First Published 6 January 2022
This article is relative to The Domains Of Dread.

The Vistani

The Vistani are wanderers who live outside civilization, traveling about in horse-drawn, barrel-topped wagons called vardos, which they build themselves. They are flamboyant, and dress in bright clothes, laugh often, and drink heartily.

Vistani are silversmiths, coppersmiths, haberdashers, cooks, weavers, musicians, entertainers and storytellers, toolmakers, and horse traders. They also earn money by telling fortunes and selling information. Due to some of their more questionable activities they are often viewed as untrustworthy, and many outsiders will even take this to the extremes of referring to them as 'dirty' and 'stinking'. 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.

Each family or clan of Vistani is its own little gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder takes on 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. Vistani families and clans are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. Although they can seem lazy and irresponsible to outsiders, the Vistani are serious people, quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened. They are merciless when they believe they must be. Vistani who knowingly bring harm or misfortune to others of their kind are banished - the worst punishment a Vistana can imagine, even worse than death.