Before I go into the meat of my report, please let me explain how it was made. As you know I was given access to the Family accounts, so I did not lack for funds. These funds permitted me to hire several neonates, as well as Family strong men. With these resources I was able to secure several test subjects, from a verity of generations. We even managed to capture our prize, a 5th generations Venture! I took that one for my self. I felt it necessary, for how could I complete a report on Diablerie, with out experiencing it for my self?

We were able to acquire 50 test subjects; this number does not include the neonates that I hired. With them we had close to 70 test subjects. It's not like we could let them live, this project was and is to be keep in the family. To better prove my theory; I felt it wise to spread the subject between many clans, and generations. Placing my research center in America made this very easy, America being the "melting pot" and all that rot. That and with the number of caitiff and anarchist running around, we were able to pick and chouse at will. And having such ready fools and patsies served the project well. Yes, America was a wise choice indeed.

Using Wraith sight, Aura perception and a new rite I created, I was able to observe time and again the act of Diablerie. Long one of our kinds greatest taboos, I at first had second thoughts about this. It is after all one of our kinds greatest crimes, punishable by final death. Few things will unite elders faster than word of a Diablerist. And here I was assigned to study it, to understand it. To watch it happen time and again, to take part my self.

Alas, the price of knowledge. Alas, the price of power.

It is commonly known - or believed that - diablerie is the taking of a vampire's essence. Believed that by feasting on an elder's heart's blood one may gain great power and move closer to Caine.

I have found this to be both true and untrue, as with many things with our kind there are still many questions left. Is the devoured person's soul destroyed? What exactly happens when a vampire is diablerized? What are the effects on the Diablerist?

First, let us speak of the effect on the Diablerist. As far as the Diablerist is concerned, there are two forms of Diablerie. The first form is the drinking of kindred of equal or lesser generation. It is exactly the same as normal Diablerie, save that it is done for pleasure only. By draining the blood of kindred of equal or lesser generation, one feels the fire, the ecstasy, the near godhood. But, it has no effect on the Diablerist, beyond that. There is no increase in generation, no strengthening of the blood.

As we know, as a vampire ages, first animal vitae, then mortal vitae losses its potency. When this happens, the victim has no choice but to drink kindred vitae. I believe this is one of the main cause of this "Jyhad" the other clans go on about. But, this weakening of vitae, or selective digestion, is the main cause of, as I have dubbed it, "lesser" Diablerie. Though this was not the focus of my report, I include it for a sense of completeness.

Now my Uncle, for True Diablerie. This is what is commonly thought of as Diablerie - consuming of a kindred of lower generation.

Though I'm sure, you my Uncle are already familiar with the steps of Diablerie. I include them in a sense of completeness.

Firstly, one must have a victim, someone to Diablerize. One must normally incapacitate him or her, either through mass trauma, staking or mystic means. (I say normally, because most will not let themselves be diablerized.) Once the victim is immobilized, the Diablerist then begins to drain the victim of vitae. As the victim's vitae runs out, as there is less of it in his or her body, the Diablerist begins to "suck" harder, trying to get the very last drop. This is almost a reflex, as to stop at this point is a great feat because the ecstasy has begun. Should the Diablerie be stopped now, the Victim will live though he or she will be in torpor for many years.

Should the Diablerist stop, another may take his place. Though this is uncommon, as I said, most would not want to give up the ecstasy. But that is neither here nor there. It matters not who started the Diablerie, but who finishes it. For at this point, as the victims' vitae runs low that Diablerie takes place.

I have watched this point many times with both wraith sight and aura perception, and with a special necromantic rite I developed.

It is at this point, when the victim's vitae is gone, the Diablerist, drinking with all the force of his/her existence begins to rip the victims soul, the victims very self out of the body.

To aura perception my Uncle the colors, the patterns of it! I swear that should a Toreador watch this act, they would be stunned by the beauty of it. Picture a sink, a sink full of glowing, swirling colors, colors that mix and blend with each other, but remain pure. Now, picture the drain, and the pipes underneath. Unplug the drain, my uncle, watch the colors, slowly swirl into the drain.

Now my uncle, picture those pipes taking that swirl of color into another sink. One full of different colors, as bright and glowing as the last, but different. They swim in different patterns. Watch the contents drain from the first sink, into the second. See how the colors merge, how for a time they become one? Now normally the second sink would stay that way, a mixing of the two.

But, here something happens, slowly, very slowly, the colors change. The first colors 'bleed out' until all that is left is the second sink looking almost exactly like it did before. Only a few scars or blots of black show, and they too will fade with time until the second sink is back to the same colors as before. Though there is a slight change in the colors pattern. I believe that is a result of ones generation lowering. The Diablerist is no longer the same person - he or she is more powerful, and that change is forever reflected in his or her aura.

