It is the year 1844, and Carl Ludwig Friedrich, Baron of Reichenbach, is possessed by an insatiable desire for knowledge. Where others have fallen under the spell of the moon, he is unrelenting in his search for confirmation of his hypothesis: namely, the existence of ‘od’. The one all-pervading substance that slumbers inside people and nature until it pushes its way to the surface. Baron Reichenbach is a first-class upstart, climbing the ladder that promises fame and fortune. He worked hard to achieve his nobleman’s title, castle and renown. But, plagued by setbacks, he is used to the scaffolding of his existence constantly threatening to collapse. From Stuttgart to Moravia via Blansko, fate has brought him and his two daughters, Hermione and Ottone, to Vienna, to Cobenzl Castle. Here, Baron Reichenbach embarks on his quest for ‘od’, supported by Hermione who, like her father, has dedicated herself to research. His experiments with ‘sensitives’ are designed to prove what Baron Reichenbach already knows to be true.

But in Cobenzl Castle, things come to a head. Will he be able to prove the eternal doubters wrong? Will he be able to make peace with his daughters, who don’t subscribe to all their father’s wishes? Will he succeed in rising once again?