AD&D - Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Vol 3 (2e)

-William Bliss Carman
“A Vagabond Song”

important is the corollary idea which
postulates that those who exiled the
Vistani were flawed themselves, if not

evil altogether. Such myths explain

do not believe that any much about the attitudes and demeanor
of the Vistani, who are at once a contrite
Vistana (for that ISthe
singular term, while Vistani and defiant race. Stained by some
primordial failing, they are nonetheless
is the plural) could be scornful of those who judge them, for in
convinced to settle down
their mythos, the judges are certainly no
a permanent home; a spirit of better. It is to these conflicting influences

-I

freedom and wanderlust permeates
every fiber of his or her being. In a very in their history that the Vistani attribute
real sense, a Vistana who ceases to their dread power to lay curses.

wander also ceases to be a Vistana. The unique skills celebrated in legend
variants essentially define each “nation”
Nevertheless, every tribe has a of Vistani peoples. I use the term nation
legend of a homeland, recalled in
bittersweet fondness and told in a voice with hesitation, knowing it conjures in the

animated by a spark of wistful hope, as reader images of land ownership and
settlement. I prefer tasques, the term the
if the eternal drifters expect to one day
regain their blissful seat and never leave Vistani use among themselves, to
designate cultural and familial separation.
it again. Each night, when the indigo
heavens shimmer with stars, they gather Chapter Three describes in great detail
! around their bonfire for a ritual they call the three tasques that wander this land of
the prasfonata, wherein the Vistani ours, and the distinctive tribes within
dance and sing until the children’s heads them, but at this point I shall only name
begin to nod. Finally, as the flames wink them. The tasques are the Kaldresh
out, leaving behind a bed of embers that (CALL dresh), providers of services; the
radiates waves of red and orange, the Boemians (boh AY me anz), the
entertainers: and the Manusa (mah NEW
musicians rest and the tribal elders sah), the workers of arcane powers.
begin the doroq, telling tales of the
home they left behind in days beyond The final universal motif in Vistani
folklore is an immense sadness which
memory. Time upon time they recount belies their often idyllic lifestyle. Since I
these same stories. I am sure the
children hear them even in their dreams, am not “of the blood,” as they say, I
so the words will never be lost, although cannot ever fully comprehend this
their subject may never be found. internal dichotomy. A Vistana is
I have heard many Vistani legends,
characterized by self-imposed
nomadism, yet beneath this veneer of
some translated by a Vistana youth who
whispered in my ear while the elder spoke complete freedom lies a perplexed
yearning for something which can never
in the pafferna,their curious “patchwork” be. Quite often, we giorgios detect a
language. The stories are masterpieces of
folklore, lovely and varied, yet I have faraway look in Vistani eyes, and

come to perceive common threads attribute it to vision that somehow
transcends our own. I rather suspect
among them, in addition to their focus
upon a lost homeland. they are forever preoccupied with
questions that pierce them to the heart,
Most significant of these threads is
the notion that the Vistani have been and to which they have no answers.
It would be a simple thing to fill the
severed from their roots for some crime pages of this book with captivating
committed aaainst the aods or some Vistani legends, but I have chosen the
I I

other superior being. Almost as

following three myths to document the were his spoils of war, get his defeat
points I have made above. was thrust upon us. lnthe land called
Transyl, the conqueror was crushed by
fie Yinqtishell C o n q t ~ w warriors o f a nameless god, and all his
legions were made slaoes.
The tale of a great subjugator who led
the Vistani far from their homes, only to We were not, ourselves, brought into
abandon them to fate4his story is bondage, for Vistan was not our king, but
eloquently recited with only slight neither were we allowed to return to the
variations by the Kamii, Equaar, and home forge, for the Transylites decreed
Vatraska tribes, which are all members that none should return with word of
of the Kaldresh tasque. The Vistani were what had befallen Vistan and his armies.
not soldiers-indeed, no Vistana I have “Vistani” they named us, and made us
ever met accounted himself a warrior- [beggars], and promised they would
but rather smiths, animal handlers, and murder us if our uardos ewer faced east.
healers, on which a far-ranging army
depends. In this tale, their “crime” was Then Kaldresh rose among us and
following a failed champion, for which
they were stranded far from their native spoke of a vision which taught him that
land. Cut off from the way back by the world was round, and he promised
spiteful giorgios, they wander, forlorn we should find the home forge if we
and hungry, in search of a new path to continued moving always west.
the “home forge.”
Vistan was not our king, nor was he
Of particular interest in the following
myth is the name of the conqueror: our enemy, yet foreuer w e bear his
Vistan, from which the Kaldresh derive the name and his fate, for the world is truly
name given to them by giorgios. I asked
one Vatraska captain (not “chief“) if his /kfan,d we shall neuersee our
tribe accepted or rejected the term Vistani,
and he answered, “The ignorant know not homeland again.
how to address their betters, and there is
little profit in correcting them.” As an interesting aside, the Zarovan tribe
(of the Manusa &que) tells a variant of
Note that bracketed additions are this myth in which a great warrior by the
necessary when translating the Vistani name of Strahd (presumably an ancestor
patterna, as much of that language is of Barovia’s Lord Zarovich) actually
composed of concepts which have no conquered the world, but he would not
direct translation into other tongues. See give the Vistani a place in it because they
my notes in Chapter Two for examples. had never sworn allegiance to him. In this
case, however, the Vistani were forever
The Tale of Vistan trapped within Strahd‘s new realm, never
Vistan was not our king, nor was he our to see their beloved home forge again.
enemy, but his ambition was great and
his army mighty. Westuard he marched The Forlorn Wanderer
before thousands oflegions, to conquer The Naiat and Corvara tribes, which both
the world and make it his own. identify themselves as members of the
Boem tasque, are perhaps the most self-
Vistan was not our king, nor was he pitying of the Vistani peoples. In the pri-
vacy of their camps, there is a sour
our enemy, but his [resources] were great bitterness in the tone of their voices,
and his army well provisioned. Westward which scorns the world and flouts author-
we followed him, to forge his weapons (or ity. When they engage in the prastonata,
“shoe his horses,’’ or “heal his wounded,” dancing for their own entertainment,the
depending on the tribe telling the story). music and choreography are tempestu-
ous, filled with barely constrained rage
Vistan was not our king, nor was he and heart-rending anguish. Similarly, their
our enemy. His cause was not ours, nor tales are dark and tragic, as if glory itself
were but a flickering pinpoint of light in a

A

Y ii

The song of the forlorn wanderer, tasque are most prone to lash out at the
commonly called “The Splintering” world, for they are bitter over their lot,
among the Boemians, is a s woeful a even though they would not accept
parable a s I have ever heard. Its rhythms another lifestyle. The Boemians are
and intonations in the patterna are remi- largely responsible for the Vistani repu-
niscent of the Vistani violin, with strains tation of being thieves and cutthroats, if
that pierce the spirit and evoke tears any such infamy is deserved. In particu-
with the silver clarity of their mournful lar, the families of the Corvara tribe are
note. I find it ironic in the extreme that known a s vendors of poison, confidence
the Boemians are entertainers, engen- racketeers, and smugglers. If a person
dering mirth and festivities a s they desires to acquire certain objects and
travel; their lore is anything but cheerful. services of little interest or use to
respectable folk-spying, forbidden lore,
The Splinterhg evil potions, skeleton keys, and so
Why do you [wander], 0 maker of music? forth-it is common knowledge that the
Why do your strings weep? Corvara know where such commodities
Why do you starue? may be located, and such is their bitter-
Because I haue no home. ness toward life that no sense of moral-
Because I haoe no hope. ity stays their hands.
Because I haue no [harvest] to reap.
Where are your roots, 0 [wandering] slave? I must momentarily pause and
Where are your ancestors? submit that my opinions in this
Where are your gardens ofplenty? particular subject may be biased: The
Radanavich family that stole my son
Torn from the soil. belonged to the Corvara tribe.
Torn from the memory.
Torn from the feeble hands of my children. The Spiteful Gods
The Manusa tasque, including the Canjar
How can this be, 0 tearful wretch? and Zarovan tribes, are easily the most
How can this happen? willful of the Vistani. Although Manusa
How can this go on? lore also bemoans the Vistani fate to
Because I [murdered] my friend. wander the world, it embraces that fate
Because I [murdered] my comfort. with a great deal more enthusiasm than
Because I (murdered] my place in the sun. do stories told by other tasques. An
unquenchable courage pervades Manusa
Why did you do this, 0 miserable one? legends, and a tenacity which would defy
Why did you [murder]? the powers that rule the universe.
Why did you [kill] one you called friend?
“The War for All Time” pits the
He stole my true loue. Vistani not against the rest of the world,
He stole my own heart. but against all beings in the universe, be
He stole my only reason to live. they mortal or divine. Having learned
secrets that cannot be unlearned, the
What will you do, 0 cursed fool? Vistani find themselves exiles in every
What will you suffer? world. Ultimately they emerge
What will you do to make amends? victorious, though, for they have
learned to relish the new lifethrust upon
Nothing but [wander]. them, and they retain those powers that
Nothing but starve. elevate them above other mortals.
Nothing but play my melancholy violin.
The War for All Time
When will it end, 0 pitiable fetch? In peace and jog, all mortals liued
When will it rest?
When will it all be over for you?

Neuer, never, never, neve6 never. . .

-shared a love of creation. Toaether the-u all beings, for s h e could see the future,

made the uniuerse, in which to dance and she foresaw that the gods and
the prastonata a n d /multiply]. The gods
created all the lands, while mortals mortals would not [coexist] foreuer:

forged many a n /artifice] with which to Manusa saw that the spiteful gods
would eventually cast ail mortals from
tend them. the land of eternal light, and abandon
But the gods reserued the creation
them in the universe they had created,
of time to themselues, saying it was a n d s h e laughed at the miserable fate of
not a mortal’s lot to have power ouer both gods and mortals.
the past a n d future, but only to iive in
We are the children of Manusa! We
the present. Mortals were content
are neither mortal nor divine. We are
with that lot, for the uniuerse held wanderers in the world and through
everything they ever needed to live the /void]. We are unknown to mortals
in peace a n d joy. and unfettered by gods. We are

Out of the [void] came dark powers, merchants on the road of time, selling
the past to gods a n d the future to
the shadows of the gods, who
whispered in mortals’ ears, telling Lhem mortals.
they would be gods themselves if they
controlled the past and the future. They

inflamed mortals’ hearts with visions of
power, a n d made them fearful of the

gods, fearful of their lack of control over
time. At last, the mortals and the dark
powersjoined to make war against the
gods for all time. Only Manusa, mother
of our tasque, defied her mortal kind

a n d stood with the gods.
Though the mortals and the shadows

of the gods lacked the power to ouer-

throw the gods, their destruction across
the universe was terrible, which smote
the gods to their hearts. In the end, the
gods enabled Manusa to see the past
and the future, that she might walk
among the mortals and forecast the
doom of their creation, and the end of

the uniuerse.
Then the mortals were ashamed.

Then they rejected the whisperings of
the dark powers. They begged
forgiveness of the gods, a n d the dark
powers were driven back to the /void/.

When peace a n djoy returned to the
land of eternal light, the gods regretted
telling the secrets oftime to Manusa, but
they could not take back what had
been freely given. So they joined with

the mortals and drove Manusa from the
land, cast her into the [void], a n d gave
her to the dark powers who clamored

for revenge.
But Manusa would not give up.

Manusa would not die. Manusa

. @ wandered in the /void/ alone, fearless of

9

c7n a// he endlerc road you tread -Alfred Edward Housman
“A Shropshire L a d
(Z‘hcre‘r nothi3 but the nrqht
L

n spite of isolationist As to the commonality of their
arcane powers-the ability to curse,
I:_ tendencies, there remain cast fortunes, and so on-my only
-’ guess (aside from the obvious one, that
1innumerable observable they are indeed interrelated) is an ironic
similarities in Vistani one: Universal rejection by giorgios has
lifestyles which bind all the brought them closer together, and they
l,.issiA~,. qether as a single people. It is have combined their knowledge for
tO these points I direct the reader’s mutual protection, giving us true cause
attention in this chapter, beginning with to fear them.
broad generalizations. They all own the
name “Vistani,” of course, a word in A hard heart within my breast reinforced
the wail between Arturi Radanauich and
their patterna that translates as myself during our first two weeks on the
“human” or “thinking creature.” They road, as w e sought first contact with the
Vistani. Jhe outcast and Ispoke very
also share an ability to generate thick little or not at ail, adopting the reserued
familiarity of people who are forced
fog and travel through it to distant together, but are sure they will never see
one another again.
realms (mist nauigation; see Chapter
Five), All Vistani practice fortune-telling It was not until we approached a
Kamii tribe, late one aflernoon, that the
to some extent, and all of them can wall finally cracked. After I assured the
captain and raunie (female leader) ofmy
invoke the evil eye (see Chapter Four). good intentions, the Vistani cautiously
And, of course, all Vistani are possessed agreed to grant me the boon of spending
of the dread power to lay curses on a night in their encampment Suddenly,
other people in the most terrible ways
Arturi was my ambassador; my
(see Chapter Four).
One can also easily infer all Vistani translator, my cultural interpreter.I began
are related culturally if one notes the to undemtand and appreciate what he

common presence of various belongings. was doing, gently nudging the Kamii
For example, the construction of their and me toward each other; urging us to
hold in check our fears. He became a
wagons, called uardos, is remarkably source of moral supportas I trembled and
he asked my firstfew questions of his
similar from tribe to tribe, and virtually
all of them use such trappings as the former people, granting reassurance that
he would prevent misunderstandings
tarokka cards of fate. and subsequent hostilities.
It is possible that all these similarities
occur not because the Vistani are, at Jhen, when the sun set and the
captain sparked to life what would grow
their base, the same people, but into a merry bonfire, Arturi suddenly
because they all share they same stood and walked touard the deepening
lifestyle. They have no doubt shared woods. I struggled to my own feet and
and adopted one another’s daily habits asked where he was going.
through centuries of crossed paths,
He replied simply, “The sun is going
gravitating toward the most efficient
way to live as they all do. Hence, the

round-topped uardo is the wagon design
most serviceable to their daily lives, the
nightly campfire is the best place to

pass on their culture to future
generations, and so forth.

I Indeed, the highly ritualized customs
of the Vistani have allowed me to note
"No," said a Vistana beside me. "He certain similarities between one tribe
and the next, which in turn demonstrate
is outcast." similarities to a third, and so on. By
At that moment more than any other, establishing a chain of common
practices, I have proceeded to the
the full weight of my curse-spoken all
those years ago-smote my heart like hypothesis that most or all Vistani share
an unholy mace. Before I could piead for most or all rituals of which I shall write.
him, Arturi held up his hand to me in a
Of course, Arturi has reinforced my
gesture of silence. He smiled sadly, theories with corroborating testimony in
many cases.
turned, and disappeared into the forest.
-From the private journal of Unfortunately, much of Vistani
Dr. Van Richten culture remains a mystery to us giorgios
because the origins of their rituals are
MIS so ancient. Further, for every noticeable
Almost every aspect of Vistani culture is convention, dozens of subtler customs
steeped in ritual, from the way they are woven into their daily lives. I have
sprinkle herbs into their cooking pots in not begun to catalogue these traits, and
a triangular motion (symbolizing the I doubt I ever shall.
path of nourishment-from the ground,
to the plant, to the body, to the ground) If the Dungeon Master wishes to
to the prastonata and the doroq. Rituals create a tribe of Vistani, the
sustain the culture of a tribe when information presented in this and
various caravans g o their separate ways, subsequent chapters can be used as a
binding them together although they reference. Additional, original traits
may remain apart for months and years. are encouraged as well, as the Vistani
should remain forever enigmatic to
In the pages that follow, my remarks heroes. Having met one tribe, a party
are generalized from one or two of adventurers should not feel able to
occasions of contact; I have had neither claim comprehensive knowledge of
the time nor the opportunity to study any these people.
tribe until I had observed all their
customs. Obviously, so small a sample Setfinsand Stnldng Cspnp
renders suspect all that I have to report.
Nevertheless, I believe my extrapolations One universal ritual is that of setting
create a fairly complete picture of the and striking camp. Sometimes the
proper place to settle for the night is
---,,"1:-*.3.:Lalll. a-l-l-"I "IIC: ...L"y which the reader may carefully scouted, and sometimes it is
spontaneously chosen, but in either
13achieve a basic levi4 of understanding, case the male leader of the caravan
(called the captain) paces out the
dimensions of the site, then finds its
center and declares, "Kir-yahg," which
loosely translates from the patterna as
"Make fire," although the command is
strictly metaphorical. If possible, he
does not move from his position until all
uardos, animals, and tribesmen have
proceeded to points designated with a
gesture of his first two fingers.

