Afanas
"He who denies the existence of gods is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply."
Appearance
Afanas is exceedingly tall and long-limbed, with notably dry, chiseled musculature clinging to his skeleton. He appears to be in his mid-twenties and sports youthful, if not sharp, facial features. He has thick eyebrows, a smooth bridge of a nose, and long, thin eyes shaped like twin almonds. Whenever sufficiently angered or using his witch sight, Afanas' eyes undergo a drastic change. His atygian orbs lighten to grey, silver, chrome and white consecutively and the usually round pupils coalesce into vertical, dagger-like slits.
His complexion is unnaturally pale, if not slightly grayish under the right lighting.
There's a marble, or rather porcelain-like quality to his skin, further accentuated by the fact Afanas is entirely hairless, sans for his brows and locs, the latter of which are the color of roasted chestnuts and reach well past his mid-back. He wears a tight-fitting bodysuit that hugs his bodice closely, leaving only his feet and hands exposed, opting to cover the former with knee-high boots.
Oftentimes he's seen sporting a maroon cloak draped over his broad shoulders and a wide-brimmed traveler's hat meant to protect him from the sun's harmful gaze. A dazzling sapphire pendant hangs from his neck, its metallic edges chased and fashioned in the likeness of evil beasts.
Skills and Abilities
Afanas is magically gifted, possessing much raw power but not enough skill, or rather experience, to reap all of its benefits. Afanas does not carefully sculpt and tweak the supernatural energies he commands so much as he simply grabs the energies and forces them into the desired effect through harsh and bloody-minded determination.
It is a crude and terrifying spellcraft, much like the club of a northern raider, apt to strike down anything and anyone in its vicinity. The downside is that Afanas must actively wrestle the chaotic magic into shape, an endeavor requiring supreme strength of mind, a megalomaniacal self-confidence, and an absolutism of will and purpose that only someone so bold as to be borderline stupid could accomplish.
Failing to do so would lead to a great deal of unintended damage as the unrestrained and unguided arcane energies twist the physical environment, cause rampant mutations in the caster or bystanders, or otherwise scar the very fabric of reality.
It is a crude and terrifying spellcraft, much like the club of a northern raider, apt to strike down anything and anyone in its vicinity. The downside is that Afanas must actively wrestle the chaotic magic into shape, an endeavor requiring supreme strength of mind, a megalomaniacal self-confidence, and an absolutism of will and purpose that only someone so bold as to be borderline stupid could accomplish.
Failing to do so would lead to a great deal of unintended damage as the unrestrained and unguided arcane energies twist the physical environment, cause rampant mutations in the caster or bystanders, or otherwise scar the very fabric of reality.
Physiology
Afanas is a born vampire, meaning that he was never mortal and wasn't turned into the creature that he is. Still, he's considered "cursed" for having to live in a symbiotic relationship with the supernatural parasite dwelling within his body. This parasite/demon/whatever is an immaterial entity latched to his soul. This "hunger" entity compels Afanas to consume the vital energies of other living creatures in order to fuel itself. In return, Afanas is endowed with superhuman physical attributes, monstrous resilience, heightened senses, and enhanced mending properties.
His father, his sire, the only parental figure he ever knew, is a peculiar creature. Afanas could never tell if his father acquired the affliction of "vampirism" or if he were born with it and simply passed it onto his offspring. Undoubtedly, though, Afanas believes his father was never mortal, not once. The towering monstrosity of alien elegance that is the patriarch couldn't possibly be of human stock. Sometimes, Afanas wonders if his father is even native to the continent, for the old hermit claims to have been present in a time before the first ancestors of man clawed their way out of the primordial sludge.
His father, his sire, the only parental figure he ever knew, is a peculiar creature. Afanas could never tell if his father acquired the affliction of "vampirism" or if he were born with it and simply passed it onto his offspring. Undoubtedly, though, Afanas believes his father was never mortal, not once. The towering monstrosity of alien elegance that is the patriarch couldn't possibly be of human stock. Sometimes, Afanas wonders if his father is even native to the continent, for the old hermit claims to have been present in a time before the first ancestors of man clawed their way out of the primordial sludge.
