Mid-XIV century. Most of the Russian land pays a shameful tribute to the Golden Horde and is accumulating strength for the future fight against the invaders. But Mister Veliky Novgorod is not like that. Lacking the strength to openly oppose the Horde, the Novgorod Republic found another, no less formidable and effective way of fighting - mercenary Ushkuini troops. These brave “knights of the north” instilled mortal terror in the Horde with their sudden and swift raids on the Volga settlements of the Horde. And once they even stormed the capital of the Golden Horde, Sarai.