Altered Lore

Afanas Korovinovich

10 min read

Afanas Korovinovich

Overview

Afanas Korovinovich is Yzmir Exalt and Battle Mage specializing in Kinemancy. Bonded with Senka, night bird Chimera, through The Musubi ceremony. Joined Rediscovery Endeavor seeking vengeance against Chrysanthemum Cloak Warlock who murdered family.

Early Life and Training

Childhood at Caer Kettria

Korovin was Bravos veteran who faced many Leviathans. Father trained eldest son in martial arts with rigorous pace including early rises, endurance runs, and demanding katas. When Bravos announced expedition beyond Asgartha’s walls, Korovin volunteered to emigrate with family to Cebir, fortress barely built in lands subject to The Tumult.

305 AC - Kraken Attack and Family Death

Family embarked from Arkaster toward Caer Oorun. During night voyage, violent blow struck frigate as Kraken attacked. Korovin pierced Kraken’s arm with harpoon but tentacle surged and struck him down. Ship split in two, splinter struck Afanas’s eye. While struggling in icy waters, Afanas saw mage floating with Kraken standing behind without attacking—figure wore alabaster mask and cloak covered with golden chrysanthemums. Afanas pulled metal coffin which split open, releasing sinuous shadow that sank talons into arms and lifted him to soar. Entire family perished except Afanas.

Rescue by Qaasin

Qaasin (Yzmir mage) routed Kraken and retrieved Afanas’s unconscious body. Night bird with plumage of shadows and mask of lunar pallor remained at Afanas’s bedside—creature Afanas had freed from steel prison. Both Afanas and bird had lost eye where mask split. Afanas named bird “Senka” and cared for it. Qaasin taught meditations and mantras during convalescence. Qaasin brought Afanas (age 10) to The Kadigir for initiation. Through perseverance and determination, Afanas caught up and exceeded expectations, specializing in Kinemancy as combat mage.

Quest for Chrysanthemum Cloak Warlock

Afanas investigated warlock who caused family’s death, gathering clues over years. When Bravos expedition failed 23 years later (328 AC), began suspecting sorcerer established lair within abandoned Cebir. Studied statements of lone survivor, delving into experiments conducted there. Pursued vengeance through adulthood into old age. Could have sought Magister title of Kinemancy Sphere but cared little for honors or politics.

Musubi Bond with Senka

When Muna recreated The Musubi ceremony, Afanas volunteered to bond with Senka to traverse The Tumult searching for warlock. Through bond, looked through Senka’s eyes as bird flew over altered lands. Visited Cebir through bird and made sense of experiments—mage engaged in esoteric and unholy research flouting Faction restrictions. Became certain enemy had cryptic sinister objective against Asgarthan civilization interests.

Warlock Confrontation via Senka

During Senka’s exploration, bird came face-to-face with warlock. Masked figure turned toward Senka, spreading arms in greeting. Afanas had proof warlock existed. Warlock addressed Afanas directly through Senka, voice booming in mind, urging him to join in The Tumult.

Timeline

356 AC - Qaasin’s Death

Senka wrapped night feathers around Afanas, leaping through vortex traveling thousand cable lengths to estuary where they found Qaasin’s cold lifeless body.

366 AC - Training Sewati

Afanas trained Sewati in Sign choreography, observing student summon water idea from Empyrean, create whirlpool, then solidify into glass spiral.

386 AC - Nimue Summoning

Afanas summoned Nimue holding Excalibur to seal trembling Megalith by plunging sword into Aether mass.

386 AC - Flamel Initiation Ceremony

Afanas observed Flamel preside over Disciples’ initiation ceremony at The Well of Tears, encouraging Matera as she collected Megalith fragment.

386 AC - Matera’s Aether Shard

Matera struck Megalith with hammer causing fragment to fall, but Megalith trembled furiously requiring Afanas to summon guardian.

389 AC - Hecate Conjuring Seal

Afanas and Ilinka maintained Hecate’s Strophalos Conjuring Seal, plunging hand through crack to pull ideas from Empyrean while arm was ravaged.

392 AC - Kraken Battle

Afanas commanded from promontory during Kraken battle at Caer Oorun, coordinating with Sigismar Synd.

392 AC - Informing Fasano

Afanas found Fasano carrying books in occult library at The Kadigir; without speaking, young Disciple understood elder sister wouldn’t return.

392 AC - Tooth Fairy Treatment

Afanas placed tooth on summoning circle; Tooth Fairy planted barb in forearm, venom purging Remanence’s parasitic ideas while poisoning flesh.

392 AC - Standing Stone Circle

Afanas created circle of standing stones anchored by Mana from Senka’s Tumult journeys, with amethyst glow and organic stone texture; Senka drank blood from his arm as offering then hunted ideas above the site.

392 AC - Bureaucratic Obstruction

Waru Toowoom confiscated esoteric works requested by Afanas and Lindiwe.

