0-Level Human, Lawful Evil
Base stats
S 14 D 15 C 14 l 14 W 10 Ch 8
(high fantasy) Racial: Int +2 (human)
Levelling: Int +2
Powers Checks: Str +2 (Medium beast shape)
Favoured class: skills
CR 8 (7 [levels]-t 1 [darklord abilities])
760 BC (Current day stats)
CR 8 XP 4,800
Male Human Alchemist (Vivisectionist) 8
LE Medium Humanoid (human, shapechanger) [Medium ape form]
Init: +2 (Dex) Senses: Perception +11
Defense
AC 14 Touch 12 Flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural) hp 55 (8 + 7d8 + 16)
Foil +9. Ref+9, Will +3 (+6 against poison) Offense
Spd 30 ft, climb 30 ft
Melee 2 slams +10 (1d4+4 plus sneak +4d6; sneak +8d6+16 nonlethal)
2 slams +8 (1d4+8 plus sneak +4d6 with Power Attack) Space/Reach: 575'
S 14(16) D 15 C 14 118 W 10 Ch 8
Feats
Bludgeoner, Brew Potion. Power Attack, Sap Adept, Sap Master, Skill Focus (Knowledge
(nature)). Throw Anything
Skills
Bluff+7 (8), Climb +16 (5), Craft (alchemy) +15 (8), Fly +7 (2), Handle Animal +7 (8), Heal +18 (0), Intimidate +7 (8), Knowledge (arcana) +8 (1), Knowledge (local) +8 (4), Knowledge (nature) +18 (8), Perception +11 (8), Sense Motive +8 (8), Stealth +7 (5), Survival +8 (5), Swim +5 (2) Languages Balok*. Darkonese. Mordentish, Tepestani, Vaasi
Treasure
(7,800 gp)
Cloak of resistance +1, amulet of mighty fists +1, lots and lots of potions
Special
Bottled Ooze
Combine Extracts
Enhance Potion (4/day)
Fast Poisoning (swift action)
Poison Use Mutagen (DC 18)
Swift Alchemy
Spontaneous Healing (20/day)
Throw Anything (+1 to hit with thrown splash weapons)
Sneak Attack +4d6
Formulae
(5/5/3); DC 14 +spell level
1 - deathwatch, cure light wounds, enlarge person, keen senses, reduce person, polypnrpose panacea, anticipate peril, expeditious retreat, jump, negate aroma, stone fist, touch of the sea
2 - anthropomorphic animal, bull's strength, bear's endurance, cat's grace, cure-moderate wounds, acute senses, alchemical allocation, animal aspect, fox's cunning, darh'ision, see invisibility', lesser restoration
3 — awaken, baleful polymorph, rage, cure serious wounds, remove disease, water breathing, amplify elixir, bloodhound, greater animal aspect, remove blindness/deafness
Note: In most cases the application of these powers is a surgical affair, stitching or melding bits of different organisms together. The target subjects of such an operation must be placid (probably sedated or restrained), and Markov must have a selection of suitable tools to assist him in the magic. 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).
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 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.