From ThreadsOfTime

The prophetic tribe with burning eyes

Took the road yesterday, carrying the children
On its back, or giving to their fierce appetites
The ever ready treasure of pendant breasts
The men go on foot bearing their sparkling weapons
Along by the wagons in which their families huddle;
Scanning the sky with eyes dulled
By the sad regret for missing chimeras.
From the depth of his sandy retreat, the cricket
Watches them pass, redoubles his song;
Cybele, who loves them, redoubles her ventures,
Makes water flow from the cliff to flower the desert
Before these travelers for whom is opened
The familiar empire of future darkness.
- Ode -

By Arther William Edgar O'Shaughnessay

Contents 1 The Romany or Gypsies 1.1 Theme 1.2 Mood 1.3 Through a Mirror Darkly 2 Gypsy Character Creation 2.1 Families of Power 2.1.1 The Urmen 2.1.2 The Phuri Dae 2.2 Elements 2.2.1 Dhartime (Earth) 2.2.2 Jhanaski (Air) 2.2.3 Jastima (Water) 2.2.4 Satarma (Spirit) 2.2.5 Kuyan (Fire) 2.3 Blood Purity 2.4 Affinities 2.4.1 Dance of Knives 2.4.2 Truth of the Rom 2.4.3 Zapadarin 2.4.4 Instinct 2.4.5 Luck 2.4.6 Faerie Threads 2.4.7 Patteran 2.4.8 Spirit of The Animal (Wolf, Cat... etc) 2.5 Magic 2.5.1 Evil Eye 2.5.2 Mediumship 2.5.3 Draba 2.5.4 The Sight 2.5.5 Blood Foci 3 Experience Point Costs 4 Lexicon 5 Information Links

The Romany or Gypsies

The vampires skulk in the looming shadows of their undying world of politics and pain. The Lycanthropes battle desperately under their hunger, and perhaps hopelessly, to survive in the world. The witches, warlocks, and faeries too, work to shape the world for their own devices. But not the Rom, not the Gypsies.

Those of the Blood of Daenna know their place in the World of Darkness. The Gypsies recognize the plotting and battles behind the Masquerade of the vampires, the werewolves' Veil, the magi's intrigues, the underworld of the wraiths, and even the faerie hills' whispers. Knowledge is both gift and curse to the Rom. Forever isolated from other humans by their Blood and ways, the Rom await with curiosity their role in the upcoming Convergence. Since the first Gypsy walked the earth, individual Romani have played critical roles at important points in history. As the wildcards at the Convergence, the Rom expect to put on a particularly impressive show.

From the World of Darkness: Gypsies page 5

Theme

The theme of World of Darkness: Gypsies is the intimacy of the outsider. Gypsies are castaways, social outcasts in the World of Darkness. They are distrusted, hated, and even persecuted by the other inhabitants of the world. Most folks would probably just prefer to forget they exist at all. Yet, it is this same outcast status that helps the Gypsies preserve their culture, and even more importantly, provides the Romani with their uniquely penetrating view of the world.

Gypsies can recognize all the forces competing for power in the world, assess all the angles, and thus develop more perceptive insights into the workings of the world. Unlike the other groups tussling for power and supremacy, the Gypsies are far enough removed from the melee to see the patterns of politics, the ebb and flow of conflict. All things become clear from a distance.

Although they may seem marginalized to the world at large, the Gypsies actually understand far more about the World of Darkness than do any of the so-called major players, and this may well prove to be their salvation.

Or their damnation.

From the World of Darkness: Gypsies page 5

Mood

The mood of World of Darkness: Gypsies is one of destiny. The Rom are the children of fate, and every member of every Kumpania of young Rom who goes romping off on tour believes that she will play a key role in the destiny of the world -- and she may well be right. Each Gypsy carries within herself the potential for greatness. the knowledge of the world is locked within her veins, within her soul. Unlike the other people who inhabit the world, the Gypsies know they are special.

No matter how much persecution a Gypsy faces, no matter how bad the odds seem, the knowledge of her birthright and the sureness in her destiny keep the Rom from ever giving up, from ever truly losing hope. The brightness of her belief is a beacon in the claustrophobic darkness of the world, and no matter how bleak the present, a Gypsy always has the future -- and the past.

Of course, the mood may vary widely from chronicle to chronicle. It is up to the Storyteller to determine what aspects of the Gypsies' reality he wishes to emphasize and which he will let fade into the background. However, the knowledge of the Gypsies' destiny is always present, even in the darkest of chronicles.

From the World of Darkness: Gypsies page 6

Through a Mirror Darkly

The Romani inhabiting the World of Darkness bear a resemblance to the Gypsies of our world, but they are a distinct breed. Much of the persecution inflicted upon them is the same as that inflicted upon the Gypsies of our world. Similarly, the Romany words and general philosophy on life found here, echo the philosophies and language of our world's Gypsies. However, the Gypsies described here have stepped through the looking glass and have been transformed in the process. Some parts of their lives have been magnified a thousand fold, while others have been stripped away altogether, or nearly so. Persecution in the World of Darkness is perhaps a bit worse, if that is possible, and the magic that forms the framework of their lives is more than the magic of the road -- it is the magic of the Blood.

Prejudice and pain permeate both the World of Darkness and the "real" world. The Gypsies have received more than their fair share of injustice in both. As you read this, the Romani of our world face poverty, ignorance and a new tide of hatred. The Gypsies of our world are not sainted martyrs; many would probably treat the gaje as poorly as they themselves are treated, if they were given the chance. Unfortunately, our world offers countless examples of victims who, in their turn, take up the knife of persecution and wield it as eagerly as did their persecutors before them.

The Rom of our world do not have the advantage of knowing that they are a race protected by fate, as do the Gypsies in the World of Darkness. Instead, they face the daunting task of keeping the remnants of their way of life intact in the face of increasing efforts by hostile or 'concerned" governments, who refuse the Gypsies entrance to their countries, or places them in ghettoized communities resembling prisons, or attempt to assimilate the Gypsies into their culture, "for their own good."

There is very little certain about the future of the Gypsies in our world. However, despite all the hardships and persecution, the Gypsies have always retained a sparkling sense of humor, of balance, of life. It takes a courageous and free-thinking people to walk their own path, to take the road less traveled. And the Gypsies have done just that.

From the World of Darkness: Gypsies page 6

Gypsy Character Creation

Step One: Character Concept: Who are you?
Identify Concept: Who are you, and where are you from?
Choose Family: What Gypsy family is your character from?
Choose Nature and Demeanor: What is your personality like?
Choose Element (optional: What is your character's role in her family?

Step Two: Select Attributes: What are your basic capabilities?
Prioritize your three categories: Primary 6, Secondary 4, Tertiary 3.
Choose Physical Traits: Strength, Stamina & Dexterity.
Choose Social Traits: Charisma, Manipulation & Appearance.
Choose Mental Traits: Perception, Intelligence & Wits.

Step Three: Select Abilities What do you know?
Prioritize your three categories: Primary 11, Secondary 7, Tertiary 4.
Choose Talents: Your innate, intuitive Abilities.
Choose Skills: Your trained Abilities.
Choose Knowledges: Abilities you study and memorize.

Step Four: Select Advantages: In what ways are you unique?
Choose Background Traits (5 Points).
Choose Virtues: Conscience, Self-Control and Courage (9 points).
Determine Blood Purity. (You start with One. Higher must be purchased)
Choose Blood Affinities (3 points).

Step Five: Last Touches: Filling in all-important details.
Record base Willpower = Your Courage rating.
Record base Humanity = Your Conscience + Self-Control ratings.
Spend your 21 "Freebie" points to purchase Merits & Flaws (No more than 7 points worth of Flaws will earn you additional Freebies), Blood Purity points, Gypsy Blood Traits, Elements and to raise any other Trait.

Families of Power

You will have to read World of Darkness: Gypsies for the individual stories behind these families. What are listed here are only cursory role-playing hints.

The Urmen

The Urmen are probably the most eccentric of all the Gypsy families of power. They are also the smallest in number having only three modern branches; one of these may have slipped between the cracks of the worlds into the realms of Arcadia. The Phuri Dae speak with concern for the Pestralla branch who may have disappeared amongst the craggy heights and cold depths of the Scottish highlands about 50 years ago. This concern is heightened through their fear that the Urmen are in danger of disappearing completely and by an even greater worry that a member of the Pestralla is the current Guardian of Jalomasin, the Seed of Stars, the Seed traditionally held by the Urmen.

