Patarouva

In a smoky parlor at Narumov’s country house, a motley crew of engineers, aristocrats, and gamblers gathers around a wooden table, the clatter of cards punctuating their banter. The night stretches long, wine and champagne flowing as each player tells tales of loss and stubborn luck, while a quiet, steadfast engineer named Herman watches without ever laying a hand on the deck. The conversation drifts toward a legendary figure—Grand‑Mère Anna Fedorovna—whose past in Paris and whispered ties to the immortal Count Saint‑Germain hint at a deeper, almost supernatural current beneath the frivolity.

The term “patarouva” surfaces as a secretive, malevolent force, an old fortune‑telling book said to grant its holder the power to overturn even the most stubborn debts. When the aging grandmother reaches out to the enigmatic Saint‑Germain for aid, she is offered a cryptic bargain that promises to restore her fortunes without money changing hands. As the night deepens, the guests sense that the cards on the table may be merely a prelude to a far stranger game of fate.