Vistani

The Vistani are a mysterious and enigmatic race of mystical gypsies native to the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Ravenloft. Little is known about the Vistani, as they are essentially plot devices for the Dungeon Master, but some of what is known is summarized below:


 * Vistani are capable of controlling the Mists of Ravenloft, which allows them to transport themselves anywhere they desire without the risk of the Mistway drifting. They are the only beings who can enter the Mists and be garaunteed of exiting where they want, though the Dark Powers can always affect this.


 * Vistani possess a powerful wanderlust, and in fact cannot stay within a mile of a given point for more than a week before suffering a condition called 'Static Burn", where the Vistani is afflicted with an illness resembling the flu or a fever. When this occurs, the Vistani has between 2 and 7 days to cross the neccessary ground or permanently lose all of their mystical powers, becoming an outcast known as a "Mortu", which translates roughly as 'Living Dead'.


 * Vistani possess powerful, innate magical abilities, most of which bear great resemblance of sorcery as well as three unique abilities: Curse Potency, The Evil Eye and The Sight. Curse Potency is essentially that- in Ravenloft curses have great power, and the curses of Vistani are more likely to come true. The Evil Eye is the ability to mystically blight another person's luck, whilst the Sight is powerful divination magic, allowing them to predict the future. The Sight is only found amongst Vistani women (it actually does occur in Vistani men, but any male babe detected to have the Sight is slain).


 * There are several unique ranks in the Vistani; Raunie is the title of the female Vistani in the camp with the most power in the Sight. A Darkling is a Vistani criminal who has been cast out from the tribe, they hate and are hated by Vistani, and a Dukkar is a male Vistani born with the Sight who has grown to adulthood- such a being will inevitably bring great suffering to the Vistani. The only Dukkar alive is a half-fiend who rules the domain of Invidia (but is not the Darklord for that domain).