Khan

Pathologic 2=

Caspar Kain, also known as Khan, is the youngest child of Victor Kain and Nina Kaina. He is the leader of the children's gang known as the Dogheads.

Description
"A Peter Pan, a Kai from H. C. Andersen’s The Snow Queen, and even a bit of a Joffrey—but only a little bit. Unkind but inspired and fair. Rules the children’s kingdom in the Polyhedron and draws its map. This explains his symbols, a compass and a sword (the latter balanced precariously on its edge). He, too, is always balancing on an edge. His spiritual state is one of a tightrope-walker who may, any moment now, flash a mischievous glance and do a somersault—without a safety net! He builds towers out of rocks on the Crucible lawn. And balances on the edge of adulthood."

- From the game's design documents

Caspar "Khan" 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. Khan is one of the children listed on Isidor Burakh's List. During the epidemic he falls under the care of the Haruspex.

Background
Khan was born to Victor Kain and Nina Kaina. Khan is their beloved son, their main heir, and the family's hope. Following the creation of the Polyhedron, he took up residence in the structure, allowing other children to join him. For a time, the Termites joined him, but following the ousting of Notkin and his Soul-and-a-Halves, Khan is the only one of Isidor's list who spends a significant portion of time within the Polyhedron. He is rarely seen outside of the Tower, not even by his own family.

Haruspex Route
"My path was called '"The High Day."' If not for the plague, I'd have seized power from the adults and instituted a dictatorship of the juveniles. But Capella… Capella had a better idea."

Khan spends much of his time within the Polyhedron, only leaving the structure to speak with Notkin concerning the House of Death. The pair meet in the Broken Heart to discuss a treaty between their factions and their search for the House. The pair are interrupted by the Haruspex and Khan admonishes him for interfering with the affairs of the children. Later that evening, Notkin and Khan find the home in the Crude Sprawl and wait inside, hoping to scare Death away. The Haruspex catches up with them and, after lighting the required candles, takes the boys away from the dangerous house.

Following the events of the House of Death, Khan does not return to the Polyhedron as he fears he may have contracted the Sand Plague at the House of Death, and does not want to risk accidentally bringing it into the Polyhedron and infecting the other children inside. He insists that he will wait outside of the Tower in the Nutshell until he is positive that he is not infected. He admits that he was callous to the Haruspex on the day before and apologizes for his actions.

On the eighth day, Khan may be found at the Train Station alongside Capella. The two are discussing their plans for the future and their families.

Following the arrival of the Inquisitor and the Commander, Khan returns to the Polyhedron, taking the Termites with him. He refuses any prying adults entry, insisting that the tower is to remain clean of infection and any adult he allows in may bring the Sand Plague in on their clothes. This includes the Haruspex, regardless of his wish to protect his List.

On the tenth day, Khan will return to the Nutshell and becomes infected with the Plague alongside the other Termites. He has since fallen in love with Capella and asks the Haruspex to give priority to her.

In the Diurnal Ending, Khan can be found in the The Cape alongside Capella, who he plans to marry. He insists that she knows the best plan for the Town, and that he is willing to follow her lead.

In the Nocturnal Ending, Khan flees the Town with those who can no longer live within the Town alongside many of the Utopians and Humbles.

The Marble Nest
Khan died prior to the events of The Marble Nest.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Khan/Spoken Dialogue

Description
"Appearance: "Angry child." Constantly frowning, scowling, sullen-faced, focused. Talks in a quiet, squeaky voice, forcing others to listen closely. Flaunts a distinctly "childish" appearance. He has a full head of fluffy hair with bangs that hang low. Dresses like a kid. Almost never smiles. Pose:Seated on a wooden chair with high armrests, legs dangling. Personality: A brutal child. Not merciless like his sister, but brutal. The Kains have a family trait that each family member demonstrates in a different way. This is a sort of detached amorality that is common among people who are in the state of narcotic intoxication. In the older Kains it manifested into the hardness of rulers who cannot allow themselves the luxury of sensitivity. In Maria (whom Kaspar worships, as she was always the best sister for him) it manifested into the lack of compassion intertwined with the charm of the magical trance, in which she appears to be all the time. One cannot blame a birthday girl, a person in love, or a dancer for being cruel. In Khan, this family trait revealed itself in the phenomenon of the unexplainable childish anger. It is like a mandrake that grew in specific greenhouse conditions, when the initially powerful and intelligent child receives an opportunity to do great evil deeds without the opportunity of being able to foretell the price he would have to pay for them. He is a courageous boy, deserving of respect. Like all other Kains, he has been working with the black arts since childhood. Khan keeps dark secrets, which had proved to be rather effective. He rarely resorts to them though and he does not share his knowledge. Khan is the dark leader of the children; he has many supporters."

- From original Pathologic character concepts 

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.

Portrait Quotes
"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 practicing 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."

- Eva Yan's take on him "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."

- Katerina Saburova's take on him

Haruspex 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.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Khan/Spoken Dialogue