Lore: Lasombra
This Lore represents knowledge of the social structure, traditions and myths of Clan Lasombra. It also represents how well a character might be able to recognize the names of famous Lasombra and know the trends of the Clan within given regions.
Generally Possessed By: Lasombra, Lasombra antitribu, Kiasyd
Potential Specializations: Lasombra Antitribu Lore, Lasombra History, Lasombra Nautical History, Les Amies Noir Lore
Sources Consulted for this List: Children of the Night [WW2023], Children of the Inquisition: Who's Who Among Vampires [WW2250], Clanbook: Lasombra [WW2062], Clanbook: Lasombra (Revised Edition) [WW2362], Clanbook: Baali [WW2817], Iberia by Night [WW2807], Laws of the Night (Revised Edition) [WW5013], Libellus Sanguinis I: Masters of State [WW2807], Player's Guide to the High Clans [WW20007], Vampire: The Masquerade (Revised Edition) [WW2300], Wolves of the Sea [WW2820] line
Contents
Lore: Lasombra *
You know that the primary Lasombra Disciplines are Dominate, Potence and Obtenebration, and that Obtenebration is unique to their Clan. (LotN [Rev]: 43; VtM [Rev]: 85)
You are aware that the Lasombra are traditionally associated with darkness, with a lust for power and with the sea. You have heard that the Clan first originated somewhere in the Mediterranean and know that they have had heavy ties to Italy and Rome. (CbL: 16-17; CbL [Rev]: 11-19; LotN [Rev]: 42; LS1: 13-14; VtM [Rev]: 71)
You know that the Lasombra have heavy historic ties to the Roman Catholic Church. You know that their oft-used nickname "Keepers" comes from the story of Cain in Genesis. (CbL: 17; CbL [Rev]: 28-29, 41; PGttHC: 34)
You know that the Lasombra cast no reflection in mirrors or reflective surfaces, and that their association with darkness leaves them somehow more vulnerable to the sun and to fire. (LotN [Rev]: 43; VtM [Rev]: 85)
You have heard of the Clan Antediluvian, and know that it is never given a name or gender when mentioned. You also know that the Sabbat Lasombra claim that it has been destroyed. When referring to it, you have heard it given the titles "The Shadowed One," "The Dark Father," "The King of Shadows" or "The Eldest". (CbL [Rev]: 16-18; PGttHC: 33)
You know that the Clan is often credited with the foundation of the Sabbat, and that a sizable portion of high-ranking positions within the Sect are held by Lasombra.
You know that the Lasombra, like many Sabbat often eschew "Human" morality, and that they have developed within the Clan the Path of Enlightenment known as the Path of Night, which argues that it is the place of Cainites to embrace their dark nature and to embody evil. (CbL [Rev]: 47-49)
You know that there are some Lasombra not allied with the Sabbat known as the antitribu, who claim allegiance to either the Camarilla or to no larger political entity.
You have heard of the Courts of Blood, a mysterious organization which provides some sort of traditional structure through which Lasombra may seek sanctioned diablerize their Clanmates. (CbL: 40-42; CbL [Rev]: 51-52; LS1: 15)
You know that there exist within the Clan several factions, the most notable and deep-rooted being the Les Amies Noir, who are comprised of the eldest and most respected members of the Clan. (CbL: 40-42, 43-47; CbL [Rev]: 52-53; LS1: 15)
Lore: Lasombra **
You have heard stories that the Lasombra Clan curse originates with the Christian Devil, who punished all of the Clan of Night for their vanity in daring to call on a power darker than his own, and hence stole all of their reflections. (LS1: 19)
You have heard the story of Gratiano de Veronese, a Methuselah and direct childe of the Antediluvian. You have also heard of his successful destruction of the eldest in his Castle d'Ombro in Sicily in 1483 AD, and how he then proved instrumental in the foundation of the Sabbat. (CbL: 17-18; CotI: 38-41; CbL [Rev]: 21-23, 38-39; PGttHC: 35)
You have heard of Montano, a Methuselah and direct Childe of the Antediluvian who remained loyal to his Sire up until it's death. You know that he escaped Gratiano's raid in Sicily, and that he now counts himself now among the antitribu, still claiming to act in the Eldest's best interests. (CbL: 17-18; CbL [Rev]: 38-39; PGttHC: 35)
You have heard of Cardinal MonÇada, the chief proponent of the darkly religious ideology espoused by the Path of Righteous Night and formerly one of the most esteemed Arch-Bishops in the history of the Sect, owing to his contributions to its foundation, and his instrumental role in the Age of Exploration. You know that he has recently met his final death and that his haven is now a site of pilgrimage for many of the devout. You have also heard of Lucita, his infamous antitribu childe who is wanted for his destruction. (CbL: 20, 66-67; CbL [Rev]: 96-97)
You know about a lot of the early migratory shifts in Lasombra culture, and are familiar with the dispersal of many of the Clan's Methuselah's following the volcanic eruption on the isle of Thera in 1627 BC You have heard that this event coincided with the appearance of Lasombra in Africa and interior Asia. You also know that a similar diaspora occurred around 69 AD, following the eradication of Mediterranean piracy by Pompey. You have even heard fanciful legends of older exoduses, tying the Lasombra to the mythical figure of Aeneas in his flight from Dido's Carthage. (CbL [Rev]: 19; LS1: 19; PGttHC: 34)
