Character and Traits

Concepts

 

Acquisitions Expert
Power no longer rests in the hands of the nobility. The new kings and queens of the world are  the corporations. You didn’t want to start one yourself though, so you found a way to take one.  The right word in the right ear, a few rumors to kill the stock prices, and a company was yours for a very cheap price. However, one company wasn’t enough. You built an empire out of  other people’s legacies, and you never play fair. You have blackmailed board members and threatened their families, falsified reports, and spread lies as unsubstantiated rumor. Where once it was about the money, now it is about the power. Even more than that, you have become the first wave of assault in any new crusade. You target vampire-run companies and steal from the Ventrue, which makes the fight all the more dangerous and the victory so much the sweeter.

Assassin
You kill for money, or perhaps simply for sport. The Assamites are not the only masters of the blade, and with the power of shadow at your fingertips, the darkness belongs to you. You began your career by joining the military, but found yourself quickly shifted into a different  department, one that suited you particular skillset very well. When a vampire found you and recognized your skills, you got a promotion. You already know how to kill, but as a vampire, you have become a deadly shadow master. The ninja of old would be jealous of your abilities as you 
slip out of the darkness to cut down your target.

Critic
You may not produce anything yourself, but you can destroy those who do. You may have begun with noble intentions, hoping to separate the wheat from the chaff. But you also enjoyed seeing others hang on your opinions. When you became ruthless in your reviews, you gained a following who loved to hear you rip apart a new play, film, or painting. The more desperate artists might do anything for you to secure that all-important favorable review. Now your name is better known than many of those you critique. Your word can make or break a new artist and even destroy more established careers. What you like is hot, and what you don’t is not. This has put several  Toreador under your control, but you love the power you hold over the kine as well. You do so enjoy playing with your food, after all.

Gang Leader
You work with what you’ve got. Life on the street is hard, but only for the weak. You want to be somebody? You need to join a crew. You want your crew to be the best, and you’d better prove it. You were not going to be anyone’s foot soldier. Sure, plenty of gang bangers just want to be part of a crew so they can feel tough. But you wanted to run the crew, and you weren’t going to run a
crew that was second best. When you took down the boss, he begged for mercy, but that time was over. You made the rest of the gang fight each other so only the best got to be a part of your  new regime. When you get applicants you make them fight, and only the winners get a place. Each of your crew is worth ten of the others. It wasn’t long before you owned the streets. The other gangs can’t touch you and the cops are frightened of you. Now the real work begins. 

 

Ghost in the Deep web
If knowledge is power, what might the darkest knowledge grant you? You are a master of  computer technology, but more than just a mere hacker. You have no desire to prove yourself “leet” or break into Microsoft. You understand the internet has deep dark places where secrets can be found, and have dedicated yourself to rooting them out. You spent your time digging into the deep web, the systems you need more than Google to find. Hidden here are dark and terrible secrets, and groups that shelter here in the shadow. With these secrets, you can leverage all manner of favors. Just the threat of shining a light in this abyss of the net is usually enough.

Media Star
It began with a song or a TV appearance, but the celebrity status is where the power lies. You used to love the attention, and as your fame grew, you came to enjoy the power, too. People suddenly wanted to know your opinion on so many things, even though you’d never claimed to be an  expert. Your fans not only wanted to hear you sing but also wanted to dress like you, think like  you, be like you. Your fans have become an army. They buy anything with your name on it: music, T-shirts, perfume, calendars, and even statuettes. More importantly, they have become your self-appointed guardian angels. Any slur about you in the media provokes a vicious response, often including death threats from them. While it is only internet bravado now, who knows what you might get them to do with a little effort?