When the caravan has come to rest,
the female leader (called the raunie) joins

c

t

the captain at the center of camp and upon the spot where the ashes of the
fire pit have been buried, proving to the
confirm:i his choice. According to Arturi, raunie that the fire has been completely
there art3 rare cases when a raunie extinguished. He moves to the center of
objects t.o a site, usually for mystical camp, declares, “Dya-yahg”(“Leave
reasons, in which case the tribe must the fire”),then leads the caravan away.
move or1. Barring this happenstance, the
Theprasfonata
raunie cries, “Kir.-qah.q.”and the setting
One of the most vivid images a giorgio
of camp proceeds. may have of a Vistani encampment is the
WherI the time comes to depart the ritual dancing around the fire, the prasto
nata. This ritual precedes the doroq, the
area an13. the caravan is packed up, the telling of stories and legends. Indeed, the
captain inspects the camp to be sure it
has been properly cleared of all refuse
and oth,er objects, then places his hand

Prasfc) n a t a qrowinq circle around the fire
If the tieroes are fortunate enough to Someone produces a uiolin. After
tuning the strings, he begins to ply his
be granted the privilege of spending botu, striking up a spirited melody.
the nis]ht wilh a Vistani caravan, do
not glcISS over the activities under the If the Dungeon Master has access
stars. IYake it an event to remember,
for suc:h entertainment should be all to recordings of Gypsy violin music,
but unheard of among giorgios. If the this can be played (softly!) in the
heroesi are lucky, they may have the
chanci2 to participate in a Vistani background a s the Dungeon Master
campc)ut once or twice during the continues with the description of
current campaign.
the scene.
Aft<:I dinner, set the scene with a Soon, the Vistani are clapping and

descril>tion such a s the following text: singing. A beautiful young girl rises
By theI time the wooden dinnerplatters and begins to dance around the fire,
haoe tieen wiped [not washed) and shaking a tambourine to the rhythm of
the music. She spins and twirls her
put al.uay, the sun has sunk beneath skirt round and round, until you are
the hc)rizonand stars haue begun to dizzg just watching her. Suddenly, she
brighten in the eastern sky. All across comes to a stop before your party.
Gently she sways beforeyou, the
the domain, people are locking their slightest trace ofa smile on her lips.
doors, bolting their shutters, and
huddling under their couers, but the “Who will dance with Gitana?”ask:
Vistani are only beginning to come out a nearby man. “Hersis a rare
invitation indeed!”
of their shells.
”Nightfall,”lisps a toothless old If any adventurer accepts the

codger, “isthe finest hour ofthe day.” invitation, have the player make a
Dexterity check with a -2 penalty
A rather odd comment, considering the unless that character has the Dancing
horrible things that come out in the proficiency (resulting in no penalty).
Success indicates that the giorgio
dzrk, here in [kingdom’s name]. acquitted himself well, perhaps
With an ease that would amaze a
amusing the Vistani in the process.
ranger; the captain sparks a fire to life
Such an accomplishment gives the
in minufes,using nothing but a flint
tribesmen a favorable disposition
block and kindling. The children haue toward the character. Vistani tend to
collected wood since camp was set,
address the character when they
and now they begin to feed f h eflames,
laughing merrily and chatting with speak to the party, and any plan to
each other in their colorful tongue. rob or otherwise harass the heroes is
reconsidered. Add a +I modifier to
One by one, the Vistani finish their
flnai tasks of the day and join the reaction rolls, if applicable.

E SECOW: Bu

. dance tells a story of its own1, not with Doroq

gestures that represent words or ideas, When the players finish roleplaying
but with movement and expiressions that the prastonata, read the legend

confer complex emotions. appropriate to the tasque with whom
the heroes are staying. The Dungeon
If times are good for the caravan, the Master can require any character with
dancer, known a s the prastima, moves the Ancient Languages proficiency to
make a check to understand the
wildly and freely, while stre:jsful events Vistani patterna; with a successful
engender anguished gesturi:s, and result, give that player a copy of the
mournful times yield sluggish, tortured legend and allow him to "translate"
steps. Until I had observed this ritual the words a s a Vistana "speaks" them.
several times, I believed ea'ch prastona
moved to the music which accom- Heroes who react respectfully to the
panied her. But I was mistaken; the

dance drives the music, no1t the other legend should be awarded a + I bonus
way around. In her art, the prastona
effectivelyembodies the fet?lings of the to reaction checks (not cumulative
entire group, reinforcing tht?ir with any other bonuses); as well, the
community, and dramatizing both Vistani perform readings and otherwise
provide information free of charge. On
poverty and prosperity in l ithe beauty. the other hand, heroes who make light
The prastonata is a livins3 metaphor of the event receive -2 penalties to all
subsequent reaction checks (which are
for the Vistani, a s its consteint, flowing, cumulative with any other penalties),
hypnotic motion reflects thi3 life of these and the Vistani charge them dearly for
people, who never stay Ion!g enough to any services rendered. Furthermore,
the Vistani might offerfalse infor-
call any one place home. T'here is mation. If the adventurers are
hardly a pause in a praston!a's dance on particularly rude, they are summarily
which a viewer may seize tlefore it tossed out of the protective circle of
melts away into a turn and a flurry of the camp a s if they had never been
hair, from the moment she poses for the invited to stay the night.
first note of the violin, to the final twirl
Assuming that no breaches of
and collapse to the ground. But in those protocol occur, invite the heroes to tell
momentary glimpses of stilIness, her a story. An anecdote, a recounting of
an adventure, or even a good joke will
image burns into one's min.d, and her
depthless, black eyes pierce one's

dreams for the remainder cIf the night.

DePoroq do, but ideally the performance should
be related to the campaign in some

Once the prastonata has ccIncluded, the way. Reward those who entertain the
musicians retire and the tinle for telling group with experience points. (The
Vistani mock any known bard who
legends arrives. I have alreeIdY refuses to rise to the occasion.)
recounted the genesis mytl-IS of the three

tasques, but there are man]i more tales tasques tell the same legend with
virtually no discrepancies between
to tell, stories of love, heroism, tragedy, them! The tasques know each others'
time, and countless other sigbjects. The fables a s well, and they sometimes
debate the faults and merits o fanother
Vistani tell them with a flair that would tribe's stories over a bed of dying
put a Kartakan bard to shaime. Often,
since my visits with the Vis1:ani, have I embers. They also appreciate the
sat by my own little fire at tiome and allegories of giorgios. I was both
regaled a guest with the dor,oq. Perhaps I surprised and delighted by a warm
shall someday write up the!je legends, reception when I told them the sad tale
and publish them as leaven ing for my of Emil Bollenbach, a former asistant of
mine whose twisted mind turned to evil.
previous, grimmer works. It was during those late nights, under a
The Vistani relish their 51tories, and

various caravans, tribes, arid even

z

pitch-black sky shot with glistening the giorgio habit of saying “ I swear on
specks of white, that I felt closest to the my honor!” instead of “It is really true.”
Vistani. Fearless of the brooding night The Vistani think in terms of completing
around us, we gazed content into the as much business as possible before
hypnotic glow of the fire, Sharing its Fulltide, so they can begin new projects
ample warmth and security, we listened afterward. The full moon marks a small
to one another’s stories with hearts and
minds. The wall between the Vistani and ~~
myself never came down, but during
those nights we could at least talk with turning point in the lives of a people
each other across the barrier. who otherwise do not pay much
attention to the passage of time.
Moon Rituals
Magical undertakings typically come
Substantial evidence exists to suggest to a head with the full moon as well. A
that the moon is a body of great power. series of readings culminates at Fulltide,
Consider its influence upon lycanthropes, enchantments take effect, even curses
its sway over madmen, even its effect have an increased chance to take hold
upon young lovers. Time itself is of a victim. The Equaar create magical
measured in cycles-in days and weeks figurines that protect their herds while
and months-all corresponding to the they engage in moon rituals, and the
sun and moon. Indeed, the word “month Canjar make moon jewelry, which takes
is a derivation of the word “moon.” its power directly from the light of the
moon. Finally, Vistani marriages virtually
But the moon is also natural, and all always take place under Fulltide.
power associated with it is similarly so.
The moon is a telling factor in the quest The Lunaset
to understand the Vistani. Its endlessly During the three nights of Fulltide, the
repetitive cycles mirror the rituals that Vistani perform the prastonata and
define Vistani life, so of course the doroq as usual. On the third and last
moon is a sacred part of their culture. night, they also observe the Lunaset, a
ritual that no outsider is allowed to
Typically, the Vistani spend all three attend. During this rite, the entire tribe
days of the full moon away from giorgio files into the forest at midnight, when
population centers. During this time they the moon is directly overhead. At dawn,
engage in moon rituals. Lost travelers a s the moon sets, they reemerge from
may happen upon a Vistani camp during the d a r k n e s 4 a g g a r d and
the full moon, which ironically is the
best time to pass among them: Rather agreeing to somethtng, regardless of
than turn giorgios away at this important
time, the Vistani prefer to keep strangers the time factor involved. It IS a way to
where they can be monitored.
say “Okay.”
Fulltide
The three days the moon is in full phase The natural inclination of a Vistani,
are called Fulltide. During this time the
Vistani seek to bring all matters in their however, is to designate Fulltide as the
lives to fruition. When a Vistana makes
a promise to do something, she often deadline For most aareements to be
punctuates the pledge by declaring
“Lunadi,” meaning literally “By the satisfied, if possible: This means that
moon” and figuratively “It shall be
done.” In essence, she is promising the they are slightly reluctant to enter into
task will be done before the moon is
full, although the actual terms of the business dealings just before the full
agreement may be altogether different.
“Lunadi“ is often a figure of speech, like moon, unless they can complete the

