Lampdanik to the Boyars

The society of Dragonrock is in an uproar over the newest sensation. Grigori Grigorivich Popov demonstrates immense sway over the court of the boyars, the Princes of Dragonrock. A cleric of the Celestian Church, he performs great acts of healing and offers sage advice.

Plot points/Scenes

After gaining renown among the Streltsy, the party will be invited to the private quarters of the colonel of the Rynda Regiment, Vasil Stepanovich Drubetskoy. If they gain favor with Nikita Ivanovich Yussopov, then he might introduce them to Colonel Drubetskoy.
Vasil is hot-blooded and eager to prove himself worthy of the command he has. He takes his duty seriously and wants to remain true to the oath that he serve the Kynaz and not his house. The party meets the stern Colonel in his headquarters within the Rynda Regiment barracks. He shares his concerns about Popov's growing influence and the potential dangers posed to the peace and stability of Dragonrock. He has been gaining influence with the Kynaz's wife, though it is unclear how due to her never leaving the government district. He believes someone close to her must be funneling information about Popov to her. He gives them a dossier of people close to the family who regularly leave the district. 
Vasil has determined that there is a gather of the Lampadniks tonight in the Docks Ward. He encourages the party attends one of Popov's speeches or gatherings, posing as interested listeners or potential followers. They must observe the attendees and any signs of external influence or manipulation. They need to keep an eye out for anyone who seems out of place or interesting.
At the Meeting The adventurers engage in discreet investigations, speaking with informants, witnesses, and even infiltrating Count Gorchakov's circle to determine if he is truly backing Popov. While at the meeting, the party will find two people of note. One is Boris Khilkov, the friend of Father Myshkin. The other is Anna Pavlona Cantemirovna, who the party notice is one of the Kniaginia Tatiana Adreianova Stolypina. 
In questioning Boris, the party finds that his friend asked him to record what Popov was up to as he could not attend the meetings. Evidently, the Count Myshkin is opposed to Popov and believes he is a blasphemous fraud. Boris will encourage the party to meet with the count to get his help. 
In questioning Anna Cantemirovna, they find she is a devotee of Popov and has been bringing back his teachings to the Kniaginia. If the party dig deeper into her record and continue to pressure her they find her maiden name: Gorchakov. She found out about Popov from her brother Timofey Pavlovich Gorchakov. 
If the party tail Popov, they see that he has an inner circle that he visits regularly. These are people who are said to have seen Popov's true face. The people have their prematurely go white and their faces bear perpetually shell-shocked expressions. They are icy cold to the touch. (These are the people the Man of Cold Horror have shown his true face and bent to his will)
Foil a Plot:  While investigating, the party discovers a plot to cause unrest and chaos in Dragonrock. They must stop an attempt to incite violence during one of Popov's speeches. The plan is to frame gnomes for the servitors going haywire and killing people. Popov will tell the people that the gnomes tampered with them to cause an uprising because gnomes are known for being technologically inclined. They need to head to the 12th Prikaz in the Immediacy which is located near the Temple of the Elements. That is where the strike will happen. 
Confront Popov: The party confronts Popov and his followers, revealing their findings about his connection to Timofey Pavlovich Gorchakov and the sinister plot behind his speeches. At Popov's home after the attack, they can find Popov and Timofey conversing about the failed attack and next steps. When they leave, there are documents hidden in Popov's house that show regular payments from Timofey. 
Show the Truth: The adventurers must expose Popov's nefarious alliance and present their evidence to the public, revealing the lies and deceit behind his speeches. After the party emerge from the house, they get stopped by now Lieutenant Deepdelver, the former sergeant of the Golden Hills Prikaz that they helped with the murders. She tells them now Captain Mikhail Suvorov wants to see them about the recent violence against gnomes. Upon meeting the captain, he will ask the party what they know and if they can get to anyone influential enough to label Popov as a fraud. He will tell his colonel who is sympathetic and can help put the information out there to save the gnomes. 
The party can call in a favor from Count Myshkin. Their medallions will gain them an audience with him. He will view the evidence agree, using his powers as the supreme head of the churches to post a ban on Popov. He will then hire the party to kill Popov as a heretic. He will pay them: 1000gp each.
Face the Culprit: The final showdown takes place as the party confronts Popov.
Epilogue: Depending on the party's choices, Dragonrock might experience a shift in its political landscape. The adventurers' actions will have consequences, and they may gain allies or make enemies in the process.

