Jure Grando: The First Vampire

Jure Grando: The First Vampire Rulebook

Table of Contents

Objective

You cooperate as ordinary townsfolk preparing Kringa for Jure's return. Gather useful items, complete town missions, research forgotten folklore, and manage the growing terror while keeping darkness from overwhelming Kringa.

When the preparations are complete, Jure awakens, his victims are revealed (the 3 knock tokens are placed on the game board), and Jure's hunt begins.

Winning the game The players immediately win by completing the endgame ritual before Jure removes all 3 knock tokens.

Losing the game The players immediately lose if either of the following occurs:

The darkness pool is empty.
Jure removes all 3 knock tokens from the board.

Game Components

Map of Kringa — game board, double-sided
Jure Grando and his Black Cat — miniature/standee pieces
Folklore board
Folklore cards — 4 ritual and 3 item lore
3 setup cards
5 endgame rituals
4 Jure hunts cards
13 town mission cards
21 Kringa cards
2 hope/despair tokens (reserved for a future expansion)
13 darkness tokens
13 crossroad tokens
15 folklore tokens
3 knock tokens

Large item tokens: 8 torches, 4 hawthorn stakes Small item tokens: 3 red threads, 3 bags of salt, 4 heads of garlic, 3 round stones (egg gods) Large quest item tokens: 1 holy cross, 3 shrines Small quest item tokens: 1 holy Bible, 2 holy water, 1 sacred candle, 1 wine, 1 nails, 3 horseshoes, 3 bread, 3 bells

The Folk of Kringa

Each character comes with a standee, a character board, and a hand of action cards.

Granny — Knows the old customs, remedies and stories of Kringa. When others lose their nerve, Granny rarely does. (5 action cards)

Pop (a colloquial word for a priest) — Kringa's priest. His faith may be tested, but he knows the prayers and rites that may help against Jure. (4 action cards)

Blacksmith — Kringa's blacksmith, known for his strength and steady hand. When force is needed, few can match him. (4 action cards)

Woodsman — Knows the woods and paths around Kringa better than anyone. He is accustomed to travelling them after dark. (4 action cards)

The Game Board Explained

Kringa is divided into locations connected by paths and shortcuts.

Locations:

locations are the illuminated areas of the map.
characters, Jure, the Black Cat, items, and tokens occupy locations unless stated otherwise.
movement is always from one location to another.

Paths:

paths are the visible roads connecting adjacent locations.
characters normally move only along connected paths.

Shortcuts:

shortcuts are hidden paths marked by footprints.
only the Woodsman and the Black Cat may use shortcuts.

Locations with crossroads:

crossroad tokens are placed at these locations during setup and may be placed here again during the game.

Cat's hiding place:

when the Black Cat steals an item, place the Black Cat and the stolen item at the Black Cat's hiding place.

Game Overview

Set up the game:

select your characters
set the game board
reveal town missions
draw the Jure hunts card and place it face down on the folklore board.

Explore Kringa:

manage terror
collect items
research folklore

Prepare for Jure's awakening:

hold back the darkness
prepare barriers
manage the Black Cat
complete town missions

Jure awakens:

Jure rises
knock tokens are placed
the hunt begins

Jure hunts (endgame):

protect the knock tokens
slow down Jure
complete the endgame ritual and banish Jure

In Kringa, you win or lose together.

Reading the Cards

Before setting up the game, familiarize yourself with the three card types below:

The setup cards Show the Folklore thread symbol. Place the following on the Kringa map as indicated on this card: selected characters, the Black Cat, items.

The town mission cards Show the Folklore thread symbol (if present); items (if any) to place on the Kringa map, or destinations marked on the Kringa map; and the completion requirement (use, interact, take).

The endgame ritual cards Show the Folklore thread symbol; items (if any) to place on the Kringa map, with locations marked on the Kringa map; and the completion requirement (use, interact, take).

Individual town missions and endgame rituals are explained in detail on pages 24-27.