392 AC - Basira Encounter at Cebir

When Expeditionary Corps reclaimed Cebir, Afanas approached Basira al-Arshad to share information about the Chrysanthemum Cloaked Warlock; summoned chrysanthemum scent which triggered Kaizaimon to attack, confirming warlock’s connection to the oni’s torture.

393 AC, February - Belisenki Battle at Storvhit

Afanas led Yzmir expedition at Storvhit with objective of pulling device from The Aether to detect ideas swirling in region (Tumult Observatory), with Sunisa serving as aide-de-camp. When Belisenki swarm attacked shared camp, Afanas performed complex katas while spectral arms appeared tracing patterns, accumulating Mana pressure. Rose into air with arms spread, eyes pulsing, violet flames dancing as skin took ghostly translucent appearance. Maelstrom unleashed shockwave hurling expedition members into air, making wind weapon that scattered Belisenki. Display created collateral damage catching Sunisa and rescued scout, flinging them through air with scout swept into darkness.

393 AC, February - Belisenki Tracking Techniques

Trained Irises to track Belisenki furtive movements and see through camouflage. Observed Akesha Adhikari manifesting Mana Moths causing Belisenki to avoid contact, then deconstructed technique for reproduction.

393 AC, February - Storm Manifestation

Felt parasitic ideas (scaly skin twisting) becoming channel for entity’s rage, merging with storm. Aroro Niski Eidolon appeared unsummoned, stringing Gestures and covering in Sigils to contain attacks until storm ebbed.

393 AC, February - Combined Sphere Attack

Combined Phonomancy and Kinemancy to detect Belisenki by isolating wind sounds, then used Eidomancy to manifest ghostly limbs. Tamed storm using Mana Moths at bottlenecks but hurricane escaped control, fed by chain reaction.

393 AC, February - Ice Magic Analysis

At frozen clearing, used Kinemancy and Horomancy to analyze spell mechanism. Successfully reproduced ice phenomenon by infusing green branch, causing ice to climb wood with transparent rime.

393 AC, February - Icebound Pass Incident

Explored Icebound Pass with giant ice walls imprisoning past life. Spotted semi-transparent Glyph in ice wall, used Gephyromancy to absorb ideas, but triggered earthquake causing walls to split.

393 AC, May - Liberation of Kuraokami at The Nilam

During coordinated Exalt assault on The Nilam, Afanas landed beside Sigismar Synd showing signs of exhaustion with residual electricity crackling across skin and purple blotches from Remanence effects. Admitted he could no longer cast but offered to transfer remaining power to Sig, stating: “Save your strength if you still can… I think I’ve pushed mine too far.” Transferred untainted Aether from Empyrean through clasped hands, warning: “Don’t waste it, and don’t expect this to become habit.”

393 AC, May - Conversation with Kuraokami and Wanjiru

Immediately after Kuraokami’s liberation, Afanas summoned dragon as Eidolon to learn truth—dragon appeared as alabaster serpent coiling around him with fury. Kuraokami revealed Chrysanthemum Cloaked Warlock imprisoned him using “unholy artifice” at dead world-tree, siphoned essence to forge 305 AC tsunami that devastated Arkaster, and explained triple-walled prison (dead world-tree matter, cold wasteland, Belisenki guardians). After dragon departed, Wanjiru (materialized Oneiros with vessel Suha) approached offering alliance. Revealed The Qorgan investigated The Perjurers conspiracy for 150 years, organization working since Kalu’s Revolt to stall Asgartha’s expansion through infiltrators. Offered Afanas role as “bloodhound, judge, and executioner” against CCW, admitting deliberately fueled disbelief of CCW’s existence to prevent warlock going to ground.

393 AC - Qorgan Informant at Axiom Warehouse

Afanas followed magical trail to building near The Refinery where Chinam, Qorgan Initiate, revealed an Axiom stockpile of Sap-filled artifacts.

393 AC - Sap Infusion Ritual with Fasano

Afanas prepared Sap-enriched tea using techniques learned from Qaasin, training Fasano in the ritual before they traveled to the City of Scholars.

393 AC - Nilam Spires Laboratory Visit

Afanas visited Nilam Spires dimensional pocket laboratory with Fasano, where researchers studied a maggot specimen from frozen world-tree bark.

393 AC - Scholars’ Vault Investigation

Afanas investigated the Scholars’ Vault through Senka’s mind, discovering Axiom’s Sap veinstones hidden among fossilized memory monoliths.

Abilities

Alteration Spheres

  • Kinemancy: Primary specialization for movement analysis and spatial manipulation
  • Phonomancy: Sound isolation and battlefield detection
  • Eidomancy: Ghostly limb manifestation for multi-gesture casting
  • Horomancy: Limited knowledge for magical force analysis
  • Gephyromancy: Glyph idea absorption

Combat Capabilities

Enhanced vision (Irises) trained to track stealthy opponents through camouflage and analyze techniques for reproduction. Combines multiple Spheres simultaneously for devastating attacks. Risks losing control when channeling excessive Mana. Capable of reproducing observed phenomena after analytical study. Creates prism-like shields. Teleports through space using Senka’s feathers.

Relationships

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