Christopher Kobar et al

Lasombra

You may rule from the shadows, but I am the shadows.

The Ventrue lineage called Lasombra

flourishes in Spain and Italy, though

members of the bloodline have moved to

other countries as well. Potentially over a

hundred Lasombra now walk the night,

an impressive number for a bloodline

that’s just five centuries old.

According to accepted histories, the

bloodline began with a Ventrue named

Betriz, a Spanish abbess Embraced in the

kingdom of Aragon during the 14th centu-

ry. Betriz maintained connections with the

royal family of Aragon, and stronger con-

nections with select members of the Spanish

church hierarchy. Her undeath and damna-

tion did not quench Betriz’s piety. If anything,

her devotion burned stronger. Betriz never claimed

that she drove the Christian reconquista of Spain from the

Moors, but she certainly became an important supporter in the

long struggle.

During the 15th century, Betriz fought and destroyed a mortal

mage. As a result, Betriz developed a shadow-shaping Disci-

pline that she called Obtenebration. Other Kindred learned to

fear its eerie power and dubbed her La Sombra Prelada, “the

Shadow Abbess.” Betriz also rose to become the Sanctified

Bishop of Barcelona and, in time, its Cardinal. In the 16th cen-

tury, Betriz sired eight childer (an unprecedented number with-

in just 100 years) and maneuvered them into positions of power

throughout Spain and Aragon’s possession in Italy. Her childer

followed Betriz’s example by cultivating influence within the

Roman Catholic Church. They also inherited her mastery of

Obtenebration. By the early 18th Century, her descendants

achieved general recognition among Europe’s Kindred as a dis-

tinct bloodline, the Lasombra.

Cardinal Betriz remained one of Europe’s most powerful Kin-

dred, in blood, descendants and mortal influence, into the 18th

century and despite two voluntary torpors. She disappeared

after a fire destroyed her haven. Some Kindred in Barcelona,

and many of her descendants, suspect that Betriz still exists but

chooses to exercise power from even deeper in the shadows.

The Lasombra stand out as some of the most ambitious and

despotic members of an ambitious and despotic clan. The Con-

fessors seldom play the emotional games of other Ventrue.

They prefer the mastery of Dominate and the subtle terrors of

Obtenebration… and a great deal of blackmail. Lasombra have

a reputation for moving among their enemies as unnoticed

shadows, hearing their secrets. These “confession,” however,

only remain secret if the Kindred do what the Lasombra wants.

The Confessors are also not above threat-

ening the kine associates of their victims.

Many Lasombra keep a connection to

the Roman Catholic Church and wrap

their ruthless power-mongering in a cloak

of religious authority as the mailed left fist

of God. These Lasombra repeat Betriz’s

argument that the Kindred have a place

in God’s plan. They are the evil that ex-

ists to remind mortals to fear God and

seek His protection, and to punish mor-

tals when they stray. The Lasombra claim

the right to rule other Kindred because

they see this duty most clearly. Some of

them even believe it.

Parent Clan: Ventrue

Nickname: Confessors

Covenant: Most Lasombra join the Lancea Sanctum. They

have become an important force in the sect, and they supply

some of the Sanctified’s leading ideologues. Their moral influ-

ence stretches far beyond Europe. Invictus Lasombra tend to

care less about the forms of tradition and more about maintain-

ing power over kine and other Kindred. Some of the youngest

Lasombra chafe at the slow pace of advancement in the

Invictus and the Sanctified, and they turn to the Ordo Dracul

or Carthians in hopes of gaining power more quickly in these

less traditional sects. So far, few Lasombra join the Circle of the

Crone, and the notion of an unaligned Lasombra sounds more

like a joke than any Confessor’s true political stance.

The Confessors in other covenants still tend to keep strong

ties to Sanctified Lasombra. In fact, it’s not unusual for

Lasombra to serve as double agents within a covenant — pre-

tending to serve the goals and believe the doctrines of a cove-

nant, while actually remaining loyal to the Lancea Sanctum.

Loyalty to the bloodline, however, often trumps all other alle-

giances.

Appearance: So far, most Lasombra come from Spanish or

Italian stock (including Sardinia and Corsica). They show the

same range of appearance as south European mortals, from the

duskiness of a part-Moorish Andalusian to the blonde hair of a

part-Nordic Lombard. They dress as tastefully and expensively

as other Ventrue do. Some young Lasombra follow more con-

temporary, radical-chic fashions, such as fine leather jackets

instead of tailored silk suits or clerical habits.

