Great stuff.
I don't see the Vherokior/Mongol connection quite as much though. Mongols are Khanid.
What I do see in the Vherokior Drifters and later on, the Thukkers is a lot of Romany/Gypsy. The Rom were
the nomadic wanderers. They had the mystic element too. But then, i can see elements of the Rom in every aspect of Matari society. For me it stands out most in the Vherokior and Thukkers.
I'd also toss is a big nod to the Jews of the Medieval/Renaissance era. They would wander, or they would set up a quarter a bit separate from a city and have a very tight-knit community. Small shops, tinkering, food, like in the Vherokior description. There's also the mystic element (legend of the Golem for instance).
Add in a chunk of the Goths vs the Roman Empire. There's a lot of parallels there too.