Weaknesses
↪Aversion to sunlight: While the sun doesn't burn him, it causes him discomfort. One could say that he's light sensitive, hence the heavy cloak and the wide-brimmed hat.
↪Hunger: The parasite requires sustenance to fuel its host's immortality. If Afanas fails to feed at least once every few days, his body starts to rapidly deteriorate and he loses much of his supernatural prowess. Think of the parasite the way you'd think of a curse or any other spell. No magic is eternal, everlasting, hence the parasite needing outside sustenance.
↪Silver: Burns him on contact. The wounds inflicted by silver present a challenge to heal, even if they are not necessarily fatal.
↪Decapitation: Will kill him, especially if performed with a silver blade.
↪Running water: Doesn't harm him, but its grounding effects disrupt his spellweaving. Afanas finds it difficult to use magic if he is submerged in running water.
↪Inability to enter homes without an invitation.
↪Consecrated grounds: Not a massive hindrance, but operating on consecrated soil renders him weaker, gradually sapping away at his strength by irritating the parasite.
↪Hunger: The parasite requires sustenance to fuel its host's immortality. If Afanas fails to feed at least once every few days, his body starts to rapidly deteriorate and he loses much of his supernatural prowess. Think of the parasite the way you'd think of a curse or any other spell. No magic is eternal, everlasting, hence the parasite needing outside sustenance.
↪Silver: Burns him on contact. The wounds inflicted by silver present a challenge to heal, even if they are not necessarily fatal.
↪Decapitation: Will kill him, especially if performed with a silver blade.
↪Running water: Doesn't harm him, but its grounding effects disrupt his spellweaving. Afanas finds it difficult to use magic if he is submerged in running water.
↪Inability to enter homes without an invitation.
↪Consecrated grounds: Not a massive hindrance, but operating on consecrated soil renders him weaker, gradually sapping away at his strength by irritating the parasite.
Personality
Afanas is a loyal friend to those true to him and abides by his own set of chivalric ideals, which often marks him as more civilized than those more sophisticated people he meets in his travels. Indeed, straightforwardness is the staple of his character. He rarely lies and is often brutally honest, regardless of consequences. Despite his impressive martial prowess, he tries his best to avoid abusing and suppressing others, especially for the sheer sake of it. His vampirism makes him stick out like a sore thumb and often leaves him feeling like he does not belong to the world around him.
Being a man of good humor, Afanas is hard to anger. He sees violence as a means to an end and despises needless cruelty. Nonetheless, when spurred, his wrath can be a terrible, bestial thing. These heightened emotions, a trait seemingly consigned to vampires and other cursed creatures, are something he struggles to deal with.
Inventory
Besides the aforementioned knickknacks, Afanas carries a large blade strapped to his hip. The sword in question is a finely-wrought runeblade, double-edged, with a slim crossguard, a two-handed grip, and a robust, skull-shaped pommel. The hilt itself is embedded with a large spherical sapphire that vaguely resembles a human eye. The blade is made entirely from an unearthly, vaguely flesh-like black metal, and is etched with a myriad of runes that not even Afanas is able to decipher. The sword was fashioned with durability in mind so that it could survive the tremendous stress brought upon by its owner's strength. Furthermore, it's a magic conduit, enabling Afanas to channel magic through it as a sort of improvised casting wand/staff.
Afanas didn't bother to name the blade, even if it was a gift from his father dearest. It is unclear whether he failed to do so because he doesn't feel emotionally attached to the weapon or because he is simply a forgetful individual.
(Close approximation, although the guard isn't quite right)
Afanas didn't bother to name the blade, even if it was a gift from his father dearest. It is unclear whether he failed to do so because he doesn't feel emotionally attached to the weapon or because he is simply a forgetful individual.
(Close approximation, although the guard isn't quite right)
Biography & Lore
Born 150 years ago in Elbion as a result of an union between a mortal sorceress and the vampiric figure called "the patriarch" and "the progenitor", Afanas spent the initial months of his infanthood living with his human mother, stashed away from the prying eyes of the public and even the woman's closest relatives.
