The twentieth century has not yet begun, but at every step the spirit of a new era is felt: revolution is marching around the world, electricity has penetrated almost every house, feminists demand rights, and wars are being waged on all continents for the latest oil and gas deposits. It is during this time that retired military surgeon Robert Altmann chooses to visit relatives in the forgotten corner of the Empire. Awaiting a quiet holiday from Destiny in a quiet provincial town, he arrives in Getzenburg - only to find himself embroiled in police investigations, behind the scenes of state intrigue and the forbidden world of secret communities. The first story in which your humble servant is reminded that the provincial cities, just like the quiet waters, are fraught with many dangers.