Ninth century AD: The Nova Corbeia monastery is commissioned
to missionise pagans in Saxony. The young Benedictine monk
Johannes from Franconia sets off on a dangerous journey into
pagan territory as a courier under escort.
On the way, however, he not only has to brave the dangers of
unruly nature and wild animals, Brother Johannes also learns
a lot: he steers a wagon and a boat, soon speaks several pagan
dialects and familiarises himself with the healing powers of
plants. It is not long before the young monk leaves the safe har-
bour of the monastery to make his home on the high seas of life:
A missionary assignment sends him to a pagan village settlement
in inhospitable territory.