Yagno Petrovna

Yagno Petrovna is the darklord, temporal leader, and spiritual leader of G'Henna. He is the high priest and founder of the Church of Zhakata. Although Zhakata is and was always a product of Yagno's delusion, the Dark Powers have granted him as much priestly power as any follower of a true deity may have.

By Yagno's command, the people of G'Henna live austere lives following the aspect of Zhakata known as Zhakata the Devourer. In the theology of this aspect, fasting and even starvation are seen as sacred, so the people starve as the priests of Zhakata handle food distribution. Although an aspect of Zhakata known as Zhakata the Provider was once tolerated, Yagno later declared this aspect to be heresy. Heretics are frequently brought before Yagno to be transformed into mongelmen.

Background

Early Life

Yagno Petrovna was born in Barovia in 674 BC. He had not less than one sister and two brothers. Although bright, he was born with neither the vitality nor the strength typical of his family, and was moreover clumsy and painfully thin. Throughout his childhood and youth, he was bullied and beaten by his brothers. The Petrovna family had belonged to the nobility of Barovia (Prime Material Plane) and perhaps remained part of the nobility of Barovia three centuries later. It had, however, isolated itself in the mountains and had succumbed, at least to a degree, to the evils of inbreeding.

Yagno, among a family that probably had more than its fair share of madness, was himself deemed to be deranged. He both conversed with and trembled before non-existent creatures. One night in 696 BC, he was locked out in the Barovian night by his older brother Yoshtoi. Terrified, he ultimately took shelter in a small cave where he eventually succumbed to exhaustion and sleep.

In the morning, Yagno found the word Zhakata scrawled upon it wall. He imagined that Zhakata was a god that had protected him from the creatures of the night and he entered gladly into the service of the deity. Yagno had found his calling. He built an altar in the cave and began sacrificing animals to Zkakata. Sadly, the word had been put upon the wall by Yoshtoi. When Yoshtoi was murdered by parties unknown, suspicion fell on Yagno, and he may well have sacrificed his brother on that same altar.

There were other disappearances and deaths too, those of Wladomir, the family's oldest retainer, and the shepherd twins Elessi and Evanda, who supposedly committed suicide. In 702 BC, Yagno was caught attempting to sacrifice his sister's newborn to Zhakata and was put to flight. He entered the Mists on the northern frontier of Markovia where the domain of G'Henna came into being with him as its darklord.

As Darklord

As a theocrat, Yagno Petrovna has control over both political and religious power in G'Henna. He wrapped all of G'Hennan society around Zhakata, making it the official state religion.>

Yagno found he was cursed with doubt shortly after arriving in G'Henna. In response, he paid a bragging wizard to conjure Zhakata itself. In truth, the demon known as Malistroi was called instead. The blasphemy it spoke rattled Yagno to his core. In rage, he struck down the wizard and left Malistroi magically bound.

In 745 BC, Malistroi broke free of his bonds and attempted to seize control of G'Henna. Yagno achieved narrow victory over Malistroi, boosting confidence in his god. However, the insidious doubt soon crept back into the back of his mind., as played out in the module Circle of Darkness.

Current Sketch

Yagno is cursed with eternal doubt. He is a questioner of his own beliefs and faith. The incident with Malistroi has done nothing to help his confidence. Yet he does not dare let others know, so he disguises his reservations with increased fanatical displays of faith.

Statistics

2nd Edition

• male human Specialty Priest 11; Lawful Evil

3rd Edition

• Male Human, Cleric 12 of Zhakata, Lawful Evil, CR 14

TSR Collector Card

Yagno's TSR 1991 Collector Card number is 488.

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Domains of Dread Circle of Darkness
		Domains of Dread - p87 Circle of Darkness - p27,59 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p80 Realm of Terror - p110
		Domains of Dread - pp86-88 Circle of Darkness - p59 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p79 Realm of Terror - pp109-110
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - p7 Ravenloft Third Edition - p169 Domains of Dread - pp87-88 Circle of Darkness - pp50-56,59 Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - pp36-37,79-80 Realm of Terror - pp109-110
		Prophet of Zhakata