There is a safe haven for children in the district of Taganka, Moskov that is secretly funded by Anton Teptov, an orphanage/refuge for those children of the street, runaways and those left to fend for themselves. But not even the founder of this institution realises that the Razide’s monies trickle to this benign establishment, partly because he is now too afraid of the outside world and leaves the running of the building to his successor… a poor choice.

The old building, now known as the Izbushka (little house: also, ironically, a term for Baba Yaga’s hut) started out as a refuge for only one man, no children, but a desperate and terrified criminal. Sergei Taranushenko was one of the Russian’s swept up in Stalin’s ‘Scorched Earth’ policy and found his way through prison camps to be placed in cramped quarters with German soldiers. From there he was one of the many taken to build the Vystonie Zdaniya, and more importantly the Kotelnicheskaya Apartments. He was one of the many to be touched by the presence of Binah’s seal and begin the path to Awakening. After the POW’s murdered the seraphim Sandolphin he returned as Nepharite and they fled… Sergei to the Izbushka, a decrepit ruinous villa from days long past. There in the basement he hid, fearing the vengeful Angel.

Over the next few years his quest of Awakening continued and he studied that which the Seal was comprised… the Cabbalah, through short excerpts into the outside world. With his knowledge he built in the basement a room, a temple, to ward away the Nepharite, and now a little safer, he rested.

Then slowly he noticed others seeking haven in his place, somehow children finding his door, drawn to him like moth to flame. Binah’s doctrines established in his heart he saw the need to open his door further to these famililess children of the war and other circumstances of Communist rule after Stalin. To these few children he taught the secrets of the Cabbalah, and his state of Awakening also changed them. The children built the Izbushka by day, listening to Sergei by night. The hostel grew ‘unofficially among the dejected youth of Moskov and became a place of refuge, although these new additions never learnt from Sergei, only hearing of him through those close to him.

Then Communism fell. Sergei was contacted and he extracted himself from the self-exile and met with his brethren, also crusaders for Binah’s cause - the other POWs who survived the Seraphim/Nepharite’s wrath. After discussing the need to return and to rebuild Binah’s power, Sergei returned and met with his ‘inner circle’. To them he told them of the POWs meeting and the need for them, his chosen to retake Binah’s seal. All would go bar Valentin, who ran the Izbushka - something that would lead to the Izbushka’s corruption in the coming years.

Sergei trained the ‘inner group’ deeper in his arts and once he felt them ready he sent them away from the Izbushka to the Kotelnischekaya Apartments. They never returned. Horrified, Sergei promptly locked himself back into his Temple and spoke not to Valentin for fear of the Nepharite’s appearance.

Without guidance or support Valentin soon found himself falling into problems; money was needed to support the youth being brought to the Izbushka, and these problems became more and more demanding. Valentin continued teaching Sergei’s way to those children who would listen, but without the support from the others of the ‘inner group’ not all children were interested. Valentin needed the money and went the only way he could, so he thought… the government. They laughed at him behind red tape and files and information. He gave up hope and prepared himself for the fall of the refuge for those without family’s, an institution strongly taught to him.

But he was saved. The Russian politician, Anton Teptov secretly arranged a clandestine meeting and discussed the Izbushka. Teptov asked about Sergei, his name an underground legend and Valentin expressed the problems there, and Teptov consoled and promised monthly funds to support the refuge asking only that Valentin get Sergei to meet with Teptov for an important discussion. Teptov stressed that this small thing was of great importance to him, and Valentin agreed.

But Valentin could not get Sergei to even hear him, and as Teptov’s pressure was minutely applied, his lingering request the only thing keeping the funds rolling in, and Valentin’s frustration grew, his anger, his hate. Sergei ignored him, had discarded him for the others and left him to carry the burden. As the year passed Valentin’s mental health took a dive, just as the Razide had intended. Valentin’s early abuse as a child through the war and his neglect had to be exacted somewhere and Valentin’s only option was children.

In secret he began to mentally abuse those children close to him, those who weighed on his every word, binding them to him. And his physical aggression was taken upon those children he found in the gutters with needles embedded in arms. No one missed them. Over time he grew confidant, building a special room where he could be in private and not fear recrimination.

Those children in the Izbushka he rallied like an evangelist, his dark side now fired into a twisted flame, the children into protesting Western ideals, how filthy and amoral they were to life. He sent his young out to the nightclubs, to parties to evangelise their wrong-doings, and those few that were converted (caught on a bad trip) he beat, brain-washed and then fed back into his growing cult. All the while Sergei remained oblivious, expecting the Nepharite to burst into his room at any moment.

Local Westernized youth whisper discontent about the Izbushka, a place for nutcases, cult against change, wanting the old regime and the youth bad-mouth the place at any time. Some youths even attack some of those children from the Izbushka who rally outside of local nightclubs, beating them into a bloody pulp, given more fuel for the fire of fanaticism.

Plot Hooks

The other near-awakened POWs desire to meet again and people are sent to rouse Sergei, something Valentin would not be happy to see. His reaction and the subsequent follow up could lead into interesting circles.

Valentin’s actions in the house and his dark awakening are weakening the Illusion, with the presence of Sergei’s magic and Sandolphin may be nearer than Sergei likes… children go missing in corridors of the house which should not exist and only do so on certain nights.

Sergei could come out of his exile and take over from Valentin and begin teaching the youth anew, leaving Valentin to run the Izbushka once again. Valentin may challenge Sergei or his hate grow stronger… and he has to relieve that frustration somewhere.

Valentin gets careless in his dumping of the bodies of the children he molests and murders. Authorities get curious.

Chagidiel, through Teptov is immensely interested in Valentin and make him into a Nepharite and the entire Izbushka is dragged to Inferno as a group purgatory… with Sergei.