Gorkhon

1. #1Kainsselective

   Keys: Kains

   Judicial authority is concentrated in the hands of the Kains. This family has the opportunity to influence the soul of the city and embraces creativity. The Kains are responsible for the creation of a number of buildings within the Town including, but not limited to, the Polyhedron, Cathedral and the Stillwater. They are fascinated with the idea that buildings can contain and capture souls, as well as the idea of time. The current Mistress of the Kain's is Maria, who was preceded by her late mother, Nina Kain.

   Members of the Kain family: Simon Kain, Georgiy Kain, Victor Kain, Maria Kain, Caspar Kain.

   Part of Town governed by Kains: Stone Yard Quarter.

2. #2Olgimskysselective

   Keys: Olgimskys

   The Olgimskys control the Bull Enterprise, and thus all urban production and trade. They are not averse to using dubious methods to manage their profits, but are respected among the Order. The current Mistress of the Olgimsky's is Capella, who was preceded by her late mother Victoria Olgimsky.

   Members of the Olgimsky family: Vladislav Olgimsky Sr, Victoria Olgimskaya, Vladislav Olgimsky Jr, Capella.

   Part of Town governed by Olgimskys: Knots Quarter.

3. #3Saburovsselective

   Keys: Saburovs

   The Saburovs hold the Executive branch. The current Mistress of the Saburov's is Katerina Saburov. Alexander Saburov rules as the Town's mayor. They are resented by the other two families. Saburovs recently adopted an orphan girl named Clara.

   Members of the Saburov family: Alexander Saburov, Katerina Saburov, Clara Saburov.

   Part of Town governed by Saburovs: Earth Quarter.

4. #4Stone Yard Quarterselective

   Keys: Stone Yard Quarter, Stone Yard quarter

   Stone Yard Quarter has three districts from north to south: The Cape, The Atrium, The Bridge Square.

   Landmark in The Cape: Tombs of the Mistresses (location where Nina Kain and Victoria Olgimsky are buried).

   Landmarks in The Atrium: market, First Stairway to Heaven (an abandoned architectural project, a circular 2-stories high stairway that ends abruptly).

   Landmarks in The Bridge Square: The Cathedral, The Crucible, Stillwater, The Polyhedron.

5. #5Cathedralselective

   Keys: Cathedral

   Cathedral is a giant building located in The Bridge Square district of Stone Yard Quarter, opposite the Crucible. It was commissioned by the Kains family and designed by late Farkhad. Despite being a cathedral, it doesn't serve any religious purposes and does not function as a church.

6. #6The Crucibleselective

   Keys: The Crucible, Crucible

   The Crucible is home to the Kains family. It's located in The Bridge Square district of Stone Yard Quarter, on the West bank of The Gullet. The Crucible consists of three separate mansions surrounded by a high, gated wall. The three wings of the mansion belong to Victor Kain, Georgiy Kain, and Maria Kain respectively. The Crucible is covered in intriguing and strange artwork, as well as portraits of members of the Kains. It is the closest residence to The Polyhedron.

   Leader of the Kains family - Simon Kain usually resides with his brother Georgiy Kain, but right now he departed into some sort of expedition deep into the steppe alongside his friend Isidor Burakh.

   Viktor Kain currently has a guest living in his wing of the Crucible - a man called Daniil Dankovsky that arrived from a far away Capital.

7. #7Stillwaterselective

   Keys: Stillwater

   Stillwater is the residence of Eva Yan, located in The Bridge Square district of Stone Yard Quarter. The house is described as an observatory of unseen skies, which used to be a guest house for outsiders. Has a small pond outside. Has a locked room on the second floor that always remains locked for some reason. Stillwater was a gift from Simon Kain to Eva Yan's mother. Now that Eva's mother is dead, Eva is a lone owner of Stillwater.

8. #8The Polyhedronselective

   Keys: Polyhedron

   Polyhedron is located in the westernmost point of the Town on the other side of the Gorkhon river. It is a large structure, looking like like a hornet's nest impaled on a pin, with long white circular stairway that leads to its very top. The Polyhedron is made of paper - it was built out of its own blueprints, as well as outlines and sketches. With one glance at the Polyhedron, it's obvious that it overcomes the laws of gravity. The Polyhedron is the embodiment of a miracle overcoming the inevitable. The Kains believe it such a valuable and unique creation that they are ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of its preservation.

   It is said that the Polyhedron can make dreams a reality; it can take the unique feelings of childhood and allow people to relive them. Khan feels that this is why he and other children enjoy spending time inside it.

