When a young sculptor is almost struck dead by her own statue of a forest god, she is healed from paralysis by the skills of a famous surgeon in a public operation. In attendance is a mysterious magician and hypnotiser who derides the masterly skills of conventional medicine. For what’s the ability to save human life when compared to artificially creating it? To carry out this magical experiment, however, he needs the lifeblood of a blue or grey-eyed virgin with white skin and golden hair. A description that perfectly fits the young artist.