Game Setup - Common Steps

All gameplay modes begin with the following setup steps:

Place the map of Kringa on the table.
Each player selects a character and places their board, action cards (face-up), and standee or figurine in their play area. Place 1 torch token in each players' inventory (bottom locations on their board).
Place 5 crossroads tokens face-down on the crossroad locations. Place the remaining tokens near the board (face-down).
Place the Black Cat on the graveyard location.
Place 1 darkness token on Jure's grave location. Place the remaining tokens near the board as the darkness pool.
Place the folklore board on the table. Place the ritual and item lore cards on its sides. Place the Jure standee, folklore, and knock tokens next to it.
Draw 1 Jure hunts card at random and place it face-down on the folklore board. Return the remaining cards to the game box.
Shuffle the Kringa cards and place them on the table as a face-down deck.
Continue setup according to your chosen gameplay mode: Tutorial on page 11, Standard game on page 12, Folklore threads on page 13.

Setup - Tutorial

This setup is recommended for your first game. Additional starting items and selected town missions make learning the game easier while preserving the full experience.

If you are already familiar with the game, skip this page and use the standard game instead.

Draw 1 endgame ritual card at random and place it face-down near the board. Return the rest to the box.
Do not use the setup cards. Prepare the board as shown in the rulebook's tutorial diagram (starting items, characters, and crossroad tokens are pre-placed on specific locations).
Select town mission cards for your player count instead of drawing them at random. Return the remaining town mission cards to the box.
- 1 player game: Protect from evil, Set barriers
- For 2 players, add: Gather herbs
- For 3 players, add: Banish evil, The gathering
- For 4 players, add: Purify the well
Go to page 14.

Setup - Standard Game

This is the recommended way to play. Randomized combinations create a different experience every game.

Select your Difficulty

Easy: Keep all darkness tokens in the game.*
Normal: Remove 2 darkness tokens from the darkness pool to the game box.*
Hard: Remove 4 darkness tokens from the darkness pool to the game box.*
*Decide if you want to play with or without player elimination.

Draw one endgame ritual card and place it face-down near the board (return the remaining endgame ritual cards to the box).
- do not reveal the endgame ritual card
- the endgame ritual cannot be completed until Jure awakens
Setup
- draw and reveal one setup card at random
- place items and characters accordingly
Town missions
- draw and reveal town mission cards according to the number of players:
  - 1 player - draw 2 town missions
  - 2 players - draw 3 town missions
  - 3 players - draw 5 town missions
  - 4 players - draw 6 town missions
- place additional items on the game board as depicted on the mission cards (see pages 24-26, Town missions for details)
Go to page 14.

Setup - Folklore Threads

Folklore threads: each thread tells a complete folklore-inspired story by pairing one endgame ritual with matching town missions. The recommended difficulty for this mode of play is "Hard".

Select your difficulty

Easy: Keep all darkness tokens in the game.*
Normal: Remove 2 darkness tokens from the darkness pool to the game box.*
Hard: Remove 4 darkness tokens from the darkness pool to the game box.*
*Decide if you want to play with or without player elimination.

Select one endgame ritual card and place it face-up near the board (return the remaining endgame ritual cards to the box).
- do not set up any items
- the endgame ritual cannot be completed until Jure awakens
Take the setup card with the matching thread symbol and place items and all selected characters on the game board as depicted on it.
- return all setup cards to the game box
Take the town mission cards with the matching thread symbol and reveal them. For 3/4-player games draw the extra 2/3 town missions at random. Place the selected town missions face-up near the game board. For each town mission, place additional items on the game board as depicted on them (see pages 24-26, Town missions for details).
Go to page 14.

Gameplay Terms

The following terms are used throughout the rulebook to keep rules and effects short and consistent:

Active player — the player currently taking their turn.

Draw action card — take an action card from your play area and place it in your hand. Play action card — place an action card from your hand to your playing area and resolve one of the actions on it.

Move / moves (X) — move up to X locations away from the current location, one at a time, following connected paths.

Place / drop — put the indicated item in the specified location or area.

