"Hey there, friend. You look like you've got ambition, maybe a little bit of that daredevil spirit, a bit of the ol' wanderlust. Do you like to live dangerously? I can see it, a bit of the 'blood' runnin' through those pretty veins. Come, come.. tell me a tale, prieten. If it's good enough maybe I'll tell you a tale.. I guarantee you've never heard this one before. I'd even wager you wouldn't believe it was true. Until you do..."
Clan: Ravnos
Nickname: Rogues, Ravens, Daredevils, Vagabonds, Wanderers, Tricksters, Mystics, The Haunted, Gypsies, Criminals, Deceivers, Charlatans, Shapers, Seekers, Unwelcome, Hundred-Mask Clowns (by the Kuei-jin)
Faction: Independent
Disciple: Ravnos
Antediluvian: Cryso Kenoth
Methuselah: None
"Gypsies, vagabonds and charlatans, the cunning vampires of Clan Ravnos roam the night as they indulge in the most dangerous of games – lying to the liars, tricking the tricksters, and gleefully receiving curses from the Damned. From Bel Air to Bombay, from Shanghai to Sarajevo, these nomadic vampires wander where their citybound Kindred fear to tread. The Ravnos' know well their secret arts, and hide centuries of hate behind a jester's smile."
Known as wandering tricksters, mystics, and vagabonds, the Ravnos are incurable daredevils who gleefully pursue the art of unliving dangerously. If ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy -- be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.
Although many Ravnos see themselves as great tricksters, the generally benevolent tricks of Coyote and Raven aren't so much their style. Instead, they draw on a tradition of illusion and deceit inherited from the rakshasas and ghuls of the Middle and Far East. A Ravnos is a highly dangerous being with whom to sup or bargain. And these devils have been making their wagers and bargains for a long time indeed.
The Ravnos are nomadic to the core and care little for permanent havens or positions in a city's established power structure. Even those who have chosen a given city for their home tend to establish and abandon havens as the mood strikes them, taking whatever lairs they like, doing as they please, and moving on when bored. This habit infuriates princes across the world, who resent the Ravnos' disregard for the Tradition of Hospitality. Few punish violators, though, for fear drawing the malice of the clan as a whole.
Although the clan has long-standing ties with the Gypsies, few Ravnos enjoy the hospitality of their mortal kin. Perhaps the Gypsies know these vampires' true natures too well, and are loath to offer friendship to the undying. Perhaps the Ravnos themselves alienate their mortal families through their dangerous tricks. Whatever the reason, a Ravnos typically has no allies he can rely on regularly. His charm may win him a few temporary companions, and clan loyalty may draw fellow Ravnos to his side in times of dire need, but the vampire's path ultimately lies alone.
Naturally, the princes of many cities are leery of allowing such tricksters free rein in their domains. The Ravnos' eccentric code of honor is strong, but rarely coincides with another Kindred's definition of the term. A Ravnos may break her word at will, unless she's spit in her palm and shaken n the deal. She'll defend her "good name" for all it's worth -- depending on what she considers slander. And she'll usually come to the defense of a clanmate, and vice versa; the Ravnos may take advantages of one another, but they consider it their privilege. Outsiders aren't allowed the same.
Perhaps the most worrisome thing about the Ravnos is that as a clan, they managed to survive for centuries in Asia, where most Kindred are quickly hunted down and devoured by the ruthless Cathayans. No other Cainites know exactly how they managed this -- but now a possible reason is emerging. Rumores filted back to Europe and the Americas of elder things awakening, of ancient vampires shrugging off the earth of millennia and throwing the Cainite courts into disorder. Theses elder Ravnos -- if rumor speaks correctly -- have demonstrated terrifying mystical powers, including a talent for illusions so powerful they can affef the physical world. Time can only tell what part the reemergence of these "demon "kinds" will play in the Jyhad.
The Ravnos do not have much in the way of a clan organization, but more communally-minded members of the clan have established their own system of tradecraft in order to communicate and organize meetings.
The Ravnos are broken into western and eastern divisions. Western Ravnos are largely individuals without larger clan loyalties outside of perhaps tribal (and Rroma loyalties). Eastern Ravnos have their own caste system, developed from lineages.
Western Ravnos, historically connected with the oppressed Rroma, maintained a strong sense of clan solidarity for a very long time. The most common manifestation of this solidarity was through a form of retaliation called "The Treatment". The Treatment was a vengeance attack where a mistreated Ravnos would contact fellows in the clan, who would then swarm upon the city where the original Ravnos was victimized. In general, a dozen Ravnos running amok could bring even the most experienced Prince to the brink, and well-placed exaggerations about the impact of the Treatment was the main weapon the Ravnos used to squeeze out what place they did have in Western society.
In India, the Ravnos dominated the continent, probably the largest concentration of a single clan in one country. In several ways, the Ravnos paralleled the Assamites – both clans had a caste system invisible to outsiders, and both clans were defined by a military role.
As with everything else in the clan, Embraces differed between Indian and Western Ravnos. Western Ravnos generally embraced only Gypsies (with the exception of the Ravnos antitribu who were noted for embracing gorgios) and generally embraced for any reason. Indian Ravnos viewed the Embrace as a means to fulfilling the fledgling's svadharma. In India, one's Jāti in life also defined one's Jati in undeath.