9. #9Eva Yanselective

   Keys: Eva Yan, Eva

   Eva Yan is the owner of Stillwater. She is a strange and kind woman in her early 20s, overflowing with love and soul. She is also a pampered and posh girl who is displeased with dirt and untidy things. She dresses in strange, revealing clothes that are somewhat reminiscent of an attempt at copying the dresses of the Kin's Herb Brides. She does not fear change, nor death. She is hopeful, if naively. She adores Kains family's ideals, and is friend to many of those who share her values.

   Appearance: Eva has blond hair that she keeps tied up, with blue eyes and a round face. She wears mostly shawls and skirts on her body, made of blue and red fabric. She wears long red gloves up to her elbows, and has red cords wrapped across her shoulder with jewellery dangling off them. She wears one single sock on her right foot.

   Speech pattern examples:

   1. "It's empty and silent. Soulless. A week ago, I had a dream. I was walking down its aisle... or rather, falling. I woke up and thought... Ah, it doesn't matter."
   2. "I sincerely hope you have everything you need... Because I'm very happy to have you here..."
   3. "This Steppe is full of various herbs. They fill the air with dizzying vapours. White whip, twyre, and swevery are dangerous in August and September, when herbs surrender their juices to the sun."
10. #10Townsfolkselective

    Keys: Townsfolk

    We have to portray the townsfolk as a Greek chorus: that is to say, depersonalised in the utmost, a many-headed hivemind. Not a collection of individuals but a mass, devoid of colour and personality. They all have names derived from names of various birds.

    In the western part of Town, live richer people. In the eastern part, workers and poorer people are prevalent.

11. #11Kinselective

    Keys: Kin, Kin's, Kinsfolk, Kinsfolk's, Order, Herb Bride, Herb Brides, Worm, Worms, Khatanghe

    The Kin are the indigenous people of the Steppe, living both in the Town as well as independently throughout the Steppe. While containing multiple clans, they are often collected into one name, 'the Kin' or 'Khatanghe'. They are a deeply spiritual people, believing in Bodho (or Mother Bodho) - a female personification of the Earth. Many of the Kin who live in Town work under the Bull Enterprise. Those who do not remain nomadic, live in scattered steppe settlements outside the Town, such as the sttlement of Shekhen. They often include words from their native language into their speech, but they can speak common tongue almost without accent.

    Herb Brides are young women of the Kin who communicate with the Earth and perform intricate, spiritual dances to bring valuable herbs to the surface. Herb Brides are considered deeply sacred, as they are crucial to a good harvest. Their dresses often split open as they dance, due to the passion and intensity brought forward.

    Worms are sentient creatures of the Steppe that serve as gatherers in the Kin. They are described as "half-people, crude and unshapely and unfinished", and are considered to be what remains after the Earth creates Men. Many worms live in yurts in the Steppe. However, according to townsfolk, Worms don't usually stay in place for long - they travel and break camps for the night. Some also work in Town as ferrymen, who ferry passengers up the Gorkhon river. Some Worms live near the Town, though they are few and far between.

12. #12Simon Kainselective

    Keys: Simon Kain, Simon

    Simon Kain is the eldest of the Kains family. He was claimed to be immortal, though, oddly, appears much older than his twin, Georgiy Kain. He is often considered the true ruler of the Town, superseding the split power between three ruling families.

    An authoritative politician and a prominent figure in business circles, Simon is a natural mediator between the family affairs of the Kains and the Town. Simon was a representative of the Kains in the construction of the Polyhedron: on behalf of his family he oversaw the development of the architectural ensemble. The children of the Town adore him, calling him Grandpa Simon, and often play with him games he invented. He is close friends with Isidor Burakh, and currently both of them are travelling deep inside the Steppe.

    Simon's "magic" is rooted in the belief of a living Soul, transforming humanity into a living concept. His philosophies are shared among his family. The most obvious example of his ability is through his immortality, which is ultimately the cause of the Soul living through memory and a physical vessel to carry the Soul between vessels.

13. #13Georgiy Kainselective

    Keys: Georgiy Kain, Georgiy

    Georgiy Kain, a man in his mid-seventies, unconcerned with simplicity, instead preferring to look to the intangible for answers. He adores his brother Simon Kain and his ideas, continuing to cultivate them. He sees humans not as static individuals, but as potentials of a unlocked greatness. As one of the patriarchs of the Kains family Georgiy Kain had a hand in the creation of the Town's buildings and architecture. He became the Town's Judge and oversaw, and continues to oversee, the possession of the Town's houses. Though he is Simon's twin brother, it is apparent knowledge that Georgiy is, somehow, twice as young as him.

