Category:Vistani

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

The Vistani are a human sub-race of gypsy wanderers who centuries ago adopted the Land of the Mists as their home. It in turn has adopted them, granting them several unique abilities that command respect and inspire fear. It is possible that their place or origin either is lost to them or is mythical. It is suggested that they can still venture beyond the Land of the Mists and they have been encountered on Gothic Earth in particular.

The Vistani are a stateless ethnic group, tightly bound together by ties of blood and of culture. Individual vistani are not assigned a nationality even if the state of their birth is known. A vistani baby adopted by a family of giorgio or one raised by its parents within the confines a single domain would, however, be assigned a nationality. The Vistani are rigorously divided into three tasques and further subdivided 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.

Curse

Bitterblot

Evil Eye

The Sight

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

Bigotry Against Vistani

The hunting of Vistani is the passion of Malocchio Aderre, who is in fact 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 few 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.^[1]

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 unequaled 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

This section contains Potential-canon info, revealed by the creators from never-published sources

The Blind Gypsy

John W. Mangrum's Vistani Lore^[2]

This section contains Homebrew non-canon info, created by fans

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.

Chronology

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

• 455 BC The Vistana Maruschka born to the Zarovan tribe. (She will eventually take Eva’s place as Raunie.) ^[3]

• 470 BC - The Vistani appear in Barovia for the first time.^[4][5][6] Madame Eva and Strahd form an alliance.^[7][5][6]

• 475 BC - Madame Eva's grandson Petya brings Jander Sunstar to the Tser Camp. After Eva detects his vampire nature, she forbids him from ever coming back and marks him as a foe of her people should they meet again. She also informs Petya and Maruschka of Jander's unnatural nature.^[8]

• 477 BC Maruschka comes into the full Sight. ^[9]

• 495 BC - Jacqueline Montarri murders Madame Eva and is horrifically cursed. Madame Maruschka becomes the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe. (Note that Madame Eva is still seen after this; this can be accounted for by her tribe’s existence in non-linear time.) ^[10]

• 542 BC - Strahd discusses the potential threat Azalin poses with Madame Ilka, the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe (Maruschka having apparently died at some point in the last 40 years). ^[11]
  

• 671 BC - Howard Lumley employs some Vistani thieves to retrieve a manuscript called Notes on Animation from Lamordia for him.^[12]
  

• 693 BC The darkling Brinn alerts Wort to the existence of the Bell of Doom (Wort). He is later freed from the dungeons of Nartok Keep by Jadis. However, Brinn is soon thereafter caught and executed by the three Vistani sages Varith, Karin, and Riandra as punishment for tempting others with the Artifacts of Darkness. The Soulstone is captured by Steffan, one of the Clan of Karin, Riandra, and Varith.^[13]

• 706 BC - For his inability to save Radovan Radanavich, Dr. Van Richten suffers the wrath of the Radanavich clan; the Vistani steal his son Erasmus; they sell Erasmus to Baron Metus^[14], a vampire from Richemulot; with the help of an amused Azalin, Van Richten wipes out all but one member of the Radanavich caravan^[15]; Madame Radanavich curses Van Richten^[14], although he doesn’t realize it until the end of his career.^[16]
  
• 716 BC - The evil spirit of Madame Radanavich and her undead retinue discover Richten Haus and claim it for their own.^[17]
  

• 720 BC - In Barovia, Lord Soth kills all of a Vistani Tribe except for the young Magda Ilyanova Kulchevich. Her life is spared on the condition she act as a guide for Soth. After traveling through Barovia and Gundarak, Magda escapes Soth and his sidekick Azrael Dak.^[18]

• 720 BC-722 BC - Magda Kulchevich spends two years fleeing from Gundarakite bounty hunters and the minions of Duke Gundar. Along the way, she begins gathering aa group Vistani followers that will eventually become the inter-tribe group known as the Wanderers.^[18]

• 726 BC - The evil spirit of Madame Radanavich and her undead retinue discover Richten Haus and claim it for their own.^[19]
  

• 729 BC - After Gabrielle Aderre leaves her mother, Isabella Aderre, to die at the hands of a werewolf, the Mists take Gabrielle to Invidia, where she faces and kills Bakholis, becoming Invidia's new darklord and ruler.^[20]

• 730 BC - Alfred Timothy becomes darklord of Verbrek after killing a Vistani woman whom only wished to help him. This person was implied by the Kargat (Real World) to be Isabella Aderre.
  