While certainly of the Blood, the Urmen are odd, even by Gypsy standards. The Urmen are the Gypsies that ally themselves with the Seelie court and the legions of faerie. Rumors have always circulated among the other families of power that the Urmens' loyalties may be skewed in favor of their Arcadian friends.

At one time the Urmen numbered more than 9 branches of their family. They are convinced that the Rom are the midwives to the Seelie court's rebirth into the physical world at the Convergence. In preparation for this event the Urmen search out ways to increase the mana of the world.

The Urmen take the view that the increased persecution of the Rom in Russia and the Slavic counties are certain signs that the Convergence is coming; that powerful parties do not want the Rom to be able to play their role when the time comes. This is one area that the families of power agree.

All Blood members of the Urmen family of Rom have at least some Seelie blood mingled with the Romani Blood in their veins. Due to this intermingling of blood types an Urme may never have a Blood Purity rating higher than four. However, family members are able to perform certain tricks and powers inaccessible to all others, save the faeries themselves.

Family Skill: Faerie Threads

The Affinities granted by faerie blood are never controlled by human will. Instead, each individual Urme capable of reaching this part of her soul has a unique peccadillo, her own thread of magic. Any Urme must consult with the Changeling narrator and Storyteller prior to play when devising her threads to ensure the Affinity is balanced. This Affinity does not provide a Rom with the level of a true Art.

  * Level One: The Urme can recognize Changelings and other disguised faeries.
  ** Level Two: The Urme may possess one, single special Affinity. This ability may be performed once per story.
  *** Level Three: The Urme may use her Affinity twice per story. They may also perform a mental challenge vs. a variable amount of traits to see if a faerie has recently been present or if an item is of faerie creation.
  **** Level Four: The Urme may use her Affinity up to three times per story.
  ***** Level Five: The Gypsy may use her Affinity Four times per story.

The Phuri Dae

Children of Deanna in spirit as well as Blood, the Phuri Dae are most closely associated with the Seeds of Knowledge. There is ongoing debate on whether this family includes only the traditional Guardian of Eiavelan, the Seed of Brightest Waters, or if another member is the Guardian of Bonnerin, the Seed of Balanced Scale. This is only the most visual aspect of a much deeper debate, whether the Phuri Dae represent the epitome of all Rom, or just an part of the whole.

If they are only a single, although very necessary, part, then it is generally said that some individual kumpania will jumble together to form a kinetic whole, becoming more than the sum of their flesh and spirit and Blood. Such a kumpania would play an important part at the Convergence.

This line of thinking is not held by the conservative elements of the Phuri Dae, often viewed as the self-important seers of the Rom by others of their kind. Those who accuse the Phuri Dae claim that the burden of knowledge has taken their toll on this family and blinded them to possibilities. The disenfranchised among the Dae are the only ones who feel the sting of such words.

Those Rom still invested in their role as holders of all knowledge worth knowing vehemently maintain that, as the epitome of Deanna's children in both spirit and Blood, that they will be the ones who minister at the Convergence.

For now these Rom wait while other families play a more active role in the transforming of the world. In the recombining of spirit and body, when the elements are empowered to transcend into some new reality we can only now call spirit, we will see the ultimate expression of the soul.

But such entropy as not afflicted all the Phuri Dae. Many younger members, American branches in particular, say that the family must do more than watch and wait for the so-called Convergence. Instead they hold that the Phuri Dae must delve into the gaje world's activities, using their knowledge of the true workings of the world, to tear off the veil of scientific assurance that so many maintain. Only through the expanding of their understand of all who share this earth can the Rom prepare the world for the Convergence. This is not saying that they are suicidal, such expansion is more often accomplished through subtlety. The shocked mind too often rejects that which is obvious unless slowly coaxed towards the truth.

They watch for gaje (and sometimes shilmulo and werewolves) whose minds are flexible and will not shatter in madness. When such a being is found they present more private showings, telling the stranger, truer tales. Through such converts, allegedly including Byron, Blake, and Lovecraft, the Rom have achieved greater influence in gaje thinking. Through these individuals does their truth-by-denial show-and-tell spread blurred truth, preparing gaje for the future.

Family Skill: Patteran

All forms of this Affinity involve the ability to reach beyond the rigid forms of understanding and learning normally relied on by human understanding. Those who possess this Affinity are not limited to one or two patterns of thinking. Instead, they are free to consciously choose to see the world on a multiple of levels.

Level One - Eyes of the Child: With this ability the Rom is able to gain a new perspective on any situation. This Affinity does not grant an instant answer solving all problems but it can give the Gypsy a hint or point them in a direction that was overlooked.

When faced with a problem that they are unable to get a resolution to, the Gypsy may perform a simple mental challenge. If successful the Storyteller will give an appropriate hint to the player. This Affinity should not be used without first attempting to resolve the issue yourself.

Level Two - Intuitive Understandings: With this Affinity the Rom can read a piece of writing, hear an individual's statement, or otherwise receive a piece of information and, by spending a point of Willpower, can determine what the author/speaker meant to convey.

When a character uses this Affinity, the Storyteller should relay the actual truth behind the message. This does not mean that an outright lie will reveal a truth, only that the Rom will know the words to be untrue and perhaps the type of deception (evasion, substitution, reversal, etc.). The intent behind the words is made clear.

Level Three - Tales of the Blood: This Affinity allows the Rom to tell tales specifically meant to inspire in her fellow Rom some quality shown by one or more of their ancestors. This might even inspire the Gypsies to fight even harder against what looks like mighty bad odds.

In order to use this Affinity the Rom must have at least a few minutes to tell the tale to her fellow Rom. The tale must be applicable to the emotion she is trying to evoke. She must then engage in an extended Social challenge (see Oblivion). The number of successes determines the number of Rom that she inspires. Each listener gains two additional traits in the applicable challenge for the duration of the scene. A tale about how a Gypsy outwitted a band of hunters might aid in a mental challenge. A tale of Gypsy bravery in a battle may inspire to fight better, granting physical traits. This Affinity may not be used more than once per scene on a single Rom.

Level Four - Noahe's Knot: This Affinity allows the Gypsy to go manipulate the thread of time and fish to find information. When fishing the Rom must bait the trap with a piece of knowledge of the type she is looking for. For example, if the Rom is looking for information on the Shadowlands, she may offer up a piece of information about the realm such as tempests or maelstroms that exist or about Necropoli in the area.

She must then perform at least one mental challenge and may continue for each Affinity level possessed. With each success she gains a piece of knowledge but if any challenge is failed, the Gypsy looses the piece of knowledge that she had.

  * One Success: The Rom learns one, specific, useful fact.
  ** Two Successes: One general concept is also learned.
  *** Three Successes: The Rom learns a key piece of information about the subject.
  **** Four Successes: The Rom learns the general history of the subject and immediately gains one level to her knowledge ability dealing with that subject.
  ***** Five Successes: The Rom learns all she needs to know about the subject on hand.

The amount of time that would be required to spend will be determined by the storyteller based upon such factors as the type of Affinity rating of the Gypsy and the type of knowledge being used/searched for.

Level Five - Shadow Walking: At this level the Rom understands the process by which each person creates her own reality to such an extent that the Rom may, to some extent, distance herself from reality. By expending Willpower, the Rom is able to loosen her body's ties to the physical world and walk the sliver-path of reality the Rom call the Shadowed Path, where the spiritual and physical realms meet.

When walking in the Shadows, the Gypsy can still perceive both the physical and spirit realms clearly and is affected by any objects in either realm. In order to detect the Gypsy, she must be defeated in a mental challenge.

Because she is connected to both realms the Gypsy may manipulate objects, communicate, etc by performing a successful physical challenge against a difficulty assigned by the storyteller, normally the local gauntlet rating.

The Gypsy can Shadow Walk for an hour for each Willpower trait in their pool. This Affinity may not be combined with Mediumship.

Elements

When a newborn Romani enters the world, his mother often consults a wise one or mystic to determine whether her child is destined for a particular role in the family. These 'birth readings' only give a positive result in perhaps one out of every two or three readings, but if a baby is claimed by one of the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, or spirit), it's certain that he will be trained in what the Romani feel are compatible skills.

When a mystic performs a birth reading, he takes the babe outside on the first new moon of the child's life. Traditionally, the mystic then places the babe beside a low fire. Next to the fire stand a bowl of cool water, a fan made of feathers, a piece of dark stone such as onyx or hematite, and a black mirror. These five items represent fire, water, air, earth, and spirit, the elements of the Rom view as essential to life.

