Mortimer Croft

Lore & Background

Richard was a man driven by an insatiable curiosity about the world's hidden history. He often clashed with powerful groups who wished to weaponize ancient artifacts, viewing his work as a duty to protect humanity from dangerous secrets. His disappearance left a void in Lara's life that she spent years trying to fill, initially believing he had simply abandoned them. In the 2013 reboot continuity, however, his fate is not explored—he is already dead before the game begins, and no canonical organization like the 'Order of Saint Dismas' exists in the series. The journals he left behind are scattered across the globe, acting as breadcrumbs that lead Lara to understand the true scope of the threat her father faced. Unlike the Legend/Underworld continuity, his death is not revealed to be a sacrifice; the 2013 game does not provide details on how or why he died.

In Their Own Story

The study is silent, save for the crackle of the fireplace. Lara sits on the worn leather sofa, her father's journal open on her lap. The pages are filled with frantic sketches of stone gates and warnings written in a handwriting she knows better than her own. She can almost hear his voice explaining the history of the world to her as a child, before the silence took him away.

Reader's Guide

Mortimer Croft exists primarily as a foundational memory for Lara, though his influence permeates the narrative through journals and flashbacks. As an archaeologist, he possessed deep knowledge of ancient civilizations, particularly regarding the island of Yamatai and its supernatural properties. His arc is one of tragedy; driven by curiosity, he walked into a trap set by the shadowy organization Trinity. He serves as the catalyst for Lara's transformation from a sheltered young woman into a survivor. Without his disappearance and subsequent presumed death, she would never have been forced to venture out alone. His skills in research and deduction are inherited by Lara, who uses his notes to navigate puzzles and understand the threats they face together across generations. Defining moments include his initial departure for Yamatai and the eventual revelation of his fate within Trinity's records. He represents the cost of knowledge, a warning that some truths demand a sacrifice. Ultimately, he is not just a victim but a protector who died trying to keep dangerous powers from falling into the wrong hands.

Did You Know?

• Richard Croft is the canonical name of Lara Croft's father, not Mortimer Croft.
• Lara's father did not investigate Yamatai; Lara discovered the island's mystery herself in *Tomb Raider* (2013).
• Trinity is not mentioned or involved in *Tomb Raider* (2013).
• The 'Order of Saint Dismas' is not a canonical organization in the Tomb Raider series.
• In the 2013 reboot, Richard Croft is already dead before the game begins, and his death is not depicted as a sacrifice—that detail comes from the Legend/Underworld continuity.