You know that Lasombra, due to their affinity for water often traveled in the company of pirates, raiders and explorers and furthermore that the "Eldest" is universally agreed to have come from the Mediterranean region in life. You have heard legends of sea-dwelling peoples who prayed to Laza Omri Baras (The God of the River of Darkness) and mentions of the name Lau-Som-Bheu cropping up in classical Thebes. You also know that there is a number of Lasombra dwelling in Asia which seems uncharacteristic for Western vampires, particularly in China. (CbL [Rev]: 17-19, 30-32; PGttHC: 33-34)
You know that the Lasombra were heavily enamored with Christianity in its nascent stages and have heard that Montano was an active proponent of it's spread through Rome. (CbL: 17; PGttHC: 34)
You know that the Clan often takes credit for early myths regarding Gods of darkness, such as Ahriman, Artemis, Ereshkigal, Hina, Inguma and Tezcatlipoca. You have also heard of the settlement of Catal Huyak (the earliest known site of human civilization), and know that it had many statues of a black volcanic Goddess figure, which some attribute to Lasombra influence. (CbL [Rev]: 11-16)
You are aware of the heavy Lasombra influence on the Spanish Reconquista and know that members of the Clan were involved on both the Moorish and Christian sides of the conflict, resulting in an unseen conflict dubbed the Shadow Reconquista. (IbN: 84; LS1: 16-17; PGttHC: 35)
You know that the method of Lasombra Embrace involves a very long period of observation and testing of a prospective mortal. You know that the Sire of a Lasombra to be often goes to great lengths to alienate the mortal from society, ruin various aspects of his or her life and may even go so far as killing the candidates family or loved ones to test their reactions. (CbL [Rev]: 42-44; LS1: 23-24)
You know that there are actually numerous branches the Path of Night and that in addition to the common "Hot" Path there is also the Path of Cold Night, which advocates calm detachment over indulgence and sensation, and the Path of Righteous Night, which couches the Path in Catholic religious terms and posits that vampires ultimately serve a religious function in challenging those who are genuinely pure by acting as demons of wickedness. (CbL [Rev]: 67-69)
You know that a Court of Blood is a formal gathering of anywhere from three to thirteen members of Les Amies Noir, who meet in complete darkness to hear cases. You further know that any Lasombra of any rank or age may appeal to a Court of Blood to demand the right to destroy a Clanmate whom he/she feels has wronged him/her. You know that only the Les Amies Noir (also Brether Nokw, Amici Nocti or Friends of the Night) may serve on a Court of Blood, and that most Lasombra who survive for a century or so are likely to be asked to join and serve. (CbL: 40-42, 43-47; CbL [Rev]: 51-53; IbN: 85-86; LS1: 15)
You know of some of the informal factions within the Clan, such as: The Crusaders, who support the Ultra-Conservative faction within the Sabbat and believe that the Sect should focus foremost on the war with the elders; the Faithful, who often follow the Path of Righteous Night and believe that vampires are a portion of God's great plan; and the Kings and Queens of Shadows, who deal heavily with mortal contacts. (CbL: 65-66; CbL [Rev]: 47-49)
You know that the Sabbat Lasombra embarked on a massive campaign to wipe out the major collections of Lasombra antitribu from Spain in the 15th century and that very few antitribu survive in the modern nights. (CbL: 22-23)
You know that approximately two thirds of the Lasombra antitribu who have survived, claim alliance with the Camarilla, and that the majority of these do not focus their efforts on the war with their Sabbat counterparts. You have heard, however, of a faction known as the "Distinguished" who dedicate themselves to anti-Sabbat war efforts, usually through means of influence and subtlety rather than direct combat. (CbL [Rev]: 55-56)
You have heard the phrase "Morte Ascendo" (I rise through death.), and know that it was once held as the motto of Clan Lasombra. (LS1: 1)
Lore: Lasombra ***
You know much of Gratiano's personal history, namely that he was originally a 12th Century Italian nobleman and that he caught the Antediluvian's attention through attempting to orchestrate an partial overthrow of German authority over Northern Italy, and that it was only after he was imprisoned and tortured that he consented to the Embrace.(CbL: 18; CbL [Rev]: 21-23; CotI: 38-41; PGttHC: 35)
You know much of Montano's personal history, namely that he was originally a young boy in the region of modern day Ethiopia or Kenya in approximately 4,000 B.C. You have heard stories that he made a pact with the Eldest, agreeing that he would be Embraced if the creature would stop tormenting his people. (CbL [Rev]: 21-23, 38-39; PGttHC: 35)
You have heard of the "Victory Corps" employed by the Eldest during the years before his death and know that Gratiano and Montano both held high poisitions in them. (CotI: 38-41)
