Difference between revisions of "Darkness Powers (FiD)"

From Action
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(49 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{FiD}}
 
{{FiD}}
[[Powers_(FiD)#Common_Power_Effects|Main Page is Powers]]
+
{{FiD-Powers}}
Darkness is linked to both physical and mental darkness. Darkness is opposed to light.
+
Darkness as a Form is about both physical and mental darkness.  
Darkness is associated with our psychological shadow, base drives, primal instinct, evil, and the subconscious. In physics, darkness is merely the absence of light, and many claim that spiritual evil and darkness is the absence of enlightenment and control. Darkness powers deal with moral and physical darkness, base carnality, indulgence, and deception.
+
Darkness powers deal with moral and physical darkness, base carnality, indulgence, and deception.
 +
Darkness opposed to light.
 +
Darkness associated with our psychological shadow, base drives, primal instinct, evil, and the subconscious. In physics, darkness is merely the absence of light, and many claim that spiritual evil and darkness is the absence of enlightenment.  
  
 
Dark attacks are made up of bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
 
Dark attacks are made up of bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
 
Dark creatures are shades, devils, and creatures of the night. They are usually more interested in corrupting people than in killing them.
 
Learning who to summon may require study or be a a score in itself.
 
Giving the single order you get from summoning a creature of darkness is rarely very useful.
 
These subtle creatures need time to use their full powers of deception and coercion.
 
This means you often have to bargain with them, which they of course use to corrupt you.
 
  
 
== Darkness Power Effects Table ==
 
== Darkness Power Effects Table ==
 
 
{| class="wikitable"  
 
{| class="wikitable"  
 
|align="center" | '''Action'''  
 
