go inside and follow the hallway. Examine the strange marble in the fountain below. After the cutscene, go back upstairs and use the fountain in the bedroom to talk to Mell.
How to climb the Royal Oak
Exit the house and give Neldis the two stones. You can go to Mell’s cell and get another fish. Turn on the light when Neldis asks, then enter the circle of lamps. When you’re ready, talk to Neldis again to head to the Royal Oak. Go forward, across the bridge on the right. Talk to the elves on the bench and return to Neldis. In the far left corner of the festival grounds is a small green hut with a collectible – a wooden fork .
Use Smeagol’s answer to get Neldis to talk to the elves at the tree, then follow them. Once the elves have left, go through the tunnel they were blocking. Climb the wall to reach the scaffolding behind the tree. There’s a ledge to the right and above that you can use to continue climbing. Go up and left until you reach a wooden walkway. At the fork, go left to collect the garland, then go back and go right. Beware of the cliff just past the fork. If you fall, you’ll be sent back to the bottom of the tree and have to repeat the climb.
Look for a ledge in the tree trunk at the very end of the path and continue climbing. Turn right and jump to the platform on the next branch, then to the third platform. Step out onto the large barkless branch and turn around. There will be another set of ledges above you. Climb up by jumping to the platform in the opposite direction, which will allow you to cross over to another bare branch. In turn, from this you can reach the next platform above and to the right. Follow the path and go left at the fork. Jump counterclockwise along the bare branches, being careful not to fall. You cannot grab onto any of the ledges. When Gollum reminds himself to be careful, jump off the edge of the branch to reach the next one. After a long jump, move to the wooden platform on the left, near the chest. Follow the branches clockwise to reach a set of four rungs; Use them to cross the gap and examine the carving on the right to trigger a cutscene.
How to escape from orcs
Use the hole behind you to quickly return to the bottom of the tree. There’s an armored orc outside, so be stealthy. Crawl into the flowers on the left, keeping an eye out for the orc with the lantern. When the orc with the lantern turns away, cross the road and pick up the rocks. Throw one of the rocks at the lantern on the ground to the left to put it out. While the coast is clear, cross the path to the extinguished lantern and hide in the flowers. Crawl through the narrow passages to the right. There are several orcs with lanterns here. Stay in the grass, crawl, and nothing will happen. You might even be able to choke one or two as they move away from the rest of the group.
There’s an armored orc watching the exit. Throw a rock at the metal sphere nearby and make your way past it. Just beyond it is a ladder leading up to the trees above. Once you’re on the branch, crawl to the end and look to the left. You’ll see a ledge on the branch of the next tree. Hang on to it and climb up. Use another branch to jump over and climb up the trunk on the right. Follow the branches to a small path on the slope, moving clockwise to leave this area and end the chapter.
Chapter 10
Follow the path through Mirkwood until you see a large climbable wall on the left. Use it to reach the upper level and continue on. You’ll pass through a large hollow log and see a second one. There are a couple of snails on it that you can eat to heal yourself. Between the two logs, you need to climb down the cliff to where the elves and orcs will finish fighting. Hide in the flowers until the coast is clear and move forward. Hang on to the ledge and use it to reach the vines. Climb them, climb the tree, and drop down the other side, trying to land in the flowerbed and not disturb the elves. Follow the path to the right to reach the next climbing wall.
At the top of the ridge, there will be a tall tree that you need to climb. Once you do, perform a running jump. You will land in front of another section of the trunk that you can climb. Get to the crossbar and jump from trunk to trunk to reach the next set of platforms. The second jump in the opposite direction is more difficult. If you move to the left, you will fly past the platform. Run along the wall and jump over to the next platform. Follow up the other wall and jump in the opposite direction, hanging on the edge. You should grab the vines to slow your fall. Get to the other side of the trunk and drop down onto the broken bridge. On the right, there is a long passage that you can take a running jump across. There you will find a collectible . Grab it, go back and follow the left path. Climb the trees, up and to the left, until you reach a place where you can jump back onto a narrow branch. Move to the right and jump to the right to grab the bar. Jump onto the branch ahead and continue moving to the right.
