Rise of the Tomb Raider is a great game as adventurous as it is vast. To add to the enormity of this fabulous game, there is yet another DLC ready to launch this year (2016) called Cold Darkness Awakened.
This DLC will play up the horror element of Tomb Raider. According to reports, this new expansion will deal with a decommissioned weapons research base from the Cold War. Since its inactivity during the Cold War, someone or something has breached its security and possibly unleashed a terrible contaminant into a part of Siberia that causes horrendous afflictions for men and animals in the area.
What makes this a terror-driven expansion is the affliction causes men and animals to become unhinged blood-thirsty killers. They are driven by pure instinct and rage. There are many waves of these horrifying predators pursuing Lara through her journey to put a stop or even reverse this terror ride.
There will be some new enemies and some new challenges for Lara to tackle along the way. Additionally, there will be another new outfit and weapon with this DLC.
A Speculative Nature
With all that aside, there are a few more items I have scrutinised during my gameplay. There was something that really caught my eye as the camera panned over a few things. In the closing scene from Rise of the Tomb Raider, this object is observed. It is among the collection of objects Lara’s father obtained for his research and other reasons.
I couldn’t help but notice one extraordinary something that looked a lot like the Atlas. I cannot help but notice the symbols on the surface of both of the objects. or is it the same one and Lara took it to add to her collection? They resemble (but are not exact as) that of the symbols from Natla’s world. You remember that bit with Natla and Atlantis? Of course, you do. Perhaps the Atlas that led Lara to the Divine Source Jacob found one day all those years ago that kept him alive, was connected somehow to Atlantis. Perhaps Natla is going to play a key role in Lara’s life once again. If you think it through, those events that Lara suffered through with Natla haven’t happened yet. She was far older and seasoned in the business of Tomb Raiding, adventure and whatnot. Of course, this is only my speculation. There are similarities yet it could go anywhere. We shall see.
Here are a couple of screenshots I took of these two objects or the same object to generate some speculative ideas that explore or could affect future Tomb Raider plots.
Clue, Easter Egg or Coincidence
On further observation of the closing scene in Rise of the Tomb Raider, I noticed yet another fascinating object. If this is an Easter Egg it may point towards Tomb Raider The Last Revelation.Yes, yes I do hope so, but there is something else it could also point to. In Tomb Raider 2013 there was a Jade Water Buffalo (possibly)Paperweight located in Shanty Town. I say “possibly” because I don;t recall it being called one from the game. Though it is resting on a paper in Rise of the Tomb Raider, and that may be where the thought of it being a paperweight comes to mind. If indeed it is a paperweight, I stand corrected. The object in question looked like this:
This figure, by comparison, looks like the figure in Rise of the Tomb Raider. That of course, makes it an Easter Egg from the 2013 game. However, my thoughts wander toward Egypt and my wishes are for something to correlate from the older games to bring it to the here and now in Tomb Raider stories. If one’s thoughts stray to Egypt and bull gods as speculated out of pure hope one question comes to light. Do you remember the Guardian of Semerkhet? That could be a poke in that direction.
Another interesting fact I discovered about Jade Water Buffalo statuary. Here is a link to an article and a photo from said article.
If a Clue: It could be a hint towards Lara’s next adventure being in Egypt entirely or partly I also think it could partly be in Mexico. I hope so! It could be a hint that she will explore the areas all or some from Tomb Raider The Last Revelation. One never knows, but one can hope.
However, it all could be one big coincidence and mean nothing more than an aesthetic decor decision for her father’s study collection. Also, there are other ancient civilisations that had gods associated with bulls. Whatever it means we shall see.
Nevertheless, no matter if from Japan and the 2013 game or a much hoped for Egyptian connection, all of these ideas gave me inspiration to write a little something about the ancient Egyptian god Apis.
Apis
Apis was an ancient Egyptian deity depicted as a bull. In some renditions, he is depicted as a man with the head of a bull. It is speculated that Apis started out as a god of fertility associated with grain and herds; however, he concluded as a god associated with the dead. He is also associated with the solar cult of Atum and as such is sometimes depicted with a sun disc between his horns. His usual colours were white and black.
The Apis cult is believed to have emerged about 3000 BC. and can be traced directly to temples in Ptah at Memphis.
Additionally, what is known about Apis is derived from Greco-Roman writers. Among ancient writers it was written that Apis was born from a ray of light. There are others that believed he was sired by an Apis bull.
There was a live representation of Apis in ancient times, and when the bull died a related calf was to take its place. The successor was installed in the Apieion at Memphis.
The Apis bull was buried with a great ceremony at Saqqārah in a lavish series of underground rooms known as the Serapeum. Later Apis and Osiris were merged together and became known as Serapis. This is why Apis was later associated with the underworld. It was centred in Alexandria and became one of the largest Eastern cults in the Roman Empire.
okheshivartr.blog 