tasks overnight. Also, when Vistani

demand a service of adventurers, the

heroes can expect to be given until

next Fulltide to fulfill their end of the

b_ _a_riglain. If the full moon passes before
~~~ ~~~

tthe heroes complete their mission,

sSoomme Vistani tribes may refuse to

honor the agqreement, even if no harm

was done by finishing late.

Nspective--and go straight to bed to Lunaset
J until noon. When at last they rise, Giorgios who spend a night in a
Jistani seem as jovial as I have ever Vistani encampment during Lunaset
1 them. are sternly admonished by their hosts
'hat they do out there in the woods, to remain in camp, on pain of a
.otected from evil which walks the curse. The Vistani then leave the
t, illuminated only by the blue light heroes unguarded and disappear into
e moon, I cannot guess and Arturi the woods for the night. This is an
Id never divulge. His refusal to extremely secretive time for the
ain carried a certain uneasiness, a s Vistani, and even evil supernatural
iould have been revolted by the rite. powers conspire to protect it.
zonfess, the temptation to sneak
the tribe and spy did come upon If the adventurers insist on seeking
but I could not bring myself to out a Vistani tribe during Lunaset,
e. Too many noises rent the night, they are likely to encounter some
ier human nor entirely bestial, uncommonly awful creatures from
h terrified me and kept me close by previously published RAVENLOFT
ire. The thought of discovery held products, such a s from any RAVENLOFT
n my place a s well, for I suspect MONSTROUSCOfifPENDlUMAppendix. The
Dungeon Master can roll percentile
:Vistani do during Lunaset is dice once per turn and assign a 75%
dden, and outsiders who look on it chance that a monster appears and
attacks the group, selecting the
t surely be doomed. monster a s well. Check for new
2rhaps they renew their strange and encounters even while the adventurers
ad powers in some ancient and are engaged in combat.
'tic ceremony which must remain
to work-that would be in keeping In the meantime, the Dungeon
the cyclical moon, and the purity Master must decide how much the
leir bloodlines. Perhaps they have heroes see of the Vistani, if anything.
her form, like lycanthropes, They might find that the Vistani run
hasa, and countless other creatures through the forest at full movement
stalk the domains, and they must rates, unencumbered by undergrowth
Idically return to that natural shape or darkness, never tiring, meeting one
irvive. Perhaps they go to parlay another and continuing on their
evil powers, to treat with lords of separate ways before the heroes can
e dark domains, to traffic with catch up. Or the heroes might witness
ed beings that own the night. a small part of a secret ritual, only to
aps you and I cannot imagine what have the entire tribe suddenly turn,
dful activities pass under the full look on them with baleful eyes, and
n, deep in haunted forests, when utter a deadly curse.
$os are hiding under their blankets.
The occasion of Lunaset provides
iival an opportunity to reveal an important
have mentioned, the Vistani arise at clue or answer an important
1 following the Lunaset, and they adventure question, but it serves
ypically in a very good temper. It is mostly as a physical manifestation of
y of rest for them, during which the mystery that surrounds the
they feast, play games, and simply Vistani. There are few hard and fast
c. Any business deals which have rules to apply, because players must
iously been struck are resolved on not be allowed to learn and depend
day, but no new negotiations may on them. Dungeon Masters can use
place until the following day. the rite any number of ways, but
hroughout this book, the word adventurers should always know that
al" comes up repeatedly, and some by spying on the Vistani in their most
ers may even say to themselves, personal hour, they take a big risk.

110 -

“Here is yet another ritual,” even when I reasons enough exist: As females are
do not mark it so myself. That is a good the givers of life, it is natural, among a
thing, for even if you do not know what culture of survivors in a hostile world, to
the customs are, a sensitivity to their accord them the mantle of leadership.
existence will open many doors to Vistani women are astute judges of what
communication that might otherwise
remain forever barred. is best for their people, well suited to
assume authority in planning and
Dozens of individual caravans of Vistani negotiation with others. Of course, the
drive their barrel-topped uardos through fact that only Vistani women have
our world‘s domains. Each caravan is powers of prescience elevates them to a
part of a larger tribe, but each is also an status of great power. Besides, the
extended family wherein every member captain is occupied with the rigors of
is directly related by blood kinship or day to day life on the open road, so it
marriage. falls on the raunie to manage the less-

All Vistani are led by both a patriarch physical necessities.
and a matriarch figure, whom I have In any event, when a Vistani man and
already identified as the captain and the
raunie. Each has respective duties and woman marry, he enters her family. He
spheres of authority. Captain and raunie takes her name, joins his property to
may be husband and wife, brother and hers, and so on.
sister, or even cousins, but they always
share the family name. All caravan It is not necessarily a simple thing
members are related to them, be they to identify the raunie or captain in a
parents, offspring, siblings, cousins, or caravan. They are fiercely protected
spouses. by the entire tribe. One defensive

The captain is the caravan master, Vistani strategy when dealing with
responsible for maintaining the giorgios is to send forth false leaders.
equipment, uardos, and animals. He
supervises each setup and breakdown Another strategy lets one tribe
of camp, chooses the site and when to member draw the danger on himself,
leave it (if not forced to move on), and while the rest of the tribe spirits the
delegates responsibilities for gathering captain and raunie away.
wood, water, and food. When commerce
arises with giorgios, some captains If and when a caravan grows too
openly take charge and some remain large to support itself, if it can no longer
aloof, but all important business feed its members, or if its size
decisions are the captain’s alone. repeatedly becomes a threat to giorgio
communities, the caravan splits in two.
The raunie, often called oma by the The raunie chooses a male and female
younger members of the tribe, holds the who will lead the splinter tribe in a
highest authority in a Vistani tribe, solemn ceremony, which no giorgio
however. When there are matters
concerning the entire tribe, she is the
one who presides over any discussion,
and her decision is binding. The raunie
sits in judgment of conflicts between
members. Hers is the right to
pronounce, and even inflict, punishment
on transgressors. She is most often the
treasurer of her people as well.

I do not believe there has to be a
reason why Vistani are matriarchal, but

Ic; sECTiOl\l, TlIE SECOW:

may attend. (My knowledge of this rite The Giogoto
comes from Arturi, of course.) Finally,
after much revelry and not a few tears kn adventurer can be invited to take
around the fireside, they sleep as one
under the stars a last time, then each go Dart in the blood rite and earn the
their own way in the morning, crying, status of giogoto, but not easily. The
“Endari-uifirr(“All paths converge!”) most likely circumstance is when a

Adaption Vistana owes an adventurer a great
debt that cannot be repaid. Perhaps
When a giorgio endears himself to the
Vistani, he is offered the honor of the the hero saved a Vistana’s loved one,
blood rite. The ritual confers on him the
status of a giogofo (jee oh GO toe), a 31shared a particularly dangerous
giorgio who is “enlightened, yet not of the moment with a Vistana and survived.
blood.” The outsider may refuse the offer
without penalty, but such opportunities Aiding a tribe through the course of
are invaluably rare. One must weigh the
advantage of allies among the Vistani adventuring is not, in itself, sufficient
against the possible repercussions from cause for induction. Often, only one
their numerous enemies, including the member of a party of heroes performs
entire populations of some domains, and such an extraordinary action as ren-
not a few of the domains’ lords. ders him or her worthy of invitation.

When the offer is made and The Dungeon Master must set the
accepted, the Vistana who sponsors the
ritual stands face to face with he who is standard for the award.
to become giogoto. H e draws forth a Any Vistana can readily identify a
knife and slices the left hand of the
initiate with a single slash of the blade. giogoto’s “tribal affiliation”simply by
He then opens his own palm and the touching the scarred palm and
two clasp bleeding hands. The Vistana sensing its origins. That person can
wraps a sacred scarf purified by freely take shelter for a single night
moonlight and some fey herbal tincture among any tribe of the tasque who
around the two members and says, labels him (while other giorgios must
“Hands bound, blood mingles. I cannot either pay or,more often, find their
repay you for your act, but I will call
you brother (sister).”While the tribe own accommodations).
gathers round and chants, the two enter A giogoto is never swindled or lied to,
a dream state, and blood courses down
their arms for several minutes. and he is often given more information
than he asks for. The Dungeon Master
When at last the two hands separate, can use such a relationshipto create a
each is covered with blood, but the mysterious sage adviser in a local
wounds are miraculously healed. All domain, whom the heroes can occa-
that remains is a wide, purple scar
which creases the palm, forever sionally consult for answers. Since the
identifying the non-Vistana as a giogoto.
Dungeon Master decides if, when, and
GXk7Sion
where the Vistani can be found, he con-
“A person is Vistani by right of birth.” trols the dissemination of information. In
So say the proud people who wander fact, seeking the tribe that respects a
homeless in our realms. One can never
join their ranks, even if he travels with player’s character, and can unravel an
them for years. A non-Vistana can
Q never be anything but a giogoto. impenetrable puzzle, might be an inter-

esting side adventure.
Giogotos are never treated as part 01

the tribe, and no sense of camaraderie
develops. Rather, the giogoto feels
“tolerated.”Non-Vistani cannot engage
in the Lunaset, nor learn the euil eye,
among other things.

Vistani automatically gain giogofo
status among other tribes of their

tasque. A hero generated from a Vistan
kit has a percentage chance to be

treated as one as well; see the DoNGEOr
MASTEARppendix for this section. The
Manusa tasque (see Chapter Three),
however, never recognizes a giogoto.

Most giogotos are actually children who VETA N I
have run away from home and joined the
Vistani. Because they understand a frequent, especially among the strange x
yearning for freedom, Vistani caravans and reclusive Manusa
readily take in young boys and girls of ,'
ages eight to sixteen. After a season or L i n g @lhelsnd
two, the Vistani make their way past the ..,,.,. ,.
various towns where runaways joined Our world is bountiful in most of its .>
them, and they send the wayward parts. With the possible exception of '
children home to whatever punishments Keening, the Shadow Rift is the only j
or cries of joy await them. The Vistani are thoroughly inhospitable place in the
not in the habit of kidnapping babies or land. Certainly, danger and death are
small children-my own tale of Erasmus rife in the night, yet both the people and
notwithstandineforsuch practices the land itself are ever more robust for
would poison their blood heritage as well that unhappy fact. The woods quickly
as earn them many dire enemies. ripen with fruit and berries, the stock
fattens sooner, and the people-Vistani
The fact of the matter is, the Vistani and otherwise-are born survivors.
fiercely defend their bloodlines because
there is little else by which they might Food and Cooking
identify themselves. In a fluid world like
theirs, the only thing that runs true is the The nomadic Vistani cannot grow crops,
blood of their own families. Not even but they know the flora of the forest
members of diverse tasques wed or well, gathering wild turnips, mushrooms,
breed. The Kaldresh and Boemians (see berries, wild garlic, and soft roots. Their
Chapter Three) do not intermarry, for command of herbal lore rivals my own,
example, and I do not think the Manusa and there is probably much they could
marry or bear young at all. The teach me, were I more welcome among
exclusion of outsiders and the strict them. They are deft with spices. They
division of the tasques (see Chapter are not hunters, but they often drive
Three) preserves their sense of ethnicity, herd animals or net fish, so meat is a
legitimizes their highly ritualized staple of their diet.
mythology, and-more practically-helps
to protect rights of ownership in all Since they cook exclusively over an
matters, which is quite important to a open fire, soups, stews, and other kettle
people who carry everything they own, dishes make up the bulk of their repast.
everywhere they go. Hence, even Vistani also like to skewer bits of meat on
someone who is only ninety-nine percent sharpened sticks and roast them in the
full-bloodedVistani is regarded the equal flames-hedgehog is a particular favorite.
of a man with nary a drop of Vistani One might think nomads eat poorly, but
blood in his veins. There is nothing most of their day is devoted to gathering
spiteful or racist about the attitude; it is a food and finding a place to sleep. The
cultural trait which has allowed them to Vistani are more than proficient at both
survive in a hostile world for centuries. tasks. Some are able poachers to boot.

Unfortunately, 1 have had too little Water is the common drink of the
time among the Vistani to discuss their Vistani, not wine or brewed potables.
day-to-day life in any depth. Chapter Although they sometimes serve drink to
Three describes each tribe of each giorgios when conducting business with
tasque in a s much detail as I could them, they themselves remain
muster, but here my objective is to absolutely lucid and alert at all times.
discuss what 1 think is common to Only during solemn occasions such as
most or all of them. Exceptions are weddings and funerals do they drink a
little dry berry wine, full of body and
bouquet, called bourdad.

All Vistani can identify plants,
ainimals, and pure water with perfect
atccuracy They also possess the
Hieerrbbaalliissmm nnoonnwweeaappoonn pprrooffiicciieennccyy..

r emergency can induce them to speak to
him. But I digress.
Fire Starting
As I have stated, the captain supervises My point is that, among the Vistani,
the gathering of firewood as his caravan love is a personal matter in the
sets up camp. H e dictates one of a half- extreme. Arturi has told me all I know
dozen methods of arranging the wood of his people’s love rituals. If not for
inside the stones. He directs the use of him, I might not have admitted they
a fire pit if the tribe is large; if the tribe were capable of love, such was my
is small, he lays the fire himself. Unless prejudice. But of course, that wondrous
the raunie commands otherwise, he emotion is a s important to Vistani as it
chooses when the fire is lit. He ignites is to any intelligent being.
the kindling, or at least stands by while
it is done. It is all ritual: Vistani legends Yet, spouses are less common than
frequently mention the fire starter, siblings in any caravan, and the Vistani
essentially sanctifying the role. do not multiply quickly. First, there are
not many marriageable males and
I have no idea how he does it, but a females among them all. Second, they
Vistana captain can start a fire with wet cannot court a s giorgios do, for eligible
seaweed and a piece of flint. Let it rain, mates rarely dwell in the same caravan.
let it snow, let the wind howl in the pit; Unless a boy and a girl who have
he will have the fire going momentarily. grown up together are related only
No one tried to hide the method from through marriage-an uncommon
me. I stood and watched captains spark occurrence-they must seek love
a blaze in visit after visit, under the
gamut of skies. There is no secret-they The impending marriage of two
just do it. Furthermore, Arturi insists Vistani can create an interesting side
that all Vistani can readily build a fire, adventure. As Vistani often trade in
not just the captains. Even outcasts favors, a party of adventurers that
retain the skill, a s he proved over the needs their fortunes told might be
course of several months. asked to take part in the upcoming
event in return.
A Vistana can start a fire with
anything that would burn if it were For example, the heroes can be sent
dry. Provided that proper materials to deliver an important message to the
are at hand, it takes a Vistana ld6+4 groom’s caravan, presently several
rounds to build a fire with easily domains away. No one suspects that a
burned fuel, and ld6+lD rounds to darkling (first RAVENLOFT MONSTROUS
ignite rain-soaked mulch or the like. COMPENDIAUpMpendix), a former
No proficiency roll is necessary. member of the bride’s tribe, is out to
cause havoc. He stalks the party, steals
Loveand mag0 the message, tries to enlist the party’s
aid, or takes any other action the
Privacy is a sacred right to these Dungeon Master dreams up. Or,
nomadic people. They respect the perhaps the adventurers are sent on a
individuality of each tribal member in a dungeon crawl to retrieve a rare
most fundamental sense. While each mushroom that is the primary
contributes wholeheartedly to the needs
of the whole tribe, he is in turn accorded ingredient in stuffing baked hedgehog,
complete autonomy. A Vistana may
come and go a s he pleases; better, he a traditional dish at the marriage feast.
can remain “alone” even in the presence Heroes had best be on their best
of other tribesmen. To indicate he wants
solitude, a Vistana clasps his hands behavior when speaking of the
before him. As long a s he continues the marriage relationship and business
gesture, the tribe simply ignores him as relating to it. As Van Richten points
out, the Vistani take love very
3 if he were not there. Nothing but an seriously, and disrespect draws a
curse of “embarrassing” strength.

'a during sporadic meetings with other Vistani Geist
caravans of their tribe. Thus, the ritual There is a 10%chance that an
joining husband to wife is rare and adventurer is haunted by a Vistana's
quite treasured by the culture. ghost if the hero witnesses the sudden
When love does occur, the parents of death of that Vistana. The likelihood
the prospective mates make inquiries of rises to 50%if the hero had a chance
each other, to see if such an arrangement to look away but failed to do so. If
is possible and to discuss property rights. haunting occurs, the Vistana rises a s a
Next the children are formally asked if a geist (see the RAvm~onMONSTROUS
match would please them. If the answer
is yes on both parts, then plans for a C O M P E N D I U M A ~In~,~TSIRI ~#~2Y153)
marriage are forged in earnest.
Often the young lovers' caravans go that follows the adventurer everywhere
their separate ways after the marriage The sight of a person with a ghost
agreement is struck, sometimes for
months. During that time, both groups following him around elicits an interest-
prepare to meet in the deepest forest on ing assortment of reactions in any set-
a full moon, share the ritual of setting ting, Most citizens will be frightened,
camp, raise a bonfire, and bring the and their intelligence and sophistication
couple together. Without exception, a s I should determine their reactions. In any
have mentioned, the man and his event, the character is not welcome
property pass into the woman's family. anywhere he goes. Set up encounters
in which the hero must explain himself,
P 4and rnnelal Rites intimidate his contacts, or concoct
some rusednything to avoid being
A Vistana never dies in bed. In a land chased away and possibly slain.
filled with death, the Vistani believe that
they must shield their caravans from the The geist itself grows increasingly
bitter with its lot. The Dungeon Mastei
taint of death. Ritualistically, they have
is encouraged to be devious, allowing
expelled the grim reaper from their the creature to disappear only to
midst, and perhaps there is something make dramatic and horrifying
more than superstition in those beliefs, appearances later, or to linger over
for they sleep comfortably under the the hero's shoulder and shake its
stars night after night, while the rest of head balefully whenever he tries to
us seek shelter behind bolted doors and conduct business, and so forth.
shutters. I have no verifiable proof of
this, but neither do I have any other The members of the tribe of the
means to explain this phenomenon. dead Vistana might seek revenge if
the adventurer caused the death of
In any event, a Vistana's last act is the Vistana who haunts him, but they
often that of walking away from his otherwise refuse to become involved.
caravan. If he cannot manage to do so
himself, he is aided by his closest Vistani geists can be retired in the
relatives and friends, though they do not same way all geists are destroyed: by
speak to or look at him after he casting abjure, banishment,
requests to be taken into the woods.
The rest of the tribe similarly pretends dismissal, holy word, or wish.
not to see the dying person leave. This
custom is yet another example of the However, a Vistana geist is entitled to
Vistani value of privacy. The tribes a saving throw vs. spell (using its
believe that if one sees a Vistana take former Hit Dice if full character
his last breath, the newly deceased statistics have not been specified) to
literally died of embarrassment rather resist, and a caster who fails to
than of whatever was killing him in the destroy the creature cannot try again,
ever. If the hero makes amends, eithe
Q first by offering a convincing apology
(Dungeon Master's call) or by
performing some task set by the
surviving tribe, then the geist can
forgo the saving throw and pass on.

r -: 6ECTIClN, L I E SECOND:
1

Further, the Vistani believe that one That night, the wailing became a
skin-prickling chant as the tribe
who dies in shame cannot leave this gathered around a bonfire and
world. Hence, a dead Vistana reputedly systematically burned every personal
follows a person who saw him die, belonging of the deceased. I sat aloof,
unable to speak or do anything, until unsure of my part in the proceedings, if
any. From my remote position, it
the offending voyeur dies. If a Vistana
dies in battle or otherwise in the seemed that the smoke of the fire
company of others, all other Vistani turn twirled and danced around the ring of
away and close their eyes, just for a
stones that contained the blaze, and my
moment. imagination conjured into it the image
On the other hand, the death of a of the dead Vistana. I fancied that she
had come back to dance once more, at
giorgio does not bother them in the least. her own funeral, before passing away.

Vistani Wakes

After a dying Vistana leaves the circle of Indeed, the whole tribe seemed to be
the encampment, the ramie lights a
watching the swirling smoke, too.
small candle and places it in the In the morning, I searched the brush

window of her uardo; when the candle where I had heard the young lady fall

goes out (seemingly of its own volition), for the last time, but there was no body
it is taken as an omen that the tribe to be found.
member has died. Immediately after the
Mw-lism
~~~~~

extinguishing of the light, the entire tribe
commences a terrible wailing. The men
and women weep openly, sometimes
yelling at the heavens, and even young The Vistani are, above all else, nomads.
children cry as if they had been lashed. Nomadism literally defines their
As darkness falls, this grieving gives existence, so much so that a Vistana
who ceases to wander loses all powers
over to an eerie, rhythmic chanting. associated with his former people (see
Strange shadows move in the trees, and “Static Burn” in Chapter Five). In fact,
sometimes the wind sighs like a ghostly no tasque considers him Vistani. He
violin, playing a heart-wrenching song becomes rnortu (“more TOO”)-the
in the darkness. The Vistani believe that closest translation is “undead,” although

this is the spirit of the departed, visiting the Vistani do not mean what you and I
his tribe once more before traveling call undead. To the Vistani, life without
movement is not living at all.
onward. Although no tribe would confirm it,
I happened to be present among a

tribe of Vatraska when one of them died
from a disease which I suspected to be
mummy rot. Despite their best efforts, Most mortu Vistani are purely tools @
the young woman could not be brought of the Dungeon Master. Such a
back from the great vault of the beyond, character can function as a giogoto
so with her last ounce of strength, she who is an ally (or enemy) of the
managed to get to her feet and stumble adventuring party, as a character with
into the trees beyond the camp. No one a secret past, as the focus of a side
adventure wherein the mortu knows
except myself paid the least attention to how to locate the Vistani (and may or
her as she went. She fell loudly in the may not be willing to do so), or in any
bushes, just out of sight, and it was number of other interesting scenarios
undeniable that she failed to rise again, where a character has deliberately
yet the Vistani took no notice of her. chosen to leave the ranks of an
exclusive and closed society.
Just a few minutes later, the votive in
the ramie’s uardo went out, even Some who are mortu may be used

though there was plenty of wax left and by players as heroes: however: see
no wind to snuff it. Mourning
commenced immediately. the DUNGEOMNASTERAppendix in this

section for more information.

. , . ,, .

.. ' 3

Arturi explained that all Vistani have a
regular migratory pattern. The path
might be limited to one domain, or it
might stretch all the way across our
realms. A caravan's route can be
circular, crisscrossed, or even linear.
The entire route, from one point to itself
again, might be completed in several
months or several years. However, it is
always regular, always the same, at
least by Arturi's report.

its protected environment, a Vistana can
safely fall into a trance, turn cards
without fear of the wind, or possibly trap
spirits to speak with them. Spell
components can be manufactured. In
short, ask any spellcaster about the
importance of a secure place to work,
and he'll tell you that magic demands it.

No m=oy Trail

It is monumentally difficult to tell if a

Vistani caravan has crossed one's path.
Even rangers are hard pressed to
discover such a trail, let alone follow it.
When the nomads break camp, they
remove every trace of their occupation.
They bury their bonfire ashes, then
disguise the overturned earth with
natural camouflage. They pick up every
speck. Even the tracks of their uardos
seem to blow away in an easy breeze.

This care is part of the ritual of
striking camp, overseen by the captain
himself. On a practical level, it
preserves the locale for future
encampments, and perhaps helps erase
sour memories of any giorgios who
wished them gone. On a more
speculative note, it protects the Vistani
from curses and other evil magic. They
know personal possessions can be used

to focus the evil eye (see Chapter
Four), so they are meticulous in
removing them. I visited the now-vacant
site of a Vistani encampment which had

e 'been occupied only a few hours before,

J -- SECTLCIN, THE SECOND:

and I could find nothinq to prove the course, such a qualification is tanta-
mount to negation, for darkness is not
tribe had ever been there. I-must the middle ground, but rather the
confess I a m at a total loss a s to how opposite of light.
they perform this feat; all I can do is
insist that it is so. Focus not on the idea of balance. If
one examines Nature with an objective
undergrowth without leaving a trail, eye, one finds it simple to conclude that
darkness, though not balanced, is quite
the Vistani defy all attempts to track natural. We live in a world where
goodness is ever preyed on by evil. The
them. Even rangers cannot follow domains are like red widows, enthralling

their paths. ~A.l.l. Tracking~~~~~~~~~~~ a t t e mIp t s are ~ ~~
_ I
~ in their beauty, deadly in their embrace.
Our world is often a dark place, so
mlade a s if the Vistani deliberately those who would commune with nature
must be touched by darkness
attempt to hide their trail (-5 penalty). themselves.

