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.

By combining the mastery of shadows with their ability to control animals the vampire may extend their powers over darkness to strengthen their ghouled pets.  Those loyal animal retainers are consumed in darkness and when they emerge appear as an emaciated, multi limb creature made of shadow.  The ghouled animal gains an additional boost in strength from the darkness, and additionally the vampire may summon forth their arms of the abyss upon the back of the creature to move them about the battlefield.

System:  The character spends 2 blood traits and 2 temporary social traits to activate this power.  Once activated you may summon a ghoul animal you possess.  Once it arrives or is with you the animal gains the following statistics regardless of its actual traits.

Physical: 12
Social: 8
Mental: 8

Abilities: Animal Ken 3, Brawl 5, Dodge 5, Survival 5, Alertness 4

Disciplines:  Potence 2, Fortitude 1, Obtenebration 4

Health: 8
Blood: 10/1
Movement: 6 Steps in combat
Willpower: 4

Additionally, when you use Arms of the Abyss and your ghouled animal is within the same scene as you; you may summon your arms of the abyss on the creature and command them.  Thus allowing your arms of the abyss to move around a battlefield.  The ghouled animal will follow your verbal commands as well during this time. You may only ever have one use of the combination discipline active at a time. Lastly the creature suffers 1 additional level of damage from fire and sunlight.

You may store one full outfit per level of Obtenebration you possess inside your shadow and change between the one you are wearing and a stored outfit in a single action by activating Shadowplay and wrapping it around yourself. This may store armor, jewelry and even make up but not weapons.

Depositing or withdrawing items from the stored outfit without 'putting them on' requires a minute of concentration and the expenditure of a blood trait.