The Mystery of Oberwald

Set in a nineteenth-century European monarchy, the tale unfolds within a aristocratic world of mourning and ceremony. The queen rules through ritual and secrecy, while rivals maneuver behind the scenes. The era's atmosphere allows subversive art to threaten the throne and provoke drastic decisions.

The story centers on the castle of Oberwald, a secluded royal residence where the queen hides from public life. Its corridors and estate become a stage for political scheming, surveillance, and loyalty tests. The setting emphasizes isolation and control as power is exercised behind walls.

🗝️ Power & Deception

Power is exercised less through overt force than through manipulation of truth and appearances. The queen alternates between vulnerability and control, using others as instruments in her calculations. Count of Foehn embodies institutional ambition, pressuring Sebastian and shaping events from behind the scenes. The plot shows how dynastic survival often hinges on secrets and twisted loyalties.

❤️ Love & Betrayal

Love blooms between Sebastian and the queen, blurring lines between passion and political duty. Their relationship complicates the throne's security, transforming affection into a risky asset. Betrayal surfaces when loyalties collide with survival, and the queen's plotting ties romance to political maneuvering. The outcome renders their romance tragic, leaving love shadowed by betrayal.

🎭 Art & Subversion

Sebastian is the author of a subversive poem that the queen secretly admires, showing how art can challenge power from within. The queen's plan to present herself in the capital turns literature and performance into instruments of sovereignty. The tension between imaginative expression and political authority reveals how culture can destabilize regimes. Art, in this world, both unsettles rulers and reveals their vulnerabilities.