Vistani
Vistani are Fictional Gypsies.
Vistani Culture: A Welcoming People
-Vistani are the kings and queens of hospitality. If you are not their enemy, you are their friend, even if they just met you. The Vistani will treat visitors with open kindness, feeding them from their table and making sure they have beds for the night. The Vistani can also be quite loud and boisterous. They're fans of wine, music, and dance and often indulge in all three. They believe that these things are medicine for the human soul and push visitors to join them in their merrymaking. The more crest-fallen the PC, the more the Vistani will gather around them and push wine into their bellies and try to make them laugh.
Structure
Nomadic: They always have a plethora of horses and barrel-top wagons at the ready, and can pitch tents like it's nothing.
Family Units: The Vistani believe that family comes first and foremost. And to them, family isn't just the people you're related to by blood. Family is all the people around you, from extended family to friends and their families. Your BFF's mother is your mother too in Vistani culture.
When a Vistana leaves their Tribe (Remanio):
If a Vistana decides to leave their tribe to say, go live in Vallaki, this isn't shunned. A Vistana is free to go live their lives away from their people if they choose. They won't become outcasts or hated by Vistani if they do so.
Instead, when a Vistana decides to leave the tribe, the Vistani treat it like a death. They actively mourn the loss of the Vistana and send prayers to the fates for their safety away from their family. This ceremonial mourning is almost identical to a funeral in Vistani culture.
The Vistani refer to someone who has voluntarily left the tribe as a Remanio, one who has been cut off from the Threads of Fate.
Ezmereldais a Remanio.
When A Vistana returns to their Tribe (Vani)
If a Remanio is returned to the Vistani, they are welcomed with open arms and usually copious amounts of tears and hugging. This can happen if a Remanio decides they've made a mistake in leaving, or if they've accomplished their goal and are ready to come home.
There's also a chance that a Vistana might get separated from the tribe by some happenstance or another. In my campaign, my Rogue is half-Vistani and doesn't know it. He grew up far away from the Vistani and is technically a Remanio.
When someone is returned to the Vistani, they are called Vani. Vani is a term loosely meaning, "someone brought back from death."
Outcasts and Enemies:
If you've done wrong to a Vistani, the whole people will know it. There is no redemption among the Vistani. If you're their enemy, you're their enemy forever. There's nothing you can do to get back into their good graces. Vistani never forgive and never forget.
Mortu:
A term for an outcasted Vistana. This is someone who was born Vistani, but did something so awful that they were cast out. A Mortu looses all their Vistani powers, like the Evil Eye but, retain their ability to curse others. If possible, before being exiled, a Mortu receives a small cut under their left eye that will leave a scar. This scar marks them forever as Mortu.
- The three sisters that run the Blood On The Vine Tavern tavern are considered Mortu.
Mortio:
- A term for an enemy of the Vistani. A Mortio is an outsider that did some harm to the Vistani and became their enemy. If a Vistana comes across a known Mortio, they will actively try to curse them before chasing them away.
Public Agenda
Make money and friends
Mythology & Lore
The Vistani don't worship any gods, but instead believe in something they call, the Threads of Fate. They believe that all actions have reactions and that fate's wound its strings around everyone.
Rema (the Vistani word for Karma, essentially) is one of the core tenants of Vistani faith. They believe that kindness breeds kindness and hate breeds hate. If you are kind to them, they are kind back. If you hurt them, they will hurt you back. Simple, really.
VISTANI TERMS:
Giorgio: Someone who is not Vistani. A general term for outsiders.
Giogoto: An outsider who has done something so profound, they're basically honorary Vistani. They're accepted as one of the Vistani, though they weren't born one.
Shae : A generic term for an honored elder.
Raunie: A Vistana with an exceptional gift for seeing the Threads of Fate.
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Type
Civilian, Crew
Leader
Economic System
Barter system
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