While the baby's parents look on, the seer uses his particular method of evoking the Sight, be it tarot cards, thrashing, fire reading, etc. As the seer reaches into the strands of time, one of the elements may reach out and claim the child. Such claimings vary in their intensity, but are unmistakable to anyone watching. For instance, if a baby is claimed by the element of fire, a burning twig may snap and hit the child's foot, leaving a small, but permanent mark. If the element of spirit claims the child, the baby's eyes may suddenly turn gray as she stares at the shifting nights sky. No matter which element claims the child, it will leave some sort of mark on the young one.

If a player decides that his character was claimed by an element during a birth reading, he must then decide which element his character is connected to. Elements definitely confer certain advantages on a character, but they also tend to dictate the course of his life.

All Rom with an Element gain one point in a Blood Affinity in addition to any other Blood Affinities they normally gain during character creation. This holds true even if this gives the Gypsy more Blood Affinities than her Blood Purity score. The exact Affinity gained is determined by the character's particular Element.

An Element can only be chosen during character creation. It costs 7 freebie points, and a character can NEVER be claimed by more than one element. The Elements are as follows:

Dhartime (Earth)

Romani touched by this element are usually the backbone of the family. Often weavers or smiths. These characters are especially skilled at manipulating devices and working at physical tasks. In addition, such characters are adept at recognizing and manipulating patterns of all kinds. Earth-touched Romani, known as Dhartime, may choose from one of the following Blood Affinities: Instinct or the Draba form of Gypsy Magic. At any time, Dhartime may also spend two points of Willpower to heal or fix one level of damage. This healing skill applies to both living creatures and machines, and reflects the Rom's heightened ability to manipulate physical patterns. It requires an entire turn.

Jhanaski (Air)

These are the Rom who most easily glide among the gaje. Such Rom move effortlessly through gaje cities, breezing in with nothing and coming out with more gaje loot than they can carry. Such Gypsies are often thieves, gamblers and con-artists, relying on their wits and abilities to reap what others have sown. Air-touched Gypsies, known as Jhanaki, may choose from one of the following Blood Affinities: Luck or Truth of the Rom. Jhanaki may choose to spend two points of Willpower to negate any one success by and opponent (living or mechanical). This power reflects the Jhanaki's ability to escape even the worst scrapes intact.

Jastima (Water)

These Rom are known for their mastery of both words and body. Performers by nature, the cleverest tale spinners and most graceful acrobats often are those claimed by this element. Water-claimed Rom are known as Jastima. A Jastima may choose from the following Affinities: Truth of the Rom or Zapaderin. Jastima may choose to spend two points of Willpower in order to decrease the effective Willpower of any gaje watching or listening to the Jastima by one. This decrease is a general effect, and applies to all of the gaje's rolls. The gaje's Willpower is affected for one entire scene.

Satarma (Spirit)

Such Gypsies are the rarest of the claimed. These Rom are known for their long memories, and the Blood always seems to run strong among such folks. Blessed with at least a small amount of magic, these Gypsies have a remarkable understanding of human nature and the true consequences of people's actions. Many of these Rom become the wise ones of their families, while others become the wise ones of their families, while others become matchmakers or historians, committing tremendous amounts of knowledge to memory. Spirit-kissed Rom are called Satarma. Satarma may choose their special Affinity from any of the four types of Romani Magic. Satarma may spend two points of Willpower to temporarily increase their skill in any form of magic by one point. This increase lasts for one scene, and it can even enable a Satarma to increase her ability above her Blood Purity level. Although this effect is not cumulative, a Satarma may use another two points of Willpower to increase a second magical specialty (if she has one) during the same scene.

Kuyan (Fire)

These Rom are always gifted warriors. Through out time those Rom marked by fire have fought to keep the ways of their people alive. Fire-seared Rom, known as Kuyan, always receive the Affinity known as the Dance of Knives. At any time Kyuan may choose to spend two points of Willpower to ignore two wound levels. Thus, a Kuyan who is wounded (-3) may choose to will his pain to lessen by spending two points of Willpower so that he can function as if he was only hurt (-1). The Kuyan may even function when he would normally be incapacitated, though he can still die, and he can spend as much Willpower as he desires. This effect lasts for the duration of a scene.

Blood Purity

The amount of pure Rom blood flowing through your veins dictates how much Affinity your character may possess and the drawbacks associated with your lineage. You may never have more than 5 levels of blood purity. Every level of blood purity costs 2 points. You may over the course of a story increase your blood purity level after character creation.

To reflect tensions towards Gypsies your character possesses additional negative social traits based upon your blood purity rating while interacting with non-Romany PCs. Since these traits are only perceived you do not possess them from a personal, role-playing perspective but they may be called in a social challenge. They may never be bought off nor count towards your bonus creation points. You possess 1 negative social trait for every 2 points of blood purity, rounded up. At least one of these must be 'untrustworthy'.

For every point in blood purity you gain one Gypsy Prestige trait, these Prestige Traits may be used in all social challenges dealing with other Rom. This includes dealing with Ravnos. These are never lost except through a storyteller.

Affinities

Affinities cost 3 points for levels 1 and 2, 6 points for levels 3 and 4, and 9 points for level 5. No Affinity may be taken higher than your Blood Purity rating.

Dance of Knives

In game terms, this Affinity is perhaps the most powerful. Giving the character Celerity like power without the limitation of a blood pool, it allows the character to move incredibly fast. There are limitations however, as a character's rating in this skill may never exceed her Blood Purity. Unlike Celerity, DoK only applies to fighting and protecting oneself. Three dots in DoK would allow a character to dodge twice as fast as a normal mortal, though it would not allow a character to flip burgers twice as fast, nor to pick a pocket extra fast.

The skill combines the beauty of dance with the violence of combat. Gypsies with this ability use the power of their Blood to fall into a trance-like state, becoming extremely efficient fighting machines. The character's rating in this skill equals the number of attacks possible in a turn, so a character with a rating of four could attack up to four times in a turn. This also means that a character with only one dot in the Dance of Knives attacks normally; once per turn. The first dot merely represents the initial learning of the movements.

Truth of the Rom

Characters with this ability are extremely sincere. They always tell the truth no matter who they are talking to, even when speaking with gaje. You seem to be able to convince even yourself of the real truth of any situation, regardless of those seeming 'facts' others speak of.

This ability enables a Rom to lie truthfully. In other words, the character is such a good liar that even she believes herself (while telling the 'truth'). This is not to say that the character doesn't realize what actually happened, but just that he pushes the information so far back in his mind that when necessary, even he doesn't remember it. This enables the Character to beat any sort of lie detector, Empathy Talent or shrewd cop. Whenever the character attempts a lie, each point of this talent subtracts one success from the target's Perception roll. So if the character has two points in Truth of the Rom, someone using a lie detection device would need at least three successes to detect even the slightest deception at all.

This is an automatic power, no rolls need be made on the part of the Rom.

  * Novice: Can manage simple yes/no situations.
  ** Practiced: Can call in sick with conviction.
  *** Competent: Can get through an interrogation.
  **** Expert: Able to pass aura scans with flying colors.
  ***** Master: Even Mom believes the dog ate your tome.

Zapadarin

Characters with this skill have learned the rhythmic motions, intricate patterns and fluid gestures of the mesmerizing dance known as the Zapaderin. When she performs this dance, all those not of the Blood soon come under the spell of her grace, the trance of the rhythm. This mesmerizing dance requires constant practice and discipline, which she has in full measure.

Unlike hypnotism, this skill does not require a willing target. However, watchers are not completely powerless. If a character can perform this dance for at least 10 minutes, she causes anyone watching to fall into a state in which they become far more compliant and agreeable to suggestions. The effective Willpower of those watching the dance falls by one for every success the character rolls on an Appearance + Zapaderin roll (difficulty 6). The effect lasts for as long as the character dances.

  * Novice: Can perform the dance without any blatant errors.
  ** Practiced: People love to watch you move.
  *** Competent: You make belly dancers jealous.
  **** Expert: When you dance, all eyes are on you.
  ***** Master: Salome, eat your heart out!

Instinct

This talent is a form of 'sixth sense' that adds to any rolls regarding the character's personal safety. Even when a character has no normal way to detect a danger, one with an Instinct rating has a chance to detect it. In such cases, Instinct + Perception could be rolled (diff 8). Results can range from the character getting a funny feeling about a person who means to jump them in the alley once they've cashed their check to not wanting to start a car wired to explode. A character's Instinct score should be added to init rolls in combat scenes as well (Instinct+Wits+Alertness).

This Affinity only works in regard to the character herself and is not added to rolls where the character is not in any personal danger.

