She had very red lips and very black eyes, and she was built like a greyhound, and had the tongue of the devil.

-F. Marion Crawford, For the Blood is the Life

The Vistani (singular Vistana) are the most enigmatic of Ravenloft's inhabitants. These wandering gypsies somehow seem to be both separate from and intertwined with everything that goes on in the Land of Mists. They are secretive and insular, keeping themselves isolated from the giorgio, yet provide services and entertainment to those same giorgio when the price is right. They mystery that surrounds them, and their notorious power to curse those who wrong them, cause them to be feared and hated by many, yet their independent spirit and ability to travel the nighttime wilderness without fear lead them to be respected and even admired by many others. They are a people composed of contradictions, and it's unlikely that anyone not of their blood will ever fully understand them.

Appearance

The appearance of the Vistani is as varied as those of any other people, but certain characteristics are prevalent among them. Their complexions are naturally dark and are often made darker by exposure to the sun. Their hair is almost always dark and is usually deep black. Their eyes are usually dark as well, with brown being the most common shade, though hazel and green eyes aren't infrequent.

Lifestyle

The Vistani are a people without a home. They gather together in caravans, the members of which are all part of a single extended family. These caravans wander the Land of Mists, their belongings carried by pack animals or loaded into covered wagons known as vardos. The master of the caravan is called the captain, an adult male Vistani who decides when the caravan makes camp, how long it stays, and where it travels to next. He also delegates responsibility to the other members of the caravan and has the final word in all matters of trade and commerce. Even the captain, however, is subservient to the raunie, the matriarch of the caravan. The raunie is often the oldest female Vistani in the caravan, though this isn't always the cast. The raunie passes judgement and gives sentence when crimes are committed within a caravan, and her voice is listened to and respected in all matters. The raunie is always a seer of some ability and is usually quite adept.

The Vistani don't tend fields and so have learned to take what food they can from the land itself. They're able to identify plants and animals with remarkable facility and have little trouble locating sources of drinking water. They aren't able hunters, preferring to herd cattle and fish to provide meat. They barter and purchase whatever else they need from villages and are not averse to stealing or rustling when times are lean.

The Vistani keep to themselves unless they have something to gain by associating with outsiders. They refer to non-Vistani as giorgio, a word that roughly means "one who is not of the blood". Its usage varies from harshly insulting to mildly patronizing to merely factual. The Vistani as a whole don't hate or dislike giorgio, but they rarely accord them much respect. They simply feel that the giorgio have little to offer besides their coin. To be giorgio is to be ignorant of the world's mysteries, fearful of the unknown, limited in experience, and dependent on others for survival. To be a Vistana, in their view, is to be none of these things. That the giorgio often fear and hate them is a testament to their unenlightened natures. Not every Vistana is capable of being so dispassionate in the face of prejudice, but most Vistani recognize that Vistani are Vistani and giorgio are giorgio, and the two are and always shall be separate. The way things are is the way things are.

In the meantime, the Vistani have no compunctions about cheating, lying, or stealing in their dealings with the giorgio, if they feel such double-dealings are warranted. Vistani laws apply to the Vistani, and giorgio laws apply to the giorgio. This doesn't mean they won't seek justice for a wrong done to them; it just means they won't be surprised when the wrongdoing occurs.

Although those who have crossed them might think otherwise, the Victani aren't an evil people. Nor are they good. They simply are, in the same way the woods they travel through simply are. The Vistani see themselves as a part of nature in a way that giorgio don't; in fact, another meaning of the word giorgio is "unnatural". The Vistani and the giorgio may often be at odds, but this doesn't make one evil or the other good.

