My take on Markovia (The Land of Healing and Harming)

[Mistmaster]

Markovia:The Land of healing and Harming
Official Name : The Republic of Markovia
Culture level: Renaissance
Ecology:Full
Climate & Terrain: Temperate, Markovia is an archipelago composed by one big island which is Markovia proper and several smaller islands just one mile or less off Markovia's shore; The majority of the island is a fertile plain probably of volcanic origini with one large lake.
Languages:Common (Baloki) Markovian (Baloki dialect), Lamordian, Akashi.
Religions:Akashi Religion, Cult of Aka the Great Lion, Cult of Diosam the Bloodstained Gorilla, Church of Ezra the Preserver, Church of Andaral, Divinity of Self, Cult of Oceanus.
Races:Humans 94%(of them 1/3 are Akashi or of Akashi descent) 5% Broken Ones,1 % Other).
Governement: de iure Oligarchic Republic, the facto hereditary monarchy.
Ruler: Lord-President Radu Markov.
Darklord: Doctor Frantisek "Diosamblet" Markov.
Lightlord: Jhurgen "Akanga" Vastish.
Inhabitants: 5 millions.
Surface :60,000 square kilometres.
Analog: early XIX Australia with a United Province Republic twist.
Capital City: Markovstadt(100,000 in, Standard, N),
Important towns: Vestegrad (75,000 in, Standard, L/N), Lion's Mouth (62,000, Standard, N/G), Serenity ( 39,000, non-standard, N), Broken Port (Monstrous, 19,000, L/G), Dominia Harbour (non standard 13.000, N/E)
Borders:The island lays in the Sea of Sorrows 570 miles west of Lamordia.


Domain Overview

The Land
The island of Markovia is the largest in the Markovian Archipelago, and it's mainly plain with one large lake the Lion's Eye Lake , which seats in the center of the island up the only relevant hill in the middle of the island, Mount Aka, and from which flows the main River of the Island, the Lion's Tear River which flows in Sunrise Bay; on the mouth ov the Lion's Tear seats the capital city of Markovstadt. The largest of the minor islands is Dominia in the Sunrise Bay. The only relevant mountain range, the Old Stone Man is on the northern shore, and Broken Port, the reclusive city of the Beastfolk sits on the shore below the mountanis. Vestegrad is the second major port and is on west shore of the island; The city of Lion's Mouth, where the Lion's Tear River is born, is mainly populated by the native Akashi people while the town of Serenity, deep in the forest in the western side of the island is a renowned termal location with a mixed population included the only sizable community of Broken ones outside Broken Port. The city of Dominia Harbour on the small island of Dominia in Sunrise Bay is also renowned as a convalescence place, and it is the seat of the Core wide renowned Dominia Asylum

The People
There are three different groups of population in Markovia: the Colonists, mainly of Barovian, Lamordian and Borcan descent, they define themselves as Markovians and are a stubborn and practical people; Markovians are businness oriented but they are also cultured and observants, they also tend to live longer then average thanks to the excellent healthcare they recieve. They respect science, alchemy and some form of arcane magic even if they see it with some suspicions.
The Akashi people is of darker completion then the colonists, and they usually dress in elaborate tunics and have an elaborate tradition of face paintings. Akashis are a deeply spiritual people who have also a deep knowledge of the island's natural secrets;
The third component of Markovia's society are the Broken Ones, also known as the Beastfolk; an heterogeneous group of humanoid animals which only recently started to form a culture on their own, the Beastfolk are distinguished in three categories: Animal turned humanoids, Humanoids turned beastfolk and born beastfolk, each successive generation. The Beastfolks are mainly based on mammarian, but there are small clans of bird based, reptilian based, fish based and anphibian based ones. They are often mistrusted and treated as best as unfortunate freaks, and at worst as monster. Markovian law says they are citizens, but often it is forgotten, in those communities of colonists where the memory of the Broken Ones War is more alive.


History

Age of Creation
In Akashi Mythology, the Shiakas, the Ancient Spirits (which colonists call the gods) emerged by darkness and started to work together to make the world; the mighitiest of the two were Aka the Lion and Diosam the Gorilla; Diosam couldn't decide a form to give to the living beings and kept altering them creating monstrous beings. Hearing the pleads of the living creatures Aka asked Diosam to stop, but Diosam cared not. Aka then fought him and managed to bite away his right hand. Diosam lost the ability to directly change the shapes of the living being but kept whispering in the ear of the smartest (and cruelest) being urging them to reshape life forms.

Age of Empires:
In the age of Empires, the Akashi people, running from the Akiri Empire in the Amber Reach settled here and created a prosperous civilization. Mount Aka became a dead volcano and a lake formed in it's mouth.

Age of Darkness:
In the Age of Darkness the Akashi had to fend off the Lamordian barbarians attempts to invade their land.

