Krezk

The fortified village of Krezk lay near the edge of Strahd's domain, and the wall of mist that marked the border was clearly visible above the treeline. Yet even here there was no escaping the vampire. In fact, the villagers were so terrified of Strahd and his wolves that they never ventured away from the village. Within their walls, they grew trees that provided ample wood to keep them warm on cold nights, and they drew water from a blessed pool. They had chickens, hares, and small pigs, as well as gardens of beets and turnips. The only thing they depended on from the outside world was wine. The burgomaster, Dmitri Krezkov, came from a noble family and regularly had wine delivered from the nearby winery, the Wizard of Wines, to keep the locals' bellies warm and their spirits up. Looming high above Krezk was the Abbey of Saint Markovia, once a convent and hospital, turned into a madhouse overrun with wickedness. After Saint Markovia and her followers failed to overthrow Strahd, the abbey became a fortress closed off from the rest of the world. Strahd ruthlessly preyed on the fears of the clerics and nuns holed up inside, but ultimately it was their isolation and greed that doomed them. The clergy began fighting over food and wine. By the time their supplies ran out, they had either been killed by each other's hands or driven hopelessly insane by Strahd's acts of terror against them. For years afterwards, the villagers of Krezk avoided the place, fearing that the abbey was cursed, haunted, or both. Then, over a century ago, a pilgrim from a distant land came to Krezk and insisted that he be allowed to reopen the abbey. The nameless man was strikingly handsome and extremely persuasive, and the villagers couldn't help but do as he commanded. Eternally young, he presided over the abbey, and locals referred to him simply as the Abbot. Many villagers suspected that the Abbot was Strahd in disguise, for they'd heard stories about Strahd appearing in other guises. The truth, however, was even more disturbing. Many years prior to Barovia's destruction, those who had been drawn in by the mists of Barovia settled in a secret location known as the Underground, located deep underground in crystal caverns beneath the town. Most of the people of Krezk left for Terra Caelum before Barovia's destruction.