Patrina Velikovna was the young bride of Sergei von Zarovich, and the love of Strahd von Zarovich. The love was not mutual between Strahd and Patrina, however. Out of jealousy and spite, Sergei and Patrina were poisoned by Strahd at their wedding. Immediately after the deed, Strahd regrets killing her and wishes her back. In fury, he casts the city of Carcosa into another plane, creating Dim Carcosa.
Ireena Kolyana looks remarkably like her, and Strahd believes that she truly is Patrina.
The Second Age of Ruin[]
But in another timeline, Strahd does not interfere, seemingly not caring at all. He's too busy dealing with rebuilding the world after the fall of the Netherese Empire. Patrina lives and becomes Sergei's wife. She's revealed to be a Lady of Carcosa.
After her death, her body goes missing - being a true Lady of Carcosa, traditions dictate that her body be found, for if a true Lady or Lord of Carcosa dies outside of Carcosa, their spirit is said to be doomed to wander the worlds forever. With the assembled forces of Carcosa sent out to retrieve it, a war erupts between their nation and that of the Freeborn, laying waste of most of Barovia in the process. This war has been ongoing for 100 years in 127FR when the Dragon Friends are woken from their slumber.
As it turns out, Strahd is the one behind the disappearance of her body. The Dragon Friends's repeated comments about him not doing anything with Patrina stick with him and eventually make him fall in love with the Carcosan Lady anyway. Even though Byron Vowell tries to prevent her death as per instructions from his father, Strahd kills Patrina and her husband by accident. Patrina's remains are sealed away in a small orb and hidden in a statue, suspended whilst Strahd attempts to bring a god into existence through the power of belief in order to restore her to life. Unfortunately, Freezo manages to find Patrina's corpse and escapes with it by turning into corn gas.
Patrina's body is later returned to the then ruler of Castle Ravenloft, Philip Boroff, who (supposedly) ends the conflict by returning the body to the Carcosans.
Trivia[]
- In the original Ravenloft module and its remakes, Patrina Velikovna was a drow (dusk elf) who desired to marry Strahd, but was rebuked in favor of Tatyana and later killed by her fellow elves when she approached Strahd after Ireena died. In Dragon Friends, Tatyana is never mentioned. Since Ireena is a human, one can safely assume that Patrina was a human, too.