• 735 BC Hyskosa, the first known dukkar, completes his hexad, a prediction of the Grand Conjunction to come in the following years.^[21]

• 736 BC - In Gundarak, Magda Kulchevich gives birth to Inza Kulchevich on the same night Duke Gundar is assassinated.^[22]

• 736 BC - Adventurers steal the Portrait of Marquis Stezen d'Polarno and eventually give it the Vistani. The adventurers' description of their encounter with d'Polarno causes civil unrest.^[23]

• 737 BC - The Vistana Cyrilla's niece Vassa is kidnapped near Corvia.^[24]

• 737 BC - Vassa returns as a clay golem; Cyrilla writes to Dr. Van Richten.^[25]

• 738 BC - An older Magda Kulchevich, now a raunie of her troop of Wanderers, brings her caravan to Sithicus and receives official protection from former foe Lord Soth.^[26]

• 738 BC - Madame Bodoni passes away, leaving Dulcimae, her inexperienced daughter, as raunie of her family. A few weeks later, they are drawn into Har'Akir along with other foreigners by Senmet's will.^[27]

• 739 BC - Luc Tarascon gets his fortune told by the Vistani woman Valana. She provides him with the 4th Verse of Hyskosa's Hexad. Using this information, Luc and Marcel Tarascon explore underground tombs to locate the the Hyskosa Scroll.^[28]

• 740 BC - The Grand Conjunction^[29][30] For their failure to prevent it, Madame Eva curses the entire Tribe of Hyskosa to become darklings.^[31]

• 740 BC - Arabela, a Mortu, comes to Carnival and pledges her allegiance to Isolde. In order to protect herself and her people from the Twisting, Arabela crafts the Skurra-verra paints.^[32]

• 741 BC^[16] - Dr. Van Richten is depressed; he consults with the diviner, Inarin Alster; Rudolph realizes he had been laboring under a curse all these years; Dr. Van Richten spends a year with Arturi Radanavich studying the Vistani.^[33]

• 742 BC the Gentleman Caller sends an assassin to murder Arabela. Although she is killed, the secret of creating Skurra-vera masks lives on, and Isolde apprehends the killer.^[32]

• 742 BC - October Dr. Van Richten writes his Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani and retires.^[16]

• 743 BC - The Skurra known as the Crimson Rose joins Carnival. Her son, called simply the Familiar, is born soon thereafter and has the Skurra-verra paint applied to his face as soon as he is born.^[34]

• 745 BC The Vistani Tribe of Marda flees persecution in G'Henna. Marda stays behind to advise the Circle of Darkness, but Callian, her sister, meets her demise accosting some adventurers.^[35]

• 746 BC - The Gentleman Caller beguiles Gabrielle Aderre and sires Malocchio Aderre with her.^[20]

• 746 BC - Nikolas is assaulted and beaten by some miners from the Veidrava Salt Mines. Inza witnesses it but tells nobody until after the search is on. Inza gloats to Piotr, believing he will share in the enjoyment of Nikolas' suffering. Piotr is appalled and tells the search party of Nikolas' predicament, but not Inza's betrayal. Inza lies about Piotr being the one who witnessed the beating. Piotr is almost exiled, but Nikolas interjects on his behalf. Still, Inza escapes with her treachery unpunished.^[36]

• 747 BC - Spring' Malocchio Aderre, the second known Dukkar, is born.^[37]

• 747 BC - Malocchio is recognized as the new dukkar.^{[38][39][29][30]} Madame Eva and the Zarovan Tribe bind him to Invidia with the Sphere of Binding.^[40] Malocchio usurps political rule over the domain from his mother Gabrielle Aderre.^[29][30] He then launches a pogrom of genocide against the Vistani to enact his vengeance.^[41]

• 749 BC - Surviving members of the Ebon Fold murder the Romenza Family in Lekar, inadvertently leaving Vito Romenza the sole survivor.^[42]

• 750 BC - Dr. Rudolph Van Richten dies in Bleak House in the fight against Madame Radanavich^[43]

• 750 BC - Carnival saves the Skurra known as Scream from the Dukkar's mercenaries, and she, Leer, and Pry form the Fates Three.^[44]