  * Novice: You generally have a cloak with you when it rains.
  ** Practiced: You never get cold-cocked in a fight.
  *** Competent: Good investigator material.
  **** Expert: You never answer the door when a tax collector knocks.
  ***** Master: Jungle predators could learn from you.

Luck

This talent enables the character to add an extra die or two to a dice pool when she decides things look really bad. However, each Luck die can be used only once per story. So, if the character has three points of Luck she might use one point (die) early on to help win at gambling, but then she only has two Luck dice to use when she's confronted by three angry bouncers at the club. Note: This does not give you automatic successes, only extra dice to add to pools. In MU* terms, Luck dice can only be used once every three real life days. Luck dice can be used even in skills that the character has no talent in. For example, a Gypsy with absolutely no throwing ability could roll her dex + 3 luck die (if she has 'em) to hit a moving target with a big rock and pull a David and Goliath and impress all her friends.

  * Novice: You find coins on walkways.
  ** Practiced: You can always find a warm place to sleep.
  *** Competent: You would have been kicked off that sinking ship before it set sail.
  **** Expert: You've been thrown out of a lot of gambling dens.
  ***** Master: Compared to you, everyone is unlucky.

Faerie Threads

Faerie Threads is a power limited to those of the Urmen family, with the possible exception of a Tinker who also possesses Faerie Blood. The gist of this great Affinity is that you get to make it up, but it's important to make sure it's balanced with the other Affinities in power.

The Affinities granted humans by faerie blood vary widely. Each individual Urme Rom capable of reaching into this part of her soul does so in a unique way; her own thread of magic that she can weave into the tapestry of reality. Such abilities run a wide gamut, and Storytellers and players are encouraged to come up with unusual Affinities, although all Faerie Threads should have some element of chaos in them.

The possibilities for such magical threads, as the Urmen see them, could include the ability to call forth an Urme spirit of Faerie to aid the Gypsy. Or perhaps the Gypsy is able to follow the paths of faerie which still crisscross the lands of the Earth, enabling the Gypsy and those in physical contact with her to step on and off these paths anywhere in the world. Such a Gypsy could travel from an ancient faerie cave in Greece to a faerie ring in New York in three blinks of an eye. A third possibility is that the Gypsy can sing songs of great beauty and power, so any nearby spirits who hear her music become very enamored of the Gypsy and would do her a favor or two.

For all such abilities, the Gypsy can only use one faerie thread per story for each level of faerie threads she possess. For example, if Sammila is an Urme Gypsy with three dots of faerie threads, she can use her ability to cause all those in her sight without Romani Blood to become suddenly drunk up to three times in a particular story. Those affected by her power must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) in order to take any action. They must continue to make Willpower rolls to take any actions for the duration of the scene.

The Urme must spend one point of Willpower to activate her family Affinity. Only the ability to recognize others of her kind is automatic.

  * The Urme can recognize changelings and other disguised faeries when she comes across them. The Gypsy may choose one special ability. This ability can be used once per story.
  ** The Urme can use her special ability up to twice per story.
  *** The Urme can use her Affinity up to three times per story. On a successful Perception + Faerie Threads roll (difficulty varies), the Gypsy can also determine if a faerie was recently present or if an object is of faerie workmanship.
  **** The Urme may use her Affinity up to four times per story.
  ***** The Gypsy may use her Affinity up to five times per story.

Patteran

Patteran is the special Affinity that many of the Phuri Dae family possess. Indeed, it is very rare for a Gypsy not of this family to have developed this ability, since the beliefs and legend-keeper nature of the Phuri Dae are central to the skill.

All forms of Patteran involve the ability to reach beyond the rigid forms of understanding and learning traditionally relied on by the human mind. The Phuri Dae describe Patteran as the Affinity of the shifting mind. Those who possess such an Affinity are not limited to one or two patterns of thinking, which their brains stumbled onto and decided were convenient enough. Instead, they are free to consciously choose to see the world on a multitude of levels. It costs one Willpower point to activate this Affinity.

Level One -- Eyes of the Child: With this ability a Rom is able to take a fresh look at a problem she finds troubling, whether that problem is as simple as the answer to a riddle or as complicated as attempting to find the proper words to soothe a gibbering lunatic. This Affinity does not bestow the answer on the Rom 'from on high,' but it can give the Gypsy an insight she may have otherwise overlooked. For example, the Phuri Dae trying to calm the lunatic may begin to think how huge and frightening the world is and how awful it is to be a tiny being who could be crushed at an instant. Such an insight is hers to do with as she sees fit. In the case of a riddle, she might realize that there is more than one definition of a particular word in the riddle's clue.

When faced with a problem she can't get a grip on, a player can roll Patteran + Perception (difficulty determined by Storyteller) to see if she can get another hint. This skill should not be used as a substitute for actual thinking and investigation on the part of the players, however. If the Storyteller determines that a player is relying too much on her Affinity, she can just tell the character that she can't seem to get in touch with her Affinity right now.

Level Two -- Intuitive Understanding: At this level, the Rom can read a piece of writing, hear an individual's statement, or otherwise receive a piece of information and by spending a point of Willpower, the Rom can determine what the author/speaker really meant to convey through his words.

Rom with this Affinity are especially adept at reading through the histories of the gaje and determining how much of the information the author presented is straight fact (as far as the author knew) , and how much was colored by his biases. Similarly, this Affinity enables a Rom watching a videotaped footing of an event to determine if the pictures shown represent the true story, or if they are mere propaganda and artifice. This cuts down severely on the warping effect of revisionist history for such Rom.

When a character uses this Affinity, the Storyteller should tell the character the actual truth behind the words of the document/statement in question. This does not mean that if a statement is a deliberate lie, the Gypsy will know the real truth, but it does mean that she will know the words are lies, and perhaps get some sense of the kind of deception (evasion, substitution, reversal, etc.) the writer/speaker is creating. The intent behind the words is made clear.

Level Three -- Tales of the Blood: This Affinity allows a Rom to tell tales with the specific aim of inspiring in her fellow Rom some quality shown by one or more of their ancestors. For example, the Gypsy might tell the tale of Kordin's Knife Dance on Mount Ararat while her kumpania is hiding from a bunch of Brujah bad boys miffed about the misunderstanding that just led to the torching of one of their pals by the Rom. Such a tale might inspire the Gypsies to fight even harder against what looks to be mighty bad odds (five vampires to five Gypsies).

In order to use this skill, the Gypsy much have at least a few minutes to tell the tale to her fellow Rom. When the Rom wishes to inspire others of her kind, she should make a Patteran + Charisma roll at difficulty 7 (Or Patteran + Storytelling, difficulty 6). The number of successes equals the number of Rom she has inspired. Those inspired receive an extra die on rolls related to the appropriate trait in the next scene. In the example above, the inspired kumpania members would get an additional die to use in their attack rolls when fighting the Brujah. A tale where a Gypsy cleverly talked her way out of a bad situation might add a die to the Gypsies' Charisma or Manipulation for the scene.

'Level Four -- Noahe's Knot: This Affinity enables a Rom to manipulate the threads of time to do some spiritual fishing. Setting a trap among the threads of time, the Gypsy baits the trap with a piece of information of the type she herself seeks. So, if the Rom is looking for information on the realm of Arcadia, she might offer up a piece of information on the Faeries who call themselves mottleds and smoothes and live in the Catskills of New York.

When a player's Romani character goes fishing among the threads of time, the player should roll a Patteran + Appropriate Knowledge (Faerie Lore, for example) at difficulty 8. The number of successes indicates the amount of knowledge learned. If the player botches the roll, the Rom not only doesn't learn anything, but he also loses the piece of knowledge with which he baited the trap. If a double botch occurs, the character loses a dot in that knowledge.

  * One Success: The rom learns one specific, useful fact.
  ** Two Successes: One general concept is also learned.
  *** Three Successes: The Rom learns a key piece of information about the subject.
  **** Four Successes: The Rom learns the general history of the subject and immediately gains a dot to her knowledge skill.
  ***** Five Successes: The Rom learns all information he needs to know about the subject on hand.

Level Five -- Shadow Walking: At this point the Rom understands the process by which each person creates her own reality so well that she can distance herself from normal reality. By spending a point of Willpower, the Gypsy is able to loosen her body's ties to the physical reality in which it normally resides. Thus she can walk the sliver-path of reality the Rom call the Shadowed Path, where the spiritual and Physical Realms meet.

