Gottfried’s story is one of finding purpose. His tale starts when he can no longer find away out of the violent subordination to his crushing debts and sees suicide as the only remaining option. But just when he thinks the quest for meaning is futile and gives up altogether, he starts to find a new purpose in life and slowly becomes who he is.
The tale starts with Gottfried Todenhöfer, who, on a miserable Sunday morning, succumbing to the psychological toll of his crushing debts, decides to hang himself. (Read the first chapter here.)
When Gottfried is about to kick his chair, unanticipated knocking on his door keeps him from going through with it. It turns out to be an invitation to a pleasure ball, signed by his long-lost friend Vincent Fontaine.
When Gottfried sits at his lawyer’s practice to discuss the terms of his divorce, he cannot help but overhear a conversation between his lawyer and two men named Michael Splindegger and Manuel Kronenberg, revealing that they plan to cross the Goldschilds and murder them. When confronted by his lawyer, Johann von Gapp, Gottfried decides to lie, telling him he just sat down, not overhearing a single thing. Once in Von Gapp’s office, Gottfried, in complete bewilderment, finds out he will lose guardianship over his children. As a result of his debts, Elise accuses Gottfried of breaking his marital vows.
Gottfried heads to Vincent at Schloss Cobenzl for emotional support. When he breaks the Goldschild story, Vincent tells him about a discovery of his own involving his father and persuades him to get to the bottom of things.
Somewhat against his will and better judgment, Gottfried falls victim to Vincent’s idea of getting themselves disguised.
Gottfried and Vincent head to Von Gapp’s law practice with Vincent pretending to be the son of a wealthy business magnate.
When the situation escalates and papers start flying, Gottfried finds a letter that turns out to be a marriage certificate between Von Gapp and Elise Aigner, his ex-wife. Overwhelmed by the situation, Gottfried and Vincent try to flee but quickly run into a guard who attempts to attack Vincent. Left with no choice, Gottfried shoots the guard with a revolver Vincent gave him. In total shock, Gottfried falls into paralysis. Vincent begs him to leave but decides he cannot wait when Gottfried remains unresponsive and leaves. Gottfried falsely accuses Vincent when more pursuers arrive.
Feeling betrayed by the undisclosed marriage of Elise and Johan von Gapp, Gottfried intends to take back his daughters, Zara and Tzirre. Gottfried and Elise end up arguing up to the point that Elise resorts to violence.
Deeply upset and shocked by the physical attack, Gottfried returns the favor and whips a heavy punch in Elise's face. While still screaming at each other over the custody of their children, Gottfried storms through the house and takes Zara and Tzirre.
When Gottfried finally arrives at his home with Zara and Tzirre, he encounters a strange man. The man blames Gottfried for killing the guard and inquires about Rosa Leyen. When Gottfried cannot oblige, the man forces him to choose one of his daughters over the other. Things end poorly when Gottfried cannot choose.
With little left to live for, Gottfried has hung himself. In sheer confusion, however, he wakes up in his own bed. Vincent has saved him. While silently pondering about the meaning of life, Vincent, Rosa, Rosa's mother, and a wounded Rocco suddenly burst through Vincent's door, begging and screaming for help.
Gottfried operates Rocco and Rosa's mother, but due to a mistake, Rosa's mother loses her life, Rocco his left arm. At the end of her rope, Rosa spills the story of a far-reaching currency reform, the scheme of the century, and how her patron, Reinhold Lehner, now leads its commission.
Per Rosa's request, Gottfried heads to Reinhold to plead for Rosa's mercy but ends up flattening the professor when he catches him in the act of raping Carolina.
Rocco and Gottfried head to Elise to kidnap her. She is being used for leverage to force Von Gapp to draw up the formal documentation to counter the scheme.
Rocco and Gottfried force Von Gapp, by pressuring Elise, to draw up a debt repudiation document to create total debt amnesty: a Jubilee of biblical proportions.
The uprising in Vienna turns out to be a total disaster. As the city is almost destroyed, and Carolina, Rocco, and Vincent have died terrible deaths, everything seemed lost. When Gottfried is able to escape the madness, he finally becomes who he is.