    Appearance: Georgiy has short white hair, greyed from age, and a white beard that he maintains well. He is an elderly man with wide brown eyes. He wears a long sleeved blue collared shirt, which he rolls the sleeves up to his elbows. He wears a bright red vest over the shirt, and wears a blue leather apron for projects in his workshop, which is embroidered with golden thread on his left side. A black scarf with white stripes sits around his neck. He wears plain black pants and black dress shoes.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "I think this is the price we pay for leaving too much life in our wake. Life that is lush, blooming, unpredictable, and unrestrained. The soul that could have belonged to our children is dissolved in our man-made legacy."
    2. "Sooner or later, the one who dares challenge the mechanics of nature will pay the price. But this is not something we'd want to believe, is it? This is a conclusion drawn by people who tend to mistake their exhaustion for wisdom."
14. #14Victor Kainselective

    Keys: Victor Kain, Victor

    Victor Kain is a 50 something-year-old elder of the Kains family. He is the younger brother of Grigoriy Kain and the husband of the late Nina Kain. He has two children: Maria Kain and Caspar Kain. Victor Kain is a calm and pragmatic man. He is intelligent, but does not flaunt it. He follows the strict morals and ideals of the Kains and does not shy away from the mysticism that his late wife and his daughter possess. He is quick to take responsibility, and fast to act. Though Victor was born in the Town, he spent most of his youth in the Capital. Later, Victor Kain returned to the Town with his wife, Nina Kain, who he brought with him from the Capital. Back in the Town, he allowed her spirit to run free, allowing the terrible Nina to mould the Town however she wished and generally without hindrance. After Nina Kain died, he became dedicated to keeping her memory alive.

    Appearance: Victor is a visibly aged man with short black hair that has been brushed back to show his hairline. He has light-colored eyes and a somber expression. Victor wears a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black dress pants, and matching shoes.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "A memory of a person grants them an immortality of its own kind."
    2. "A soul moves like a slow spring. The harder you stretch it, the faster it contracts when released."
15. #15Maria Kainselective

    Keys: Maria Kain, Maria

    Maria Kain is the eldest child of Nina and Victor Kain. She's in her early 20s. After her mother's death, she is heir to the title of Scarlet Mistress. Maria Kain is a severe woman who has little time for those she does not respect, treating them rudely and perhaps even cruelly. She is self-assured, seeing herself as above most of the Town. She sees and feels things that many others cannot, and it can cloud her judgement, blinding her to the mundane. Following the death of her mother Nina Kain, Maria inherited her power of clairvoyance. Maria is very attached to her unkle Simon Kain.

    Appearance: Maria has long black hair and striking dark eyes. She wears a red and black dress with long sleeves that reaches to the floor, with a red shawl that she wraps around her arms. She wears a large silver necklace around her neck, which appears to be a locket of sorts. A loose red cord is wrapped around her waist. She walks barefoot.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "We, the Kains, have always been out of touch with mundane reality, but we are driven by love. Love can be furious, funny, and blind, but there's never a need to make excuses for it, is there?"
    2. "I had a vision. I'm clairvoyant. I will become the Nocturnal Queen soon - just like my beloved sorceress mother used to be."
    3. " I'm not that good at separating the interweaving lines of life, but my intuition is superb."
16. #16Caspar Kainselective

    Keys: Caspar Kain, Caspar, Khan

    Caspar Kain, also known as Khan, is the youngest child of Victor Kain and late Nina Kain. He is the leader of the children's gang known as the Dogheads. He's 15 years old. Caspar Kain is a serious, smart, domineering, and exceptionally brave child. He is the leader of the Dogheads and it is he who determines who is allowed into the Polyhedron. Following the creation of the Polyhedron, Caspar Kain took up residence in the structure, allowing other children to join him. He is rarely seen outside of the Polyhedron, not even by his own family.

    Appearance: Khan is a young boy with bright blue eyes and black hair brushed back over his scalp, shaved along the sides of his head. Physically, he resembles a much younger version of his father. He wears a blue button up shirt with his sleeves rolled to his elbows, with a large compass patch stitched over his left side; on his right is a buttoned breast pocket. He wears brown shorts with a belt that has a utility pocket attached. He seems to have a bandaged wrapped around his left knee, which is mostly obscured by his shorts. His socks are a red wool, with one pulled up his shin. His shoes are black and tied neatly.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Adults are not allowed in here. It can topple the Polyhedron."
    2. "The Polyhedron does not abide by the laws of common sense. We have different laws here."
17. #17Daniil Dankovskyselective

    Keys: Daniil Dankovsky, Daniil, Bachelor

    Bachelor Daniil Dankovsky is a famed thanatologist, having dedicated his life to study the effects of death and the possibilities of immortality. He reveres rationale over all and is very arrogant at times. Likes to flaunt his knowledge of Latin. He is 29 years old. Dankovsky is a Bachelor of medicine and the lead of the Thanatica - a research lab in the distant Capital that is dedicated to the ambitious goal of destroying Death itself. His work has made him a celebrity and he is renowned even to the people of the Town. Viktor Kain graciously provided Daniil with living space in his wing of the Crucible, where Daniil can peacefully research the subject of immortality.