Are the Vistani evil? After hating them In a sense, calling the Vistani “evil”
for over thirty years, my instinctive by giorgio standards is comparable to
answer was yes. But now, having calling quicksand diabolical, blight
studied these many and diverse calculated, plague intentional. In a cruel
peoples, my ethical principles bid me world, it is apparently natural to be
amend that response to “Some are, cruel a s well. The wolf is a natural
some are not.” Yet there is another creature, and so is the Vistana.
possibility, one that my companion
strenuously put forth on many a long 1Most Vistani are true neutral in
hike under the sun. alignment, like druids, although
individual caravans can be neutral
Arturi insisted the Vistani are neither good or neutral evil at the Dungeon
lawful nor unlawful, neither good nor Master’s option.
evil. Their only philosophy reflects that
of Nature itself, wherein a perfect Vistani justice is called the uishnadd
balance of all things is the ideal. Like (VEESH nod), meaning “dark blade.” A
druids, these nomads neither initiate Vistana often cries “VishnaddP’when he
agendas nor oppose them. They seek has exacted revenge or emerged
harmony with their environment. victorious from any given situation, but
Indeed, “giorgio” (which translates as in cases of dispute or accusation, the
“unnatural,”lacking a better term) is term takes its formal meaning. All
the opposite of “Vistani” in the patterna. Vistani consider the uishnadd deadly
serious, and woe to him who scoffs01
Perhaps their “naturalness” scorns it.
accounts for the Vistani’s herbal
prowess, their affinity with animals, I witnessed the uishnadd thrice in my
their skill at filling their bellies without first few months of studying the Vistani.
farms to harvest, their ease under the The first time was occasioned by a
stars, and their close association with dispute of ownership among the
the moon. Perhaps Nature is the Equaar, and the second occurred as the
wellspring of the fabled Vistani power result of an accusation of disrespect
over time. What is time but a natural among the Naiat. The third time was
progression, measured against the night I met the Corvara-Arturi’s
nature’s cycles seen in the rising relatives-the extended family of the
and setting of the sun, the seasons, tribe that had taken my son, and had
and all the rhythms of the world? died by my curse. They waited until the

If neutrality is indeed the credo of CIsun set and Arturi had been banished to
the Vistani. still I submit that it is a
decidedly dark shade of gray. Of

the night; then the raunie drew out an from her trance. She looked on me and .a
obsidian blade and called my name. smiled kindly. Needless to say, I slept
not a wink that night.
“I will kill you, if you do not face the
As mv exDerience shows, when the
uishnadd,”whispered a large Vistana
behind me, brandishing a shiny blade of uishnacid is convened, the raunie sits,
his own. Instantly, cold sweat started resting her obsidian blade in her lap.
across my brow and trickled down my
back. Every nightmare about Vistani I lishnadd
had ever experienced sharpened into f adventurers ever oppose or harm
deathly clarity in my mind‘s eye. Jistani characters, any tribe of any
asque they meet can become
“Approach Madame Vassaevich and ;uspicious.These suspicions culminate
hold out your open hand. Do not speak n the uishnadd. Only this ritual
unless you are told to,” instructed my emoves the stigma, and only if the
menacing captor. idventurers are acquitted of or pay for
heir “crimes.” If the heroes ever need
The raunie clutched my wrist with iistani help again, they almost
surprising strength and placed the tip of :ertainly have to endure this ritual.
her dark blade against my palm. The
cold edge bit into the tender center of The uishnadd is convened when an
my hand and I recoiled, but I could not iccusation is made in the presence of
he raunie. (Sometimes she makes
break her grip. ,he accusation herself.) A single
“Please,”I begged. :haracter who represents the accused
“Silence!” spat the raunie, driving the jteps forward, as does one who
.epresents the accuser; each identifies
point deeper into my hand. I froze in iimself or herself. The involved
shock, suddenly transfixed by her iarties then observe the ritual
whitish eyes, which rolled back into her jescribed by Van Richten. The raunie
head. My tongue wagged, but my throat xompts giorgios if they do not
gave no sound to it. inderstand what is happening. If an
3ccused non-Vistana refuses to take
”If you lie, I will know it, and iart in the uishnadd, she is
summary punishment shall fall on you,” mmediately ejected from the
said the old woman from her self- :ompany of the tribe-by curse or
induced trance. “You are the murderer of 3ther fell power if necessary-along
my tribe, slaughterer of my blood, a Nith any and all comrades.
deliverer unto death. Do you plead guilty
or innocent to my charge? Speak.” Obviously, the Dungeon Master is a
udge to whom an adventurer cannot
I looked into the unseeing eyes of the ie. If a character uses magical means
raunie and opened my mouth to :o shield her thoughts, or influence
protest, to accuse them as they accused the trial in any way, she must roll a
me, to sneer at their fantastical court. saving throw vs. spell for each lie or
But what she had said was true, and I deception, with failure indicating that
the raunie penetrates the deception.
was horribly afraid.
“Guilty,”1 pled, echoed by a murmur The raunie tolerates three “displays
of disrespect” by a giorgiespeaking
that swept through the Corvara all out of turn, making snide remarks,
refusing to answer a question, or
around me. similar infractions-but only if the
“Tonight, you are the guest of Arturi offending character allows her to
inflict l d 8 points of damage upon her
Radanavich,” continued Madame hand with the knife. On the fourth
Vassaevich. “For his sake, we protect slip-up, the case is lost and judgment
you from our justice. Tonight, we treat follows immediately.
you with respect, but tomorrow you are
our enemy once again. 119

“The curse of Firdusa Radanavich
lies strong on you, Van Richten.
Continue to live long and suffer!”

Madame Vassaevich released my

f 3 wrist and relaxed her eyes, emerging

L

Her eyes roll back white, and she enters Combat Resolutions
a trancelike state. In this condition, she There are rare occasions when neither
becomes judge, jury, and executioner. party has the better claim, and no
Her tribe believes she hears what they
think and cannot be deceived, so they judgment is possible. In such cases, the
accept any action she takes without
question. adversaries are invited to settle their
differences through a feather-blade
In matters of dispute, both duel. Their weapons are pheasant
adversaries approach the raunie, feathers whose tips are dipped in an
stand before her, and offer their open herbal poison. I was unable to ascertain
hands, Neither may speak until she all the ingredients, but one component
takes his hand in hers and places the is a lichen which gives off a faint
point of the knife against the palm. phosphorescent glow.
She asks a question or bids him tell
his grievance. Only then may he In play, both characters strip to the
speak, though he can say anything he waist, removing both mundane and
wishes; if either party answers out of magical armor, and fight arena-style
turn, his case is summarily lost. There with feather-blades. Each hlt is a
is nothing if not order in the court of "touch that leaves a telltale
the uishnadd. phosphorescent glow. Also, each
After the raunie has heard each side successful hit releases a dose of
and passed judgment, all differences contact poison, such that the victim
are declared resolved. I was present at must make a saving throw vs.
one proceeding wherein two Vistani paralyzation. After three failed saving
argued bitterly over the ownership of a throws, the victim succumbs to the
litter of puppies, and was amazed to see contact poison and falls unconscious
the adversaries embrace heartily for ld4 hours The first character to
moments after the raunie had awarded fall unconscious or concede the
match loses the judgment.
the whelps to the owner of the bitch,
Acquittal
based on the fact that she was the If a man is accused and acquitted, there
better hunter. No trace of frustration or is a feast in his honor, The victim of the
resentment darkened the loser's face, trial is expected to raise his flagon and
and soon he was bartering for the pick make a toast to peace and forgiveness.
Then, when the tribe has gathered
of the litter. Were a giorgio to enter into about the campfire and the doroq
such an action and lose his claim, I am begins, he is allowed to tell his tale in
full, showing how the misunderstanding
sure that he would be forced to leave occurred and why he is blameless.
Curiously, he is not challenged if he tells
the area at once. a feeshka, a little lie as the Kartakans
call it He is subtly encouraged with
favorable reactions if he dramatizes the

accorded to a hero who endures the
oishnadd and is vindicated. A feast is
a great chance for master roleplayers
to take center stage and have some
fun recalling the incident "in their own
words." If a hero has been found
innocent of all wrongdoing, he is

I:!=-

account with melodramatic or even the company of qiorqios in their
comic episodes. He has been found misery. If the rauniejudges that the
innocent of wrongdoing, after all, so the convicted tribesman is no longer fit to
story might as well be interesting. live among his fellows, but deserves
no worse punishment (as if that were
In matters of guilt, punishment is not punishment enough!), then he is
immediate and not subject to appeal. banished-they call it karash (ka
The sentence imposed by a raunie is ROSH). Such unfortunates are treated
ungoverned by standards or degrees. as if they were mere giorgios, which is
As she passes judgment while in her torture to them. I know this all too
trancelike state, it might be argued the well, for I unwittingly put the karash
raunie achieves what the Vistani upon Arturi Radanavich when I cursed
consider a state of infallibility; whatever him long, long ago.
she decides is the right thing to do.
Punishments run the gamut from a “How will they receive us?” I asked the
public flogging (mostly for young Vistana on our third dau- in search o f a
offenders) to exile (see later). Death carauan.
penalties are possible, but unheard of.
“They will not dare to refuse you,”
Convicted giorgios are never subject
to execution, but they can be cursed. -answered Arturi. “All Vistani know
They certainly will not be welcomed
into any Vistani encampment in the uou. Van Richten. You are Dart of the
future. If the transgressors plead for doroq, the tales they tell a;ound’the
mercy and offer to make restitution, the evening fire.”
raunie might accept, but her demands
are not likely to be simple or pleasant. “Gracious!Ishudder to think what
they say.”
Ballisher$
“You will hear what they say soon
Vistani offenders may be banished enough, but you may be surprised to
from the tribe, condemned to walk learn how you are depicted. Among
alone in our realms. They become some tribes your name is revered, for
mortu if they seek and settle down in
you have power over the Vistani which
A guilty adventurer ISsubject to a no giorgio has ever possessed. It is not
curse whose strength depends on the loving reverence so much as grudging
seriousness of the offense against the
Vistani. The punishment should fit the respect; even the most evil characters in
crime, and often an ideal punishment a story may excite the imagination and
presents itself. If nothing obvious can gain sympathy.”
be done, the Dungeon Master should
see Chapter Five herein for curse ideas. “Will they not kill me, or at least
If the Dungeon Master is unsure of how wish to?”
strong the curse should be, consult
Chapter Twelve of Domains ofDread. “No! We are not murderers. Why
should we attack you unless to defend
The only difference between our vardos and children? It is only your
characters who sue for clemency and enduring malice that threatens the
those who defy the raunie’s judgment Vistani, and none of them would wish
to enflame it with acts of aggression.”
tyis that the former have an escape
“And what ofyou, Arturi? Will all
clause built into their curses, tribes open their a r m to you, though
something like, “Unless you agree you may not live among them?”

demands. . .” “No tribe will open its arms to me. I
am the Outcast, for your curse follows
me and descends upon all Vistani who
tarry with me after dark.”

-From the private journal of
Dr. Van Richten

See the first RAVENLOFM’ONSJROUS at once soils its sacredness, and
CovPENoim Appendk for a description confirms his own exile. Now he is truly
of a darkling. This creature is a natural outside the raunie’s sphere of influence
villain or plot complication in any and protection.
adventure involving the Vistani.
Whether the heroes are giorgios or gio- Although the raunie takes no physical
gotos, a darkling can p b t against them. action to enforce her final command,
Its taste for cold revenge means that it Arturi tells me a Vistana offender almost
is a good candidate to construct elabo- always takes up-and keeps-the knife.
rate, twisted plots which can weave Over time, he loses the balance, the
through the main quest of a campaign, naturalness, that the Vistani so prize,
or turn into a campaign of its own. and becomes a darkling, an evil creature
with a twisted mind.
F7ile
I confess, that first night I saw Arturi
For heinous crimes, the offender is cast Radanavich in my bedroom, I took him
into the darkness, exiled, shalach-ti for a darkling. I now realize the depth
(SHA lok TEE). When this judgment is and offensiveness of that error.
pronounced, the uishnadd knife is
thrown out of the camp and the guilty Cmni4ot.1
party is ordered to go take it up. Since
only a raunie may wield the uishnadd, There are some scholars who claim that
the offender’s grip on the obsidian blade the Vistani have a pronounced accent.
(I a m frequently amused when I hear
these words pronounced in an accent of

Creating a translation matrix for the let the heroes make an Intelligence
check: If it fails, they must continue to
patterna would require volumes of listen for l d 4 rounds before attempting
space. It would be like learning a lan- another check: if it succeeds, they pick
guage almost completely composed of something up. The Dungeon Master
then rolls percentile dice behind the
slang. A hero attempting to compre- screen, assigning a 50%that they hear
hend a patlerna conversation is like a one of the prepared phrases. Use this
mechanic to disseminate information,
second-year French student eavesdrop- true or false, a s the adventure dictates.

... . ...nr.i.n.Jn in Paric. Th”e ”sttident picks up bits The patterna allows the Vistani to talk

and pieces, but never tll e whole range with one another in the direct presence
of conversation. of the heroes without their being able to
understand a word that’s spoken. This
To create this feeling in game play, the can be annoying at the least and terrify-
Dungeon Master can crc:ate a short list of ing at the worst, depending on when and
offhand remarks that might be overheard how it is employed. For example, if a
and spontaneously tramdated. Some seer turns a tarokka card, gasps, and
should be what the Vistimi are actually says something incomprehensible in the
saying (“1 think the gior;$os are danger- patterna, the heroes probably beg for
ous, so we must-” and the rest makes her to repeat herself in an understand-
no sense); some should be misinter- able tongue. Instead, she mutters in the
preted but seemingly uriderstood (“Their patterna and plays the next card, at
hearts will make good stew,”when which point she gasps louder and cries
they‘re actually saying “They will be out aloud, shouting strange words that
warm to the heart after we feed them.”): are repeated in alarm by other Vistani
and, fora few laughs, scm e of them can outside the uardo. A dramatic and dia-
be complete nonsense (“1’11 bet the mage bolical Dungeon Master can tease his
can hang from his toes in a uardo.”). heroes with a wealth of information they
cannot hope to understand.
As the adventurers I,verhear the pat-
terna, allow them occatsional chances

-to understand. As ofter1 a s the

Dunaeon Master wishes (depending on
the number of prepare,d translations),

,

their own.) To me, the Vistani d o not race than the Vistani. Some of the more
vary the shape of words in any way that common terms and expressions can be
could be called an accent. What found at the back of this treatise, but I
separates their special language from found my attempt to catalogue a
most others is the way it working vocabulary an exercise in
communicates. futility, useless to anyone, including
myself. This is because the paiterna is
As a people who travel in small conveyed more by context and
numbers, spread across the domains, intonation than by meaning or root
they have developed means of words. Many ordinary words have no
communication which is short and to translations in the patterna. In fact, the
the point. They do not often have the Vistani dialect appropriates giorgio
opportunity to linger on with other words when needed, without
caravans of their tribe and iasque, so interrupting the rhythm of speech.
they tend to pack as much meaning
into each syllable, each written There are also many words and
character, even each gesture a s they phrases in the patterna which have no
possibly can. While giorgios are parallels in any other language. Were I to
constantly expanding their vocabu- utter a sentence of words based on their
laries to enhance expression, the nearest common translation, a Vistana
Vistani find simple, subtle ways to say would hear only gibberish. Indeed, one or
a thousand words. two such attempts on my part elicited
uproarious laughter from them, a s I had
ThePdfWa apparently hit on a combination which
meant something ridiculous.
It was my original intent to establish an
extensive glossary for this strange The written lanauaae of the Vistani is
language which is a mixture of local I -
tongues, several humanoid dialects, and
a unique slang, unspoken by any other similarly image-intensive. While many

, ,.

.-; 6tcmN, TI SECOND:

