James Lowry, adventuring ethnologist and college professor, is a "logical" man. He firmly disbelieves in notions of demons and devils - they are jsut illusions of the mind, of course. Professor Lowry even denies their very existence in a newspaper article. But fate has a gruesome surprise awaiting Lowry. He loses his hat, and inexplicably, four critical hours of his life. He then begins a quest - taking him into the vortex of his darkes tHell - from which there is no escape.