Modern Pirate
It’s not just about the killing or even the money. You also love the freedom of the sea. You used to think the life of a pirate was glamorous. Now you know better, but you still wouldn’t change it for anything. You didn’t like school, and had no plans to join some dead-end job or become a corporate drone, so you ran away to the sea. At first, you took a job with a merchant ship, but  when Somali pirates attacked, you changed sides pretty quickly. It has taken a while, but you’ve  worked your way up to become their leader. They are hungry for money and blood, and it’s an  attitude you encourage. You have a small flotilla of boats, fast enough to catch the lumbering 
cargo ships. You simply board and take the whole ship to a secret port where you sell everything. Your reputation ensures only the foolish put up a fight. 

 

Priest
The church always enticed you, but not really from a particular love of God. You liked to know secrets, and people were often happy to confess to a priest, no matter what the denomination. They also look to you for guidance, and that can be very useful. A wife who is thinking of leaving her wealthy husband, a teenager unsure how to react to the bullies in his school, a soldier  worried about the offer of some “freelance work.” People come to you when they are at a tipping point, and you can choose which way to push them. It is a shame the church doesn’t have the power it once had, but that can change. Whatever the directives from the pontiff, you can make sure you get the best of what is left. Your diocese in the city has a prestigious church with a varied, if smaller than you’d like, congregation. Among them are powerful people looking for advice, and looking to you to provide it. 

Professional Boxer
You loved the first fight you had, even though it was only in the playground. When one of the  other children wanted your lunch money, you beat him into the ground. You didn’t win because you were stronger, but because you had the will to hurt him. When you got older, you realized there was money in that sort of dedication. You became a fighter as soon as you were old enough  to get in the ring. Sure, you take a few hits, but nothing beats seeing your opponent smashed to the floor under your blows. Your manager tried to cheat you once, but he won’t try that again. The weasels and weaklings think money, reputation, or position is power, but you know different.
Muscle is power, no matter who you are or what you are. Power belongs to the strongest, and the ones willing to use that strength. 

 

Spin Doctor
Politics is a dirty game, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You never wanted to run for  office, with all those speeches, charity lunches and shaking hands. You don’t think you could smile that long every day, either. So you decided to back the right talent instead. Your advice is what got them where they are today, and they should be grateful. Just in case they aren’t, you  can remind them you know all their secrets. The politician you support might be a good friend  who trusts and values your advice, or a puppet you manipulate as you please. It makes no odds.  While you can’t always get him to do what you want, most of the time you run his office from  behind the scenes. If he gets voted out, there’s always another eager young face who needs your
experience and guidance. 

 

Merits and Flaws

 

Court Favorite (1-5pt. Merit)
While the Courts of Blood are usually difficult to sway, you have become very good at shifting the balance. A mixture of experience and political empathy allow you to know just the right way to nudge the decision in your direction, or perhaps for that of your client. Any roll made that will affect the decision in a Court of Blood is granted a bonus or penalty (whichever is in your favor) in dice equal to the level you have of this Merit. 

 

Eyes of Shadow (1-4pt. Merit)
There is something about your eyes that makes you look dark and dangerous. Making eye  contact with you is like staring into the Abyss. It may not be obvious why, but anyone you talk to gets a chill when they meet your gaze. The difficulty for any Intimidation roll is reduced by the number of points in this Merit (to a minimum of 2).

Bigger Boys Came (2pt. Merit)
When someone uses their contacts to their advantage, you can try to use yours to overrule  hem.  You might get an editor to quash a reporter’s story, or get a gang boss to stop his thugs taking down a rival. To do this you must make a roll using Manipulation + Contacts (difficulty 8). If you 
can get more successes than the Contacts rating of your opponent, their contacts fail to come  through for them.

Call of the Sea (2pt. Merit)
There is something about the sea that makes you feel at home. You are in tune with the tides and rhythm of the ocean. When on a boat in the ocean or on a river, you may add a die to all your  dice pools except for Disciplines. 

 

Controllable Night Sight (2pt. Merit)
Your night vision is extraordinarily good, even for a vampire. The deepest shadows are like  looking into a well-lit room for you. However, in normal light or bright conditions, you have to switch back to less-sensitive vision, or the weakest light quickly blinds you. While your night
sight is active, you suffer no penalties for the dark and can see perfectly well. Should you use it in well-lit conditions; you suffer a penalty inversely proportional to the usual penalties for darkness.

