Obtenebration (VTM)

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 greateat 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 nonexistant 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) ^[4]
  • Black Metamorphosis: Encase your body is 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) ^[6]
  • Aegis of Shadows: Cover yourself in powerful shadow armor
  • Call the Lamprey:
  • Eyes of the Night See without light, even through supernatural darkness
  • Shadowstep: Teleport from shadow to shadow
  • The Darkness Within: Cover a target in a horrid shadow that drains them of blood

• ••••• •• (7) ^[7]
  • 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) ^[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
  • Master of the Night:
  • Night Shades: Summon shades to act as your servants
  • Oubliette: Lock one person in an Abyssal prison

• ••••• •••• (9) ^[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) ^[10]
  • Banishment:
  • Plot Device

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
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
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