Haruspex

The Haruspex—Artemy Burakh (Артемий Бурах)—is one of the three playable characters alongside the Bachelor and the Changeling.

Description
A severe, restrained man. Some believe that Burakh has "frightening eyes", and that he smells of blood. He tells quite rough and even cruel jokes and is generally sarcastic. However, for all that, Artemy is straightforward, honest, comes to the rescue in times of need. He uses violence only when it comes to matters of duty and honor—and the smell of blood is relative. In fact, one of the herb brides says Artemy smells "like autumn earth, and the smoke of burnt leaves."

Past
"Artemy Burakh is coming back to his home town after an absence of ten years. Born to a family endowed with a caste right to cut living beings open, he was preparing himself for this line of work since childhood. Artemy's father, Isidor Burakh, a wise man and philosopher well-respected by the locals had admitted to the limits of traditional knowledge and sent his son off to study modern medicine in the academy.

Artemy had been traveling from town to town learning theoretical and practical surgery for several years now. Suddenly a mysterious letter appears with his father giving him notice of his impending demise and begging Artemy to return and accept succession. Unwilling to wait for a regular freight train, Artemy follows the rails through the Steppe until he's caught up with by a small shunt locomotive. This is how young Haruspex arrives in the Town."

- "Sacrifice" Route Introduction

Artemy Burakh; a haruspex, an oynon, and the only heir to the greatest local shaman: Isidor Burakh. He is a member of a menkhu family, giving him the ancestral right to dissect bodies.

He left the Town-on-Gorkhon at the age of 16 to study surgery. He's been defined as a "vagrant scholar"—indeed, Artemy has lived in more than a few places while studying medicine, prior to his return home at his father's request.

Goals
The main objective of Artemy is to fulfill the obligations of his father. His route is the "path of sacrifice".

Because he is an oynon, or sage, he cannot afford to allow the dead of his family to have outstanding commitments. Otherwise, he shall be divested of the right to his title. The Haruspex relies upon traditions and the wisdom of his ancestors—he is a menkhu first of all, no matter how long he had been living in the Capital.

Abilities
Since according to local traditions, only "Those Who Know the Lines"—specifically menkhu and butchers—may dissect bodies. Artemy, as an heir to Isidor, is the only playable character who can take organs from dead bodies (such as a heart, a liver, a kidney, or blood). He can gather Twyre, White Whip, and Swevery—or trade them with Worms. Both organs and herbs may be useful for making healing tinctures in the distiller inherited from his father. The Haruspex can also gamble on rat racing or engage in fisticuffs with butchers for rewards.

Unlike the other two playable characters, The Haruspex begins with no starting or special weapons, and only can use what is obtained during the game.

Adherents (The Termites)

 * Sticky
 * Murky
 * Notkin
 * Khan (Caspar Kain)
 * Mother Superior (Taya Tycheek)
 * Grace
 * Capella (Victoria Olgimskaya)