The cultists seek the trident, and the characters must beat them to it. The cultists know of the tomb’s trials and thus have the knowledge, devotion, and numbers to overcome the trials, even if dozens of them must die. If they obtain the trident, they plan to pull stars from the sky and send the celestial beings crashing down to Midgard in a raw display of power, killing thousands, and holding the people of Midgard hostage amid a perpetual eclipse. They vow to not let the heavens move until they can return Tiberesh to his full strength, hoping to be granted divinity at his side as he rises. The characters have only two days and must act fast to obtain the trident before it falls into the wrong hands and changes Midgard forever. The sense of urgency should be emphasized once the characters meet Ba’ryahd. Ba’ryahd gives the characters some more information about the imminent danger facing the city (and, in truth, all of Southlands) and guides them to Baez’Keph’s tomb. Once in the tomb, the characters must face its ancient guardians and solve its puzzles to gain access to Baez’Keph’s hidden resting place. As far as thematic timing goes, the players always beat the cultists to the tomb and don’t encounter cultists within the first six trials. However, the cultists always show up during the final encounter, as the cultists descend into the chamber in an attempt to ambush the characters and take the trident for themselves (see [[21 Crucible of the Ibex]] for more details).