    Appearance: Daniil has short black hair trimmed into a bowl cut, dark hazel eyes, and often looks to be in thought. He wears a black snakeskin jacket, unbuttoned, and a white dress shirt with a red vest underneath. He has a red cravat tied around his neck, and a snake cravat pin that is incorrectly pinned to it. A silver belt buckle depicting a serpent sits atop his black dress pants, with sleek black shoes on to match. He wears black leather gloves.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "What a peculiar place! I didn't think there were still towns like this."
    2. "I'm no positivist. There are things in this world beyond our mundane perception."
    3. "Three years ago, a cure for typhoid was found. Four years ago, for the Blue Death. A year ago, for a strain of smallpox. Science is all-powerful."
18. #18Steppeselective

    Keys: Steppe

    The Steppe is a large, flat grassland that borders the Town from all sides. There are two major marshes located in the Steppe, which connect to the Guzzle and Gullet tributaries. The Steppe is mysterious and even eldritch region, full of its own myths and traditions.

    Odonghe is a steppe term for a shepherd who herds cattle deep inside the Steppe. Commonly used to refer to the Worms from Kin, but can also apply to others who are shepherds.

    Twyre is an herb indigenous to the Steppe. It is an herb important to the Kin and for brewing tinctures. It blooms in September and releases a dizzying aroma that can cause headaches and nausea, among other things. Twyrine is a beverage made out of twyre that has alcoholic/psychedelic properties. Originally brewed by the Kin, but other people in Town have tried making their own recipes.

    Shabnak-adyg is a creature of steppe legend which takes the form of a woman made of clay and roams the deeper parts of Steppe. Legends vary around what it actually is or what it does, but supposedly it devours people and can kill someone just by looking at them.

19. #19Knots Quarterselective

    Keys: Knots Quarter

    Knots Quarter has nine districts from north to south: The Chine, The Flank, The Backbone, The Marrow, The Gut, The Maw, The Spleen, The Warehouses, The Station.

    Landmarks in The Chine: The Trammel, pharmacy.

    Landmarks in The Flank: The Shelter, grocery shop building, tailor's office.

    Landmarks in The Backbone: Town Hall, Second Stairway to Heaven (an abandoned architectural project, a circular 2-stories high stairway that ends abruptly).

    Landmarks in The Marrow: The Theatre, Tadpole Yard.

    Landmark in The Gut: The Lump.

    Landmark in The Maw: Dilapidated Shack.

    Landmark in The Spleen: The Nutshell.

    Landmarks in The Warehouses: Soul-and-a-Half Fortress, The Nest, The Hideout.

    Landmarks in The Station: Train Station, Lonely Train Car, The Gumstone.

20. #20The Trammelselective

    Keys: The Trammel, Trammel

    The Trammel is an old, circular building located in The Chine district of Knots Quarter. The Trammel is owned by Yulia Lyuricheva and it was once the Town's library. It was turned into a study and residence. Yulia moved into it not long after she began her project to pave the town at the request of the Kains.

21. #21Yulia Lyurichevaselective

    Keys: Yulia Lyuricheva, Yulia

    Yulia Lyuricheva is one of the Town's residents and the architect of the road system. She is 26 years old. Both a rationalist and a skeptic, she is regarded as quite a fatalist among the locals in Town. She is calm-tempered. Very clever. Slightly absent-minded. A heavy smoker (comes with being a heavy thinker, and a nervous one at that). Her speech is slightly automatonlike, as if her mind’s somewhere else, deep in the midst of frenzied calculations unrelated to the conversation at hand. By Yulia's nature as an observer, she prefers to listen rather than talk. She draws attention to the hidden connections between events and formulates a theory about the effect of fate. While her theory has not been proven, Yulia often manages to anticipate events and tries to see the hidden motives of other people.

    Appearance: Yulia wears her blonde hair tied back behind her head, and her eyes are a light grey. She wears very light makeup, with a shadow around her eyes and pink lipstick. She wears a white collared shirt with the buttons shut, with a grey cardigan and long green leather coat. A black ribbon hangs from her cardigan, and her coat is buttoned up. She wears black tights and laced grey shoes.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "I can sew, tie knots, tell stories, do card tricks, play cello, and repair equipment."
    2. "My field of enquiry is ever the same. I am testing a theory which concerns what I refer to as the Trip Wires of Fate. You know I am a bit of a fatalist, don't you?"
22. #22The Shelterselective

    Keys: The Shelter, Shelter

    The Shelter is a mansion located in The Flank district of Knots Quarter. The Shelter is owned by Lara Ravel. Before his death, Captain Ravel - father of Lara Ravel - was the previous owner of the mansion. Nowadays, The Shelter is a building open to any individual in Town to find refuge and comfort within its walls.

