Baron Urik von Kharkov, Darklord of Valchan

Among the figures of tragedy which serve as the Darklords for the domains of Ravenloft. Urik von Kharkov has perhaps the most unusual background. Von Kharkov's path to Baron of Valachan winds through the course of centuries, starting from the dark plateau of Thay in Faerun.
Form of a Man The tragic life of Baron von Kharkov begins in the misty jungles of Chult, an island far in the south of Faerun. Born a panther with a coat of midnight black, Urik was caught by trappers, and sold to the members of a Thayn expedition to the island under the command of the Red Wizard known as Morphayus. Transported thousands of miles back to THay, Urik was poly morphed by Morphayus into a man, to serve as a dark trap for the rival wizard Selena. Morphayus enrolled Urik as an apprentice wizard to Selnea, introducing the poly morphed panther as a nobleman and aristocrat. Over a few short weeks, Selena and Urik fell in love, and set to preparations for wedding. But before their wedding night, when Selena was at her most vulnerable, Morphayus transformed Urik back into a beast, where Urik's primal instints took over, causing him to tear Selena to shreds. When Morphayus poly morphed Urik back into a man, Urik realized what had happened, and in his grief, afraid that Morphayus would use him for further assassinations, Urik fled from Thay under the dark of night, now aware of the surging spirit of the panther beneath his intelligent mind.
Soul of a Beast In his flight from Thay, von Kharkov was surrounded by the Mists of Ravenloft, and brought to the domain of darkon within the demiplane. There Urik, still blinded by grief from the death of his lover, found the secret vampiric police known as the Kragat, and begged to join their ranks, believing the numbness of undeath to be the cure to his woes. Serving as a slave to the vampires of Karag for a quarter-century, when his master was killed in a revolt, von Kharkov took the chance to flee once more, retreating back into the enclosing Mists. Urik traveled these mists for days, murdering others he found on the journey, before encountering his old master Morphayus. Wholly submitting for the first time to the panther spirit in his soul, von Kharkov slaughtered Morphayus both man and beast reveling in the slaughter of their tormentor. After this death, the Mist presented von Kharkov with Malika, a Cormyean trader with the face of his beloved Selena. Caught in blood lust, von Kharkov ended Malika's life just as he had Marphayus'. When he was finished, the mists finally parted, leaving von Kharkov at the edge of the newly created domain Valachan. On his hands grew fur and retractable claws, and von Kharkov could feel his feline soul brimming closer to the surface than ever, a mark of his new status as a true werepanther.
Hunger of Beast and Man As the leader of Valachan, the Baron is not a strong presence in the life of its inhabitants, but is still highly feared. Most of the Barron's orders are given to Lady Adeline, is second-in-command who passes these orders to the Baron's wearpanther secret police. Hoping to keep the beast within himself at bay as much as possible, the Baron does not drain the victims of his vampirism, instead leaving them only weakened and dizzy, creating a faux-illness known to the residents of Valachan as the White Fever. But despite his efforts, the Baron is cursed as all Darklords are to be tormented by the sins of his past. Though the Baron tries to deny his loneliness, it drives him further and further to madness, and once each year in his insanity the Baron finds a women living in Valachan that he believes to be his beloved Selena, or the innocent Malika. Demanding the woman for his bride, the Baron experiences brief happiness, cut short the night of their wedding when the Baron can no longer control his beast, transforming again into a Panther, and devouring his newly-found beloved. The Baron awakes again each morning after, overcome by sorrow and tormented by his actions the night previous.
Lurker within Darkness Several times in the centuries of his ruler-ship, visitors from outside. Ravenloft, drawn within by the Mist, have attempted to end the perceived evil of the Baron. These hopeful champions are rarely aware that the depredations visited upon the town mostly come at the behest of Lady Adeline, the Baron's lieutenant. Each hopeful has fallen to the Baron's claws and fangs, and outlet for the Baron to once more give in to the beast he harbors within himself. Beyond these hopeless quests and the occasional riot of the townsfolk, the Baron rarely leaves his home, Castle Pantera. Mauled badly by a magic item set as a trap by the wizard Falkovic, the Baron's already powerful hatred of wizards has only grown, and he views the Red Wizard Hazlik, Darklord of the domain Hazlan, as a blight upon the world. His few interactions with the world often involved orders given to Lady Adeline to lead raids and attacks upon the people of Hazlan, hoping to weaken Hazlik's position and incite rebellion there, that he might end the life of the man who reminds him so much of Morphayus.
Castle Pantera, Prison of the Beast Baron von Kharkov chooses to spend all of is free time in his home, Castle Pantera, venturing out into his domain only to feed, and doing so as little as possible. The Baron lives in a self-imposed exile in Castle Pantera, choosing it as his own prison, where he lives burdened by the regrets of actions he could not control. Castle Pantera stands near the center of Valachan, at the end of a large pine forest, a place forbidden to all but the Baron himself. In the Baron's time as ruler of Valachan, only a few have dared travel into the forest, and none who have done so ever returned.
Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative tires), Baron von Kharkov takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. Baron von Kharkov can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.

