Russia,1916.Beitbycraftormadness,RasputinexercisespowerovertheindecisiveNicholas,andthereligiousCzarinaworshipstheSiberianasGod.HemanipulatestheCzarinhisrelationswiththeDumaandinfluencesthechoiceofanewpremier.Rasputinassaultsabaroness;herhusbandisjailedfordefendingher,andshemustoffersexualfavorstoRasputintosaveherhusband.TheCzarfinallyordersRasputinfromSt.Petersburg,butsomehowheentersthepalaceand,inadisheveledtrance,convincestheCzartomakeadisastrouschangeinwarstrategy.Acadreofnoblestakemattersintotheirownhandsandarrangealastdinnerpartyfortheinterlopingmonk.