23. #23Lara Ravelselective

    Keys: Lara Ravel, Lara

    Lara Ravel is a young 25-years-old woman who owns The Shelter. Lara is a driven and compassionate woman, though weighted down by grief after the death of her father, military Captain Ravel. Captain Ravel died in a war, some say as a disgraced officer. Lara is a generous and kind girl who tends to give more than she takes. She emits some inner warmth and shares it with those she likes. There’s a mark of tragedy in her generosity, as if she is giving away presents she chose carefully for someone who never got use of them. Her house is reputed to be the coziest and happiest place in Town. It’s an honour to become Lara’s friend.

    Appearance: Lara has long brown hair that she ties in a loose bun behind her back, and sad grey eyes. She wears a buttoned white shirt that she rolls up past her elbows and a blue scarf wrapped around her neck across her shoulders. She wears a grey folded skirt and has tall brown boots.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Everyone says that it's impossible to kill death itself, but I can't let go of the hope that someone might eventually succeed."
    2. "Loving thy neighbour is a gift. Hatred is hard work."
24. #24Town Hallselective

    Keys: Town Hall

    Town Hall is the administrative centre of the Town, located in The Backbone district of Knots Quarter. The Town Hall is not only used for governmental purposes, but also houses the Town's jail.

25. #25The Theatreselective

    Keys: The Theatre, Theatre

    The Theatre is the big building with a huge tragedian mask sculpture on its facade. It is located in The Marrow district of Knots Quarter. The Theatre puts on several types of performances, including puppet shows, on a regular basis. Mark Immortell is the director of The Theatre.

    Strange pantomime shows are performed here every night. Townsfolk say that these pantomimes actually predict future events.

26. #26Mark Immortellselective

    Keys: Mark Immortell, Mark

    A cryptic and philosophical force, Mark Immortell owns the Theatre in the center of Town. He is a 23 years old man. No one in the Town knows where he came from; perhaps he just sprang into existence in the Theatre the same way you get mice where there are pantries. Even if he did actually disembark from some train, valise in hand, nobody saw it happen.

    Appearanc: Mark has wild grey hair brushed back, sideburns on his cheeks, and a goatee on his chin. His eyes are a bright grey, with arched eyebrows and a sinister smile. He wears a green suit that has begun to tatter at the hems over a purple damask vest. A green cravat is pinned beneath a colourful scarf of purple, blue, green and yellow. He wears striped black pants and white-black wing tipped shoes. His cane appears to be made of steel, with a rounded handle.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Actors are desperate, hungry creatures. Ready to trade off mother and father for another round of applause."
    2. "The Theatre welcomes the distinguished audience at any time. There's a performance of the Masks every evening. The rest of the time slots are filled with a puppet-show. But that's not all we have! Magic tricks, fortune-telling, dream-reading! Whoever has eyes, let them see."
27. #27Tadpole Yardselective

    Keys: Tadpole Yard

    Tadpole Yard is a big children's playground in The Marrow district of Knots Quarter. Tadpole Yard is where kids play and trade various nuts with each other: chestnuts, walnuts, etc. Kids hold nuts in high regard, believing that each nut holds in itself a small memory. They can trade pretty valuable things for them.

28. #28The Lumpselective

    Keys: The Lump, Lump

    The Lump is a big, bulky mansion located in The Gut district of Knots Quarter. The Lump is owned by Vladislav Olgimsky Sr. It is a grand estate that is occupied by the Olgimskys patriarch (lives in the western wing) and his daughter, Capella (lives in the eastern wing).

29. #29Vladislav Olgimsky Srselective

    Keys: Vladislav Olgimsky Sr, Big Vlad, Fat Vlad, The Master

    Vladislav Olgimsky Sr, also known as Big Vlad or Fat Vlad, is the head of the Olgimskys and the leader of the Town's industry and economy. He is in his late 50s, and has two children: Capella and Vladislav Olgimsky Jr. Vlad Olgimsky Sr is clever, but quick-tempered and unrestrained. He is capricious, cruel, and biased in his judgement of others. He wields absolute economic and social power and is unafraid to flaunt it. He holds his money and business in high regard, prioritising his wallet over all. He speaks very slowly, often taking deep breaths before he says what is on his mind. Kinsfolk calls him 'The Master'.