Secret Stash (2-5pt. Merit)
You have several resources, sleeper agents, or followers hidden away for a rainy day. For each level of this Merit you have one unassigned Background point “sitting in storage” (2 gives you one point, 3 gives you two points, and so on). At any time, you may spend as many of them as you like to increase your level in Allies, Contacts, Herd, Influence, Mentor, Resources, or Retainers. Once spent, the points remain assigned permanently, but until then they cannot be affected by anything. This allows the vampire to create a new resource in an instant, without requiring the expenditure of experience points or awaiting a downtime. The vampire is not really gaining new levels, but revealing levels he has had all along.

Aura of Command (3pt. Merit)
Whether you are good at barking orders or simply have a commanding tone, people tend to do what you tell them to do. You are not so much a natural leader as a born commander. When using the Leadership skill to get others to obey you, the difficulty is reduced by two. 

 

King or Queen of Shadow (4pt. Merit)
It is hard to hold onto your Humanity within the Sabbat, or even simply as a vampire. However, you draw strength from your ability to empathize with the kine. Any degeneration checks you make while on Path of Humanity reduce their difficulty by two.

Long-Term Planning (4pt. Merit)
You never leave anything to chance; every action is a carefully considered stratagem. Once per session you may declare an action you are about to take is actually “all part of your plan” and reduce its difficulty by two points. The Storyteller may veto the use of this ability on particular
rolls. The player and Storyteller should keep a note of each of these occasions and decide how they are linking together into a grand scheme.

Instrument of God (5pt. Merit)
Your self-confidence comes not from a belief in your own abilities, but due to a direct manifesto from the Lord. You have a divine purpose and He works through you, even though your goals may seem anything but holy. Whether it is because of you powerful will or an actual connection to the divine, you gain three additional dice to resist the powers of True Faith when they are used against you, including soaking damage from True Faith abilities.

Uncontrollable Night Sight (2pt. Flaw)
Your night vision is good, but you can’t turn it off. While you can see easily into the deepest  shadows, any light is almost blinding to you. You suffer penalties the brighter the area you are in is lit, inversely proportional to the standard penalties for darkness. Even just standing in a well-lit room is uncomfortable to you.

Insubordinate (3pt. Flaw)
You like to be in charge so much you have a hard time following anyone else’s orders. When given a plan or told to do something, you tend to do the opposite on principle. Whenever you are ordered to do something, you must make a Willpower roll with a difficulty depending on the importance of the superior and the danger of the task (difficulty 7 is typical for someone  directly above the vampire assigning them a moderately dangerous task). If you fail, you will do
anything except what you’ve been told to do.

Unproven (3pt. Flaw)
Somehow, you have failed to prove yourself worthy of the name Lasombra. Maybe your sire did not test you well enough, or an opportunity to prove yourself has not come up. Whatever the reason, you are not truly considered part of the Clan. All social dealings with other Lasombra
suffer a -3 dice penalty. You may also not be chosen to sit in judgment in the Courts of Blood.

Elder Discipline Powers

 

Implanted Opinion (Dominate ••••• •)
Dominate usually focuses on giving the target specific orders. Using this power, a vampire can instill a feeling, opinion, or even a personality trait the victim will believe is his own. He might be told he loves modern art, hates his new neighbors, or that aliens are looking to abduct him. He can be given new political or religious beliefs, suddenly becoming a dedicated liberal or a born-again Christian (although in the latter case he doesn’t gain real faith; he just decides to follow the tenets of a faith). He might even be given bigoted views, making him racist or sexist, or he may be cured of such opinions. Unlike Conditioning, the vampire has little connection to the target, and can use him as an agent to steer policies to her design without needing to explain her plans.
System: When attempting to implant a new belief, opinion, or following, the vampire makes a Charisma + Leadership roll at a difficulty equal to the target’s current Willpower. The  Storyteller may insist on a certain number of successes, depending on how contrary to the subject’s original beliefs the new opinion is. Once instilled, the new belief is very hard to remove. If the subject remains for months in an environment conducive to their old opinion, he may be granted Willpower rolls for the old beliefs to reassert themselves.

