diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 078d136f1..24d540e20 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #include <osg/ComputeBoundsVisitor>
 #include <osg/MatrixTransform>
 #include <osg/Geode>
+#include <osg/BlendFunc>
+#include <osg/Material>
 
 #include <osgParticle/ParticleSystem>
 
@@ -292,6 +294,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         , mTextKeyListener(NULL)
         , mHeadYawRadians(0.f)
         , mHeadPitchRadians(0.f)
+        , mAlpha(1.f)
     {
         for(size_t i = 0;i < sNumBlendMasks;i++)
             mAnimationTimePtr[i].reset(new AnimationTime);
@@ -1247,6 +1250,37 @@ namespace MWRender
             return found->second;
     }
 
+    void Animation::setAlpha(float alpha)
+    {
+        if (alpha == mAlpha)
+            return;
+        mAlpha = alpha;
+
+        if (alpha != 1.f)
+        {
+            osg::StateSet* stateset (new osg::StateSet);
+
+            osg::BlendFunc* blendfunc (new osg::BlendFunc);
+            stateset->setAttributeAndModes(blendfunc, osg::StateAttribute::ON|osg::StateAttribute::OVERRIDE);
+
+            // FIXME: overriding diffuse/ambient/emissive colors
+            osg::Material* material (new osg::Material);
+            material->setColorMode(osg::Material::OFF);
+            material->setDiffuse(osg::Material::FRONT_AND_BACK, osg::Vec4f(1,1,1,alpha));
+            material->setAmbient(osg::Material::FRONT_AND_BACK, osg::Vec4f(1,1,1,1));
+            stateset->setAttributeAndModes(material, osg::StateAttribute::ON|osg::StateAttribute::OVERRIDE);
+
+            stateset->setRenderingHint(osg::StateSet::TRANSPARENT_BIN);
+            stateset->setRenderBinMode(osg::StateSet::OVERRIDE_RENDERBIN_DETAILS);
+            stateset->setNestRenderBins(false);
+            mObjectRoot->setStateSet(stateset);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            mObjectRoot->setStateSet(NULL);
+        }
+    }
+
     void Animation::setLightEffect(float effect)
     {
         if (effect == 0)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
index e64879a75..94b792c0d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ protected:
 
     osg::ref_ptr<SceneUtil::LightSource> mGlowLight;
 
+    float mAlpha;
+
     /* Sets the appropriate animations on the bone groups based on priority.
      */
     void resetActiveGroups();
@@ -419,7 +421,8 @@ public:
     virtual void showCarriedLeft(bool show) {}
     virtual void setWeaponGroup(const std::string& group) {}
     virtual void setVampire(bool vampire) {}
-    virtual void setAlpha(float alpha) {}
+    /// A value < 1 makes the animation translucent, 1.f = fully opaque
+    void setAlpha(float alpha);
     virtual void setPitchFactor(float factor) {}
     virtual void attachArrow() {}
     virtual void releaseArrow(float attackStrength) {}
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
index 66a3d3ec6..99ee886e1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.cpp
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <osg/UserDataContainer>
 #include <osg/MatrixTransform>
-#include <osg/BlendFunc>
-#include <osg/Material>
 
 #include <components/misc/rng.hpp>
 
@@ -278,7 +276,6 @@ NpcAnimation::NpcAnimation(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, osg::ref_ptr<osg::Group> par
     mShowWeapons(false),
     mShowCarriedLeft(true),
     mNpcType(Type_Normal),
-    mAlpha(1.f),
     mSoundsDisabled(disableSounds)
 {
     mNpc = mPtr.get<ESM::NPC>()->mBase;
@@ -422,7 +419,6 @@ void NpcAnimation::updateParts()
     if (!mObjectRoot.get())
         return;
 
-    mAlpha = 1.f;
     const MWWorld::Class &cls = mPtr.getClass();
 
     NpcType curType = Type_Normal;
@@ -902,7 +898,6 @@ void NpcAnimation::showWeapons(bool showWeapon)
     {
         removeIndividualPart(ESM::PRT_Weapon);
     }
-    mAlpha = 1.f;
 }
 
 void NpcAnimation::showCarriedLeft(bool show)
@@ -988,37 +983,6 @@ void NpcAnimation::permanentEffectAdded(const ESM::MagicEffect *magicEffect, boo
     }
 }
 
-void NpcAnimation::setAlpha(float alpha)
-{
-    if (alpha == mAlpha)
-        return;
-    mAlpha = alpha;
-
-    if (alpha != 1.f)
-    {
-        osg::StateSet* stateset (new osg::StateSet);
-
-        osg::BlendFunc* blendfunc (new osg::BlendFunc);
-        stateset->setAttributeAndModes(blendfunc, osg::StateAttribute::ON|osg::StateAttribute::OVERRIDE);
-
-        // FIXME: overriding diffuse/ambient/emissive colors
-        osg::Material* material (new osg::Material);
-        material->setColorMode(osg::Material::OFF);
-        material->setDiffuse(osg::Material::FRONT_AND_BACK, osg::Vec4f(1,1,1,alpha));
-        material->setAmbient(osg::Material::FRONT_AND_BACK, osg::Vec4f(1,1,1,1));
-        stateset->setAttributeAndModes(material, osg::StateAttribute::ON|osg::StateAttribute::OVERRIDE);
-
-        stateset->setRenderingHint(osg::StateSet::TRANSPARENT_BIN);
-        stateset->setRenderBinMode(osg::StateSet::OVERRIDE_RENDERBIN_DETAILS);
-        stateset->setNestRenderBins(false);
-        mObjectRoot->setStateSet(stateset);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        mObjectRoot->setStateSet(NULL);
-    }
-}
-
 void NpcAnimation::enableHeadAnimation(bool enable)
 {
     mHeadAnimationTime->setEnabled(enable);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
index 6462c53c3..06f40f847 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/npcanimation.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ private:
     boost::shared_ptr<HeadAnimationTime> mHeadAnimationTime;
     boost::shared_ptr<WeaponAnimationTime> mWeaponAnimationTime;
 
-    float mAlpha;
     bool mSoundsDisabled;
 
     void updateNpcBase();
@@ -134,9 +133,6 @@ public:
     /// Get the inventory slot that the given node path leads into, or -1 if not found.
     int getSlot(const osg::NodePath& path) const;
 
-    /// Make the NPC only partially visible
-    virtual void setAlpha(float alpha);
-
     virtual void setVampire(bool vampire);
 
     /// Set a translation offset (in object root space) to apply to meshes when in first person mode.