Haven: Many Lasombra seek luxurious havens that reflect

their own wealth and power, such as secluded mansions, flashy

condominiums or pricy townhouses. The fraction that operates

within the Church (or at least appears to do so) often lodges

Christopher Kobar et al

within churches or small monasteries, enslaving the priest or

other residents as their retainers.

Background: The Lasombra look for ambition in prospective

childer. Some prefer to look among the upper classes, who ac-

cept power as their due. Others prefer to watch the lower and

middle classes, for people with the will to lift themselves from

humble origins. Most new Lasombra follow professional con-

cepts. The bloodline retains an edge of piety as well. Some

Lasombra still prefer to take childer from holy orders, and few

Lasombra childer were notably irreligious before the Embrace.

Confessors who were in holy orders when alive may adopt other

occupations in undeath, as part of their personal Masquerade.

Many Lasombra cultivate contacts, allies or influence within

the Church (or Catholic lay orders such as Opus Dei), though

they take power wherever they can get it. For all their aristo-

cratic pretensions, few Lasombra scruple to gain influence

among the lower classes. Unlike some Ventrue lineages, the

Lasombra recruit from women as much as men.

Bloodline Disciplines: Dominate, Majesty, Obtenebration,

Resilience

Weakness: The Lasombra retain the Ventrue’s propensity for

madness. In the case of Lasombra who operate within the

Church, derangement often takes the form of religious obses-

sion. For instance, a Confessor might refuse to conduct serious

business with another Kindred until they both scourge them-

selves and pray for God to forgive their sins. Lasombra also suf-

fer a greater fear of sunlight and fire than other Kindred. The

10 again rule does not apply to Lasombra for rolls to resist fear

frenzies triggered by flame or light. Additionally, any 1s that

come up on the roll subtract from successes. (This latter part of

the weakness does not affect dramatic failure rules.)

Organization: Barcelona remains the center of the bloodline.

Betriz’s eldest surviving childe still rules the city’s Kindred as

her viceroy. Sires stay in contact with their childer, even after

centuries of separation. Elder Lasombra often demand that

their childer’s childer spend at least a year under their grand-

sire’s training, to make sure they can uphold Lasombra tradition

and prestige.

Concepts: Priest to the Damned, mob boss, shadowy head-

mistress, high-class madam, business tycoon, political consult-

ant, retired army officer, Our Lady of the Addicts

History

Until the Nineteenth Century, the history of the Lasombra

was the history of its founder, the Shadow Abbess Betriz. For

centuries, she shaped the Lasombra into an instrument of her

will. Some Kindred wonder if she still guides the bloodline from

the shadows — or from beyond the shadow of Final Death.

Life and Death

Betriz Maria de Castrovejo y Gasset was born near the end of

the Thirteenth Century. She came from a noble family of Ara-

gon. She distinguished herself at an early age for fervent piety.

Noble families often sent sons and daughters into the Church

to watch out for their interests in that powerful institution. Her

parents readily acceded to Betriz’ desire to become a Domini-

can nun.

Betriz distinguished herself through her writing. A collection

of her mystical meditations on the suffering of Christ and the

martyrs was popular for a time (though now known only to a

few historians). She also wrote a series of letters to kings and

nobles exhorting them to war against the Moors who still ruled

part of the Iberian peninsula. In time, Betriz’ political skills and

piety made her abbess of a Dominican nunnery in Barcelona.

They also brought her to the attention of Bohemund of Mar-

sala. This Norman knight from Sicily fought in the Crusades

before his Embrace into the Ventrue clan. Two centuries of

undeath did not quench Bohemund’s desire to reclaim Chris-

tian territory from the Paynim. He saw Betriz as a tool to pro-

mote the reconquest of the Iberian peninsula. Betriz spent ten

years as Bohemund’s ghoul, making contacts among Aragon’s

nobility and bishops and arranging her affairs for after her tran-

sition to undeath. Betriz remained abbess for 20 years after her

Embrace.

Eventually, she faked her death and left the abbey, though

not Barcelona. Betriz remained powerful in the Church, how-

ever, by enslaving nuns and priests to her blood and her will.

Many noble daughters of Aragon received Betriz’ the Domini-

can tutelage. Those who became nuns joined Betriz’ propagan-

da machine, while the girls who returned home passed Betriz’s

views to their families. It was soft power, but she could open

many doors to other Kindred through her aristocratic and

Church connections. She also gained a stable of informants

about the plans and activities of the nobility.

