OBTENEBRATION    The bailiwick of the Lasombra, the Obtenebration Discipline grants its users power over darkness. The precised nature of the "darkness" invoked is a matter of debate among the Keepers. Some believe it to be shadows, while others, perhaps more correctly, believe the power grants a Kindred control over the stuff of her soul, allowing her to coax it tangibly forth.    In any event, the effects of Obtenebration are terrifying, as waves of enveloping blackness toil out from the vampire, washing over their targets like an infernal tide. Blatant uses of this power are obvious breaches of the Masquerade - of course, as Obtenebration is proprietary to the Sabbat, any Camarilla neonate or ancilla caught using the Discipline had better have an impeccable explanation.    NOTE: Lasombra vampires can see through the darkness they control, though other Lasombra cannot. Dreadful tales or rival Keepers struggling to blinf and smother each other with the same wisp of darkness circulate among young members of the clan, though no elders have come forth to substantiate these claims. Level 1 Shadow Play    This power grants the vampire a limited control over shadows and other ambient darkness. Though the vampire cannot truly "create" darkness, she can overlap and stretch existing shadows, creating patches of gloom. This power also allows Kindred to separate shadows from their casting bodies and even shape darkness into the shadows of things that are not truly there.    Once a Kindred takes control of darkness or shadow, it gains a mystical tangibility while under the vampire's manipulation. By varying accounts cold or hellishly hot and cloying, the darkness may be used to aggravate or even smother victims. Certain callous Lasombra claim to have choked mortals to death with their own shadows.    System: This power requires no roll, but 1 BP must be spent to activate it. Shadow Play lasts for one scene and requires no active concentration. Kindred cloaking themselves in shadow gain an extra die in their Stealth rolls and add one to the difficulties of ranged weapon attacks against them. Vampires who use the darkness to make themselves more terrifying add one die to Intimidation rolls. Opponents plagued by flapping shadows and strangling darkness subtract one die from soak and Stamina rolls. Mortals, ghouls and other air-breathers reduced to zero Stamina in this manner begin to asphyxiate; vampires lose all appropriate dice but are otherwise unaffected. Only one target or subject may be affected by this power at any given time, though some modicum of concealment is offered to a relatively motionless group.    The unnatural appearance of this power proves extremely disconcerting to mortals and animals (and Kindred who have never seen it before). Whenever this power is invoked within a mortal's vicinity, that individual must make a Courage (8) roll or suffer a one-die penalty to all dice pools for the remainder of the scene, due to fear of the monstrous shadows. Level 2 Shroud of Night    The vampire can create a cloud of inky blackness. The cloud completely obscures light and even sound to some extent. Those who have been trapped within it (and survived) describe the cloud as viscous and unnerving. This physical manifestation lends credence to the tales of those Lasombra who claim that the darkness is something other than mere shadow.    The tenebrous cloud may even move, if the creating Kindred so wishes, though willing this requires complete concentration.    System: Roll Manipulation + Occult (7). Success on the roll generates darkness roughly 3 metres in diameter, though the amorphous cloud constantly shifts and undulates, sometimes even extending shadowy tendrils. Each additional success doubles the diameter of the cloud (though the vampire may voluntarily reduce the area she wishes to cover). The cloud may be invoked at a distance of up to 45 metres, though creating darkness outside the vampire's line of sight adds two to the difficulty of the roll and requires a blood point's expenditure.    The tarry mass actually extinguishes light sources it engulfs (with the exception of fire), and muffles sounds to the point of indistinguishability. Those within the cloud lose all sense of sight and feel as though they've been immersed in pitch. Sound also warps and distorts within the cloud. Even those possessed of Heightened Senses or Eyes of the Beast suffer +2 difficulty penalties for most actions. Additionally, being surrounded by the Shroud of Night reduces Stamina-based dice pools by two dice, as the murk smothers and agitates the victims (this effect is not cumulative with Shadow Play). More than one unfortunate mortal has "drowned" in darkness.    