The Modern Age:
In the Modern Age Iuliu Markov, a cadet scion of the Markov Barovian family, dissatisfied with Strahd IX's stagnant rule, decided to go and try to find a better life. With a couple of thousand colonist Iuliu sailed from Luddendorf and settled on nowaday Markovstadt. He married the Akashi king's daughter and managed to conquer the island mostly bloodlessly. From that day on the head of the Markov family in Markovia is also the King of the Akashis. The Markovian Republic reckognize this fact electing the Markov leader as their president for life. Later however the two peoples grew disaffected with each other until a civil war erupted.

The Current Age:
The civil war beetwen the Akashi and the Colonist descendants came to an end when the Broken Ones, creations of the misterious Diosamblet (hand of Diosam in Akashi) emerged and threatened both human populations.
Diosamblet was apparently killed and the Broken Ones, freed of his influence became reluctantly a part of the Markovian society. 30 years later Markovia thrives again.

Places of Interest:
Markovstadt is the capital city of Markovia and a thriving port in the Sunrise Bay on the mouth of the Lion's Tear River. House Markov family manor dominates the city from an hill, while the Old Halls are the seat of the Republic's governement and the Markovian Parliament. The main inn is the Good Rest owned by Emmerik Nodak-Markov, a burly retired mariner.
The general headquarters of the Markovian Navy, the Markovian Milice and the Markovian Security Service (intelligence which doubles as investigative police force) all can be found in Governement Square, the heart of the city. Temple Road houses temples of the main colonist's religions, the Dome of Our Lady of the Sunrise, the Cathedral of the Rising Sun, the Shrine of Waves and the Palace of Enlightment.

Vestegrad is the main port on markovian West coast. Its the last port for ships heading north from the south-western continent. Less developed then the capital city but still a thiving port where you can find exotical people and products. Near the docks you can find the Great Sanctuary of the Sea, Oceanus'es main temple on the island; The main inn there is the Kraken's Tentacle, famed for its seafood dishes. Its owner is misterious Alice Weirdweather a toothless old crone sharp witted and shapered tongued.

Broken Port is a small, well fortified town in the north of the island; Its the capital city of the majority of the Broken Ones; a great colonist-style temple of Aka the Lion , called the Great Lion's sanctuary graces the door of the city; the main inn is the Bubbling Cauldron owned by an old greedy fat pig broken-one, Jaffa "Boss " Dayhogg, which owns half of the town.

Lion's Mouth is the Akashi people main settlement and is builded following Akashi's tradition, seated on Mount Aka near the top, where the Lion's Tear flows from the Lion's Eye Lake. It consists in nine circles of stone houses with elaborated carpets and wooden statues around circling streets, with smaller streets breaking the circles and allowing to enter the internal ones ; the Akashi do not have inns, but they grant hospitality to any people asking for it. The Gathering House, Akashi's seat of power, sits at the center of city, next to the Abode of the Ancien Spirits, the most holy sanctuary of the Akashi people.

Serenity was builded after the War of the Broken Ones and it is meant to be the symble of peace. Various styles mingle together and colonial building are armonized with Akashi ones and the bizarre Beastfolk ones. Many thermal springs dot the peacefull countryside making Serenity a hub for clinics, the most famous one is the Mereau Clinic, owned by the reclusive surgeon Dr Emile Merau. Three famous inns are renowned everywhere in the island for different reasons, the Broken Claw owned by Larkin Stripehide, a rugged tiger-like beastfolk, a veteran of the war, is notorious for its gambit, games and contests. Second, The Monkey's Eybrow owned by distinguisched Markovian of pure Colonist descent, Vlad Minakov, is renowned for its hight quality confort, its cultured enterainment, its music and its drinks. Finallly the Blessed Pot, owned by Oonga dhaZakiri-Midheim, married with a Markovian of colonist descent. Several small shrines and sanctuaries of all the religions practiced on the island dots the town.


Dominia Harbour is a colonist-style port-town where shps arriving ftom the Core usually stops to restore and wheather bad time,and a market where often some unsavory good is sold since law is a bit more lax, here. The two principal features of the island are the lighthouse, Dominia's Lantern, which allows the ships safe travel in night and storm, which also hosts a shrine of Oceanus, the Mariner's Refuge. The second main feature is the Dr Claude Dominiani's Clinic of Mental Hygiene, also known as Dominiani's Asylum. The vast complex include almost all of the western-half of the island, including a vast park surrounded by surveilled walls; just outside the walls you can find a chapter of the Divinity of Self, the House of the Restored Self, which helps the exonerated patients to rejoin society. The Siren's Call is the most renowned inn on the island, owned by a retired head-nurse of the Asylum, Milldred Rallchett.