Like her sire, Betriz joined the Lancea Sanctum. Undeath did

not reduce her piety. Her tracts on the role of the Kindred as

God’s scourge against mortal wickedness remain popular in that

covenant. Early in the Fifteenth Century, she became the Sanc-

tified’s Bishop in Barcelona.

Betriz’ secret influence within the Church attracted less wel-

come attention, too. In 1448, she clashed with a mortal mystic,

a fellow Dominican who possessed magical powers. Although

this monk’s sorcery made him as much a violation of the order’s

doctrines as Betriz, he sought to destroy the vampire and purge

her influence from the Church. Their duel lasted a full year, as

they hunted each other’s servants and allies. The monk finally

found the vampire’s haven and tried to expel her into the Out-

er Darkness of destruction. Instead, Betriz slew the mystical

monk, a deed that further raised her prestige among Barcelona’s

Kindred and helped her become a primogen several years later.

No one knew right away that the monk’s curse changed

Betriz’ potent vitae. Only Betriz herself knew when her power

over shadow first manifested. She kept her new Discipline se-

cret for decades. Only much later did other Kindred realize how

Betriz must have spied on them in the form of a shadow. By

1500, the onetime abbess arranged her promotion from

primogen to prince and cardinal, as one of the most powerful

Kindred in the new kingdom of Spain.

Her new rank brought Betriz new enemies, from primogen

who sought to usurp her in turn to jealous rivals within her own

covenant. A group of Carthians tried to murder Betriz in 1512,

and she escaped by turning into a shadow. Much to her annoy-

ance, did not manage to destroy or drive away the Carthians

before they told other Kindred about Betriz’ power. Her

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primogen council demanded that Betriz demonstrate and ex-

plain her power, which made it common knowledge among all

Barcelona’s Kindred. Betriz’ new Discipline, with her remaining

ties to the Roman Catholic Church, immediately led to her

nickname of the Shadow Abbess. Her Mekhet primogen coined

the name of Obtenebration for the new Discipline.

Becoming known as the inceptor of a Discipline raised Betriz’

prestige even further among the Lancea Sanctum, and rein-

forced her rule over Barcelona’s Kindred. No one dared to chal-

lenge the Shadow Abbess. Betriz used her immense prestige to

fight a new foe she considered deadlier than any she faced be-

fore: the Reformation.

Betriz wanted the Lancea Sanctum to silence Martin Luther

and his followers. After centuries of undeath and predation, the

Shadow Abbess still considered herself a loyal daughter of Holy

Mother Rome and took Luther’s defiance as an attack on

Christ Himself. She soon found the limits of her influence in

the covenant. Bishops in other cities considered the Refor-

mation a merely mortal affair, or they did not want to be seen

following another Sanctified’s lead. A number of anonymous

tracts circulated through the Lancea Sanctum, accusing Betriz

of seeking to become a “She-Pope” of the covenant.

Since the Shadow Abbess found herself without Kindred al-

lies who shared her obsession, she made her own. No Kindred

known has equaled Betriz’ record of siring eight childer in one

century. She also “adopted” four Ventrue neonates. All her

childer came from Church backgrounds as priests, monks, nuns

and lay devotees. Once she considered each childe adequately

trained, she sent him or her to another city to work their way

into the Lancea Sanctum or Ventrue power structures and op-

pose the Reformation any way they could. Most of her childer

hid their identities. A few operated openly as envoys from the

Shadow Abbess to princes or bishops who sought her favor for

one reason or another.

Early in the Seventeenth Century, Betriz found the potency

of her own blood too much a burden and entered a voluntary

torpor. Her eldest childe, Monsignor Tebaldo d’Arroscas, ruled

Barcelona’s Kindred as her proxy during her torpor. During his

regency, the Monsignor proved that he knew Obtenebration.

After Betriz awoke and resumed the cardinalcy, she ceased sir-

ing childer but continued to adopt other Ventrue into what

Barcelona’s Kindred now acknowledged as a distinct bloodline,

the Lasombra. The rest of Europe took longer to learn about

the Lasombra, since so many Confessors hid their identities.

After Betriz

The Cardinal’s campaign to quash the Reformation proved

almost totally ineffectual. A few dozen Kindred simply could

not control events on an international scale. By the Eighteenth

Century, some of Betriz’s childer gave up the project as hope-

less, and simply tried to acquire power in the Lancea Sanctum,

the Roman Catholic Church and the secular world. Betriz,

shielded by distance from her childer, did not know how far

they strayed and took another voluntary torpor. Once again,

Monsignor d’Arroscas served as her regent. By the time she

woke again, the Lasombra were widely known in Europe as new

but large bloodline.

