
Nickname: Gypsies
Appearance: Ravnos are almost always of Gypsy descent, and thus are often swarthy in complexion, with dark hair and black eyes. However, these traits are not universal. There have been blond, blue-eyed Gypsies, Oriental Gypsies and Gypsies of African heritage. Furthermore, in North America, where Gypsy culture has become more urban, Ravnos have been known to Embrace gorgio (non-Gypsies). In Europe, however, all of this clan are still of the Gypsy blood, and any gorgios Ravnos would immediately be extinguished.
Haven: Ravnos constantly travel from city to city. Though they
may settle somewhere for a time and even establish havens, after a few
months they always hit the road again. Usually the princes of their
temporary abodes "persuade" them to leave much sooner than that.
Traditional Ravnos make their homes in gaudily colored, covered caravans
which travel the countryside, stopping here and there to trade, celebrate
holidays or just for a change of pace. In North America, where Gypsies
have moved into the cities, the Ravnos have followed suit. Now they make
their temporary homes in the basements of fortunetellers' shops and in the
backrooms of Gypsy houses. Still, some Ravnos in the New World follow the
old ways, while others have adapted them and travel across the continent
in convoys of old luxury cars, vans and RVs.
Background: Ravnos generally sire few childer, and those they do Embrace are generally the most promising members of their own families. Younger Ravnos have been known to be more willing to sire, however, and neonate Ravnos from all backgrounds are beginning to plague the Kindred community.
Character Creation: Ravnos usually have drifter and outsider concepts. They generally have Jester-type Natures but are willing to change their Demeanors at a moment's notice. Social Abilities and Talents are generally primary, and they almost always have a number of family members as Retainers. Some also have high Resources in the form of gold and jewels they have accumulated through the years. Such trinkets are highly prized among them as symbols of success and expertise.
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude
Weaknesses:
Organization: There is no organization to this clan, for no Ravnos would trust another to keep his word. However, when two or more Ravnos meet somewhere, they will likely put on a great show of camaraderie, pledging each other their undying loyalty - a vow that is quickly forgotten.
Gaining Clan Prestige: The best way to gain the respect of other Ravnos is to pull off wonderful cons, the tales of which are then retold for years to come. Getting a prince to trade her favorite vessel for a worthless knickknack or stealing a Methuselah's coffin from his haven would earn a Ravnos a great deal of esteem within the clan. The more souvenirs a character can collect from his exploits, the better; it is considered bad taste to talk about oneself unless one has something to show ( the idea is to talk about the object not oneself)
Quote: "How could anyone take seriously the form we have
been given? It's fun! We can do anything we want and all these others sit
around trying to be statues. They act like they've been crucified on a
trushul. That could never be the unlife for me."
There are a very few Ravnos who proport themselves to be members of the
Camarilla and actually mean it. Ravnos of the Camarilla are, to a man, no
longer welcome among their clanmates, and take succor where they can. For
some, putting up with the humorless elders of the Camarilla is preferable
to a quick death, and so they attempt to rein in their socially
unacceptable tendencies enough to avoid being staked out by their new
playmates as well.
A handful of princes have Ravnos “Fagins” working for them to steal
items of power and information from their enemies; a little diablerie in
the cause of the prince’s work gets ignored or even smiled upon, so long
as it’s someone from the other side who’s getting the bite put on
them. To say that sectarian Ravnos are distrusted by their Camarilla
brethren is a vast understatement. Thankfully, there are so few Ravnos in
the Camarilla that most vampires never have their prejudices tested in the
field. As for those who do mouth off or otherwise make their displeasure
known, they often find themselves short a valuable item — such as a
piece of jewelry, a document or a favorite ghoul’s liver — for their
trouble. Just because a Ravnos joins the Camarilla doesn’t mean that
he’s either well-behaved or nice.