The story follows the journey of three monks of the (fictional) Cantorian monastery, who have until recently lived in an ancient Abbey in Brandenburg. The Cantorians speak Latin, and maintain a religious life, in which hierarchy plays a minor role, and believe that the Holy Spirit is revealed in music, particularly in the vocals. Because of this heretical doctrine, the Cantorians have been persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church since 1693. Only two monasteries survived, one in Brandenburg and the mother monastery Montecerboli in Italy.