Religion


Akashi Religion
The Akashi religion is animistic and believes in a great number of spirits, represented as animals called Shiaka reunited in the Shiaka's Moot.Akashi's priests are called Gnabo, vessels, reckognizable by their staffs, with the symble of a circle of hands and animal prints on the tip; Gnabos are advisors and healer, of body, mind and soul. They are also keepers of the Akashi traditions and lore and they teach the Akashi kids to honour and respect their traditions; A few Gnabos, called Tagnabos, Chosen Vessels, serve a specific Spirit, wearing a mask which represents it. Aka the Great Lion, god of rulers and righteousness and Diosam the Bloodstained Gorilla, god of forbidden magic and despoiling are the most known spirits of the Akashi, and they have their own entries as they are worshipped by non Akashi too but there are other important spirits, like Adzan the Mist Snake, god of Death and Ruler of the Underworld; Kalla the Nurturing Cow, goddess of earth and cattle; Malka the Silver Hare, god of the Moon; Shenna the Shining Eagle, the goddess of the Sun; Ydwa the Watchfull Wolfhound god of law enforcing and duty, Zirna the all-Observing Owl, goddess of knowlege and wisdom, Zorak the Envious Toad, the god of poison and strife. Many other spirits are also venerated; the symble of the Shiakas Moot is a circle of hands and animal prints. (individual deities use their totem animal as a symble); Gnabo clerics can choose any domain, as the Shiakas represents any aspect of reality.Their favourite weapon is the quaterstaff. Tagnabo Clerics have different favourite weapons and can choose only their individual Shiaka patron's domains. Gnabos can be Neutral, Lawfull Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, Neutral Good, or Neutral Evil. Many Gnabos are Shaman or Druids.

Cult of Aka the Great Lion:
This cult of the Lawfull Good head of the Shiakas Moot is very popular among Markovian soldiers and burocrats other then among the Beastfolk of Broken Port. It teaches honesty, courage, strategy, wisdom and common sense, to follow the rules as long as the rules does their duty, which is ensure prosperity and happiness. Rules which are not made with that goal in mind are wrong, and must be changed, and even challanged. Aka's symble is a rampant crowned lion, its domains are: Community, Good, Law, Nobilty, Strenght and War. Aka's Tagnabos are field-leaders in time of need and advisors in time of peace. Their favored weapon is the Akashi's Clawed Gauntlet.

Cult of Diosam the Bloodstained Gorilla:
This cult of the Chaotic Evil Akashi's god of bad-luck, despoilment and dark magic is generally secretive; only beetwen the Akashi
some Tagnabo venerates openly his less dangerous and malignant aspects as a bringer of change. Ambitious Markovian arcanists,scientists and revengefull Beastfolks venerates him as a god of forbidden magic and unnatural experiments. His symbol is a white, blood-stained gorilla lacking the right paw. He teaches his followers to never let thing stay as they are; change for change's sake, disturb the quiet, learn everything you can, no matter the price, and test your knowledge everyway no matter the cosequences. His domains are Artifice, Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Madness and Magic. His favourite weapon is the dagger.

Church of Ezra the Preserver :
The Markovian Church of Ezra is in communion with the Lawful Neutral Borcan Branch; The Arch-Sentire of Markovstadt is the head of the church, and she is nominated by the Bastion in Borca; The Chuch teaches the importance of teamwork, tradition, and family ties and the importance of trade. Her Domains are Law, Mist, Protection, Strenght and Travel. The Church of Ezra is the most diffused Markovian colonist Religion between the Akashi's people, thanks to proselitizing priests. The symble of the church is a shield with a longsword and a belladonna wig. The favourite weapon of the church is the longsword.

Church of Andaral, the Morning Lord:
The religion of the original Barovian colonists, this Neutral Good Church is in full communion with the Barovian one but with a less militant approach; Markovian Andaral faith is a religion of hope, unity, compassion, mercy and conforting. The priests, healers and advisors of the communities, have access to the Community, Good, Healing, Protection and Sun. His favored Weapon is the morning star. The holy symbol of the church is the sun disk. Peasants and small communities of Markovians and several Beastfolk of Serenity are followers of the Morning Lord.

Divinity of Self:
This Lamordian Lawfull Neutral religious philosophy, which teaches the mortal origin of every deity and that any mortal being can follow that example. The Markovian chapter also preaches the value of health, of mind, of body and of soul, and provide guidance for self improvement. The priests of the Divinity of Self are advisors and teachers. The Markovian chapter priests can choose from the following domains: Community, Healing, Knowledge, Law, and Luck. The symble of the cult is a squared circle. The favourite weapon of the cult is the quaterstaff.