You know that the Lasombra in China went through several periods of isolation from their Western brethren, and that while they are not a separate bloodline by any stretch of the imagination, they are noted to be "peculiar" in their outlook. You are aware that Chinese Lasombra were allegedly heavy proponents of Confucianism. (CbL [Rev]: 30-32)
You know the sea-loving Lasombra were heavily involved in the conquest of the Americas, and that the destruction of the Aztec civilization was one of the few historical events which the Clan actively helped to bring to fruition. (CbL [Rev]: 26-27)
You have heard that Lasombra clergy were an important part of the initiative to Christianize the Vikings in the 9th century. (WotS: 26-27)
You are aware of the existence of Abyss occultism, a course of study which seeks to explore the source from which the shadowy art of Obtenebration draws its power. You know that some Lasombra (called The Abyss' Children) actively seek to explore further the realms they claim are opened to them by the Lasombra signature discipline. (CbL [Rev]: 48, 63, 72-73)
You have heard of the Black Angels or Angelis Ater, a faction stemming from a medieval group of wanton antagonizers and infernalists who who claim to be agents of the devil and hence enact violence and depredation without law or reason. You know that the Angellis believe that Obtenebration is an art stemming from Lucifer himself, and that all Lasombra are inherently linked to hell. (CbL [Rev]: 48-50; LS1: 22-23)
You are intimately familiar with all of the variants of the Path of Night, including the more obscure Path of Allied Night, which argues a collective Lasombra oneness in the Abyss and is often favored by occultists and Abyss mystics; and the Path of Lightless Night, a rare and esoteric Path which focuses on total immersion in actual physical darkness. (CbL [Rev]: 67-69)
You have an idea as to what the initiation into the Les Amies Noir entails, and have heard that it involves a full fortnight of isolation in a state of sensory deprivation. You further know the all of the necessary etiquette to present a case before a Court of Blood, and what to say or not say should you make a petition. Lastly, you are able to identify at least one of the Les Amies Noir in your region. (CbL [Rev]: 51; IbN: 85-86; LS1: 15, 24)
You know of some of the less popular or immediately visible factions within the Clan, such as: the "Corsairs," who take to sea-faring unlives as pirates or explorers; the "Transhumanists," who claim that Cainites should constantly seek to evolve and expand themselves, and who often prove close bedfellows with the Tzimisce as a result of their shared interests; the "Fatalists," who believe that their position in society is immovable, and that more powerful elders with always have control in spite of the Sabbat's best efforts; and the "Doomed," who refuse to acknowledge any Masquerade by openly and sometimes suicidally flaunting their vampiric nature. (CbL [Rev]: 48-50)
You have heard of the enigmatic Kiasyd, as Bloodline of strange seldom-seen scholars who have a nominal alliance with the Sabbat. You know that the Lasombra have some connection to them. (LS1: 28-289)
You know that some Lasombra antitribu, rather than holding to the Camarilla, believe themselves to be agents of the Antediluvian itself, and claim that the Eldest still lives. These "Radicals" are often extremely inhumane and brutal and claim no Sect alliance. (CbL [Rev]: 56)
You are aware that the Lasombra have been credited with Embracing such historical figures as Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, Duke of Medina Sidonia. (CbL: 65-66)
You have at least heard, in passing, of famous Lasombra such as: Giangaleazzo, the "Traitor Prince of Milan", who originally claimed the city as Bishop but later defected to the Camarilla in 1997; and Francisco Domingo de Polonia, a former Cardinal of the New York Sabbat, who has recently been killed and investigated on accusations of infernalism (UnMasqued canon only). (CotN: 23-24, 63-64)
Lore: Lasombra ****
You know a little more about Gratiano's machinations to destroy the Eldest, and that he sough to create an atmospheer of paranoia by having prisoners with layers upon layers of false memory implanted in them by Assamite allies to indicate that Montano was an Anarch sympathizer. (CotI: 38-41)
You know that Montano was born to the Masai near Kilimanjaro, and that his original name was Ontai. You know that he was, in fact, selected from a young age to be the an apprentice to the "pale visitor" and that it was only after the threat of his people's destuction that he swore loyalty to the Eldest. You know that even now, Montano still considers himself under oath to the Lasombra Antediluvian, and that he current actions to this night are informed by what he considers his master's best interests. (CotI: 46-49)
You know that before the foundation of the Sabbat, consent was an imperative part of any Lasombra Embrace, and that the majority of the Clan found the idea of Embracing an unwilling mortal completely abhorrent. You are painfully aware that the marital realities of the modern clan have caused this tenant to fall out of practice, although some elders and most antitribu still hold to it. (LS1: 23-24)
