A Boyar's Coterie (Bandits?)

These were six mounted, armed men, who confronted the Yokels while they were camping near some standing stones on the route from Krinets to Kaverinka. The men informed them that they were trespassing through their boyar's land, and demanded tribute in the form of the bolt of red silk the party was carrying with them for trade. After taking it, they escorted the Yokels to a thicket that turned out to be the abode of a leshy, and quickly rode away.
It is not clear whether the riders served the leshy, or simply left the Yokels there to make sure they did not follow. Sasha and others suspect them of being simple bandits, and Vasilisa wanted to follow them in order to learn about who they really were, and to take back the silk, but Chonkorchuk insisted that it was not worth it, since the riders outnumbered them.
In any event, none of the riders have been seen since.

Species

Human