Baron Urik von Kharkov

Background

Urik von Kharkov is Darklord of Valachan. He has an unusual and complicated backstory, as a panther who was polymorphed into human form Morphayus, a Red Wizard of Thay to use as a sleeper agent against his rival Selena. Having forgotten his animal self, Kharkov was sent by Morphayus to Cormyr to receive an education unknowingly in preparation for use against Selena. Introduced to her as a fine nobleman and baron, von Kharkov soon fell in love with Selena, and she returned his feelings. When Selena was most vulnerable, Morphayus removed his enchantment and causing Von Kharkov, now again a panther, to tear his lover to shreds. Morphayus transformed Von Kharkov back into human once more. Horrified at what had happened and afraid to be used as a tool a second time, he fled and was taken by the Mists into Ravenloft, emerging in the realm of Darkon.

In Darkon, von Kharkov learned of the Kargat, Azalin's secret police, and eventually became a member of the Kargat and a Nosferatu Vampire in Karg. After two decades of bitter service to his vampiric master, von Kharkov deserted his post following the death of his master. von Kharkov confusedly wandered the Mists for a time, murdering any poor souls he came across. If von Kharkov's frayed perceptions are trustworthy, his list of victims included Malika, a Cormyrean woman with an uncanny resemblance to Selena, and Morphayus himself, somehow drawn into the Mists. To kill the latter, von Kharkov willingly, perhaps for the first time, submitted to "the Beast" he had fought so long before. Both halves of von Kharkov worked in unity to shred Morphayas apart. Shortly thereafter, the Mists surrounded von Kharkov again.

Perhaps intrigued by von Kharkov's strange mix of animal, human and undead hungers and needs, the Dark Powers gave von Kharkov darklord of his own domain.

Current Sketch

Von Kharkov resides in Castle Pantara as a distant but feared ruler, who rules largely through his second-in-command Lady Adeline and through his werepanther secret police. Every year he demands that a bride be provided for him; the fate of these women is not known to the inhabitants of his domain, but is all too easy to guess. To feed his vampiric hunger he has opted to feed shallowly from many sources, thus creating the idea of an endemic illness, debilitating but not life-threatening, known as White Fever. He fears the artifact known as the Cat of Felkovic, having once almost been slain by this uncanny figurine. He is also known to be the creator of the Fang of the Nosferatu.

Sources

Urik von Kharkov is first mentioned in Realm of Terror (aka by fans as the "Black Box") under the description of Valachan, though he receives no NPC profile in that book. Von Kharkov first received a detailed writ-eup in Darklords (Sourcebook), one of his most detailed descriptions to date. He also receives abbreviated descriptions in Ravenloft Campaign Setting: Domains and Denizens (aka by fans as the "Red Box"), Domains of Dread, and Secrets of the Dread Realms Von Kharkov is also profiled in Gazetteer IV, and his relationship to his domain is detailed extensively in the Valachan chapter of that book.

Urik von Kharkov is featured in the Tales of Ravenloft story Von Kharkov. He is mentioned as a background figure in two Dungeon Magazine modules, Laughing Man (Module) (#52) and the Price of Revenge (#42). In Felkovic's Cat (#67), players have a chance of discovering the relationship between the Cat of Felcovic and the baron with the potential of permanently undoing the baron's evil forever.

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Secrets of the Dread Realms Domains of Dread Darklords
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - p56 Domains of Dread - p45 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p95 Darklords - p55
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp55-57 Domains of Dread - p45 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p94 Darklords - pp56-58
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp7,55-57 Ravenloft Third Edition - pp142-143 Domains of Dread - p45-46 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - pp32,94-97 Tales of Ravenloft:Von Kharkov - pp128-143 Darklords - pp54-56 Realm of Terror - p80