You know have heard some Lasombra historians attempt to claim credit for the Hyskos-controlled Dynasties of Egypt, although the majority of Setite scholars with dispute this vehemently. (PGttHC: 33)
You know that the Lasombra entanglement in the Reconquista led to a great deal of veneration for Rodrigo Dìaz de Vivar (El Cid), and have heard rumors that he was offered the Embrace. You are aware of the bygone tradition in medieval Spain for Christian Lasombra to keep vigil over the bones of Rodrigo Dìaz de Vivar (El Cid) at their resting place in Burgos Cathedral near Valencia. You also know that the politics of the Shadow Reconquista briefly caused a phenomenon in which the Les Amies Noir (called the Amici Nocti at the time) essentially split into two seperate bodies in the region, with the Moorish Lasombra taking council from the Asdiqa' Al-Lail (IbN: 84-86; LS1: 17)
You know that the reason for the Lasombra backed destruction of the Aztecs was that they hoped that by ceasing blood sacrifices to the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli, they might actually prevent the sun from ever rising again. (CbL [Rev]: 27)
You know that a group of sea-faring Lasombra have seized a Soviet Kilo-class sub from Iran known as The Black Fang, and that they now conduct raids on Camarilla-based shipping from it. You have even heard that the Les Amies Noir have even granted them permission to kill fellow Clanmates who interfere with their operations. (CbL [Rev]: 59)
You have heard some rumor of Lasombra mystics being able to summon creatures from the Abyss, or being able to physically travel into some sort of Abyssal realm. You have even heard rumor that such powers were incidental in MonÇada's destruction and have heard whispers that the art of Obtenebraetion in some way links to the world of ghosts and the restless dead. (CbL: 35; CbL [Rev]: 73, 96)
You know that amongst the upper levels of the Les Amies Noir, Sect has become less of a concern and you have even heard of antitribu who serve upon or who invoke Courts of Blood. You are also able to identify a sizable portion of Les Amies Noir in your region. (CbL [Rev]: 53)
You know that the Kiasyd are a Lasombra bloodline and are aware that they were created through some manner of experimentation involving both the fae and the Abyss. You know that the Kiasyd are consummate scholars and that there have apparently been some interactions with their parent Clan regarding the trade of information and books. (LS1: 28-29)
You have heard of Zarathustra, an ancient Lasombra who inhabits and watches over Antioch and who has largely remained distant from the tumult of Clan politics. You do not know if he bears any relation to the legendary Zoroaster from whom he takes his name. (CbL [Rev]: 97)
You've heard of some of the fairly obscure Lasombra of note, such as Alfonso Lopez, an infamous antitribu who escaped the purges of the 15th century; Black Wallace, one of the more feared Inquisitors since the late 18th century; Leila Monroe, a hopeful self-declared Priscus who has been struggling to tip the balance of Los Angeles in favor of the Sabbat; and Lisette Visquel, an extremely young initiate into the Les Amies Noir who was placed in charge of a series of raids in Miami and the Florida keys. (CbL: 67-68; CotN: 18-20, 26-27)
Lore: Lasombra *****
You have heard several theories as to why the Eldest let Gratiano destroy him, and some suspicions of your own. You might even have an inkling that Gratiano was not 100% successful.
You have heard old legends that claim Montano coerced a Ravnos into creating an illusion of the Chi Ro over one of Constantine's battlefields, in the hopes of deliberately pushing the Roman Empire toward Christianity. (CbL: 16; LS1: 38-39)
You have heard that the Lasombra, particularly those affiliated with the ancient goddess Ereshkigal, were at one point instrumental in the destruction of the infernal Cainites known as the Baali and the binding of their Dark Gods forever beneath the earth in one of their ancient cities. You have further heard that the powers they summoned from the Abyss to achieve this, are far beyond the kenning of any Cainite that still walks the earth. (CbBaali: 19)
You know that the Kiasyd were first engendered when a triad of Lasombra obtained an alchemical potion which purported to be the blood of Zeernebooch (a Teutonic God of the Underworld) and mixed with it the blood of a true fae. You know that the potion, once imbibed, transformed one of them, known only as Marconius, into a strange creature, altering his physical makeup and granting him strange powers. While legend has it that Marconius was abandoned after the change, it was later found that he and his progeny later resurface around the 12th century in Strasbourg, and have had occasional relations with the Lasombra and the Sabbat every since. You further know that the Kiasyd have strange powers from the fae blood they are imbued with and possess a strange Discipline known as Mythreceria. (LS1: 28-29)
You know who is among the Les Amies Noir and who is not. Period.
