A group of Spanish conquistadores for Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor travels through the American jungle, following a route that will lead them to the legendary city of gold of Tezutlan as recorded by a previous expedition. The forty men and women are nominally led by the aging nobleman Don Gonzalo de Baztán and his young wife Ana, but actually commanded by the brutal, gold-hungry veteran conquistador Ensign Juan de Gorriamendi. Tensions start to arise in the group due to the jungle's perils and their own grudges with each other, including the impopularity of Don Gonzalo due to his summary executions and the growing attraction between Ana and one of the soldiers, Italian Wars veteran Martín Dávila, who rivals Gorriamendi for her.