Mortals and animals surrounded by the Shroud of Night must make Courage (8) rolls or panic and flee. Level 3 Arms of the Abyss    Refining his control over darkness, the Kindred can create prehensile tentacles that emerge from patches of dim lighting. These tentacles may grasp, restrain and constrict foes.    System: Spend 1 BP and roll Manipulation + Occult (7) (never extended); each success enables the creation of a single tentacle. Each tentacle is 2 metres long and possesses Strength and Dexterity equal to the invoking vampire's Obtenebration. If the vampire chooses, she may spend 1 BP either to increase a single tentacle's Strength or Dexterity by one or to extend its length by 2 metres. Each tentacle has four health levels (and is affected by fire and sunlight as a vampire) and soaks bashing and lethal damage using the vampire's Stamina + Fortitude. Aggravated damage may not be soaked.    Tentacles may constrict foes, inflicting Strength + 1 lethal damage per turn. Breaking the grasp of a tentacle requires the victim to win a resisted Strength (6 for both) roll against the tentacle.    All tentacles need not emanate from the same source - so long as there are multiple patches of suitable darkness, there are sources for the Arms of the Abyss. Controlling the tentacles doesn't require complete concentration; if the Kindred is not incapacitated or in torpor, she may control tentacles while carrying out other actions. Level 4 Black Metamorphosis    The Lasombra calls upon her inner darkness and infuses herself with it, becoming a monstrous hybrid of matter and shadow. Her body becomes mottled with spots of tenebrous shade, and wispy tentacles extrude from her torso and abdomen. Though still humanoid, the Lasombra takes on an almost demonic appearance, as the darkness within him bubbles to the surface.    System: Spend 2 BPs and make a Manipulation + Courage (7) roll. Failure indicates the vampire cannot undergo the Black Metamorphosis; a botch inflicts two unsoakable levels of lethal damage on the vampire, as darkness ravages his undead body.    While under the effects of the Black Metamorphosis, the vampire possesses four tentacles similar to those evoked via Arms of the Abyss (though their Strength and Dexterity are equal to the vampire's own). These tentacles, combined with the bands of darkness all over the Lasombra's body, subtract two dice from the Stamina and soak rolls of opponents physically touched in combat, for as long as the vampire remains in contact with the victim. The vampire may make an additional attack without penalty by using the tentacles (for a total of two attacks, not one additional attack per tentacle). Additionally, the vampire can sense his surroundings fully even in pitch darkness.    The vampire's head and extremities sometimes appear to fade away into nothingness, while at other times they seem swathed in otherworldly darkness. This, combined with the wriggling tentacles writhing from his body, creates an unsettling sight. Mortals, animals and other creatures not accustomed to this sort of display must make Courage (8) rolls or succumb to a panic that amounts to Rotschreck. Many Lasombra cultivate this devilish aspect, and the Black Metamorphosis adds three dice to the invoking Kindred's Intimidation. Level 5 Tenebrous Form    At this level, the Kindred's mastery of darkness is so extensive that she may physically become it. Upon activation of this power, the vampire becomes an inky, amoeboid patch of shadow. Vampires in this form are practically invulnerable and may slither through cracks and crevices. In addition, the shadow-vampire gains the ability to see in utter darkness.    System: The transformation costs 3 BPs and occurs over three turns. The vampire is immune to physical attack while in the tenebrous form (though she still takes aggravated damage from fire and sunlight), but may not herself physically attack. She may, however, envelop and ooze over others, affecting them in the same manner as a Shroud of Night, in addition to using mental Disciplines. Vampires in Tenebrous Form may even slither up walls and across ceilings or "drip" darkness upward - they have no mass and are thus unaffected by gravity. Rotschreck difficulties from fire and sunlight do increase by one for vampires in this form, as the light is even more painful to their shadowy bodies.    Mortals and others not used to such displays who witness the vampire transform into unholy shadow require Courage (8) rolls in order not to suffer the debilitating terror described under Black Metamorphosis. Level 6 Aegis of Shadows (Players' Guide to High Clans)    Cover yourself in powerful shadow armor. Call The Lamprey (Players' Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire may summon from within herself a large shadowy monster.    