1581. The Stroganov merchants, who settled where “Russia ends,” not far from Perm, recruit Ataman Ermak into the service. Previously, Ermak lived with his people on the Volga, but after the conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the free reign ended for the Volga Cossacks. There were too many governors, clerks and other royal servants on the Volga. A reward has been assigned for the heads of the dashing Cossacks and Ermak himself. So the ataman decided that it was better to go to new places and protect the Russian lands from all “evil spirits” that come from beyond the Ural Mountains, or even disturb this “evil spirits” in its “den”. The Stroganovs and Ermak agreed on this, but bad luck - young Ksenia Stroganova, who was not intended to be his wife, fell in love with Ermak.