Memory Block (Dominate ••••• •)
This variant of The Forgetful Mind (V20, pp. 153-154) allows the vampire to stop a dominated  subject talking about or revealing specific information without forgetting it. When questioned about the memory or detail, the victim will evade the question without even noticing she is  doing it. If pressed, she will discover he cannot say out loud or even write down the blocked information. This is very useful when a servant needs to possess classified data, but the vampire  wants to be certain she cannot reveal it, even under torture. 
System: As with The Forgetful Mind, the vampire makes a Wits + Subterfuge roll (difficulty equal to the target’s current Willpower). If successful, the memory is locked for a duration dependent on the amount of successes. Another vampire can unlock it with Dominate by making a Wits + Empathy roll (difficulty equal to the original vampire’s Dominate rating). The subject of this power may make a Willpower roll (at a difficulty equal to the original vampire’s Dominate rating) if he tries to answer a specific question about the blocked memory.

Successes     Result
1                        One hour
2                       One day
3                       One week
4                       One month
5                       One year

Shadow Perspective (Obtenebration ••••• •)
Using this ability, the vampire can potentially observe anything done near the shadows. She shifts her perception from the shadows she is standing in to a nearby shadow. She can choose to shift any or all of her senses across to that area as if she were actually standing there. Should
she move all her senses, it will be as if she is standing in the other shadow, but she would not even feel an attack made on her own body.
System: The vampire must be in line of sight to the shadow she wishes to shift her perception to, and spend a blood point for each sense she moves. She may only shift her sensory perceptions (touch, taste, sight, smell, or hearing), and cannot affect the area with any other powers she  cannot already use from where she is currently standing. However, by shifting sight she can change her options for any line-of-sight effects. She must stand in shadow for the power to work, and there must be shadow at the area she shifts her perceptions to. She may attempt to shift perception to an area she cannot see but knows very well. If she does so, she must also make a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty 9) to succeed. If there are no shadows at the area in question, the power will not work, but the blood points are still spent. 

 

Shadow Lair (Obtenebration ••••• ••)
This power is an advancement on Shadowstep (V20, p. 191), effectively allowing the vampire to pause mid-step. She enters a dark realm outside existence, where she is unaware of what might be  occurring in the real world. Just as nothing can see the vampire here, she also can’t see anything outside the void. 
System: Using Shadowstep the vampire enters the shadows, but may spend a blood point to delay her exit for up to an hour. At the end of that hour, she may spend another blood point to remain  for another hour or return to the real world. If she returns to the world in a different shadow, she must make a Dexterity + Occult roll as with Shadowstep, but there is no roll if she returns to where she entered. The vampire can take others into shadow in the same way as Shadowstep, as long as they are willing. They do not need spend any blood points, but if they lose contact with the vampire, they are lost in shadow forever. 

 

Shadow Watchtower (Obtenebration ••••• •••)
Using this ability, the vampire can merge so fully with the shadow she becomes part of it. While standing in shadow she seems to dissolve, vanishing into the darkness. While merged in the shadow she is almost indestructible, and can see everything going on around her as if she were standing there. 

System: This power is an advanced version of Tenebrous Form (V20, pp. 190-191). Like Tenebrous Form, it takes three blood points to assume the form of the Shadow Watchtower, and there must be a nearby shadow to merge with. The vampire becomes part of the area, but can shift to another shadowed area if she desires. If she has no shadow to merge with or move to, she returns to her physical form. When merged, she becomes a true shadow and cannot be detected as anything but an indistinct shadow in the corner. She also takes no damage, normal or aggravated, from anything except sunlight (which is still aggravated damage).

