In the distant future, a colony of humans live in a city called New Babyl under a dome to protect them from the aftermath of a great war that killed all other life on Earth. The city is divided into four sectors and is ruled over by a governing authority known as the Tribunal. A yearly performing arts contest called the Exemplar is held for teens who have turned 16. While competing, a group of the competitors discover an ancient archive hidden in the forest. The Archive contains forbidden historical, cultural and musical relics which forces them to question everything they have been taught.