Khan

Kaspar Kain (Каспар Каин) is the youngest child of Victor Kain and Nina Kaina. He is the leader of the children's gang known as the Dogheads.

Description
Khan is a smart, domineering, and exceptionally brave child. Like the rest of his family, he commands much respect. He determines who is allowed into the Polyhedron.

He is organized and militaristic—he is greatly interested in historic battles and war, and others have even imagined him becoming "the next General Ashes" on the frontlines. He is quick to rally his Dogheads into action and doesn't shy from the idea of sending them into armed skirmishes: before the start of the epidemic, he was planning to wage a war against Notkin. Later, he even prepares to challenge the arriving Army, viewing the military's artillery as a threat to the Polyhedron and the children within.

While he has strained relationships with his father, he regards his older sister well, and she seems to be the only adult he will allow to enter the tower.

Background
He is the "uncrowned prince" of the Dogheads, and has many followers both inside the Polyhedron and out. Among the children, he is a pragmatic ruler: this social power is split with Capella. He was formerly close friends with Notkin, until Notkin disobeyed him and was ousted from the tower. This sparked the bitter rivalry between Notkin's Soul-and-a-Halves and Khan's Dogheads.

By the start of the Second Outbreak, he has been living in the Polyhedron for some time, rather than the Kain's family mansion.

Dogheads
A gang of older children from the Polyhedron that are led by Khan—their names are derived from the masks that they wear, which are sewn in the shape of a dog's head. Different Dogheads give varying explanations for the mask's purpose: some say it's meant to intimidate or protect identities, while others claim it "bounces the wearer's thoughts back into his head."

Khan tasks the Dogheads with defending the town's children and gathering supplies. For example, a group of Dogheads attempted to collect the dangerous "powders" in circulation between younger children, since the concoction is famously known for causing the deaths of many during the First Outbreak.

They are the rivals of the Soul-and-a-Halves. Both groups of children come into constant conflict, having nearly resorted to an open war on several occasions.

Future
"My path was called High Day. If not for the plague, I’d have rebelled against the grown-ups. I would have instilled a dictatorship of childhood."

- Day 12 In the Haruspex's route, Capella offers Khan a marriage contract that is expected to be fulfilled in ten years. While Khan and Capella do not like each other, they both consider it a political move that is important for the future of the town—it would end the political unrest between the Kain family and the Olgimsky family. The married couple would become the main rulers of the town.

Capella states that he, together with his army of Dogheads, will manage and control the Town.

Eva's take on him:
«Kaspar is the dark leader of the children. He has a lot of followers. An extraordinarily courageous boy; that alone is reason enough to respect him. Like all Kains, he's been practising Novel Art since childhood. He is privy to mysteries that often turn out to be genuine and effective. It's not often that he refers to them, sharing the knowledge quite unwillingly. Capella and he are the rulers of the children's world in our town.»

Katerina's take:
«He is an ivory-tower mandrake, born and bred. An imperious and smart boy that's been offered an opportunity to do deeds of an epic scale, without any regard for the price that will have to be paid for them.»