The Shadow Abbess continued to exhort the Lancea Sanc-

tum to support Holy Mother Church against Protestant heresy,

but her influence evaporated beyond Barcelona. Other Sancti-

fied elders still respected Betriz for her work at developing and

explaining the covenant’s doctrines, but her campaign against a

social movement now centuries old made younger Sanctified

view her as a crackpot.

In 1839, Betriz’ haven — a small nunnery she’d used for dec-

ades — burned down during the day. Barcelona’s Kindred pre-

sumed the Shadow Abbess had met Final death at last. Very

few of Barcelona’s Kindred believed the fire was an accident.

One popular theory suggests that a group of primogen arranged

the cardinal’s murder to clear the way for new leadership. An-

other theory says that rivals in the Lancea Sanctum murdered

Betriz. Other Kindred speculate that Monsignor d’Arroscas did

it, to secure his sire’s job for good. A few Kindred even wonder

if Betriz burned herself… as a suicide so she could face God’s

judgment at last, or to fake her Final Death as part of a deep-

laid scheme.

After a year of infighting, Monsignor d’Arroscas established

himself as her successor. Betriz’ childe refused to take the titles

of prince, bishop or cardinal, though. He declared himself

merely the regent of Betriz, until God chose to return her. The

Monsignor met Final Death himself during the chaos of the

Spanish Civil War. Betriz’ next childe, a former nun like Betriz

named Corazón Almagro, took the regency in turn and remains

leader of Barcelona’s Kindred. Unfortunately for romantics with

fantasies of Betriz returning to power in the guise of her own

childe, the city’s elders remember many times when Betriz and

Corazón were seen together.

The Twentieth Century saw steady expansion of the

Lasombra. The bloodline chiefly grew through Embrace; adop-

tion of Ventrue neonates declined without Betriz’ powerful

blood and driving will to build an organization throughout Eu-

rope. Several Lasombra made the perilous journey to other con-

tinents. At least two dozen Lasombra now dwell in Latin Amer-

ica, and smaller numbers occupy North America and the Phil-

ippines. The bloodline’s most rapid growth now occurs in these

“colonial” regions rather than in Europe.

Society and Culture

The Lasombra never suffered any serious conflict within its

ranks. Some Confessors cut their ties to the Shadow Abbess,

but no Lasombra directly challenged her leadership of the

bloodline. While Betriz existed, most Lasombra schooled their

childer in loyalty and obedience as carefully as the Shadow Ab-

bess trained them. The bloodline no longer pretends to serve

one overriding goal. The Lasombra retain strong loyalty to each

other, though. A Confessor must work to sever ties with the

rest of her bloodline.

Cestus Dei

Members of the Lancea Sanctum often study Cestus Dei, a

collection of Betriz’ commentaries on the Testament of Longi-

nus. The title roughly translates as “God’s Brass Knuckles.”

Older Lasombra, most of them Betriz’ childer or adoptees, still

insist that sires catechize their childer from Cestus Dei. Few

Christopher Kobar et al

Lasombra now follow Betriz’ teachings in every detail, but the

book still shapes the attitudes of many Confessors.

This slim volume puts forth the argument that undeath is not

some pointless curse inflicted on humanity. Rather, God creat-

ed vampires to serve as His instrument to test and punish a

sinful humanity. Just as God permitted Satan to torment Job as

a test of his faith, the Kindred may tempt and torment mortals

to expose their secret sins. A sin committed in thought con-

signs one to Hell just as surely as one committed in the flesh;

but sin can only be exposed and punished once a person actual-

ly commits an evil deed. Therefore, vampires should push mor-

tals to act on whatever vices lurk in their hearts: Once a mortal

confronts his own depravity, he will repent and ask God’s for-

giveness if he is truly righteous at heart, whereas he might have

died unrepentant and damned otherwise. If a mortal refuses to

repent, he should die, so he cannot lead other people into sin.

The greatest sins, Betriz argued, are despair and lack of faith

in God. Through their depredations, vampires automatically

tempt mortals with the sin of despair, through fear for their own

lives and grief at the deaths of their loved ones. Cestus Dei en-

courages vampires to prolong the hunt, giving the victim’s fear

time to grow.

