Sceringio’s Vardo of Dreams

For adventurers who seek insight and advice in regards to the future, or for those whom seek strange and bizarre ingredients necessary for dark rituals of occult nature, the ancient seer and gypsy woman, Sceringio may have exactly what you seek..

Sceringio travels in a bright green, bowtop wagon decorated in gold script, black grapes, and pink roses with gold leaves. The gold script is a protection spell, which protects the wagon, and it’s occupants from many evils.

Sceringio offers many mystical services, she can cast some spells for prices listed in the Dungeon Master Guide, at the DM’s option, can sell hard to find spell components, as well as offering affordable divination in the form of performing a bone reading.

Traveling with Sceringio, and protecting her, is her family which makes it’s money from providing entertainment, juggling, music, dancing, slight of hand, puppet shows, as well as a dancing bear.

Sceringio never stays at one place for a long time, preferring life on the road. She believes that she has a higher purpose, which is not wrong, she works as a messenger for the gods, whom provide her with insight on events which require her attention. When performing this function, she does not charge. All gypsies consider the old woman the greatest prophet of their time, thus other gypsies seek her out to provide justice and leadership for all of the clans.

Layout

The vardo has just one room separated by a curtain. Much of the gear is hidden and hung below the wagon, or stashed inside of secure area’s in the wagon so that they don’t get jostled around too much when the vardo is in motion. Sceringio and her family are very neat people, everything has it’s place, and they utilize every nook and cranny to transport a wide variety of tools that they can use and sell.

The wagon is 7 ft wide, and 11 ft. long.

Reading Room

Two padded benches sit on either side of a wooden door, with steps that lead down. Under the padded bench is a storage area. Between the benches can be placed a small table, which is decorated with a long black silk cloth, this is where Sceringio performs her readings, she dumps a pan of chicken bones onto the table and divines what they mean. The floor is also marked with strange runes and pictures which the gypsy utilizes for her spell casting. She does not cast spells normally, all of her magic is ritual magic and while she is not restricted to spell levels, it takes twice as long for her to cast all spells.

Living area:

This is where Sceringio spends most of her time. She is very old and does not like much sun and believes fresh air to be harmful. This area always smells like incense and of whatever components she is concocting that day. This room has a large bed, which she shares with the gypsy children if it rains, a second bunk is above it, which Esmeralda sleeps on at night. A wardrobe contains what few cloths they own, as well as a special area for Sceringio’s spell components and other merchandise. Her oldest granddaughter, Esmeralda enjoys making necklaces and other jewelry made of beads, her husband Giorgio carves small wooden toys, as well as his own puppets, and their son Stephan enjoys making items out of leather as well as carving objects out of wood. A chamber pot is located next to the wardrobe, below it is a locked cabinets which holds all of the money that they have earned, as well as some magical items and other things that they treasure. This area is kept covered when anyone is in the Vardo.

Camp (not shown)
The gypsies never stay in the city overnight, they will enter only to sell their wares, and put on a show, then they will find a comfortable spot outside of the city to set up camp. Sceringio has a secret salt which can be sprinkled around the camp to keep it safe, but Stephan always keeps watch, and sleeps in the drivers seat of the vargo. Camp always consists of at least a fire, for cooking and entertainment, the horses are allowed to graze, but never leave the protected circle, and a few lantern posts are set up. Oil lamps are also on the Vardo itself, as are kegs of fresh water which is replenished at every opportunity.

Camp is always sparse, in case the gypsies need to make a quick getaway, as they are not used to being a welcome sight to city officials, they know well that if anything bad happens then they will always get the blame.

Personalities

Sceringio (Unique Gypsy Witch): AC 10; HD 0, hp 2/
#AT 0; SD spells; INT 19; AL CN

Sceringio is a very old lady, she wears a black gypsy dress, and her white stringy hair is always covered with a black handkerchief. The witches left eye is a bright, piercing blue while the other is a dead white. She is a capricious character who is very impulsive. She has no way to defend herself, and relies on her family. Nothing but pain can result in causing her harm, as she is protected by the gods.


Esmeralda (6th level bard): AC 6 (high dex), HD 6; hp 20/
#AT 1; THAC0 18; dmg 1d4 (dagger); INT 16; AL LN

Esmeralda is a very pretty young woman, possessing mysterious, dark charms. She dresses in bright, colorful clothing and wears her dark hair down. Esmeralda is an accomplished dancer and is constantly learning divination from her grandmother Sceringio. Her personality is optimistic but she can be very obsequious as well. During a show, she normally plays up her speaking skills to the crowd and introduces all of the acts, as well as performs as a dancer, play the tambourine, and does simple illusions or magical tricks.

Giorgio (4th level bard): AC 9 (leather armor), HD 4; hp 16/
#AT 1; THAC0 19; dmg 1d6 (short sword) 1d8 (crossbow); AL LN

Giorgio is a gifted carver, he’s a tall dark man who wears red trousers and a colorful vest. Giorgio can use a wide variety of musical instrument, but favors the violin. He is a capable gypsy bard; To the people who know him, he is exacting, but still quit easy going, however he is a suspicious fellow, as he has seen lots of horrors, this makes him quite distrustful of strangers and questions all acts of kindness to him or his people.

Stephan (3rd level Ranger): AC 5 (leather armor/high dex); HD 3; hp 28/
#AT 2; THAC0 18; dmg 1d6 (short sword) 1d8 (crossbow); AL NG

Stephan is a quiet young man who tends to blend well in a crowd. He dresses in a leather vest, and wide pants decorated with gold leafing. He keeps a short sword on him at all times, but can use a wide variety of weapons. He enjoys training his bear (standard bear from MM) witling gifts for his brother and sister, and playing the recorder. He is the oldest of Giorgio’s children and protects the children with a passion that knows no rival. He is quite quiet, but he also hides a sadistic streak for those that he judges to be his enemies. (DM’s must chose Stephan’s enemy race.)

The Gypsy Children: AC 10, HD 0; hp 2/__, 1/__
#AT 1; THAC0 20; dmg by weapon ½ damage; AL CN

The children’s names are Hesther, (little girl) and Thomas (little boy). Heasther will not join in Combat, but Thomas is always seeking adventure. Both children always stay close to Stephan over their parents. Hesther has a doll which is, in fact, a doll golem which Sceringo made for her, it will only animate if Hesther is in trouble.

Scenario Suggestions

Scenario #1: Stephan is infected with Lycanthropy and must be brought back to Sceringio so that she can heal him.

Scenario #2: Sceringio is aware of a dangerous artifact that is in the wrong hands and requires the aid of the PCs to get it for her.

Scenario #3: The gypsies have been blamed for bringing evil to the city in the form of a disease that is crippling it, they are innocent, but will be hung unless the PCs can find the real cause and prove their innocence.

Because the wagon is mobile, you can introduce these characters anywhere and at any time. Sceringio can be used to provide information in the form of prophecy as well as provide herbal remedies for a price. The gypsies work for more then just money, they will also take quest items and spell components. Sceringio also works for favors, which she will collect later, these favors are always quite dangerous and/or unpleasant. To do this, she will demand payment of some worthless item which belongs to the character, with it, she will make a doll which she can use to cast a “geas” spell on them.