Vlad Drakov is an antagonist in Dungeons & Dragons, being a villainous NPC in Ravenloft. Originally the leader of a mercenary band from Krynn, the world of Dragonlance, Drakov became the darklord of Falkovnia in the Land of The Mists. He is notable for being the least supernatural of the darklords of Ravenloft.
Biography[]
Drakov hails from the kingdom Thenol, which lies on the continent of Taladas on the planet Krynn. In Thenol, Drakov headed a mercenary band known as the "Talons of the Hawk", with Drakov being the "halk" and his men his "talons". Vlad was noted for his ruthless and brutal tactics, working for whoever paid him the most money.
One evening long ago, Drakov's troupe was leaving the Conquered Lands after a session of looting and pillaging. A fog swelled from the ground as they rode, and the Mists carried Drakov and his men into Ravenloft, depositing them on the edge of Darkon, the domain of the lich Azalin Rex. Drakov believed he had discovered a new land and set out to conquer a slice of it. He was naive about the Demiplane of Dread's powers, however, and he underestimated Azalin. Failing to take on the lich's forces in open battle, Drakov began a campaign of terror. His talons sacked a small village, and he ordered a mass execution of those who resisted. As was his custom, he had them impaled on thick pikes, which were then planted in the ground to create a grisly garden of agony. Vlad ate his dinner while he watched them die.
Then the familiar spectacle changed, as when the last victim ceased to writhe and moan, the bodies turned into zombies. Pulling themselves off the pikes, the creatures attacked Drakov's men as additional creatures, all dead, began to swarm onto the scene from all sides. In desperation, the talons fled into the Mists.
A new domain opened up for Drakov, and the Dark Powers of Ravenloft chose him to become its lord. He and his men settled in the new land and named it Falkovnia ("Realm of the Hawk"). Refugees from Darkon and other territories spilled across the border, hoping for a better existence. Drakov's men enslaved many of them, but allowed others to settle freely.
Before the Dark Powers took him in, Drakov was just a sellsword, hired by rulers who looked down upon "his kind". Their insults burned him, for he, too, aspired to rule, and the dark powers gave him what he sought, a position of ultimate leadership, but not what he truly desired. the respect of other rulers and the strength to instill fear and awe in them. His former masters were no longer present to appreciate his position, and Azalin of Darkon was so powerful that he looked down on Drakov as a pretentious upstart, just as Drakov's former employers had. The other nearby rulers were women, fops and monsters, not the powerful men of war Drakov wanted to be acknowledged by.
Vlad has tried to invade Darkon at least five times since he became the lord of Falkovnia, and every attempt has failed. Each talon who perished on Darkonite soil immediately became an undead soldier and rose to fight against its former comrades. Drakov has also tried to conquer other domains bordering Falkovnia, but he has failed each time, as the strength of the lords in their own domains make such conquests impossible.
The common folk of Falkovnia are a downtrodden lot, overtaxed, overworked, and bullied by Drakov's soldiers. Every child is branded on the forehead with the sign of a hawk, Drakov's mark, to make clear their servitude. The folk despise Drakov, but dare not curse him in public, as they do not have the strength to overthrow him. Traveling to another domain is forbidden to all but a few, and foreigners can cross the borders, but not without harassment from the guards.
Personality[]
Vlad Drakov could be best described as a cross between Vlad the Impaler and a fascist dictator. Driven by the desire of ruling everything with an iron fist even though the dark powers cursed him so every attempt to conquer nearby lands and gain the respect of the other darklords is doomed to fail.
A gruesome and xenophobic tyrant, Drakov ordered his soldiers to enslave or murder any nonhuman found in his borders and oppresses the people hideously. He's also a misogynist, believing that women have no purpose except giving birth.
Frustrated by his failures, Drakov has developed other forms of amusement,as he favorite pastime remains the observation of a slow death. No matter who or what the victim is, he never tires of the sight. He usually takes his evening meal on the terrace of his keep, overlooking the grounds of his estate. While he dines, at least one victim is impaled on a ten-foot stake, and as gravity draws the victim down the pike, the body's descent becomes a sort of meter for the progression of the meal. When Drakov invites guests to witness the spectacle, an orchestra plays in the background.
Drakov's other primary joy is hawking, practicing this sport regularly. The hawks are trained to attack on his command, but he rarely directs their attacks against people, as he cherishes the hawks and prefers not to subject them to potentially deadly counterattacks. Vlad has little regard for the life of his subjects, but he loves his birds.
Powers and Abilities[]
Drakov is stated to be a 15th level fighter, although years of battle have eroded Vlad's strength and endurance. Nonetheless, he is still a match for many younger fighting men, the land of the mists gives him strength beyond that of a normal person his age.
Vlad is proficient in the use of almost all battlefield weapons. In particular, he is skilled in the axe, bow, mace, Hail, many polearms, and the sword. He is also an excellent horseman. He chooses his armor to match the situation, as he prefers plate mail when fighting on horseback and chain mail when fighting on foot. In both cases, he carries a shield.
Vlad is extremely cunning in battle, making superb use of the terrain against his opponent, stooping to any dirty trick and never abides by any rules of combat.
Unlike the other darklords, Drakov cannot magically seal his borders, instea ordering his troops to patrol them. Word of closure spreads quickly among the common folk, along with a warning to travelers, and those caught trying to escape are killed on sight.
Trivia[]
The character is inspired by Vlad III Tepes, the well-known Romanian prince who inspired Bram Stoker for the character of Count Dracula.