Language

The Vistani language is called the patterna. It's an unusual language, a hodgepodge of various humanoid languages and dialects that conveys meanings less with the words spoken than with the intonation and context of the speech. It has a flowing, rhythmic quality when spoken correctly, something for which few giorgio have the knack. The Vistani "script" consists of symbols known as tralaks. Tralaks are carved into trees or scrawled on stones to convey important information to other passing caravans. All tralaks are descriptive, with each one meant to convey a certain quality about the area in which it was written. One tralak is used to warn Vistani of unfriendly giorgio in the area, for instance, while another is used to make a source of fresh water. The Vistani have little other uses for writing, and on the rare occasion when the must write something particularly long or meaningful, they appropriate the script of a giorgio language.

Powers and Weaknesses

The Vistani are an inherently magical people. Where this magic springs from is unknown, though they have their own tales on the subject. It doesn't spring from a divine source, as the Vistani pay homage to no gods. Nor does it resemble arcane spellcasting, as the Vistani have no need for components or spellbooks. The magic of the Vistani seems to be a natural part of their being, even more so for them than for sorcerers. A sorcerer must cast spells, while a Vistana simply acts, and lets the magic take its own course.

Full-blood Vistani are not approved as a player character race.

Curses

Vistani curses are legendary. Everyone fears the Vistani for their power to curse their foes, and no one crosses them lightly. Vistani curses are especially effective.

They favor certain types of curses over others. The most common Vistani curse is a "Scar", an embarrassing or frustrating curse that serves as a constant reminder of the folly of injuring the Vistani. For example, a man who prides himself on his wit, and uses it against a Vistana, might find his tongue swelling any time he attempts to be humorous.

Other common Vistani curses include the Poisoned Carrot, a curse that compels the target to pursue something and at the same time renders the goal impossible to enjoy, and the Doombringer, which causes misfortune to follow the victim everywhere. The most feared Vistani curse is the mishamel, which literally causes the target to melt.

The Vistani can withdraw their curses at will but almost never choose to do so. However, they almost always include an escape clause within the curse, as it renders the curse more effective. Besides, they believe few giorgio are clever enough to make use of escape clauses anyway.

The Sight

Only slightly less fabled than the evil eye is the Vistani power to see into the past and future. Only female Vistani possess this power; Vistani legends hold that men who seek to tell fortunes invite destruction to themselves and their entire caravan.

The method used by the Vistani seer to tell fortunes is entirely up to the individual. Some prefer to use crystal balls, whole others prefer astrology. The most well-known method if the tarokka deck, a deck of cards, each bearing a different archetypal image. Each card has a different meaning to the Vistani, and the order and context in which each card is drawn affects that meaning. Tarokka reading is an art form, and the fortunes told by the tarokka can be quite complex and detailed.

In the end, though, the method used by the seer is only a focus. The true power of fortune-telling lies within the individual, and the accuracy of the fortune depends solely on the skill of the seer.

There is one limitation of note on the power of the Vistani Sight. The Vistani as a whole are unable to see their own past and future with any clarity. They can see themselves in the past or future indirectly, while telling fortunes for others, but these moments will be vague and indistinct. Great though their powers are, even the Vistani are unable to know their own destiny.

The Vistani don't like to discuss these matters, but male Vistani with the power of the Sight are born every so often. They are always put to death immediately. A prescient male is known as a Dukkar, and they are believed to be creatures of great evil. The Vistani have several tales of Dukkars who managed to survive to adulthood, and none of them are pleasant.

Mist Navigation

Vistani have the uncanny ability to navigate their way through the Mists that surround and pervade Ravenloft. The Vistani simply direct their caravan into a bank of mist and emerge a few minutes later in another. The intervening distance can be hundreds of miles, and the Vistani can freely travel between the islands, the clusters, and the Core. The Vistani can take travelers with thim and are usually willing to do so for a price. As the only beings both able to navigate the Mists and willing to profit from the ability, they are free to command almost any price they wish. The voyages through the Mists are always on target, though not always without danger. Many horrors lurks inside the Mists and the Vistani have become accustomed to fighting them off.