Gain terror — for each terror gained, flip one of your action cards face-down. Remove terror — for each terror removed, flip one of your action cards face-up.

Your location — the location currently occupied by your character.

Adjacent location — a location directly connected to the current location by a path.

Share a location — characters and other components occupying the same location.

Flip — turn the indicated card or token to its other side.

Use — use the indicated item and resolve its effect.

Interact — perform an interact action with an item in your location.

Discard — remove the indicated card, token, or item from play.

Resolve — carry out all effects of the indicated game element.

Steal (Black Cat action) — Take 1 item from the Black Cat's location or from a characters' inventory in Black Cat's location, then place the item and the Black Cat at the Black Cat's indicated hiding place.

Darkness (location) — a location containing a darkness token.

Darkness pool — the supply of darkness tokens beside the game board.

Inventory — the spaces on your character board used to carry items.

Lit torch space — the space on your character board where you can place a torch token to activate (lit) it. When you place a torch in the lit torch space you must place it with the stronger flame side face-up. Lit torch — a torch placed in the lit torch space on your character board. Dying torch — a torch in your lit torch space flipped to the weaker flame side.

Your Turn and Kringa Cards

Whoever most recently watched a vampire movie is the first player. This section guides you through a complete player turn.

Resolve upkeep at the start of your turn:
- if you have a lit torch, flip it to the dying torch side.
- if you have a dying torch, discard it.
Take action cards: Take all your face-up action cards into your hand. Your face-down action cards stay face-down. A face-down action card is unavailable to you until terror is removed (one for each card).

If all of your action cards are face-down, choose one to take into your hand.
Playing an action card: Play an action card from your hand, and place it face-up in front of you. Select up to one icon on the card, and resolve its action.

Free actions: Item actions (page 18):
- use an item
- place an item
- trade an item
Folklore actions (page 21):
- spend folklore tokens
- use a ritual lore card
Resolve a Kringa card: At the end of your turn, draw a Kringa card from the top of the deck and resolve its effects as explained here. Discard the Kringa card afterwards.

Actions

These are the actions that you can perform during your turn using action cards.

Common actions - actions available to all characters:

Walk — Move (1) your character to an adjacent location connected by a path. Immediately, resolve any darkness, crossroads, or other effects in your new location.

Interact — Pick up or activate items in your location. Interacting with items from your inventory is a free action.

Calm down — Remove 1 terror from yourself by flipping one of your face-down action cards face-up. This action cannot be performed in a darkness location.

Research folklore — Move 1 folklore token from the token pile onto the folklore board.

Special actions - character-specific actions:

Comfort (Granny only) — Remove 1 terror from another character in your location. This action cannot be performed in a darkness location.

Banish (Pop only) — If the Black Cat is in your location then Black Cat move (2). You choose the movement direction.

Drive him back (Blacksmith only) — Move (1). You may move into Jure's location using this action. Gain 1 terror. Jure move (1) - you choose the movement direction.

Pass unseen (Woodsman only) — Move (1) through a shortcut to the connected location.

Movement and Interaction Examples

Any character — Pick up stone in your location. Use stone from inventory to remove crossroad token (free action). Move (1).

Any character — Pick up torch in your location. Use torch. Move (1) to darkness location (no terror gain).

Woodsman only (Pass unseen) — Pass unseen to use shortcut. Resolve crossroad token. Gain 1 terror.

Granny only (Comfort) — Comfort to remove 1 terror from another character in the same location. Research folklore.

Pop only (Banish) — Banish to Black Cat moves (2). Place red thread token on path. Calm to remove 1 terror from self.

Blacksmith only (Drive him back) — Drive him back to: Move (1) to Jure's location. Gain 1 terror. Jure move (1). Gain 1 terror (darkness location).

Black Cat move — Black Cat moves (2). 2 characters are at same distance. Woodsman has more items in inventory. Black Cat moves to Woodsman.

Black Cat steals — Black Cat steals 1 item from character or location (player choice). Black Cat takes item to its indicated hiding place.

