Traveling to Port Saint, Tintin "stumbles upon" the path of a papyrus from the tomb of Pharaoh Rameses. But luck has him crossing paths with Rastapopoulos, the Dupondt twins, and numerous gangs who only want to kill him to prevent him from discovering the hideout of the smugglers hidden inside the pharaoh's tomb. A mysterious emblem will constantly be in front of him, showing him the path he should normally avoid, and Professor Calculus, more eccentric than ever, will escape madness by coincidence. The Pharaoh's cigars hide their secret well until someone examines them up close..