A Strigoi in Firmament

Monster Hour - Arc 1

Concept

While hiking Cathedral Peak, a young tourist plummets to his death, only for the body to spring back to life as a
vampiric Strigoi. Retracing the echoes of his mortal life, the Strigoi turns Firmament into its hunting grounds.

Hook

After a string of cattle rustles around Firmament, a mound of dead livestock is found in the Moonscape. Shortly
thereafter, a man is found murdered outside the Prospector Pub, the blood drained from his body.

Countdown

The young tourist returns to life as a Strigoi. Confused and ravenous, it begins feasting on cattle
DAY outside of town.

It’s immediate needs met but craving human blood, the Strigoi begins retracing its steps through
SHADOWS Firmament, starting at the Visitors Bureau.

The Strigoi returns to the Prospector, where it had visited as a mortal, and kills someone, draining
DUSK them of their blood.

The Strigoi returns to Firmament College, where it bunked in an unoccupied dorm room, and kills a
SUNSET student there.

Emboldened by its success, the Strigoi makes Firmament College its new hunting ground.
NIGHTFALL

The Strigoi leaves Firmament and begins traveling the world, leaving a trail of blood and broken bodies
MIDNIGHT in its wake.

Notes, Custom Moves, Etc.

Player and NPC Arc Beats:

● Leon’s investigation into the supernatural
○ Will help the players in their investigation, but is likely to go rogue and get himself into trouble
○ Will begin to investigate Alvin as well if the players get careless
● Chief Stoney’s knowledge of the supernatural
○ Can serve as a resource for support/information, but will demand the players report information to him
and help keep it quiet publicly
● Constance parents meddling in her life
○ Magda will intrude with a “real job” interview with her former colleague at the lab, Auggie Vaul, who
has just launched a new start up called Imagine Labs
● The spirit of Constance’s Buni
○ Past Lives will provide an opportunity for Constance to learn more about the Strigoi, which her Buni
faced in Romania
● The magic of JR’s skeleton key
○ When activated, will glow with mysterious sigils (script written in multiple alphabets)
Threats: M
​ onsters & Minions

NAME The Strigoi

TYPE Monster Devourer

MOTIVATION To consume people

POWERS Supernatural speed, strength, and senses​ - will always have the drop on the hunters unless special
precautions are taken
Possessing Spirit​ - the Strigoi is a malevolent spirit inhabiting its former body. If the body is destroyed
but not properly disposed of (see below) then the spirit will escape, eventually finding a new cadaver to
inhabit.

WEAKNESSES The Strigoi must regularly consume human blood or it will grow weak; decapitating and burning the
body while the spirit is inside is the only way to truly destroy it

ATTACKS Claws (2-harm hand), Bite (2-harm intimate vampiric)

ARMOUR None

HARM CAP. ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐

NOTES/LORE Lore:
● A Strigoi is created when a person dies abruptly or tragically, or following the death of a
wicked soul.
● Their appearance resembles a normal person with pallid skin that is cold to the touch. They are
recognizable by their clawed hands and owlish eyes with orange sclera and black irises.
● They can subsist on animal blood for short periods, but eventually need human blood.
● Typically hunts at night, and will often establish a den or lair to rest and drag prey back to.

Threats: B
​ ystanders

NAME Leon Williams NAME Magda and Victor Rodescu

TYPE Bystander Helper TYPE Bystander Skeptic

MOTIVATION To join the hunt MOTIVATION To deny supernatural explanations

NOTES Alvin’s best friend and former college
roommate. Works as a reporter for the
local alt weekly newspaper, the Jackalope.
A conspiracy theorist who is, nonetheless,
on to many of Firmament’s strange
mysteries.
NOTES Constance’s overbearing parents. Both
professors at Firmament College. Magda
had a strained relationship with her
mother, Constance’s Buni, that led her to
embrace science and reason. Victor is a
poet with a more eccentric personality.

NAME Chief Stoney Lock NAME Detective Xochitl Galvan

TYPE Bystander Detective TYPE Bystander Busybody

MOTIVATION To rule out explanations MOTIVATION To interfere in people’s plans

NOTES The Chief of Firmament’s Police NOTES A determined, no-nonsense detective with
Department. Tall and imposing frame. FPD. Dedicated to keeping the community
Stoney is generally lowkey, but can be safe, though unaware of any supernatural
 intimidating when necessary. Know about presence in Firmament. A bit socially
the supernatural in Firmament and wants awkward, but generally a good-natured
to keep it from becoming public. person.

NAME Jasper NAME

TYPE Bystander Gossip TYPE

MOTIVATION To pass on rumors MOTIVATION

NOTES The owner and proprietor of the NOTES

Prospector Pub. Not an overly fond man,
but appreciative of his regulars. Prone to
mild paranoia about the government.

Threats: L
​ ocations

NAME The Visitors Bureau & History Museum NAME The Moonscape

TYPE Location Crossroads TYPE Location Wilds

MOTIVATION To bring people and things together MOTIVATION To contain hidden things

NOTES A combination official Visitors Bureau, NOTES A sprawling badlands outside of town,
professional museum, and tourist trap famous for its alien terrain: bizarre rock
curio shop. Popular with visiting tourists. formations and colorful striation.
Constance’s place of work. Touchstone: Bisti Badlands, NM.

Clues: Clues:
● First Strigoi appearance ● Desiccated cattle husks from the
Strigoi’s first hunt

NAME The Prospector Pub NAME Firmament College / Ponderosa Hall

TYPE Location Crossroads TYPE Location Den

MOTIVATION To bring people and things together MOTIVATION To harbor monsters

NOTES A long standing dive bar in Firmament’s
industrial district. Popular with working
class folk, college kids (seldom card), and
visiting tourists alike. Owned by Jasper.
Clues:
● Bodies of the first human victims
will hint at Strigoi’s
● Jasper will remember seeing the
Strigoi as a human tourist before
he turned (including bunking at
FC)
NOTES A public liberal arts college, formerly a
private academy. Classic collegiate
architecture and layout, with a Quad,
Student Center, Library, Lecture Halls,
Labs, and Dormitories (Aspen, Willow,
Boxelder, and Ponderosa).
Clues:
● The Strigoi’s lair, including
mementos of its past life and/or
kills