Vistani

Skilled Craftspeople

Vistani are silversmiths, coppersmiths, haberdashers, cooks, weavers, musicians, entertainers, storytellers, toolmakers, and horse traders. They also earn money by telling fortunes and selling information. They spend whatever they earn to support a lavish lifestyle, display their wealth openly as a sign of prosperity, and share their good fortune with family and friends. A Vistana would rather make an item themselves rather than purchase it, given the opportunity.

Diverse micro-communities

Each family or clan of Vistani is its own little gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder carries the bulk of the responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling disputes, setting the course for the group’s travels, and preserving the Vistani way of life. Vistani elders make all the important decisions, but whether by choice or because of their age, tend to speak in cryptic, flowing riddles.

Adopted Family

Vistani families and clans are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. The Vistani are quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened and are merciless when they believe they must be. Vistani Travel the lands far and wide, trading stories, adopting vagrants and orphaned children accepting any and all into their flock as well as their way of life.

Earned Loyalty

During one of Strahd's military campaigns, years before he became a vampire, a group of Vistani rescued him after he was wounded in battle. These Vistani not only nursed Strahd back to health but also delivered him safely home. As a reward for their generosity, Strahd declared that all Vistani had the right to come and go from his land as they please, and this privilege extends to the present day. Thus, Vistani can travel freely through the fog that surrounds Barovia, without fear of harm or entrapment.

Racially Diverse

Vistani ancestors were originally a human clan, but ever since they become nomadic wanderers of the lands and accepted as many people as they can, their communities have become vibrant with variaties of many humanoid and is especially populated with second class races such as Tabaxi, Goblins, Kobolds, Tiefling.

The Vistani (singular: Vistana) are wanderers, traveling about in horse-drawn, barrel-topped wagons, which they build themselves. Compared to Barovians, they are flamboyant, dressing in bright clothes and laughing often. As much as they feel at home in Strahd’s dreary land, they know they can leave it whenever they please and aren’t damned to spend eternity there.

The Evil Eye

It is rumored that the Vistani can curse a person and take away your vision or a variety of other nasty things.

Notable Vistani

• Madame Eva
• Stanimir