Lasombra - Keeper

The graceful predators of the Sabbat, the Lasombra don’t hide from what they are; they are vampires, pure and simple. Even though they have turned their back on the humans they once were, it doesn’t stop them form molding humanity for their own desires. The Lasombra have been involved in the church for as long as its conception; they were instrumental in the spreading of the Christian faith. In recent nights, however, the clan has turned their backs on the church, now sharing contempt for the notion of salvation. In fact, many of the Sabbat rituals are mockeries of Christian doctrines, devised by the Lasombra so that those in the sect would never forget who and what they are. The Lasombra, or ‘Keepers’, are best known for the discipline of Obtenbration, where they call forth a living darkness which they manipulate to their needs. A popular clan doctrine states that the ‘Darkness’ is in fact the stuff of the vampire’s soul which has been strengthened and corrupted by the Embrace. Some believe that as they have been cast out of God’s graces, it is their duty to build a new world order. The more scientifically minded Lasombra label this as superstitious nonsense, but still maintain the belief that they represent an advanced breed. While most young embraced to the clan take greet glee in using this philosophy for the wanton destruction this philosophy provides, the elder Lasombra who still have ties within the church consider themselves tools of the Devil. The clan on the whole are natural leaders, masters of manipulation. There are leaders within the packs; however, pride goes hand-in-hand with this dark nobility, and very few Lasombra acknowledge other vampires as equals, let alone superiors.

Clan Flaw: All Lasombra cast no reflection; they can not be seen in reflections of windows, bodies of water, polished metals, or mirrors. They can also not be seen in video cameras, and can’t be captured in photographs. This curiously extents to anything on their person, clothes or belongings. Also, due to their penchant for darkness, they take an extra level of damage for sunlight.

Clan Discipline: Obtenebration, Dominate, Potence

Weather Sense (1-pt. Mental Merit)
This acumen is very much prized among seafaring Lasombra. A few sires manage to pass on its intricacies to their childer. You subconsciously sense impending bad weather. The Storyteller makes a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 7) on your behalf to give up to several hours notice of storms and other weather problems before they manifest.

Controllable Night Sight (2-pt. Supernatural Merit)
You can choose to invert the effects of light and darkness on yourself. Spend one turn in concentration to turn Night Sight on or off, plus one per each health level of injury you currently suffer. While Night Sight is active, pitch-black darkness seems brightly and uniformly lit to you, while any light brighter than a hundred-watt bulb creates a zone of pure darkness. The penalties for partial darkness apply to weak illumination instead. This merit doesnt allow you to see through Obtenebration-created darkness, which glows with pure white light that obscures all details.

Pelagic Harmony (3-pt. Mental Merit)
Being close to the sea calms you and reinforces your self-control. All Willpower rolls made while youre on or within sight of the sea have their difficulties lowered by one.

Poseidons Call (1-pt. Mental Flaw)
Your self-control varies with the weather. Make rolls to resist frenzy at -1 difficulty in completely calm weather, but +1 difficulty on rough seas, +2 in thunderstorms and +3 in hurricanes.

Uncontrollable Night Sight (2-pt. Supernatural Flaw)
Light and dark are permanently inverted for you. Pitch-black darkness seems brightly and uniformly lit to you, while any light brighter than a hundred-watt bulb creates a zone of pure darkness. The penalties for partial darkness apply to weak illumination instead. This merit doesnt allow you to see through Obtenebration-created darkness, which glows with pure white light that obscures all details.
This is a very difficult Flaw to handle in a story, both for Storytellers and players. Storytellers, be sure you know what youre getting yourself into if you allow a player to assign this Flaw to her character.

Pelagic Compulsion (2-pt. Mental Flaw)
You become increasingly agitated when on land. Raise the difficulty of all Willpower rolls when youve been away from the sea for more than 24 hours by one.

Deaths Reflection (3-pt. Supernatural Flaw)
You cast a reflection normally, which would cancel out the clan weakness - except that your reflection always shows the state that youd be in if you were dead. Any Lasombra more than a few decades old looks in reflection like an ambling skeleton. Younger vampires appear as rotting corpses.

Faint Reflection (2 pt Merit)
Those with this talent can actually appear in mirrors, albeit in extremely pale, ghostly guises. Objects moving behind a Lasombra casting a faint reflection will be clearly seen through her form. However, often even a faint reflection is enough to allay the suspicions of kine or Camarila.

Strength of Shadows (4 pt Merit)
Allows the Lasombra who possesses this Merit to strengthen the shadows he calls so that even daylight will not immediately dispel them. The Strengthened shadows dissipate after four hours in the sun, but it certainly does provide a nasty surprise to enemies when, even after sunrise, shadows hound them.

Image Obsession (1-5 pt Flaw)
As Lasombra cannot see their appearance, those with this Flaw find themselves hypnotized by the vagaries of their own appearance. The compulsive behavior may be small at first (1 point), manifesting itself as a repeated questioning of others as to their looks. ("Does my hair look alright? Really?"), to obsessive behaviors such as brushing hair, adjusting clothes and the like. The symptoms occasionally run the gamut to full-fledged mania (5 points), wherein the afflicted Lasombra are constantly attended by ghouls intent on grooming them and can speak of little save their appearance.

Enmity of Shadows (4 pt Flaw)
Very few unlucky Lasombra are afflicted with this Flaw, in which the shadows that they summon may well turn and attack him without provocation (a Lasombra with this Flaw must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) each time he uses an Obtenebration power of Level 3 or above. a success indicates that the power functions normally; with a failure the summoned shadows attack their putative master.)