 

Immovable Object (Potence ••••• ••)
The vampire’s strength is such that her force of will alone is enough to make her an immovable object, whether or not she has something to hold on to. She can lock herself in place, clinging onto where she stands with the power of her mind. Using this ability, she can resist any attempt
to shift her by telekinesis or physical strength. She digs in, holding herself in place with her will alone. 

System: If the vampire spends a Willpower point and is standing on a solid surface, she cannot be moved. She might be hit by a truck or a train and not budge an inch (although she will take some hefty damage!). The only way to move her is to destroy the surface she is standing on. This will work if she is on a bridge, but blasting the ground will just leave her standing at the bottom of a crater. 

 

Combination Disciplines

 

Armor of the Abyss (Obtenebration •••, Fortitude •••)
When the vampire calls on this power, strands of darkness weave around him and solidify into a dark suit of armor. The vampire is completely encased in shadow, but able to see out of it as if it wasn’t there. 

System: This power is invoked in much the same way
as Arms of the Abyss (V20, p. 189), by spending a blood point and making a Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 7). If successful, the strands of shadow encase the vampire instead of reaching out. This cloak of shadow fully protects the vampire but does not encumber him in any way, conferring no penalty. It grants him an armor rating equal to his Obtenebration and  Fortitude and lasts for 3 turns(or ten minutes) for each success gained on the activation roll. This power costs 18 experience points to learn. 

 

Empower Minion (Dominate •••, Potence •••)
Using this ability, the vampire can pass his immortal strength on to those who serve him. No matter how far apart they are, the bond of command allows the vampire to channel his Potence to his servant to assist her in doing his will. 

System: Any allies currently under the control of the vampire’s Dominate power may act with a portion of the vampire’s Potence. The vampire must spend one blood point per point of Potence for each thrall he wishes to empower, up to a maximum of three dots of Potence per thrall (the
vampire can spend blood over successive turns, as long as the Dominate power is in effect). If the target already has Potence, the controller’s Potence level replaces it instead of adding to it.
This power costs 18 experience points to learn. 

Fear of the Dark (Dominate ••, Obtenebration ••)
With a mixture of Dominate and Shadowplay, the vampire using this ability can inspire a terrible fear of the shadows in his target. Those caught in this effect find their paranoia runs rampant, as fearful shapes seems to form in the shadows around them in the corner of their eye. 

System: The vampire invokes Shadow Play (V20, pp. 188-189), and then makes a Manipulation +  Intimidation roll, difficulty 6. For each success, the vampire may force one person (mortal or supernatural) in the immediate vicinity to see frightening shapes within the shadows around them. If the target fails a Courage check at difficulty 8, she runs in terror. This power costs 12 experience points to learn.

Mind Strike (Dominate ••, Potence ••)
By focusing his mental power, the vampire can channel their Potence into a powerful mental attack that does real damage to the victim. He simply meets his victim’s gaze and delivers a strike into her very mind. 

System: This power costs a Willpower point to use and requires eye contact (V20, p. 152). The  vampire makes a Manipulation + Intimidation roll (without any bonus from Shadow Play — see V20, pp. 188-189) against a difficulty of the victim’s current Willpower. The amount of successes are added to the vampire’s Potence rating and become bashing damage to the victim. Normal soak rolls apply. As with many Dominate powers, targets of a lower Generation are immune to its use. This power costs 12 experience points to learn.

Shadow Mark (Dominate •••, Obtenebration ••••• •)
Shadowstep (V20, p. 191) only allows the vampire to move between shadows. However, with this power he can mark those he Dominates and use any shadow they are standing in instead. 

System: This power allows the vampire attempting Shadowstep to step to one of his Dominated minions instead of another shadowy area. The minion must be standing in shadow himself or the power will not work, but otherwise distance is no object: the vampire simply appears out of the nearby shadow. There is no additional roll or expenditure when making such a Shadowstep,
although the difficulty is one level higher. This power costs 27 experience points to learn.

