Strigoi Servant
CREATURE 10The oldest of all vampires are the strigoi. They predate ancient nosferatus and view moroi as infantile children, yet their own origins are so far lost to the ravages of time that few today have heard of them and fewer still know their true nature. Many of the oldest tales about vampires trace back to the strigoi, and nearly every other vampire carries traits that ultimately have their roots in these powerful, ancient creatures.
Strigoi, in their true form, are bodiless creatures native to the Shadow Plane that are incapable of interacting with the physical world, existing only as pure forces of malevolence. When this malevolence is invited into a physical body by method of ancient rituals, though, a strigoi becomes much more dangerous. This requirement-that a living creature perform a rite of their own free will to draw the strigoi into their soul-may well be the source of a moroi's compulsion not to enter a home without first being invited.
Some myths point to Urgathoa as the source of the ritual that allowed spellcasters to become strigoi, while others suggest the method was spread by the cult of Zura. Whatever the source, this long-lost ritual was no gateway to power, but instead a trap that allowed the strigoi to inhabit the shadows and souls of once-living hosts. In so doing, they found a way to exist in the world of flesh and blood. The presence of a strigoi within the shadow of a living host causes sickness and swift death, after which the strigoi bonds with the host's soul and becomes one with the body. Thus did the first of their kind invade the world of the living, and thus did the first vampires walk the night.
A creature with greater darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. A creature with greater darkvision can see through even forms of magical darkness.
A monster with this ability regains the given number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn.
Unlike other undead, a vampire isn't destroyed at 0 HP. Instead, it falls Unconscious. If its body rests in its coffin for 1 hour, the vampire gains 1 HP, after which its fast healing begins to function normally.
The strigoi reverts to pure shadow and absorbs its body and its gear into the darkness, or it shifts back to its physical form. In shadow form, the strigoi gains a climb Speed equal to its land Speed and can move through any gap that isn't airtight. However, it can only move along solid surfaces that aren't highly reflective, not liquid or mirrored surfaces. If the surface it's on is destroyed, the strigoi returns to physical form and is Stunned 1. The strigoi loses fast healing while in shadow form but can remain in shadow form indefinitely.
A strigoi that is exposed to sunlight while in shadow form becomes Slowed 2 and must attempt a DC 16 flat check at the end of each of its turns. If it fails this flat check, it is destroyed, the shadow vanishing with a blood-curdling wail.
All strigoi possess the following weaknesses:
Revulsion Strigoi are uncomfortable near mirrors or sources of bright light. Only a strigoi's shadow reflects in a mirror, and this often compels them to cover or destroy mirrors in their presence rather than risk their true nature being displayed. A strigoi can't voluntarily come within 10 feet of a brandished mirror or source of bright light. To brandish a mirror or light source, a creature must Interact to do so for 1 round (similar to Raising a Shield). If the strigoi involuntarily comes within 10 feet of a brandished mirror or light source, they gain the Fleeing condition, running from the brandished object until they end an action beyond 10 feet. After 1 round of being exposed to the subject of their revulsion, a strigoi can attempt a DC 25 Will save as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. On a success, they overcome their revulsions for 1d6 rounds (or 1 hour on a critical success). A strigoi can move normally around mirrors or bright light sources that are not brandished, although doing so causes them discomfort that can be noticed with a successful Perception check to Sense Motive.
Sunlight When exposed to direct sunlight, a strigoi immediately becomes Unconscious and falls to the ground. They appear to be dead: they don't breathe, their body temperature matches their surroundings, and they don't react to pain or other stimuli. A successful Perception check against the strigoi's Reflex DC is enough to note one anomaly: the shadow cast by their "dead" body shifts and moves slightly, its edges twisting and active. Certain detection spells, senses like lifesense, and the "corpse" taking damage from vitality energy still function normally and could reveal the truth without a successful Perception check. Viewing the "corpse" in a mirror's reflection can also reveal the truth, for only the body's shadow reflects. While in sunlight and unconscious, the strigoi loses their resistance to physical damage. If the strigoi takes enough damage that they would be reduced to 0 Hit Points, their body quickly decomposes, and the strigoi is destroyed.
Water Revulsion A strigoi cannot cross a significant source of running water (such as a creek, river, or waves on a seashore). A strigoi capable of flight can cross running water provided they approach no closer than 10 feet to the liquid's surface. If forced into running water against their will, the strigoi becomes Slowed 2 and gains the fleeing condition as long as they remain in the water. At the end of any turn in which the strigoi remains in running water, they must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or be destroyed.
A creature with void healing draws health from void energy rather than vitality energy. It is damaged by vitality damage and is not healed by vitality healing effects. It does not take void damage, and it is healed by void effects that heal undead.
A victim's drained condition decreases by 1 per week. A blood transfusion, which requires a successful DC 20 Medicine check and sufficient blood or a blood donor, reduces the drained value by 1 after 10 minutes.
A victim's stupefied condition decreases by 1 per day after performing daily preparations. If the daily preparations are done in full sunlight, the stupefied condition is removed entirely.
The strigoi servant deals 1d6 extra precision damage to Off-Guard creatures.
The monster can instead use Grab and choose one creature it's grabbing or restraining with an appendage that has Grab to automatically extend that condition to the end of the monster's next turn.