The book also recommends that vampires make their feeding

as frightening as possible: Terror shall teach mortals how quick-

ly death may come, and so impel them to make peace with

God. Those who fear God, Betriz reminds her readers, have

nothing to fear from death.

Betriz taught her childer, however, not to kill a victim begged

God’s forgiveness and protection — not unless they were sure

the mortal had recently attended Mass, or had received confes-

sion and absolution. She considered it unjust to kill anyone

whose fate after death lay in doubt: A mortal who died before

the Church could shrive him might still go to Hell despite his

repentance. Many Lasombra, and other Sanctified, dispute the

point and argue that a repentant but unshriven victim merely

goes to Purgatory. Others suggest that a mortal who dies while

praying has a better chance of Heaven than at any other time,

so this is the best time to kill a victim.

Cestus Dei has more to say about the Kindred’s duties when

people commit evil openly and without repentance. In this

case, Betriz exhorts her readers to strike in God’s name with all

their power — to make an example of the evildoers that will

terrify others and remind them of their duty to God.

When a mortal responds to temptation and terror with reso-

lute faith and virtue, however, Cestus Dei tells Lasombra to

rejoice and thank God. The chance to witness true holiness is a

gift greater than rubies and sweeter than vitae. Betriz exhorts

her readers to defend such holy mortals as fervently as they

tested them before, even to sacrificing their unlives. Following

Betriz’ own example, Lasombra often write accounts of mortals

who resisted their worst torments, or who confessed their

crimes and found their way back to righteousness. Such testa-

ments help Lasombra and other Sanctified combat despair at

their own damnation.

Power in the Shadows

Vampires’ supernatural gifts are not enough for them to serve

as God’s Brass Knuckles. They need worldly power as well.

Betriz particularly sought influence in the Roman Catholic

Church, because she considered it the most important of all

institutions. The Church needed the most protection, and the

most severe testing to winnow out sin.

Betriz also came from an age when the Church could humble

kings, or at least strongly encourage them to negotiate. She

never really accepted the Church’s decline in power. Therefore,

she helped her childer build influence in the Church, as she did

herself. Betriz never told her childer or disciples to restrict

themselves to the Church, though. In fact, she taught them to

use their influence in the Church as a springboard to any sort of

power they could find, over Kindred and kine alike.

Lasombra seek influence in business, politics, Kindred society

and everywhere else, just like other Ventrue, but they have a

few favored venues and methods.

Their Disciplines provide their first avenue of power. The

Lasombra discard their parent clan’s facility with Animalism;

Betriz did not consider animals very useful as tools. She wanted

to control the emotions of Kindred and kine, not just their

thoughts, and so she gave her childer an aptitude for Majesty

instead.

Kindred who encounter Lasombra often note the Confessor’s

readiness to employ both supernatural charisma and outright

mind control in pursuit of their goals. Lasombra often use both

Disciplines when they recruit mortal minions. Majesty removes

a mortal’s will to resist: He wants to believe whatever the Con-

fessor tells him, and then Dominate adjusts his thoughts and

memories so he thinks his new goals are his own idea. Lasombra

often condition their minions to incredible loyalty.

The Confessors’ chief use for Obtenebration is to spy on other

people. Vampires often keep the lights low anyway, so who

would notice one more shadow? Lasombra use their unique

Discipline in many other ways, though. Vampires spend much

of their time in darkness; but even a vampire might not notice

an area of even deeper darkness where a Lasombra might hide.

Animating shadows and changing their shape can provoke

vague disquiet or stark fear, depending on how obvious the

Lasombra makes the alterations. Lasombra can also use shad-

ow-play to send simple, silent messages: While a Confessor talks

about one subject, shadows act out playlets about something

else, or twist into words. A Lasombra who fully masters the

Discipline can reach almost any place she can see: Just about

every location a vampire might go has a shadow nearby. For

instance, a Confessor who wants to kill someone inside a locked

building could look through an uncurtained window, step into a

shadow, and emerge from another shadow inside the building

— and then leave the same way, leaving a perfect locked-room

mystery.

