Abyss Mysticism

The following rituals do not adhere to the same rules as other forms of magic, in large part because they build on a Discipline that is not truly a form of sorcery. To learn Abyss Mysticism, a Cainite must have at least one dot in both Obtenebration and one dot in Occult. Such a character may not learn Abyss rituals rated higher than her Obtenebration or Occult score (whichever is lower). Casting Abyss rituals requires a successful Wits + Occult roll, for which the difficulty equals 3 + the level of the ritual (maximum 9). Only one success is required for a ritual to succeed. Should a roll to activate an Abyss ritual fail, the Storyteller is encouraged to create particularly horrible consequences or side effects; the Abyss demands a heavy penance for failure. Unlike normal rituals, each Abyss Mysticism ritual costs 3 time the ritual level in experience points to learn. All rituals of Abyss Mysticism also have permanent or temporary side effects associated with learning and using them, as befits the alien and malignant nature of the Abyss. Under no circumstances do Flaws obtained from these side effects reward the vampire with bonus or experience points, nor can they be bought off.

See also: Oubliette

#### **Level One Rituals**

##### **The Abyss Knows**

Mystics make clear that any Cainites implementing the rituals of Abyss Mysticism must stare into the starlit sea and dedicate their eternal selves to the Abyss. They must open all their secrets to intrusion by the darkness. The pledge is only words, but those who do not make it, or state it without conviction in their hearts, are visibly liars to practitioners of The Abyss Knows.

System: The Cainite must possess the Abyss Mysticism ritual Pierce the Veil (see below) and have the Darksight Merit. By spending one blood point and rolling Perception + Awareness (standard difficulty versus an opposed Conscience/Conviction roll, if resisted), success indicates whether the target is a true servant of the Abyss or an impostor. Failure has no effect; a botch means the Abyss Mystic misreads the result.

##### **Eyes of the Abyss**

With this ritual, the Abyss Mystic summons tiny denizens of the Abyss to act as her servants, most often being used as spies.

System: The vampire crushes a small flame(e.g. a lit candle) in her bare hand, taking a level of aggravated damage. She then makes a Rötschreck check, difficulty 4. If she succeeds, roll Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 6. A botch results in an additional level of aggravated damage. On a success, a tiny Abyss elemental is summoned and consumes the extinguished flame.

The creature remains a number of nights equal to the successes rolled. The elemental will respond to and obey all commands given by the caster. It cannot affect the material world, though it can communicate mentally by entering a person’s shadow. Any non-Mystic who communicates with an Abyss elemental in such a fashion must make a Courage check, difficulty 6. Failure results in a temporary Derangement that lasts the remainder of the evening. On a botch, the Derangement is permanent and can only be cured through repeated use of Willpower.

The elemental is always in shadow form, can fly 30 yards/meters per turn, and is instantly destroyed by fire or sunlight. A level 2 version of this ritual, Talons of the Abyss, can summon shadow elementals that are corporeal and can even attack enemies.

##### **Light within Shadow / Pierce the Veil**

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. If they fail, they may try again the next night, but if they botch they permanently gain the Uncontrollable Night Sight Flaw.

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.

##### **Locating the Oubliette**

Abyss Mystics obsessively guard the locations of their Oubliettes from Cainites outside their ideology. Among their own, it becomes useful to know the nearest entry-point to the Abyss. Despite the dangers within that plane, Inquisition or Lupine hunters often drive a Mystic to hide within the darkness, or even lure her pursuers inside to face perils far worse than Cainites.

System: The Cainite must cut herself and expend at least one blood point. On a successful Perception + Occult roll (difficulty 5); the vampire is able to see a line one kilometer (2/3 of a mile) long (with an additional kilometer per success), leading to the nearest Oubliette if one exists. This line remains visible to the Abyss Mystic for one night per blood point spent. On a failure, nothing happens; a botch leads the Cainite to the nearest location bearing True Faith, regardless of distance.

##### **Weight of Shadows**

For the rest of the evening, the caster may concentrate and control naturally occurring shadows, making them move, act, or otherwise obey the caster’s commands. So long as the caster takes no other action, they may thus control any shadow that is not currently being controlled by another individual.