Cult of Oceanus the Sea Lord:
This Chaotic Good cult of Oceanus is popular beetween seafarers, Markovians living in the main ports and water-abiding Beast-folks. It teaches to respect the sea and love freedom and the beauty of the waves. Its priests are warden of sanctuaries and ship-chapelains, working as healers and advisors for the crew. They also hate slavery and fight it in any form. The Sea Lord favourite weapon is the trident, his symble is a seashell; The Priests of the Sea Lord can choose Animal, Chaos, Good, Liberation, Water and Weather.


The Famous and the Infamous


Lord Bourgmaster Jhurgen "Akanga" Vastish
(Middle-Aged Greater Beastfolk Hunter 12, L/G)
Jhurgen is a powerfull builded white furred lion-headed man,always dressed in leather jerkin, with great melanchonic blue eyes. He was a Markovian hunter who was captured by Diosamblet and transformed in a Lion headed beastfolk, thirty years ago. He managed to stir rebellion in the Beastfolk allowing for the defeat of Disamblet. He became the leader of the Beastfolks and today he is the Lord Bourgmaster of Broken Port. The Akashis call him Akanga, and see him as the chosen of Aka. He is haunted by the flashes of his past, and costantly torned between the Human side and the Beastfolk side.


Lord-President Radu Markov
(Middle-Aged Human Opportunist Fighter 10. L/N)
The President of the Markovian Republic and the hereditary King of the Akashi, Radu Markov is a shrewed politician and capable businnesman,who is the richest and more influent merchant on the island and in the core in general. Radu is a tall, salt and peppered man with hawkish grey eyes dressed always in simple yet hight quality clothes. Controversial for allowing full rights to the beastfolk after Diosamblet's defeat he is genuinly convinced that unity and integration will favour Markovia's prosperity. While not above dirty tactics and manipulations, Radu is an honorable fellow who keeps his word and honours the deal he signs.


Arch-Sentire Dominic Saldru
(Middle-Aged Human Cleric of Ezra 10 L/N)
The Arch-Sentire of Markovstadt is the leader of Ezra 's church on Markovi. This slim, long-mustached balding and graying priest is a cautious man and a skilled diplomatic and negoziator while by no means a model of virtue he has managed to estabilish himself as a trusted member of Markovian society. He is currently trying to estabilish a new mission in Akashi's territory.


Captain Dmitri Markov
(Young Adult Human Fighter 4 L/G)
Radu's eldest son and heir, is a talented young man, and would be a perfect successor, if he wasn't so idealistic. Not even some time in the island militia and fleet facing bandits and pirates have quenched his thirst of justice nor it has added any pragmatism to his honourable outlook. Externally, he is a younger and kinder version of his father but his eyes are green. And he favour the red and white of the Markov family crest.


Emmerik Nodak-Markov
(Old Human Privateer Fighter 7 N/G)
This jolly fat old man completly bald with twinkling green eyes is a far removed cousin of the main Markov branch, and he was a mariner of renown in his youth. Emmerik is a generous fellow with a booming voice and a penchant for theatrality. His adventourous youth made him quite wealthy and influent. Emmerik is happily married with eight children and ten grandchildren, and the majority of his family is employed in his inn, the Good Rest.

General Ivan Markov
(Old Human Drill Seargent Fighter 8 N)
Radu's uncle is the leader of the Markovian Defence Forces and a strong vocal supporter of his nephew's rule. This old man is not as fit and fast as he was in his youth but his white mane of hair and his silver mustaches look still as intimidating then they did when he was younger and they were all black. A claw cut breaks his forhead, a memento of the war against the Breastfolk. Having lost his elder son, Vladu, and both his brothers in that war he is not a great fan of the current integration program, but he is still a loyal executor. His second son Grigori recently made him a grandfather.


Admiral Alexandru Markov-Yevaren
(Middle-Aged Human Wizard 9 N/G)
The head of the markovian fleet, is a scion of a branch of the Markov family. He is an handsome man with black curly hair and water-green eyes, face tanned and wrinkled thanks a life on deck. Tall and lean, he compensate for his under-average phisical abilities with a keen strategic mind and his magical prowless, and he is well liked by his crew.


Dr Arrik Marshav
(Adult Human Half Flesh-Golem Chirurgeon Alchemist 7 C/G)
Dr Marshav is one of the greatest surgeons in the whole Core, one of the few dr von Mordenheim himself regards as a peer. He is the generous director of the Markov Memorial Hospital. He is rarely seen outside his clinic, and will cut short any conversation including questions on his past in Borca.


Conestable Kliment Bloodhound
(Adult Beastfolk Investigator Hardboiled Detective 8 L/G)
Loyal and stubborn as the grey muzzled, green-eyed hound he was born as, Kliment has earned phraise for is intelligence and his skill; A pup mutated in a beastfolk just at the end of the Broken Ones War, Kliment grew up at a human speed,adopted by a human family and today is a man earning an equal number of phraise and scolding for his sometime unhortodox way to solve cases. He serves as Conestable of the MSF, Markovstadt chapter, and he is one of their most notorious operatives.