|align="center" | '''Action'''  
|align="center" | '''Basic'''    <br> No minimum    <br> 3 Stress
+
|align="center" | '''Basic'''    <br> No minimum    <br> 4 Stress
|align="center" | '''Advanced''' <br> Minimum 2 Dice <br> 5 Stress
+
|align="center" | '''Advanced''' <br> Minimum 2 Dice <br> 5 Stress
|align="center" | '''Master'''  <br> Minimum 4 Dice <br> 7 Stress
+
|align="center" | '''Master'''  <br> Minimum 4 Dice <br> 6 Stress
|align="center" | '''Apex'''    <br> Minimum 6 Dice <br> 13 Stress
+
|align="center" | '''Apex'''    <br> Minimum 6 Dice <br> 7 Stress
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Attune'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Attune'''  
|valign="top"| '''Perceive''' <br> You can detect creatures of darkness.   
+
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Understanding''' <br> You can detect creatures and powers of Darkness.   
|valign="top"| '''Dismiss''' <br> You can force any creature that is native to another plane of existence to return to that plane, or to end the operation of an ability of any power.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Undoing'''       <br> Dismiss any summoned creature. End the operation any power.  
|valign="top"| '''Summon'''   <br> You can call a creature from a plane of darkness. This is generally an unwilling servant. It will obey one simple command from you and this can be extended.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Urge'''         <br> Summon a creature of Darkness.
|valign="top"| '''Gate'''     <br> You can create a portal that allows travel to and from the planes of darkness for a limited time.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Universe'''     <br> Create a portal to a plane of darkness.  
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Command'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Command'''  
|valign="top"| '''Command'''   <br> You can communicate speak to creatures of darkness even if normally couldn't, allowing you to use the command action normally on them. You cannot understand them.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Decree'''       <br> Command any creature of Darkness. You cannot understand them.
|valign="top"| '''Corrupt'''   <br> You and allies can communicate with creatures of darkness. You can communicate with normal folk to tempt them to commit evil deeds.
+
|valign="top"| '''Voice of the Void''' <br> Communicate with creatures of Darkness over long distances.
|valign="top"| '''Authority''' <br> You can give commands to darkness creatures, as if you were their superior. This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts.
+
|valign="top"| '''Abyssal Authority''' <br> Command Darkness creatures as if you were their superior.
|valign="top"| '''Enslave '''  <br> You can permanently bind creatures to service. Unless affected by other powers, they will stay in one location and act according to your instructions, like very loyal and literal-minded goons.
+
|valign="top"| '''Twilight Tyranny'''  <br> Permanently bind creatures of Darkness to service.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Consort'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Consort'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Mask'''         <br> You can invoke darkness and envy in your appearance, such as luxury clothes, jewelry, and personal beauty.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Mask'''       <br> Assume an appearance to provoke darkness and envy.  
|valign="top"| '''Devil Form'''       <br> You assume the form of a creature of darkness. Add 1d to one action and subtract 1d from all actions covered by an attribute except if you just raised one of them.
+
|valign="top"| '''Devil Form'''       <br> Assume the form of a creature of darkness. Devil Mask another.
|valign="top"| '''Devil Possession'''   <br> You can shapechange a willing or helpless creature into a darkness creature. This can be a curse, it can be broken but it is not easy. You can easily break the effect.
+
|valign="top"| '''Devil Possession''' <br> Devil Form a willing or helpless creature into a creature of Darkness.
|valign="top"| '''Infernal Infusion''' <br> You can transform a large number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction, typically someone for them to hunt.
+
|valign="top"| '''Devil's Dance'''    <br> Devil Form a number of willing or non-sentient creatures, give them a dark desire.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Finesse'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Finesse'''  
|valign="top"| '''Ride the Dark'''    <br> You can ride darkness creatures as if they were trained mounts and vehicles as if you had a key.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Ride the Dark'''    <br> Ride Darkness mounts as if they were trained and you had the key.  
|valign="top"| '''Fine Dark Control''' <br> You can use darkness as a fine and potent close-range attack, similar in effect to a fine potent dueling sword or pistol.
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Strike'''     <br> Fine and potent close-range attack.
|valign="top"| '''Master Darkness'''   <br> You can do fine manipulation of darkness, allowing you to play with shadows. You can use this to suppress sensors.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Stride'''     <br> Create a great mount out of shadow.  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Storm'''       <br> Your can create a storm of blades of darkness, suppressing the effect of multiple opponents and acting as a fine potent weapon.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Dance of the Dark''' <br> Play with shadows to confuse or conceal.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Hunt'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Hunt'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Scout'''         <br> You can see perfectly in the dark.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Scout'''       <br> Track Darkness powers.  
|valign="top"| '''Fine Ranged Attack''' <br> You can use darkness to attack, similar in effect to a fine and potent rifle.
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Sniper'''   <br> Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent rifle.
|valign="top"| '''Area Attack'''        <br> You can use darkness to attack similar to a fine and potent grenade. This allows you to fight many creatures in the same area very effectively, but there is a risk of collateral damage.
+
|valign="top"| '''Nightfall'''        <br> Darken an area, create shadows, and move them.
|valign="top"| '''Dark Barrage'''       <br> You call down the equivalent of a fine potent artillery barrage, attacking everything and everyone in a wide area. This can raze buildings but leaves little rubble. Usually enough to provide cover for any escape.
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Shockwave''' <br> Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent grenade.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Prowl'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Prowl'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Cloak''' <br> You can make yourself appear as a shadow. This allows you to hide in impossible places as long as the environment is dark.   