Tracking Magic

While the Vistani are often skilled at mundane forms of tracking, more impressive is the Vistani ability to mystically track an individual across great distances. Common foci for this power are divining rods and lodestones. The ability appears to be infallible no matter the distance to target. If the Vistani want to find you, they will. Magical protection against detection or location can block this power, but the Vistani are clever enough to use indirect methods if necessary, such as tracking down the target's friends or allies.

Static Burn

The Vistani are compelled to stay mobile. This isn't a mere psychological compulsion, but is an actual physical affliction. Vistani who stay within a mile of any point for longer than a week begin to fall ill. The illness, resembling a flu or fever, is not life threatening or seriously debilitating, but it's only a symptom of the true problem. After a few days to a week, the Vistani loses all of her magical powers, and they can never be regained. These Vistani are known as mortu, a word whose closest translation is "living dead". To the Vistani, the mortu are no longer Vistani, but are instead akin to giorgio. Mortu are despondent and restless at best, mentally unbalanced at worst.

Tasques and Tribes

The Vistan ican be divided into three groups, each sharing similar cultures, attitudes, and ways of life. These groups are called tasques. The three tasques are the Kaldresh, the Boem, and the Manusa. Each tasque is further divided into tribes. The exact number of Vistani tribes isn't known for certain but at least three exist in the Kaldresh and two each in Boem and Manusa tasques.

Kaldresh

The Vistani of the Kaldresh tasque are generally the most practical of the Vistani, concerning themselves more with crafts and trade than entertainment or mysticism. They tend to be physically fit and well suited for long travel and hard labor. They are pragmatic and somber in both dress and demeanor, eschewing unnecessary ostention.

The Kaldresh are polite to giorgio and put up with insults and harassment that Vistani of other tasques wouldn't likely suffer. This is merely an extension of their practicality, as they recognize the importance and necessity of giorgio coin. This is not to say they're friendly with giorgio; they suffer their company but almost never accept them as friends.

The Kaldresh are the tasque least concerned with mystical matters, but they're not without powers of their own. They're extremely long lived, and indeed, the Kaldresh believe they're removed from time altogether. They don't appear to mean this metaphorically, and their powers of fortune-telling would seem to support their beliefs. A Kaldreshite seer is able to see events far in the past or in the future as if they were occurring now, and to the Kaldresh that may indeed seem to be the case.

The Kaldresh also have an unusual talent for locating conflict. Wherever blood is about to be spilled in war, it seems as though they have already arrived, ready to sell weapons or provide healing to soldiers.

The Kaldresh survive by crafting goods and performing services for the giorgio. Each tribe of the Kaldresh specializes in a different craft. Many of their crafts go to supply armies on the march. In many ways, the Kaldresh remove the necessity for supply wagons, as they always seem to have what an army might need and seem to be there to provide it. This is a profitable skill for the Kaldresh but it gives them an unfortunate reputation as feasters on human misery. Giorgio who know of the Kaldresh often call them "carrion crows". Some even claim that they cause conflicts just so they can profit from them. The Kaldresh ignore these insults, knowing that the giorgio need no encouragement to fight amongst themselves.

When no wars are being fought, the Kaldresh set up camp on the edge of villages. They sell their goods at prices just low enough to undercut the local merchants, earning them no small amount of enmity. After a few days, they pack up and move on to the next town.

There are three known tribes within the Kaldresh tasque; the Kamii, the Equaar, and the Vatraska.