When walking the shadows, the Gypsy can still perceive both the physical and spirit realms clearly, but she cannot be perceived by any beings currently existing in just one or the other of these worlds unless they make a successful Wits + Occult roll (difficulty 8). Only other supernatural type beings may even attempt this roll, unless the Gypsy calls attention to herself in the physical world while she walks the sliver-path. Because the Rom is still tenuously connected to both realms, she can reach into either world and manipulate objects, communicate, etc. by making a successful Manipulation + Dexterity roll (difficulty of 7). The Gypsy can Shadow Walk for one hour per point of Stamina she possesses.

Spirit of The Animal (Wolf, Cat... etc)

Some rare families of the Rom have gained the Affinity to change their physical form, taking on the Animalistic characteristics of the Family. Just as the Lupine family. These families are extremely uncommon around most of the world, but in Eastern Europe, they seem to be more prevalent.

Roll: Spirit of the Animal + Blood Purity
Difficulty: Level used + 4

  * Level One - Animal Senses: Animals are aware of the natural world in the ways that people cannot even imagine. As one such you notice the ebb and flow of sounds, scents and sights - newly bent grasses, animal tracks, bird songs, and so forth that fill the wilderness. In your native environment, the territory you claim as yours, you could shame an animal with your perceptions. These perceptions, of course, do not work everywhere, nor are they truly magical. In game terms, the Rom is so accustomed to the various signals of her territory that she lowers the difficulty by -2 of any rolls that involves hunting, tracking, hiding, surviving or noticing something unusual within her domain. NOTE: No activation roll is needed for this level of this Affinity and the level of this affinity can be combined with the Acute Senses merits. A PC with such keen perceptions would rival wild animals with her acuity.
  ** Level Two - Claws: By spending a point of Willpower and getting at least one success on the required roll, the Rom can attempt to take on it's Family's animal form primary defensive feature; such as lupine claws and feline claws. The claws do aggravated damage, and are also able to affect other supernatural creatures including demons, ghosts and faeries.
  *** Level Three - Half-shift - The Rom can shift half of his body into it's Animal form or find some halfway point between human and animal with significant traits of each. One of the Lupine Family might resemble a bipedal wolf (of size somewhere between human and Wolf) or One of the Raven Family could have bird wings and a beak with human legs.
  **** Level Four - Full shifting - The Rom can change completely into it's Family's Animal Form.
  ***** Level Five - Gift of the Animal: - The Rom is blessed with gift of the Family's Animal. This gifts are chosen and set by Staff.

Magic

There are four different types of magic available to Romany. Each one is counted as a separate affinity and must be purchased as such. You may not purchase an affinity called 'magic', as there is none. The four types of magic are:

Evil Eye

The Evil Eye has caused great fear throughout history. Even today, many people make gestures or buy charms to ward off the Evil Eye and its effects. Certain Gypsies, both male and female, possess the Evil Eye ability. Among the Rom, the Evil Eye is a powerful and respected ability, but it also tends to isolate the individual so gifted. Others, even the Romani, are nervous around these people. More than most other Gypsies, the Romani who have the power of the Evil Eye also possess an aura of strangeness and fear.

Gypsies with the Evil Eye receive a +1 difficulty modifier to all Social rolls involving both gaje and Romani. This modifier is in addition to any other modifications the character my have due to her degree of Blood Purity. Note that this difficulty does not apply to vampires and the like.

Characters attempting to use the Evil Eye should state what they wish to happen to their victim, for example "Bad fortune befall you!", "A pox upon your houses!", "Hope you get one wicked case of athlete's foot!", or "I curse you...Thinner..." You get the point. The effects of the Evil Eye can vary, but should include consequences such as automatic botches, the Storyteller taking away dice from an affected character's roll, or a temporary loss in appearance due to the sudden emergence of clumps of fungus on unfortunate areas of a character's anatomy. The downside to all of this for the Romani using the Evil Eye is that if she botches, she effects herself instead.

Characters using the Evil Eye must make an Evil Eye + Manipulation roll (difficulty of the target's Willpower + 2). The number of successes rolled determines both the intensity and duration of the curse. A character who uses the Evil Eye may remove its effects at any time (unless she is the one affected).

  * One Success: Curse affects victim for one week. Victim is mildly affected (loses one die on some Skill rolls, grows a wart on her cheek, botches one roll, etc.).
  ** Two Successes: Curse affects victim for one month, loses one die on 10 different Skill rolls, receives 3 automatic botches, etc.
  *** Three Successes: Curse effects victim for six months, 6 automatic botches, lose 1-2 dice from half of her Skill rolls for the duration, or loses all her hair.
  **** Four Successes: Curse affects victim for one year, 12 automatic botches, 2-3 dice from half her Skill rolls for the duration, or receives a severe disease or injury.
  ***** Five Successes: Curse affects victim indefinitely. Effects are similar to four successes above, except that the results of the Evil Eye are permanent if not removed by magical or miraculous means.

The Evil Eye may be warded off through the use of a pice of draba designed for that purpose, with the strength of the draba negating that number of Evil Eye successes. However, once the draba has been overcome by a Gypsy using the Evil Eye, it is rendered useless.

The Evil Eye may only be reversed by the cursing Gypsy or by another Gypsy with skill in the Evil Eye. The cursing Gypsy may automatically cancel the effects of the Evil Eye whenever she wants. Another Gypsy skilled in the Evil Eye must make an Evil Eye + Charisma roll (difficulty of 3 + the number of cursing successes originally achieved). The player must subtract the number of successes the Gypsy attempting to reverse the curse receives (if any) from the number of original successes. The resulting difference determines the remaining strength of the curse, if any.

Any Gypsy can only make one attempt to remove a particular curse. If a Gypsy attempting to reverse the Evil Eye botches her roll she must make a second test. Any successes made on this test actually increase the severity of the curse by that number of successes.

Mediumship

Romani gifted with this ability are able to bridge the spiritual and material planes of existence. Gypsies always know which of their members will have this skill from birth, for mediums are born with the birth caul still covering her face. A piece of that caul is saved in an amulet that the medium carries for the rest of her life. It can be used to create a piece of draba known as the soul-chain that protects the bearer from spiritual attack.

There are different ways a medium may communicate with spirits. One is to reach into the Underworld or spiritual plane to contact the ghosts of the dead by making a Mediumship + Charisma roll and spend a point of Willpower. The difficulty for such a task begins at 10, but lowers to 9 if the medium has an idem that once belonged to the person, or is in the presence of someone who was close to them. If the medium is in the former home of the person or the place of her death, the difficulty level drops to 8. If both these contacts are available, the difficulty drops to 7. The difficulty can also be lowered further if the medium is located at a place where the veil between the spiritual world (or the Underworld) and the living world is particularly thin (such as a caern, node, nihil, etc.) Contact with the spirit world in this way is a difficult thing to do for long periods of time. For every success the medium achieves, she may speak to the spirit for one minute. The time period can be doubled if the medium expends another point of Willpower in the effort.

A medium may also attempt to banish a ghost or spirit from a building or area it is haunting. For such attempts, the medium makes a sustained Mediumship + Manipulation roll (difficulty of the ghost's Willpower + 3). The medium must make a number of successes equal to twice the ghost's Willpower in order to banish the spirit. Launching such an attack costs the medium a point of Willpower, but she may continue to attack for the duration of the scene (or until the battle is decided).

As the medium's level of control increases, she may gain one or more spirit contacts. Such spirits are friendly with the medium and will even do brief errands for her. It is up to the Storyteller to decide when such a contact is made, but the medium usually has to do something for the spirit, such as aiding a still-living relative or avenging the ghost's murder to achieve the friendship of the ghost.

By spending a point of Willpower, Mediums may also send their spirits into the Underworld (not the astral plane), leaving her body behind in the living lands. While the medium's body is vacant, it is vulnerable to possession by both spirits and souls of the dead. Any draba that affects spirits in the living world can be carried by the medium and used in the Underworld. The length of time the Gypsy medium may remain separated from her body depends on her degree of skill. She may also only journey to the Underworld between sunset and sunrise. If she remains away from her body after sunrise, she will be trapped within the underworld until the next night. Very few mediums survive by themselves in the Underworld for a full day and night.

After 12 hours away from her body, the medium must make a Stamina + Mediumship roll (difficulty 5) to return to her body. The difficulty of this roll increases by one for every twelve additional hours the medium remains away from her body. In addition, if the medium remains away from her body longer than she is capable of based upon her level of skill in Mediumship, she will begin to take damage at the rate of one Health Level per six hours she remains away from it.