Shroud of Absence (Obfuscate •••, Obtenebration •••)
This variant of Shroud of Night (V20, p. 189) creates not just an area of shadow, but also an area no one looks at. It is effectively a cloak of invisibility, an area any bystander will simply ignore. To look inside the cloak of deception requires a powerful act of will. 
System: The use of this power requires a blood point and a roll of Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty 7). If successful, an area about ten feet/3 meters across within the vampire’s line of sight is cloaked. The cloaked area can be moved at a normal walking pace and lasts for an
hour for each success. Anyone wishing to look into the cloaked area must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) and score more successes than the vampire did to create the area. If she succeeds, she can see through the cloak as if it wasn’t there. This power costs 18 experience points to learn.

Abyss Mysticism

 

As the Lasombra delved deeper into the secrets of Obtenebration, they discovered it drew power from a dark realm of shadows called the Abyss. Mystics within the Clan began to study this secret realm to unlock its secrets, and through this developed the art of Abyss Mysticism.
The Lasombra keep this power secret from the rest of the Sabbat, as the creatures they summon and control with it are as dark as they are mysterious. Abyss Mysticism is difficult and time consuming to learn, and comes at a cost. Its rituals often have side effects that create Flaws the character cannot remove that provide no bonus points. To learn the power, a vampire must have at least one dot in both Obtenebration and Occult. She may not learn any Abyss rituals higher than the lowest of her Obtenebration or Occult ratings, and each ritual costs a number of experience points equal to three times the ritual’s level.  Abyss rituals are cast using a Wits + Occult roll. The difficulty is 3 + the level of the ritual being cast. Only one success is required to cast the ritual, but the Storyteller is encouraged to make the penalties for failure especially
horrifying. (More detail on Abyss Mysticism can be found in Rites of Blood, pp. 37-39.)

Light within Shadow (Level One Ritual)
One of the first powers a savant of darkness learns is the ability to see in darkness. Using this ritual, the mystic summons up a ball of shadow and stares into it for so long that her eyes permanently attune themselves to the dark. 

System: Upon successful casting this ritual, the Lasombra summons into her hand a sphere of pure shadow. As she stares into the sphere, she makes a Perception + Occult (difficulty 8) roll. If the roll is successful, she permanently gains the Controllable Night Sight Merit (see p. 122). If
they fail, they may try again the next night, but if they botch they permanently gain the Uncontrollable Night Sight Flaw (p. 123).
Side Effect: Whenever the vampire uses her new vision, her eyes become disturbing inky black pits of shadow. If she has no control over her sight, her eyes will always look like this.

Comforting Darkness (Level Two Ritual)
The Abyss can heal as well as harm. Using this power, the vampire draws darkness into herself and uses it to heal her wounds. However, there is a price to be paid, and the Abyss will claim it in blood.
System: Once this ritual is cast, the vampire makes a Stamina + Occult roll (difficulty 8). If she botches, the darkness burns her, and she takes an aggravated level of damage. If she succeeds, she may then spend one blood point for each success, regardless of Generational limits. For each blood point she spends in this way, she may heal three levels of bashing or lethal damage.
Unfortunately there is an additional cost before the darkness inside is sated. All blood the vampire consumes feeds the dark inside, not even entering her own system. This goes on until twice as much blood has been consumed as was originally spent. Until this cost is paid, the Cainite cannot use this ritual again. It can also only be used once each night. 

Side Effect: The taint of darkness never leaves the caster’s blood, turning it a dark ruddy hue, almost black, forever.

Claiming the Dark (Level Three Ritual)
This ritual allows the caster to merge with the shadows, drawing the power of the Abyss into herself. However, the cost for this power, as always, is blood. 