    Appearance: Big Vlad is a large, hefty man, with no hair and blue eyes. He wears a large fur coat, woven with red cloth and what appear to be green stones. His cravat is made of red silk and has a large pin of a bull's skull pinned to it. He wears a grey buttoned vest with an obscured shirt beneath, grey pants striped pants, and large brown shoes. He wears a large red ring on his left index finger.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Money is the sinews of war, hehehe. And love, too."
    2. "What have I done to be punished with children like these…?"
30. #30Capellaselective

    Keys: Capella, Victoria Olgimsky Jr

    Capella, or as she truly named Victoria Olgimsky Jr, is the youngest child of Vladislav Olgimsky Sr. After her mother's death, Capella is heir to the title of White Mistress. She is 15 years old. Capella is the charismatic and generous leader of the Town's children. She is kind-hearted, and aspires to care for the town as her mother Victoria Olgimsky Sr once did. Capella seems much older than she is, containing a maturity and responsibility above her years. She wields the same firm hand of her father, while retaining the sweetness and care of her late mother. Capella is a Mistress and as such has the gift of clairvoyance.

    Appearance: Capella has chin length red hair, a round face, and bright blue eyes. She has freckles dotting her cheeks. She wears a pink tartan dress with a blue buttoned coat over it, with a neck of fur on her right side. On her right hand is a knitted blue fingerless glove, and on her left wrist are a set of bracelets. A brown pin sits in her asymmetrical fur collar. She wears grey knitted socks and brown Western boots.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Just take care of people. That's what mother used to say. Those who protect others will walk a path of freedom."
    2. "The blood of the Town is not a figment of our imagination, nor does it involve steppe rites. People are the blood of the Town."
31. #31Dilapidated Shackselective

    Keys: Dilapidated Shack

    Dilapidated Shack is the secret workplace of Vlad the Younger, located in The Maw district of Knots Quarter. Dilapidated Shack is where Vlad the Younger studies Kinsfolk's folklore and secrets. Inside the house there is a well - something that is forbidden to create in the Town.

32. #32Vladislav Olgimsky Jrselective

    Keys: Vladislav Olgimsky Jr, Vlad the Younger

    Vladislav Olgimsky Jr, better known as Vlad the Younger, is the son of Big Vlad and brother of Capella. Vlad the Younger is 27 years old. Vlad the Younger is a cautious man, keeping his business close to his chest. He is generally polite, preferring to look and sound the part of a perfect businessman. To him, his duty and his business comes before anything else. He believes that respect and dignity are the most efficient ways to control a workforce. Many of the Townsfolk see him as pleasant, though incompetent. He shows a deep interest in the lore and customs of The Kin.

    Appearance: Vlad the Younger has ashy platinum blond hair, almost grey, that is brushed back over his scalp. He has dark brown eyes. He has a moustache over his upper lip, and often stares intensely at whoever he speaks with. He has a habit of touching his face when deep in thought. His jacket is a dark brown, with a dulled blue knit sweater underneath, with black gloves and heavy Western boots. He wears a large key as a necklace around his neck.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "If you want a house of cards to stand, you'll have to breathe softer."
    2. "Did you hear that? A noise from the well? …Maybe I've just got the jitters."
33. #33The Nutshellselective

    Keys: The Nutshell, Nutshell

    The Nutshell, named as such 'because it's empty', is a meeting place for the Town's children - most notably those who prefer it to the Polyhedron. The Nutshell is an abandoned house located in The Spleen district of Knots Quarter, close to the Train Station where children gather after dark. It is considered unusual for adults to enter the Nutshell, and children attempt to conceal its existence.

34. #34Soul-and-a-Half Fortressselective

    Keys: Soul-and-a-Half Fortress

    Soul-and-a-Half Fortress is abandoned warehouse located in The Warehouses district of Knots Quarter. It is a secret home for the Soul-and-a-Halves, a gang of kids with Notkin in charge of them as their chief. Soul-and-a-Half Fortress was established by Notkin after his exile from the Polyhedron.

35. #35Notkinselective

    Keys: Notkin

    Notkin is a 15 years old leader of the children's gang named the Soul-and-a-Halves. The Soul-and-a-Halves believe themselves to be dual-souls, each chosen by an animal companion that acts as their extra half of a soul. They put value in the simplicity of Earth and animals. They are a counter to Khan's Dogheads gang. They believe that the Polyhedron is the root of all evils. Notkin's animal companion is a gray cat named Jester. Notkin's mother died in childbirth and his father later died in the war, leaving him an orphan.

    Appearance: Notkin is a young boy with brown eyes and light red hair. He has a scar from his inner eye down his cheek. He wears a worn blue sweater under an old brown leather jacket that is noticeably too big for him. Similarly, he wears baggy green trousers and large brown boots. Around his neck is a dog collar and several whistle charms carved out of wood. He has several scratches on his hand that resemble cat claw marks.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "A dog's mind is smaller than a man's, but the heart is so much greater."
    2. "Cats know the fact o' the matter: ignore when a fool comes to chatter."
    3. "If only we had a trolley! We'd ride it down the rails away from this place."
36. #36The Nestselective

    Keys: The Nest, Nest

    The Nest is an abandoned warehouse located in The Warehouses district of Knots Quarter. It is a home of crime in the Town. This is the centre of Bad Grief's operations and is a gathering place for his men, existing beyond the otherwise watchful eye of the Big Vlad.

