1838. Wisburg, Germany. Ellen Hutter is plagued by nightmares of her youth. She has recently married Thomas Hutter, a young estate clerk, who has been offered a new assignment to travel to meet a mysterious new client, Count Orlok, in Transylvania. Ellen implores him not to leave, for she is haunted by dreams that she believes are bad omens. Despite the pleas of his wife, Thomas takes off on the long journey.