In 1880, a mysterious summons from Baron Sardonicus brings renowned London physician Sir Robert Cargrave to Castle Sardonicus in Gorslava, where he must treat the disfigured baron's gruesome condition that has left him with a frozen grin. The baron's tale of woe and despair slowly unravels as Sir Robert delves into his past, revealing a traumatic event that transformed Marek Toleslawski into Sardonicus. With an injection that triggers a psychological reversal, Sardonicus's face is restored, but at what cost?