Croatia & Vampirism

Croatia is also known for their problems with an underground movement. It was a major route for vampires making their way into Europe. The region is situated in the perfect position for this. As many vampire breeds cannot travel over open or flowing water it is safer for them to travel overland, and the Bosporus Strait was easier to cross than any other. This happened millennia ago at least, and the creatures have now spread out, infesting new lands, and mutated into bloodsucking creatures of all kinds. It also has its own vampire hunters called Krsniks (or Krsnik singularly). These are shamans who can leave their body in a trance to hunt down vampires. The classic vampire, the Nosferatu, and Strigoi can all be found here. Every once in a while striges break out in large swarms. Many of the vampires have over time made their way north and west occupying ancient structures belonging to previous civilisations. It also does not help that Frankia & Byzantium is at war constantly in Croatia, as this leads to the perfect cover for vampires. They blend into the soldiers, and can travel in military organisations easy enough, and their kills can be easily hidden.
A few vampires have hidden themselves in the rugged terrain of the region, taking over old settlements, crypts, strongholds, and cave systems. From the more settled areas they have masked themselves as nobility and a classic tactic for many is to pretend to age, die, and then have a 'young' noble relative take over. This can be themselves, or if powerful enough, have one of their spawn take over pretending to be the relative, while the master vampire pulls the strings from behind the throne, so to speak. Pogroms, and vampire hunts, do take place keeping many vampires under control, though they are still heavily embedded into society, and legend.
Each major region in Croatia will have at least one major vampire and a few vampire spawn somewhere in the local society, and some are centuries old. In the wilds, Nosferatu, and Strigoi are more common, and sometimes linked to attacks & predation on villages & smaller towns. Many settlements will have stories of vampires & their ilk, and at least one Krsnik can be found easy enough, despite Christianity beginning to take hold. This in part is that the latter has only been introduced recently in the past 10 odd years, and the nobility is the main believers. Many peasants are still pagan, and believe in the old ways. A large vampire cult is believed to be buried deep within the Underdark, but no proof has surfaced, at least yet.