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24 Petalmoon, 2E 222
Yesterday, I taught you of the Principle of Ephemerality. As a refresher, it holds that nothing, not even Nothing Itself, is eternal. Any attempt to make something last forever has a cost, one that must be actively paid and maintained.
Today, we're going to address an application of that. As you are likely aware, a vampire recently came under my care. They are known to be immortal, and no natural cause will end them. How, then, do they circumvent the Principle of Ephemerality?
Anima flows in our blood. It is not all of our anima, but it is a noteworthy amount. This is why those who die in battle often linger specifically as echoes - too much of their anima dissipated while they were still alive. When a vampire feeds on blood, it is in truth our anima they need.
Hm? Now that is a fascinating concept. As yet, however, no ritual has been devised that could separate someone's anima bloodlessly. I hope it remains that way. As useful a tool as that could be for civil vampires, or for our own poppetry, it would also be a trifle to empower it for killing, and potentially impossible to trace.
So, yes, when the hunters and Silverblades accuse vampires of consuming souls, they are correct, in a manner of speaking. However, it is far less dangerous than it sounds. If a vampire controls its feeding and abstains from excess, the person being fed upon will recover in a rather short time. They will suffer mild disorientation and lightheadedness for a few hours, and gradually decreasing fatigue and pain at the feeding site for a few days.
However, as anima is a source of power, there are those vampires who become greedy for more. Know that if a vampire that was not freshly-turned drains someone dry without being in a blood fugue, they knew well what they were doing.
While they can forestall feeding for some time, the longer they delay the greater the risk of a blood fugue.
Although beastblood also carries some anima, it is the anima of a bestial spirit. Reliance on beastblood leads one to adopt the instincts of the beast they feed upon. One who feeds on rabbits will grow ever more skittish. One who feeds on panthers, ever more predatory.
That brings us to the cruelest irony of the vampire's life. Those most hesitant to hurt people end up at the greatest risk of decay into a Bloodfiend - a frenzied beast ruled by its hunger, heedless of who is hurt in its rampage. One such bloodfiend had claimed the old forests around Stonebridge as his hunting ground, and was only put down a few moons past, years after his degradation had set in. I know not how many he killed, but the people of Stonebridge are still ill at ease, uncertain if the creature is truly dead.
