Count Vladoc

''"So - you have come! Regrettably, it is too late for you. My device is complete. Darkness will cover the land, using the power of the spirits I have captured... and all of Elderain shall fall. Azdiim - delay them!" - Count Vladoc taunting the player characters before their final showdown in Ashbury.''

Count James Alexei Vladoc was a major antagonist in the Shadows Over Elderain campaign. He was a vampire in command of the Drow Army, working closely with Queen Mozana to take Elderain for the Drow.

Background
Count Vladoc was a common-born noble from the Vale of Ashbury, born 300 years prior to the start of the Shadows Over Elderain campaign. Using his sharp personality and sheer force of will, he worked his way up through the nobility of Elderain, evidently until he was of a high enough standing to own his own castle. It is estimated that he was in his early 30's when he was afflicted with vampirism by an unknown offender; it is unknown whether Count Vladoc exacted revenge against this vampire, or even whether he begrudged them for cursing him.

Not long after he became a vampire, he was discovered and seduced by the Drider Queen Mozana - once she had made him fall in love with her, he was manipulated into making preparations for Mozana's eventual planned takeover of Elderain. To this end, he spent centuries subtly making his castle into a crypt for Elderain's royalty, as enough passed away over time for him to grow this crypt to a substantial size. The plan was to eventually raise the bodies as an army of the undead, and use them to aid the Drow in their takeover of Elderain. It also had the (un)fortunate side effect of being quite the puzzle for any heroes who might plan to put a stop to the Count's plans.

The War of Shadows
As Queen Mozana was largely involved in her own work, preparing the Drow for war against the people of Elderain, Count Vladoc involved himself in the manipulation of Elderain's people to make this manageable for Mozana. To this end, he put together a group of assassins whose primary objective was to assassinate King Arkhand III, to bring instability to Elderain. The group was as follows:


 * 1) The Drow Azdiim Zo'Lorriq - one of Mozana's foot-soldiers was to take on the persona of "Angor Frostwell," a dwarf from a nearby kingdom who aimed to assassinate the King due to his belief that the King was ineffective at best, and entirely corrupt at worst.
 * 2) Niriley of the Glimmerwood - a Druid from a large forest with a prominent clan of werewolves, recruited largely so that she would not be present to stop Glitterfang's rise to power and subsequent installation in Lost Light Valley.
 * 3) Thak Icebane - a half-orc of renown in some Thieves' circles, recommended to the Count by Transil, who had ulterior motives and wanted Thak brought to Cair Vanta.
 * 4) Elarus - a tiefling warlock recommended to the Count by Akh-Romar-Zimbhaal, for his skill in arcane magic.
 * 5) Viridia of the Goldenwood - a Druid from southeast Elderain, whose mother only allowed her to be taken for this quest after Count Vladoc kidnapped and tortured her.
 * 6) Aura of Glaive - an elven assassin with a presence near Elderain. Count Vladoc had learned of her missing sister, Lady Mirielle, and used false information about her as a tool to get Aura to complete this mission for him, alongside the other mercenaries.

Later, Zhang the Burdened would join this group, though he was not contacted by Count Vladoc directly.

TBC