System: This ritual only allows the caster to control natural shadows, not shadows created by Obtenebration. Shadows controlled by the caster can gain or lose a small amount of size (thus a woman’s shadow could be made look like a man’s, but a dog’s shadow could not).

Only one such shadow may be controlled at a time. The Storyteller is the arbiter of what kinds of shadows are simply too large for this power to affect (such as the shadow of a skyscraper). The effects of this ritual last until the next sunrise.

Side Effect: Shadows are drawn toward the caster, and when not controlled, will attempt to move toward from her, even to the point of bending against the light. The caster gains the Flaw Eerie Presence (with the above descriptor) for the duration of this ritual’s effects.

#### **Level Two Rituals**

##### **Abyssal Blade**

Abyss Mystics are assassins and warriors as often as they are cloistered scholars; the Abyssal Blade ritual grants them a deadly force against even the most hardened of opponents. The Abyss wreathes around a Mystic’s edged weapon, coating the metal in a swirling ichor of shadow. The ritual enables the blade to cut through armor as if it were immaterial, and inflict wounds impossible for mortals to heal.

System: The Abyss Mystic must immerse the blade of his weapon in the blood of any living creature, holding the weapon’s handle as she dedicates her future kills to the Abyss. She rolls Strength + Occult (difficulty 7), with success imbuing the weapon with an unholy power allowing a weapon to bypass armor — not Fortitude — and inflict aggravated damage on mortals. Each success results in the weapon remaining imbued for a night. Once the power runs out, the weapon corrodes and becomes useless. The ritual can be enacted more than once on the same weapon, prior to corrosion. Failure leads to no result; a botch causes the weapon to corrode immediately, and prevents the ritual from being incanted again that night.

##### **Comforting Darkness**

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.

##### **Feed the Darkness**

For the rest of the evening, the caster may feed through the touch of an Arm of the Abyss. Any Flaws or other issues the caster naturally suffers are still in effect: The Arm’s absorption of blood can be excruciatingly painful if the caster has the flaw Grip of the Damned, all feeding restrictions still apply, and so forth. However, the Arm of the Abyss leaves a deep, black bruise on the subject’s body that looks similar to the mark of a feeding leech, rather than the tell-tale sign of a vampire’s fangs.

System: The caster must spend fifteen minutes in contemplation at the beginning of the evening, chanting in Abyssal tongues and calling upon the spirits of the Abyss. The effects of this ritual last until the next sunrise.

Side Effect: While the caster’s body contains any vitae gained through the use of this ritual, her blood is a dark, blackish color. This causes notable dark streaks where her veins and arteries are near the surface of her flesh.

##### **Implant the Bezoar**

Bezoars are native to the Abyss, but Mystics know of ways to draw them out into the world above. Among the smallest creatures in the Abyss, windows of darkness give up these tumorous parasites. Initially stored in pools of blood by Abyss Mystics, they are set loose on the Mystics’ enemies to act as a slow poison. Many a foe has fallen to torpor without even knowing she bore a Bezoar clamped to her dried-out heart. The only evidence is a bowl stained with dried blood found outside the vampire’s haven, and a small slug-like trail leading from it to the Cainite’s preferred resting place.

System: The Abyss Mystic must have access to an Oubliette, or stand in a lake during the new moon, and cut off a finger to produce a blood point. An Infantile Bezoar heads for the vitae, and attempts to enter the Abyss Mystic, unless she is prepared with an existing bowl of separate blood. The Bezoar will remain in the bowl for a night as it drinks its fill, during which time the Mystic can exit the Oubliette — if she knows the way out — carrying the bowl and the feeding parasite. The Bezoar will continue to feed until dawn, at which point it will travel to the nearest sleeping Cainite and crawl inside its mouth to avoid the daytime. The Infantile Bezoar’s statistics are stated on Infantile Bezoar. It dissolves into a puddle of shadow after exiting its victim.