• A swarm of bats descents upon a point that the Baron can see within 60 feet, creating a cloud that fills a 15-foot radius surrounding the point. Any creature other than the Baron that begins its turn in the swarm or enters it for the first time on its turn must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. The swarm remains until the Baron uses an action to dismiss it, uses this lair action again, or dies.
• The Baron gives out an unearthly cry, the sound of a dread beast, forcing each creature within 60 feet that can see and hear the Baron to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
• The Baron's visage becomes deformed and hideous, a strange mixture of beast, man, and undead. One creature that the Baron can see within 0 feet can see him must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 5 (2d4) psychic damage and is stunned until the end of their next turn.
• A spectral mist begins to form around the Baron's feet, quickly filling the air in a 15-foot radius around the Baron. This mist lasts until the Baron dismisses it as an action, uses another lair action, or dies, and follows the Baron as he moves. Each creature other than the Baron which begins their run in the mist or enters it for the first time on their run must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 14 (4d6) poison damage and spends their turn coughing and struggling to breath, unable to take actions.

Regional Effects The region surrounding Castle Pantera reflects the hunger and darkness of the Baron's curse, which creates one of more of the following effects:

• The light of the sun seems muted, causing the sunrise to arrive an hour later than normal, and the sunset to arrive an hour earlier. The moon in the skies above Valachan is always full and seems overly large, giving off bright light as it shines on the land below.
• Beasts within 1 mile of Castle Pantera are supernaturally hostile to anyone other than the Baron and his allies, and are immune to being charmed.
• Creatures within 6 miles of Castle Panera have disadvantage on all Constitution saving throws made to avoid becoming diseased or poisoned.

If Baron von Kharkov dies, all of the above effects end immediately

Baron Urik von Kharkov, Darklord of Valchan

Among the figures of tragedy which serve as the Darklords for the domains of Ravenloft. Urik von Kharkov has perhaps the most unusual background. Von Kharkov's path to Baron of Valachan winds through the course of centuries, starting from the dark plateau of Thay in Faerun.

