The Bestiary by Lydia Martin

Strigoi

Strigoi are creatures that are of a different class of beings in the supernatural world and differ greatly from shapeshifters. In one defining major difference, they are not part animal.

Firstly, the Strigoi originate primarily in Romanian mythology and folklore. It is said they are undead troubled souls that have returned back to the land of the living. The legends say Strigoi can also be living people who wield magical abilities as well. They are said to possess the power to be able to turn into animals and become invisible. They drain energy from their victims through feeding and sucking on their blood. The Strigoi are followed closely by their kin, the Moroi. Moroi are said to be a lesser being that also feeds on blood and is capable of the same powers but bow to the Strigoi, who are their superiors. Strigoi are the inspiration and origin for the myths and legends of the modern vampire.

Yet the actual truth is that the Strigoi and Moroi don't really feed on human blood as the myths say they do. No, what they feed on is something much more worse – their souls. They are humans that are able to maintain their youth, as well as power and grace by absorbing in souls of their victims. If they continue this then it would be possible for them to live forever. Unlike shapeshifters, Strigoi do not shift into a less than human form and forever look like a normal human, emphasis on forever.

Strigoi are born when someone with mystical power choose to eject their soul in exchange for eternal life and greater power. The common origin story is that an apprentice to a wizard or sorcerer gets impatient with the slow pace of their master's training or frustrated with the low amount of magical talent they possess and want more. This dark thought attracts a demon or even the Devil to them and they are offered a pact for them to gain the power they desire if they relinquish their soul. It isn't known if the demonic nature of the story is actually true or not as Strigoi don't share the secrets to their power and origin. All that is known for certain is that when a mystic ejects their soul through some secret process or ritual, they turn into a Strigoi, gaining more stronger magical powers and eternal youth. Like a vampire, they will stay looking the age they are when they are turned, forevermore. However, there is a cost and Strigoi must steal and absorb the souls of victims in order to sustain their life or they fade away into nothing. Once they strip and detach their soul, there is no way for the Strigoi to go back.

To steal and acquire the souls they need Strigoi commonly use an Athame, a special ritual dagger, when they kill their victims. 

The soul is absorbed into the blade after the person is killed and a Strigoi will then absorb the soul's energy into their own body within less than an hour after it was acquired before the dead soul's energy fades out. It is the easiest and quickest way to get the souls they need and the easiest to disregard as it looks just like a normal murder by stabbing. Originally, witchhunters and vigilante mobs were able to track and hunt down the young, weak and inexperienced Strigoi who drained souls directly. Strigoi originally used a spell or process to directly take in the soul by forcing it out of the victims' mouth as a ball of light which they would then consume themselves. Yet, this left the victim's body looking like pale and horrified husks that caused panic and hysteria when found. Yet, when modern science began to develop, this was logically explained and seen as people suffering and dying from anemic shock or common heart failure. Ironically, this made gathering souls by stabbing them with Athames more noticeable and attention drawing while their original method drew less suspicion and was more subtle for the Strigoi to feed themselves.