The Infada Stone
Lara's quest for the Infada Stone is the starting point for the events of Tomb Raider III. Somehow, Lara has found out about the temples of the Infada tribe deep in the rainforests of Uttar Pradesh in India. She explores the ruins in the hope of finding the temple, and with it, the Infada Stone.
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Background
The Infada Stone was one of at least five that were sculpted by a Polynesian tribe millenia ago in Antarctica from a meteorite that landed there millions of years before. Named the 'Meteorite Artefacts', they formed the basis of a culture centring on the Lost City of Tinnos. In the 19th century it was taken from an ice cave by a sailor on Charles Darwin's expedition around the world.
Shocked by the death or disappearance of the second member of the group in South America, the remaining three may have decided to leave the HMS Beagle and take a different route back to England. Possibly changing ships at Sydney, Australia, the three sailed on into South-East Asia, where they may have stopped at the island of Kuru, then to the British colonies in India, where the owner of the Stone met his fate at the hands of the Infada tribe. Since then it was placed in their temple, until the British conquest of India when the tribe may have been pacified or wiped out. The Infada ruins were left for the Jungle to reclaim, and the Infada Stone was forgotten.
Recent History
The Infada temple complexes were explored by Lara Croft when she went for what she thought would be a routine retrieval of the Infada Stone. However, the ruins had already attracted interest from the mining and research company RX-Tech. Three researchers, (known only by their first names) Randy, Rory and Tony had set up a base camp near the main temple.
Lara only met Tony, who appeared to have gone insane due either to jungle fever or acute isolation in the dangerous jungle environment. He went into the temple himself after telling Lara that his colleagues had been buried in a mudslide. Lara later finds their bodies inside the Temple Ruins.
Lara follows Tony down the Ganges river by quadbike and confronts him in the Caves of Kaliya. When he dies, he explodes leaving no trace of a body (a feature common to all the 'boss' adversaries of Tomb Raider III).
Lara took the Infada Stone and later delivered it to Dr. Willard in Antarctica along with three other meteorite artefacts. However, during the course of events they came into her possession again and she now keeps them safe.
Powers
Use of the Infada Stone appears to be similar to the Dagger of Xian from Tomb Raider II. The bearer plunges the sharp point into their chest, and then has access to a whole variety of powers, including telekinesis, levitation, the ability to transform matter and a control over fire. It also gives the bearer near invulnerability.