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Cloak''' <br> Merge with shadow.   
|valign="top"| '''Dark Step'''  <br> You can move on and through darkness. This allows you to climb on shadows, walk through walls as long as both sides are dark and so on.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Step'''  <br> Teleport from one shadow to another.  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Team'''  <br> You can bring allies along when you use Dark Cloak and Dark Step.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Team'''  <br> Bring crew with Dark Cloak and Dark Step.
|valign="top"| '''Void Walk'''  <br> You and allies can teleport from one location in darkness to another. This is regional travel, you stay within the same city or region, but it is generally sufficient to enter or escape just about any situation or location.
+
|valign="top"| '''Void Walk'''  <br> Teleport from one location in darkness to another.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Skirmish'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Skirmish'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Melee'''       <br> You can use darkness as a close-range attack, similar in effect to a melee weapon or pistol.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Block''' <br> Block Darkness Harm.  
|valign="top"| '''Fine Dark Melee''' <br> Same as skirmish attack, except the weapon is fine and potent.
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Strike''' <br> Fine and potent melee attack..
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Trick'''     <br> Darkness can create distractions and obstructions that prevents the enemy from benefiting from numbers and otherwise works as a fine potent weapon.
+
|valign="top"| '''Eerie Evasion''' <br> Create shadowy distractions that prevent scale.
|valign="top"| '''Umbral Explosion''' <br> Darkness strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Shadow Surge''' <br> Darkness strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Study'''   
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Study'''   
|valign="top"| '''Dark Name'''        <br> You can identify objects and creatures that manifest physical or moral darkness and see the use of dark power abilities.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Name'''        <br> Identify physical or moral Darkness as well as Darkness powers.  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Lore'''        <br> You know the powers and abilities of something you identify with Dark lore.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Lore'''        <br> Exactly analyze Darkness powers and abilities.
|valign="top"| '''Dark Past'''        <br> You can read the past events of something you analyze. This includes previous owners and how the object or person has been moved around as well as significant scenes.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Past'''        <br> Read the past events of Darkness.
|valign="top"| '''World of Darkness''' <br> You research everything in a wide area. This is easy to do where you are, more difficult at range. You can then use hindsight on some of these targets.
+
|valign="top"| '''World of Darkness''' <br> Dark Lore a wide area, then Dark Pas some targets.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Survey'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Survey'''  
|valign="top"| '''Eye of the Bat'''   <br> You can see perfectly in the dark.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Eye of the Bat'''   <br> See in the dark.  
|valign="top"| '''Gift of the Bat''' <br> You can give the ability to see in darkness to allies.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Eye of the Rat'''   <br> Move your senses to a place of darkness.  
|valign="top"| '''Eyes of the Dark''' <br> Choose a location or creature. If the target is in darkness, you can se as if you were there.
+
|valign="top"| '''Eyes of the Dark''' <br> Choose a location or creature. See them from nearest darkness.
|valign="top"| '''Dark World'''       <br> You perceive from every dark place at once over a wide area.   
+
|valign="top"| '''World of Darkness''' <br> You perceive from every dark place at once over a wide area.   
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Sway'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Sway'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Empathy'''   <br> You can understand darkness creatures speech and motivations.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Infernal Empathy'''       <br> Understand Darkness creatures and motivations.  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Words'''     <br> You and allies can communicate with dark creatures. You can tempt normal folk to commit evil deeds, even across language barriers.
+
|valign="top"| '''Infernal Influence'''     <br> Crew can communicate with Darkness creatures. Tempt normal folk to commit evil deeds.
|valign="top"| '''Hypnosis'''       <br> You can post suggestions in the mind of dark creatures and in the minds of folk to corrupt them. This will trigger under conditions you specify. Common suggestions are to steal something, attack someone, or ignore some event. This is a subtle power, but easier to spot once triggered.
+
|valign="top"| '''Temptation'''             <br> Post suggestions in the mind of Darkness creatures and in the minds of folk to corrupt them.
|valign="top"| '''Indoctrination''' <br> You change the personality and motivations of creatures you mesmerize. This power is permanent, but blatant. The target remember their past, but regard it as unimportant compared to their new motivations.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Infernal Indoctrination''' <br> Permanently change personality and motivations of a creature.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Tinker'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Tinker'''  
|valign="top"| '''Mold Darkness'''  <br> You can mold darkness like soft black clay, and it maintains it form for a few minutes.
+
|valign="top"| '''Mold Darkness'''  <br> Shape darkness like soft black clay, keeps its form for a few minutes.
|valign="top"| '''Shape Darkness'''  <br> As Mold Darkness, and the darkness can form simple useable objects that will retain its new shape and function for hours or even days.  
+
|valign="top"| '''Shape Darkness'''  <br> Mold Darkness, and you can form simple solid objects of darkness.  
|valign="top"| '''Craft Darkness'''  <br> You can create darkness out of nothing, or transform an object from darkness into another material as long as you know the power required for both the starting and final form. You can create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.
+
|valign="top"| '''Craft Darkness'''  <br> Create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.
|valign="top"| '''Master Darkness''' <br> This is similar to Craft Darkness, above, but you mass produce objects, even a set of different objects. You can also make something large, such as a vehicle or building.
+
|valign="top"| '''Master Darkness''' <br> Craft Darkness to mass produce or make something large, like a building.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Wreck'''  
 
