The novel begins in the 1920s of this alternate timeline, when the world is under the iron grip of the Unified Khanate, which spans from the farthest reaches of East Asia to the Atlantic Ocean. Our protagonist, Aynur, is a low-ranking scout in the Eastern Outlands, a barren territory that was once Russia. His clan is descended from the original Mongol warriors, but centuries of empire-building have diluted their pure bloodlines and power. Now, the empire is ruled by the "High Khans," technocrats sitting atop immense wealth and scientific power.

However, a secret society of rebels, calling themselves The Forgotten, believe that the old ways of the Mongol Empire were corrupted over time. They seek to overthrow the technological dictatorship and return the world to a more spiritual, decentralized state of being.