Disciplines, however, merely ease the way in gathering power

over Kindred and kine. Many Lasombra still use the Church as

their first avenue of mortal power. In strongly Catholic coun-

tries such as Spain, Italy or Mexico, the Church remains highly

influential. Priests (and to a lesser degree, nuns and friars) in-

Christopher Kobar et al

teract with mortals from every level of society; few doors are

closed to them, and this mere fact of access is a useful commod-

ity a Lasombra can sell to other Kindred. They hear confessions

— a valuable source of information for blackmail, or simply to

learn the passions and vices by which a mortal may be tempted,

bought or threatened. The spiritual authority of the Church

compels obedience from the faithful: Congregations offer a re-

serve of political power, mobs to put pressure on secular author-

ities, or simply a pool of labor. Lay orders are especially useful

for the Lasombra, since their members tend to be especially

fervent and loyal to each other: Ambitious people in business

and politics may join a lay order simply for the chance to net-

work… conveniently gathering them in one body for a

Lasombra to cultivate them as contacts or enthrall them as

minions. Tithes and Church properties can finance other ven-

tures. Church-run schools place the children of the faithful in a

Lasombra’s claws, to indoctrinate or hold as hostages for their

parents’ good behavior.

Exploiting the Church demands a lot of careful work from a

Lasombra, though. The faithful usually expect to see their priest

during the day, at some point or another. Lasombra usually find

they must drop out of direct Church participation and work

through mortal proxies, or at least use mortals to cover for

them: “I’m sorry, you just missed Father Alvarez, but maybe he

can see you this evening.”

Even the most pious congregant may also grow suspicious if

their local priest, monk or nun keeps recruiting them for pro-

jects or protest rallies that have nothing to do with Church

affairs or their own lives. For instance, a Confessor might have

trouble convincing a Catholic contractor that adding secret

chambers to a church’s crypt is a pious activity. The Church

also watches its own finances closely: A Lasombra might ex-

plain funneling money into a new software company as a ven-

ture to build the Church’s assets, but a (mortal) archbishop’s

auditor might look askance at payoffs to local crime bosses.

Despite these difficulties, a clever and circumspect Lasombra

can leverage influence in the Church into a spreading web of

secret power they can turn against their rivals, or sell to their

supplicants. Betriz taught her childer to shirk from no crime or

betrayal in their pursuit of power. They were already Damned;

their deeds were redundant.

On the other hand, she also drilled into her childer that noth-

ing they did was for themselves. Every deed, and all the power

they gained, they must dedicate to the greater glory of God.

The Lord would not pardon them because of their devotion,

but they must serve Him anyway. At most, God might reward

the Damned by granting them annihilation after Final Death

— instead of the eternal torment given to the unrepentant and

defiant.

Most Lasombra prefer not to combat what they perceive as

heresy or evil through direct attack. They regard themselves as

priests, not soldiers. Confessors prefer to recruit other people,

Kindred or kine, to perform any violence. Lasombra don’t get

their way by threatening to beat people up, or even through the

direct use of Dominate and Majesty to compel obedience. More

often, a Confessor obtains service by threatening someone’s

reputation, assets, or loved ones — or simply by possessing the

authority to give a command.

Favored Offices

Like other Ventrue, Confessors usually seek offices and titles

in Kindred society, and often obtain them. They favor some

offices more than others — though of course, every Lasombra

creates her own career. Any statement about “most” Confessors

might not apply to any particular individual. A Lasombra may

also take whatever office she can, and make the most of it until

some more congenial position becomes available. The

Lasombra often make their own job openings.…

• Prince: The highest Kindred office is not the one most

sought-after by Lasombra. While the Prince wields the greatest

authority in a Kindred community, he also attracts the most

envy and hatred. Many Lasombra prefer to take offices with a

lower profile — to be the kingmaker rather than the king. So

far, the few Lasombra Princes all belong to the Lancea Sanctum

and therefore use the title of Archbishop.

• Seneschal: Many Lasombra would rather be Seneschal than

Prince. “The Prince’s Shadow” — an unofficial nickname for a

Lasombra Seneschal — can easily become his gatekeeper,

screening the Prince’s information as well as his petitioners.

The Seneschal often handles night-to-night administration of

the Prince’s properties as well, and many Lasombra relish this

sort of direct, hands-on control.

• Herald: On the other hand, most Lasombra consider the

Herald’s post demeaning. The Herald is too much a subordi-

nate, with too little authority of his own. A Lasombra Herald

faces great temptation to misuse her role as the Prince’s proxy,

and issue commands she thinks the Prince ought to give.

• Primogen: The Lasombra are simply too new for many of

them to reach this office, which often requires seniority as well

as raw power.

• Priscus: Some older Lasombra manage to become Priscus

for the local Ventrue. Any Confessor who achieves this office

must be exceptionally ruthless, cunning and power-hungry even

by the standards of this ambitious and competitive clan. Since

the Priscus’ power depends entirely on her reputation and skill

as an arranger, troubleshooter and power-broker for her clan,

without the veneer of legitimacy and accountability that ac-

company other offices, many Lasombra consider this the perfect

title.