#### **Level Three Rituals**

##### **Abyssal Threads**

The caster creates a shining, jet-black thread and affixes it to a single target of any kind. The thread stretches through shadow and into the Abyss, to the caster’s wrist. If the thread is affixed to a person or creature, at any point during the evening, the individual on either end may tug on this thread, causing a similar pull to manifest on the other end. If the thread is attached to an inanimate object, a tug will manifest on the caster’s end of the thread if that object is moved in any way.

System: The individual or item to which the thread is being affixed must be present while the ritual is cast. This ritual takes thirty minutes of casting, during which time the Abyss Mystic draws forth a point of his blood and mixes it with the preternatural essence of the Abyss. By spinning this combined matter upon a skein, the caster forms the Abyssal Thread, and may then attach it as desired. The effects of this ritual last until the next sunrise.

Side Effect: While this ritual is in effect, the cold air of the Abyss circulates around the caster, and may draw unwanted attention. The caster effectively gains the Flaw Cold Breeze for the duration of this ritual’s effects.

##### **Angra Mainyu Consumes Spenta Mainyu**

Abyss Mystics despise the light; with its presence, they are incapable of practicing their rituals. This ritual allows them to snuff all light — whether from natural sources, the flame of a torch, or even the Thaumaturgy of Tremere. With retching convulsions, the Cainite practitioner spews a foul torrent of darkness, which consumes all light in the area.

System: The Abyss Mystic must drink a goblet of hot tar, succeeding on a Stamina-based roll (difficulty 9) to avoid throwing it up immediately. Consuming the tar deals two levels of aggravated damage, which may be soaked with Fortitude.

This tar remains within the body of the Mystic for a number of nights equal to the successes rolled. At any point while bearing the tar, the Abyss Mystic may roll a Courage test (difficulty 6) to vomit the tar in a shower of unnatural darkness that filters through the air like inky bubbles, gravitating to any light. The tar wraps itself around any such light, and prevents it from relighting for the remainder of the night. The radius over which the tar will travel is equal to 10 meters (11 yards) per success on the Courage test.

This does not protect from the sun.

##### **Balthazar’s Revelation**

This strange expression of Abyss Mysticism comes from the Kiasyd bloodline. It peels back the veils that keep a stable mind safe from the dark truths of the world. The ritualist enchants a small object, usually a coin. Anyone holding the coin must make a Willpower roll, difficulty 9 minus their Obtenebration rating. Failure imposes a Derangement chosen when the object was enchanted, which lasts until the victim has spent Willpower equal to the ritualist’s Obtenebration rating. Additionally, the victim sees nightshades and other strange entities everywhere. This causes +2 difficulty to all Perception rolls, and +2 to all Courage difficulties so long as the Derangement persists.

##### **Calling the Hungry Shade**

With this ritual, the Mystic calls a Hungry Shade, a human-sized soldier of the Abyss. Eternally hungry and fiercely independent, they will attempt to destroy any vampire foolish enough to summon them.

System: Beginning just after dusk, the Mystic paints a circle in his own blood. She spends hours in chants of evocation, completing the summoning just after moonset. Upon completion, the Mystic rolls Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 9. The difficulty may be lowered by 1 for each additional Mystic that assists in the ritual, with a maximum number of participants equal to the caster’s Occult rating. Failure means the ritual fails to produce a Shade, and a botch results in the Shade attacking the caster.

Attributes: Strength, Stamina, Dexterity
Abilities: Alertness, Athletics, Brawl, Intimidation, Melee, Stealth
It also possesses the following:
Disciplines: Assign a number of points to Disciplines equal to the caster’s rating in Obtenebration.
The Hungry Shade may not possess Disciplines not known by the caster or assisting Mystics (if any).
Willpower: 6
Health: 12

On a success, the Mystic summons a Hungry Shade. The Hungry Shade possesses Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina equal to the caster’s rating in Obtenebration, with a maximum value of 4. It is always in shadow form, as Talon of the Abyss.

##### **Claiming the Dark**

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.

##### **One with the Dark**

Accessing the Abyss within is a physical ordeal, producing convulsions in the Cainite attempting to do so and requiring a great expenditure of blood. Despite this, Abyss Mystics are enthusiastic to become One with the Dark, teaching this ritual with great pomp and pageantry. Those Mystics who are One with the Dark are seen not as novices, but as adepts — fully prepared to sacrifice their souls for hidden truths, forbidden knowledge, and greater power.

