In 1700s Austria, a witch-hunter's apprentice has doubts about the righteousness of witch-hunting when he witnesses the brutality, the injustice, the falsehood, the torture and the arbitrary killing that go with the job.

Udo Kier is a witch hunter apprentice to Herbert Lom. He believes strongly in his mentor and the ways of the church but loses faith when he catches Lom committing a crime. Kier slowly begins to see for himself that the witch trials are nothing but a scam of the church to rob people of their land, money, and other personal belongings of value and seduce beautiful women.—Humberto Amador

On the outset we are introduced to a cruel and public display of a witch being burned alive, followed by an introduction of how the film is based upon three real historical witch trial accounts. Count Christian von Meruh (Udo Kier) arrives at a small rural village with his fellow merry men and discovers that some uncalled for punishment is being conducted by the wicked local witchfinder. He steps up heroically to defend one tavern girl who he feels sympathy for. They prepare for the arrival of his lord, Christian teacher Count Cumberland, who shows some talent of his own for being a corrupt and misgiving leader. With him now in charge of overseeing all Indictments and confessions. Udo Kier begins to doubt his teacher and rebels. Contains lots of screaming and grisly torture scenes, plus a disturbing look at a chinese water torture punishment.