• 750 BC - Midyear Gabrielle Aderre and the Gundarakite rebels capture Castle Hunadora. Her hold on the Gundarakite rebels is strong, and they rebuke Malocchio's retaliation. Stymied against the rebels, Malocchio turns his eyes back to his pogrom against the Vistani^[45]

• 750 BC - Under Malocchio Aderre, Invidia negotiates a military alliance with Falkovnia. Aderre employs Falkovnian soldiers to boost his mercenary forces and help exterminate the Vistani.^[46]

• 751 BC-752 BC - Azrael Dak conspires with Inza Kulchevich and Malocchio Aderre for the overthrow of Lord Soth, the destruction of the Wanderers, and the delivery of all the Vistani in Sithicus to Malocchio.^[47] Malocchio gives Novgor to Azrael as a symbol of their alliance. Inza trades a stone giant slave named Nabon to Azrael for Novgor.^[48]

• 752 BC - Inza Kulchevich betrays the Wanderers. She sabotages Gard using Novgor. She then instigates the salt shadows to attack the Wanders' camp. Gard's power fails, and it shatters as Magda Kulchevich tries to protect her tribe. She perishes in the battle. Following the attack, Inza manipulates some of Malocchio's ogres into attacking the surviving Wanderers in order to gain the personal protection of Lord Soth.^[49]

• 752 BC - The Night of Screaming Shadows Shortly after Madga Kulchevich's death, Azrael Dak enacts his ritual to gain control of Sithicus's shadows. However, he is disrupted by Ganelon. The shadows coalesce and besiege Nedragaard Keep, tearing it apart and seemingly destroying Soth.^[47] Inza's treachery is revealed to Nabon and the three remaining Wanderers. To escape their wrath, she jumps into the Great Chasm, right into the thick of the gathering darkness. She survives the impact but becomes the new darklord of Sithicus. The Wanderers swear revenge.^[50]

• 753 BC - Burgomaster Shaithis Vosrovna is executed by none other than Count Strahd von Zarovich himself. Vosrovna's crimes were manipulating adventurers into slaying a local Vistana, at once abusing her authority and violating the law of the land.^[51]
  

• 755 BC, Valana, now raunie of the cursed Tribe of Hyskosa, attempts to prevent Balitor and others of Azalin's minions to restore Azalin. Her mission fails.^[52]
  

• 757 BC - The incursion of Malocchio's mercenaries into Borca drives Ivan Dilisnya up the wall. By this year, he has commissioned his own killers for hire to terminate any Invidians that come over the border looking for Vistani.^[53]

• 758 BC - Several darklings, all members of the Tribe of Hyskosa, confront "S" in the Balinok Mountains and deliver her a warning.^[54]
  

The Vistani on Gothic Earth

The Vistani exist on Gothic Earth much as they do in Ravenloft.^[55] On Gothic Earth, they function as a Chaotic Neutral qabal. However. they are split into no less than twenty-four tribes (as presented in the original Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales boxed set. The tribes are differentiated only by a vague symbology rather than precise identification symbols as with other qabals.^[56] As of the 3rd Edition hardback book version of the campaign setting, the Vistani are but a singular clan of much smaller numbers than in the Land of Mists. This version of the Vistani cherish giomorgo children much more than they do elsewhere.^[57]

The connection between the Vistani of Ravenloft and the Vistani of Gothic Earth have varied by game source. In the 2nd Edition Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales boxed set, what connection (if any) the Gothic Earth Vistani may have to their counterparts in Land of Mists are unknown. If the Gothic Earth Vistani have knowledge of their relatives in the Land of Mists, they have never discussed it with those outside their kin. The Vistani have their practitioners of magic- adepts (usually qabalists) or mystics (usually mediums.) Their spells. psychic abilities, and magical powers seem unaffected by the Red Death.^[55]

On the other hand in the 3rd Edition hardback book version of the campaign setting, the Vistani came through a a dimensional hole opened by the conjuration the Red Death to Gothic Earth^[58] from the Demiplane of Dread.^[59] The Vistani seer Neferi led her people from the Land of Mists into the sands of Ancient Egypt. Yet this knowledge has been forgotten by all save for a tiny handful of lorekeepers, even among the Vistani.^[60]

References

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