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Armor Class	14
Hit Points	24d8+96
Speed	30 ft.	40 ft in Panther form
Strength	20 (+5)
Dexterity	19 (+4)
Constitution	18 (+4)
Intelligence	12 (+1)
Wisdom	17 (+3)
Charisma	18 (+4)
Saving Throws	Dexterity d20+9	Wisdom d20+8	Charisma d20+9
Skills	Perception d20+8	Stealth d20+9
Damage Resistances	Necrotic
Damage Immunities	Bludgeoning	Piercing	Slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered
Senses	Darkvision 120 ft.	Passive Perception 18
Languages	Common	Draconic	Can't speak in panther form
Challenge	15 (13000 XP)
Special 1	Shape changer	If the baron isn't in sunlight or running water,	he can use his action to change into a Large panther
or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into his true form.	His statistics, other than his size,	are the same in panther form.	While in mist form, the baron can't take any actions,
speak, or manipulate objects.	It is weightless, and has flying manipulate objects.	It is weightless,
has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover,	and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there.	In addition, if air can pass through a space,	the mist can do so without squeezing,
and it can't pass through water.	It has an advantage on Strength,	Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws,	and it is immune to all nonmagical damage,
except the damage it takes from sunlight
Special 2	Keen Hearing and Smell	The baron has an advantage on Wisdom	(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell
Special 3	Legendary Resistance (3/day)	If the baron fails a saving throw,	he can choose to succeed instead
Special 4	Mist Escape	When he drops to 0 hit points outside his domain,	the baron transforms into a cloud of mist
(as in the shape changer trait) instead of falling unconscious,	provided that he isn't in sunlight or running water.	If he can't transform, he is destroyed.	While he has 0 hit points in mist form,
he can't revert to his baron form,	and he must reach his domain within 2 hours or be destroyed.	Once in his domain, he reverts to his true form.	He is then paralyzed until he regains at least 1 hit point.
After spending 1 hour in his resting place with 0 hit points,	he regains 1 hit point
Special 5	Pounce (Tiger Form Only)	If the baron moves at least 15 ft. straight toward a creature	and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn,
that target must succeed on	a DC 18 Strength saving throw	or be knocked prone. If the target is prone,	the baron can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action
Special 6	Regeneration	The baron regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn	if he has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water.
If the baron takes radiant damage or damage from holy water,	this trait doesn't function at the start of the baron's next turn
Special 6	Spider Climb	The baron can climb difficult surfaces,	including upside down on ceilings,
without needing to make an ability check
Special 7	Vampire Weaknesses	The baron has the following flaws:
Weakness 1	Forbiddance	The baron can't enter a residence outside his domain	without an invitation from one of the occupants
Weakness 2	Harmed by Running Water	The baron takes 20 acid damage if he	ends his turn in running water
Weakness 3	Stake to the Heart	If a piercing weapon made of wood or silver	is driven into the baron's heart while the baron
is incapacitated in his resting place,	the baron is paralyzed until the stake is removed
Weakness 4	Sunlight Hypersensitivity	The baron takes 20 radiant damage when he starts his turn in sunlight.	While in sunlight, he has a disadvantage
on attack rolls and ability checks
Action 1	Multiattack (Humanoid Form Only)	The baron makes three attacks,	only one of which can be a bite attack
Action 2	Bite (Tiger or Humanoid Form Only)	Melee Weapon Attack	d20+9 to hit
Reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the baron,	incapacitated or restrained.	Hit 2d6+5 piercing damage	plus 3d6 necrotic damage.
If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on	a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed	with were-panther lycanthropy.	The target's hit point maximum is reduced
by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken,	and the baron regains hit points equal to that amount.	The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.	The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground	rises the following night as a were-panther vampire spawn under the baron's control
Action 3	Claw (Humanoid or Tiger Form Only)	Melee Weapon Attack	d20+9 to hit
Reach 5 ft., one creature	Hit 2d8+5 bludgeoning damage.	Instead of dealing damage, the baron can grapple the target (escape DC 18)
Action 4	Charm	The baron targets one humanoid he can see within 30 feet of it.	If the target can see the baron,
the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw	against this magic or be charmed by the baron.	The charmed target regards the baron as a trusted friend	to be headed and protected.
Although the target isn't under the baron's control,	it takes the baron's requests or actions in the most favorable	way it can, and it is a willing target for the baron's bite attack.	Each time the baron on the baron's companions
does anything harmful to the target,	it can repeat the saving throw,	ending the effect on itself on a success.	Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the baron is destroyed,
is on a different plane of existence than the target,	or takes a bonus action to end the effect
Action 5	Children of the Night (1/day)	The baron magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats or rats,	provided that the sun isn't up.
While outdoors, the baron can call 3d6 panthers instead.	The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds,	acting as allies of the baron and obeying his spoken commands	The beasts remain for 1 hour until the baron dies,
or until the baron dismisses them as a bonus action
Legendary Actions	Baron Uri von Kharkov can take 3 legendary actions,	choosing from the options below.	Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature's turn.	The baron regains spent legendary	actions at the start of his turn
Legendary Action 1	Claw	The baron makes one claw attack
Legendary Action 2	Move	The baron moves up to his speed without	provoking opportunity attacks
Legendary Action 3	Bite (Costs 2 Actions)	The baron makes one bite attack