The black time of a terrible plague, brought on by a prolonged bad spell that swept across all Northern Rus, is over. Novgorod drove out the rebels and again swore loyalty to Prince Yaroslav. The threat from the west remains. Seven years ago, the Russian town of Yuryev fell to the Crusaders—and now Pskov has fallen under the Germans. Will the Andreev brigade and the prince’s retinue be able to halt “Drang nach Osten” — “the thrust to the east” — and smash the enemy? Are they strong enough to raise a solid shield in the west?