While The Church is equipped to (and, in some situations, holds itself to be the only legal authority to) handle unholy menaces, anyone who wants a “beast” taken care of quickly and discretely might eventually find themselves employing of the services of Antonio Varelli and Deano “Dean” Visconti: Beast Hunters.  Ostensibly, they rid the town and countryside of unwanted natural wildlife; but occasionally, the beasts they must dispose of are anything but natural.

All urban centers have a dark and sinister side; Florence’s is dominated by various supernatural factions. The two groups most comfortable in human society – vampires and witches – are engaged in a cold war while smaller communities of demons, lycanthropes, and Watu (a coalition of Vodun bokors, necromancers, and in-betweeners) survive by playing the vampires and witches against each other.

Movers and Shakers

The vampire’s influence in the Signoria (nine government leaders) is significant, due to the various vampire clan’s stranglehold on many of the Arti Maggiori (Major Guilds).  Vampires seem content to maintain the status quo.

While the witch covens lack the power of the vampire clans, they do control several of the Arti Mediane (Intermediate Guilds).  Exactly what the witches are up to is not generally known.

None of Florence’s diabolical monsters, nor its practitioners of unholy arts, are willing to risk exposing their true natures to gain an advantage.  To do so would likely result in the devastation of monster, hunter, and innocent by-stander alike.

Dark Places

Vampires are most visible downtown (C, D, E). 

Witches seem to prefer the northern quarter.  Most demonic activity occurs in Ortrarno--the southern quarter--south of the River Arno.  Lycanthropes prefer the more open regions near the city walls, both inside the walls and the suburbs just outside them.  If the Watu have a headquarters, its location is not known.

[The above information is adapted from GURPS Monster Hunters 2: The Mission, p. 37.]

A reconstruction of an antique Roman map with internet technology will be useful when planning a journey outside Florence.