“Our home is the broken hearth, our flagstones windswept and empty. What is home, now?”
The Ravnos are a harried and unruly clan who are even more insular than the sequestered Tremere - though their particular form of isolation is borne from persecution by other clans and a strong belief in family and blood above all else. They specialise in their trademark discipline of Chimestry - the art of conjuring illusions so convincing that even a perceptive vampire cannot tell them apart from reality. This practice has done little to win them trust with a vampire population that already shuns them from most territories, but the Ravnos know that their gift is invaluable and deserving of a fearful reputation. It is a double edged sword that can pull the practitioner just as deeply into the illusion as the target - wise Ravnos know that it is a tool that must be respected and not used for frivolous party tricks.
“Look to the light of your soul. Then set eye to that north star and follow it until your feet give way. On that long road will you find your people, and there you will find your home.”
An old but wonderfully relevant video on the clan by Matthew Dawkins, author of a fair bit of some great official Vampire the Masquerade material! (Just be aware it is not for the Renaissance time period, bur rather our modern day. And don’t worry about any unknown terminology.)
The foundation of the Ravnos bloodline and their unique culture can be traced back to ancient northwestern India where the clan would become closely associated with the Indo-Aryan peoples who would travel far into the West and become known as the Roma. In truth, the Ravnos have been migrating back and forth from India since time immemorial - it is only since the beginning of the Middle Ages that other vampires have seen the clan as inextricable from the culture of the Romani people, and in many parts of Europe this can often be close to the truth.
However, if one is willing to dig a little deeper and shuck off the confines of ignorance - it would quickly become apparent that members of the Ravnos can be found across many creeds spread over Europe, Egypt, India and the Middle East. Within the clan, these different castes of Ravnos are known as jāti and their cultural practices and beliefs are as diverse as the human populations they travel alongside. Despite their differences, all Ravnos jāti are united by a few consistent principles and philosophies.
“We are many stars scattered in the sight of God.”
All Ravnos have a strong sense of loyalty to the clan above all - this loyalty helps to protect them from the hostility of other vampires that is often deeply rooted in racist prejudice and ideas of oppressive European supremacy. Secondly, the Ravnos reject the Cainite creation story that is this most widely accepted origin mythos across vampiric society - in this way they are similar to the Followers of Set and to an extent the Children of Haqim, though this has not resulted in any camaraderie between these vastly different clans.
Many Ravnos look to an epic poem known as The Wounds of the Night’s Sword to explain their origins - this ancient document is shrouded in legend of curses, lies and Armageddon and is a huge source of contention between the Ravnos and the other clans. Thirdly, the Ravnos take debt and honour much more seriously than most other vampires - they do not restrict the concept of equivalent exchange to boons alone but expect every favour or service to be repaid or accounted for in some manner. The Ravnos see debt as an unacceptable burden and will never accept a gift, assistance or knowledge without offering something in return - likewise, they will also never offer anything without expecting recompense.
“Without each other, we are nothing. And so my childe: We will be each other's everything.”
The Renaissance
The Ravnos are an adaptable and resilient clan whose travels have taken them all across the known world. In early Renaissance Europe, they can be found in almost every country - though their presence is usually only tolerated for short periods of time in any one city or domain. They have a versatile skill set and are resourceful enough to fill many niches across all sorts of vampiric political structures - as a result, even their staunchest critics within vampire society often struggle to deny that members of Clan Ravnos are useful in a pinch.
They are excellent information gathers and often carry news from all corners of the continent and their knowledge can usually be extracted at will - for a price. Their powers of Chimestry and Animalism allow them to manipulate others exceptionally well while also maintaining a good level of control over their own Beastial instincts. They are also often a good vampire to have on your side in a fight - as they are as physically tough as they are resilient.
Ravnos can be found filling temporary posts of intrigue and politics in the vampire domains that have granted them residence for any length of time. They have also had huge success in infiltrating human trade, commerce and shipping in recent years as the economy and international market begins to open back up. Most commonly, Ravnos in the Renaissance will not be found at all - they are arch practitioners of the art of deception and impersonation and excel in masquerading as members of other clans. This is a dangerous game but often the only option for this unpopular clan if they wish to stay in one place for any extended period of time - many vampires play at this game of masks but none as are adept at it as the Ravnos, making them excellent infiltrators and spies.
Clan Opinions On…
The Auction
Being openly invited to a meeting of Cainites is a titillating and amusing experience for most Ravnos - they very seldom get the opportunity to come as they are to any gathering of their own kind, let alone one as august as Claudius Giovanni’s auction. The concept of an auction is intrinsically interesting to the Ravnos, as it invites the opportunity to make an exchange of sorts. However, they are suspicious of the Giovanni's banking history and practice of usury - generating interest both in finance and in boons - and are likely to be very cautious in how they engage with his credit system.
Whether an individual Ravnos chooses to partake in bidding or not, any Raven is sure to be fascinated by the antics that the other clans are bound to get themselves into as they climb over one another to obtain what they desire - a human of the Black Dawn. The Ravnos will delight in gathering information about who is getting who into how much debt - and more importantly which humans seem to be generating the most interest. Many Ravnos are chomping at the bit to find out more about these mysteriously gifted humans - they are not accustomed to not being privy to supernatural secrets and they certainly want to get the upper hand by finding out as much as they can about each human’s power and indeed, about each human’s story and secrets.
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