Custom Combination Discipline / Technique

Activation: 1 Blood and 1 Will
Availability: Taught only by Antonio Delatezzia or Ambrose Bierce, or
those who were taught by them. (Antonio Delatezzia has taught no one,
though he has told his Black Hand superiors that he has it and it is
open to any Hand member he is asked to teach.)

Description: You can craft illusions of inky shadow anywhere that you
can see which move about at your mental command. Such illusions would
be unrealistic by the light of day, but they can be quite convincing
in dark settings. This power can instead be used as a more potent
version of Shadow Play.

You can create up to a human-sized illusion of tenebrous blackness
with little effort at no extra cost. If you wish to evoke something
larger, you may expend up to three Social Traits (or four if you have
Elder levels of Obtenebration). Each Trait spent allows you to double
the size of the illusion. Such illusions affect only sight, but the
subtle use of Arms of the Abyss or other powers can add to the effect.
In the darkness, witnesses may attempt a Mental Challenge to determine
that what they are seeing is an animate shadow. By bright light, the
effect is usually only convincing in the distance.

The vampire can also use Shades of Night to fill an area with a cloud
of shadowy madness. Those in the area (except the user of this power)
gain the Negative Trait Clumsy and are three Traits down in any
challenges. Auspex is of no assistance in this roiling chaos. Mortals
may be overcome by these shadows. If a mortal has seven or fewer
current Physical Traits, he begins to suffocate, losing one Physical
Trait per turn, then one health level per turn until the shadows
smother him.

If you want subtlety, you can alternately use this ability wrap
yourself in shadows to grant three extra Traits in situations
involving dodging, intimidation or stealth (pick one). The Shades of
Night last for one combat or scene or until you dispel them.