Forgotten Sepulcher

The Forgotten Sepulcher is a fifth level biome.

According to the loading screen quotes, it was once a tomb for important officials and nobles but was abandoned after the Malaise epidemic. The burial rites included killing the delegations of the entombed dignitaries and using their bones to decorate the walls. The only one left behind not infected by the malaise is the crypt keeper, a mysterious figure who keeps the lights that repel the darkness clean.

Access and exit
The Teleportation Rune is required to access the Forgotten Sepulcher from the Stilt Village. There are also entrances from the Slumbering Sanctuary and the Graveyard.

The biome exits to the Clock Room. After beating the Giant once and with two or more Boss Stem Cells active, the Beheaded can also exit to the Guardian's Haven through a door near the Clock Room exit.

The Darkness
The Darkness is a mechanic found only in the Forgotten Sepulcher (unless the Custom Mode gameplay modifier Follow the Light is enabled). The level appears dark except for permanent and temporary light sources, which illuminate small areas around them. The temporary sources are activated when the Beheaded touches them and burn out after a while.

If the Beheaded has been away from the light for 12 seconds, the Darkness begins to eat away at its health. The damage gradually increases from 0.1 to 6 per tick, with ticks every 0.3 seconds. Going near a light stops the damage and resets the 12-second timer and damage per tick. Killing an enemy reduces the Darkness by 11%.

Darkness damage does not trigger death by curse, and the mutation Disengagement does not protect from it.

Explorer's Rune
A room with two elite Dark Trackers can be found at the end of the biome. Defeating those elites gives you two Crypt keys, which are required to proceed to the room beyond two elite room, which contains the Explorer's Rune. Those rooms stop appearing after obtaining the rune.

Scrolls
The Forgotten Sepulcher contains 3 Power scrolls (with a fourth located in a cursed chest on 3 BSC), and 2 Dual-Stat scrolls, which cannot spawn in areas requiring the Teleport, Ram or Spider runes. On (4+ BSC) there is a bonus Power scroll. When 3 Boss Stem Cells are active, this biome has 2 guaranteed Scroll Fragments, and when 4/5 Boss Stem Cells are active, this biome has 3 guaranteed Scroll Fragments. These can spawn in areas requiring the Teleportation Rune, but not the Spider Rune.

Enemy tier and gear level scaling
In the table below, you will find the gear level and enemy tier of the Forgotten Sepulcher based on difficulty.

Boss Stem Cells rewards

 * 2 BSC: Exit to Cavern
 * 2 BSC: 2-choice item altar
 * 3 BSC: Treasure Chest

Chests and loot

 * One guaranteed treasure chest behind awakened doors.
 * Two separate cell vats containing 6 cells behind awakened doors.
 * Elite room.

Shops

 * Skill or Weapons shop

Blueprints from enemies
The blueprints for the Spiked Shield and Death Orb can only be found in this biome and in the Morass of the Banished (requires The Bad Seed DLC) and are looted from Cleavers.

Enemies
Corpulent Zombies can only be found in this biome. In addition, Cleavers could also be considered iconic of the Forgotten Sepulcher, as it could only be found here in older versions of the game. Other enemies that can be found here include Shockers, Kamikaze, and Inquisitors, as well as Knife Throwers, Weirded Warriors, and Failed Experiments on higher difficulties.

The table below lists which enemies are present in the Forgotten Sepulcher on each difficulty level and which blueprints each may drop. When applicable, the minimum difficulty level for blueprint acquisition is specified.

Alchemist Grimoires
Main Article: The Alchemist

The Alchemist was researching the Malaise in the Forgotten Sepulcher, but the bodies kept waking up. In addition, the Darkness was making his work difficult. This prompted him to leave the area.

Other lore rooms
Nathan Drake, the protagonist of the Uncharted series, is found dead in a pit. He was looting sarcophagi but never managed to get back up because his rope was too short.