Patrina Velikovna

An extremely talented Elven Wizard hailing from the Svalich Woods of the Zarovich Valley, Patrina Morvaris was considered the pride of her family. While living in tune with the forest, she was taught many arcane secrets by the leaders of her tribe, and passed them on to her younger brother Kasimir Morvaris. Her life was uprooted into one of war when the von Zarovich family began to reattempt a conquest of the valley, and various houses leaned on the wood elves to assist in their fights using guerilla warfare. This impeded the efforts of Barov von Zarovich, who convinced one of their own, Rahadin, to kill the elven leaders.

Already low in number, her people were on the verge of annihilation by Strahd von Zarovich's armies when they surrendered. Strahd forbade the elves from returning to the forests, and forced them to break off contact with any of his enemies; the remaining elves were left to the "mercy" of the Vistani, who kept a watchful eye on them at the Vistani Camp west of Vallaki. Patrina, along with Kasimir, eventually adopted a new surname by an old Vistana named Velikov long ago, a good man who had welcomed her into the clan. Though Vistani typically did not keep surnames, Patrina continued the Barovian tradition of keeping his name as legacy, out of respect for Velikov's kindness.

Velikov was killed in a disagreement with the Captain Zandros, however, and the archmage believed her situation to be untenable. Patrina was easily the most powerful wizard in her tribe but was drawn to black magic in particular, and wished to be a match for Strahd's powers. She broke her tribe's vow to the Count and traveled to the Amber Temple in search of knowledge; she did not draw the ire of Neferon as she was not drawn in by a Dark Power. In its library, Patrina learned great magical secrets, as well as the details of the pact Strahd had made to develop such power. She received help in these endeavors from the temple's custodian, the Lich Orlev ben Khazan, but his failing memory caused him to repeatedly forget what he had taught her.

After decades spent learning dark Spellcraft in the temple's library, Patrina wished to know more about the man who dominated her land. She traveled to Castle Ravenloft and felt a great kinship with him. She re-introduced Strahd into the wonders of the Amber Temple, and eventually asked to solemnize their bond in a dark marriage. The elf, once subjugated by Strahd, had become a Countess of Barovia. Drawn to her knowledge, beauty, and power, Strahd consented, and slowly drained her life across many weeks. In addition to becoming Undead herself, she applied teachings from the Amber Temple to her gradual transformation. Many of these led to dark and evil acts; in the worst of these crimes, she kidnapped an elven boy from her own tribe, killed him, and bathed in his blood. 

Though he still loved his sister, Kasimir began to suspect the truth behind her meetings with the Count, and eventually determined that she was his concubine. He reported this amongst his people, and horrified at what Patrina had become, the elves magically bound her. When she relayed the council's worst fears, stoned her to death in to thwart Strahd's plans. In return, Strahd murdered every female wood elf in the tribe, and mutilated the rest. 

Strahd then demanded Patrina's body, placing it in the catacombs of his castle. However, her spirit did not leave Barovia, nor was it consumed by Vampyr. She lingered as a Banshee in her crypt, unable to rest until she formally wed Strahd and became as powerful as the lord of Barovia himself. Over hundreds of years, she continued to contact Kasimir through his dreams, urging him to visit the Amber Temple and learn the secrets to raise her from the dead.