System: When casting this ritual, the vampire cuts herself open with a knife and draws the surrounding shadows into her own body. The process takes an hour and is very painful,  subtracting two dice from any rolls the Cainite makes for the duration. After this torment, the
vampire makes a Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 8) to hold the power of the shadows inside her. If she fails, the shadows escape her, and if she botches, the shadows take a blood point for each 1 rolled as well. If she succeeds, her skin turns dark and her eyes become black. All her physical attributes rise to the level of her Obtenebration if they are lower. Obtenebration powers up to level three are used at -2 difficulty, and the blood point cost for Arms of the Abyss is eliminated. This augmentation lasts for as long as the vampire desires. Unfortunately, upon rising from slumber each night, the vampire in this condition must pay an additional blood
point cost equal to their Obtenebration rating. Should she fail to do so, she returns to normal. In her augmented form, she is also more vulnerable to sunlight and takes triple damage from it. Her Appearance also drops by one point while empowered.
Side Effect: Should the vampire spend more consecutive days in this form than her highest Virtue, her skin begins to darken permanently, in a similar way to elder Assamites.

Vision of Shadow (Level Four Ritual)
There are shadows everywhere, and with this power, the mystic can use them to observe her enemies without their notice. Using the Obtenebration power, the Cainite calls up a ball of shadows and uses it like a crystal ball to see what her enemies are up to several miles away.
System: The vampire makes a casting roll to call up a ball of shadow that she will use to scry on a target. If the caster fails the roll, nothing happens, but a botch leaves her confused and disoriented, suffering –2 to all dice pools for the rest of the scene. The Cainite then concentrates on a person or location she has previously seen. As she does so, the shadow ball
will become clear to reveal a vision of that place or person at that very moment, complete with sound. There must be shadows near the target, and the vision will come from the most optimal position in these shadows. The vision can be anywhere within a radius of the caster’s Obtenebration + Occult in miles, or 1.5 times that number in kilometers. The vision lasts for a scene, or until the target leaves the area. If the target has the ability to sense such scrying
(such as with Auspex or a similar power), he can attempt a Perception + Occult roll (difficulty 8) to know he is being watched.
Side Effect: Looking too far into the distance makes the Cainite less aware of what is happening right under her nose. For the rest of the night after successfully casting this ritual, she suffers -2 to all Alertness checks to notice nearby events.

Commune with the Abyss (Level Five Ritual)
The Abyss listens. It is a place of secrets, and they say it hears every whisper ever spoken. With this power, the mystic infuses herself with the shadow so completely that their minds become one. Once joined, the petitioner can ask one question of the darkness, which for once cannot
hide the answer.
System: By casting this ritual, the vampire draws into herself the surrounding shadows and darkness. Once they are gone, the vampire falls into a deep torpor-like sleep from which she cannot awaken. The character may then ask one question, which may be as mundane or as complicated as she desires. The Storyteller gives this question a rating based on how obscure or difficult it might be to answer, from one to ten. The rating may even be higher than ten
if the question is truly momentous. Each night the vampire remains in their torpid slumber,
she rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 9) and keeps a note of her cumulative successes. Once the amount of successes equals the rating of the question, the vampire awakes suddenly knowing the answer. This answer will be true and complete, and not hidden in a riddle. The Abyss only
hides the truth; it does not confuse it or guard it jealously. Should the vampire fail to gain any successes on one of the rolls, the interval between making rolls moves from days to weeks. Continued failure moves this interval from weeks to months, to years, millennia, and even further. It is said that ancient mystics have lain for centuries contemplating the ultimate questions of the universe. There may even be Gehenna cults that await their awakening.
Side Effect: The touch of shadow never leaves those who have communed with it in this way. After each use of this ritual, the vampire reduces all Intimidation roll difficulties by one, but increases her Social roll difficulties with non-Abyss Mystics by one as well. These modifiers are cumulative and gradually divorce the vampire from those not comfortable with the shadow. They also permanently gain the Nightmares Flaw (V20, p. 485).