Half-Vistani (or giogoto, in the Vistani

patterna [see below]) are the result of a union

between a Vistana and a giorgio (any non-Vistani

human). Unlike the other special races of

Ravenloft, half-Vistani are entirely human.

However, the traits they inherit from their Vistani

blood separate them from normal men.

Love affairs between giorgio and the Vistani

are often torrid and brief. The cultural rift cuts

deeply, so precious few giogoto ever grow up

knowing both of their parents. Most often, the

 

 

Vistana parent moves on in the night, abandoning

the child to the giorgio. Rarely, a giogoto child is

raised by the tribe of its Vistana parent. In either

case, the child may be cared for but is never truly

accepted. The giogoto's giorgio family may fear

that the child will develop the peculiar talents of

her Vistani kin, and since the giogoto is not fully

"of the blood," she finds herself unable to share

entire worlds of Vistani experiences.

A player creating a giogoto character should

also refer to "The Vistani"at the end opf this document

Personality: Broken homes are the giogoto's

birthright. Many spend their lives haunted by their

youth; a rejected child often matures into a sullen

and withdrawn adult.

their birth, so most giogoto choose to adopt one

culture over the other. They either adhere to the

customs of their homeland or wrap themselves in

the Vistani mystique. Regardless of the heritage

they favor, half-Vistani tend to be passionate and

pessimistic individuals.

Physical Description: Half-Vistani resemble

their Vistani parents, often inheriting their angular

and aquiline features, eyes and hair of deep brown

or black, and dusky or olive complexions. Of

course, giogoto often exhibit traits of their giorgio

heritage as well. A giogoto can conceal her Vistani

heritage, fooling giorgio with a successful

Disguise check (considered minor details only).

Such tricks fail against true Vistani, however, who

can identify those who are "of

the blood" with but a glance.

Relations: Giogoto are

caught between two worlds;

giorgio treat them like

Vistani, and the Vistani treat

them like giorgio. A

giogoto's outlook toward

nonhumans usually

mirrors that of his

homeland. It is not

uncommon, however,

for half-Vistani to be

more accepting toward

other "unwelcome"

creatures, such as

Calibans and halfelves.

Alignment: In

many ways, the

giorgio life mimics

that of half-elves.

Many half-Vistani

spend their lives

alienated from society

and often grow to

distrust authority.

Giogoto ethical

alignment tends

toward chaos, but

they are no more

inherently good or

evil than any other

humans.

Homelands: The

Vistani endlessly

wander throughout the

Land of Mists, so a giogoto may be born in any

domain. The ruthless oppression of Vistani in

Invidia makes native half-Vistani rare in that

domain, while giogoto are slightly more common in

neighboring Barovia. No permanent half-Vistani

communities exist anywhere in Ravenloft.

Religion: Giogoto raised by giorgio typically

adopt the prevalent faith of their homeland.

Giogoto raised by the Vistani are seldom religious;

the Vistani worship no gods and have many

legends of their cruel mistreatment at the hands of

godlike beings in the distant past. Some Vistani,

particularly those of the Vatraska tribe, treat fate,

the Mists, and the forces of nature with a respect

that approaches reverence, however.

Language: Giogoto have no

language of their own, instead

learning the domain languages of

their homeland. Giogoto who

embrace their Vistani heritage

often also learn pattema, the

Vistani's spoken language, and

tralaks, the Vistani system of

trail symbols.

Names: Giogoto raised

by giorgio are often given

names drawn from their

homeland's cultures.

Giogoto raised by the

Vistani are named in

the Vistani tradition,

and it is not unheard

of for a half-Vistani

raised by a giorgio to

be named after her

wayward Vistana parent.

Vistani Male

Names: Bela, Grigori,

losif, Karol, Ludovic,

Nicu, Pyotr, Simione,

Stefan, Vasile.

Vistani Female Names:

Ana, Eliza, Isabela, Lela,

Natasha, Papusza, Rozalina,

Sofya, Ursula, Yvonne.

Adventurers: Many

giogoto become wanderers,

seeking happiness in foreign

lands. Many fall in with other

outcasts and eccentrics during

their aimless travels

 

36

Half-Vistani Racial Traits

• +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Giogoto retain

traces of their Vistana parent's powerful sixth sense,

but as outcasts, they lack the Vistani's fierce ethnic

pride.

• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, half-

Vistani have no special bonuses or penalties due to

their size.

• Half-Vistani base speed is 30 feet.

• +2 racial bonus on Wilderness Lore checks. A

giogoto inherits her Vistana parent's affinity for

nature. Provided fuel and some means of igniting a

spark, half-Vistani can always light a fire as a

standard action, even under adverse conditions

(pouring rain, gusting winds, and so on). When

wilderness survival depends on being able to start a

fire, the half-Vistani racial bonus to Wilderness

Lore checks rises to +4.

• Diluted Blood: For all special abilities and

effects, half-Vistani are considered human, though

they do not gain the extra feat or skill points

standard humans receive. Only pureblooded Vistani

can use special spells or magic items with racially

specific Vistani powers.

• Moon Madness: A giogoto suffers from the

lunatio during the full moon each month, her mind

clouded by restlessness and anxiety. She cannot

prepare spells or heal naturally during this period.

On each of the three nights of the full moon, she

must succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or run wild

under the night sky.

• Recommended Feats: Alertness, Ethereal

Empathy, Lunatic, Track, Voice of Wrath.

 

• Tribal Heritage: A giogoto character must

select a tribe from the following list at the time of

creation, reflecting the branch of her Vistani ancestry.

(Further information on Vistani tasques can

be found in chapter 5.) This tribe determines

additional benefits and favored class.

 

Canjar: +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks.

This bonus rises to +4 when attempting to learn new

spells. Favored Class: Wizard.

Corvara: +2 racial bonus on Open Lock and

Sense Motive checks. Favored Class: Rogue.

Equaar: +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal

and Ride checks. Favored Class: Ranger.

Kamii: +2 racial bonus on any metal-based

Craft checks (e.g., blacksmithing) With a successful

Appraise check, Kamii can identify metals and

determine where any metal item originated. Favored

Class: Rogue.

Naiat: +2 racial bonus on Perform checks.

Naiat have a base Outcast Rating of 0. Favored

Class: Bard.

Vatmska: +2 racial bonus on Heal and Profession

(herbalism) checks. Favored Class: Cleric.

Zarovan: Racial bonus of (Idl0-ld4) to initiative.

Roll at the start of each encounter. Favored

Class: Sorcerer.

 

The Vistani are the Gypsies as popularly imagined,

• Vistani possess a powerful wanderlust, and 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 necessary ground or permanently lose all of their mystical powers, becoming an outcast known as a mortu, which translates roughly as "Living Dead." This mechanic ensures that contact with helpful Vistani will occur only when the Dungeon Master wishes.

• Vistani possess powerful, innate magical abilities that recall Gypsies as imagined in popular culture. "Curse Potency" is self-explanatory: curses in Ravenloft 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 allowed to exist amongst Vistani women; it does occur in Vistani men, but any male babe detected to have the Sight is slain.

• Vistani society has ranks: 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. 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). The Vistani who wrote the prophecy foretelling the Grand Conjunction was inferred to be a dukkar.

The fictional character Rudolph van Richten, a famous Monster Hunter in Ravenloft and author of a series of guides to hunting and slaying various monsters, had a great enmity for the Vistani for most of his monster-hunting career, but his opinion improved during his penning of Van Richten's Guide To The Vistani, during which he befriended a mortu.