Gypaka

Gypaka

A WorCd of Gypaka demand: fortunetelling, entertaining, or trafficking information or illegal merchandise. Though most Ravnos travel in and out of Europe indiscriminately, some kumpuniyi have become settled throughout the region, cultivating their ties among both the guje and the mulo.

In Spain, Ravnos of the Gitano family are renowned for talents in song and dance, and continue to be invited to the parties of the Spanish Toreador. The Juna in England have survived the numerous attempts of the mulo-riddled monarchy to destroy them, and now travel freely among the rolling hills and majestic mountains of Great Britain. In Germany, the Sinti were once a potent force in the black markets of East Berlin. When the Berlin Wall fell, largely due to the influence of the Ventrue, they lost this sovereignty to the eager claws of the Giovanni and Lasombra.

To the Ravnos who have chosen to remain itinerant, Europe is still a favorite touring route, where the living is easy under the shadow of the powerful Camarilla. While the mulo scheme against the Sabbat and against each other, the Ravnos are often left unattended, an opportunity few of my clan would pass up carelessly.

We are a widely traveled people. Clan Ravnos has never been much for settling down, after all.

Through our endless wandering, we Ravnos have expee rienced firsthand all the dangers, mysteries, enemies and allies that the timid mulo whisper of in their cloistered havens. Because of our continued goodwill with our juvindo families, we have vicariously enjoyed the daylight world as well.

However, everywhere that my clan has gone, we have encountered fear, prejudice and hatred. Often preceded by representatives of Clan Gangrel, Ravnos have faced great opposition resulting from the crimes and lies of that mrhime clan. Soon, entire countries seemed determined to close their borders to my clan, though their attempts were laughably futile.

In spite of this adversity, the Ravnos have managed to spread their blood across the globe, and several families have risen into prominence in their chosen countries.

Europe Ever since the Renaissance, the Ravnos have looked to Europe as a shining jewel of opportunity. Throughout the land, Ravnos have always found their “services” greatly - Y ( in I Eastern Europe Believed by the guje to be the birthplace of the Rom, this region is populated withphrulmulo of various families. In Hungary and Romania, touring families of Ravnos still wander the countryside, though conflicts with Tzimisce, lone Gangrel or werewolf packs are not uncommon. The Ravnos of these countries still exist as they have for centuries; much of the countryside remains free from the influence of the modern age, and this is where many kumpaniyi still roam. However, most Ravnos scrupulously avoid the former Soviet bloc, as the events transpiring within are by all accounts not for the timid.

The Former Soviet Union Long ago, the abundant steppe of Mother Russia was free and open country, inviting both the Ravnos and the juvindo into her fertile bosom. However, political turmoil and ethnic strife have turned the former Soviet Union into a wasteland. Many shilmulo vanished in the chaos of the times, and the Kindred began to whisper of dark forces, long dormant, that stirred behind the fallen Iron Curtain.

Because of this, the region is shunned by the mulo, but especially courageous Ravnos families still tour the vast lands once contained within the Soviet Bloc. These intrepid phralmulo bear allegiance to the legendary Ravnos elder Durga Syn, and she has allegedly told them many secrets of what is transpiring in old Russia. nbia Not for the Ravnos are the dank dungeons of the European mulo. The stars shining over desert caravans, the wail of flutes in jungle temples, the smell of lotus blossoms beside limpid pools - these things nurtured thz Ravnos.

Accordingly, Ravnos have long wandered the wastes of Asia, where other Children of Caine fear to walk. Of all clans, we Ravnos know the most about the mysterious Eastern Kindred - though even among my kind this knowledge is a closely guarded secret, and relations have been far from universally friendly. (After all, one can only view mounds of opals, golden statues of the Buddha and the Maharaja's emerald crown for so long before one .nust borrow these things.. . .) Many georgio families, and a few phralmulo besides, haunt the East. One in particular, the Vritra, is reputed to have merged the beliefs of Hinduism with the teachings of the Path of Paradox. The Vritra has developed tenuous alliances with some of the Indian shilmulo, and rumors have spread that these enigmatic Kindred are the newest converts onto the Path.

Though mainland Asia is shunned by the mulo, a few kumpuniyi are tolerated in these lands, especially the family Kalderash, whose travels have penetrated as far as Bactria and Western China. However, the Kaiderash ’nave warned that the Kindred native ro the region would not readily accept an influx of our clan. Unless they have business with the Kalderash, most tamilies do not :ravel into the territory.

The America3 Though kumbuniyi from nearly all the Romani families tour the New World, both North and South America we truly controlled by the geurgio.

