The Land: Although most scholars of the Core reject the idea as foolish, some claim that this, the largest known island in the Sea of Sorrows, was once located at the center of the Core where the Shadow Rift now exists. Discovered fifty-five miles due west of Ludendorf by a lost merchant vessel eight years ago, a growing number of map-makers are labeling it Markovia, despite the unlikelihood of it actually being that land.
Markovia is a lush, yet apparently uninhabited island. Two years ago, an attempt was made by Lamordians to settle it, but the colonists vanished mysteriously.
Cultural Level: Stone age, though Markov and his home are medieval.
The Folk: Except for the beast men created by Markov, this domain is uninhabited. Lord Markov believes visitors are gifts from the dark powers - more raw parts for his abominable creations. He attempts to capture any who enter his domain and transform them into beast men. Since he uses no anesthesia, this operation is often painful enough to drive the victim mad. Still, the beast men obey Markov's commands without question.
The simplest creatures in Markovia are animals who have acquired human qualities. Others are humans who have acquired bestial attributes. These beast men have formed a hunter/gatherer type of society. They worship Markov as a god, and he encourages this practice.
The Law: Frantisek Markov rules this domain unopposed. The inhabitants of this domain obey him mostly out of fear, but that is fine with him.
Native Player Characters: There are no native player characters from Markovia.
Personalities of Note: Markov the beast lord is the darklord of this domain. The beast men call him "Diosamblet", or "the god who walks among us". The Vistani call him "Master of Pain".
Encounters: Characters in Markovia have a 50% chance of an encounter, once per day and once per night. Most encounters involve beast men. They have standing orders to bring all intruders to Markov's estate, but they do not even approach the Vistani. The beast men resort to violence only if peaceful invitations and coercion are ineffective.
Further Reading: For details on Markovia, see the adventure Neither Man nor Beast.
Frantisek Markov
0-Level Human, Lawful Evil
| Armor Class | 6* | Str | 19* | ||||
| Movement | 12* | Dex | 18* | ||||
| Level/ Hit Dice | 5* | Con | 16* | ||||
| Hit Points | 24 | Int | 17 | ||||
| THAC0 | 15* | Wis | 9 | ||||
| No. of Attacks | 2* | Cha | 8 | ||||
| Damage/ Attack | 1d4/1d4 | ||||||
| Special Attacks | See below | ||||||
| Special Defences | See below | ||||||
| Magic Resistance | Nil | ||||||
* Variable score
Frantisek is a large man, with thick bones, broad features, green eyes, and straight, black hair that he wears slicked back on his head. His broad, toothy smile is far from reassuring, often appearing threatening and predatory. He wears a heavy, high-necked robe, which he sometimes adorns with a necklace of animal or human teeth. He appears massive and lumbering, with a slightly hunched back, unusually long arms, and visibly bowed legs.
Background: The Markovs lived in Barovia when Strahd became a vampire. Some of them died in Castle Ravenloft, but the others Red to nearby Vallaki. Frantisek grew up on a small pig farm outside that village, surrounded lay the forested slopes of Barovia.
Frantisek eventually married a young woman from the village and opened a butcher shop there. Soon, however, he tired of simple butchery. He began to experiment with the animals, performing surgical amputations, grafts, and glandular injections. Of course, they all died within a few days, but the hobby cost him nothing since he could still sell the meat.
When his kind-hearted wife, Ludmilla, discovered his ghastly pastime, she was revolted and threatened to leave him and tell the villagers about the meat they were buying. Furious at her betrayal, Frantisek made her his next experiment. Ludmilla lived for three days. When her body was first discovered, the villagers thought it was the body of a beast. When the truth came out, they exiled Frantisek to the Mists, and he became the darklord of Markovia.
Current Sketch: Markov has the power to operate on any creature and combine it with the aspects of any other species. Most of his experiments have created broken ones (see the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II).
Markov has been cursed by the land to have the body of a beast. Markov desperately wants to be a normal human again. He spends long hours in his lab vivisecting animals and transforming them into animal men, hoping to discover a means to untangle his twisted genes. Since Markovia was transported into the Sea of Sorrows during the Grand Conjunction, test subjects have been in short supply. He still continues to experiment, hoping to find the means of curing his condition, but he is forever doomed to failure.
Closing the Borders: When Markov wants to seal Markovia, the seas rise and tumble in violent bursts against the shores, and sharks circle in the waters, seeking the objects of Markov's wrath. It is still possible to enter and leave Markovia through the Mists during these times, but they usually do not rise.
Combat: Markov is a shapechanger who can assume any animal form. The transformation requires a full round, but he can do it at will. Each change also heals 2d6 points of accumulated damage. He takes on the physical characteristics of the animal he resembles, including Hit Dice, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, but his mental attributes remain the same.
The dark powers have imposed some interesting restrictions on Markov. He cannot assume a true human form, nor can he take the shape of any humanoid creature. He can only assume the form of a normal animal, not a magical or enchanted creature. No matter which animal he becomes, however, Frantisek always retains his own human head and face. Among other things, this means that he never gains a biting attack. He can choose whether to retain his own hands or assume the paws of the animal he becomes. Usually, Frantisek chooses the form of a gorilla because he can still appear human, though bulky and lumbering, beneath his loose robes. The numbers above reflect his abilities as an ape.
