The time is the Italian Renaissance. The setting is Venice. 21-year-old Legare Salviatti lives with his father Georg, a seemingly simple medicine man who years ago separated from his wife and moved from Florence. Legare spends his days idly dabbling in painting, music, and flirting with women when not pursuing his one true passion, alchemy. However, his peaceful life is suddenly turned upside down when his father is arrested on suspicion of practicing black magic. Desperate to save his father's life, Legare turns to a priest for help, but nothing is as it seems in the twisted world of politics...