Stanimir

A jolly, colorful old man with a twinkle in his eye. Stanimir is the Vistani camp's storyteller and host — warm, welcoming, and quick with a cup of wine and a tale worth hearing.

Overview

Stanimir is an elderly Vistani man who serves as elder and storyteller at the Tser Pool encampment. Elegantly dressed and effortlessly charming, he acts as the camp's host — greeting travelers, offering food and drink by the fire, and organizing the Vistani tradition of the Game of Stories. His demeanor is disarming, but his stories carry weight. He is a companion and attendant to Madam Eva, and serves as a bridge between the Vistani and outsiders who find their way to the camp.

Stanimir is also a mage of some ability, known to use major image to enhance his storytelling — spitting wine into the campfire to produce green flames and conjuring dark shapes within the fire as he speaks.

Session Appearances

Session 09 — The Game of Stories

Stanimir welcomed the party to the Tser Pool encampment alongside Eliza, offering hospitality by the central fire — wine, food, and song. As evening fell, he organized a formal Vistani Game of Stories, where participants wagered personal items of value and told tales for others to judge as truth, falsehood, or both.

Stanimir wagered a worn deck of Tarokka cards that once belonged to his late wife, noting with quiet sentiment that she would have appreciated them being used. During the voting rounds, he consistently voted "True" — believing every tale contains a grain of truth.

His own story told of an ancient wounded prince the Vistani once sheltered and nursed to health. The prince returned to his homeland and became lord, promising to protect the Vistani forever. But a curse befell him, turning the noble prince into a tyrant — and now the Vistani alone have the power to leave his domain. The tale was a direct account of Strahd von Zarovich's history and the Vistani's binding covenant with Barovia.

Relationships

• Madam Eva — Companion and fellow elder at the Tser Pool camp
• Eliza — Young Vistani woman who operates within his community; scolded him for lacking hospitality toward the party
• Strahd von Zarovich — Subject of his campfire tale; the Vistani's covenant with Strahd defines their freedom of movement in Barovia