  * The medium may remain away from her body for up to 6 hours before taking damage.
  ** The medium may remain away from her body for up to 12 hours before taking damage.
  *** The Gypsy may remain away from her body for a maximum of 1 day before taking damage.
  **** The Gypsy can remain away from her body for 1 week before taking damage.
  ***** The Medium may remain away from her body indefinitely, although if her body dies, she dies as well.

Draba

Draba is one of the abilities that Gypsies consider 'magical' and it is somewhat rarer than many of the other Gypsy gifts. Draba is the art of creating potions, amulets, oils, charms and other such talismans with the power within Gypsy Blood. A drabarne's work can be used by anyone of the Blood, including Lupine gypsies who happen to be Garou. A ravnos shilmulo who currently has Romani Blood within her veins could also use draba, but only if that Ravnos once was a gypsy and had the knowledge of how to use such charms. Gaje are incapable of using any of these magical devices. They simply lack the blood.

The art of creating draba is a skill learned over time by hard study with an accomplished drabarne. Usually the young drabarne learns from her teacher the specific draba she knows, but any drabarne can attempt to create a new piece of draba that she's only heard tales about, or even one of her own devising, if her skill permits it. It is much easier, however, for a Gypsy to create a talisman when she has witnessed the creation of it.

A character can only create draba of her skill level or lower, so the level of skill represents the level of training the Gypsy has obtained. When attempting to create a specific item, the character rolls Draba + Blood Purity at a difficulty of 6 for those items she's created before, 8 for those she's attempting to create for the first time. A point of Willpower must also be spent to fuse her will into physical form.

The number of successes and the level of the draba determine the amount of time necessary to create the item. The base time is one day per level of the draba (two days if the drabarne hasn't made the specific item before). Every additional success decreases the amount of time required by twelve hours.

Examples of draba from all five levels are given to the left, but players should feel free to work with the Storyteller to create new draba with this skill, using the examples as guidelines for each power level.

Level One

Earring of Earthly Grounding - This draba is usually worked into the form of an earring, though any piece of silver jewelry will do. Any talisman so worked must also contain a small piece of amber, a source of mystical grounding. The earring will aid the wearer by fending off magical attacks (spells, curses, domination, etc.) directed at the wearer. While wearing the earring, the character adds one die to any rolls to resist magical effects. The earring will continue to function for a number of months equal to the drabarne's skill level multiplied by the number of successes on the creation roll.

Philter of Desire - This sweet mixture affects the imbiber's perceptions and emotions, causing him to fall madly in love with either the next person he sees or the specific individual the drabarne wishes. The victim may make a Stamina + Wits roll (difficulty of 8) to resist the effects of the draught. The effect of this potion lasts a number of weeks equal to the drabarne's skill level multiplied by the number of successes achieved during creation, minus the victim's successes.

Healing Balm - This ointment, when applied directly to wounds, heals one wound level per application. The number of applications per mixture equals the number of successes made by the drabarne at the time of creation. Note: This can be used on gaje, but it is only effective if applied by Romani hands. Can heal aggravated damage.

Level Two

Deltumnimos (God's Embrace) - Also known as 'God's Embrace', this potion expands the awareness and senses of any Rom who ingests the powerful brew, bringing her into a state of existence more in tune with the spirit realm and flow of magical power. While under its effects, a character may add a number of dice equal to the drabarne's Draba level to all rolls for the Sight or Mediumship. The imbiber must also roll her Stamina + Ability (Sight/Mediumship) to determine the duration of the potion's effect (one hour per success).

Diklo of Anyara - This head scarf bestows the ability of disguise upon the wearer. When the owner of the diklo places the scarf (or sunglasses, etc.) on her head and spends a point of Willpower, the diklo grants the wearer an almost impenetrable disguise. The magic of the talisman affects observer's senses, altering their perception of the Rom so that they can't later recall anything about her appearance. Even the gender and race of the Gypsy will be difficult for an observer to recall. The effect lasts for one scene. It can be used a number of times equal to the Draba skill of the creator. The diklo does not fool mechanical devices, but eyewitnesses can only recall the Rom's appearance on a Wits + Alertness roll (difficulty 9). Each success lets the observer recall one detail about the Gypsy (i.e. gender, height, hair color).

Dook Angustri - This talisman is always crafted in the form of jewelry worn flush with the skin. The dook angustri serves as a magic sensor for the Gypsy, becoming warm in the presence of a magical item, effect or creature. The intensity of the heat varies with the closeness and strength of the magic, although it never reaches a temperature hot enough to burn the skin. The amulet's effects last for two months times the successes during creation.

Whuzo Ointment - This balm can remove any impurities tainting a Gypsy. Such impurities include non-magical poisons and disease. The number of doses created equals the number of successes achieved by the drabarne. There are some who claim that a similar potion, when taken orally, can help heal internal wounds.

Level Three

Mystic Veil - This item may take the form of any object that covers the eyes or face. Traditionally it appeared as a gauzy veil. In modern times it is often seen in the form of sunglasses or a bandana. The bearer must expend a mental trait to activate this draba. While wearing the veil, the Rom is hidden from all senses, granting the same abilities as the vampiric discipline Unseen Presence, for one scene. It may be used as many times as successful affinity tests.

Snake Oil - This light green mixture grants the Rom the charismatic gifts of the legendary fork-tongued reptile. When applied to the tongue, the Rom is two traits up on all speaking-based social challenges. When applied to the face and eyelids, the Rom is two traits up on all presence-based social challenges. When applied to the fingers the Rom is two bids up on any physical challenge requiring dexterity. The effect lasts for one scene and the number of applications per vial is dependent on successful affinity tests.

Charm of the Wanderer - This focus is created from the feathers of a magpie or parrot. It is normally placed on a necklace or hair adornment for ease of carrying. The charm allows the wearer to speak with any individual known to the weaver (including spirits and faeries), no matter how distant the target. The wearer must spend a willpower trait while brushing the feather across her eyes, ears and forehead. They must then perform a mental challenge with a difficulty set by the storyteller. The conversation may not be overheard by anyone other than the target and neither party needs to speak out loud to communicate. The length of the conversation is 5 minutes for each successful affinity test. This drabarne may only be used once because the feather will fall apart once the conversation is ended.

Soul-Chain - The soul-chain is an amulet that contains a piece of birth caul, normally of the person the soul-chain was created for. When worn, the amulet protects the bearer's body from attack by spirits and disembodied (or dead) souls of all kinds. The number of successful affinity tests determines the amount of traits required to defeat in an appropriate challenge before any action may be taken against your person. These traits are not lost in a challenge. The amulet also allows an automatic success against spirits of any kind. Every use of this removes one trait from the amulet. The soul-chain must be recharged (recreated) every year and a day or it becomes useless. The caul at the center of the amulet may be reused in another amulet.

Level Four

Baxt Charm - The baxt charm can be worked on any small personal item. However, when the charm is created, it must be made for a specific Gypsy and an item of some sentimental importance to the bearer must be placed on it. The charm gives the bearer the Luck of the Gypsy (as per the merit Luck). It may be activated at any time by simply rubbing it in her hands and spending one point of willpower. The charm lasts for one month per successful affinity test.

Cat's Paw - This magic sigil must be tattooed into the skin by a skilled drabarne in the shape of a cat's paw. It may be placed anywhere on the body. The cat's paw takes one willpower trait to activate. When activated, the tattoo grants the Rom cat-like reflexes and magical speed. They gain two dexterous traits and it grants the use of Alacrity. The effects last for one scene and it may be used as many times as successful affinity tests. When used for the final time the tattoo will burn for a moment leaving only a slight yellowish discoloration that will go away in a few weeks.

Mule-Vi - Literally "ghost-sight" this focus is always created from a piece of glass, normally of a lens of some sort. A mule-vi has two uses. First, the device enables the Rom to see into the spirit world. The bearer must perform a successful mental challenge against the local gauntlet rating to activate the device. The effect lasts for five minutes per success. Second, it allows the Gypsy to perceive the true form of anyone she sees through the lens. Vampires, werewolves, mages, wraiths, and spirit-beings appear in their true form (or radiate some sort of magic) to the Rom. The Rom must make a successful mental challenge against the target to detect the true form. The mule-vi may be used as many times as successful affinity tests before it cracks and becomes useless.

