Obtenebration (VTM)

Name:	Obtenebration
Symbol:
Pronunciation:
Clans:	Lasombra
Bloodlines:	Xi Dundu, Kiasyd, Antiguo

Obtenebration is the trademark Discipline of clan Lasombra which grants them control over shadows and the supernatural darkness of the Abyss. 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. 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

• Shadow Play ^[1]: Move and shape the natural shadows around you
• Shroud of Night ^[2]: Blanket an area in a cloud of unnatural shadow that obscures light, sound, and heat
• Arms of the Abyss ^[3]: 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
• Tenebrous Form ^[5]: 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
  • 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 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: Drawn 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

• ^[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.

• ^[11]
  • Pierce the Mask: Permanently gain the ability to see through darkness
  • The Shadow of Hands That Serve: Summon a small abyssal shadow to serve as a spy or servant

• ^[12]
  • The Heart That Beats in Silence: Summon a more powerful abyssal shadow that can attack foes
  • Transubstantiation of Essence: Channel the Abyss to heal your wounds more efficiently

• ^[13]
  • Drinking the Blood of Ahriman: Raise Physical Attributes to your Obtenebration rating and use Obtenebration powers more easily
  • Calling the Hungry Shade: Summon a powerful abyssal creature called a Hungry Shade and attempt to bind it to your service

• Reflections of Hollow Revelation ^[14]: Use a translucent orb of shadow to spy on places miles away

• Whispers in the Dark ^[15]: Fall into torpor and learn hidden secrets from the void

• Into the Chasm ^[16]: Pass through the Abyss to travel anywhere

• Evocation of the Oubliette ^[17]: Snatch a target into an abyssal prison for a number of days

• Cry That Slays Light ^[18]: Learn a syllable that blots out the sun for one hour

References

^  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
Shadow Step	Players Guide to the Sabbat	Pg. 110
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

^  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

^  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

^  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

^  Ritual Level 1

Pierce the Mask	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 176
The Shadow of Hands That Serve	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 177

^  Ritual Level 2

The Heart That Beats in Silence	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 177
Transubstantiation of Essence	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 177

^  Ritual Level 3

Drinking the Blood of Ahriman	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 178
Calling the Hungry Shade	Players Guide to High Clans	Pg. 178

^  Ritual Level 4

Reflections of Hollow Revelation

Players Guide to High Clans

Pg. 179

^  Ritual Level 5

Whispers in the Dark

Players Guide to High Clans

Pg. 179

^  Ritual Level 6

Into the Chasm

Players Guide to High Clans

Pg. 180

^  Ritual Level 7

Evocation of the Oubliette

Players Guide to High Clans

Pg. 181

^  Ritual Level 8

Cry That Slays Light

Players Guide to High Clans

Pg. 181