• The Kamii are excellent metalworkers, rivaling dwarves in their skills. They craft and sell weapons, armor, metal jewelry, tools... virtually anything made of metal can be found and purchased at a Kamii camp. They don't create magic items and therefore rarely have them for sale, but they do craft and sell excellent weapons. The Kamii also sell "cursed" weapons to those who insult or displease them. These weapons appear to be normal, even high-quality, but are subtly and skillfully flawed.
• The Equaar are expert animal breeders, handlers, and trainers. When traveling they resemble nothing so much as shepherds, working to make sure their disparate flocks and packs of animals don't wander off. Virtually any kind of animal can be bought at an Equaar camp, including ones that have already been trained. This includes riding animals such as horses and ponies, pack animals such as donkeys and mules, and hunting animals such as dogs and falcons. Equaar horses are particularly prized and sell for at least twice as much as standard horses. They're worth the cost, however, as each is fully trained to obey a variety of commands. Equaar horses bond with their owners quickly and accept no other riders. All of the Equaar have natural skills with animals and are also known to sell their services as trackers.
• The Vatraska are healers and herbalists. They're a small tribe, and their caravans are difficult to find. Even when found, they may be mistaken for the Kamii, for they supplement their healing arts with blacksmithing and tinkering, though they don't approach the skill of the Kamii. All Vatraska are trained from a young age in the healing arts. They specialize in brewing healing potions, but virtually any variety of potion can be found at their camps. They are also excellent makers of poisons and sell them with no questions asked. Their dual nature as healers and sellers of poisons may seem like a contradition, but the Vatraska act out of neither altruism nor malevolence. They simply do what they must to survive.

Boemians

Unlike the Kaldresh, the Boemians strive for ostentation. They lack the Kaldreshite talents for crafts, so they turn to services instead, and the service they specialize in is entertainment. The Boem flair for entertainment pervades their lives. Boem caravans are constantly accompanied by music. The people sing as they go about their daily business. Their vardos are heavily decorated and their clothing is brightly colored. Even giorgio who far and hate the Vistani can't help but be entrances by the sounds and sights of a passing Boem caravan.

The Boemians are a passionate people, and their moods shift abruptly. In public, out among the giorgio, the Boemians are charming, lively, and romantic. They're open and friendly, but cultivate just enough mystery to leave the giorgio curious and eager. In private, amongst only themselves, the Boemians are dark, angry, and brooding. They lament having to play the clowns for foolish townspeople who despise them. They bitterly deride giorgio for their settled lifestyle, yet they're equally jealous that they have no home to call their own. Boem camps are quiet and tense with a palpable feeling of anger in the air. They don't sing at night as they do in the day, instead telling tales of tragedy and horror. The Boemians are a tormented people, yet every morning they find the resolve to go forth and make merry once more.

The Boemians don't take a very mystical view of themselves or the world. They don't see themselves as removed from time as the Kaldresh do, and indeed their life spans appear to be much shorter than those of the Kaldresh. For them, time marches on inexorably and immovably, and no creature is capable of escaping it. This doesn't mean the Boemians lack the Kaldreshite skill at fortune-telling, however. Indeed, if the past and future are fixed and certain, as the Boem believe, all one has to do is map their course. Boemian seers are often able to see specific moments in the past or future with total clarity, but what lies between then and now may be a mystery. How well a seer guesses at what lies between then and now is the true measure of her skill.

The Boemians seem to radiate a calming influence on others. Having negative feelings in the presence of a Boemian is difficult to dos. Anyone in the presence of a Boemian must make a Charisma sace (DC 15) each round to maintain a negative feeling such as anger, suspicion, or hatred. Those who fail find those feelings suddenly dissipate, scattered by the Boemians natural likability. This effect is similar to charm person and any being immune to that spell is unaffected. Individuals with a specific reason to hate or dislike the Boemian, or Boemians as a whole, have advantage on the save and need only save once to be immune for the rest of the encounter.

The Boemians are, above all, performers. Virtually anyting that might serve to entertain can be found at a Boem camp. Indeed, a Boem camp resembles a carnival more than it does a caravan. Musical performances, plays, acts of prestidigitation, fortune-telling, and more can all be seen for a small price. The Boemians supplement these performances by selling a variety of trinkets and potions. They lack the skill of the Kaldresh in crafting such things, but they'd never tell a giorgio that. They're quite skilled at making even worthless junk seem like priceless treasure.

