In the first quarter of the 18th century, a royal decree arrives in Tobolsk: send a detachment to the Belogorsk volost with the mission of finding the Vogul idol known as the Copper Goose. Late spring, and the expedition sets out—and almost immediately strange and mysterious incidents begin to occur to the participants. Soon the Russians learn that a gang of robbers is following their trail, and the Tobolsk men have no time to mount a resistance. But barely reaching the Belogorsk sanctuary, the Russians discover it is empty—the Voguls have gone and taken the sacred items with them…