Antarctica

Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth -- a cold and snowy landscape seldom inhabited. Millions of years in the past, it was struck by a large meteorite which would eventually be discovered by Polynesians attempting to settle the land. They carved five artifacts from the meteorite but soon discovered horrific deformities in their newborn children. As a result, the Polynesians fled Antarctica and left their artifacts behind.

It would be thousands of years before another human set foot on the continent. Although many theorized that it existed, no explorers found it until 1820 CE. Over the next several years, its coastlines were mapped and its interior began to be explored. In 1834, Charles Darwin's expedition reached the shore of Antarctica. Six of his crew members ventured inland -- where Paul Caulfield was killed by a wolf. His five companions fled, soon discovering the five meteorite artifacts which they took with them for the remainder of the expedition.

Over the years many expeditions made their way to Antarctica. Researchers and scientists did a great deal of work there. In 2022 CE, the company RX Tech set up a mining facility on the continent. In truth, this mine was for the purpose of discovering the ancient meteorite -- ultimately, discovering the ancient Lost City of Tinnos. Dr. Mark Willard intended to use the meteorite, and the artifacts, to speed evolution on a global scale -- mutating the entire human race. Fortunately, Lara Croft was able to defeat Willard before he completed his plans.