Jure moves to knock token — Jure move (1). Movement from a darkness location is free. Remove knock token from the game board.

Jure moves - red thread on path — Jure move (2). Red thread stops Jure. Remove red thread token from the game board.

Items and Inventory

Scattered throughout Kringa are items you can pick up or interact with. Items can be carried in your inventory.

Inventory Your inventory has 3 slots. The Blacksmith has 4 inventory slots. Small items occupy 1 slot. Large items occupy 2 slots. When lit, the torch is placed in the lit torch space and does not occupy inventory slots anymore.

Torch

Use: To light the torch, place it in the lit torch space on your character board, showing the lit torch side.
Effects: While the torch is in the lit torch space, you can enter darkness locations without gaining terror. Other characters entering your location also ignore terror gain from the darkness location.
Duration: Turn when activated (as a lit torch) and the next turn (as a dying torch). Discard at the start of your third turn.

Red thread

Use: Flip and place on a path between your location and an adjacent location.
Effect: The first time Jure crosses it, he immediately returns to his previous location.
Duration: Remains on the game board once placed and cannot be picked up again. Discard after it blocks Jure.

Salt

Use: Flip and place on your current location.
Effect: Darkness tokens cannot be placed on this location.
Duration: Remains on the game board for the rest of the game. Cannot be picked up.

Garlic

Use: Can only be used on yourself.
Effect: Remove up to 2 terror.
Duration: Discard after use.

Round stone (Egg Gods)

Use: Target the Black Cat or a crossroads token on an adjacent location.
Effect - choose one: Black Cat move (1), you select the direction. Or remove the crossroad token without resolving it.
Duration: Discard after use.

Hawthorn stake

Use: Carry in your inventory.
Effect: When Jure enters your location: Gain 1 terror. Jure returns to his previous location. Ignore all other effects.
Duration: Discard after the effect has been performed once.

Quest Items and the Black Cat

Quest items are used only to complete town missions or the endgame ritual.

Horseshoe and bread

Use: Place on the target location, used side up.
Effects: Contributes to the town mission objective.
Duration: Remains on the game board for the rest of the game.

Wine, nails, holy water, holy cross, candle, holy Bible

Use: Place on the target location.
Effects: Contributes toward completing the town mission/endgame ritual.
Duration: Remains on the game board for the rest of the game.

Shrines and bells

Use: Cannot be picked up. Interact with and flip to its other side.
Effects: Contributes toward completing the town mission/endgame ritual.
Duration: Remains on the game board for the rest of the game.

The Black Cat

The black cat wandered the town before him. And people learned to fear what followed. — inspired by later Kringa oral tradition

The Black Cat's behaviour is determined by the revealed Kringa cards and these special rules:

Greedy The Black Cat always moves toward the closest character. If two or more characters are equally close, it moves toward the character carrying the most items. If there is still a tie, the active player chooses the target. The Black Cat stops when it reaches a character, and any remaining movement is lost. The Black Cat may move through marked shortcuts as if they were normal paths.

Steal The Black Cat takes one item from its location or from a character in its location. If multiple items are eligible, the active player chooses which item is taken. The Black Cat and the item immediately move to the indicated hiding place.

Feline terror Every character in the Black Cat's location gains 1 terror.

Darkness, Terror, and Crossroads

Darkness represents Jure's growing influence over Kringa.

Darkness tokens are placed:

By Kringa cards.
During setup (on Jure's grave).
By crossroad tokens.

Effects

When entering darkness, gain 1 terror.
Terror cannot be removed while in darkness except by using garlic.
Jure moves for free from darkness.

Protection

A torch in your lit torch space prevents terror gain from entering darkness.
Placed salt prevents darkness tokens from being placed on its location.

End of game trigger: Players immediately lose if the darkness pool becomes empty.

Terror limits your available actions.

Gaining terror:

Entering a darkness
The Black Cat feline terror effect
Jure
Kringa cards
Crossroads token effect

Effects:

Each time you gain terror flip one action card face-down.

Crossroad tokens are hidden events waiting to be discovered.

