The Seraph is an ancient key that unlocks the resting place for the Talion in the Barkhang Monastery. The Seraph is an ancient artefact that is cherished by the Barkhang Monks, and artwork and embroideries of the prized possession can be seen throughout the Monastery.
Prior to the main events of Tomb Raider II, Gianni Bartoli, leader of the Fiamma Nera, managed to get a hold of the Seraph and brought it along with him on his luxury ship, the Maria Doria. The monks feared that Bartoli would misuse the Dagger of Xian, so they bombed the Maria Doria, causing the ship to sink to the bottom of the sea along with the Seraph. Since the destruction of the Maria Doria, the Seraph had rested at the bottom of the sea until the events of Tomb Raider II.
Marco Bartoli, son of former Fiamma Nera leader Gianni Bartoli, sought the Dagger of Xian. His first step was to acquire the Seraph from the Maria Doria wreck site. Lara Croft manages to get a hold of the Seraph while raiding the the deck of the plundered ship. With the Seraph, she travels to Tibet to try and find the Talion, with Bartoli and his gang in close pursuit. She manages to traverse the Tibetan Foothills towards the Barkhang Monastery. After fighting through Bartoli's mercenaries and with the help of the monks, Lara returns to the Seraph to its resting place and unlocks the Catacombs of the Talion.