Category:Vistani

The Vistani are a human sub-race of gypsy wanderers, native to Ravenloft. They are divided into three tasques and further into several tribes.

In 4th edition, vistani can be found in many worlds, and are planar wanderers. Vistani outside of Ravenloft adopt like minded people of any race into their clan. A sidebar mentions that the DM can limit membership in the Vistani to certain races if it makes sense for the campaign world, a hint that in Ravenloft, the vistani may remain all human and bound by blood, not adoption.

Contents 1 Curse 2 Evil Eye 3 The Sight 4 Bigotry 5 Encountering 6 In Literature 7 John W. Mangrum's Vistani Lore[1] 8 References 9 Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

Curse

Bitterblot

Evil Eye

The Sight

The Omen Watchers, based in Sidnar, study the prophecies of the Vistani.

Bigotry

The hunting of vistani is the passion of Malocchio Aderre, never mind that he is one-eighth vistani through his mother. No Vistana is safe within Invidia or in the immediate vicinity of its borders. Others certainly would like to harm vistani, the Syndicate of Enlightened Citizens for example, but they dare not do so directly and have difficulty finding proxies, such is the fear of the evil eye and the curse that lies in wait on the Vistani tongue. Monsters even seem to have some appreciation of the risks and prefer to seek out less dangerous prey. An exception is the fiend Credimori, who is a sworn enemy of the vistani, but his methods are subtle, fermenting bigotry against them in places so devoid of education or good sense that his victims are unconstrained by the honestly earned reputation of the vistani for dire retribution.

Encountering

It is said that one finds the vistani only when they wish to be found. As they are a nomadic people with a mobility unequalled by any other race in existence, the vistani can conceivably be found just about any where. The one place where they keep a near permanent camp is beside the Tser pool near the village of Barovia. The presence of Vistani may also be divined by spotting Vista-Chiri, a species of bird that follow Vistani caravans.

In Literature

The Blind Gypsy

John W. Mangrum's Vistani Lore^[1]

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (Ravenloft) can learn more about the Vistani. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

DC Result

• 11 This aloof, colorfully dressed stranger is one of the Vistani, a mysterious, nomadic folk. This result reveals all humanoid traits and the human subtype.

• 16 The Vistani are infamous for their ability to cast the evil eye or terrible curses on anyone who cross them. They have no respect for the laws of any society but their own.

• 21 Vistani can navigate the Mists, and can lead others to any destination. Female Vistani possess the Sight, allowing them to see the future. The Vistani are usually willing to provide their services to non-Vistani, for a price. Vistani speak a patchwork language called patterna, but they often know other languages as well.

• 26 Although Vistani are always on the move, a semi-permanent camp can be found at the foot of the Tser Falls, in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft in Barovia. The Vistani sell an antidote for the poisonous fog that surrounds the Village of Barovia.

• 31 The Vistani must always stay on the move. If they abandon their nomadic ways, they destroy the strange magic that grants them their powers. Vistani are divided into several “tasques,” or nations. Members of each tasque specialize in different skills and talents.

• 36 The Vistani fear a legendary foe called the Dukkar. Any male Vistana with the Sight is fated to become a Dukkar unless quickly put to death.

References

1. ↑ Mangrum's Monster Lore

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Denizens of Darkness
		Denizens of Darkness - p82
		Denizens of Darkness - pp82-83
		Denizens of Darkness - pp82-83
		Human, Vistani Vistani Human

		Ravenloft Third Edition Domains of Dread
		Ravenloft Third Edition - p206 The Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p105, 109,112 Roots of Evil - p19 Download Now! Feast of Goblyns - p9 Download Now! The Evil Eye - p38 House of Strahd - p23
		House of Strahd - pp17,20,22 Ravenloft I6 - p8,11,32
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - p10,12,27-30,50,61 Ravenloft Third Edition - pp13-14,17,25,34-36,124,202-208 Domains of Dread - p135 Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I - p8,208 Death Ascendant - pp12-15 Death Unchained - p62 The Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p9, pp102-128 Mordenheim - p143 and onwards House of Strahd - pp16-17,20,22-23 Roots of Evil - pp16-23 Download Now! Van Richten's Guide to The Created - p19 Van Richten's Guide to Ghosts - pp81-82 Van Richten's Guide to Vampires - p4 Vampire of the Mists - pp50-67,284-289 Realm of Terror - pp35-37 Ravenloft I6 - pp7,8,11,32 Heroes of Light - pp66,69 I, Strahd, The War Against Azalin - pp44-65, pp109-117, pp167-171
		Vistani, The Vistani