System: The Abyss Mystic must be in an Oubliette, or an enclosed space with no light on a night of the half moon. He must prepare his body with ritual tattoos designed by master Mystics, said to be in the language of the Abyss. Stripped naked and covered in pitch, the Cainite convulses and produces a minimum of three blood points from his orifices, requiring a Stamina + Occult roll (difficulty 6). Each success grants the Mystic a secret belonging to any of the Cainites named in the ritual — the secrets to be determined by the Storyteller — and makes the skin of the Abyss Mystic turn an unnatural, smoking black in color. The Abyss Mystic’s Appearance rises to four dots, or by one dot regardless of Generation limits — whichever would be higher — until the next half moon; if the Cainite is on any Road other than that of Sin or the Abyss, performing this ritual reduces the rating by one permanently. On a failure, the ritual does not succeed and his peers shun the Abyss Mystic for at least a month. On a botch, every Cainite in the local domain sees the Abyss Mystic’s secrets while they sleep.

##### **Summoning the Blatherskites**

Mystics publicly snub those who practice this ritual.

Blatherskites are uncontrollable Abyssal entities known for attacking victims randomly, albeit in a devastating manner. When Lasombra wish for chaos to reign in a rival domain, however, blatherskites ease from the shadows to tear herds and retainers apart. Mystics may deny involvement, but this ritual sees increasing use as Magisters secure their grip on the Sea of Shadows.

System: The Cainite incanting this ritual must have familiarity with the domain in which she wishes the blatherskites to emerge, having already succeeded on a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 6) on a night prior to the summoning, in order to identify the darkest cracks. From these, the blatherskites birth. The Abyss Mystic must submerge herself in a body of water and make an extended test of Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 7) with a target of 10, 15, or 20 successes. Over the course of that night, for each target number hit, a blatherskite emerges in the chosen domain and attacks at random whomever it comes across. You do not choose a target; another blatherskite emerges at each benchmark. It can only be harmed by aggravated damage and it melts when the sun rises. On a botched extended test, a blatherskite emerges from the body of water in which the Cainite performs the rite, and attacks its summoner. The blatherskite’s statistics are stated on Blatherskites.

##### **The Third Eye of Rickard Argentis**

This ritual summons forth a mysterious third eye, forged from abyssal energies, which rests upon the caster’s forehead and protects him from harm. The ritual takes ten minutes to cast as close to dusk as he is able, at which time the caster chooses how much blood to invest in the eye. At any time the caster would be ambushed or surprised, the eye will expend one of the blood so invested. When this happens, the caster automatically succeeds on the roll to react to surprise, and the eye reflexively summons forth one Arm of Ahriman (see Obtenebration) against his attacker, which can act immediately. If the player chooses to expend further blood points, additional Arms can be summoned against other attackers, but no more than one per attacker.

Once the blood is fully expended, the eye vanishes until recast.

#### **Level Four Rituals**

##### **Boukephos’ Gateway**

This ritual is fraught with peril. Abyss Mystics who open their souls to the Abyss irrevocably change their beings, putting power within easy reach but potentially damning the practitioners. The infamous Boukephous designed the ritual as a lesson to Mystics who dabble but do not embrace the Abyss. Boukephos’ Gateway makes clear the breadth of powers a Lasombra can attain, if only he is prepared to accept the risk of destruction.

System: The Abyss Mystic spends one whole night staring into a mirror, only darkness reflected back. As the night proceeds, the Mystic must spend three Willpower points, and then succeed on a Conviction roll (difficulty 8) on which no Willpower can be spent. The vampire remains in place, staring at the mirror, even after the sun comes up. Another three Willpower points must be spent, and another Conviction roll must be made (difficulty 9) on which no temporary Willpower points can be spent. Come the following night, the vampire turns from the mirror having gazed into the Abyss and her own, empty soul. If successful, the Cainite bears a broad grin and is now on the Road of the Abyss. In addition, he spends one fewer blood point on Obtenebration powers forevermore. On a failure, the vampire can never move on to the Road of the Abyss, but can attempt the ritual again for the Obtenebration benefit. A botch results in the vampire falling directly into torpor, from which only the vitae of a Lasombra of lower Generation can rouse her. She may never attempt the ritual again, and gains a Derangement.

