Denmark in the 18th century: King Frederik V declares that the wild moors of Jutland must be tamed, cultivated and colonized. But nobody dares to follow the king's decree. In the late summer of 1755, a lone soldier named Ludvig von Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) decides to go into the heath in the hope that it will bring him wealth and honor. A struggle for survival - especially against the relentless nature - begins...