Augurs

The Augurs are a nomadic nation that has recently arrived from the East. They are usually on the move from town to town, moving about in carts or wagons, and occasionally, setting up an encampment known as a tabor. Belonging to the nation is a question of possessing the ‘augur spirit’ which is made manifest in following Augur customs – purity laws, respect for elders, and the worship of the Godhead through the feminine principle. Those who violate these customs or demonstrate no capacity to live in accordance to them are regarded as gadjo – outsiders; having two Augur parents is no guarantee of membership. Conversely, outsiders may be easily integrated into a group if they are regarded as having an Augur spirit.

Most people belonging to settled society are gadjo, and they regard the Augurs with a mixture of disgust and wonderment. They are perceived as godless, larcenous, and libertine, but at the same time, many gadjo secretly admire the freedom that accompanies the itinerant Augur lifestyle, enjoy Augur musical performance, dance, and outfits (especially at weddings and fairs), and consult Augur fortunetellers (hence, the origin of the group’s designation for outsiders). Not infrequently, the Augurs’ distinct lifestyle serves as a pretext for scapegoating: they are blamed for a variety of sins, from child theft to spreading the Plague, and expelled from towns, or sometimes murdered. They also have a reputation for pronouncing frightful curses against anyone they don’t like.
The Augurs speak a distinct language called Val, which is made up of many loan words picked up from people they have encountered on their travels. They are encouraged to display their talents – whether musical, magical, or martial – freely, to the outside world, if they truly possess them. Some Augurs find the tight social regulation within their bands, or heavy-handed rule by self-styled Augur ‘barons’ or ‘kings’ onerous, and they break away to seek their own way in the world.