Mid-17th century. In the free Hanseatic city of Hamburg, the position of elder of the guild of captains and skippers became vacant. It is occupied by the young captain Berent Karfanger; from now on he is supposed to protect the interests of the brave Hamburg sailors, thanks to whom the free city became one of the richest in the empire. Meanwhile, the events of the recently ended naval war between England and Holland showed that successful navigation is possible only with the support of a powerful state. Captain Carfanger has ideas on how to further glorify and strengthen his hometown, and with it the entire empire. However, his insistent demands to begin the construction of military frigates encounter resistance from those members of the guild who do not want to part with part of their profits. Captain Carfanger sets off on his next voyage as an elder of the guild, emerges victorious in a skirmish with pirates and does not suspect that its outcome will be will affect his entire future fate...