The Dagger of El Dorado

Lore & Background

The Dagger of El Dorado was crafted by the indigenous people of the Amazon as a means to control the curse of the golden city. According to the game's lore, the dagger was used to open the sarcophagus of the Spanish conquistador who had become the host of the curse's entity. The dagger itself is intricately designed, with a golden hilt and a blade that appears to be made of a dark, obsidian-like material. It was hidden for centuries, with clues to its location scattered across the Pacific by Sir Francis Drake, who sought to prevent the curse from being unleashed.

The dagger's significance is twofold: it is both the key to El Dorado and the instrument of its curse. When the dagger is inserted into the sarcophagus, it releases a mutagenic plague that turns those exposed into monstrous, zombie-like creatures. This curse was the fate of the Spanish conquistadors who originally found El Dorado, and it threatens to repeat itself when Gabriel Roman and his mercenaries seek to claim the city's gold.

Throughout the game, the dagger is a symbol of the danger of unchecked greed. Nathan Drake and his allies must retrieve it to prevent Roman from unleashing the curse, but their efforts are complicated by the betrayal of Eddy Raja and the relentless pursuit of Roman's forces. The dagger's ultimate destruction, along with the sarcophagus, marks the end of the curse's threat.

In Their Own Story

The rain hammered the stone steps of the monastery as Nate held the dagger, its golden hilt slick with moisture. 'This is it,' he muttered, eyeing the sarcophagus ahead. Elena stood behind him, her camera forgotten. 'You sure about this?' she asked. Nate didn't answer. He pressed the dagger into the slot, and the stone groaned. A hiss of ancient air escaped, and then the lid slid open. Inside, not gold, but a twisted form—a mummy, its chest split open, revealing a pulsing, fungal mass. 'No,' Nate whispered, realizing too late that the treasure was a trap.

Reader's Guide

The Dagger of El Dorado is a plot-critical item in *Uncharted: Drake's Fortune*. Its primary in-game function is to unlock the sarcophagus containing the curse of El Dorado. The dagger first appears in Chapter 9: 'The Dagger of El Dorado,' after Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher find it in a hidden chamber beneath the monastery on the island. There are no upgrades or variants of the dagger; it is a singular, unique artifact.

Narratively, the dagger is the MacGuffin that drives the conflict. It is sought by Gabriel Roman, who believes it will lead him to the gold of El Dorado. However, its true purpose is to release the curse, which transforms humans into aggressive, mutated creatures. The dagger's significance lies in its dual nature: it is both the key to the treasure and the trigger for the horror that awaits. Its destruction at the end of the game, when Nate blows up the sarcophagus with a grenade, ensures the curse is contained.

Did You Know?

• The dagger's design is based on real Mesoamerican ceremonial knives, often used in ritual sacrifices.
• The curse of El Dorado in the game is inspired by the historical legend of the 'Gilded Man' and the city's supposed magical properties.
• The dagger is one of the few artifacts in the Uncharted series that is directly tied to a supernatural element, as opposed to purely historical treasures.
• In the game's development, the dagger was originally conceived as a simpler key, but was later given a more elaborate backstory to tie into the curse.