[h2]Tyaethe Radistirin - Candaeln[/h2]

"Well, you're all right... sort of," she said, cutting off any more answers could come in, though from the expression she directed at Gillian, she wasn't entirely pleased with the long-winded explanation or the unnecessary detail. "The blue circle contains entities that [i]have a soul[/i], which is why anyone in these three groups is able to think and act independently. You can also think of this as 'people I will get arrested for attacking in passing'." 

That look was directed at the Reonites. "If you somehow identify another vampire in passing, you can't stab them just for existing. [sub]We don't need another diplomatic incident with the Academy of Meridan...[/sub]"

She scratched her head, clearly trying to remember her train of thought. "Anyway, the red circle is undead, or beings animated by magic. Mindless undead are just puppeted by the magic animating them and most necromancers have no interest in using more to prevent the decay. You might find some that are well-preserved because they wanted to keep some combat proficiency, or whatever caused them to rise up is just oozing it, but in general they're going to fall apart.

"What sapient undead and vampires have in common is having [i]so[/i] much mana that it replicates most of the functionality of the life-providing portion of the soul and keeps it anchored in place far beyond fatal injuries. Eating, sleeping, thinking, reflexes; about the only thing it doesn't emulate is growth or natural healing. Half alive, as it were, but never ageing. Sapient undead have the mana reactor Reynaud mentioned, vampires... well, it's something to do with intrinsic blood sacrifice. I don't know how, whatever necromancy did [i]that[/i] happened before anyone except the gods remember."

"Well... probably. Some elves and undead are annoyingly old." Hearing this coming from someone over two centuries old but looking about nine wasn't all that reassuring.

"What [i]these[/i] have in common," Tyaethe continued, underlining the sapient undead and vampires for emphasis before turning back, "Is that they [i]always[/i] have a vast mana reserve before replenishment comes into it. [i]All[/i] vampires did even before being turned. Even if a vampire is starving and can't possibly replace what they use, what does this tell you about the type of enemy you're going to be fighting?"