##### **Lord Aludian’s Orifices**

This ignominiously named ritual is one of the strangest and most horrific among those practiced by the Abyss Mystics. Lord Aludian Thex, in his role as courtier and spy, often uses his body as a weapon; and as such, Clan Lasombra prizes him as a merciless killer and true Magister. Thex devised a way for the Abyss to exist in his body, allowing him to sacrifice anyone who breaches it. On the battlefield, the utility of this ritual is limited at best. In the bedchamber, Lord Aludian’s Orifices are deadly.

System: The Cainite must for an hour seclude herself in an Oubliette, or a subterranean cave on a night of the full moon. During this time, she must force vitae into each of her orifices, until they swell and blush with life, at a cost of two blood points. The vampire must then make a Stamina + Medicine roll (difficulty 6); a success results in the blood turning black and forming small gateways into the Abyss.

Failure produces no effect, while a botch causes the vampire two levels of aggravated damage, which can be soaked with Fortitude. Any being who enters anything inside one of the orifices — while having sex, for instance — loses one blood point a turn. A reflexive Perception + Awareness roll will notice this, requiring five successes minus the blood lost (to a minimum of one). Attempting to extract the penetrative party causes one level of aggravated damage a turn for as long as the Abyss Mystic successfully grapples her prey. It is possible to utterly consume a victim this way, devouring his weakened body via an Abyss-linked orifice.

##### **Maw of Ahriman**

Once a caster has invoked this ritual, her mouth becomes a portal to the Abyss. She may not speak or make sounds, and anyone looking into her mouth will see a deep chasm of blackness beyond instead of the workings of human physiology.

System: The caster may consume anything she can fit into her mouth, eradicating the item (or creature, or part of a creature) utterly by absorbing it into the Abyss. Biting an opponent deals aggravated damage as per a standard bite, but also removes one Willpower dot from the opponent’s total Willpower. Willpower lost in this manner may not be regained for one lunar month. The effects of this ritual last until the next sunrise, or the caster may end the ritual at any time.

Side Effect: The caster cannot speak or otherwise use her vocal cords, mouth, tongue, or fangs for the duration of this ritual’s effects.

##### **Vision of Shadow**

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.

#### **Level Five Rituals**

##### **Ahriman’s Wight**

By drawing on the Abyss in time of need, a caster may allow the sentience within the darkness to move through their very spirit and reinforce his flesh.

System: After casting this ritual, the character gains a number of additional “Shadow” wound levels at the “Wounded” health level, equal to his dots in Obtenebration. However, if the character takes an injury that crosses off one of these Shadow health levels, he loses a commensurate number of dots of Obtenebration as well. Dots of Obtenebration lost in this way return after one week.

Side Effect: While this ritual is in effect, all failed rolls using the caster’s Conscience/Conviction are considered to be botches.

##### **Beckon the Ingurgitant**

Abyss Mystics know the horror of the Ingurgitant Vortex, and some believe it a grand idea to launch these dreaded beasts on their enemies. Ingurgitant vortices are difficult to coax away from the Abyss, so when a Mystic makes the attempt, she tends to aim the sucking hole at a rival Cainite’s haven, sleeping quarters, or even a throne if she’s intent on humiliation. Ingurgitant vortices have appeared in domains throughout the Sea of Shadows due to this ritual. Lasombra outside the Mystics find the practice of summoning these creatures abhorrent, and just cause for the elimination of Mystics operating outside the clan hierarchy.