Afanas' mother was young, at the time, and the ordeal would've been considered scandalous if the nature of the boy's father ever came to light, thus, none were made aware of his existence. The young woman intended to have Afanas sent someplace where he could be out of sight and out of mind.
She loved the infant, in a way, but couldn't bear the thought of being ostracized by her own family for having indulged in such an exotic premarital affair. Before she could be rid of the baby, however, Afanas' father intervened. Through some unknown means, he bypassed the wards protecting his mortal lover's home, broke in and stole the still sleeping Afanas out of his crib.
The blissfully unaware child was thus taken to one of the most remote portions of the Spine, where its father had taken up permeant residence. The patriarch cared for the boy, raised him and it wasn't before long that Afanas was made aware of his father's, as well as his own non-human nature.
"Vampire" wasn't the word his father found all too humorous, but it was the closest adjective he could describe himself with, leading to Afanas taking up the same moniker.
Afanas spent roughly six decades by his father's side, learning how to better master his innate powers and efficiently bring to heel the spiritual "parasite" he was saddled with. In all the years away from Elbion, it wasn't once that he even caught a hint of his mother looking for him. It didn't bother him much. He was too young to remember her face, much less pine for her.
Desiring emancipation, Afanas packed up his belongings and set out into the wide world, with his father's reluctant blessing. He travelled much, living by the virtue of his own strength and cunning. Afanas did great many odd and colorful jobs to keep himself clothed and housed. He has been a thief and outlaw, a mercenary and a monster hunter. Briefly, he was even a pirate, but didn't find much luck in that particular calling.
Him and the open sea didn't mix well, it seems. He briefly revisited Elbion at some point to quench his desire for arcane knowledge. All too keenly aware of his sorcerous aptitude, he paid handsomely for a private tutelage. Being a quick learner, he picked up on his studies far faster than most mortals could hope to. Unfortunately, he never truly resolved these studies and left a handful of years into them, having grown bored of the city life.
Afanas' mother was young, at the time, and the ordeal would've been considered scandalous if the nature of the boy's father ever came to light, thus, none were made aware of his existence. The young woman intended to have Afanas sent someplace where he could be out of sight and out of mind.
She loved the infant, in a way, but couldn't bear the thought of being ostracized by her own family for having indulged in such an exotic premarital affair. Before she could be rid of the baby, however, Afanas' father intervened. Through some unknown means, he bypassed the wards protecting his mortal lover's home, broke in and stole the still sleeping Afanas out of his crib.
The blissfully unaware child was thus taken to one of the most remote portions of the Spine, where its father had taken up permeant residence. The patriarch cared for the boy, raised him and it wasn't before long that Afanas was made aware of his father's, as well as his own non-human nature.
"Vampire" wasn't the word his father found all too humorous, but it was the closest adjective he could describe himself with, leading to Afanas taking up the same moniker.
Afanas spent roughly six decades by his father's side, learning how to better master his innate powers and efficiently bring to heel the spiritual "parasite" he was saddled with. In all the years away from Elbion, it wasn't once that he even caught a hint of his mother looking for him. It didn't bother him much. He was too young to remember her face, much less pine for her.
Desiring emancipation, Afanas packed up his belongings and set out into the wide world, with his father's reluctant blessing. He travelled much, living by the virtue of his own strength and cunning. Afanas did great many odd and colorful jobs to keep himself clothed and housed. He has been a thief and outlaw, a mercenary and a monster hunter. Briefly, he was even a pirate, but didn't find much luck in that particular calling.
Him and the open sea didn't mix well, it seems. He briefly revisited Elbion at some point to quench his desire for arcane knowledge. All too keenly aware of his sorcerous aptitude, he paid handsomely for a private tutelage. Being a quick learner, he picked up on his studies far faster than most mortals could hope to. Unfortunately, he never truly resolved these studies and left a handful of years into them, having grown bored of the city life.