Crossroad tokens are placed:

During setup
By Kringa cards

Reveal and resolve a crossroad token when:

Entering its location
Starting your turn on its location

Effects:

Place a darkness token in that location
All characters in that location gain 1 terror
Move the Black Cat to that location
Nothing happens

After resolving its effect, return the crossroads token to the game box.

Folklore

The folklore system rewards your research with useful items, ancient rituals, and the knowledge needed to defeat Jure.

The folklore board tracks your research throughout the game.

Gaining folklore You can gain folklore by:

Using the research folklore action
Resolving a Kringa card

When you gain folklore, place one folklore token onto the folklore board.

Spending folklore Folklore tokens are a shared resource and can be spent by any player as a free action at any time during their turn.

To spend tokens remove the correct number of tokens and select the desired lore:

3 for item lore
5 for ritual lore
8 for Štrigun lore

Ritual lore Spend 5 folklore tokens to take one ritual lore card and place it next to your character board.

Ritual lore cards are a shared resource and can be used by any player as a free action at any time during their turn.
Once resolved, return it to the game box.

Ritual lore cards:

Iššš!!!* — Immediately move (7) the Black Cat. (* "Shoo" in Croatian)

Bring light — Remove 1 darkness token from any location on the game board and return it to the darkness pool.

Hide! — Move one knock token up to 2 connected locations away from its current location.

Call his true name — Immediately move (1) Jure.

Item lore

Spend 3 folklore tokens to resolve one item lore card.
The selected card is resolved immediately and the selected item is placed on the indicated location.
Once resolved, return it to the game box.

Item lore cards:

Select one: Place 1 red thread token on the indicated location, or place 1 salt token on the indicated location.

Select one: Place 1 garlic token on the indicated location, or place 1 round stone token on the indicated location.

Select one: Place 1 torch token on the indicated location, or place 1 hawthorn stake token on the indicated location.

Štrigun lore Spend 8 folklore tokens to reveal the Jure hunts card.

Do not place Jure or the knock tokens.
The endgame does not begin.

Jure Awakens

The last night is here!

"For sixteen years after his death, he walked again among the people of Kringa. Where he knocked, death followed."

"At night he walked through Kringa and knocked upon their doors. Soon, in every house he visited, someone died."

"They opened the grave and found him untouched by decay. His cheeks were flushed, and upon his face was a smile."

"They raised the crucifix before him but, the hawthorn stake could not pierce his skin."

Once the last town mission is completed, the game enters its final stage.

Reveal the endgame ritual card — unless already revealed if playing the folklore threads mode. Set up the additional items on the board (if any) as indicated on the endgame ritual card.

Reveal the Jure hunts card — unless already revealed through folklore research. Place the 3 knock tokens on the board as indicated by the Jure hunts card. Place the Jure Grando standee or figurine on the location indicated by the Jure hunts card.

What remains the same?

the turn sequence remains the same
the Kringa cards activate the Black Cat, darkness, crossroads, and other effects
players still lose the game if the darkness pool is empty

What is new?

the knock tokens are on the game board
Jure is on the game board
the Kringa cards activate Jure's movement
if all knock tokens are removed from the board, you lose the game

Jure walks among the living once more. The hunt has begun. Continue the current player's turn with Jure now on the board.

Jure Hunts

Jure moves depending on the Kringa card that is drawn at the end of each player's turn. He may move 0, 1, or 2 locations, and the rules below govern his movement.

Master of Darkness

When moving Jure (or determining the distance to the closest knock token), movement from a darkness location to a connected location costs Jure no movement.

Relentless Hunter

Jure always moves toward the closest knock token.
If two or more knock tokens are equally close, the active player chooses Jure's target.
When Jure reaches a knock token, remove that knock token, and any remaining Jure movement is lost.

Merciless When Jure enters any character's location:

If you are playing with player elimination, that character is immediately eliminated, and any remaining Jure movement is lost.
If you are playing without player elimination, that character gains 2 terror, must move (2) (controlling players' choice), and any remaining Jure movement is not lost.

