1649. A new governor, Adam Kisel, arrives at the Kiev castle on Shchekavitskaya Mountain. With him is an assistant, translator Jan Looz. He is a broken fellow. Kisel's task is to negotiate with the rebel Cossacks of Khmelnitsky. Meanwhile, strange things are happening in the Lower Town - Podol. People's young children are disappearing. Residents complain to the authorities, i.e. the governor. They suspect that gypsies are stealing, or that children are being kidnapped by local bandits who hunt in the local forests and operate on the main roads. Children are allegedly sold into slavery to the Turks. Jan Looz takes on this case. But first of all, he needs to find out who killed the castle steward Piasota. He was supposed to meet the governor Kisel, but he never did, which greatly upset the royal official. The steward of the castle, Piasota, was killed at the very moment when Adam Kisel entered the castle...