can write in other languages, letters Vistani to pass along warnings and
are forever as foreign a notion a s messages. Obviously, the range of
living in one place. A tralak (trah messages is extremely limited, but I
LAK) is like a symbol or sigil, suspect that paaterns are mundane
expressing a whole idea with a single tools that make the Vistani appear
character. A Vistana does not write more prescient than they truly are.
love letters or grocer’s lists to another
using tralaks. Rather, these characters Paaterns are a more subtle form
are normally carved in wood or stone of tralaks, with more potentially sin-
ister applications. A ranger or druid
along trails and roads, just outside can recognize one on a roll of 1 or 2
towns and villages, but hidden from on l d 6 , if actively searching the
immediate view. So many tralaks exist area. A mortu hero (as per this sec-
that long and detailed messages can tion’s DUNGEONMASTERAppendix)
may be able to spot paaterns, and
be constructed that any Vistana can all Vistani can instinctively and
read and understand. easily find them, provided they
know to look.
Tralaks can appear anywhere
Conchsion
adventurers roam, carved into wood,
I remained thoroughly uncomfortable
painted on, scratched in, burned in, among the Vistani, despite the
frequency of my scattered days and
and so forth. Furthermore, tralaks nights among them, and I cannot
suppress a pang of regret that I did
can be claimed a s a learned lan- not learn more about them. Certain of
the topics I have addressed in this
g_uag_e (_see _the .notes on Intelligence~~~~chapter are universal, I am sure: the
~~~ ~~~~~~ ~ ~~ rituals, the nomadism, the patterna.
Most others I have observed in only a
in the Player’s Handbook). The few caravans, and I cannot help but
wonder if I am attributing my
Dungeon Master can create Vistani observations too broadly.

fralak characters and their transla- Furthermore, I begin to fear that
perusing my thesis on the Vistani will
tions for a hero who has learned to lull the reader into a false sense of
familiarity. Heaven forbid some blithe
interpret them. rogue should insinuate himself upon
the tribes by demonstrating his
Tralaks can be used as lures, knowledge of their customs and
beliefs-or worse, some hapless
warnings, red herrings, clues, and farmer, smug in his narrow
understanding, should offergrave
simple messages, even if no one in offense,thinking he is acting out a
familiar ritual! For all I have written
the party can read them. and will write, these wandering
peoples are as individualistic and
FdWW mysterious a s they appear to be when
first you meet them. Their powers are
One who is wise in the ways of the fell, and you and I are not quite
Vistani can sometimes detect a human to them. For your own sake,
paatern (pah TAYRN). These are assume nothing!
personal communiques-prearranged
signals left behind by a Vistana who
knows that another particular Vistana
will pass by. A ranger or druid might
note one if he were intently studying
the area where it lay, though he would
never find one “just in passing.” Only
a Vistana readily spots a paatern,
and he must at least suspect where
it will be.

Paaterns are subtle indeed. A
knotted willow branch, a feather
lodged in the bark of a tree, a dead
branch wedged into the “V” of a
dividing tree trunk, a narrow stone
teetering over a gopher hole-all these
things and more are used by the

Darkon, so Ia m forever a Darkonian in there is no way to truly understand
my own eyes and others'. Were 1 them, and 1reiterate that belief now. The
originally from Nova Vaasa or some best we can hope for is acceptance on
other domain, a new acquaintance both our parts and theirs.
would have a distinctly different
impression of m e on learning that. Before continuing, let me pause and
insert what has become an all too
As the Vistani are not from any familiar disclaimer: As those who have
particular place, we are deprived of a read my various dissertations surely
basic means of identification, which know, my observations are strictly that:
makes u s feel uncomfortable. Thus, it is observations. Icannot attest to the
unfortunately all too natural to mistrust absolute veracity of anything I have
and fear the Vistani, to accept often learned about the Vistani. In fact, I am
unfounded accusations of sinister even less sure in my "knowledge" of
behavior, and to allow speculation to them than I am about any other subjects
cement their undeserved notoriety. It of my research. While powerful monsters
can have some unpredictable abilities,
becomes an easy thing to say that a the Vistani are mysterious by nature.
Little about them is immutable. Further,
Vistana is a Vistana, and an evil they have both the will and the ability to
creature at that. change. Ican well imagine them reading
this book-not to see their names in
If these people are not merely print, but to review adjustments they can
traveling bands of organized swindlers or adopt to confound "knowledgeable"
mystical creatures in league with the scholars, simply because their inherent
powers of darkness, then what exactly disposition requires them to defy
are they? Are they simply homeless identification.
people, or perhaps lost sheep? Are they
fugitives on the run from who knows ovmiw
what, or seekers of some divine truth? It
would be very convenient if the Vistani There are, in fact, no less than three
fit neatly into any of these categories, distinct groups of Vistani wandering the
but the answer is not so elementary. domains: as noted before, these are
They are all of the above, and none of called tasques. Upon discovering that the
them. They are one thing on Monday nomads considered themselves divided
and another on Tuesday. They are above into these large and diverse groups, my
us, below us, and exactly our equals. We first inclination was to classify them as
sneer at them, then seek them out, clans. After some study, I concluded that
because they are everything we fear yet they are not actually linked by a common
everything we want to be at the same root kinship. Over the years (and perhaps
centuries), I suspect there has been some
n time: Ihave already postulated that interminglingof blood between the
tasques, but each has managed to
. maintain a cultural individuality that
merits acknowledgment, examination,
and respect, Quite possibly each tasque
comes from its own homeland,
somewhere in the distant past. However,
not even the Vistani know the names of
those places, so I cannot say with
impunity if this is the case.

Since the Vistani cannot be clearly
classified by their physical origins, and
because they are not given to mingling
with outsiders, one must find other ways

to identify them if one cares to know camD followers: thev define themselves
exactly with whom one is dealing. a s cieatures who draw their uardos
Fortunately, those who know what to behind armed forces on the march. One
look for can do so at a glance, a s each can spy a Kaldresh caravan from a
tasque has its own style of dress. There distance, since tribes of this tasque
are other important differences as well. travel laden with the tools of their trade.
Each tasque exhibits its own attitudes Their uardos positively clang with iron,
and behaviors, its own system of beliefs and entire herds of animals trample and
about time and reality, and certain fuss in their wake. Half-naked, dirty-
mystical powers that are tied to its faced children hoot back and forth while
individual culture. they run alongside the train with long
reeds or slender branches, urging stray
The most important difference animals back to the fold. Men on
between the tasques, at least according horseback ride from end to end of the
to the Vistani themselves, lies in the caravan, supervising the day's journey,
services and crafts they provide-in or they scout ahead for a good place to
their professions, if you will. Of course, camp. The Kaldresh make no effort to
a given tasque is not limited to a single be silent, for they depend on trade with
skill; in fact, there is a strong possibility those who hear them coming, and they
of finding one tribe practicing several of have no fear of creatures that stalk the
the trades which I shall shortly ascribe night. Tribes of the Kaldresh tasque
to others. As each tasque takes its tend to be larger than others-as many
identity from its primary craft, however, a s forty or fifty members may live in a
the services or wares that it produces
are generally of higher quality than one single caravan, but the volume of
can find anywhere else. business they conduct offsets the strain
of so many mouths to feed.
Th0Icalclt-esh
Kaldresh men are muscular and
As the "Tale of Vistan" (see Chapter bucolic creatures who tend to dress in
One) reveals, the Kaldresh are eternal somber colors. Their clothing is
designed for durability and comfort-to
While the Vistani are proud of their protect them from forge sparks and to
cushion them against long days in the
heritage, they are never eager to saddle. They often wear cloth hats with
turned-down brims, which shield them
share information with any giorgio. No from the sun and absorb sweat. Their
one ever says, "Hello! I a m a knee-high boots are well made from
leather of the highest quality, and it is
Kaldreshite of the Vatraska tribe." said that a man who wears Vistani boots
never blisters or even grows footsore.
More likely, Vistani identify
Only elderly Kaldresh males wear a
themselves by family name, rather beard, but all men of the tasque are
dark with chin shadow. They grow their
than by tribal or tasque affiliation. hair long, binding it behind their heads
so that it does not hinder their work.
They prefer the term Vistani because Their hands are rough and armored with
calluses. They are quiet among
it identifies them without saying too giorgios, preferring to let the women
speak for them, but in the privacy of
much. Despite Van Richten's their encampments, the men are more
clearly in charge of daily life.
confident assertion that members of
Kaldresh women dress for a life of
each tasque may be identified at a hard labor a s well. Heavy cotton dresses
cover their legs completely, though they
glance~,,such is not the case. Nomadic~ are roomy enough to allow free
~~~~~ ~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

p2eeople do not have the luxury of

c:hooossiinngg either their '"look"or their

ssttaanndard equipment. While the

information that follows can certainly

--- -...influence the appearance of a given

t.r&ibLe-, t&h.h.--ere are few a-Lb-s-lo..l&u-t-es, a.-n--dI the

Dungeon Master is encouraged to

defy all attempts to pigeonhole a

Vistani tribe by their fashions alone.

‘3movement. Plain-colored shirts are why their ornamental wares are ignored
buttoned all the way up to their necks. in one place, then sell out completely in
the next, but they care little what
Many women, especially among the giorgios think and take no pains to meet
Equaar, wear pants. Elderly women the superficial demands of style.
wear scarves over their hair, while the
younger ladies usually allow their locks Attitudes and Behavior
to flow freely. Some women prefer boots
like those the men wear, but many wear The average Kaldresh Vistana is quiet
sandals which conform to the feet and
have the same reputation for comfort a s and withdrawn, given to minding his

do Kaldresh boots. Other Kaldresh own business, unlikely to answer the
women avoid footwear altogether,
having feet a s tough as leather. challenge of an aggressive giorgio who

Kaldresh children wear hand-me- seeks to harass him. This tasque has

downs or nothing at all (if weather survived by remaining nonthreatening,
permits), for the Vistani are free of the
mores of civilized society and do not not only because its members are

teach their children to be ashamed of consistently mistrusted by outsiders, but
their bodies. There is no distinction
between the sexes of children before the because they are used to dealing with
age of ten years in terms of treatment,
responsibilities, or games they play, soldiers and other aggressive types of
except that boys are more often
charged with the care of forge tools. As people. Historically, if an army they
those instruments are quite heavy, I
were following was overrun, the routing
suspect such chores help strengthen
small arms for the day when they will forces quickly saw that the Vistani had

take up smithing. no resistance to offer, which may have
Despite the clear presence of three
many times spared them persecution
and four generations of Kaldresh in a
and bonded servitude.
single tribe, aging is apparently
unknown to them. They seem to reach The Kaldresh are polite to non-
a stage of maturity with which they are
comfortable, then stop growing older. Vistani, but never friendly. Their status

By their own report they are extremely as camp followers occasionally leads a
long-lived, and a child I would have
taken to be about ten years of age told giorgio to mistake their women for
m e he was actually sixteen “by giorgio
count,” When I asked a Vatraska prostitutes! To the contrary, they are
captain to reckon his “giorgio age,“ he
merely shrugged, “Your own birth and very protective of their women and
death are but a tiny piece of reality,”
which, 1 eventually learned, meant that careful to guard against contamination
he had been born before me and would
be here long after I died. by giorgioblood.

The Kaldresh adorn themselves with .A~s a .matter of fact, the Kaldresh are~
precious little jewelry, although they ~~ ~~~~
decorate their uardos and their prize
rather staunch and reserved. I have not
stallions with elaborate metalwork.
Vanity is unknown to them, and they are seen any evidence of passion between
quite unconscious of fashion. Ironically,
Vistani adornments become very them, especially in comparison to
popular in larger cities from time to
members of the Boem tasque, who
time. The Kaldresh do not understand
positively radiate emotion. Like all

Vistani, the Kaldresh are extraordinarily

private creatures in general. For example,

I recall excusing myself from the circle

about the campfire one night, casually

mentioning to some of the men that I

needed to relieve myself;the shock and

repugnance on their faces immediately

told me that I had spoken improperly,

and alerted me to the discreet Vistani

practice of slipping away without a word,

deliberately ignored by one’s fellows.

The Kaldresh are completely apoliti-

cal, and it is impossible to involve them

in intrigue of any sort unless you pay

them money. Even then, they accept no

personal stake in the matter. They will

sell a sword to a known and dangerous

5 Kaldresh, the future does not remain
ever “ahead.”A seer need not look
9 fugitive, then sharpen the blades of the forward to see the future, but rather in a
direction of which giorgios are not
mob that is hunting him down without aware. Hence, a Vistana does not look
concern for either party’s agenda. They beyond the present to glimpse the
will honor a pledge to transport a man future; he discovers it where it lies, near
using their mystical ways, then abandon at hand, already there.
him to a pack of wolves at his destina-
tion, having discharged their agreement. Specific Powers
A dying man who lies bleeding in the Of all the tasques, the Kaldresh appear
road is of no concern to them. They will the least overtly magical in day-to-day
not act to save him, but neither will they life. They do not weave musical magic
rob him or allow their animals to tram- as do the Boemians, nor relish the
ple him. They want only to be left to arcane as do the Manusa. They make
themselves, for which favor they stay little of abilities which all Vistani possess.
briefly in the area, then move on.
However, they do have one curious
Beliefs Concerning Time faculty which smacks of mysticism:
The Kaldresh believe that they have Whether the tribe seer, a spy, or some
been removed from time. They do not magical spell informs them, the Kaldresh
measure the hours of a day or the have an uncanny talent for homing in on
months of a year, for such things have conflicts. If war is brewing, or a mob is
no relevance to them. Every moment is on the march, or even when a wealthy
the sum total of existence, which does party of heroes prepares a final assault
not pass away when the next one on a stronghold, the Kaldresh seem to
arrives, but becomes a part of an ever instinctively sniff it out and position
growing reality. They do not remember themselves to profit by the blood to
the past, they simply look upon it a s be spilled.
part of the whole. A Kaldresh Vistana
does not say, “I had forgotten that.” He Furthermore, the tribes of this tasque
says, “I did not notice that.” seem to intuitively know what equipment,
stock, and rations are most needed by
No doubt, this disdain for measured both parties, for those items are ready for
time has evolved out of their nomadic sale with a consistency that defies luck.
lifestyle. When the road traveled Such supplies are expensive, as they are
stretches to eternity, time loses its no doubt dearly needed, but those who
meaning. Why consider yesterday or deal honestly with the Kaldresh receive
tomorrow when they are largely the good value for their money. I do not
same a s today? Long-term prisoners
report a similar cessation of the
experience of passing time, as do elves,
who live so very long that human terms
such as “ o l d and “forever” have little
meaning. What renders Kaldresh
philosophy so distinct is that they do
actually seem to exist outside of time.

They “recall” (for lack of a better
term) events of the distant past as if
they just experienced them, and the
future appears to be as easily accessible
to their minds as the past, if they can be
convinced to look at it. The Kaidresh
neither reminisce nor dream, for all of
life is found in the here and now.

This sheds a whole new perspective
on fortune-telling. Since time does not
march inexorably forward for the

”3

imply that the Vistani unfailingly provide to those produced at a permanent 0
critical magical items (although they are
known to deal in these as well), but a forge. Weapons, pikes, horseshoes,
combatant looking for, say, a battering
ram or a mancatcher ISoften amazed to nails, and even ornamental ironwork of
discover that very item for sale in the
back of a Kaldresh supply wagon that Vistani make are highly prized among
rolled in unexpectedly.
the Falkovnians, who appreciate such
An enterprising Dungeon Master can
use the Kaldresh as a fallback source things. It is said a Vistani-forged sword
of supplies. If the heroes have
neglected to pick up some piece of never loses its edge, a Vistani-
equipment vital to their mission, a
Kaldresh caravan can come rolling hammered breastplate cannot be
along. Of course, items the adventurers
need should cost at least 50%more pierced by nonmagical weapons, and a
than they would in town, but all wares
are of excellent quality, unless the Vistani-made horseshoe is never
Vistani have cause to cheat the heroes.
Unless the Dungeon Master specifically thrown.
wants to supply the adventurers with a
magical item, the Kaldresh only stock Those of Kaldresh blood are expert
items from the tack and harness and
weapons lists in the equipment section breeders of large animals such as
of the PlagerS Handbook.
horses, cattle, sheep, and oxen. The
The Defining Craft
The Kaldresh pride themselves on their bloodlines of Nova Vaasan horses were
ability to provide the tools, beasts of
burden, and services necessary to refined to their present excellence by
engage in conquest. Although they are
not warriors themselves, they recognize the Vistani. Many a breeder in Kantora,
the fact that a traveling army needs
more than muscle and blood to fuel its Egertus, and Arbora would pay a
progress, Every few years, when Lord
Drakov of Falkovnia mobilizes his Kaldresh Vistana handsomely to
forces and marches against Darkon, it
is said that the Kaldresh gather and become chief handler on his ranch. One
take their places in the rear lines,
prepared to support and profit from the telltale sign that the Vistani on the
effort. By my observation, the tribes outskirts of town are Kaldresh is the
merely wander where the winds blow
them, offering their wares in towns and presence of herd animals. Such stock is
occasionally accepting special orders
for custom work. well tended, yielding sweet, tender meat

The price one pays for the services Gold is usually part of the equation
of the Kaldresh can be wildly
negotiable, for they do not expect to when conducting business with Vistani.
grow rich by their trades, but they do
expect value in return for their work. When setting up shop on the edge of a
Each tribe within this tasque carries
instruments of blacksmithina. All can city or village, they sell commonly

I available items (those wares listed on
the standard weapon and equipment
produce metal goods of a quality equal
charts-Dungeon Master's discretion)
at or slightly below market value.
During market days, they are always
quick to entice giorgios with items not
Jpenly for sale: fortune-telling, evil eye

smulets, cursed items. Those items are
3fferedprivately, usually for a

wbstantial markup.
The Vistani are also willing to

negotiate for favors and pacts almost
as often as they are for gold. Usually
they bargain from strength, when
buyers need their services more than
they need whatever a giorgio offers.
Vistani never require evil acts of a
giorgio, but their tasks might entail
great danger. Those who try to renege
on an agreement struck with a Vistana

are subject to a "frustrating" or worse

curse, depending on the degree to

which the Vistana has been cheated.
Unfortunatelyfor them, heroes who arc

cheated must find their own retour-

. , . .. . . .. . . . . .- .- - - .- .. -.. .. ...

.,.. 3 VISTANI

.!%and thick, soft wool. Beasts of burden friend Shauten. he could not helo but

display almost human intelligence in admire the hammer’s balance, i b
their ability to learn and understand
commands. resistance to denting and chipping, the
ingenuity of the fluted grip, the
Tribes of the Kaldresh &que are economy of materials, the sublime
especially knowledgeable in the arts of configuration of the head, and more.
healing. Though all Vistani have a work- When Shauten identified the make of
ing knowledge of natural medicines and the weapon to me, I could only shrink
curative elixirs, members of this tasque from it and call it cursed, for I was blind
produce healing agents more quickly, to the talents of the Vistani, and I had
with less raw materials, and with greater no idea what the Kaldresh were.
effects than even some clerics I have
known. Only the Kaldresh know how to Geddar’s surprising warhammer was,
make porda, an extract of nightshade in fact, created by the Kamii. This
which can actually heal wounds. particular Kaldresh tribe excels in the
skills of the forge, working in tin, steel,
Adventurers can purchase 2d4 silver, gold, and many other metals with
doses of porda from any Kaldresh tribe equal ease and expertise. They create
for 100 gp per dose (no experience- not only weapons, but armor, shields,
point value granted). Upon drinking nails, horseshoes, bridles, wheels, axles,
the brew, the imbiber immediately locking mechanisms, jewelry, and
makes a saving throw vs. poison. If the remarkable puzzles to be taken apart
save is successful, the elixir acts a s a and put back together again (with a
potion of healing; if it fails, the imbiber great deal of perplexity and frustration
is not healed and suffers a -1 penalty on my part). These wares are not
to attack and damage rolls for 1d6 magical, but they often behave a s if
hours, due to nausea. they were, so cunning is their make.

TheWi The speed at which the Kamii work is
a marvel a s well. Their forge hammers
I chuckle to recall that my old friend, rise and fall in blinding rhythm, filling
the late Geddar lronheart (a dwarf of the air with frenetic sparks that appear
gruff manners), never had much to say to swirl around the smith in a magical
about humans which could be pattern. Two and three smiths may
construed a s positive. In his sardonic pound a single metal strip at the same
eyes, we humans are too quick to react, time, yet they never interfere with one
too soon to give up, too careless, too another’s strokes, and they never seem
forgiving, too sweet-natured, and so on. to confer on the intended shape of the
In particular, nothing drew more scorn object they mold. It is said that when
from him than the work of human they plunge a red-hot weapon into a
blacksmiths. He claimed he could tell a cold bath to temper it, the rising steam
human-made sword just by the “pitiful takes the semblance of the man who
cling” it made when struck against will wield it.
other objects. “Good thing it’s magical,”
he once sneered at a potent holy sword. Objects for Enchantment
“All this frilly metalwork would fall apart
with one good hit.” While the Vistani are not commonly
makers of magical items, Kamii smiths
Imagine his surprise when he praised
a newly discovered warhammer for its Weapons produced by the Kamii are
obviously dwarven construction, only to nloot magical in themselves, but they
learn that the weapon had been forged bbeehhaavve as +1 weapons for the purposes
by a Vistana. Even after the truth had
been revealed to him by my wizard ,..-.. ...ofIf the creatures they can strike.