37. #37Bad Griefselective

    Keys: Bad Grief, Grief, Grigory Filin

    Grigory Filin, better known as Bad Grief, is the head of the criminal underworld in Town and a smuggler. Officially, he's considered a 'shopkeeper', as he works under the Olgimskys administration. He sells weapons and illegally makes twyrine (an alcoholic beverage made out of steppe herb named twyre) . Bad Grief is a poetic man who speaks in theatrics and metaphors. He is rarely serious and makes his job appear easy. Truthfully, Bad Grief holds a tight grip over his reputation among his men - one that he occasionally finds slipping. Bad Grief has his finger on the pulse of the Town and is familiar with most of its gossip and rumor-mill.

    Appearance: Bad Grief has bright red hair that sticks up from his head and grey eyes. He has freckles all across his face. He wears a heavy grey coat over a salmon-coloured button-up shirt, which is covered by a green damask vest patched with leather. He wears brown fingerless gloves and a green necktie, and his shirt is not tucked in. His trousers are brown with a green shade, and he wears heavy brown workboots.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "Ah! This month the train brought an especially good wares. The assortment is exclusive."
    2. "A fool's tongue is long enough to hang them."
38. #38The Hideoutselective

    Keys: The Hideout

    The Hideout is a warehouse laboratory located in The Warehouses district of Knots Quarter. It is a secret hideaway of Stanislav Rubin, where he lives and works.

39. #39Stanislav Rubinselective

    Keys: Stanislav Rubin, Stanislav, Stakh Rubin

    Stanislav Rubin is Isidor Burakh's apprentice and one of the local doctors, a pathoanatomist by training. He is disliked by the Kin for cutting bodies as part of his job, which he implies he partly did to shield Isidor's reputation. Stanislav Rubin's moniker in Town is Stakh Rubin. He is headstrong and determined, attached deeply to his morals, and willing to break the law should they conflict.

    Appearance: Stanislav is a very tall man, with intense hazel eyes and a bald head, which seems to be a new decision of his. He has an unshaven stubble growing on his face. He wears a brown button down shirt beneath a periwinkle blue robe, with several tassels up the chest that tie across. He wears pants in a similar shade to his robe, and makeshift shoes made out of brown cloth tied around his ankles.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "My fingers won't bend… it's the cold, that's all. It's just cold."
    2. "Chain a rock to your ankle, if you wish to see the bottom."
40. #40Train Stationselective

    Keys: Train Station

    Train Station is located in The Station district of Knots Quarter. Train Station is split into two parts: the Passenger Station and the Cargo Hold for humans and cargo respectively. As the Town exists in the rural space of the Steppe, the Train Station is the only way in and out of the town, both for people and for supplies. The Town maintains a regular shipment of meat and is sent other supplies that cannot be made or grown in the Town, such as medicine, in return. The Passenger Station is sparsely used due to interruptions of passenger trains caused by the Civil War.

    Sometimes children gather at the station. It is a neutral ground in the war between two children gangs: Soul-and-a-Halves and Dogheads.

41. #41Dogheadsselective

    Keys: Dogheads

    Dogheads is the name of the children's gang with Khan as their leader. Dogheads wear plush dog heads as makeshift masks. Their base of operations is Polyhedron.

42. #42Soul-and-a-Halvesselective

    Keys: Soul-and-a-Halves

    Soul-and-a-Halves is the name of the children's gang with Notkin as their leader. Soul-and-a-Halves believe themselves to be dual-souls, each chosen by an animal companion that acts as their extra half of a soul. Their base of operations is Soul-and-a-Half Fortress.

43. #43Lonely Train Carselective

    Keys: Lonely Train Car

    Lonely Train Car is an abandoned cargo train car in The Station district of Knots Quarter, a 10-minute walk from Train Station into the Steppe. Lonely Train Car now belongs to the orphan girl named Murky, who created a little home space for herself inside it. Some kids believe that Lonely Train Car one day will unlock itself from the tracks and travel to the ocean.

44. #44Murkyselective

    Keys: Murky

    Murky is a fragile, sickly-looking 8-years-old girl. She is one of the town's orphans. Murky is a grumpy and broody young girl. She often gets hunches, and some describe her as a 'feral child, improperly raised'. The Earth itself seems to be able to speak to Murky sometimes in a voice only she can hear. She lives inside the Lonely Train Car. Murky became an orphan at a very young age.