Dr Mordecai Sekisha
(Middle Aged Human Alchemist Anaesthesist 7 L/E)
Dr Sekisha is a charming salt and pepper man, with twinkling dark eyes and a clean shaved face. He is one of the best therapists at the Markov General Hospital. What no one knows is that he works with a kidnapping ring at the behest of Dr Merau.

Kalki dhaKwara
(Old Human Cleric Cloistered Priest of Oceanus 8, C/G)
Kalki is an Akashi who converted as a young boy to the cult of Oceanus. He preachs respect for the creatures of the sea. He mixes traditional Oceanus long blue priestly garb with Akashi tattoes and the traditional staff of the Akashi shamans, bearing the symbol of Oceanus. He resides in the Dome of Waves in Markovstadt.


Lord Bourgmaster Aron Blackbird-Markov
(Adult Human Mariner Fighter 6 L/N)
A renoened seafarer and a scion of a cadet branch of the Markov family, Aron is a black haired man with grey-green eyes and short black moustaches; he wear the colours of his house, blue and black, and is a stern but honest man who has largely improved and enriched the city of Vestegrad in his ten years tenure as Bourgmaster. 

Alice Weirdweather
(Old Human Witch Seawitch 9 C/N)
The owner of the Kraken's Tentacle Inn, Alice is a wrikled gray-haired fickle woman, her humour like the sea, everchanging, she usually wears emerald green dressses, matching her stormy eyes. She knows many things about the sea and its secres but she well share only if and when she is in the mood, and woe to those who try and force her to speak.

Blackfang Stormwolf
(Adult Beastfolk Rogue Pirate 8. C/E)
A bleakheartened, ruthless and blackthirsy buccaneer who hides in a secret cove near Vestegrad he is a litteral seawolf, a wolf broken one turned pirate; Fangs dyed in black and blood red fur distinguish this elegantly dressed scoundrel from his own crew, the Stormwolves, all wolf beastfolk. Their ship, the Beware, is a costant threat for villages and ships on the west coast.

Sentire Roza Amardu
(Adult Human Cleric 7 of Ezra, L/G)
Roza is tall, tanned, and with grain yellow blonde hairs and dark blue eyes. She is an intelligent and compassionate woman who knows the way to balance church and community interests with individual ones; she resides in Vestegrad in the temple of Our Lady of the West Coast.

Jaffa "Boss" Dayhogg
(Old Greater Beastfolk Rogue Smuggler 6, C/N)
Boss Dayhogg is a fat, bald and white dressed pig beastfolk, created before the war, who, in his younger days run a ring of smugglers; today he owns half of Broken Port and he is as richas much he is fat, and he is really fat. Cunning and greedy, always plotting and scheming to con people out of their money, he has however a strict personal code, he does not kill and he will not hurt willingly any innocent.

Silktongue
(Adult Beastfolk Cleric of Diosam 10 C/E)
This serpent-like beastfolk usually takes the guise of a beautiful white haired human, with yellow eyes. Her true form is that of an humanoid adder with a forked tongue. She works as a bartender at the Baubbling Cauldron, Broken Port's main inn.

Jasse "Uncle Duckie" Duck
(Old Human Greater Beastfolk Rogue Smuggler 7, N/G)
Once one of the best smugglers on the island this duck-like old white feathered patriarch is the only survivor of a large nest. He has raised his many nephews and nieces by himself and has turned a new life as a farmer and merchant.

Lucius and Boemund Duck
(Adult Beastfolk Wainrider Cavalier 6/ Driver Rogue 5 , C/G)
The elder nephews of Uncle Jasse Duck, they are dashing and flamboyant, good-hearted but often too impulsive young duck-beastflok, Lucius, the older and more wise is black feathered, Boemund, younger and more reckless is blond feathered.

Father Reginald Gordon
(Middle aged Greater Beastfolk Cleric of Aka 7 L/G)
A Zherisian immigrant turned in a grey-furred panther-like Beastfolk, he was saved from Diosamblet's clutch by Jhurgen Vastish; he studied the Akashi Cult of Aka and elaborated a version based on the trappings of the Cult of Andaral.

Speaker T'gha dhaMalwe
(Venerable Human Shaman 11, N/G)
Old, almost blind, frail in the body, but strong as ever in faith and words, the Speaker of the Shiakas since before the War of the Broken ones, she is the more respected Gnabo priest of the Akashi people and the most respected Elder of Lion Mouth's council.

