Rus’, 10th century. In Kyiv reigns Igor, in Polotsk—Rogvolt. From the north the Vikings are constantly stirring things up; from the south, the nomadic Pechenegs press in. Sergey Dukhariev, a man from our time, never imagined that an ordinary party with friends would end for him in the tenth century.
The time when the Russian land was taking shape. The time of change—for Rus’ and for Sergey Dukhariev. An outsider and a layabout, spoiled by civilization, unexpectedly shows his true masculine character. A harsh and merciless world becomes native to Sergey—where he truly tastes life and finds his beloved woman, friends, and even relatives. First, no one; then a buffoon; and finally, a warrior who earned the respect of the Varangians and became one of them. Equal among the strong.