Structure

Exposition

His presence is divisive. Kynaz Stolypin does not like him and would like to find something against him. Tatiana Adreianova Stolypin, the wife of the Kynaz, favors the wandering cleric because of his great preaching of the Celestian faith and healing her only son, Andrei Pytorvich. Kynaz Stolypin does not like Popov because he seems to be building a coalition against his rule as Kynaz in favor of one of the other boyars. The reality is that Popov wants to become Kynaz. Viktor Larionovich Myshkin is the only boyar who does not support Popov, which is important because he does not support Stoloypin. The Myshkin family view Popov as a heretic in the Celestian faith and view Popov's views on pan-religion to be destabilizing for all the temples on Dragonrock.
The Lampadnik Faction

Conflict

Popov has influenced four of the least powerful families to serve his purpose. While only a third of the families, the houses of Belozersky, Repnin, Gorchakov, and Galitzine were enough of a bloc to stymie the business of the Legislative Council. The Kynaz's Bench
The Stolypin family is not without allies. The Barashkov, Troubetzkoy, and Rogozhin families are intermarried with the Stolypin's and side with their kin.
The Independents
The most important families are those that have not taken a side. The Myshkins, Khilkovs, Drubetzkoys, and Radomskys keep apart. The Myshkins are primarily concerned with the matters of the faiths on Dragonrock and believe they are the moral center of the city. The Drubetzkoys and Radomskys are busy undermining each other. If one voted for something, the other would vote against it. The Khilkovs only care about civil administration and often abstain unless something affects administrative affairs.
The Families
Stolypin: descended from Fedorov Alexievich Stolypin, the first Kynaz of Dragonrock. Pytor Andreivich Stolypin is the current head of the family and the Kynaz or Prince. He has sought reforms that allow non-nobles to take loans and set up businesses. In the years that followed, small businesses sprung up in nearly every house in the city. Stolypin believed that the wider the productivity was spread, the more money would be made. The town houses that previously were crammed with people expanded upward to allow for workshops of finished goods to be made and allow other people to have apartments of their own rather than sharing houses. This policy upset the Galitzine family as they had been slowly monopolizing the industries under their guild system. Kynaz Stolypin was able to convince Count Myshkin to join his side after promising to reserve land for green spaces so that druidic worshippers could cultivate groves.
Another policy was to limit the amount of fees and the control of interest rates, as well as the minting of coinage to the Central Bank of Dragonrock. This upset the Belozersky family, which had been the main bankers in the city. It is said Count Sergei Konstantinovich Belozersky, the boyar of the family, nearly struck Kynaz Stolypin when the bill was proposed. Stolypin was able to get the Radomskys and Drubetzkoys on his side since the central bank would assume all the military debt and would need to be paid back at a much lower rate.
The last policy was diplomatic, reserving all the power to make and administer treaties to the executive. This upset the Repnins as they enjoyed privileged relations with the IEN. The Gorchakov family is secretly working with the Chainmen and feared greater checks on cargo carrying slaves, though openly they were upset because they believed the customs restrictions from direct oversight would hinder the Sindiath Line's relations. This line helped the Repnins and Gorchakovs ally as they both seemed allied to elven interests.

Belozersky: descended from Gleb Vassilkovich Belozersky, the first Count Belozersky. It is led by Count Sergei Konstantinovich Belozersky. The Belozersky family were the wealthiest family to arrive on Dragonrock and naturally began lending it. Gleb Vassilkovich Belozersky had the fewest followers, but his ships were filled with gold. With that gold, the Belozerskys set up a system of lending, money-changing, and banking over the reason until they owned the financial institutions. They kept a close hold on the minting of currency and ensured that their scales, proprietary machines that they kept secret, were the only ones merchants used. They became the only banks and lending houses in the city. There was an incident several years back when Stolypin's great grandfather wanted to set up a Common Bank for the lower classes to get credit. Belozerskys resented this and there are rumors that the death of Pytor Pavlovich Stolypin was no natural cause.
Gregori Popov is popular among the Belozersky family due to his preaching that wealth is not for all, that it corrupts a people. Instead, only the wise should have wealth. The Belozerskys believe that to be them. Popov believes it is him.


