Sunny Barovia

 10/10/23 Our business with the Abbott apparently concluded, we took our leave and made the long hike back down to the village.   We checked in at the Burgomaster’s home.   Anna was looking a bit frazzled, but Walter and their son Ilya were keeping the kids entertained.   Anna told us that her husband had decided he had urgent business at his smithy.   I bet he did.   With all the chaos of the children here, I felt like I had urgent business at the smithy as well. We found the burgomaster at his anvil, as promised.   He was absently hammering on some piece of metal and didn’t seem terribly distracted by our arrival. I had the impression the only thing he was making was noise. He greeted us warmly. We talked about finding shelter for ourselves and the children for the night.   He said he would inquire quietly to several families who he felt were trustworthy and find temporary lodging for the kids.   Permanent placement would come later. ...

 1/24/2023 On the way back, we quizzed the boy on how he came to be with the werewolves.   He said he remembered waking up in the middle of the night hearing snarling.   He was grabbed by something, then woke up alone in the wood.   The werewolves came across him and took him in.   He really didn’t remember much more than that. He didn’t see much else in the cave either, and doesn’t know if there are other children there.   However, it seems the werewolves weren’t interested in harming him.   At least not yet. As we approached the village, the gates opened, and Baron Kreskov came running out.   Ilya went running towards his father and they met with a deep embrace.   Both were clearly overwhelmed with the return. We were ushered in without having to undergo any sort of palm cutting to prove our mortality. Curious. The Baron thanked us repeatedly for bringing Ilya home.   We got to his house where Ilya was reunited with his mot...

 12/27/2022 When we woke the next morning, we found a boy of maybe 12 or 13 helping the Baroness in the kitchen.   Fortunately, he was not naked.   The baroness had provided him with some of her son’s clothes and he had a blanket wrapped around him. Walter greeted us warmly as we tried to figure out how best to interact with him.   This was accomplished initially by pretending that nothing had changed.   But as breakfast was served, we did broach the subject. Walter explained that he didn’t remember the sacrifice itself, but he did remember existing with and within that creature we eventually killed.   While it has been some 300 odd years, he was not really conscious for much of it.   He would wake when the creature did – usually when some party of explorers found themselves trapped in the house.   He did remember talking with the ghost of his mother, whose death apparently didn’t keep her from teaching her son as much as any mother would. ...

 12/13/2022 Once we were inside, Wolfram pointed out that the guards here were much better equipped than what we’d seen elsewhere.   These were actual guardsmen, not hirelings with pitchforks or scrounged weapons.   The Burgomaster himself carried two swords – one on his hip and a great sword on his back. Just as his eye was drawn to the tools of his profession, my eye was similarly attracted.   Though walled, the village was decently wooded with cottages tucked in between the trees.   We saw small livestock pens and villagers working in and around the area.   It was almost like something out of the fairytales Julianna used to tell Darius when he was small. Towering above all this was a steep cliff, with the Abby itself sitting like a crown over the village. It was also quite cold here.   It wasn’t snowing, but it felt like winter might not be far off. Burgomaster Krezkov led us through the village.   He was a little more friendly now, b...