Shadow Brew - This bitter potion is never brewed in more than a single draught consisting of five drops of dark brown liquid. The strength of the poisons is such that if anyone were to swallow more than a single draught in a 24-hour time period they could immediately die, very painfully. The Rom must perform a physical challenge against 6 traits. No retest is allowed. When consumed, the shadow brew enables a Rom to loosen the ties of her spiritual and physical form to the physical plane. The Gypsy can then slip into the mystical shadow realm. The shadow realm is the area between the skinlands and the shadowlands. While in the shadow realm the Rom may perceive both the physical and spiritual worlds clearly. She may not be perceived in either realm however unless they are defeated in a mental challenge. Because the Rom is still tied to the physical realm they may not travel at more than normal speeds. They may manipulate objects in either realm with a successful mental and physical challenge. The effects last for one scene.

Level Five

Suspended Blood Focus - This focus may only be performed in the presence of at least five Rom. Prior to the ritual the drabarne crafts an unusual box or shell from a piece of onyx or petrified wood. The focus, once prepared, is passed around to all the Rom at the ritual. Each one allows several drops of blood to drop into the focus. As the box is passed around, the drabarne concentrates her will to contain the energies of the blood, unmixed, in the shell. Each Gypsy participating must spend one point of willpower. The combined amount of Blood Purity points of the Gypsies is focused in the shell. If successful, the suspended blood focus can store up to 20 Blood Purity points within itself. Unlike a normal blood focus the suspended blood focus does not need to be attuned to any particular Gypsy nor does it have a time constraint on use. The suspended blood focus works in a different manner than a normal blood focus. The Gypsy attuned to the focus may draw upon the Blood Purity pool at any time. Each point removed from the focus grants the Gypsy one level to an affinity. The Purity pool of the focus does not have to be used at once but the object is rendered useless when the last Blood Purity point is used.

Needle of the Mind's Eye - This amulet always takes the form of a large needle, at least 6 inches long, carved from ivory or ash wood and is decorated with tiny runes. To activate it's powers, the Rom must pierce his skin with the needle while simultaneously expending one point of willpower. The magic of the needle allows the user to walk the multiple paths of the spirit plain. It serves as an anchor connecting the Gypsy's spirit to his physical body through a thin thread of the Gypsy's own soul (visible on the spirit plain). While using the power of this focus even the most inexperienced spiritual traveler can find his way to different areas of the astral plane. He only has to concentrate on the area or information he seeks, and a second threat leads the way. While travelling in the spirit realm the Gypsy is visible to any others in the spiritual plain and vulnerable to attack. The needle may be used 5 times before it looses its power. The needle will work for 1 hour per use. If the character remains away from its body longer than this, the Rom must perform a physical challenge against 5 traits in order not to loose the connection. This must be performed every 10 minutes the Gypsy's spirit is away from its body. If he does loose connection, the traveler may attempt a physical test for every willpower point they have to regain contact. For every failure the character looses one willpower trait, permanently.

Sarrath's Claw - Any weapon successfully engraved with the symbol of Sarrath and empowered through the force of the drabarne's will becomes a weapon capable of causing aggravated damage to all supernatural creatures. In addition to the immediate damage, the weapon has a chance of inflicting additional damage in the three following rounds as small pieces of the claw work their way deeper into the target's body. For the following three rounds the target must pass a simple physical challenge or take an additional aggravated wound. The damage from the claw is not cumulative. After the initial damage, no additional damage will occur until after the three rounds have past even if successfully hit. Prior to being used the claw must be bonded to the Gypsy through a permanent expenditure of one mental trait and one willpower trait. The claw may be used only once per successful affinity test.

The Sight

Despite the stereotypes of wrinkled old women wrapped in a shawl hovering over a client's palm and muttering prophesies, or the beautiful raven-haired young women staring into a crystal ball and speaking of tall, dark and handsome strangers, the Rom know that these are only the appearances to give to the Gaje to make as much money as they can from their clients. Gypsies with true Sight very rarely, if ever use their gift on the gaje.

A Gypsy with the power of Sight is in possession of a very powerful, yet uncontrollable gift. She is not always able to step out of the linear time line in which we function to gain insight into the past or future. This Affinity requires disciplined concentration and relaxation for it to succeed. When attempting to use the Sight, a Gypsy normally favors one or two particular fortune-telling methods (dukkerin). A Gypsy with the Sight values her favored tools and will usually carry them wrapped in silk, not allowing anyone to touch them for fear the contact will make them marhime and therefore less likely to impart true visions.

Threads of Time
For Romani seers, time is not a linear concept. Such a narrow conception of reality only makes a Rom laugh. The world is a squirming, living slight of bright chaos. Time doesn't just march on like a good little soldier, never turning back, never looking to the side. No way. Time is an escape artist with a contortionist's body.

The rom explain time as a million, billion threads interweaving and splitting. There are no spinning sisters keeping the threads in order. And anyone who's noted how time can fly like a bird or crawl like a snail knows that time is not immutable, no matter how many watches tick-tock.

Seers have one up on the rest of us mortals. Not only can these Rom play with the threads, the seers can loop, knot and lasso those threads, and thus they can tune into other spots on the dial and check out the happenings there. They can't get to them or when from now, but they can sometimes get an eyeball in the proceedings.

Greater Auguries
Some methods of fortune-telling are listed below. These are the most common to the Gypsies. They are also the most powerful. Whether this is due to the methods themselves or the fact that the Rom have been using them for centuries is unclear. None of these methods are more effective than another. It is equally easy to discern answers regarding any subject when utilizing one of these methods of scrying.

Crystal Gazing: When using this method to overcome the limits of time and see the past or the future, the Gypsy stares into a crystal ball, a mirror or even a black bowl filled with water. Dim lights are preferable; ideally one candle placed so as not to reflect on the surface of the crystal or water. The Gypsy then looks intently into the crystal or into the water until a vision appears to her. If the Gypsy is attempting to discover specific information, she will allow the subject in question to constantly 'float' just on the surface of her mind.

Tarot Cards: There are many different versions of the tarot deck. Most Gypsies have a particular version they favor. In fact, many users of the tarot create their own decks. Unlike playing cards, the various symbols and pictures on each tarot card can be as meaningful as the numbers and names of the cards themselves. The position of the cards as they're turned up on the table also can offer many different interpretations. It is the Gypsy's Sight that funnels out the specific meanings applicable to the particular reading. Her eyes will also be drawn to certain parts of the images, to certain interpretations. From these she gains insight into the problem or question at hand.

Tea Leaves: When reading tea leaves, the Rom usually uses a favored tea set. She brews a rather bitter draught known as meski and has the person who is in need of her Sight drink down the tea. When the tea has been entirely consumed, the seer takes the cup and stares into its depths. The tea leaves form a pattern against the side of the cup. The Gypsy can recognize images formed by the leaves, and she then allows her Sight to interpret the meaning of these symbols.

Lesser Auguries
The greater auguries comprise the most popular and flexible styles of fortune-telling. However, there are many other methods available. Some of them have only sprung up in recent years. Each of the lesser auguries specializes in a certain type of knowledge, and it is easier for seers to follow the threads of time along this path in matters of that type. Characters gain a -2 difficulty modifier when searching for knowledge that falls within their lesser augury's specialty area.

Although it is possible to gain any type of knowledge with a lesser augury, the chances of learning anything about other areas of knowledge is slim. Characters receive a +2 difficulty modifier to the level of any other type of knowledge. Clever players may be able to use both their methods of lesser augury to learn about the same incident or person; however they must be careful to concentrate on the subject from two entirely different angles, else the vision will be blocked.

Here are a few of the rarer and newer methods. New lesser auguries are welcome for players to invent.

Casting: Whether the casting is done with runes, dice, sticks or crystals, the seer studies the pattern of the toss. Searching out patterns, and in some cases markings, the seer seeks the information her Blood tells her is revealed in the cast. Many Rom always carry dice or dominoes with which to make castings for both gaje marks and themselves. Specialties: Knowledge of accidents, unexpected actions and acts of fate.

Dazing: Bright strobes, neon lights and the overpowering blare of driving music are often combined in the visionary method known as dazing. At a minimum, the seer must steadily stare at bright, flashing lights for several minutes. The seer lets the light and the after-images flash across her eyes while the vision imprints itself on her mind's eye. This is one of the newest methods, and it is most common among the seers of the Tsurara. Specialties: Death Knowledge

Fire Reading: The hypnotic flames of the Romani campfires licking into the night sky have long been useful in stirring the visions of the Rom seers. Some such seers toss small handful of salt onto the fire as it dies down, watching the images of the flames and smoke of the fire imprint the vision. This method is favored by seers of the Lupine family. Specialties: Knowledge regarding matters of love and hate.