Repnin: descended from Vasily Nikolayevich Repnin, the first Count Repnin. It is led by Count Ivan Vasilyeich Repnin. The Repnin family has long term contacts with the IEN and some intermarry with the elves. It is said that Vasily Repnin had an elf for a wife and that the elves helped the first settlers get to Dragonrock.
Gregori Popov is popular among the Repnins because he believes that all races deserve harmony and autonomy. The Repnins believe that this means that he supports giving the elves more autonomy. In reality, Popov does not believe elves are a race, but a pest.


Gorchakov: descended from Gregori Alexandrovich Gorchakov and currently led by Count Mihail Grigorovich Gorchakov. The Gorchakovs have a secret. The current count and the first count are the same person. Count Gorchakov is a lich, hidden under powerful enchantments. In order to maintain the illusion of youth, Count Gorchakov needs souls and he gets them through the Chainmen providing slaves. It began as simply being a customer, then the Gorchakov became dealers. Hiding under the guise of trading companies, the Gorchakovs have found ways to smuggle slaves around on ships, including ones of the Sindiath Line.
Popov is a nuisance to the Gorchakovs due to the moralistic preaching, but removing Stolypin is their goal. They believe they can manipulate Popov.

Galitzine: descended from Patrikey Glebovich Galitzine, first Count Galitzine. Yuri Mikhailovich Galitzine is the current count and leader of the family. The Galitzines brought the most amount of tradesmen but resented the inclusion of gnomes since they directly competed with them. Over the years and via stoking racial tensions, the Galitzines controlled all tradesmen through the guilds.

The Galitzines view Popov's teaching on work needing to be ordered and trades viewed as vocations like the church as favoring them. Popov actually believes that he should control all trades to suit his needs.
Barashkov: descended from Pavel Nikolayevich Barashkov, the first Count Barashkov. Timofey Yaroslavich Barashkov is the current count and leader of the family. The Barashkovs are accomplished builders. Not a single building or sewer pipe exists in Dragonrock without the Barashkovs either making it or having it made.
Being a less pretigeous family, the Stolypins intermarried with the Barashkovs in order to bring them on their side. The Barashkovs have benefited greatly with the executive granting building contracts and permits. The familiy dislikes Popov over his teaching that land should be commonly held, judging rightly that Popov wants to commonly hold the land under his direct control.
Troubetzkoy: descended from Pyotr Sergeyevich Troubetzkoy. The current count and head of the family is Dmitry Timofeievich Troubetzkoy. The Troubetzkoy family is filled with wizards and work to ensure the water, air, and other magical resources in the city remain functioning.
Popov has spoken out against the Seekers and the Troubetzkoys have connections with the Seekers, mostly with the need to maintain magical functions.
Rogozhin: descended from Anatoli Ivanovich Rogozhin, the first Count Rogozhin. The current count and head of the family is Boris Aleksandrovich Rogozhin. The Rogozhin are accomplished spelljammers, the only family to have ships of their own. While not remotely close to being the same size as the IEN or even trading companies. Yet, they remain proud of the small navy they place at the service of Dragonrock.
Popov seeks to isolate Dragonrock and that impedes the freedom the Rogozhins have with their ships, exploring and trading as they will.
Myshkin: descended from Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, the first Count Myshkin. The current count and head of the family is Kirill Poluektovich Myshkin. The Myshkins are a deeply religious family, several of their number becoming clerics.
Khilkov: descended from Evgenii Nikolaevitch Khilkov, first Count Khilkov. Stepan Mikhailovich Khilkov is the current family head and count.

Parent Plot

The Man of Long Shadows

Related Locations

• Dragonrock