System: If it attacks mortals, it may draw blood at one point per turn, and if drawn back into the vampire, she gains half the blood it drew. Other vampires suffer a +3 difficulty to all rolls, and if bitten, must roll Courage (8) to avoid Rötschreck. The Lamprey is immune to physical attacks, has Stamina 4, and any non-physical damage done to it or any attack against the vampire, will kill it. The vampire must concentrate solely on the Lamprey; she may not split her dice pool. Darksome Embrace (Dark Ages Companion) Eyes of the Night (Players' Guide to the Sabbat)    She gains Gleam of Red Eyes if she did not already have it, and if in a poorly lit area, may close her eyes and concentrate to see anything in a fifty-foot radius. See without light, even through supernatural darkness. Shadowstep (Players' Guide to the Sabbat, Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire has such fine control over the darkness that she may become it briefly and reform herself from other darkness close by. The vampire may Shadowstep through walls, floors and even mystical barriers. The Cainite simply steps "into" a shadow and re-emerges from another shadow a short distance away.    System: Roll Dexterity + Occult, and on a successful roll, the vampire may emerge from another shadow no more than 15 meters away. Failing the roll means simply that the vampire cannot step through the shadow realm, while a botch signifies the vampire has become trapped between shadows. Pulling another individual through the shadow requires a Strength + Occult roll, with consequences for failure similar to failing by oneself. The Darkness Within (Guide to the Sabbat)    This power allows the Lasombra to call forth the darkness contained in her black soul. This enormous, turbulent shadow vomits from the Lasombra's mouth, though some Keepers are said to cut themselves and let the blackness seep from their veins. The shadow-cloud engulfs a chosen target, burning it with a soul-scarring chill and siphoning its bloos away in torrents.    System: Make a Willpower roll and spend a BP.The resulting shadow envelops the target and, though it does not physically harm the victim, it may strike terror into him. Individuals observing the Darkness Within, whether as targets on on-lookers, may suffer shadow Rötschreck, unless they are familiar with the Lasombra's power over darkness.    Individuals touched by The Darkness Within lose one BP per turn, though vampires may resist this effect by succeeding on a Stamina (6) roll each turn the vampire remains in contact with the cloud.    The Cainite invoking The Darkness Within must devote all her attention toward maintaining the cloud. If the vampire is attacked, the darkness immediately returns to her, through whatever orifice it originated. The Cainite can summon the darkness back at any time, gaining a number of BP equal to one-halfthe number the shadow siphoned from its victims (rounded up). Taking blood from another in this fashion is similar to drinking from that vampire - blood bonds may result if they happen enough. Additionally, The Darkness Within may take blood from only one individual per turn, though it many be in contact with many. Walk the Abyss (The Dark Ages, Dark Ages) Level 7 Death Shroud (Dark Ages Companion) Fortify Against Ahura Mazda (Players' Guide to High Clans)    Your shadows summoned through Obtenebration become resistant to sunlight. Shadow Slave (Players' Guide to the Sabbat) Shadow Twin (Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire's control over darkness has progressed to such a degree that she may bestow it with a limited degree of sentience. By animating her own shadow or that of another, the Lasombra can actually "set free" the shadow ast by light. While this power is active, the subject casts no shadow, as it has left to pursue the Lasombra's commands.    Needless to say, this power unnerves mortals and even a few inexperienced vampires. The Lasombra commands the individual's shadow, and some vampires report having seen mortals literally scared to death, as their shadows leapt away to taunt or menace them.    System: Spend a BP and make a Willpower (8) roll. If the roll succeeds, the shadow springs to unholy freedom for one hour per success on the roll (though it disappears at sunrise regardless of how many successes the Lasombra had). The Shadow Twin has Attribute and Ability ratings equal to half those of its parent body; they won't do much talking or thinking, so Mental and Social Traits don't matter much, though Wits may come into play. Additionally, the Shadow Twin has an Obtenebration score equal to one-half of that of the Lasombra who animated it (rounded down).    