Kill the Beast Master or the Cruel Elf?
Crawl through the hole at the end of the ruins and you’ll see a fight between the Beastmaster and the Cruel Elf. Throw a rock at one of them to distract them. The choice is personal preference and doesn’t affect the ending. The one you throw the rock at loses. Either way, dozens of orcs will come your way from the Beastmaster.
How to escape from orcs
Jump into the water to the right of the bridge and swim to the other side. This isn’t technically the route the game tells you to take, but it’s much faster and more reliable than using the bars above. There’s a wall ahead that you need to run up; if you stop, the orcs will catch you. Jump over the gap ahead and run along the wall to the right. In the next gap, jump up and to the right to find a ledge. Use zig-zag jumps to cross the gap.
Climb the wall at the far end and follow the path until you see another ledge on your left. Climb it to avoid the pursuing orcs. Move quickly but carefully along the branch on the left. Stay on the branches until you reach the end of the path and jump across the gap. Climb up and use the bar to get ahead of the orcs below. Run through the tunnel ahead. At the other end of the tunnel, hang off the edge and drop down to the lower platform. Reach the bar and climb the wall on the right. Follow the upper path to reach the ruins the Riddle Master spoke of.
How to get to the Elven Ruins
Follow the torches until you reach the garden maze. Once you pass the gate, an orc with a lantern will appear on the left. If you wait in the flowers on the right, you can eliminate him. Go forward and take the grappling hook at the top of the empty building. Move along the side path next to where the orc was patrolling. You will see another orc with a lantern. He will be wearing a helmet, so wait for him to go forward and follow the path to the right. Kill the orc patrolling the entrance to the next room. Go inside, ignoring the lantern and the armored orc on the right. Move straight ahead and turn left. Follow this path, but watch out for another orc with a lantern opposite. He is alone, so you can easily eliminate him.
In the next room, avoid the orc with the helmet and lantern and make your way into the flowerbed on the right. When the orc turns his back, throw a rock at the steel ball to distract the enemy blocking the door and sneak past. Follow the corridor into the next room, which is a hallway with a partition in the middle. Take the path on the right, which is guarded by fewer enemies. At the far end is an armored orc; stealth behind him through the tunnel, then duck into the flowerbed on the left. The orc will turn and leave, and you can go deeper into the tunnel. Soon, there will be a torch on the left. An orc with a lantern will come from there. Let him pass by, then choke the enemy in the isolated room on the right. Follow the corridor from which the enemy came and you will find yourself in the courtyard. The candle maker is arguing with the orc captain.
Hide in the flowers and throw a rock at the orc on the right – the sphere is too far away for him to hear it ring. As he approaches, throw another rock at the metal object on the left. Once both orcs have left their positions, stay to the right to pass the illuminated areas and carefully crawl past the enemies to the other flowers. Kill the orc on the right (the one on the left will not notice) or simply put out the lantern. Crawl counterclockwise around the room until you reach the orc by the door. Distract him by throwing a rock at the steel ball and move past him. You will see an armored orc looking into the courtyard; climb the wall near him and move through the small opening. Follow the path to the left and jump along the columns to reach the entrance to the palace.
How to solve the star door puzzle
Once you reach the other side, a cutscene will play. Afterwards, talk to Mell and grab the gem to the right of the woman. Climb the ledges on the wall next to the gem to find a small pool above the Candlemaker. Use it to telepathically communicate with Mell. Ask her to change the right side of the pattern on the door once and the left side twice. The pattern will almost take the shape of a deer. Pick up the gems from the pile on the left and stand by the pool. Look around where Mell is standing and you’ll see a bird’s nest to the left; throw a gem at it to cause a second gem to fall. Grab it and climb onto the door. Place one gem just above and to the left of center to form the deer’s ear, and one in the upper right corner to complete the horn. Blow out the candle to the right of the door.
