Exiled to the small village of Hvidskov, Scania, Father Stígandr Helmutsen is set to take over duties at the newly constructed Christian church. There, he discovers ugliness, a deep devotion to Norse myth, and threads of an unjust deed. Seeking his own redemption for past sins, the priest is reluctant to set himself against his new flock. But the Kirkegrim, a spirit guarding the church, entrusts Stígandr with the care of a young needlewoman who is shunned by the villagers.