Elder Shorra dhaYagzwe
(Adult Human Fighter Headhunter 7, L/E)
Ambitious and cunning, Shorra worked hard to earn her place as Elder in Lion's Mouth, and she is the de-facto ruler of the town. Soft-speaking, but intimidating, with her eyes, darker then her skin and hair, able to gaze in the very soul of people; her customary trophy necklace made of the reduced heads of her slained foes only add to her unsettling presence.She is the leader of the most isolationist faction of the Akashi people


Deputy Bourgmaster Janos Markov
(Adult Human Aristocrat 7, L/N)
A potbelled black haired man not very impressing at first view, hiding a fine brain under his black hair. Janos is lord Markov's representive in Lion's Mouth and he is the only non Akashi allowed to vote in the Council of Elders. He tries to rule respectfull of the will of the council, balancing it with his family interests.

Larkin Stripehide
(Adult Beastfolk Brawler 7 C/N)
A muscled, if slighly portly anthropomorphic tiger with a larger then life attitude Larkin is the owner of the Broken Claw; in the War of the Broken Ones he was one of the first second generation beastfolks to desert from Diosamblet's army and to fight against him. He lost a finger in the process, but saved Lord Markov's life, earning the money to build his inn. A passionate gambler, his inn is popular for that , games and contests.

Vlad Minakov
(Adult Human Swashbuckler 9 L/N)
Lean, soft speaking, light brown hair, and hard blue eyes Vlad Minakov pose as a sophisticated gentleman but he is a former mercenary adventureer and still carries his sword, well hidden in his walking cane.

Oonga dhaZakiri-Midheim
(Adult Human Expert 6, L/G)
This formidable Akashi woman is as much as ease with her own people's customs as she is with her husband's one; in her inn, the Blessed Pot, she sell dishes from different cultures and she raise her children in the respect of both her and her husband's belief.

Head-Nurse Dolly Bellweather
(Young Adult Greater Beastfolk Bard 6 NE)
This white-wooled sheep-beastfolk looks absolutely innocuos and she is the face of the Merau Clinic; She is the doctor's right hand and she is beloved by both staff and patients for her gentleness.

Dr Danielle Kinn
(Adult Human Alchemist Chirurgheon 8, N/G)
The first female doctor to graduate from the Markovstad Medical School, she practiced together with her father, but after his death, she found herself unable to practice there, as her father's patients did not want to be cared for by a female doctor. So when the Bourgmaster of Serenity put on a request to find a doctor not affiliated with the clinics, she put her candidatur forward and for a curious mistake by the head of the postal office, which read her name as Daniel L.E. Kinn, it was accepted. She struggled at first but then gained Serenity's people respect and love with her compassion, brilliand mind and competence. She has befriended a nearby village of Akashi and she has also adopted three orphaned beastfolk kids.

Lord Bourgmaster Jakub Markov-Sloan
(Adult Human Rogue Frontier Barber 5 N)
An hardworking barber and self-declared healer, who enriched himself working as a spy in the Broken Ones War, he earned his place as Lord Bourgmaster with his shrewdness, but his poor qualities as an healer, only worsen by his heavy drinking, forced him to find a true doctor outside the expensive circuit of the private clinics. His relationship with Dr Kinn is stormy to say the least but they are starting to grufgingly respect each other.

Dr Claude Dominiani
(Mature Human Cerebral Vampire Mesmerist Gaslighter 10 C/E)
The distinguished owner and director of the Dominiani Asylum he is the responsable for turning a fishing village in a flourishing port-town. The island was once named Coral Shore but it was rechristened Dominia after dr Dominiani. He is a tall pale gentleman, with thin black mustaches, green eyes and short black hair. He is a notorious philantropist famed for his generousity, thanks to the activities of his foundation.


Dr Marcel d'Honaire
(Middle-Aged Human Mesmerist Mental Healer 10, N/G)
A scion of the powerfull d'Honaire family from Dementlieu, this kind man is graying and balding, has sparkling inquisitive blue eyes. He is a genuine emphatic person which works at Dominiani Asylum, and he is specialized in treating traumatized adventurers and monster victims.

Guide Patrek Larenthal
(Adult Human Cleric of The Divinity of Self 7, L/N)
The director of the Markovian chapter of the Divinity of Self is a Mordentish redheaded stout man, with smiling brown eyes and a jolly disposition, is a collaborator of the Dominiani Foundation, and regularly cares for and host recovered patients of the asylum to help them to return in the world.

Mildred Rallchett
(Fledging Cerebral Vampire Rogue 7, L/E)
Mildred Rallchett is a middle-aged is the owner of the Siren's Call and worked for years as head nurse of the Dominiani Asylum; she is a judjemental and spitefill woman, and is notorious for blackmailing and gossip. However, she still volunteers as a nurse at the asylum when good Doctor Dominiani needs her help.