But what of the devoured soul? That question was one of many I was asked to discover in my research. I must say, my Uncle, that this was, in all honesty, the hardest part of my research. It has long been believed that once a person was diablerized that his/her soul was destroyed, that that person ceased to exist. It has been believed, that his/her soul merged, or 'became one with' the Diablerist. Is has also been believed that the soul must be consumed for the diablerie to work.

My Uncle, at first I despaired, for I felt that I would never be able to uncover the answer to this fascinating question. But, as I'm sure the Black Circle knew, I would not let this matter rest. They knew that I would do what ever I must to answer this question. Using my necromantic knowledge, as well as my mild knowledge of thaumaturgy, I, after many failures, was able to create a ritual. I have named this rite 'Eyes Beyond Death'. This rite is excessively hard to perform - in fact my uncle, I do not believe I would have been able to perform the rite had I not committed diablerie myself. This rite allowed me to watch what happens after the soul is taken into the Diablerist.

Watching Diablerie through these new eyes the rite granted me - ah, my uncle, it was amazing! I have never seen, such beauty, such controlled chaos. There is no point in my explaining it. Mere words would never do it justice, but I can describe what happened later.

As the Diablerist's soul began to reassert it's self, it seemed to my altered eyes, that I could see the victim reforming beside the Diablerist! After the souls were completely separate, I could see the victim's soul very clearly. It looked more real then my surroundings. And my Uncle, most strangely of all, the victims were smiling! They appeared very happy, the best analogy I can come up with is this - a child waking up Christmas morning and finding that gift they longed for.

I swear my uncle that is the impression I got. These people, who had just been, in what I must call a brutal manner killed, were happy! I know you find this hard to believe, but my uncle I watch this many times -a total of 33 times with this rite. After the separating, every one looked as if they had found pure joy.

Needless to say, this intrigued me. So I began to look into it, why should these souls, these former vampires be happy at being dead? For it is not commonly held that we are the Damned? That all that awaits us on the other side is punishment for our crimes?

Well my uncle, I believe I have found the reason for these souls to be so happy. As we know, kindred when we die become wraiths, doomed to walk the shadowlands. Penance for our crimes? Mayhaps.

Before I go on, let me speak of Golconda. Golconda is long believed to be the salvation of our kind. Rumors about it are easy to come by, but true facts? It is said that when a kindred reaches Golconda, that they have come to accept their vampiric nature. That they have come to terms with the Beast. In fact it is said that those who reach it no longer have a Beast!

No, when one takes into account, the fact that we necromancer are unable to summon the soul of a person believed to have reached Golconda, or a person who has been diablerized. Now why should diablerie have anything in common with this enlightened state?

I believe I know why my uncle, they share this in common, because the results are the same! I believe that when a kindred diablerizes another, the Diablerist is in fact acting as a 'filter' - that by devouring a kindred soul, the Diablerist purifies it. The two souls merge for a time then split, leaving only the original soul changed. The Diablerist has in fact brought the victim to Golconda. By drinking their heart's blood and consuming their soul, the Diablerist is taking not only the blood, but the crimes as well!

So, by diablerizing a kindred, the diablerist, now not only has his own crimes to pay for, but his victims as well! Alas - the price of power.

When I was given this project, I was asked to look into many things, what happens to the soul devoured? What effect does diablerie have on the diablerist? But the main question was, does the soul have to be wholly consumed?

I know the reason for this last question, our dear Uncle Augustus, believe that Ashur's (More commonly know as Cappadocius) soul was able to slip away before the act was completed. My uncle given this information, I believe I can answer the main question put to me. Uncle Augustus may put his worries to partial rest.
As I'm sure my uncle knows, our family discovered a rite that will free the soul from the body before it can be diablerized. This I believe is the main reason for Uncle Augustus worries. But from what I have learned, I believe it might be possible to create a rite that, will as I call it 'Stay the Soul'. This rite would allow a soul to be diablerized, but remain on our plane. In fact, it might even be possible to remain a vampire.

I know not how one would go about this rite, the level of power it would need is far beyond my skills, In fact my uncle, I believe it to be beyond the skills of every member of our family save one. Uncle Augustus I believe would be able to create and power this, 'uber' rite. So it might be possible, that Ashur was able to perform it. Ashur was at the time, the world's most powerful necromancer.

Which makes it all the more important we locate the true vessel. If it does indeed contain a drop of Ashur's blood. We would be able to use it to force the knowledge from him, and return him to that great beyond.

Well, my Uncle? Was my report worth waiting for? I hope this finds you well, once matters are dealt with over here, I will be returning home. While I do not want to delay my inanition into the Black Circle, I must insure that there are no traces left of my research. I have already had the buildings destroyed, but there are a few lose ends that need dealing with.

- Leonardo Giovanni