The Corbiiescu Halfling clan of Barovia.
A few dozen Corbiiescu clan halflings can be found in Krezk, Vallaki, and other villages of western Barovia. The Corbiiescu only know their exact history as far back as when their ancestors settled in Krezk around 584 BC. Before that time they were of the usual nomadic halfling variety and traveled by caravan across the lands of the Core. The oral tradition passed down within the clan has no mention of the land where they originated, just that the Corbiiescu had been gradually travelling south through the core for several generations. The dialect of Halfling the Corbiiescu speak is very close to that of Darkonian Halflings; though there is no real evidence that the clan originated there.
The clan was originally called the ‘Raven-Sneak’; whether it was an ancestor’s name or related to a noted trait of the clan members is not recalled in the family history. The clan name was changed to Corbiiescu by the last clan elder, whom was born in Barovia. She felt that as Barovia had been the family homeland for over a hundred and fifty years it was time that they began acknowledging they were now native Barovians as well as halflings. Having spoken Balok her entire life she chose Corbiiescu, which can loosely mean Raven’s son or sons in their adopted homeland’s major language.
Like other halflings amongst a human population the Corbiiescu have gotten by through a mixture of odd jobs and self reliance. They maintain the halfling mentality that it is best to be useful so humans do not have ill will for them. The family often sells their services as farm hands at rates well below the norm in exchange for small amounts of needed crops and poultry. The family also does laundry for the more affluent out of their homes within the ghettos of Krezk and Vallaki. More adventurous Corbiiescu regularly work as ratters collecting the bounty on the vermin that infest the sewers and swarm through the village streets at night. Because of their poverty and permanent settling in Barovia the majority of Corbiiescu youth over the last hundred years have been choosing to take the clan names of their non Corbiiescu parent upon maturity. For many it is a way to get out of Barovia and travel abroad in another clan’s caravan. Do to the suspicion and hostility of most Barovians toward non-humans a Corbiiescu rarely engages in the thefts or confidence schemes that other halfing are notorious for. However several of its members have still received the full severity of Barovian justice for being involved in such activities over the decades.
The Corbiiescu have not held onto traditional halfling deities in their beliefs. While the clan has long battled the usual state of poverty for the lower Barovian class, especially being non-humans, they have fostered a love of learning amongst their descendents. Many in the clan make a study of the arcane arts as well, but are very careful to keep it a secret from their human Barovian neighbors. Several clan members whom have set off in search of adventure and survived have also become competent wizards; and returning home they have tutored those in the younger generation with an interest in magic.
Today the Corbiiescu clan act like a ‘safe house’ for other halfling clans whose caravans enter into Barovia. They do what they can to aid and shelter halflings whom run afoul of the Barovian authorities, often helping to get them out of domain when possible. They also act as gatherers of knowledge for the larger community of halfling clans within the core. The Corbiiescu let their brethren know what roads are safe, where in Barovia they can expect open hostility from the locals, what places they can expect to find work during their stay, and which merchants have what at an honest price for a halfling buyer. Marriages between Corbiiescu and other halflings whom travel through Barovia have declined. None the less the family clan will remain in Barovia for at least a few more generations before taking to caravan again; most likely after another clan decides to takes roots within Barovia for a time and take up being another set of the halfling people’s eyes and ears in the domain.
Noaptea (Bren) Corbiiescu,
Noaptea grew up in the narrow back alley slums of Vallaki. Ever since he can remember there has been a sense of caution to his world. Crime, poverty, and vice amongst the humans was an everyday experience. All through his childhood he never had friends amongst the human children, instead living in fear of them. He and his cousins needed to sneak about the streets when they ventured out doors. If they were seen by the human children they would need to run and hide or face brutal bullying and humiliating beatings.
Noaptea is an only child with his father having died when he was eleven. Waking up one morning before his mother, Noaptea ventured outside to see the results of a winter storm. Through the night a steady snow had fallen on Vallaki accumulating several inches. The cobblestone streets had become covered in patches of white snow, gray slush, and silver ice. Taking a few steps out into the alley way Noaptea saw something. Collapsed against a wall by the corner of a building was a Halfling man whom the boy did not recognize at first. Going to see if the man was hurt, Noaptea came to a stop, a shocking realization came on him. His father, whom had been on his way home from a night of hunting vermin to earn an extra few Rat Tooth copper pieces, was laid out dead on the ground before Noaptea. His body broken and his clothing torn, a pattern of hoof marks was in the bloody snow around the body showing where some mounted attacker had trampled the man to death. His father unable to cry for help with broken ribs and unable to crawl far with shattered legs died in the cold less than twenty yards from his family’s home.
His mother mourned the loss for several years, but eventually remarried to a member of a clan passing through Barovia from Darkon when Noaptea was seventeen. Not wishing to leave the rest of his family, Noaptea remained behind in Barovia. Noaptea went to live with his uncle Kal, a former adventurering rogue and wizard. Under the older halfling’s tutoring Noaptea learned the arts of stealth and trickery as well as mystical lore. The young Halfling was on the road to becoming an adventurer himself.
Fate however had other plans for Noaptea as he met and married Indy. Having traveled to Kresk to spend a summer with other clan members, Noaptea met her at an afternoon party amongst the local clans. They were married within a year. For the next twelve years they lived with Noaptea’s uncle Kal in Vallaki. All though childless, their marriage was strong and close. Turning from his course, Noaptea made a living much as his father had, ratting, and working the vineyards about Vallaki as a farmhand in the growing seasons. And Indy washed laundry alongside her husband’s aunts and cousins, as previous generations of Corbiiescu had.
With the winter of last year Noaptea tragically lost his wife Indy. She contracted an unusually strong strain of influenza and laid down to rest complaining of a headache. By the next morning she succumbed to a rapid onset of pneumonia, dying of fever before Noaptea was able to fetch a cleric to the family home. Noaptea blamed himself for her passing and spent the next several months in a deep depression. After a time, it was his uncle Kal whom looking for some way to get his nephew living again, pushed on him to take to adventuring. The old Halfling put on him a persuasive argument. That lead to Noaptea realizing his marriage and time with Indy had been a blessing. It was something for which he should be grateful for, and cherish, drawing strength from. Kal also made his nephew aware of just how much need that his Halfling people had for help wherever they could find it.
Now at thirty two years old Noaptea again has been put on the course of an adventurer. This time not to find his fame and fortune; only simply to do what he may so that others may be spared a little less suffering and hopefully also be given their times of joy and peace as well.
Notes on names and staying consistent with canon material,
I worked out the name Corbiiescu from ravens in Romanian, corbii, the definite plural article. And escu which is a common ending to Romanian surnames. It corresponds to the Latin suffix -iscus and means "belonging to the people". For example, Petrescu used to be Petre's son. I thought it would sound like an authentic Barovian name. Noaptea is a Romanian word for night. I actually randomly rolled Bren on the halfling name table in ‘Races of the Wild.’ Bren is a name associated with black, cold, dark, and night. So I figured it would make a good Balok equivalent for his Halfling name.
I have tried to remain within the canon source material, drawing from both the Ravenloft 3.5 PHB, Gazetteer Vol I, and Races of the Wild’s chapter on halflings. But please feel free to make me aware of any errors or needed changes to fit PotM.
