Mark of the Devil

Christian von Meruh arrives in the Alpine village and witnesses Albino's self-appointed witch-hunter tyranny. He observes the townspeople living in fear as accusations of witchcraft spread among women who resist Albino's advances. The atmosphere hints at a broader corruption beneath the surface of religious zeal.

Barmaid Vanessa Benedikt refuses Albino's sexual advances and becomes his target. Albino threatens her and accuses her of witchcraft, blasphemy, and consorting with the devil, while bystanders watch in fear. Christian observes the confrontation, sensing the brutality behind the surface.

Christian watches over Vanessa and begins quietly protecting her, forming a cautious bond. Vanessa insists she is not a witch and her faith remains intact. Romance and trust grow amid the village's volatile atmosphere.

Cumberland arrives to oversee the witch trials and review Albino's indictments. The first major accusation targets Deidre von Bergenstein, who is accused of bearing the devil's child. Deidre asserts she was raped by a nobleman, but Cumberland sentences her to torture and, eventually, burning.

To shield Vanessa, Christian destroys the indictment against her, undermining Albino's case in the process. Cumberland orders Vanessa detained again until a new indictment can be produced. The act heightens Christian's resolve to uncover the truth.

Christian starts to suspect the trials are a scheme to seize land, money, and valuables from villagers. He sees corrupt motives behind the harsh torture and the mounting executions. The community becomes suspicious of how easily the accused are crushed under the system.

Cumberland pressures Baron Daumer to surrender his inherited land as a condition for sparing his life. When the baron resists, the threat of execution intensifies the power struggle between Cumberland and Albino's faction. The scene illustrates the personal benefit at the heart of the trials.

Cumberland and Albino confront one another and erupt into violence. Cumberland strangles Albino to death, prompted by a charge of impotence, a moment that breaks their alliance. Christian witnesses the fatal blow and begins to doubt Cumberland's morality.

A family is arrested for witchcraft after putting on a puppet show, and Christian begs Cumberland to spare them. Cumberland refuses, arguing that some casualties are necessary in the pursuit of their cause and that martyrs will be rewarded in the afterlife. The cruelty reveals the mechanisms of manipulation behind the trials.

Christian helps Vanessa escape from her cell, and she incites a revolt among the villagers against the witch hunters. The spark of rebellion spreads as more people lose faith in the trials. The village braces for the inevitable clash.

The Baron Daumer is beheaded as the revolting villagers storm the proceedings. The executions stop as the crowd attacks the witch hunters with fury. Cumberland fights to preserve his power while the mob asserts its own sense of justice.

Cumberland escapes by carriage, but Christian is captured by the furious villagers. He is killed using a 'witch catcher'-like device around his waist, his life ending before Vanessa can intervene. She arrives afterward, sobbing as the crowd disperses and mourns the loss of Christian.