Obtenebration (VTM)

Obtenebration
Pronounce	Ob-TEN-e-bra-tion
Clans	Lasombra
Bloodlines	Xi Dundu, Kiasyd, Azaneali, Ramanga

Obtenebration is the trademark Discipline of clan Lasombra which is the unearthly control over shadows. It is related to the practice of Abyss Mysticism within the clan.

Overview

Obtenebration is said to further damn the vampire who uses it, who removes himself further from God's grace and into the dark pull of the Abyss. For this reason, the user is shunned by animals and humans alike. Proficient users may manifest physical changes: eyes become pools of utter darkness, shadows move of their own accord in her presence, and from time to time, spontaneous Obtenebration effects may manifest.

The unnatural darkness summoned by Obtenebration is extremely frightening to mortals, animals, and even other Cainites unaccustomed to its use. The exact nature of this Discipline is unknown even among its greatest masters, and it has been a subject of religious, philosophical, and metaphysical debate among vampires for millennia. The Shadow Crusade believes that Obtenebration stems from the Iryi Azaneal, who gave Lasombra parts of its qlippothic powers in order to manifest in this world.

Its greatest scholars are the followers of the Path of Night and practitioners of Abyss Mysticism, which draws on knowledge of this Discipline in its rituals. While fairly common within the Sabbat, Obtenebration is virtually nonexistent among Camarilla vampires and anyone seen using it would be regarded with extreme suspicion.

Official Abilities

Included below are the official powers described in supplements for Vampire: The Masquerade and Dark Ages: Vampire. Sources are described below in the order they were printed.

Standard Powers

• ^[1]
  • Shadow Play: Move and shape the natural shadows around you
• ^[2]
  • Shroud of Night: Blanket an area in a cloud of unnatural shadow that obscures light, sound, and heat
• ^[3]
  • Arms of the Abyss: Summon black tentacles from the shadows to assist you
• ^[4]
  • Black Metamorphosis: Encase your body in nightmarish armor and grow black tentacles from your sides
  • Nightshades: Create temporary objects made of shadow
• ^[5]
  • Tenebrous Form: Transform into pure shadow that can only be harmed by fire, sunlight, or magic

Advanced Powers

• ^[6]
  • Aegis of Shadows: Cover yourself in powerful shadow armor
  • Eyes of the Night: See without light, even through supernatural darkness
  • Shadowstep: Teleport from shadow to shadow
  • Shadow Parasite: Grow a black tentacle within a target until it kills them
  • Shadow Perspective: Move senses to a nearby shadow
  • The Darkness Within: Cover a target in a horrid shadow that drains them of blood

• ^[7]
  • Darksight: Watch and listen through any shadow in the world
  • Fortify Against Ahura Mazda: Your shadows summoned through Obtenebration become resistant to sunlight
  • Shadow Lair: Pause mid-step when using Shadowstep
  • Shadow Twin: Animate your shadow into a weaker duplicate of yourself

• ^[8]
  • Dark Hunter: Create a shadow duplicate of yourself that hunts a specific target
  • Inner Darkness: Draw the shadow into yourself to gain great power
  • Night Shades: Summon shades to act as your servants
  • Oubliette: Lock one person in an Abyssal prison
  • Shadow Watchtower: Merge with a shadow, becoming invulnerable to everything except sunlight

• ^[9]
  • Ahriman's Demesne: Blanket an area in a darkness that devours everything it touches
  • Enter the Abyss: Enter and leave the Abyss at any time, allowing you to teleport from shadow to shadow around the world
  • Tchernabog: Temporarily blot out the sun in your area

• ^[10]
  • Banishment: Send someone to the Abyss for an extended period of time
  • Plot Device

Rituals

The rituals of Obtenebration were developed by Lasombra mystics known as Abyss Mystics, and as such when one's knowledge of Obtenebration includes rituals this Discipline is sometimes instead called Abyss Mysticism.

For a complete list of Obtenebration Rituals see the Rituals article.

Gallery

Obtenebration unleashed as depicted in CB-L.

Arms of the Abyss, from CB-L.

Use of Shadowstep

Use of Tenebrous Form

VTES cards

Obtenebration. Art by Melissa Uran

1 Dot

Shadow Play (Sabbat set). Art by Stuart Beel

Shadow Play (Third Edition set). Art by Stuart Sayger

2 Dots

Nocturn. Art by Leif Jones

Shroud of Night. Art by Jason Alexander Behnke

3 Dots

Arms of the Abyss. Art by Michael Astrachan

4 Dots

Black Metamorphosis. Art by Mike Danza

Nightshades. Art by John Bridges

5 Dots

Shadow Body. Art by Mike Dringenberg

Tenebrous Form. Art by Fred Harper

6 Dots

Call of the Lamprey. Art by Alan Rabinowitz

Darkness Within. Art bt William O'Connor

Eyes of the Night. Art by Harold Arthur McNeill

Shadow Parasite. Art by William O'Connor

Shadow Step. Art by Richard Thomas

7 Dots

Darksight. Art by Steve Prescott

Shadow Twin. Art by Drew Tucker

8 Dots

Entombment. Art by Lawrence Allen Williams

Oubliette. Art by Patrick Lambert

9 Dots

Ahriman's Demesne. Art by Monte Moore

Summon the Abyss. Art by David Ho

References

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^  Level 1

Shadow Play	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 199
Shadow Play	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 156
Shadow Play	Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 169
Shadow Play	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 200

^  Level 2

Shroud of Night	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 109
Nocturne	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 156
Shroud of Night	Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 169
Nocturne	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 200

^  Level 3

Arms of the Abyss	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 109
Arms of Ahriman	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 156
Arms of the Abyss	Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 169
Arms of Ahriman	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 200

^  Level 4

Nightshades	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 109
Nightshades	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 156
Black Metamorphosis	Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 169
Nightshades	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 200

^  Level 5

Shadow Body	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 109
Tenebrous Form	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 157
Tenebrous Form	Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition	Pg. 169
Tenebrous Avatar	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 200

^  Level 6

Call the Lamprey	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
Eyes of the Night	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
Eyes of the Night	Laws of Elysium	Pg. 68
Shadow Step	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
Shadow Step	Laws of Elysium	Pg. 68
Walk the Abyss	Vampire: The Dark Ages	Pg. 201
Shadow Parasite	Clanbook: Lasombra	Pg. 34
Darksome Embrace	Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 86
Shadowstep	Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 111
The Darkness Within	Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 111
Walk the Abyss	Dark Ages: Vampire Rulebook	Pg. 201
Aegis of Shadows	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 156
Shadow Perspective	Lore of the Clans	Pg. 124

^  Level 7

Shadow Slave	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 112
Darksight	Clanbook: Lasombra	Pg. 34
Death Shroud	Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 87
Shadow Twin	Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 112
Fortify Against Ahura Mazda	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 157
Shadow Lair	Lore of the Clans	Pg. 124

^  Level 8

Entombment	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
Master of the Night	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
Night Shades	Dark Ages Companion	Pg. 87
Dark Hunter	Libellus Sanguinis 1: Masters of the State	Pg. 30
Oubliette	Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 112
Inner Darkness	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 157
Shadow Watchtower	Lore of the Clans	Pg. 124

^  Level 9

Summon the Abyss	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 111
Tchernabog	Libellus Sanguinis 1: Masters of the State	Pg. 31
Ahriman's Demesne	Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 112
Enter the Abyss	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 158

^  Level 10

Banishment	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 111
Plot Device	Gehenna	Pg. 182