System: The vampire must paint a spiral of vitae on the target area, spending two blood points per meter (1 yard) in intended vortex dimensions. The blood then soaks into whatever surface it’s painted on, leaving no stain. The Cainite must then chant and pray to the Abyss for an hour, within sight of the target area, spending two temporary points of Willpower. Finally, she must roll Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 6), with each success allowing the ingurgitant vortex to remain for two turns. Failure results in nothing happening; a botch prevents the Abyss Mystic from summoning any entities of the Abyss for seven nights. When any creature stands in close proximity to the painted sigil, the Abyss Mystic senses its presence and whether it’s a mortal or vampire. By spending a blood point, the vampire forces the ingurgitant vortex to form in the surface and attack whatever’s close by, strangling and chewing any victims, before dragging them to the Abyss. Those taken to the Abyss remain there for a number of nights equal to the Abyss Mystic’s Obtenebration rating, where they suffer the effects listed under Evocation of the Oubliette (see below).

The vortex’s statistics are stated on Ingurgitant Vortex.

##### **Commune with the Abyss**

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.

#### **Level Six Rituals**

##### **Into the Chasm**

With this ritual, the Mystic willingly enters the Abyss, traveling through the infinite realm of nothingness to journey to any location she has been previously.

**System:** In preparation, the Mystic spends one hour and three points of her own blood painting a doorway with glyphs of the Abyss. When finished, they roll Intelligence + Occult. On a botch, a portal to the Abyss opens in the doorway, but only long enough to discharge a number of Hungry Shades equal to the number of 1s rolled. A failure causes the glyphs to flare and disappear with no result. Success results in an open and stable portal with no backlash that remains open for as many turns as successes rolled.

Once a character steps through the portal, she speaks her destination to the Abyss and roll Wits + Obtenebration to open a portal out of the Abyss, difficulty 6. Each failed attempt increases the difficulty, to maximum of 10. Additionally, the Mystic takes a level of lethal damage that cannot be healed while within the portal. Botched attempts additionally attract a Hungry Shade.

Non-Mystics may enter an open portal into the Abyss by spending Willpower. The Mystic may choose to guide them by remaining in physical contact. Otherwise, her difficulty to exit the Abyss is 8. Non-Mystics cannot understand the formless chaos of the Abyss and see only total blackness. A Non-Mystic who attempts to use supernatural means of enhancing her senses while in the Abyss must make a Willpower roll or immediately gain a Derangement, as the horrible nothingness of the Abyss is often too much for non-Mystics to deal with.

Each time a vampire traverses the Abyss, they risk permanent contamination. Upon leaving the Abyss, each character must roll her Willpower against a difficulty equal to the number of rolls needed to exit the Abyss. A failure causes them to gain the Flaw Animate Shadow (see Flaws).

#### **Level Seven Rituals**

##### **Evocation of the Oubliette**

With this ability, the Mystic causes nearby shadows to erupt and devour a victim, sending them into the Abyss.

**Abyss:** The Mystic spends a full turn in concentration before spending three blood points and rolling Perception + Occult (difficulty 6) against a target that must be within line of sight. This attack may not be parried, but may be dodged. A successful attack results in the victim being dragged into the Abyss, where they remain for a number of nights equal to the caster’s Obtenebration rating - though the Mystic may spend a blood point to summon them back sooner.

The Abyss is a harrowing experience for those not initiated in its mysteries. Any character without levels of Abyss Mysticism gains a Derangement after her experience that can only be cured through repeated use of Willpower. A botched casting of this ritual results in the ritual backfiring and dragging the caster herself into the Abyss for a number of hours equal to her rating in Obtenebration. If the caster’s Willpower is lower than her rating in Obtenebration, she gains a Derangement as if she was a non-Mystic subject to this power.

A level 8 version of this ritual exists, known as Summoning of the Abyss. With this ritual, the Mystic speaks the name of a person they wish brought to them. That person is pulled into the Abyss, as above, and is immediately disgorged in the Mystic’s location, suffering all effects as above for traveling through the Abyss.

#### **Level Eight Rituals**

##### **Cry That Slays the Light**

This ability allows the vampire to tear a hole in the fabric of reality itself, causing the Abyss to cover the sky, blocking out the moon, stars, and even sunlight. The caster undertakes this ritual at peril of her very existence. This ritual is rare, even among Abyss Mystics, and has only been performed once in living memory.