Ending the Game

You win:

Complete the endgame ritual.

You lose if:

Jure removes all 3 knock tokens from the game board.

The darkness pool is empty.

If you have won, read the passage below

"At last, one of the men descended into the grave, and struck off his head. With a great cry and a twisting of his limbs, the evil spirit departed."

"After that night, Jure Grando troubled the people of Kringa no more. And since the Štrigun is dead that was the end of it ..."

The Town Missions

The gathering

Folklore thread: none
Setup: none
To complete: Gather all characters at the indicated location (town square)

Banish evil

Folklore thread: Confront Jure
Setup: none
To complete: Use the round stones two times

Horseshoe charms

Folklore thread: Call the krsnik
Setup: place three horseshoe charms on the indicated locations
To complete: Pick up all three horseshoe charms and place them on indicated locations (1 per location)

Wayside shrines

Folklore thread: Last rites and Until dawn
Setup: place two wayside shrine tokens on the two indicated locations
To complete: Interact to flip the two wayside shrines

Gather herbs

Folklore thread: Banish Jure
Setup: none
To complete: Pick up two heads of garlic

Nail it shut

Folklore thread: none
Setup: place the iron nails token on the indicated location
To complete: pick up the iron nails token and place it on the indicated location (marked with "X")

Set barriers

Folklore thread: Confront Jure
Setup: place 1 red thread token on the indicated location
To complete: use the red thread two times on any two paths

Purify the well

Folklore thread: Last rites and Call the krsnik
Setup: place the holy water token on the indicated location
To complete: pick up the holy water token and use it on the indicated location (marked with "X")

Bread offering

Folklore thread: Until dawn
Setup: place two bread tokens on the indicated location
To complete: pick up the two bread tokens and place them on the indicated locations (marked with "X")

Return the relics

Folklore thread: Last rites and Banish Jure
Setup: place the holy cross and candle tokens on the indicated locations
To complete: pick up the holy cross and candle tokens and place them on the indicated location (marked with "X")

Light at the gates

Folklore thread: Confront Jure
Setup: none
To complete: bring a lit or dying torch to the two indicated locations (marked with "X")

Spill the wine

Folklore thread: Call the krsnik
Setup: place the red wine token on the indicated location
To complete: pick up the red wine token and place it on the indicated location (marked with "X")

Protect from evil

Folklore thread: Banish Jure and Until dawn
Setup: place 1 salt token on the indicated location
To complete: place the salt token two times on any two locations

The Endgame Missions

Confront Jure

Setup: none
To complete: share the location with Jure Grando two times while you have a lit or dying torch to win.
Note: this might eliminate your character, but you can still win even if all characters are eliminated

Until dawn

Setup: none
To complete: each time a Kringa card is resolved place it on this card, once 9 Kringa cards are resolved, you win.
Note: you can win even if all characters are eliminated

Last rites

Setup: place the holy Bible token on the indicated location
To complete: all characters (except eliminated characters) must gather at the indicated location (marked with "X") while carrying the holy Bible token

Call the krsnik

Setup: place three bell tokens on the indicated locations
To complete: interact with them to flip all three bell tokens

Banish Jure

Setup: place the holy water token on the indicated location
To complete: reach the indicated location (marked with "X") with the hawthorne stake, holy water and a lit or dying torch.

Quick Reference

Your turn: Upkeep (torch) → take action cards → play action cards → resolve Kringa card.

Darkness tokens: Move into → gain 1 terror.

Crossroad tokens: Move into or start your turn → resolve.

Do not forget:

Lit or dying torch: Prevent terror when entering darkness
Placed salt: Prevent placement of a darkness token
Round stone: Remove crossroad token
Garlic: Remove terror

The endgame (standard game): When all town missions are completed → draw and reveal the endgame ritual → reveal the Jure hunts card → place Jure and the knock tokens.

To win you must complete the endgame ritual.

You lose if the darkness pool is empty or all 3 knock tokens are removed.

When in doubt, remember: in Kringa, you win or lose together.