Chapter 1: Uncertain Times

Stepan is contacting his scribe colleagues in the nicer to upper parts of Moscow. He has this (fake) letter about a merchant who lost a porcelain figurine and is asking for damages. The lie is bolstered by Stepan's interest in the story as his mother had a similar figurine and he knows how crushed she would be by its loss.

Diya will go to the shops in the city she buys the supplies that a young woman alone in the woods cannot easily get on the woods. Making idle gossip, saying she saw him near her cottage and wondered who he was as he didn't stop, that sort of thing.

Kolya will ask around the court. He’ll mention he heard a rumour of this gentleman discovering something new in the medical field, and would like to contact him.

Dragomir searches Moscow’s equivalent to a red lights district. He visits various taverns, brothels, and dens of iniquity, showing people the drawing and asking if they know anything. The Cossack has learned that often times barkeeps and ladies of the night have the most worthwhile information. He’ll also have a few drinks in the meantime.

Diya has little luck, other than replenishing whatever supplies she actually needs.

Stepan asks around and is able to find someone who sold some parchment and ink to a man that fits the description. The man gave the name Lyubov Yefim, but the scribe is suspects the name is an alias, as Lyubov spoke it as if unfamiliar on the pronunciation.

Kolya does not find tell of a medical professional with that face, but does hear a rumor that someone with that description was seen speaking with the Ragana (a name for the Lithuanian witches that Elena had brought in when she was trying to conceive, and who continue to enjoy her host).

Dragomir finds a bartender who had begun to be suspicious about a man with that likeness who hangs around the area. Several prostitutes have gone missing, which is not unheard of, but a few within the last week beggars credulity.

With all the minor hints and clues, Stepan sits in his favorite corner of the sanctuary, treading his silk scarf between his fingers, mutterings in ancient languages of Atlantis.
His goal is to gather all these puzzle pieces into a bigger picture

Dragomir thanks the bartender and goes to some of the brothels. He wants to talk to any prostitutes who might have met the man or known any of the women he’s taken. The Cossack is looking for any kind of pattern to the abductions: Did the prostitutes get taken on certain nights? Did they having anything in common (aside from their profession)? Etc.

Kolya will meet with the witches to see what information the6 are willing to share.

Stepan, with the initial information from the others, draws into the mysteries of the universe, and feels sympathetic connections with the items taken from the house, and these prostitute murders,as this magic works best on strong emotional ties.

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Dragomir finds himself chatting with a hopeful prostitute, who is hoping she can land an encounter. She has a haunted look, dark circles under her eyes, and only a little bit of prodding reveals that she saw her friend snatched, and taken forcibly into a coach four nights back. While not an unheard of start to a prostitute's night, some customers prefer it rough, Elena hasn't returned and she fears murder. She gives a fairly detailed account of the coach and horses, but saw little of the actual abductor.

Dragomir follows the trail to a wealthy area, but there the trail chills. It would take a lot of time to search the entire area, and would draw a lot of suspicion.

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Kolya arranges for a discussion with the Ragana. They indicate that the man, Lyubov Yefim, is a Lithuanian who claims to be a 'nobleman', albeit one with ink stained fingers, and was delivering news from home. He pretended to be a merchant setting trade in Moscow, but the witches grew suspicious of his dark aura and cut the interview short. They know little else of him, and have not inquired after him in any way.

Before leaving the prostitute, Dragomir asks her if she has anything that belonged to the missing woman, Elena - a hairbrush, dress, etc.

Diya will send her familiar out, while the task is mundane, he may have better senses than she does. she will have him fly around the areas the man was last seen

I've posted a thread to collect the information you've gathered so far.

So far you have signs of a willworker operating with impugnity and trucking with forces from beyond the pale, the name of a Lithuanian man, and an area he was seen going to with a prostitute who is now missing, and a connection between the boyar's murder and a series of prostitute murders that preceded it.

In addition, this event seems to be bringing up old suspicions from the lower aristocracy and the Regent (usurper?) Elena, mother to young Ivan.

The trail seems to lead to this murderer, if only you could find him. Doing so will likely risk a deadly confrontation.

"So we can probably assume that this Lyubov Yefim is taking prostitutes for some reason... possibly for other rituals similar to the one involving Sutulin. We know he is a Lithuanian nobleman, which makes sense since his trail led to a wealthy area."

i do not like any of this.

Dragomir is given a small carved deer, worn smooth, oiled by touch. The missing girl cherished it, you're told.

"So chances are that the prostitutes are serving as either sacrifices, or as hosts for these... flesh intruders. Perhaps Yefim’s choice of location was not an accident. The gauntlet at the house is thin, we know that much. This could be an after effect of the ritual he performed. Or it could be a requirement... he needs places like this. Do we know of any other areas in Moscow that are thin spots?

Dragomir further thinks aloud. "And Sutulin appears to have been drowned in river water. Was this random? We should check to see if any part of the wealthy district runs near the river?

Spirit magic would be needed to sense such weak spots.

For information about the gauntlet, roll Int + Occult.