In the United States, roving gangs of georgio terrorize the countryside, looting the treasure-troves of the Camarilla and Sabbat alike. To avoid capture, the georgio have allied themselves with guje similarly motivated, forming splinter groups of large biker gangs like the Hell’s Angels or sets of violent street gangs like the fabled Bloods and Crips. Other georgio have taken to following the droves of young people who tour with traveling festivals and musical groups.

All of these geurgio seem inevitably drawn to the socalled “Free State” that was established by Clan Brujah in the 1950s. The “Idealists”’ rage rivals that of the most reactionary princes when they are the ones on the short end of our jests - but that makes the game all the more fun, I am told. The presence of the more violent georgio may help to explain the anarchistic nature of many of the cities in southern California.

In Sabbat-haunted South America, however, only chaos reigns. Little reliable information has leaked out of these regions, but stories tell of terrible blood feasts, and of the forcible conversion of many geurgio into the ranks of the untitribu. Though the dangers of the area seem apparent, the georgio seem to think themselves invincible, and continually flock to cities like Cancun and Rio de Janeiro.

Africcl After centuries of struggle against the Setites and Assamites, all but the most traditional families have abandoned the desert, finding a greater promise for the future in the nations beyond the sands.

The Ravnos who have chosen to remain face the same dangers that threatened their sires. The Setites are firmly entrenched in Egypt, and do not tolerate the presence of the Ravnos in Cairo, their stronghold. However, during and after the Second World War, the Ravnos managed to secure a place for themselves in Tangiers, where Ravnos fleeing Europe still turn to obtain false papers or book hasty passage to another part of the world.

South of the Ivory Coast, roaming bands of huntergatherers are as old as time itself, and it is no surprise that Ravnos dwell among them. In constant conflict with Lupines and even more bizarre shapeshifters, these resilient shilmulo have managed to remain free, traveling with the Masai and other wandering tribes. Though they have accumulated neither wealth nor fame, these African Ravnos seem content to travel in lands seldom visited by the mulo. this is also the c escape the snares of the mulo, I would explain our culture, so that the next time you gaje grop empty purse or curse our names as we ride off la in your cars, you have at least gained a bit of standing in return. her. as though there is no o believe that we dene another as well. This onstant struggles and , she is speaking only ows. However, the are first and foremost a family, containing both nd undead blood. And even deeper, the undead Clan Ravnos are thrice divided, between the lo, the georgio, and the antitribti. All of these factions nstant conflict, and only by understanding those can the clan itself be understood.

The termphralmulo refers to Ravnos who were once Rom themselves. Growing up in a kumpania, these Ravnos benefit from a rich tradition and culture. From childhood, many Rom, and especially those of the Ravnos family, are aware of the existence of shilmulo.

Though this is a point of honor for the Ravnos, other families are ill at ease with the presence of vampires in a kumpania.

Chief among these families is the Tsurara, or Knife Tribe. They are one of the youngest Gypsy families, and have sworn to destroy all shilmulo, bothgaje and Romani.

Their elders teach their children that all shilmulo are marhime, and that Romani vampires are a disgrace to both nature and the Blood.

For the most part, however, Ravnos from all families of Rom work together to achieve their goals. Though they are not turned away from their juvindo families after the tumnimos, all Romani shilmulo are considered to be part of the Ravnos family following their death and rebirth.

Ravnos choose their progeny among the Rom for a variety of reasons. Neonates might be picked because they are strong-minded or quick-witted, or simply because their sires could not bear to watch them grow old and die. Many Ravnos are granted the turnnimos to preserve their powers in the Blood. This may seem contradictory, since the Embrace denies the Ravnos the use of Blood Affinities (see A World of Darkness: Gypsies), but in rare cases thesephralmulo are given the Romani blood they need to use the powerful talents for which they were Embraced. However, this is always done with great care, in order to prevent disaster.

Though the Ravnos (mortal and Kindred) is considered a family unto itself, the family also includes “subfamilies” created through marriage or the tumnimos.

Most of these subfamilies comprise fairly typical phralmulo; a few of the more interesting ones follow.

Phuri Due Certain Ravnos Embraced from the far-seeing Phuri Dae maintain their own family ties, though their greater family is always the Ravnos. Phuri Dae Ravnos often include Auspex in their Discipline repertoire and are among the Ravnos most knowledgeable about the Jyhad (unlike many Ravnos, they understand themselves to be a part of it whether they like it or not). In recent years, certain Phuri Dae have begun speaking of Gehenna, and of a “daughter of Eve” possessing a crescent-shaped birthmark. Other Ravnos know not what to make of the Phuri Dae’s visions, though the subfamily has always proved itself uncannily accurate in its prophecies.

