Inner Darkness

Obtenebration 8

Up to this point, all manifestations of Obtenebration are outward. When a Lasombra reaches this level of mastery, however, she is able to summon the darkness of Obtenebration into herself. Doing so is extremely difficult, and not without a certain element of risk, but the benefits are considerable.

System: In order to summon the Inner Darkness, the character must meditate for 10 minutes. The player must spend 3 blood points and roll Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 7). If the roll succeeds, the player must then spend a Willpower point and roll Willpower (difficulty 9). Inner Darkness lasts until sunrise, though it can be dispelled earlier with another Willpower roll, this one at difficulty 7. When Inner Darkness is in effect, the character’s eyes become orbs of darkness, but this is the only visible sign of the power.

A vampire who has activated Inner Darkness may invoke Shadow Play (Obtenebration 1) at any time without spending blood. She also gains three dice to all Obtenebration dice pools. She can see through natural or supernatural darkness at no penalty, including Obtenebration effects up to level 7. If anyone wounds her with a weapon that breaks the skin, the darkness lashes out against the attacker with the same Traits and effects as an Arm of Ahriman summoned by the character. It attacks once and then retreats back into the character. Anyone trying to drink the blood of the character finds herself being infused with the darkness, which ravages the person’s body, inflicting three dice of aggravated damage per blood point imbibed. This damage can be soaked only by Fortitude. Finally, the darkness within makes the character unnaturally calm. All Self-Control/Instinct or Courage rolls, as well as Willpower rolls made to remain unshaken, are at –2 difficulty, and any uses of Presence against the character incur a +2 difficulty.

Botching the summoning roll has the same effect as botching the roll to summon the Aegis of Shadows, above. Failing the roll to control the darkness means it runs amok. The character suffers damage as with Aegis of Shadows, above. In addition, she becomes the center of a patch of darkness 30 feet in diameter that not even she can see through, and four Arms of Ahriman lash out from her to attack the nearest targets. Botching the control roll is worse yet — the character’s undead body is taken over by something from the Abyss. This is usually a sinister and demonic creature of shadow, and its agenda usually revolves around releasing more creatures from the Abyss, as well as causing suffering and destruction. The character remains possessed for 11 weeks minus her permanent Willpower.