• Whip: Lasombra who prefer direct coercion through Disci-

plines and threats to more subtle forms of persuasion often seek

this office. Whips who also belong to the Lancea Sanctum often

bully their fellow Ventrue to support Sanctified theology and

attend the covenant’s ceremonies, even if they aren’t members.

A Lasombra Whip who tries to avoid this conflict of interest

may come under pressure from her bishop to represent the

Lancea Sanctum’s interests.

• Harpy: Most Lasombra disdain this office. Betriz had little

respect for public opinion in pursuing what she thought was

right and necessary. She taught her childer to share her con-

tempt, making the Lasombra notably unfriendly to Harpies.

• Sheriff: Though few Confessors seek this office, the few

who achieve it tend to be frighteningly enthusiastic about their

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job. The Sheriff has an active mandate to ferret out secrets and

force other Kindred to obey. Sanctified Sheriffs may believe

they uphold the laws of God as well as the Prince, and view

inquisition and punishment as holy acts. Such zeal can lead to

conflicts with their nominal master, who may want some crimes

to remain hidden.

• Hound: Lasombra often regard this office as too servile, but

some Confessors enjoy the license to push around other Kin-

dred.

• Master of Elysium: Lasombra who achieve this office gen-

erally make a mockery of it. Confessors face the temptation to

spy on their guests or temper with their minds, seeking influ-

ence for themselves instead of providing a neutral ground

where other Kindred can gather safely. The Lasombra are hard-

ly alone in this temptation, but perhaps they give in to it more

easily than other vampires might.

• Regent: The Lasombra actually prefer regency over uncon-

ventional domains. The Regent over a domain defined by an

institution or sphere of activity can push the boundaries of his

authority more easily than can a vampire whose tenurial do-

main is defined by geography. If the Prince says a vampire’s

regency extends to 30th Street, that vampire cannot easily ar-

gue he thought the Prince meant 35th Street instead. Where,

however, does authority over “monitoring the police” end, or

“media control”? A Lasombra who goes too far can simply apol-

ogize for his excessive zeal in seeking control over his delegated

institution, and thank the Prince for clarifying the limits of his

power. Regents often clash over the limits of their domains, but

the aggressive Lasombra are more likely to relish such conflicts

than avoid them.

Their favorite domain is, of course, the Church. A Prince of-

ten finds that a local Confessor is the “go-to guy” for anything

dealing with the Church, and formally recognizes that influence

through a regency. A Confessor can turn nearly any institution

or profession into a tool, however — and such a tenurial do-

main may entitle the Lasombra to enter and meddle in hunting

territories and geographical domains throughout the city.

Of course, many Lasombra seek offices in the Lancea Sanc-

tum as well as in general Kindred society.

• Bishop: For Lasombra who prefer covenant politics, this is

the highest honor they can attain. Zealous Confessors often feel

they are especially well qualified to lead their fellow Sanctified

and keep them focused on their covenant’s holy mission. Only

a cardinalcy, like Betriz’, could hold greater attraction.

• Priest: Few Lasombra don’t try to become Priest to their

pack. After all, not a few of them held some holy office in life,

and the bloodline’s tradition encourages them to see undeath as

a continuation of their duties (however twisted). Any Lasombra

who joins a multi-covenant coterie certainly faces pressure to

promote Sanctified views to other members. Even if a Confessor

doesn’t join the Lancea Sanctum, other Lasombra urge her to

act as a spiritual guide to her comrades.

• Inquisitor: This office holds every feature of the Hound or

Whip that could appeal to a Lasombra, and adds religious au-

thority to boot. Not a few Lasombra become Inquisitors. In-

deed, Betriz exhorted all her childer to expose and combat

heresy, whether the Lancea Sanctum gave them formal authori-

ty or not. Lasombra Inquisitors tend to approach their job with

utter devotion: A Confessor who abused his inquisitorial power

for entirely selfish ends would receive great scorn from other

Lasombra. If the Sanctified have one complaint against

Lasombra Inquisitors, it’s that they often show as much interest

in exposing the crimes of mortals as in enforcing orthodoxy

among vampires.

Devotions

Echo of the Subtle Vizier

(Dominate ••, Obtenebration ••)

A Lasombra with this power may silently whisper commands

to a target’s shadow without ever making a sound.