The twin may separate itself from the parent and travel up to 15 meters away, crawling through crevices or sliding up walls. It may attack and be attacked, though it takes and does only half-damage (again, rounded down); flame and supernatural attacks (werewolf claws, vampire fangs, magical spells, etc.) do full damage, however. If the Shadow Twin is killed, its parent loses half his Willpower pool and must roll Courage (9) to avoid Rötschreck. Level 8 Dark Hunter (Libellus Sanguinis 1)    Create a shadow duplicate of yourself that hunts a specific target. Entombment (Players' Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire may trap the victim in an impenetrable darkness.    System: Roll Wits + Security (Dexterity + Occult). The prison will dissipate under sunlight, or at the will of the vampire. The vampire may choose to make it airtight, otherwise mortals trapped within will asphyxiate after a number of minutes equal to their Stamina. Inner Darkness (Players' Guide to High Clans)    Draw shadow into yourself to gain great power. Master of the Night (Players' Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire may create a shade.    System: Spend 1 WP, and spill 5 BPs on the ground and by spending 1 BP for each, up to three more. shades may be summoned  These shades obey every command the vampire gives them. The shades have the following traits: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelligence 1, Wits 5, Athletics 1, Brawl 3, Dodge 1, Stealth 8, Celerity 1, Obfuscate 1, Obtenebration 6. Additionally, they do not take wound penalties, and all hand damage that they inflict is aggravated. Night Shades (Dark Ages Companion)    Summon shades to act as your servants. Oubliette (Guide to the Sabbat)    By creating a "chamber" of pure darkness, the Lasombra may entrap or smother her enemies. No air exists in this shadow-trap, and mortals suffocate within its chilling void. Even vampires have little recourse once trapped - they may leave only at the ir captor's whim. The Oubliette appears as a dense patch of shadow, unaffected by ambient light around it.    System: Spend a BP, but no roll is necessary to create Oubliette. To actually create the Oubliette around someone requires a contested Wits + Security (7) against the target's Dexterity + Occult (7). Mortals suffocate within a number of minutes equal to their Stamina (though the Lasombra may choose to leave their head exposed or trap a quantity of air inside as well), while vampires are simply suspended impotently in darkness any may not use Disciplines or take other actions. The Oubliette vanishes instantly when touched by sunlight - which has left more than one vampire under the sun's unforgiving rays - or when the Lasombra chooses to relax it. A vampire may maintain only one Oubliette at a time, which leads some Cainite philosophers to argue that it is a prison created from the vampire's very soul, and thus limited to a single incarnation. Level 9 Ahriman's Demesne (Guide to the Sabbat)    This power allows the vampire to summon a darkness so obliviating that it extinguishes the light of life - or unlife - of any victim trapped within it. Ahriman's Demesne creates a 15-meter radius of void that issues from the Cainite's hand and takes away the bodies of those it claims when it vanishes. The overwhelming darkness destroys friend and foe alike, claiming anyone unfortunate enough to be within its circumference.   System: Spend two WPs and concentrate for 3 turns. During this time, the darkness billows out of the vampire's hand, growing to fill the area. At the end of the third turn roll Manipulation + Ocult (6). Everyone in the darkness' area suffers that many health levels of damage (aggravated, if the victims are vampires) outright - six successes yield six levels of damage, not six dice of damage. After Ahriman's Demesne does its damage, it collapses, taking with it the bodies of any who died when they came in contact with the dreadful shadow. Enter the Abyss (Players' Guide to High Clans)    Enter and leave the Abyss at any time, allowing you to teleport from shadow to shadow around the world. Summon the Abyss (Players' Guide to the Sabbat) Tchernabog (Libellus Sanguinis 1)    Temporarily blot out the sun in your area. Level 10 Banishment (Players' Guide to the Sabbat)    The vampire may send a victim to the Abyss.    System: Roll Willpower (Humanity). The time preiod that the target spends in the Abyss depends on the successes: 1 success 1 day 2 successes 1 week 3 successes 1 month 4 successes 1 year 5+ successes Forever, or until the victim finds the way out himself