Prince and Heretic

In the bustling courts of early‑sixteenth‑century Europe, a weary alchemist toils in a cramped laboratory filled with brass telescopes, celestial globes and countless glass retorts. Magister Vanderlinden has spent decades chasing the legendary philosopher’s stone, hoping to turn base metal into gold and discover a cure for all ills. Yet his latest experiment—an intricate blend of mercury, silver, oil and sulfur—has collapsed, leaving him bitter and uncertain.

Summoned by the Protestant prince he serves, the alchemist is drawn into a world where science, faith, and politics collide. As the prince’s ambitions stir unrest across the Netherlands, Vanderlinden’s quest for the ultimate secret becomes entangled with the looming religious conflicts that will shape a nation. Listeners are invited to follow his restless mind through a tapestry of intrigue, discovery, and the fragile hope that one breakthrough might change the course of history.