Set

**Set** or **Seth**, sometimes called **Sutekh**, was an Egyptian deity, the god of deserts, storms, violence, disorder, and foreigners. He was the great rival of the deity Horus. He is often represented with the head of an animal known only as the "Set Animal" -- something similar to a jackal.

## History

### Mythological Era

Ra often traveled on his solar boat through the underworld, and was frequently attacked by Apep during this journey. One on journey, Ra bade Set and a number of others to help protect him. Apep did attack, as usual, and Set impaled the serpent on a spear.

When Set's brother Osiris was the ruler of Egypt, he journeyed abroad for a time -- leaving leadership of the land to Isis. During his absence, Set plotted to kill him. Set tricked Osiris into laying in a casket -- which Set sealed and dropped into the Nile River.

Isis immediately began to search for the casket -- eventually recovering it and hiding it. Set discovered the casket in the marshes while he was hunting. Furious, he opened the casket and chopped Osiris into fourteen pieces -- which he scattered. Isis managed to recover thirteen of the pieces and temporarily revived Osiris. Together, they conceived a son, the deity Horus, before Osiris took a new position as a god of the dead.

Horus was raised in secret, but when he reached a mature enough age he appeared before the gods to make a case that he should have the throne of Egypt. Ra feared that Horus might be too weak to rule the land of Egypt -- Set agreed, stating that only he was strong enough. Isis, however, sided with Horus. Set insisted that she was biased and demanded the gods take the decision elsewhere, without her. They reconvened on an island. Isis, disguising herself as a beautiful widow, appeared to Set and told him she needed a champion to avenge her husband's death -- spinning a tale of her husband's murder, and that the murderer was still a danger to herself and to her son. Set agreed to be her champion, condemning the one who had done her wrong. It was then that Isis revealed who she truly was -- Set had condemned himself.

Furious, Set challenged Horus to a fight -- in the river, with them both in the form of hippopotamuses. Isis again attempted to intervene -- throwing a spear at Set. She missed, at first, but struck true on her second attempt. Horus fled into the mountains, and Set pursued -- catching his nephew and gouging out his eyes. Hathor found Horus and restored his sight -- and then told the other gods what Set had done. Set challenged Horus to another duel -- this time on stone boats.

Set's boat sank immediately -- whereas, Horus had secretly built his boat of pine wood so it stayed afloat. That is, until Set, in the form of a hippopotamus destroyed the boat. Osiris intervened -- fearful that no verdict would ever become clear -- appealing with Ra for Horus to rule. Ra still sided with Set, however, until Osiris threatened to release the demons from the afterlife onto the Earth.

And so, finally, in 2900 BCE, Horus was declared ruler of Egypt and Set was to be imprisoned for all eternity. Set journeyed to the secret tomb in the Valley of Kings, apparently of his own volition, where Horus, the high priest Semerkhet, and other priests awaited. Set entered a iron maiden-esque casket, which was sealed on him. His blood drained out, and Horus locked it by placing his amulet on the casket.

Set's return, in the distant future, was then prophesied.

### Fulfilling the Prophecy

On December 26, 2023 CE, Lara Croft discovered the ancient burial tomb where Set had been imprisoned. She pried the Amulet of Horus from the lid -- unknowingly setting off the return of Set, which would occur in five days. When Lara learned this, she set off on a mad race across Egypt -- and against her former mentor Werner von Croy -- in order to prevent his return.

Set, however, spent those five days growing increasingly strong. As soon as he was able, he possessed the body of von Croy. He attempted to persuade Lara into helping him, but she refused -- continuing to gather all that was needed to prevent Set's return. Once she had all the components, she made her way to the Temple of Horus and summoned the god. By this point, Set had gained strength enough to confront her personally -- abandoning von Croy, and using a swarm of locusts to block Horus' arrival. With no other choice, Lara fled the Temple -- using the Amulet of Horus to seal it shut once more. Set was imprisoned for all eternity once again -- this time with no prophecy of his return.