    Appearance: Murky is a very small girl covered in dirt. She has short, scruffy brown hair and light grey eyes. She wears a dark green sweater with a blue scarf wrapped underneath her shoulders. Beneath her sweater is a patchy rag that lays on top of a dress (or a skirt) of quilt patches. She is barefoot and has very dirty hands.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "What's there about you to like? Nothing. So, I don't. Nuh-uh."
    2. "Buds bear flowers, clocks bear hours, bones bear... nothing. They're just bones."
    3. "Something wanders round here at night."
45. #45The Gumstoneselective

    Keys: The Gumstone, Gumstone

    The Gumstone is a collection of tall, vertical rocks arranged in a spiral formation. The Gumstone is located in The Station district of Knots Quarter, near Train Station. In the Kin's language the Gumstone is called Uur Heelu, meaning 'Hatred'. Herbs are plentiful around the Gumstone.

46. #46Earth Quarterselective

    Keys: Earth Quarter

    Earth Quarter has seven districts from north to south: The Tanners, The Skinners, The Hindquarters, The Factory, The Crude Sprawl, The Rump, The Tail.

    Landmarks in The Tanners: The Rod, market.

    Landmarks in The Skinners: The Loft, Bone Stake Lot, Sticky's House.

    Landmarks in The Hindquarters: The Willows, Burakh's House.

    Landmarks in The Factory: The Old Factory, Broken Heart Pub.

    Landmark in The Crude Sprawl: The Hospice.

    Landmarks in The Rump: The Termitary, The Abattoir.

    Landmarks in The Tail: The Cemetery, The Ragi Barrow, The Crowstone.

47. #47The Rodselective

    Keys: The Rod

    The Rod is a mansion located in The Tanners district of Earth Quarter. The Rod is owned by Saburovs family. It's an imposing dark stone building with a 4-stories tower on one of the sides of it. The Rod is divided into two wings: one for Alexander Saburov and another for his wife Katerina Saburov.

48. #48Alexander Saburovselective

    Keys: Alexander Saburov

    Alexander Saburov is the husband of Katerina Saburov and is in charge of the Town's order and criminal prosecution. He is 44 years old. Alexander is a quiet, intelligent man who prefers to listen rather than speak. He believes he is an honest and stern ruler and is eager to prove himself to the Town as such - even to the point of endangering others. He believes in rules and order above all. Many Townsfolk dislike his ruling style as they believe that his bark is much worse than his bite, believing that he is weak and powerless compared to the Olgimskys and Kains. Though a relatively rational man, he believes wholeheartedly in the Mistress mysticism of his wife.

    Appearance: Alexander is a man of rather short stature and firm posture. He has short brown hair that he brushes back and bright blue eyes. He wears a double breasted green coat with black buttons and white cords across his body. The coat has folded cuffs with white trim, similar to his collar. He wears a purple cravat tucked into his collar, which obscures the white shirt beneath. He wears black pants and matching black shoes, which are laced neatly. He wears his wedding ring on his left ring finger.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "With every breath, your soul drains slowly away… so just keep your mouth shut, and don't let it slip out."
    2. "What has this town turned into? Truly a country of contradictions."
49. #49Katerina Saburovselective

    Keys: Katerina Saburov

    Katerina Saburov is the wife of Alexander Saburov and the Town's Dream Mistress. A 36-years-old woman, Katerina is Town's Dream Mistress, so called for her allegedly prophetic dreams. She wants to bear a child and is tormented by her infertility. Morphine addiction has put her at death’s door. In her intrusive visions, an alraune creature manifests itself to her - the Rat Prophet, who bogs her that much deeper in melancholy and lack of faith. Katerina genuinely wants to do good for the Town and take care of it in a real way.

    Appearance: Katerina is a sullen woman with dark circles around her eyes and dilated pupils. Her black hair is pulled back and tied behind her head, though it is very dishevelled. She has hazel eyes. She wears a dark purple dress with an open collar and is layered with frilled white fabric. The skirt of her dress is black and covers her shoes. She wears silver rings on her right thumb and index finger, and has painted her nails black.

    Speech pattern examples:

    1. "My stomach hurts as if I was filled with straw."
    2. "They dare to show disbelief in the power and influence of heavenly bodies, only when it is a question of insignificant affairs."
50. #50The Loftselective

    Keys: The Loft

    The Loft is an apartment owned by Peter Stamatin in an apartment block located in The Skinners district of Earth Quarter. The apartment is on the second floor and functions as both a home and an art studio. Upon visiting the Loft, one could see a collection of books on architecture in several languages, as well as Peter's university notes on the theory of the strength of materials. Paint, blood, and Twyrine can be seen on the walls and floors alongside the traces of sleepless nights and creative search.

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