Unlocking the Lost City: An Expert‘s Guide to "Activate the Device and Open the Gate"

As a long-time player and strategist since Genshin‘s launch, the newest version 3.4 update has resurrected that sense of wonder I felt stepping into Teyvat‘s vast magical landscapes for the first time. Here we stand before a towering metropolis concealed for aeons beneath Sumeru‘s barren dunes, host to ancient technologies and mystical puzzles.

Let‘s harness our curiosity and courage to venture inside! Specifically, I‘ll be guiding you through the early stages of the Lost City domain – namely how to "activate the device and open the gate" by manipulating special runic mechanisms.

Rediscovering the Secrets of Hadramaveth

Legends speak of Hadramaveth as a once thriving center of magical study that mysteriously collapsed overnight, sinking into the desert sands. For thousands of years its archives and artifacts remained undiscovered, known only from scattered texts on forgotten civilizations. What tragic calamity befell its enlightened scholars?

As the newest Genshin region, little is confirmed thus far about the City of the Deceased. But based on architectural clues across Sumeru, this predates even the rainforests‘ ancient ruins, hearkening back to the earliest days of Teyvat lore!

Harnessing the Power of Rune Mechanisms

Echoing this lost society‘s mastery over Elemental and geo-spatial forces, their temples feature a unique puzzle mechanic – Rune Mechanisms. These giant crystalline devices link to the surrounding environment, emitting magical energy beams when struck.

Attacking the Rune Mechanism rotates its targeting direction
After 3 strikes an extended beam will fire at its aimed focal point
The key is maneuvering the device to activate certain objects

From my experience across dozens of Genshin domains, adjusting these energy beams to strike specific targets seems a prerequisite for unlocking passageways. So let‘s see how this plays out navigating our first antechamber within the dead city…

Step-By-Step: Activating the Device to Open the Gate

Immediately upon entering the Underground Palace zone, you‘ll notice a towering Rune Mechanism embedded in the right wall, as well as several mounds of sand strewn across the room. Hmm, suspicious! Based on similar elemental puzzle rooms, we‘ll need to test exposures.

Carefully strike the Rune Mechanism up to 3 times while noting how the beam direction changes. Our goal here is aiming it at the sand pile on the floor to check for reactions. Follow these instructions:

Strike the Mechanism, adjusting the beam direction each time until it points at the sand mound.
On the 3rd strike, an extended beam bursts forth, dissolving the sand into nothingness! It reveals an activation cube where the sand pile once stood.
Interact with this cube and select the prompt to begin powering up the room‘s mechanisms…
Success! The nearby gate slowly lifts open, allowing access deeper inside the domain!

Through some experimentation, we‘ve discovered this room‘s trick – using the Rune Mechanism beam to eliminate that intentional sand pile obstruction, in turn unlocking the next progression step.

Solving Hadramaveth‘s Runic Challenges

As you adventure deeper into the Lost City across multiple zones, expect to find more devious obstacles that impede your traversal of each subterranean chamber.

Based on feedback from many new players I‘ve guided, here are some pro-tips when tackling additional Rune Manipulation tests:

Scan all environmental objects first and identify odd constructs that seem intentionally placed
Note specially textured tiles or conspicuous alcoves that likely signify reactive points
Meticulously sweep the mechanism‘s beam during 3 strikes until all exposures are checked
The beam always lasts several seconds, so account for any delayed transformations

So far across 30+ Sumeru domain runs since the 3.4 update launched, manipulating these Rune Mechanisms to unlock paths has proven a recurring theme. Veteran Genshin players will feel right at home applying the usual mindset of burning grass fields, freezing water to cross lakes, etc. But the aesthetic and lore behind this new puzzle gimmick maintains an exotic mystique after 6+ prior regions!

Hadramaveth Challenges vs. Prior Temple Trials

Across Genshin Impact‘s journey thus far, the game has centered fundamentally on elements – imbuing our weapons, fueling our skills, empowering environmental structures. Through focused experimentation, we derive solutions by noting elemental reactions and properties.

The Rune Mechanism beams offer a new vector for domain navigation that feels intriguingly distinct from established puzzle norms centered on the core seven elements. Here we manipulate a strange amalgam of geo, dendro and lost magic to pierce concealments, power devices, and bridge gaps.

While only the opening act exploring Sumeru‘s mythic ruins, this welcome twist on navigational challenges brings some innovative flair after two years of domain delving. I foresee later Hurma stages testing veteran players even more with multi-tiered Rune puzzles!

As the next story chapters unveil Hadramaveth‘s history alongside new artifact gear sets, I‘ll continue documenting tips here for activating devices and solving whatever arcane riddles they left behind! Let me know which mystical revelation or combat encounter has you most thrilled!