3 Weapon s^-p^e^Aed ii..s r..-Ieduced-I bL.y. 11 a sl” we^l,Il,
because of the superior balance of
Kamii craftsmanship. Cursed weapons
will function differently, of course

,I

are sometimes called upon to produce The Kamii can produce weapons
that are subtly inferior, inflicting a -1
objects that are subsequently enchanted penalty on all attack and damage

by wizards. It is no secret that magical rolls. They sell these "cursed"
weapons to giorgios who display a
weapons, armor, and jewelry must be lack of respect at any time during their
visit with the tribe. Dungeon Masters
constructed with materials and should allow a player to think her
character has a superior weapon (for a
craftsmanship of the highest quality time) by quietly assessing the attack
and damage penalties when such rolls
before they are imbued with power, and are made. Note that the "curse" is not
magical: it is a manifestation of inten-
there are very few giorgio blacksmiths tionally defective workmanship.

with the talent to achieve work of such Other items forged by the Kamii

quality. However, virtually any smith of actually are cursed, but only to an
"embarrassing" extent at best (see
the Kamii tribe can accomplish such Chapter Twelve of Domains ofDread).
Such an object should be little more
tasks. In fact, I learned while I was among than a nuisance to the character who
owns it, and easily discarded once Its
them that they had even fashioned a nature is detected (unless it is an object

number of amulets which would that sticks to the hero like a piece of

eventually become lich phylacteries. unruly tape). Van Richten has already
mentioned some possibilities, but the
While such intelligence did not endear the Dungeon Master is encouraged to in-
vent his own insidious devices. Assign
Kamii to me, it did impress me, for there subtle powers to the item, which do not
immediately implicate it when the hero
are few constructions as exacting as a begins to experience problems.

phylactery, and for an aspiring lich to Anyone who purchases these
cursed items with intent to inflict them
trust such important work to another is upon another is subject to a 1%
powers check.
astounding!

Cursed items: While the enchantment

of magical items is largely outside the

sphere of Kamii workmanship, I fear that

cursed items are not. The Vistani are

well known for their power to curse, and

this ability extends into the Kamii smithy

a s well. Of course, they can make

weapons which seem to strike wide of

t.h..e-m a r k e v e-rv~tim,e. There are more
~~ ~ ~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~

subtle and insidious contraptions,

befitting the Vistani reputation. The

Kamii create for those who seek fiery

recompense or cold revenge. Kamii

have shown me rings that induce

nightmares, neck chains that weigh they weighed a ton,buckles that lock
shut and cannot be opened, pocket
mere ounces but weary the wearer as iif

knives that cannot slice warm butter yet

become razor blades when touched to

one's own hand, and other objects which

are mere nuisances at best and lethal

traps at worst. A man who purchases

one of these items risks his own safety,

for evil sent abroad seldom fails to find

its way home.

Thepqtltuv'

Many a battle has been won or lost
when the general's horse stumbled, and
many an army's sweet victory or bitter
defeat depended on the taste of their
dinner the night before the final conflict.

G

.~

Any soldier will tell you how difficult it is Alanik Ray, an adjustable spyglass with
to fight a bloody war hundreds of miles two lenses, when Arturi tuggd at my
from home if one has been forced to sleeve and directed my attention
carry his weapons and supplies the eastward. Through the knee-high straw
whole way. thundered a score of fine horses, their
muscles rippling in the hot sun. I raised
Animals account for the success or the tubular spyglass to my eye and
failure of campaigns in ways that we do admired their graceful forms racing the
not much think about until their wind across the prairie. As my optical
absence forces us to do so. The Vistani enhancer drifted over the herd from the
are sensitive to this issue, the Equaar lead stallion to the sturdy mares half
especially; they are expert animal obscured in a billowing cloud of dust, my
sight came to rest on another pair of
handlers. I have met precious few non- horses close behind the herd, ridden
bareback by swarthy women with
Vistani who have displayed the same streaming black hair. I gasped, marveling
affinityfor all natural creatures, big and at their riding skills, for they grasped
small, and 1 include rangers and druids their mounts by the mane and directed
in my mental survey! their steps without the use of a bridle!

All Vistani seem to speak with “Equaar,”pronounced my guide with
animals and be understood, but the a hint of admiration in his voice.
Equaar know bestial hearts better than
the rest. I chuckled the first time I saw a The Vistani somehow urged their
Vistana speak to a cat as if it were horses to all speed, with neither crop
human, telling it to go and have a nor spur to drive them on, and the
specific one of the many children milk a graceful beasts accelerated until they
goat for her stew. Then I gawked like a galloped amidst the herd. I thought that
Barovian woodcutter at a fireworks I would never see a more masterful
display of horsemanship, when
display when that very boy appeared a suddenly they hiked themselves up and
stood upon the shoulders of their
half hour later with a sloshing bucket in animals! Quite leisurely, they took
his hand. Was this a Vistani display of stock of the creatures all around them,
power, the prowess of a not-so-dumb maintaining their breakneck speed the
animal, or an elaborate conditioned whole time! In a blur of hair and
response? I cannot say. motion, one woman leaped through the
air and landed on the back of one of
There is no such thing as a mad dog, the wild stallions. The other Vistana
a ferocious wildcat, or a rampaging bull quickly followed suit. The two gripped
in the presence of a an Equaar Vistana. the manes of their new mounts, who
broke from the herd and began to buck
H e speaks a few soothing words or wildly. No knight could have stayed
sings a gentle melody, and the snarling atop a spike-goaded horse with the
lip relaxes, the ripping teeth disappear ease these women showed. In what
behind an affectionate tongue, the seemed mere moments, the untamed
menacing claws retract, and the beasts grew calm and responsive to
charging horns come to an abrupt halt. their rider’s ministrations. Meanwhile,
the mounts they had ridden in pursuit
My first encounter with the Equaar followed dutifully behind, conspirators
was on the horse plains of Nova Vaasa. in the capture of their fellows.
Arturi rightly guessed we would find
them there, and our timing was I was amazed, speechless, humbled,
excellent, for we chanced to see them at and altogether taken with the beauty
work before they were conscious of our and grace of those Vistani, though I had
presence. We were rewarded with a rare not come anv closer to them than mv
sight: the “capture” of a wild stallion.

We had climbed a bluff just south of
Briarweed Forest to gain a more
commanding view of the grassy, yellow
tableland. I was searching the
northeastern horizon with a special

@ invention given me by my old comrade

LA

blSCTION, SIi.E SECONP specific breed and skill of the dog, it (9
performs its duties without supervision
My respect for the Equaix’s animal all day long and displays loyalty worthy
husbandry only grew when I met them of a tale. Hawks and falcons instantly
in person. The Equaar d o nlot fit the imprint upon whomever owns their
common perception of a Vistani tribe. jesses, and they can slip and pursue an
One expects to see a caravan of uardos
and women with bells on thheir toes and ~~
crystal balk in their hands. Instead, the
Equaar are wranglers and s;hepherds Equaar tribesmen are adept with
who carry all their possessions on the
backs of their animals. They sleep in >othwild and domestic animals to the
tents or under the stars. Their women jame degree as a ranger, and they also
rarely wear dresses, for suc:h clothing is :an employ the spell-like power animal
not amenable to the saddle. One might friendship,three times per day. They
easily mistake them for ranc h hands on :an use this ability either to capture
a cattle drive or common shepherds uild animals, or to send them away.
d’ith wild horses, they can use the
taking a herd to market. 3bility automatically (no saving throw)
md as often as they like, not counting
Animals for Sale t against their daily allotment.
Those who seek a riding or pack horse
to ease the long road of a cp e s t would =urthermore, all Equaar automatically
do well to trade with an Equaarian. But 3ossess the Animal Handling, Animal
do not assume that a few coins will seal a r e , and Animal Training (Horse)
the bargain. These people Ihave a more ionweapon proficiencies.
than personal interest in th(?ir stock.
After negotiating with a Vistana for the Equaar-trained riding horses cost no
opportunity to purchase, thle buyer must ess than twice the market price. (The
offer his payment to the animal itself, Playerk Handbook suggests 75 gp. but
along with a suitable tidbit of food-an Dungeon Masters must set their own
xonomic index for their individual
apple for a horse, an ear 01’ corn for a zampaigns.) The Vistana may actually
sgree to a lower price, but the buyer
cow. If the animal accepts Ithe offering, must then offer his money to the horse
the Vistana consents to the deal. itself. The base chance of acceptance
is 75%,minus 1%for every gp below
This ritual is not merely s,howmanship; the Vistana’s asking price. An Equaar-
1 have seen a man beg to biiy a horse, trained horse accepts no rider hut its
agree on a price, and tendei.his gold, owner, has an effectiveIntelligence of
only to be rejected by the steed. After a 2, and obeys as if its owner had the
few words with the Equaarizin, he Animal Training proficiency.
apologized to the animal for undervaluing
it and doubled his offer! At Iast he was A prospective buyer of other Vistani
accepted. Whether the horsi? responded
to what it considered a propNer price, to a stock must offer payment to the animal
man who displayed an earnest desire to as well, for the Equaar consider all
own it, or even to signals frcim its trainer natural creatures “free”to choose.
is debatable, but the fact reinains that the Animals other than horses indicate theii
horse itself consented to theI transaction. acceptance by little or no reaction; the
Such an animal is obviouslyr more animal’s most typical negative behavior
intelligent than the average jade, and (a dog snarls, a sheep flees, a hawk
therefore is worth its higher cost. rufflesits Feathers, etc.) shows rejection
of the offer.
Stock animals are not ttle only
creatures that Equaarian husbandry In general, such an animal does not
renders unequivocally supt:rior. These
Vistani raise dogs that alwrrys respond display any remarkable skills, but it car
to a master’s command thi? first time, be considered the best specimen of its
and that readily obey rathe:r complex breed found anywhere: Stock animals
hand signals as well: Whatever the yield the best meat, work animals
perform consistently well, and so forth.

A

individual quarry in a flock if the A wizard who buys a hand-selected !
falconer can clearly identify it. :quaar familiar first pays 1,000 gp
)er experience level. If the Vistani do
Tracking lot have the desired animal in their
The Equaar are expert trackers as well, :aravan, a period of l d 4 months is
and though they think of themselves ,equired to trap and train the creature,
primarily a s camp followers, I doubt 3t the end of which time the Vistana
not that they are occasionally recruited .rainer contacts the buyer. (Needless
a s spies by the armies they follow. o say, trust is involved here, and an
They might employ dogs for the tquaar does not hesitate to cheat a
purpose or they might follow a trail as yiorgio who offends him in any way.)
rangers do, but in any event they 3nce the animal is selected, the
reported to me that they could pursue wizard must give one pint of his own
a man whose path had been lost to >load, losing one-fourth of his hit
others several months in the past. I 2oint total in the process, to be mixed
suspect that they combine their innate with the prospective familiar's food
prescient abilities with more mundane 3ver a period of one month, from new
tricks learned from centuries of life on noon to new moon. The Vistani do
the open road to achieve the success not allow the wizard to live with them
of which they boast. However, their while the animal is prepared.
methods are ever secretive, a s are
most Vistani proficiencies, and even When a month has passed, the
the wisest sages can only speculate. buyer is contacted again, at which
time he casts find familiar in the
Equaar enjoy the tracking animal's direct presence. The creature
proficiency with a bonus of 14 to the makes a saving throw vs. spell. I f it
roll. Furthermore, they can employ a fails, it becomes the wizard's familiar,
limited form of object reading (see conforming to the details of the find
The Complete Psionics Handbook, familiar spell, (The familiar will not be
page 31) to determine which way a pseudofamiliar, as per the RAVENLOFI
their quarry went. To use this ability, a MONSTROUCSOMPENDIUAMppendix Ill.)
Vistana must place his hand on an If the saving throw succeeds, or if the
object the quarry has touched in the wizard is unavailable within 24 hours
last seven days, and he must make a of the new moon (when the spell
Wisdom check with a +5 penalty. If should be cast), the process breaks
the check is successful, the Vistana down and must be started anew. No
turns toward the quarry's present refunds are given for failed attempts.
location and gets an impression of
how far away (in miles) it lies. wizard a s h e casts his find familiar
spell. According to my sources, such
Personally Chosen Familiars familiars are no different from those
Wizards who know the Equaar summoned in the traditional manner;
sometimes pay them handsomely to the main advantage is that a mage
raise and train an animal that will can choose his particular lifetime
become a familiar. Such creatures are companion. However, the creature in
captured young and fed a diet of their question must be a natural animal.
favorite sustenance spiced with special
herbs and a modicum of the mage's Mystical Figurines
blood. When the animal reaches Perhaps the strangest and most magical
adulthood, it is introduced to the products of the Equaar are the tiny
wizard in a formal ritual, supervised by figurines of animals that they carve.
the Vistana who raised it, during which During the three days of the full moon
time the bond is transposed to the and the one day ofthe new moon, these
little statuettes come to life. They walk

't * ' L' sECTlOr\i, TIiE SECOND: When they need care, they turn to the
third tribe OF the Kaldresh tasque, the
ouardians so that the men and women Vatraska, whose niche among the camp
Followers is healing.
gf the tribe may attend and participate
The Vatraska remind me of an
in moon rituals (see Chapter Four) officious aunt of mine who cared for
without fear for the safety of their herds. me when I was a child. I never sensed
The Equaar create only one or two of any love from her-Indeed, 1 thought
each Figurine, and they never sell them that she disliked me very much. She
to other tribes, let alone to giorgios. tended to my scrapes and bruises with
detached efficiency, and she poured
The Equaar carve animals of wood foul-tastingconcoctions down my
that conform to the rules listed for gullet without explanation or apology,
figurines of wondrous power in the presuming that my only reasonable
DUNGEOMNASTERGuide. However, only reaction was to feel better and be
iuory goats, obsidian steeds, onyx grateful for it.
dogs. and serpentine owls are found.
Also, they can animate only during the When I became a physician, old Aunt
periods \/an Richten specified earlier. Shariss took it upon herself full credit
These magical creatures serve strictly for making me what Iwas. By some
to guard Vistani possessions. If they stretch of the imagination, I suppose
are stolen, they automatically attack she was right: I knew there had to be a
the thief after animating. better way to heal the sick, and I was
bound and determined to find it.
I must pause to point out that, like most
Kaldresh, the Equaar are not overtly Like my aunt (and, on reflection, all
magical people. Yet, like all Vistani, they Vistani), members of the Vatraska tribe
remain magical by nature. Some of the remain detached from the personal
common traits I have ascribed to them feelings OF those outside their circle.
above could be accounted arcane, Also like Aunt Shariss, they apply their
although I am more disposed to think of remedies without any indication of
them as natural byproducts of the tribe's caring if they'll work. Their curatives are
mystical temperament, rather than the herbal and frequently induce stomach
conscious construction of components cramps when ingested, yet they do
and formulae, combined with a har- seem to be effective.
nessing of sorcerous energies. The
distinction is a fine one, yet it is worth Unlike my aunt, however, the Vatraska
noting. are motivated not by any sense of duty,

TheYe4rah but rather by profit: They barter in gold
and Favors like their kin. Their behavior
N o monster hunting party, or any group is such as one might expect of a people
of adventurers for that matter, is who are professional healers in the wake
complete without a priest, Certainly his of an army of strangers. They are not
holy symbol plays a definitive role in doctors, which is to say that they do not
battling creatures of the night, but it is enter their profession for humanitarian
reasons, nor are they patriots seeking to
the healing power of a cleric which advance the cause of the armed forces
they serve.
remains his most invaluable trait.
War is another matter. The average As members of the Kaldresh tasoue,
~~
army would require an entire platoon of
priests to service its wounded. Perhaps the Vatraska are difficult to discern irom
in history legions of warrior-priests have the Kamii. They are skilled blacksmiths
marched off to wage holy war, secure and animal handlers who draw wagons
that they could take care of themselves and uardos with them as they travel,
although careful observation indicates
when a day's blood had been shed. But that they pack a great deal more
foodstuffs and stores of herbs and
most military forces now are made of spices than other tribes.
soldiers. trained to kill and not to cure.

@ There seem to be fewer Vatraska than has a limited effect on physical
any other Kaldresh tribe, however. I only wounds. None of these recipes would
had the opportunity to meet with one they share with me, and none would
such tribe, and Arturi explained that he they sell for any amount of money,
had only met three Vatraska caravans in unless the potion was consumed under
all his travels over the years. Since the their supervision. They insisted that
Vistani are not overfond of giorgios, and their remedies would not work unless
giorgios tend to seek out clerics and they personally administered them, but
doctors for their medical needs, it is not I suspect that they were simply
surprising that so few of these people are protecting their secrets.
found in our realms.
Curatives
Restoratives The restorative value of chicken broth is
The Vatraska cast no spells of healing, well known to mothers everywhere,
nor do they brew magical potions, but although its alchemical workings are
their ability to cure is perhaps superior not understood, but the Vatraska seem
to my own as an herbalist physician. I to comprehend the principles which
conferred with them regarding the render soup an effective medicine. A
particular herbs and poultices common freshly cooked meal served up by these
to their medicinal stores and found that people has the effect of speeding up the
there were few Vistani balms with which natural healing process and affording a
I was not already acquainted. The only significantly better night’s sleep.
real surprises to me were the myriad (Perhaps the two are interdependent.)
poisons that they somehow used to
advantage, breaking fevers and healing This applies not only to their chicken
various diseases with extracts of
belladonna, strychnine, hemlock, and stock, but to everything they prepare to
hellebore. As I have already mentioned, eat, including the rations that a soldier
all Kaldresh know how to concoct an might carry in his pack. Once again, I
elixir o fnightshade called porda, which am at a loss to explain the reason for
this benefit. I observed no special
Vatraska restoratives are effective methods of preparation of these
igainst all nonmagical diseases and culinary cures, and an alchemist friend
nummy rot as well, but they cannot of mine in Mordentshire analyzed a bit
ialt the progress of magical diseases of jerked beef prepared by the Vatraska,
3r lycanthropy. The price for such aid only to conclude that it was “food, a bit
should be dear, usually sucking up spicy, nothing more.” His proposal that
nost of the party’s ready cash and the edibles healed through the power of
even a magical item or two, and the suggestion intrigued me, but 1 learned
results are not guaranteed.
Furthermore, 3d20 hours are required
to gather the proper ingredients for
the particular disease to be treated.

