En/Vlad Drakula

## Count Vlad Drakula

*Swedish version*

Vlad Drakula was the Count of Transylvania during the rule of King Arthur.

## Background:

### Youth and Rise to Power

Vlad descended from the House of Drakula, the family that has ruled Transylvania since the founding of the Empire of Hungary. His father, also named Vlad, was a knight and the commander of the Black Army. The young Vlad has spent the majority of childhood in the Castle of Bran, only going outdoors during the night. It is rumored that his father hired sorcerers to train him in the Dark Arts.

When Vlad’s father died in a battle, Vlad became the Count of Transylvania. He soon gained a reputation of being a fearsome, ruthless and downright sadistic leader who takes pleasure in torturing his subjects, who drinks the blood of his enemies. However, he has also proven to know how to act charming and suave when spending time with other nobility in his castle or at the court of the Empress of Hungary in Buda. His most frequent guest was Goratrix, the mad barbarian who lived in the Carpathian Mountains during the time. He also founded a school in Transylvania, named Scholomance, where they train young scholars in various fields (including the Dark Arts).

### International journeys

Vlad’s first time outside the Empire of Hungary was when he got invited to the dual wedding of Princess Jocelyn & Prince Leo Bonifaey and Eliona Tudor & Duke Edgar von Richmund, in Alvvania. He was taken to the island of Alvvania by the Viking Fenrir. He also met Arthur’s sister Morgana at the wedding, and as a fellow follower of the Dark Arts, they became good friends. A year later, he visited the wedding of Don Rodrigo and Lady Lynx in Valencia. This time he took his manservant Igor with him, as they were (unsuccessfully) looking for a wife for Igor. He also visited Morgana’s banquet in Avalon.

### Rise of the Order of the Dragon

Back in Transylvania, Aleksei, the former leader of the country of Cherson, arrived to the Castle of Bran, seeking refuge. Aleksei told Vlad that his land was invaded, his home was destroyed and his family was slain by the Golden Horde, a fearsome army from Mongolia. These news made Vlad worried, as he knew that the Golden Horde will soon venture into Europe and may attack Transylvania. He wrote a letter to the Empress of Hungary, asking her approval to revive his father’s old knightly order, the Order of the Dragon. During his visit to Damascus, Vlad recruited other leaders, including Goratrix, Faulter of Manx, Lady Nalios, Baloo of Quasimodo and King Uther, to join the Order. He also started building catapults in the Carpathian Mountains to defend the country.

During one of his visits to the court of the Empress of Hungary, Vlad met Elizabeth Bathory, Princess of Bohemia. The two young nobles shared a similar interest in the Dark Arts, fell in love, and eventually got married. The couple spent their honeymoon at Camelot in King Arthur’s Court.

## Relations

### Empress Christina Gorzo von Bilkei

The Empress of Hungary was Vlad's liege, as Transylvania was a vassal state under her. Being one of her most powerful military leaders, the Empress did not care very much about how Vlad led the country. When the Empress was taken hostage by the Golden Horde, Vlad attempted to rescue her, walking right into Batu Khan's trap, eventually leading to his downfall.

### Goratrix

Goratrix the Mad Barbarian was one of Vlad's closest friend for a long while. The barbarian spent much time in the Castle of Bran. Their friendship grew weaker once Goratrix moved to Byzantium and crowned himself emperor under the name Nero, though Vlad could still count on him as a possible ally against the Golden Horde.

### Morgana

Vlad met King Arthur's sister Morgana Le Fay in Alvvania. The two developed a close friendship due to

### Igor and Renfield

Igor the Hunchbacked Servant...

Years later, Vlad found another personal manservant, Renfield.

### Olga of Kiev

Olga, the Princess of Kiev, seeked refuge in Bran after her parents were slain by the Golden Horde. Vlad welcomed her with hospitality, and made her

### Fenrir

Fenrir the Viking was the captain of the ship that Vlad took to the wedding in Alvvania. The two of them got along well...

### Aldriona

Fenrir's sister Aldriona met Vlad in Alvvania. They were initially on friendly terms with each other; however, the more Aldriona learned about Vlad's cruelty, the more hatred she had toward him. At the banquet in Transylvania, after seeing Vlad physically abuse his servants, Aldriona was so disgusted that she walked out of the banquet. Later, when Vlad was put on a trial for his crimes, Aldriona

## Rumors

* Vlad was said to drink the blood of the innocent, which granted magical powers to him.
* Vlad is rumored to still be alive in the present day, but is unable to leave his castle grounds because his sentence is magically binding.