Followers of vice and discord, misunderstood members of a society that cannot grasp the potency of the Beast that drives them, Clan Ravnos's compulsion toward sin breeds distrust wherever its members travel. They are known by many, welcome by few and trusted by almost no one. Travelers by necessity, they hurry from city to city, rarely taking the time to build permanent connections or settlements. This makes the Ravnos ideal traders. Goods, information, secrets--everything has a price, and these itinerant vampires know exactly what to ask in exchange.
Sobriquet:
Appearance:
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The Embrace:
Character Creation: Clan Disciplines:
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The origins of the Ravnos are shrouded in mystery, even to the clan members themselves. Those who now reside in Europe trace their lineage to a series of waves of immigration from the eastern lands beyond Persia, dating as far as back as Alexander the Great. Before that history fades into legend. While those initial waves of Ravnos have broken into several distinct jati, or castes, lightly scattered across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, most agree that their founder still rests in those far-off eastern lands, perhaps in India, having been banished there after the Great Flood.
In the last century, a trickle of Ravnos has arrived from those same far-off lands, however, and they weave a wholly different tale about the clan's ancestry, spreading stories of a founder who was, at the very least, a great hero, and perhaps even a god. But these newer Ravnos have been exceedingly critical of their of their more established clan members, and little information is forthcoming. Just what part of this tale is truth and what part myth is unclear, as befits all tales of a clan condemned as Charlatans.
The weakness of the clan causes great discomfort to the high-blooded lords of Europe. Each Ravnos is addicted to sin, and the clan as a whole is accused of spreading chaos through the lands in which they wander. But foolish indeed are those who mistake the Ravno's tendency to indulge in the whispered urgings of their Beast as an inability to maintain self-control. An upstart prince might be tempted to banish the Ravnos from his lands, but the tales of the consequences for doing so are a matter of legend among the High Clans. Banishment only serves to bring the wraith of the victim's jati upon whoever was pretentious enough to attempt such a feat.
In the best of times, the Ravnos are a disjointed unit, and they distrust one another nearly as must as others distrust them. Easter and Western Ravnos oppose each other with equal vehemence, and the philosophies epoused by each frequently clash and cause tempers to flare. Wherever they go, their (not unwarranted) reputation for trickery proceeds them. Many Ravnos excel in chicanery, and those they deal with must consider whether what they are seeing is truly present, or some fantastic deception.
Bonds of family and caste, however, do provide a uniquely personal sense of security for members of the clan. Ravnos are quick to defend members of their own jati, and the closer the blood relation, the swifter the response. A common cautionary tale among the senechals and scouges of Europe is that of a Ravnos who was banished or wrongly punished by a high-blooded prince (the details of who and where change with each telling). Soon after, the prince found himself overwhelmed by "requests" from the victim's family: her sire, her fellow childer, her progeny and so on. Open warfare is not the style of the Ravnos, but they can bring a city to ruin just as easily as corrupting it from the inside. Leaders must carefully weigh the risks of a Ravnos guest against the legends of retribution for expulsion.
Because of their reputation, Ravnos often adopt one of two distinct strategies for survival and success amid Cainite feudalism. Many choose to masquerade as a member of another clan. While existing in such a position can be fraught with dangers, the benefits are many. Few other clans are as openly distrusted as the Ravnos, and taking the guise of a Ventrue knight-errant or a wandering Toreador troubadour leaves the Charlatan free to pursue his vices discreetly. Because discovery means certain retribution, some vampires spend decades or even centuries building a network of people who support their false claims. Others spurn this approach, however, along with the very idea that any Ravnos should be forced to hide who they are. They act openly as traders, messengers, spies, and mercenaries.
The dangerous trickery of the clan is made most manifest in their Discipline of Chimerstry. This art--allows the Ravnos to conjure illusion big and small and twist perceptions as an artist would clay. The use of Chimerstry brings its own dangers however, and tales of Charlatans who have deceived themselves are passed around the jati.
Charlatans
Those Ravnos who are open about their clan often purposefully dress in a manner to underline their exotic nature. Their attire stems from Indian or Mediterranean origins, and their clothing includes rare materials and dyes from the East. Vibrant purples, blues and golds figure prominently in the garb of this clan, and the designs are loose and less restricting than those of the European nobility. Those masquerading as something other, either briefly or for a period of years, dress as suits their role.
The Ravnos's reputation for sin and revelry is not wholly unwarranted, and they are often found in places where there are opportunities for corruption and pleasure. Because they are primarily travelers, many seek out cities where there is a large market to haven within during their stay. Port cities serve especially well for this purpose, though Ravnos can be found inland as well in small numbers. Large cities also allow them to disappear quickly should their presence become suddenly less than desired by a local prince. They may feed on mortal family members when they travel, but when a larger base of prey becomes available--within towns and cities--those of the lower classes serve just as well.
While a good number ofo Ravnos are Embraced due to their successes in life, the choice varies from sire to sire as to what qualities would make a good childe. Many look for mortals with a distinct sense of trickery and a desire to travel, but others seek out those who are particularly virtuous in life, believing that a person can never know virtue until they have truly experienced sin. Some from the East desire to keep the bloodline pure, but mortals of all origins have been Embraced into the clan in Europe.
Ravnos must be able to convince the locals of their sincerity or trick them into a false confidence, so Social Attributes are usually Primary. Drifters of all kinds are Embraced, and good concepts may vary from wandering musician to local guild masters seeking to expand their territory. Talents are often primary. Typical Backgrounds include Allies and Mentor (for members of the jati, as well as Contacts and Resources (for traders and their goods). According to most rumors, all Ravnos follow the Road of Sin, but there are, in fact, many on other paths, most especially the Road of Humanity. The most traditional and dangerous of the Charlatans are said to follow a secret faith of their own, called the Road of Paradox.
Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude
The Ravnos Beast is a seductive monster, not the mindless hunger of other vampires. While Ravnos are still subject to frenzy and Rotschreck, the Beast also pushes them toward more sophisticated indulgences. Every Ravnos is addicted to some sort of sin or vice, chosen at the time of character creation. Pride, avarice, lust, thievery or any other urges to use and exploit others are common. When the character is in a position to indulge her vice, she does so. If she manages to resist, the character feels the urge and may even hear her Beast whispering in her head.
As wamderers, the Ravnos have little time to develop firmly grounded contacts or holds. Their structure, like their society, is fluid and unconventional. The only rule that is sacred among the Ravnos is "Protect the Family," a directive that is most commonly witnessed through the actions of the various jati. These jati function as a sort of extended family for the Ravnos. The members are usually tied by blood, however distantly, and they often espouse similiar philosophies. In addition, they willingly offer one another protection and aid, helping other jati in matters such as travel or the exchange of information.