A character who drinks the herbal
extract is thoroughly nauseated and
incapacitated for ld20+4 hours while

-the s-.e.r.u~m~wo~rk.s its way through the
~~ ~~~~

b,ody.. At the end of that time, the
c:haracter makes a saving throw vs.
p,oison with a c4 bonus. Success

...--indicates LthLe. t.-r--e.-a--Itment was e^ fCfLe”cltii.v, e~ ,

.while failure means that the disease is
itill there, but it has not spread further
iince the serum was ingested.

t

that the~v w,ere effective even on DeoDle fever and lash out at those around him.
Finally, if an antidote is not administered
L. in a timely manner, the poor wretch
literally explodes from an extreme surfeit
who did not realize what they were of internal heat!

ingesting. Another maddening tincture of
Vatraska making is etherol. This
Any type of food or drink prepared colorless, odorless liquid may be taken
by the Vatraska has the effect of for a rather flat-tasting water, far from
naturally healing hit point damage at refreshing. One to four days after it has
double the normal rate for 24 hours, been ingested, its victim begins to lose
and allowing spellcasters to regain his appetite; food no longer tastes
spells in half the normal time, provided palatable, and it rests heavily in his
it is eaten or drunk directly before a stomach. Soon after, he begins to lose
resting period. There is nothing his sense of touch, which inhibits his
magical about the process; the effect is motor functions and capacity to
more like that of having eaten a "good, recognize pain. Eventually, someone
old-fashioned, home-cooked dinner." points out that he seems to be
translucent, that he almost glows if a
If a giorgio spends the evening in bright light shines behind him. At that
the company of a Vatraska tribe, he is point, the poison's effects accelerate
treated to such culinary delights as a considerably, and the victim begins to
guest. However, trail preparations cost literallv fade awav. Over a few short davs
20 gp for one day's rations. he becomes increasingly transparent,
and ultimately he fades completely,
Poisons
With all their traffic in toxins, it cannot As many players are likely to read
come a s a surprise that the Vatraska are notes meant for the Dungeon Master,
also vendors of poison. Such elixirs are precise game mechanics are not
quite cunning in their effects, for few of included for the poisons described
them are so mundane a s to simply kill above. However, Van Richten's
their victims. Some of them weaken a description should be sufficient to
man, either temporarily or permanently. generate them. The Dungeon Master
Others steal away sight or one of the is encouraged to invent a few toxins
other senses, or induce madness, or of his own imagining, using the
even turn the skin an unnatural color so following guidelines.
a s to make the imbiber appear undead.
Vatraska venoms can induce intermittent The poison should never be
sneezing attacks, persistent itching, instantly fatal, but should have
progressively debilitative effects
chronic disorientation, or intolerable leading inexorably toward doom.

body odor. The final effect of the poison
There are more insidious antigens, too. should be something worth talking
about for years to come, especially if
For example, they brew a potent drink the character does not survive it.
called brawat, which is indistinguishable
from certain wines. A man who imbibes a Roleplaying incentives such a s
glass of it feels a warm, pleasant glow madness (see Chapter Six of Domains
ofDread), surprising new powers
that lasts throughout the evening and related to the nature of the poison, or
sends him to bed in a very mellow mood. odd side effects are always a plus.
Sometime during the night, however, he
awakens sweating and finds that he Finding the Vistani who created the
poison and who therefore have the
cannot easily relieve the fever coursing antidote can be the subject of a rapid
through his body Cool baths may side trip or an extended adventure,
alleviate the symptoms, but they cannot but it should not be a simple task.
eliminate the problem. Over the next few

days, his temperature continues to rise,
affecting his judgment, temper, and

effectiveness in day-to-day life.

0 Eventually, he begins to go mad with

.I-.._

- es

helpless a s a geist. Worst of all, once he twitter about in the trees overhead,
has passed a certain point, nothing can
save him, for he is no longer substantial chirping in a delightful cacophony that
enough to take an antidote or receive
any form of magical absolution. Madness underscores the musicians.
is not inevitable, but it is certainly likely, There are rarely more than two
for the victim's fate becomes plain to
him well before it claims him. dozen members of any Boem tribe in a
single caravan, yet the display they
Of course, the Vatraska produce an present makes them appear to number
antidote for every poison-but knowing many more. My good friend Sage
one exists is one thing, and procuring it Ralphusus Wilyams tells me the
is another. Boemians are nothing more than a
"traveling circus." I had never heard the
Quite unlike the Kaldresh, the term before he coined it, but it certainly
Boemians seem to appear out of does describe the Boemians: Wherever
nowhere. Indeed, this tasque's flair for they stop, a great circle of giorgios is
the dramatic may well demand an sure to gather round!
entrance. Once it is noticed, a Boem
caravan bursts to life like a fireball in A male Boemian is dapper first and
the night. The people sing a s they go handsome second, dressing in silky
about their daily business, and their shirts that afford plenty of room to
laughter is thoroughly musical. dance, play music, and gesture
Townsfolk may grimace and shake their melodramatically at every passing
heads at the approach of a Boem moment. His trousers, on the other
tasque's caravan, yet they cannot help hand, are invariably dark and form-
but peek through their shutters at the fitting, perhaps flaring outward at the
approaching spectacle. boot. His jet-black hair twists into
chaotic ringlets unless it is slicked back
Handsome young men balance atop along the sides of his head. He often
the uardos and wagons a s they roll up sports a goatee and a waxed
to a town, sawing merrily at violins and moustache which points straight to the
strumming guitars without missing a sides or curls back toward his full lips.
beat. Raven-haired beauties, wearing A Boem male's ears are quite
bright floral dresses and bejeweled with commonly pierced, and his nose a s
sparkling crystals, lean out the doors well. Silver, gold, and gems sparkle on
and windows of their moving domiciles, him like magic on a faerie. His face-
promising revelations of the past and indeed, his whole body-is exceedingly
future with their dark and shining eyes. expressive: the Boem man weeps
The uardos themselves are painted unashamedly and often.
brilliant colors. Every trimming is
gilded, then hung with swinging oil The typical female of the Boem
lanterns sheathed in colored glass. The tasque is mysterious and sultry. She
horse teams are matched so perfectly dresses in clothing that accentuates her
a s to be identical, with coats of unusual mystique-typically in bright-patterned
colors and a myriad reflective spangles dresses that swirl as she walks, and
swiveling from their tack. Dogs, nimble sheer blouses that distract the giorgio
and bright-eyed, bound over rocks and eye. Like the men, she pierces her body
tree limbs alongside the caravan. to decorate it with jewelry. Quite often
Muzzled bears, fuzzy and playful, caper she goes shoeless throughout the day,
about on their hind legs a s if there were although she might adopt tall-heeled,
no possible alternative way for them to leather boots that lace up the calf. Her
walk. Song birds in brilliant, impossible lustrous black hair glints blue here and
shades of red and yellow and blue red there in direct sunshine, and it
tumbles in thick, abandoned tresses
over her shoulders. Her eyes are usually
dark, yet occasionally a female
Boemian's eyes are crystal-clear blue.

TION, YFiE sEC@ND:
'
caravan. At niaht, thev gather around
remain dark and beautiful, altogether ~~

free of the ravages of time. the campfire a i ail Vista& do, yet they

Boem children are rare in the often simply stare glumly into the

extreme. In my travels with Arturi flames. They do not sing, although the
Radanavich, I spent time with three women do dance with slow, plaintive

Boem tribes, and I saw just two children, gestures or feverishly, limbs akimbo,
both male. Whether this is intentional I while the men play tempestuous strains
cannot say, for, as with all Vistani, one on their instruments, sometimes

simply does not discuss subjects of a weeping silently as they ply the strings.
personal nature. In any event, both The stories Boemians tell are tragic,
often gruesome, obliterating all hope
young men were dressed very much as and happiness. The Forlorn Wanderer
their elders, although I saw no signs of (see Chapter One) is typical.
body piercing upon them.
It was a tribe of the Boem tasque that

Attitudes and Behaviors stole my son Erasmus and sold him to

The Boemians are a passionate and the vampire Metus three and a half

lively people in public. Well aware of decades ago, so I was never in the least
giorgio attitudes toward them, they are comfortable with these people (nor were

deliberately charming, always on stage. they pleased by my presence, I might

The men speak in poetic flourishes, add). Hence, one might well think that

and the women radiate mystery. AS a my time spent among them was

group, they exude an idyllic content- thoroughly depressing, yet such was

ment to let the world pass them by not the case.

while they make merry. Such a festive After I had adjusted to the palpable

nature is contagious, and soon even the tension between them and myself, and

most cynical townsfolk warm to the after I began to comprehend the

Boem folk. Theirs is the romantic relationship between their public and

image of life on the open road. They private personae, 1began to discern a
fire the imaginations of giorgios who tragic beauty about them. Like a mother

yearn for excitement and escape. who lovingly swaddles her dead infant, or

Only in the woodsy privacy of their a man who buries the remains of a

encampments, away from village and vampire that was once his true love, the

city folk, do the Boemians reveal Boemians live in a state of anguish. They

another side-equally passionate, but are tragedy in motion, a living reflection

dark and brooding. A great anger churns of this land vibrant and attractive by

within them, never finding its way into day, bitter and lost by night.

words, perhaps because complaining is Toward giorgios,the Boemians feel a

fruitless, and perhaps because they little bitterness and a great deal of

cannot focus on any one thing that condescension. Outsiders are, in their

troubles them. I think they envy the eyes, like troublesome young children
giorgios' stable life, even a s they who cannot be blamed for being what

vehemently insist they want no part of it. they are-they must be tolerated and
During their doroq,the Boemians rail
cajoled although they are rude and

against their lack of a place to call home, selfish. The Boemians harbor no direct

yet any suggestion that they should settle malice toward giorgios, no true evil
down repulses them. They often bemoan inflames their hearts when they commit

the scanty respect accorded them, but criminal acts. They are amoral, not

they have no compunctions about en- immoral, so neither the joy nor misery

gaging in rather questionable activities, of non-Vistani are of concern to them,
and I seriously doubt they have the least even when they are the cause of either.

respect for themselves. The world owes nothing to the

In the privacy of the forest, the Boem Boemians, so far as they are

folk speak little to one another, but go concerned, and they owe nothing in

about their daily tasks, maintaining the return. There is nothing self-righteous

about their attitude, nor anything more clarity than the worst-she merely
defensive. Destiny rules their world; makes better guesses as to what
they can neither take control of nor remains unseen
accept responsibility for their existence.
That which they do is neither good nor Specific Powers
evil, only “necessary.”
Although they are not nearly a s magical
Beliefs Concerning Time a s the Manusa, members of the Boem
tasque are quite clearly enchanted, or
The Boem conception of time is rather, enchanting. Certainly they are
probably closest to our own, for they skilled manipulators of words, expert
postulate that time is a single line salesmen, and silky-tongued charmers.
spanning the breadth of reality. There is Yet their calming influence on others is
no way to deviate onto other paths, too consistent, too all-encompassing, to
regardless of relative power; even the be dismissed as merely the result of fast
gods have no influence over time’s talking and personal charisma.
passage or direction, for all existence,
including their own, lies inside the I have seen the Boemians enter a
solitary line. And time is the universe- village amidst cries of “thief”and
discussions of what lies on the “other “monster,”sell their wares, perform for
side” are pointless, since no one and the masses, enthrall the young men and
nothing will ever go there. ladies, and leave that same municipality
to farewells of “friend and “ever
A Boem seer has a rather welcome.” Only after they have moved
straightforward approach to both past on are they remembered a s squatters and
and future. A mystical navigator, she
need only trace a well-defined trail into A s Van Richten suggests, the
the past, or map its course into the 3oemians do exude an aura that has
future. When she casts the tarokka, :he effectof a charm person spell. To
looks into a crystal ball, examines tea retain negative feelings, a hero must
leaves, and so forth, her mind‘s eye make a successful saving throw vs.
looks back and forth on the road of spell during each round of contact.
time, witnessing what cannot be However, the effect automatically
changed, and what must certainly be. wears off 24 hours after Vistana and
giorgio part company.
However, the line of time is not
Anyone who has a specific reason
perfectly straight. Like the Old Svalich to dislike the Vistani (any fasque, not
Road through Barovia, there are twists
and turns and hills and vales, all of iust Boemians) need only make one
which obscure parts of the road in both saving throw at first meeting, with a
directions. Even with a superior vantage c4 bonus to the roll. If the save
point, there always remain lengths of succeeds, the character’s dislike and
the time line which cannot be seen from his apparent desire to harbor it ward
the present. Therefore, a seer may offthe Boem influence. The Vistani
know with certainty that particular realize this, though they do not
events occurred in the past, and other necessarily take any action based on
events are unavoidable in the future, yet that information.
she cannot always know exactly how
the past led to the present, nor how the The Boemians do not consciously
cast this spell-like power. More
present leads to the future. She must accurately, they tend to dispel negative
sometimes guess at what lies beyond impressions by their presence. If a
the slope of a hill or what lurks around Boemian deliberately attempts to cheal
a nearby corner, even if she has a clear or misuse a character influenced by hi:
picture of actions that have taken place, Charisma and the character realizes
or of milestones inevitably lying in the this, the victim is entitled to another
future. The very best of seers does not saving throw, with a +4 bonus, to
look away from the present with any break free of the effect.

i; -+ SKI-ION,TIE SECOND:

larcenists, as if the prevailing attitudes The Boemians readily deal in gold,
had never altered in the slightest. but they are apt to require other
commodities of those who seek the
Such is the simultaneous power and services only they can offer. Such
weakness of the Boemians, that they payments may include temporary
make and lose friends quickly. Giorgios servitude, a short and perilous
who pass among them become mission, achieving the release of one
captivated, regardless of previous of their number who has been
skepticism. The Boem folk are largely arrested, or even providing services
unwelcome wherever they come, yet for another tribe with whom the
they are allowed to stay with little or no Boem trade.
resistance, only to be spat about after
they leave. The Boemians are especially likely
to require special payment for their
The Boemians have no explanation “select” services even though they do
to offer for this pattern of behavior, not feel they are lawbreakers: they
other than to accuse giorgios of still definitely know when they are
hypocrisy and pointless fear. However, I breaking the law. Such aid has a
suspect that they have a magical aura value that cannot be measured in
about them. This acts upon the mind a s gold pieces, and they are well aware
a charm person spell, but only a s long of that a s well.
a s one remains in their presence. The
effect cannot be overpowering, for I Note that “breaking the law” does
myself have never felt inclined to like not necessarily refer to injuring the
them. (Of course, my history with this innocent or otherwise committing an
tasque would render anyone immune to act of evil. In a RAVENLOFcTampaign,
their charms.) Perhaps they merely committing a crime may occasionally
have the capacity to unveil feelings that be an act of good by most standards:
already exist, but which people deny. Examples of a “good crime” include
Even those who hate the Vistani may defying any directive of a domain
still enjoy, secretly or otherwise, the lord, retrieving a stolen artifact
entertainment they offer. Perhaps a though generations have passed since
man’s opinion about the Vistani is one it was taken, setting up a corrupt
thing, and his feelings about the politician to receive his just desserts,
diversions they offer is another. In any taking hostage the chief minion of a
event, the atmosphere between diabolical monster to discover his
Boemians and giorgios is distinctly plans, and so forth. Sometimes
more positive when they gather together adventurers find themselves adopting
than when they are apart. a Boem morality to achieve their
objectives, at which time the
The Defining Craft questionable attitudes of the Vistani
The Boemians do not market a craft as might seem a bit more palatable than
do the Kaldresh, but they do provide they rightly should.
services. To be sure, they have any
number of trinkets and elixirs to sell, Nevertheless, the Dungeon Master
but their showmanship really makes must be wary of such philosophy and
them what they are. They are entertain- adjudicate accordingly. The Boemians
ers all, as well as horoscope readers, do not court the heroes by tempting
cartographers, music teachers, and them to abandon their morals in favor
seers. Often they bring news of events of expediency, yet they respond in
abroad. They answer almost any ques- character if they are approached and
tion for a few coins, though they do not propositioned. Remember that the
promise the truth. means cannot justify the end, and a
powers check might be in order, even
There are a few other “services”which if the day is saved, when questionable
the Boemians are all too willing to actions are undertaken by heroes.

6)perform as well. These are theacts for

!