Lord Bourgmaster Vasily Markov
(Middle-Aged Human Fighter 8, L/G)
This scarred war-veteran is a removed cousin of the Lord-President, and was elected Lord Bourgmaster after the foundation of Dominia Harbour. Tall, gray haired and dark eyed he is strong willed, practical and flexible, yet rightous and dutyfull at the same time Vasily Markov was able to turn a fancy charity project in a thriving port town and he has been reelected uncontested for twentyfive years.



The Darklord

Emile Merau aka Frantisek Markov
 Adult Greater Broken One (Alchemist Vivisectionist 13, N/E) (144 HP)
Size: Medium
Speed:30 feet, Climb 30 feet
Initiative:+5 (+4 in Merau's Clinic)
Senses: Perception +17 Twilight Vision (+4 in Merau's Clinic)
Armor Class: 24, Touch 18, Flat Footed 19 (+5 Dex, +4 armour, +2 Natural, +3 deflection) (+4 in Merau's Clinic)
Space/Reach: 1 square /2 square
Combat Manouver Bonus/Combat Manouver Defense:+14/29 (+8 Grappling) (+4 in Merau's Clinic)
Str:20 (16), Dex:20 (16), Con:20 (16), Int:21, Wis:12, Cha : 10
Saving Throws: Fort +14 Ref +14 Will +5 (+4 in Merau's Clinic)
Special Qulities: Curse of the Dark Lord, Poison Immunity, Beast Tongue, Bottled Ooze, Combine Extracts, Enhance Potion (4/day), Fast Poisoning (swift action), Infusion, Poison Use, Mutagen (DC 18), Swift Alchemy, Spontaneous Healing (20/day), Throw Anything (+1 to hit with thrown splash weapons), Thousand Forms.Rejuvenation, Sinkhole of Evil IV.
Special Attacks:Grab, Sneak Attack (+7d6), Torturous Transformation (DC 21) (+4 in Merau's Clinic), Crippling Strike.
Melee:2 Slams+ 17 (1d6+8)+ Grab and Sneak Attack(+4 in Merau's Clinic) or +3 Merciful Sap +17/+12 (1d4+1d6+8 + sneak attack+15 non-lethal Damage)

Skills:  Appraise (+9), Craft (Alchemy) (+27), Disguise (+16), Fly (+8), Heal (+24), Knowledge (arcana) (+21), Knowledge Nature (+24) , Perception (+17), Profession (Butcher) (+15), Sleight of Hand (+21), Spellcraft (+21), Stealth: (+21), Survival (+17), Use Magic Device (+16).

Feats: Bludgeoner, Brew Potion(b), Focus Weapon (Sap), Power Attack, Sap Adept, Sap Master,Skill Focus(Disguise) Skill Focus (Knowledge (nature)) , Throw Anything (b), Thoughtness.


Known Formulae: DC 14 + spell level
1 – deathwatch, cure light wounds, enlarge person, keen senses, reduce person, polypurpose panacea, anticipate peril, expeditious retreat, jump, negate aroma, stone fist, touch of the sea
2 – anthropomorphic animal (It also works on Polymophed humanoids and Markov can use it on himself while in animal form and he does not need moneyto makeit permanent), bull’s strength, bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, cure moderate wounds, acute senses, alchemical allocation, animal aspect, fox’s cunning, darkvision, 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
4-caustic blood, conceal breath, crimson breath, cure critical wounds, invisibility(greater), restoration, stoneskin.
5-delayed consumption, elude time, shapechanger's gift, swallow poison, overland flight.

Daily Extracts
1st:7, 2d: 6, 3d:5, 4th:4, 5th:2,
SL:13, Save DC 15+Spell Level,

Propreties: Battle White Coat (+4 Armour Bonus CA, it works as a +3 Padded armour ), Shapeshifter clothes, +3 Merciful Sap (Disguised as a walking stick),Doctor's bag ( works like Bag of Holding IV,but things are held in a rational and ordered way, allowing for faster retrievieng) It contains a Mask of Breathing (allows the wearer to survive in environments without air), two pairs of Shackles of Kidnapping (Adamantine Handcuffs which acts as Shackles of Compliance and casts Silence on the wearer with no ST) 100 doses of various medicinal drugs and poisons DC 21, various magical potions, adamantine chirugeon tools, a portable laboratory, a straitjacket and a shakled stretcher.) Official papers identifying him as Dr Emile Merau, a Medallion with scratched Markov family crest, (it works as a +3 Amulet of Mighty Fists) +4 Belt of Phisical Perfection, +3 Ring of Protection.)