Cost: 1 Willpower

Dice Pool: This power involves no roll. It allows the Confes-

sor to follow up with an application of Dominate • or ••.

Action: Reflexive. The Willpower point is spent in the same

turn that the Lasombra uses Dominate. All rules, rolls and

modifiers apply to the use of the follow-up power, as normal.

Because Willpower is spent to activate Echo of the Subtle Vi-

zier in the same turn as Dominate, Willpower may not be spent

to increase dice pools during that turn.

This power costs 12 experience points to learn.

Eminence of Shade

(Dominate •••••, Obtenebration •••••)

This power allows a vampire to become insubstantial and

physically enter a host, controlling them from within like an

obscene marionette.

Cost: 1 Vitae, 1 Willpower.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Intimidation + Dominate versus

Resolve

Action: Contested.

The vampire must be in shadow form, and must surround a

target. There is no “discreet” way of doing this other than doing

it in a secluded area, as victims will panic and scream as they

fight back. This facilitates the physical union of the vampire in

the body, as it enters any available orifice.

The Eminence of Shade is different from Possession, in that

the possession is rapid and unstable, and leaves the victim some

willpower. The physical presence of the vampire in all parts of

the victim’s bloodstream allows him to overwhelm what’s left.

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The vampire becomes a prisoner inside the

target’s body, vaguely able to perceive what he does but unable

to leave. The vampire may attempt to escape with a Resolve +

Stamina roll, maximum of one per hour. Tales tell of foolish

vampires who were trapped only to free themselves too close to

dawn to find safety.

Failure: If the victim acquires more successes, it resists the

vampire’s attempts.

Success: If the vampire acquires more successes, it takes pos-

session of the victim for a number of hours equal to its success-

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es. Subtract its successes from the victim’s willpower. The result

is the number of times per hour that a victim can attempt to

reestablish control.

Exceptional Success: As per Success, but the vampire may

re-enter the same target at a later night without spending a

Willpower point.

This power costs 30 experience points to learn.

Shadow Tentacles

(Obtenebration •• or •••••, Protean •••)

This notorious devotion has brought much notoriety and re-

spect to the Confessors. It seems like yet another fairytale to

keep fledglings in line; “Do not disrespect your sire or the Bish-

op, childe, for the shadow tentacles may get you”. Yet, the

threats come true by intolerant Lasombra elders who need to

keep the younger Sanctified in line, or even protect their do-

mains from intruders who have no idea what they’re up against.

The Lasombra using this power, either takes her Shadow Form,

as per the fifth-dot ability of Obtenebration, or manipulates

shadows into taking the form of the tentacles. Then, the tenta-

cles appear and spread around the caster, attacking according

to her commands.

Cost: 1 Vitae

Dice Pool: Wits + Crafts + Obtenebration.

Action: Instant

On a successful roll, a number of tentacles equal to the char-

acter’s Resolve transform from a disturbing two-dimensional

illusion into a tangible, six feet horror of great strength. The

tentacles have ratings in all physical attributes, equal to the

character’s ratings and can attack with a +1 damage modifier

(as well as grappling foes). They inflict lethal damage if the de-

votion is activated by the second-dot ability of Obtenebration.

When activated along with Shadow Form, the tentacles are

part of the character’s shadow and grow small claws on various

parts that inflict aggravated damage.

This power costs 15 experience points to learn.

Umbral Familiar

(Dominate •••, Obtenebration ••)

Another devotion that has become an essential and iconic

application of Lasombra power, even when in Torpor, the

Shadow Familiar allows a Confessor to literally bring darkness

and shadow to life. Its powers allow the Lasombra to shape

shadows of themselves and instill a small part of their con-

sciousness in to the shadow, creating a familiar. The bloodline

has found great use for these creations, which serve its creator

as either a vessel for memories or even a spy that can move

anywhere, at any time, even if its creator slumbers.

Cost: 1 Vitae

Dice Pool: Manipulation + Crafts + Obtenebration.

Action: Instant

Success on the creation roll creates the shadow servant which

through the power of Dominate, gains basic consciousness.

These creatures, though, require Vitae to sustain their unnatu-

ral state much like their creators do. For every number of

nights, equal to the successes gained on the activation roll, the

spectre needs to spend 1 point of Vitae for sustenance or the

familiar dissolves into thin air. Often, torpid Lasombra task

their childer or associates with providing their shadow servants

with the vitae needed, lest they risk losing memories that will

undoubtedly be altered by the Fog ofEternity.

This power costs 15 experience points to learn.