| Vladimir Rankov | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
An Immortal, he was ruthless and without conscious. In 1565, under the name Durankon Rankov, he worked for the ruler of Savoy as ambassador. He was sent to Burgundy to negotiate peace, but when he got there, he met the Immortal, Amanda. His offer to end a hostilities in a marriage between Christina of Burgundy and Phillip of Savoy was well received, but Rankov was not interested in peace, his interest was in the dowry. En route, he murdered his companions, and tried to hide the loot, then report a diplomatic failure. He was, however, surprised by Amanda, who challenged Rankov to duel. They fought, but when he fell down a hill, she let it go at that, and brought a dowry to Savoy. Rankov wanted avenge himself on Amanda. He stole into the wedding of Amanda's protege, Christina, and murdered her during the ceremony, with a crossbow. Amanda could not stop him, and Rankov disappeared without a trace.
Vladimir Rankov in 1565
It would be four centuries before she saw him again.
About 1995, Rankov was in the Balkans, in a land which had just begun a civil war, he saved the life of a teacher, who later became prime minister. Rankov was appointed his adviser. About 1998, he spotted a man who seemed to be following him. His Watcher, had come too close, and was captured, tortured, and finally murdered by his subject.
In 1999, he accompanied his prime minister to Paris for peace talks, although he secretly sabotaged the peace. Amanda had been hired to heist Rankov's laptop which contained information about his duplicity, but they sensed each other, and then recognized each other. A few days later, Tim Helfet, the son of the murdered Watcher, attacked his guards. Tim wanted to avenge his father's death.
Rankov took the opportunity, and shot the prime minister in order to pin it on the intruder. Amanda, and Wolfe, however, successfully stolen the incriminating computer, and proposed a deal. Rankov and Amanda met behind the Chateau and fought, Rankov lost his head to the thief.