Due to their inherent clan weakness, the Ravnos clan are all criminals; each Ravnos has a specific vice ranging from plagiarism to mass murder. When the opportunity to indulge that vice is present, Ravnos must succeed in a self-control check to avoid indulging it.
Clan: Ravnos
Nickname: Rogues, Ravens, Daredevils, Vagabonds, Wanderers, Tricksters, Mystics, The Haunted, Gypsies, Criminals, Deceivers, Charlatans, Shapers, Seekers, Unwelcome, Hundred-Mask Clowns (by the Kuei-jin)
Faction: Independent
Disciple: Ravnos
Antediluvian: Cryso Kenoth
Methuselah: None
"Gypsies, vagabonds and charlatans, the cunning vampires of Clan Ravnos roam the night as they indulge in the most dangerous of games – lying to the liars, tricking the tricksters, and gleefully receiving curses from the Damned. From Bel Air to Bombay, from Shanghai to Sarajevo, these nomadic vampires wander where their citybound Kindred fear to tread. The Ravnos' know well their secret arts, and hide centuries of hate behind a jester's smile."
Known as wandering tricksters, mystics, and vagabonds, the Ravnos are incurable daredevils who gleefully pursue the art of unliving dangerously. If ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy -- be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.
Although many Ravnos see themselves as great tricksters, the generally benevolent tricks of Coyote and Raven aren't so much their style. Instead, they draw on a tradition of illusion and deceit inherited from the rakshasas and ghuls of the Middle and Far East. A Ravnos is a highly dangerous being with whom to sup or bargain. And these devils have been making their wagers and bargains for a long time indeed.
The Ravnos are nomadic to the core and care little for permanent havens or positions in a city's established power structure. Even those who have chosen a given city for their home tend to establish and abandon havens as the mood strikes them, taking whatever lairs they like, doing as they please, and moving on when bored. This habit infuriates princes across the world, who resent the Ravnos' disregard for the Tradition of Hospitality. Few punish violators, though, for fear drawing the malice of the clan as a whole.
Although the clan has long-standing ties with the Gypsies, few Ravnos enjoy the hospitality of their mortal kin. Perhaps the Gypsies know these vampires' true natures too well, and are loath to offer friendship to the undying. Perhaps the Ravnos themselves alienate their mortal families through their dangerous tricks. Whatever the reason, a Ravnos typically has no allies he can rely on regularly. His charm may win him a few temporary companions, and clan loyalty may draw fellow Ravnos to his side in times of dire need, but the vampire's path ultimately lies alone.
Naturally, the princes of many cities are leery of allowing such tricksters free rein in their domains. The Ravnos' eccentric code of honor is strong, but rarely coincides with another Kindred's definition of the term. A Ravnos may break her word at will, unless she's spit in her palm and shaken n the deal. She'll defend her "good name" for all it's worth -- depending on what she considers slander. And she'll usually come to the defense of a clanmate, and vice versa; the Ravnos may take advantages of one another, but they consider it their privilege. Outsiders aren't allowed the same.
Perhaps the most worrisome thing about the Ravnos is that as a clan, they managed to survive for centuries in Asia, where most Kindred are quickly hunted down and devoured by the ruthless Cathayans. No other Cainites know exactly how they managed this -- but now a possible reason is emerging. Rumores filted back to Europe and the Americas of elder things awakening, of ancient vampires shrugging off the earth of millennia and throwing the Cainite courts into disorder. Theses elder Ravnos -- if rumor speaks correctly -- have demonstrated terrifying mystical powers, including a talent for illusions so powerful they can affef the physical world. Time can only tell what part the reemergence of these "demon "kinds" will play in the Jyhad.
The Ravnos do not have much in the way of a clan organization, but more communally-minded members of the clan have established their own system of tradecraft in order to communicate and organize meetings.
The Ravnos are broken into western and eastern divisions. Western Ravnos are largely individuals without larger clan loyalties outside of perhaps tribal (and Rroma loyalties). Eastern Ravnos have their own caste system, developed from lineages.
Western Ravnos, historically connected with the oppressed Rroma, maintained a strong sense of clan solidarity for a very long time. The most common manifestation of this solidarity was through a form of retaliation called "The Treatment". The Treatment was a vengeance attack where a mistreated Ravnos would contact fellows in the clan, who would then swarm upon the city where the original Ravnos was victimized. In general, a dozen Ravnos running amok could bring even the most experienced Prince to the brink, and well-placed exaggerations about the impact of the Treatment was the main weapon the Ravnos used to squeeze out what place they did have in Western society.
In India, the Ravnos dominated the continent, probably the largest concentration of a single clan in one country. In several ways, the Ravnos paralleled the Assamites – both clans had a caste system invisible to outsiders, and both clans were defined by a military role.
As with everything else in the clan, Embraces differed between Indian and Western Ravnos. Western Ravnos generally embraced only Gypsies (with the exception of the Ravnos antitribu who were noted for embracing gorgios) and generally embraced for any reason. Indian Ravnos viewed the Embrace as a means to fulfilling the fledgling's svadharma. In India, one's Jāti in life also defined one's Jati in undeath.
Due to their inherent clan weakness, the Ravnos clan are all criminals; each Ravnos has a specific vice ranging from plagiarism to mass murder. When the opportunity to indulge that vice is present, Ravnos must succeed in a self-control check to avoid indulging it.
