The Kin

The steppe people have many ideas and words that are not known beyond the Town-on-Gorkhon.

Bos Turokh
Bos Turokh is the god of bulls, the 'Bull of the World'. He created the universe by driving out Suok, the void of evil, and he encompasses everything. His body is Bos Primogenios, an auroch (half-human half-bull) and other aurochs are considered powerful enough that their blood can drive out the plague. Oyun is an auroch, Simon Kain's blood was that of an auroch, and Klara can even change certain people's blood into auroch blood.

Suok
Suok, the void, brings forth all evil things. It is not generally personified. Blood sacrificed in the Circle of Blood keeps Suok at bay.

Boddho
The Earth-mother. The land is her body and thus cannot be excavated or dug into. The Steppe people, and any creature that comes from the ground, are considered the Children of Boddho.

Children of Boddho
Children of Boddho sacrifice blood to Boddho, the Earth, to help her thrive and let twyre herbs grow. Most townspeople and outsiders are not Children of Boddho, although the Saburovs and their followers may be. Creatures created solely by Boddho are thought to act according to her will.

Shabnak-Adyr
A female creature made out of clay. She eats people and spreads the Sand Plague. After seeing her Isidor Burakh calls for Artemiy to come home, and his and Simon Kain's deaths are blamed on her. Klara was going to be the Shabnak-Adyr, but her desire to do good made her split into two, her 'evil twin' becoming the Shabnak-Adyr instead. This is why Klara is called a Changeling, as she was not meant to be a hero in the first place.

Albino
A strange being made out of clay. He considers himself Klara's brother and is the embodiment of the Sand Plague.

Rat Prophet
A creature with the head of a rat and a human body. He lives underneath the Theatre. He is able to see the future but often just tells lies. He visits Catherine at night, influencing her prophecies, but may just be the embodiment of her fears.

Oynon
A title of respect used for doctors or scientists by the Steppe people. Isidor and Artemiy Burakh, the Bachelor, and Stanislav Rubin are all called oynon.

Morality
Neither the human body nor the Earth made be cut into. Excavation is a crime and cutting into the human body is a capital offense worthy of much distaste. Since the Polyhedron had to be planted deeply in the ground, it is considered to defy the Earth and the will of Boddho.