Byzantine Inscriptions

Byzantine Inscriptions refer to special collectible Documents found in Rise of the Tomb Raider.

There are eleven total Byzantine Inscription documents in the game.

The Iron Road
Against all odds, they survived, in the ruins of their former glory. But forces from outside the valley came, again seeking the Divine Source. Seperated [sic] from the rest of history for almost a thousand years... until the Soviets came....

Lara's Thoughts
''Incredible. The style looks ancient, but it depicts... a train... The coming of the Soviets.''

The Long Years
They were almost wiped out, and those that lived struggled to survive the coming years. Without the city, they were forced to adapt, surviving from the land. Many believed the Prophet was dead in the years that followed, but he returned to protect what remained of his people.

Lara's Thoughts
This mural commemorates the dead lost in the battle, and those that died after of disease and starvation.

Entombed
Somehow, the Mongol Horde learned of Kitezh, and the treasure of the Source. They laid siege to the city, and although they were outnumbered the Prophet blesses his army, the Athanatoi, so that they too would not fear death. They fought for many days, until at last, the glaciers rose up and swallowed the city, entombing it in ice...

Lara's Thoughts
''Oh... The Mongols destroyed everything, and the city... sank beneath the ice...''

Years of Plenty
The city was a marvel... if half of this can be believed, it was the rival of Constantinople, or any of the cities of the East. Still, they feared their old enemies would find them, so they guarded their borders, and kept word of the city from spreading for as long as they could...

Lara's Thoughts
''At its height, the city was a marvel. These buildings would rival anything in the Empire.''

The New City
The followers of the Prophet were builders, engineers, scholars, doctors, as well as soldiers and common folk. Wise and good people walked in his footsteps, and with their knowledge and will, a great city was raised up in a generation. The city of the Prophet, resting place of the Divine Source... Kitezh.

Lara's Thoughts
''This commemorates the construction of a great city... Kitezh.''

The Valley
But through the hardship, they knew they had been chosen to be the protectors of the Divine Source, so God granted them a paradise, in which they could begin again. They came to a lush valley by a lake, high in the mountains. The Prophet had led then through hardship and death, and now they were free to begin again, in safety.

Lara's Thoughts
''This mural shows the moment they found the valley... It must have looked like a paradise.''

The Long Exodus
Across the steppes, and into the frozen wastes, they travelled East in search of safety and freedom. They passed the edge of the Empire, and crossed into the frontier, protecting the Divine Source. The journey was perilous, many succumbed to the cold and starvation, but the miracles of the Prophet kept them going forward.

Lara's Thoughts
''The followers of the Prophet fled to the East. The journey was... difficult.''

The Rebirth
They fled south to the very edge of the empire, but attackers pursued them seeking to silence the Prophet. They were attacked, and the Prophet was killed... but the Divine Source awoke, and the Prophet arose from the dead....

Lara's Thoughts
''The followers of the Prophet fled, but they were attacked... in Syria.''

Lessons of Loyalty
When the Emperor died, the Prophet's favor in Court died with him. The new Emperor distrusted him, and fearing for their safety, the Prophet and his followers fled the Imperial City with the Divine Source... Many stayed behind, and renounced the Prophet, but one entire Imperial Army pledged loyalty to the Prophet. The Athanatoi.

Lara's Thoughts
''The Prophet was persecuted... and so were his followers.''



The Prophet's Arrival
The Prophet returned from the wilds a changed man, bearing... the Divine Source... and entered the holy city of Constantinople. People came far and wide to hear him, and he had the ear of great Generals and even the Emperor himself... But even then he had enemies...

Lara's Thoughts
This mural shows the Prophet, preaching in Constantinople...



The Defenders
The Athanatoi, literally "the deathless ones"... they defended the city against all invaders with Greek Fire, a secret weapon they brought from Byzantium. It burned through iron and flesh, and could even set water ablaze, and they guarded the formula of its creation.

Lara's Thoughts
''Who are these knights? Defenders of the city? They look... different somehow.''