Challenge Rating:15

Background

Frantisek Markov was born in Markovstadt seventy years ago, the third and youngest son of Lord Aleki Markov, lord Radu's grandfather; as a child he had a great curiosity for the natural world, and he was expecially fascinated by living things; a child with a vivid imagination he drawed his fantastical creatures mixing up different animals. Growning up, he started to wonder if it was not possible to create the creatures he dreamed off. He went so far to go practice under a false name in a butcher shop, for a while, to be able to try and assemble different animals part. He was discovered and managed to convince his father to let him study veretinary and medicine. As he grew up and studied he fell in love with an Akashi woman, Marja dhaLhaki. That was a problem because under Lord-President Aleki, things with the Akashi people were deteriorating. Lord Aleki was pragmatic and thought that his son's marriage could help the relationship between their two peoples, beside his own great-frandfranmother was Akashi, but Lord Radu's Father Andrik had lost a dear friend to Akashi's raiders, and he opposed the marriage strongly. Frantisek, however, married his beloved, ignoring his brother's opposition. When his father died, Andrik ordered Frantisek to repudiate his wife and he refused, leaving Markovstadt for the interior, where he builded a ranch where today you find the Merau Clinic, there he continued his unhortodox work on animal body parts and with time he started to work on living animals, with the goal of creating new ones. Meanwhile his wife got pregnant. The civil war beetwen Akashis and Colonists exploded, and Frantisek's ranch became a battlefield; his wife was grieviously wounded and she lost her baby for that; Frantisek killed off the two belligerant parties and used their body parts to save his wife, but her loss was too deep to accept, and she hanged herself from the roof of their house. The rope snapped and she fell ruinosly in a deep dry well. To save her Frantisek isedthe body of a cow, but she was disgusted of what he had done to her and killed herself. His grief turning in hate he decided that the only way to stop the war was to create an army and he pretended to be dead and traveled the world for ten years, collecting exotic animals as part of his project. From his wife he had known of the figure of Diosam the Blood Stained Gorilla, and it intrigued him, prompting to take the alias of Diosamblet, the hand of Diosam. He created an army of Broken Ones unleashing them on Markovia. Finally the two peoples made peace to fight the new enemy, but Diosamblet was not satisfied. To have piece you need to delete any difference between Akasis and Colonists, and to do that, he needed to turn every one in a Broken One, a more perfect lifeform. But he was a cruel master and a crueler father and his own creatures rebelled, but not before he killed his brother Young Radu teamed up with one of his best specimen, the Lion-man Jurghen, andat the end of a caraclismatic battle Disamblet was believed dead but not before he killed his nephew Vladu just in fron of the latter's father in a last act of spite. The Mists fell on the battlefield.


Current Sketches
Frantisek survived the battle, his body mauled by terrible wounds. he healed his body but found himself unable to create a fully human body, even if the one he came up with is close enought, but similar to that of a small gorilla. After some years of clandestinity, he returned to public life under the guise of Dr Emil Merau. He builded his clinic wherethere was hisranch, and Diosamblet laboratory, and quickly became the most respected chirurgeon of the island.His disguises can't last a long time so he is hard pressed to avoid long periods in company of other peoples. He uses her faithfull deputy Dolly to handle most of public relations. He still wants to turn Markovia in a Beastfolk kingdom under his guide but this time he is trying to be subtler.

Combat
Frantisek usually lures his victims somewhere private before assaulting them, with the goal to knock them out and kidnap them. He usually choose relatively safe preys, lonely and outcasts, possibly. If forced in combat with a group, he will attack the weak links with his sedative poison.


Special Abilities:
Curse of the Dark Lord: Frantisek can't recover an humanoid aspect, he always keep animal traits, he usually use a reduced Gorilla body, with longer arms, concealed by his large white coat. He also can't create a completly perfect beastfolk, they always lack some important quality, mainly obediance. Even his animal forms are always somehow defective.

Beast Tongue:He can communicate simple concepts with any animal.

Rejuvenation: If Frantisek is killed his corpse will return to his own lab, painfully resewing himself together in a month. Only if his hands are severed and kept immerged in acid and if is lab is completely destroyed he will not be reborn, if his hands are put out the acid and there is at leastone working lab on Markovia he will regenerate in three months.

Thousand Forms: He can take the form of any animal or magical beast without magical or supernatural abilities with a move action; it lasts up to thirteen round, he can change 7 times a day.

Lair:
Merau Clinic, builded upon theold Markov Ranch and Diosamblet's secret lab, has been the theater of thousands of atrocious experiments so it is a Rank 4 Sinkhole of Evil and can bestows the Apaty, Desperation, Fear and Rage condition; DC 25 Will negates.

Closing Borders:
If Dr Merau/Markov whish to close the borders, winds and currents around the islands will stop everyone without a perfect fly manovrability, or without a 120 feet swimming speed, along any vehicle (ship or areoship) from coming closer or farther then ten miles from the islands shores.


Feedback, as always is appreciated, and sorry for the eventual typos.