Background
Older than anyone can remember, Baba ("Baba" being a very respectful term for a wise old woman) Ravena is a greatly respected Phuri (elder). She is both very wise and equally curmudgeonly, and one would do well to stay on her good side.

It was she that had the vision that confirmed our destiny in England, and she does often have premonitions of the future -- but she does not bother to share many of them until they come true, for some reason, which annoys Nikolai to no end. She is the mother of Nikolai, Kyrill and three other sons, as well as a daughter, Larysa, who recently left England with the Vitsa of the Midnight Sands as their own Phuri Dai. Under the direction of their Rom Baro and Phuri Dai, the Midnight Sands now travel Ireland.

It was Baba Ravena who recognized her long-lost son Kyrill by the crucifix she had given him when he was a small child, and this alone ended the terrible rivalry between Nikolai and Kyrill. Ravena often solves many of our problems in similar ways, and it is she whom we go to when we are in trouble.

She is a fortune teller and Drabarni, and makes great use of her powers and theatrical skills to impress the Gaje. As Phuri Dae (Wise Woman) her advice is greatly respected, and more often than not her word is law. She is also the accountant of the Fiery Dawn, keeping money made by the Vitsa until it is needed.

Though she did have some competition not long ago, as Larysa started to offer her own services when Baba Ravena said no, which often got Larysa (and the rest of us) in a lot of trouble. Crossing the Phuri Dae is never wise!

Baba Ravena stays very much aloof of many of the arguments, rivalries and intrigues going on at any given time in the Kumpania. It's not that she is not interested in them, she just does not get involved unless she feels she has to, being necessarily impartial. But when she does, everyone suddenly starts behaving or heads roll! Truly, she is feared as much as she's loved, which she likes just fine.

Several springs ago, Ravena had another vision, of a very valuable treasure that Vitsa Wispersteppe buried in Scarborough years ago while on the run from the Gaje's law. Vitsa Wispersteppe perished, so no one returned to claim it, and this is what brought the Fiery Dawn to Scarborough that year. Ravena had her hands full in keeping our two rival clans in check as we hunted for this treasure. It was not that we were greedy, merely that each vitsa wanted to outdo the other. Anyway, it turned out that Baba Ravena, ever the wise one, had found the treasure while we were all bickering. In the end she kept it, for the good of the Kumpania as a whole.

Upon achieving the title of "Chivani" Ravena began to travel more with the other clans within the Kumpania, which suited Nikolai just fine. He loves his mother dearly, but she is a creature of unbreakable iron will and stubborness, and Nikolai was all too often vetoed by our Chivani. Even Nikolai, though, is wise enough not to argue with her. Poor Katja, as new Phuri Dae of the Fiery Dawn, had to face the brunt of his arrogance and tactlessness during Ravena's absence.

Katja did not have to suffer for long, however. Ravena returned from her visit with her oldest son, Mikhail, and the Vitsa of the Changing winds, to advise Nikolai once more. It was fortunate for the Vitsa that Ravena did return, for the pirates came to collect on the debt of honour that the Gypsies owed to them. Only with Ravena at his side to advise and assist was Nikolai able to outwit both Pirates and Villages alike so that the gypsies emerged from the debacle unscathed.

No celebration is without it's share of sorrow, however. Nikolai and Lazaros both announced their intentions to leave the Vitsa of the Fiery Dawn and to travel Britain to see the other Vitsas. The rest of the Vitsa waits with baited breath to see if Ravena will choose to accompany her sons, or will stay to advise the newest Rom Baro of the Fiery Dawn.