Ancient Scrolls refer to special collectible Documents found in Tomb Raider. Each document is a piece of a journal or diary of an ancient resident of Yamatai.
There are ten total Ancient Scroll Documents in the game.
Ambassador: First Impression[]
After a fortnight I was at last granted an audience with her majesty, Himiko of Yamatai. I must confess, she is unlike any woman I have ever encountered. Beautiful, yet inscrutable; calculating, even. She surrounds herself with her Priestesses of the Sun. No men attend her, save the general of her armies. When I met with her alone, I came to realize that she is not at all what she seems.
I was sent by my lord to spy on her... to assess the strength of her armies. But now I feel she is the one assessing me.
My lord has perhaps underestimated the threat of Yamatai. Though I cannot gauge the true strength of her Stormguard, I cannot deny a powerful feeling that the Sun Queen should not be trifled with.
Lara's Thoughts[]
An ancient scroll. It appears to be the recollection of an Imperial Chinese Ambassador's visit to the court of the Sun Queen.
Ambassador: Discoveries[]
I have spoken to some of the villagers on the island. I was expressly forbidden to leave the palace, but this did not stop me. My duties here are clear, I must learn the truth! But the stories I uncovered defy belief.
Rumors abound of the Queen's communion with the spiritual world. They say she commands the sun and the rain, that her lands are abundant by her will alone. This is certainly nonsense, but what can be the cause of such whispers? Is this how she controls her people, by engaging their primitive superstitions?
I saw absolute reverence in their eyes when they spoke of her, yet I also sensed fear. Her people are treated with fairness, taxed reasonably and are well protected by her Stormguard. No wonder some of them even pray to her!
It's as if she were more than just a Queen to them. Spreading discontent through her people may well be a harder task than I imagined.
Lara's Thoughts[]
The ambassador uncovered a mystery surrounding the Sun Queen. It seems she had some kind of unnatural hold over her people.
Hoshi: Answering the Call[]
Today I am Hoshi, daughter of Hiiro and Kokoro. Tomorrow, I will be Hoshi, Daughter of the Sun. The Queen has spoken and I was given the robes. Every girl in every village dreams of this honor. Mother cannot stop crying and father is beaming with pride. I have never seen him smile so much.
This greatest of honors will raise my family to the heights of Yamatai society. We will want for nothing. And someday the Sun Queen may even choose me to take her place.
And yet... I cannot deny my feelings. At first I dismissed them as simple nerves, but the unease has grown within me. I could never refuse the call, to do so would invite ruin to my family. But I am frightened of my Queen.
Lara's Thoughts[]
This is an excerpt from the ancient diary of Hoshi, a young Priestess of the Sun. Interesting... she feared her own queen.
Ambassador: Dark Tidings[]
It is time for me to leave this accursed island. I have seen enough of Yamatai. I cannot explain the power the Sun Queen wields, but it is not of this earthly plane.
As I suspected, she knew my intent the moment I set foot on this island. She has manipulated me, toyed with me to see what information I would seek, but she always knew. If I am allowed to leave this place alive, I must warn my lord, warn him that we should avoid Yamatai at all costs. If we wish access to her seas, we should pay any tributes she requires, but we should never cross the Sun Queen. To do so would lead to our ruin.
Of the other things I have seen... those dark horrors, I can never speak of again.
Lara's Thoughts[]
The ambassador discovered some terrible secret and fled Yamatai. What did he find? And what became of him?
Hoshi: At Her Side[]
I want for nothing now. As a Priestess of the Sun Queen, I stand above all others in her court. I am being instructed in languages, etiquette, history, warfare – all the skills needed to rule.
And the Queen has been like a mother to me. Warm, attentive, loving. But it all feels false, like some kind of performance. When I talk to the other Priestesses, I sense disquiet. Some of them feel as I do, perhaps all of them. But why? What is it that we all fear?
Lara's Thoughts[]
This is fascinating. Hoshi describes her daily routines as a priestess, but something wasn't quite right.
General: The Oath[]
My Queen, as I stand in your light, I swear this oath of allegiance to you. As your first Stormguard and General of your armies, I will serve you unconditionally and protect the lands of Yamatai and all your people.
I will stand at your side for the remainder of my days, relinquishing my post only at your command. If I should fail in my duties, my life is forfeit. My heart beats at your command, my breath is drawn at your pleasure. From this moment onwards, I answer only to you.
Lara's Thoughts[]
This old scroll contains the oath of allegiance taken by the Stormguard General. He pledged his very life to the Sun Queen.
General: The Conquerors[]
Stormguard Warriors, today we stand on the brink of a great change. The enemy fleet that sails to our shore will be the last to ever attempt an invasion of our beloved Yamatai. The rage of our great Sun Queen will raise up a mighty storm and we will ride forth upon the winds to destroy them.
But when we emerge victorious, we will not stop. A new day will dawn as our Queen's light will reach across the ocean to touch all lands. While we of Yamatai bask in the warmth of her grace, those who oppose us will burn.
Lara's Thoughts[]
A Record of the General's speech given on the eve of a great battle. If the Yamatai were conquerors, what stopped them?
Hoshi: In Her Image[]
The Sun Queen grows old. Soon she will choose her successor. I fear it will be me. I am now her favorite. She dotes on me, calls me her precious first daughter. Like a doll, she always keeps me close to her, brushing my hair, dressing me in her favorite clothes. It unsettles me beyond words.
But more disturbing, she constantly gazes upon my features as if... as if she's looking at her own reflection.
Lara's Thoughts[]
Priestess Hoshi seems frightened in this diary. She's beginning to suspect she will be chosen as the new Sun Queen.
General: Failure of Duty[]
I have failed my queen. The ritual was corrupted. The priestess knew only death could save her and took her own life. Now the first and last Sun Queen lives a half-life, a soul in a decaying body.
She rages in storms which will never abate while her soul is tied to this earth. My Stormguard are sworn to protect her; they must continue, but I cannot.
Lara's Thoughts[]
Is this some kind of suicide note? It seems the Stormguard General failed his Queen and paid the ultimate price.
Hoshi: An End[]
I have no choice now but to meet my fate. Tonight I climb the stairs to the Chamber of the Sun. But I will never submit to the ritual – I will not emerge Queen. None will ever believe what I now know to be the truth. A twisted evil beyond imagining lives within the Sun Queen. An evil that hungers for more than just the land and seas of Yamatai. This madness cannot continue!
So I go to the chamber, armed with the stolen dagger of her Stormguard General. By the time he realizes what I have done, it will be too late. For the sake of Yamatai, and all the priestesses that would follow me... I must die.
Lara's Thoughts[]
Hoshi faced a terrible choice. I feel as though I am following her path. But what choices will I be forced to make?