‘’ SECTION, T H E SECOND have a taste for battling exotic e”

which all Vistani reoutations suffer: monsters, and the Naiat have created a
smuggling, assassination, and
kidnapping. Since Boem fate dictates that strange contraption called the House of
whatever happens is preordained, they do
not hesitate to commit such deeds, for by Mists, which operates on principles of
their reasoning such things were meant to
happen. They argue that if they do not illusory magic: A person steps into a
take advantage of the opportunity,
someone else will. According to their rather small booth, only to discover that
twisted logic, their acts are not cruel, for
they are performed without malice or inside it is gigantic and occupied by
prejudice. Therefore, the victim is not
injured by them, but by inescapable strange and ferocious creatures!

destiny itself. For such injustices they Events at a Naiat Carnival
Bear wrestling: For a gold piece (or a
cannot be held responsible, in their
opinion, and they do not allow guilt to price suitable to the individual cam-
trouble them in the least. paign), any character can wrestle a
Naiat-trained bear, as Van Richten
As a researcher, I must force myself to reports. To establish an Armor Class
view the facts from their perspective, and and THACO, the Dungeon Master
in that spirit I must conclude that they should choose a bear with Hit Dice
are not wanton criminals. They do not about the same as those of the heroic
actively seek to engage in reproachable challenger (see the MONSTROUS
enterprises for their own profit, but MANUAL”t’ome for possibilities). The
merely accept when they are offered a animal is muzzled and its claws are
job by folk who do deliberately break the sheathed, so the hero must shed all
laws of government and humanity. As a armor and weapons before entering
wronged father, however, I cannot help the ring.
but despise them for their heartlessness!
Both contestants start with 20
st glance, it is possible to mistake “wrestling points.” The opponents
ribe for the Equaar, a s the Naiat deplete their points, round by round,
!that tribe’s affinity for animals. by executing various wrestling
:ver, brightly painted uardos and moves. The victor reduces the adver-
:ly more exotic creatures quickly sary to zero points, or executes a
.ate the Naiat from the quiet successful pin.
.esh tribe. As often, the Naiat are
I for a traveling carnival or troupe Each round, both contestants
tors. They are uninhibited, spirited, declare their attack forms simultane-
iuite diverting a s they roll into ously, then roll ld20 and add Strengtt
-not at all the dark and bonuses, if any. If both attack rolls
erious wayfarers that one most fail, a standoff occurs. If one roll suc-
imagines the Vistani to be (until ceeds and the other fails, the success-
)bserves them in the privacy of ful roller automatically executes the
camp, of course). declared maneuver. if both roills suc-
ceed, consult the chart below to see
ival Fun whether the character (C) or the bear
xtivities offered by a caravan of (B) is successful, or if a stand-off (S)
: are quite entertaining, although occurs. A bear hug or limb lock (arm
! are not without their perils. Those or leg) may be automatically sus-
ios who enjoy physical contests of tained from round to round, requiring
gth can pay a goid piece or two to a successful attack roll on the part of
:le a muzzled bear while the crowd the victim to break free.
isiastically cheers. Others might
To pin his adversary, the contestant
must declare “pin,”make a successful
attack, then roll once more and
achieve a result equal to or higher
than the adversary’s current wrestling-
point total.

CH xopriate to the campaign,
:eps inside a black box about
Hu BC S CB e of a telephone booth. Inside,
Thi CB B SC :overs an infinite space in
Punch CB C BS to maneuver, all of it shrouded
Lock ,.. r , L , L ~ mist: the Dungeon Master
Pin can place rocks and other natural
terrain within the area a s well. Then,
Bear hug: -2 to attack roll; depletes from somewhere in the mist, a
2 wrestling points per round sustained. creature stalks the characters and
attacks. The monster can be literally
Throw: 4 to attack roll; depletes 4 anything the character requests (he's
wrestling points per successful the paying customer), including a
maneuver. creature he would normally not be
able to beat. If the character wishes
Punch: deuletes 2 wrestlin.a_u. oints to be surprised, the Dungec- M*r+--
can I:hoose any creature frc)m the
per hit. MON! STROCIS MANUAtLome or any
RAVENLOFJ MONSTROCUOSMPENDlUM
Limb lock: depletes 1 wrestling !PPI wdix. Be devious with the
point per round sustained. choice of simulated monster, and
ruthless with its tactics, for the
-A hero b..I--llVra,u.cLLlc^~ra"cl.u,lL,.,L..y:"p- t t L aa character can always play again.
For the purposes of the carnival
bear receives the animal's full XP game, the creature has the same AC
and THACO a s the player. Further-
value. more, successful attacks do not score
Am-*-- hut only "hits." However,
For a little extra excitement, the
ster retains its normal attack
Dungeon Master can roll percentile ?d dragon can breathe fire,
can charm, etc. A
dice each round; there is a 5% saving throw against any
attam inaicates no hit. Monsters who
(noncumulative) chance that the deliver multiple attacks do the same in
the simulation.
bear's muzzle or one claw sheath falls Five hits inflicted on either
adversary ends the simulation: the
off (roll randomly door to the booth opens, and the
adventurer emerges into normal
which). If this OCCI daylight (or night). A hero earns no
experience points for his misty battles.
the appropriate a t Unfortunately for the simulation
player, all mental effects suffered in
to its normal wres the House of Mists are lasting, and any
defeat by attacks on the hero's mind
inflicting real dam,,,. lLlllll_l Lllr requires a madness check (Domains o/
Dread, Chapter Six).
Vistani nor the townsfolk intervene

when this happens, and the
adventurer is entitled to double

experience points if he successfully

pins the bear anyway. If other heroes

step in and slay the bear, the Vistani

expect compensation for the loss of

their animal. Note that it is possible

for a bear to eventually shed all of its

restraining devices.

The House of Mists: The Naiat have
a somewhat sinister "virtual reality"
booth. A character pays a nominal

Musical Instruments tone-deaf squawker such as myself car
master one of their instruments with a
The Naiat create some very special minimum of oractice. Natives of

, .musical instruments that thev Dla,v for Kartakass hold Naiat a-uitars and violins

the amusement of the crowd: these are in high esteem.

53 also for sale. They claim that even a

I

q

How shall I address the subject of this but brutally perverting its spirit. The
Corvara's one true skill is adeptness at
tribe in any objective way? Regardless opening locks and manufacturing
of my desire to forgive those who have skeleton keys for that purpose.
injured me, in spite of the fact that I
This tribe frequently finds that it has
have come to consider Arturi overstayed its welcome, for it sets up
Radanavich a personal friend, and even camp where it can best take advantage
in my fuller understanding of what the of local grasslands, fishing holes, and
villages where the residents are foolish
Vistani are, I cannot help but think ill of with their money. The Corvara remain
camped until they have taxed the limits
the Corvara. of those resources, which angers the
Though I am an experienced populace. All too often the Corvara are
escorted from the area by the local
observer of the world who has militia, or chased away by mobs.
witnessed terrible cruelty, though I have
looked into faces evil beyond the power One day, as we searched the domains
of words to express, though I surely for a Corvara tribe, Arturi told me of a
have become inured to the depths of particular exploit in which one of his
darkness that pervade this land, stili tribe was approached by a wealthy
there is one small part of my heart that merchant of Lekar. The merchant
can never accept the loss of my son. 1 wished to avenge himself on a rival by
may forgive, yet I can never forget, and having him arrested for gambling, an
my observations regarding this tribe are offense punishable by death in
best read with that fact in mind. Falkovnia. The merchant planned to
goad his rival into accepting a challenge
The Corvara are tinkers, jacks of all
trades yet masters of none. They are at cards, and asked the Corvara to play
perhaps the black sheep of this tasque. the part of "scheming, opportunistic
They excel at few things of value to rogues" (he foolishly used those words)
most giorgios, so they are least hosting the game outside of town. Of
course, the merchant intended to set up
welcomed of all visitors. Sometimes both his rival and the Vistani. He
they imitate the Naiat and attempt to informed Lord Drakov's militia of the
impending illegal activity and promised
generate a carnival atmosphere, but the to lead them to the tribe of law-breaking
entertainments they offer are along the Vistani (and his rival as well).
lines of gambling, drinking, contests of
On the appointed day, he and a force
pugilism, and other unwholesome of thirty soldiers marched to the agreed-
attractions. Often they engage in
scams, or sell elixirs of dubious quality upon place. But the merchant's plot
backfired. They found no one but his
and effect. They excel at twisting puzzled rival at the gambling site. The
"scheming, opportunistic" Corvara were
f 3 giorgios' wordsto their own advantage, instead engaged in clearing his house of
its valuables. With the majority of police
" staylng within the letter of an agreement out of town, they had no trouble looting
the premises and escaping.

Arturi could not hide a certain
amount of pride as he told that story,
and I was reminded that he was one of
the people who had stolen my child. For
a moment, I wondered if they had
known that the death of their tribesman
was inevitable, and counted on my fright
to betray me! Had they meant to take
Erasmus all along, and brought their

3 dying companion only as a method of of their kind, it is only because they have
initiating contact? I remained in control no choice but to embrace it. Of all the
of myself despite that thought. tribes in all the tasques, the Corvara
Eventually, I suggested that such seem to miss their homeland the most,
behavior would not endear his people to yet there is no place for them in civilized
the residents of the domains. Arturi society. These Vistani often earn our
responded by asking what would endear wrath, but we may have good reason to
the Vistani to giorgios, and my failure to pity them, for they have not the Naiat's
answer that question only confirmed his talents, nor the skills of the Kaldresh, nor
assertion that the Corvara are justified in the powers of the Manusa. They are truly
their actions. To him, they simply did the unwanted, the unloved, and there is
what was necessary to survive. little in them that could be considered
The Corvara may indeed be redeeming.
responsible for the reputation commonly
attributed to all Vistani of our lands, for Tn.mmw
they are squatters who take advantage of
any hospitality offered to them without This tasque is the rarest met of all
offering anything of value in return. They Vistani. I believe that merely a single
are charming in the way of all Boemians, caravan represents each tribe, for every
but their hearts are bitter, and their account I have heard of them (and I
smiles are false. If they love the freedom grant there have been precious few) has
included a description of one member
The Corvara possess all the usual or another. Though the salient
powers of the Vistani in general and characteristics varied somewhat, I have
the Boemians in particular, yet time little doubt that each observer was
spent among them is like camping describing the same persons. In fact,
with a band of highwaymen. They can Manusa tribes are so small, they
be engaged as henchmen in a plot encompass perhaps five or six
involving deception, but they may members and no children whatsoever.
cheat and run unless they are Perhaps they are slowly dying off, and
convinced that fulfilling their part of one day there will be no more Manusa.
any agreement leads to a greater
reward. Depending on this tribe can On the other hand, one Manusa
complicate an adventure wherein encounter I use as a source occurs in a
Vistani skills are crucial to its success.
While the motives and actions of all diary penned by Shanshirron D'Oltier, a
Vistani are viewed with suspicion by vampire of Chateaufaux, who existed a
most people, the blatantly great many years ago!
treacherous attitudes of the Corvara
can drive adventurers to distraction. I dared not ask any tribe members
what their actual ages were, while I
The only skill specifically attributed walked among them, for most questions
to the Corvara is an ability to make to which I gave voice were answered with
skeleton keys. Given the opportunity a mute grin or cryptic words that I could
to examine any nonmagical lock, a not understand. The firsthand information
Corvara can produce a key that I have, I gathered either by observation,
eliminates penalties of 25% or less to or from their lips without asking for it at
a thief's Open Locks rolls. all. They controlled every moment of my
Furthermore, any trap (magical or visits with them, and taught me what they
otherwise) that would normally be deemed fit for my knowledge.
activated by failure to use the proper
key does not g o off when a skeleton I never even learned any of their
key is used. Each key requires one names-or even if they had names at
day to construct, and it works only on all-except for that of the leader of the
Zarovan tribe, the legendary Madame
9 the lock for which it was designed. Eva herself.

Indeed, I have no idea why they
allowed me into their midst, but if they

, ..

”,

..a-

i

t

had not wanted my company, Arturi The Manusa live with one foot in
and I would never have found them. the campaign world and another in
One cannot simply seek and locate a
the Border Ethereal. At will, they can
Manusa tribe, as one might seek an invoke upon the entire caravan the
powers of a wraithform spell,
armorer to commission a breastplate: becoming dim, shadowy forms that
one must “happen” upon them. I are not clearly visible except in bright
suspect they can remain unseen at will. sunlight. This ability does not allow
I myself only passed among them them to pass into the Deep Ethereal
during the evening, and Arturi and I and, thus, beyond the RAVENLOFT
could not locate them by day. campaign setting. Rather, they use

Thoroughly asocial, the Manusa are the ability to create a private haven,
never encountered near any city or where they may remain unmolested
village, nor do they speak to giorgios by both giorgios and the dangers of
unless it be for their own, enigmatic the world at large.
reasons. Both the Kaldresh and the
Boemians suffered my presence, I Van Richten confuses this wraith-
believe, because they wanted me to form ability with mist nauigation (see
understand what they were in some Chapter Five), which it is not. The
small way. What reasons the Manusa Manusa must still physically travel

..>.had for briefly sharing their peculiar through the domains while in this form;
they cannot use it to travel hundreds of
.l.i.fLn =&+ %~ r lJnxG.Lth me are beyond my miles in the blink of an eye. The
advantage in using wraithformlies in
reckoning, and they are probably still remaining effectively invisible until a

chuckling iamong themselves at my time of their choosing.
conspicuoiIS puzzlement.

A Manu!sa caravan typically consists
of several iJardos, one occupied

exclusively by the leader of the tribe,
and severaI more that are shared by the along the ground, clotting with dirt at
other members. Manusa uardos are not the hem. The robes tend to lie open at
the chest, revealing a vest ofsorts,
heavily weiighted down with tools and
sewn with many small pockets into
wares to sc41, a s are those of the
which they dip their fingers, drawing
Kaldresh, rlor are they painted so
4 brightly a s those of the Boemians. forth a pipe and a pinch of weed to

Functionaliity a s a place to live seems to smoke or some shimmering bit of
magic. Upon their heads they wear a
be their primary quality, and mobility
loosely woven wool cap that rises to a
does not a]>pear to be a factor at all. In
soft point. It is not much like a wizard’s
fact, althoLIgh I noted that each uardo
cap, yet the Manusa’s obviously
had a sing1e horse tethered to it in
magical nature leads me to wonder if
camp, I have never actually seen a
there is some connection between the
Manusa caravan rolling down a road.
conical shape and arcane power.
On this slirnmest of evidence, I venture All men of the tasque allow their hair
to guess that they travel strictly through
to grow down their backs. They do not
mist nauigstion, which of course does
shave their beards and moustaches
not require them to physically move at
either, and these reach prodigious
all. If this i!j the case, then horses are
unnecessai’y, except perhaps to shift the lengths. They may never cut their hair
uardos to eI slightly better position, once at all. Beneath a tangle of bangs and
bristly eyebrows, their eyes shine with a
they have isrrived in a new place.
For all the power and wile they possess, supernatural brightness that seems to
pierce whatever they look upon. In
Manusa mides appear unkempt and
beggarly tc) t h e average observer. They stature they are shorter than average,
leading the uninformed to conclude
wrap them:selves in heavy woolen
they are frail beings. The weathered grip
robes. bereft of decoration, which
ofa Manusa man quickly dispels any
m to their shoes and skim 6\

3

@ .notion he I.Sphysi.cally weak, however. charge of the encounter, but must wait
on the wisdom and judgment of those
Females of the tasque are heavyset Vistani. Manusa powers are unmeasured,
and their ability to inflict extreme misery
and fairly unattractive by giorgio with a curse should breed respect among
standards. Their faces are well lined and the most puissant heroes. Effortlessly
somewhat puckered. The reader will they held me in a state of awe and fear
form a good mental picture by while I was among them.
imagining a dried potato with deep-set
eyes, a large nose, and a thin-lipped Each time I came into contact with
mouth. When they smile, their teeth one of the Manusa tribes, they were
glisten and reveal wide gaps between already waiting for me. The Canjar fished
them. Curiously, in spite of their Arturi and me out of the Arden River
apparent age they show not a single after we had decided to brave a set of
gray hair, but whether this is natural, rapids without a boat rather than face a
arcane, or the result of dye I cannot say. werejaguar; "Right on time," one of them
(To ask so personal a question of this remarked as he dragged me from the
tasque would be sheer folly!) water, half drowned. The Zarovan tribe I

Typically, female Manusa wrap met when I fell into a hidden c a v e - a s I
colorful scarves over their heads. Their
blouses are deep blue or purple silk, came to a crashing halt at the bottom of
embroidered with many colored a bumpy ride, Madame Eva herself
threads. Stitching patterns range from handed me a cup of tea, freshly poured
simple floral designs to complex, in anticipation of my arrival!
magical motifs. Their dresses are
layered with several skirts which flow Even more disgruntling, after a few
gracefully as they walk. hours with each tribe, during which I
mostly sat and listened and watched, I
The most striking physical feature of turned my attention away from them
all members of this tasque is their eerie momentarily, only to look back on a
eyes, When squinting, as is their different scene. Each tribe, having
constant habit, their eyes disappear discharged its business with me,
almost completely within folds of disappeared without a trace!
leathery skin, but there is no doubt
when they are trained on you, whether The demeanor of the Manusa leaves
one with the impression that they are
you can see them or not. You feel a watchers of the world, separate from
Manusa's gaze looking straight through reality and largely unconcerned by it.
you a s if you were glass. Sometimes a Some special purpose places them in
ghostly white light glows pale in the our world, some mission whose details
darkness of their sockets. They appear go beyond the simple minds of giorgios.
possessed by some luminescent being.
If you are walking in some isolated
place and you come upon a destitute
beggar, search for a queer flash in his
eyes before you decide whether to raise
your hand or open it to him.

Attitudes and Behavior
This is a breed of people who have
completely separated themselves from
the rest of the world. Their society is
entirely their own, and they obviously
do not desire to share it with anyone.
Even the other Vistani tasques find

Manusa strange and unapproachable.
When outsiders make contact with the

Manusa, they cannot hope to take

li?,