The story begins in the media res, with an injured Nathan "Nate" Drake waking up to find himself on a train hanging from a cliff with a stomach wound. Through flashbacks, it is revealed that former partner Harry Flynn and former girlfriend Chloe Frazer approached him with the aim of stealing a Mongolian oil lamp from an Istanbul museum. Nate accepts the job when he discovers the lamp could lead to the treasure of Marco Polo's lost fleet. Harry and Drake acquire the lamp, which contains a map showing that the lost fleet was transporting the Cintamani Stone from the mythical city of Shambhala (better known as Shangri-La) before being thrown ashore in Borneo by a tsunami. Taking the map, Flynn betrays Drake, who is detained and imprisoned for three months. Chloe, who claims to have no knowledge of Flynn's betrayal, enlists the help of Drake's friend Victor "Sully" Sullivan in securing her release.
