Frantisek Markov, also known as Doctor Markov, is a villainous npc from Ravenloft, the gothic horror setting of Dungeons & Dragons. He's the dark lord of the island of Markovia and the mad creator of the Broken Ones, a race of grotesque human/animal hybrids. Markov seems to be inspired by Dr. Moreau.

Biography[]

Markov's family lived in Strahd Von Zarovich's domain of Barovia. Frantisek grew up in a pig farm in the countryside. He eventually married a young woman from the nearby village and opened a butcher shop there. Soon, however, he tired of simple and mediocre butchery. He gained a morbid fascination with surgery and began to experiment with the animals, performing surgical amputations, grafts, and glandular injections in order to become the greatest surgeon doctor in the land of the mists and being recognized as a genius. Of course, the animals all died within a few days, but his gruesome work cost him nothing since he could still sell the meat.

When Frantisek's wife discovered his horrible experiments she was disgusted and threatened her husband to expose him to the villagers and the authorities. Frantisek reacted with fury and turned his wife into his first human test subject. The wife died after three days of agony. When her body was first discovered, the villagers thought it was the body of a beast. When the truth came out, Frantisek was forced to exile himself to the Mists where he is chosen by the Dark Powers for his horrible crime, and he became the darklord of Markovia.

The Dark Powers gave Markov a significant boost to his skills as a surgeon and the ability to shapeshift into any species of animal but also cursed him by being unable to return to his original human form ever again. Markov became obsessed with becoming human again, su much so he spends most of the time in the shape of a gorilla as it is the closest thing to a human, and continued on with his surgery experiments on both animal and humanoid races, creating the miserable hybrids known as Broken Ones, whom he rules with an iron fist. He spends long hours in his lab vivisecting animals and humanoid adventurers unlucky enough to stumble upon his island, and transforming them into animal men, hoping to discover a means to break his curse. Since Markovia was isolated 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.

Powers & Abilities[]

Frantisek Markov gained the talent to operate on any creature and combine it with the body parts of any species of animal. His countless experiments created the Broken Ones, the only sentient inhabitants of Markovia island aside for Markov himself.

When Markov wants to close the borders and seal Markovia, the seas rise and tumble in violent bursts against the shores, and sharks circle in the waters, seeking the targets 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.

Markov is a shapechanger who can transform into any kind of animal at will. Each transformation also heals some of his wounds. While in animal form, Markov gains the strenght, dexterity and constiution of the animal he resembles, but his intelligence and his surgeon skills remains the same.

Trivia[]

• Markov, like many darklords of Ravenloft, is based on a character from horror literature, in his case it is Doctor Moreau.