Urmen Likewise, there are those among the fae-loving Urmen who cannot bear to sever their ties to the sunlit world. Urmen Ravnos typically master their Chimerstry Discipline quickly, and prefer to spend their time amid the wilderness, consorting with their faerie kin. Certain unscrupulous Urmen, I am told, have a darker motive for doing this: They enjoy the intoxicating power of faerie blood, and these malicious Urmen often specialize in tracking down the elusive fae folk and murdering them for their vitae. Though this practice has understandably gained the Urmen many enemies, ingestion of fae blood often evokes all manner of bizarre powers. Ravnos “tripping” on fae blood have been known to go on insane and destructive rampages, blasting entire villages with wild magic.

V r i t r a The Vritra family is not phralmulo, and does not follow our ways - but Vritra claim lineage from the most ancient Rom, and so we extend them honor. This ancient family, I am told, dwells among the cities and wilds of India and Pakistan. Their traditions are little known to us, but they seem to observe rigid rules of status, hunting and etiquette, and they are said to deal with the mysterious vampires indigenous to South Asia.

Our elders whisper that the Vritra know many secrets of the Paradox way, and Vritra have occasionally emerged from the East to aid us when dire trouble threatens the Rom. They have as yet asked for no similar aid from us.

KaLderaSh The family Kalderash has wandered a distant wrma indeed; its members’ steps have taken them into the recesses of the uttermost East. Even more than the Vritra, the Kalderash truck with those vampires who plague the mulo’s expansion into China and Japan. (And therein lies the folly of the mulo, who would sooner throw away their unlives than simply ask advice of the lowly Ravnos!) The Kalderash is a wealthy clan; in its dealings (and, one suspects, less savory intercourse) with the Eastern mulo, its members have amassed riches and samadji of all sorts. But in their isolation they have become strange to us, and only rarely do they return to partake in the patshiv.

Wuzho The phralmulo draw their numbers from every family even the Tsurara. Tsurara Ravnos are a truly savage breed. Calling themselves the family Wuzho, these Kindred are the self-proclaimed protectors of the Ravnos, vowing the destruction of all other shilmulo. We fear these fanatics, for they have gone to great lengths in the past to “protect” the blood of the clan, destroying dozens of Kindred in their attempt to eliminate our enemies. Most Ravnos try to stay carefully informed of where Wuzho travel, knowing that Ravnos may suffer Blood Hunts in that region for many years to come.

These Ravnos share our blood without sharing our culture. Embraced from the world of the guje, thegeorgio have brought shame upon Clan Ravnos and. inspired nothing but contempt in eyes of other Kindred. Though the georgio are not an exclusively American bloodline, most of their number remain in the New World.

As the youngest sect of the Ravnos, they have no real history to speak of. They have developed no independent culture and have no uniform set of values or beliefs; only a few georgio families have even acknowledged their clan’s history and traditions. Perhaps the only trait they have inherited is their pride. Like the phrulmulo, they refuse to bow to the will of the other mulo. However, even in their defiance they disgrace their blood.

When the mulo speak of the treachery, thievery and impudence of the Ravnos, they are most likely speaking of the georgio. Without the benefit of Romani culture, these shilmulo cannot understand the urges of their blood, and resort to wanton theft and deceit.

Roving in gangs that they mistakenly call kumpaniyi, most georgio are not content until they have looted everything of value from their targets before moving on to another city, like locusts ruining the harvest.

In the years following the Second World War, American georgio allied themselves with anarchs, hoping to bring the Camarilla crashing to its knees.

Occasionally, the georgio succeeded in their efforts, throwing princes and their primogen councils into confusion so that the anarchs could seize control.

Though they were cautious enough to avoid extinction, they made unlife even more difficult for the phralmulo; many innocent Rom suffered for the crimes of their gaje clanmates.

Not to be outdone, the georgio then turned on their “allies,” betraying their plans and havens to the shanglo.

The resulting chaos plunged cities into strife for months or even years, allowing the georgio to pillage and plunder whatever they liked from the embattled cities.

Packing their spoils into their uurdons, the georgio fled the cities, leaving the mulo caught in carefully orchestrated conflicts that had both sides guessing as to the identity of their adversaries.

In the late O OS, however, these georgio underwent an unexpected change. Motivated by the dramatic events of that time, bands of georgio found themselves traveling among a new breed of “American Gypsy,” the wandering hippies and beatniks that protested the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Due to these unlikely acquaintances, a new generation of georgio was Embraced from within these groups. Of course, these young Ravnos could not shed the urges of their blood, and the sometimes violent confrontations between the shanglo and this peaceful movement of the gaje were likely exacerbated by the neonates’ crimes against “the establishment.”

Georgio most often choose their progeny based on their ability to trick or deceive others. They often attempt to con or swindle the prospective neonate before Embracing her, as a “test” of her ability. Hackers, conmen, professional thieves and gangbangers sully the ranks of the georgio. However, the georgio of the Woodstock era have openly Embraced neonates from among the ranks of alternative musicians, performance artists or poets.