Talk to Mell to enter the ruins. After the cutscene, head into the room ahead. Use the ramp on the right to begin climbing. Climb to the top of the fallen column on the left side and use it to cross the chamber. On the other side, jump onto the pillar below and enter the alcove on the left. Climb to the other side (much faster if you climb from above) and drop down to the winch below. Remove the blocking stone and return to the ground. Head back to the fallen column and jump onto the handle above the door; you can now use it to continue moving.
Cross the bridge, staying close to Mell. Go through the doors at the end and talk to Mell. Climb onto the bookcase and go up to the small window in the ceiling. Crawl through it to find a room with floating platforms. Wait for the platform on the left to fall into place and jump onto it. Jump across the platforms, moving to the right where there will be a fallen column. Use it to drop down through the hole in the wall and go right to reunite with Mell.
After the cutscene, follow the elves into another room. Follow the hallway. When you reach the Wellspring, jump onto the platform and climb up. The lowest platform is only accessible from the outer left edge, so position yourself correctly. Once you’re high enough, jump onto the ledge on the right side of the room. Follow the fallen column that you can climb up and jump onto the ledge at the end of the hall. Jump across to another floating platform below. Take a running jump to the other side of the pit and then to the smaller platform on the left.
This area is guarded by wisps. Climb up onto the platform, jump onto the vines to the right and slightly behind Gollum. Once up, head left, timing your movements to avoid the wisps. There’s a pillar at the bottom you can climb, but instead, jump left and back onto the platform behind Gollum. Climb up the pillar onto the floating platform and turn right. Jump back onto the side ledge and talk to Mell at the fountain. Jump back up to the upper platform and use it to get to the higher route. On the cross-shaped platform, stay in the center to avoid the wisp until the long part is close enough to the ledge for you to jump onto.
Climb up and down the other side. There’s a wall with vines on the left. Climb up and jump the other way, onto another floating platform. Use it to reach the handle on the other side of the room. Hang on to it and close the shutters. Climb onto the counterweight and use it to return to the previous room. Return back to the Source. Collect the mushrooms and restore your lost health. Talk to Mell and climb back onto the floating platforms. You’ve aligned them, so follow the spiral to reach the entrance to the left tower.
Inside, wait a bit for the light to move away and go through the door. Turn left and stick to the left wall to avoid more enemies. Jump across the platforms to the other side of the fog, drop down and talk to Gwendil. He will lift some rocks so you can get to the back of the room.
In the chamber, run along the wall on the left and climb the ledges. Rotate the camera so you can see the moving ledge behind Gollum. Jump towards it in the opposite direction. Climb up to the ledge above and move left. Climb onto the rafters and jump over to the crossbar. Use the lever, pick up the mushroom from the edge of the platform and jump over to the counterweight. This time the counterweight will rise and fall. When it is high, jump to the platform opposite.
How to destroy the source
Smeagol and Gollum will have a brief argument; after this, head forward to the tunnel that leads back to Gwendil. Decide whether to kill the orc or let him find Gwendil, then wall run and return to the Well. Talk to Mell and jump onto the moving platforms. The orcs will see you and start shooting their crossbows; keep moving to avoid getting hit. Follow the spiral all the way to the Well. When you’re near the Well, don’t try to jump up to it. Instead, head back to the outside of the circle to find more platforms. When you get high enough, a cutscene will play. Keep moving until you see a turntable that allows you to climb up to the Well.
After the building collapses, head forward and left. Jump onto the ledge across the gap and cross to the other side. The Candlemaker will start shooting at Gollum, so be quick and crawl through the small crack ahead and to the right. Climb over the pit, jump to the stone barrier to avoid another shot from the Candlemaker. While he reloads his crossbow, jump over the stone and head right. Cross the pit and crawl under the rubble on the left. Follow the path until you reach the Candlemaker. Decide whether to kill or spare the Candlemaker.