System: In order to learn the Cry That Slays the Light, the vampire spends a week of nights in complete and utter silence, devoting every waking moment to meditation on her hatred of light and material existence. If at any point her silence is broken, they must begin again. Once the week has passed, roll Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 8. On a botch, the character is pulled into the Abyss for a period of one century per every 1 rolled. She remains alert and aware, never falling into torpor from blood starvation, and gains a number of Derangements equal to the number of 1s rolled.

On a success, the Mystic divines the shape of the word that encapsulates the Abyss. This word becomes part of the Mystic and cannot be discerned by another character through Telepathy or any other supernatural means. The Mystic may hold back this word as long as she chooses — days, years, decades - before she releases it and the Abyss darkens the sky for one hour. During this hour, all vampires are immune to Rötschreck and need not worry about sunlight, even at midday. Once the hour is over, the word fades from the Mystic’s mind and must be re-learned.

Even when successful, allowing oneself to be a direct conduit for the Abyss comes with dire risk. After using this power, roll a number of dice equal to the Mystic’s Road rating, difficulty 4. Each success allows the Mystic to retain two dots of her Road rating for Mystics on the Road of the Abyss, one dot for Mystics not on the Road of the Abyss. If the Mystic’s Road is reduced to 0 in this fashion, the Abyss utterly annihilates her existence.

##### **Lord Aludian Archaeus Thex’s Claim**

With most Abyss Mysticism rituals, a vampire pokes a subtle hole through reality, temporarily letting a primal, dark unknown through that portal. This phenomenal expression of tenebrous mastery tears down the boundaries between the realms of flesh and shadow on an almost permanent basis. This curses an area to become a hub of shadowy nightmares indefinitely.

This ritual requires an extended Manipulation + Occult roll, difficulty 8. Each roll represents one hour, and you can make rolls equal to your character’s Willpower dots. Five successes are required to claim a five meter diameter, and which can allow through one shade (see above). Additional successes can be spent to add an additional five meters to the diameter, or allow one additional shade to cross. These shades can leave the portal’s vicinity. However, the portal can only support atotal number of intruders as determined by the initial roll. Whenever a shade dies, it returns at dusk. The shades are completely subservient to the caster.

The portal only closes when voluntarily closed, exposed to sunlight, or to True Faith. A character may only have one such portal open at a time.

#### **Level Nine Rituals**

##### **Boukephos’ Chosen Oubliette**

Underground is where you will find the Mystics’ Oubliettes, in winding caverns and blood-streaked dungeons. Boukephos of Clan Lasombra refutes this need to hide from the stars. Whatever entity of the Abyss long ago possessed Boukephos, it made him form an Oubliette on the surface of the world, consuming the entire town of Latava and all occupants within. This Oubliette remained until the sun rose, at which point it dissipated, leaving only a scarred wasteland where a town once stood, and a lone survivor.

Mystics have long attempted to recreate Boukephos’ Oubliette, but few succeed.

System: The Abyss Mystic must paint a circle of pitch around the perimeter of an aboveground community — whether a hamlet, village, town, or city. This circle is broken if crossed by a child, or a believer with True Faith. Once the circle is in place, the Abyss Mystic must draw her own blood in its center, under the night’s sky, spending three blood points as she pools her vitae on the earth. The vampire must then spend one Willpower point, and succeed on an extended test of Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 8) with a target number of 8 successes for a small community, 15 for a large community, and 22 for a huge population center. These successes must be accumulated in the course of one night, and the practitioner cannot be disturbed, otherwise the ritual will fail. Upon the final success, the pitch circle surrounding the community ripples, and forms tall waves that crash into whatever lies within it. An aboveground Oubliette forms, and everything within it shifts to the Abyss. Once the night has passed and the Oubliette dissipates, only those within the Oubliette who achieved successes on a Willpower test (difficulty 9) remain, with a Derangement. Everyone else is taken to the Abyss, and will remain there for a number of nights equal to the Abyss Mystic’s Obtenebration rating, suffering the effects listed under the Oubliette Background. Botching the ritual results in the Abyss Mystic disappearing into the heart of the Abyss forever.

The practitioner is not recoverable.