Hand Reading: Often known as palmistry, or vast, this method of sight actually involves the subject's entire hand. Although many gaje think hand reading is as simple as searching out a life line here and a love line there, hand reading is an exacting method requiring years of study. Every lump, whorl and callous, the length of the fingers and the breadth of the hand; all can be studied to gain insights into the individual in question. Often the Gypsy giving the reading will ask many questions of her subject over the course of the reading. Specialties: This augury may only be used to determine events directly related to the individual being studied, or involving his or her direct ancestors and descendants. There is a +2 difficulty modifier when attempting to learn of the subject's ancestors or descendants.

Knives and Needles: Both knives and needles can be used to discern relatively simple information using the Sight. The knife or needle is suspended by a piece of string or thread and allowed to hang free. A piece of paper with a few simple answers on it, or perhaps a map, is placed beneath the instrument. The seer then places one finger lightly on top of the makeshift apparatus. Concentrating on the desired information, the seer realizes. If successful, the knife or needle will slowly begin to move back and forth in the direction of the correct answer or place on the map. Among certain city Rom, the practice of keeping the special needle pierced in an ear lobe or other body part when it's not in use has become popular. Those who do this maintain that it provides more accurate readings. Specialties: Knowledge regarding where and when things and people are in time and space.

Thrashing: Some of the younger Rom use the energy and release of dance to bring their talent into focus. This method is frequently accompanied by alcohol and drug use, but not always. Thrashing, slamming and other dance forms seem to work best. Just when the seer's body reaches its physical limits he is often violently besieged with images and symbols. The seer usually loses consciousness soon after the images fade, and are forgotten upon waking. Specialties: Knowledge of pain and conflict.

The Sight Details
A Gypsy with the Sight needs to pick either one greater augury or two lesser auguries, or make up another that she favors. If a character is forced to use a dukkerin method she is not trained in, or does not have her favored dice, tarot cards, etc., available, the difficulty level of any attempt at using her Sight to look into the past or future is increased by +2.

When a character attempts to use the Sight during a story, the Storyteller should ask the player what information the character is seeking. This could range from a general reading about the health of an individual to the specific ramifications of some action. The base difficulty level when using the Sight is 8. A character attempting to determine whether a particular building will be empty for the next few hours might have to roll against a difficulty of 8. Lets say people are going to be in the building. If the character then attempts to determine exactly who will be in the building, the difficulty would rise to a 9 or a 10.

Clarity of Sight varies with the number of successes a character gains. For every success, the Gypsy receives one specific image or impression. The information gained through the Sight tends to be cryptic in nature. This is especially true for information given about the future. Information should also be vague and general, but grow increasingly specific and useful with greater numbers of successes.

A character may only attempt to learn information about a specific person, thing or event once, regardless of how much success (or lack of) she has in the attempt. She will not be able to gain any additional information about the same exact subject unless she actually uncovers new data about the subject, thus giving her a new focus.

The amount of time the character can attempt to look into the past or future is determined by her level of skill. Every use of the Sight costs one point of Willpower.

  * Novice: The character can see up to 1 month into the past and 2 weeks into the future.
  ** Practiced: The character can see up to 1 yr into the past and 6 months into the future.
  *** Competent: The character can see up to 10 yrs into the past and 5 yrs into the future.
  **** Expert: The character can see up to 100 yrs into the past and 50 yrs into the future.
  ***** Master: The character can see any point in the past or future, though the difficulty for anything beyond a hundred years past and fifty years forward is 10.

Blood Foci

The Gypsies learned through bitter struggle that in great times of need the power of the blood can be enhanced. In order to perform a blood focus a group of Gypsies must pour several drops of blood over an object and expend one willpower. The bearer of the focus is the last to pour her blood and willpower into the object. This bonds the object to that Gypsy.

A blood focus will only enhance a affinity possessed by the gypsy. The focus grants one extra trait in an applicable challenge while the affinity is being used for every level of blood purity embibed into the focus. This lasts for one scene and the traits may be lost in the normal manner of any challenge.

Steve the Gypsy wants to enhance his affinities for an upcoming battle. Steve then finds 4 other Rom and they perform a blood focus ritual to aid their brethren. Together the other four Gypsies have a blood purity rating of 13. This adds 13 traits to Steve's challenges for the duration of the scene unless they are lost in a challenge. The focus must be used before the blood dries, usually 15 minutes. The focus must be worn on the person at all times or is immediately lost.

Experience Point Costs

Trait:                         Cost:
New ability                    3
New Affinity                   7
Willpower                      New Rating
Attribute                      New Rating x4
Ability                        New Rating x2
Affinity                       New Rating x7
Background                     New Rating x3

Lexicon

Abiav -- A Rom wedding ceremony.
Amira -- A curse or violent oath.
Angustri -- A ring, often magical in nature
Avali -- Yes
Baba -- Old woman. A term of respect.
Bater -- A term meaning 'so be it' used to conclude deals or arrangements.
Baxt -- Good luck
Bujo -- An elaborate swindle
Deltuminous -- Literally, 'God's embrace', a potion that expands the imbiber's mind
Dhartime -- A Gypsy touched by, or 'claimed' by the element of earth
Dilko -- A heavy scarf often weighted and used as a weapon
Dilo -- A fool or imbecile
Dook -- The Sight, or magic in general
Draba -- Amulets and other items of magical power
Drabarne -- Gyspy witches skilled at creating draba
Dukkerin -- The art of fortune-telling or the use of the Sight
Gaje -- Any non-Gypsy
Giorgio -- Another term for a non-Gypsy
Jastima -- A Gypsy touched by, or 'claimed' by the element of water
Jhanaki -- A Gypsy touched by, or 'claimed' by the element of air
Kek -- No
Kumpania -- A group of Gypsies who live & travel together
Kumpaniyi -- Plural of kumpania
Kuyan -- A Gypsy touched by, or 'claimed' by the element of fire.
Marhime -- Unclean or impure, Any who have defiled their Blood. Opposite of whuzo
Mule -- A ghost or spirit of the dead
Mule-vi -- A medium or an item capable of reaching the world of the dead
Rom Baro -- Literally 'Big Man'. Leader or head of a family
Paramitsha -- Gypsy fairy tales
Patteran -- The Blood Affinity of the Phuri Dae
Pena -- Sister
Phral -- A full-Blooded Gypsy, or true Rom
Phuri Dae -- One of the Gypsy families of power. Also A wise woman or magical woman
Posta -- A sacrifice, usually ritual in nature
Prala -- Brother
Prikaza -- Bad luck
Rom -- The Gypsy race or an individual of Gyspy Blood
Rom Baro -- Literally 'Big Man'. Leader or head of a family
Rom romesa, gaje gajesa -- Gypsy with Gypsy, gaje with gaje
Romany -- The Gypsy language, in all its dialects
Satarma -- Star. Also a Gypsy touched by, or 'claimed' by the spirit element
Shilmulo -- A vampire. One of the 'cold dead'
Slava -- Feast
Sune -- Dreams
Talith -- A Romani scarf weapon
Tumnimous -- The vampiric embrace
Tarno -- Young
Vardo -- A Romani wagon
Yog -- Fire
Wuzho -- Pure, untainted. The opposite of marhime
Yog -- Fire
Zapaderin -- A unique, hypnotizing Romani dance form and Blood Affinity

Relationship Names

          Bibi -- Aunt                    Kako -- Uncle
          Chavi -- Little girl            Chavo -- Little boy
          Chai -- Young woman             Chal -- Young man
          Chikni -- Daughter              Chikno -- Son
          Daia, Dae -- Mother             Dadrus -- Father
          Didakai -- Half-breed Gypsy     Pikie -- Outcast Gyspy
          Jivel -- Wife                   Monisha -- Girlfriend
          Penyaki -- Niece                Palesko -- Nephew
          Pena -- Sister                  Prala -- Brother
          Pivili -- Widow                 Pivlo -- Widower
          Phuridae -- Grandmother         Phurodad -- Grandfather
          Romadi -- Wife                  Rommado -- Husband
          Simensa -- Cousin

Information Links

World Of Darkness: Gypsy The book is listed here. However, it is no longer being published and so, if you would like your own copy of the book you will have to got to RPGnow.com for the PDF or try to find it used on Ebay.com or Amazon.com.

http://www.dragonpro.com/~jay/rom/index.html - World of Darkness Gypsies: This is another site that explains in detail how to create, roleplay, and story-tell the World of Darkness Gypsies.

http://vancouver.dark-world.co.uk/mortal/gypsy.htm - This Vancouver's Cannon for creating and maintaining a Rromani character's link has a lot of researched information on the ways of Gypsy life that some might find interesting.

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/index.html - The Patrin Web Journal: Romani Culture and History.