Father Matvey and his family arrived at the parish of a small town, hoping for a quiet peaceful life, the silence of small streets with poplars and elms. The place is quiet, outwardly perfect. But peaceful life turned out to be not so peaceful and righteous, and the benevolence of the locals is a skillfully made mask - This small city hides scary, intriguing, insidious and unpleasant secrets that are there along with unconcern and indifference. And all this day by day destroys lives of the people. Father Matvey tries to untie this knot, however gradually becomes more and more entangled in a web of labyrinths of evil. Can father Matthew help people who do not want to accept any help? Can he punish evil or, better, redirect it to the righteous path? What will happen to Father Matthew himself and his family, who are strangers in this place? Will the efforts of a good priest be enough?

The action takes place at the end of the 19th century in the Russian North, near the White Sea. Orphan Matvey is still 12 years old. His abilities are noticed by the master shipbuilder Quake and takes to his artel. While studying carpentry, Matvey saves money, dreaming of being a pilot on his own ship...