The Boemians also offer other, more illicit services. Thievery, smuggling, and even kidnappings or assassinations can be contracted at Boem camps, if one seeks them out. The Boemians don't advertise such services, but they have an uncanny knack for sniffing out and pulling aside interested buyers.

The Boem tasque consists of two known tribes, the Naiat and the Corvara.

• The Naiat, like the Equaar, are well known for their animal handling skills, but where the Equaar raise them for sale, the Naiat train animals to serve as entertainment. Bear wrestling is a popular sport in Naiat camps and audiences thrill to the tricks performed by Naiat trained dogs and horses. Additionally, most every Naiat camp contains at least one skilled illusionist who can craft amazing, if imaginary, vistas and experiences for giorgio customers.
• The Corvara aren't particularly adept at any openly marketable skills. Even their showmanship is inferior to that of the Naiat, though they try to compensate for that by offering unsavory diversions such as gambling, drinking, narcotic dens, and cock-fighting. They have also perfect the art of con artistry and seek to bilk giorgio out of every last coin they possibly can. Inevitably they start to grate on their hosts beyond the ability of natural Boem charm to repair, and thus they tend to relocate much more often than the average Vistani tribe.

Manusa

The Manusa are the most exotic and aloof of the three tasques. Their numbers are far fewer than those of the other tasques, with perhaps as few as one caravan representing each tribe. Unlike other Vistani tasques, they don't market goods or services to the giorgio. Seeking their company is a wasted effort, for they're never found unless they wish to be, and they usually wish to be alone. Even other Vistani find the Manusa impossible to track down.

When they are encountered, the Manusa are taciturn and distant. They rarely answer questions, and when they do their responses are cryptic. When they wish to speak, their words are direct and brief, with no time wasted on pleasantries. They care little for their appearance and are often disheveled and dirty as a result. They grow their hair long, and the men don't trim their beards or mustaches. The men dress in simple wool robes and caps, whole the women wear colorful dresses and scarves. The Manusa appear old on average than most Vistani, and more burned and beaten by the weather. Their eyes are bright and piercing.

The known powers of the Manusa are vast, and it's almost a certainty they possess other powers that remain mysterious. The Manusa appear to be able to manipulate time as if it were a plaything. While the Kaldresh stand removed from time, and the Boemians know it as an irresitable force, the Manusa bend it to suit their whims. They can see through time as others might through a window, walk through it as others might through a doorway. They can even take others with them if they choose. Time is so malleable to them as to be almost meaningless.

The Manusa also seem to be able to command the very Mists themselves, a power at least as impressive and daunting as their control over time. They can cause the Mists to rise at will and can use them to travel to any part of Ravenloft they wish in an instant.

The nature of these powers is a mystery, and it may be best that remains so. The Manusa don't appear inclined to use their powers for personal gain; any others who managed to gain hold of their secrets would almost certainly lack their restraint.

The Manusa don't have a craft in the way the Kaldresh and Boemians do. They don't interact with the giorgio with any frequency and seem able to provide for themselves in all respects. When the Manusa seek out a giorgio, it's almost certainly because they wish to request a service, not because they wish to provide one.

There are two tribes in the Manusa tasque: the Canjar and the Zarovan.

• All members of the Canjar tribe possess an innate talent for magic. Every adult can cast magic of some kind. In light of their other powers, the Canjar rarely seek to develop this to its fullest extent. Still, they're effective spellcasters and are believed to have many spells known only to themselves. They're superb crafters of magic items, but such things are never available for sale. They might provide them as payment for services or as gifts to extraordinary individuals.
• Even other Vistani fear the Zarovan, for tto the Zarovan other Vistani are as ignorant and helpless as the giorgio. The Zarovan bear their cousins no ill will, but the Zarovan are the source of all Vistani magic. All the special abilities that separate the Vistani from the giorgio are said to flow from the Zarovan, and the Zarovan are thought to be able to cut or redirect that flow as they wish. Fearful of this power, the Vistani honor and respect the Zarovan while at the same time trying to avoid their attention.