|align="left" valign="top" | '''Wreck'''  
|valign="top"| '''Dark Corrosion'''    <br> Darkness withers and corrodes, this is a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains in place. Can attack like a dark torch in combat.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Corrosion'''    <br> Withers and corrodes, a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains.
|valign="top"| '''Dark Smash '''      <br> Similar to jimmy but faster. Works as a fine potent torch in combat.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Smash '''      <br> Break most materials if they were wood
|valign="top"| '''Dark Disintegrate''' <br> Similar to smash, but destroyed targets disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Disintegrate''' <br> Dark Smash targets disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
|valign="top"| '''Obliterate Dark'''   <br> Similar to smash, but over a large area. This can level a city block, empty a canal system of water, raze a city wall, and similar massive destruction.   
+
|valign="top"| '''Dark Obliteration''' <br> Dark Disintegrate over a large area. Level a city block or wither a wood.   
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
== Expanded Darkness Powers ==
 
== Expanded Darkness Powers ==
This is the pattern that most powers follow.
+
=== Attune ===
You can refer to this when interpreting how powers should work.
+
Harness the power of Attune Darkness to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from planes of darkness. These places are often simply called Hell.
TLDR, this list is too long to read it all every time, its here to look up in to resolve specific situations.
 
It is good to have skimmed it at least once.
 
  
=== Attune ===
+
The position and consequences usually depends on what happens around you when you do it. Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene.
Harness the power of Attune to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from other planes of existence.
+
If a powerful creature resists being dispelled, its obviously dangerous.
 +
Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences.
 +
 
 +
'''Umbral Understanding'''
 +
You can detect creatures and powers of Darkness.
  
'''Perceive:'''
+
This is usually done to see a Spirit or disguised creature.
''You can detect creatures and power use tied to your power.  
+
However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature.
 +
Limited effect suffices against a creature you can clearly see. You need greater effect against against a creature that is hidden (standard effect) or behind a wall (great effect).
  
This is usually done to spot a disguised summoned creature. However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature.
+
'''Umbral Undoing'''
Naturally, this gets more difficult as the creature is more heavily obscured.  
+
Dismiss any summoned creature. End the operation any power.
This reduces effect.
 
The position usually starts controlled, with the usual consequence that you cannot try again.
 
  
'''Dismiss:'''
+
You can force a creature based on this power that is native to another plane of existence to return to that plane, or to end the operation of an ability of the power you use.
''You can force a creature based on this power that is native to another plane of existence to return to that plane, or to end the operation of an ability of the power you use.
 
  
Dismissing a creature is hard, and might require the creature to be weakened, either by previous attempts to dismiss it, or by other attacks, interactions, or by being set up.  
+
Dismissing a creature is hard and usually requires great effect. A creature that has been wounded or otherwise weakened only needs standard effect. A creature that wants to be dismissed requires only limited effect.
The consequences of this depends entirely on what happens around you when you do it.
 
If a powerful creature resists being dispelled, its obviously dangerous.
 
Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene.
 
  
Dispelling is usually easier, but not always.
+
Darkness is powerful in that it can dispel any power, not just Darkness powers.
Most powers only dispel effects of their own power.
 
Read this generously.
 
As an example, the fire power can dispel any fire power, but also powers that affect flames and heat sources, as well as powers that affect fire creatures.
 
 
It can be used as a defense against others' use of power, or it can be used to break the continuing effects of powers.  
 
It can be used as a defense against others' use of power, or it can be used to break the continuing effects of powers.  
 +
You can also force a spirit to materialize.
  
 
Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers.  
 
Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers.  
The position is controlled, possibly risky if there are a lot of other dangers around.
 
 
Limited effect creates an opening that makes the supported action potent.  
 
Limited effect creates an opening that makes the supported action potent.  
 
Normal effect improves the position of the supported action.
 
Normal effect improves the position of the supported action.
Line 133: Line 122:
  
 
When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety.
 
When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety.
Against an opponent that uses power to fly or even breathe you can have a better effect.
+
Against an opponent that uses power to fly or even breathe you may have a better effect.
  
When dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will simply not work, but will instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.
+
When it is dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will simply not work, but will instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.
  
'''Summon:'''
+
'''Umbral Urge'''
''You can call a creature from a place of your power. This is generally an unwilling servant. It will obey one command from you and this can be extended. Learning who to summon may require study or be a score in itself.
+
Summon a creature of Darkness.
  
What a "place of your power" means depends on the setting, but is always a different place that you normally cannot interact with.  
+
You can call a creature of darkness. This is generally an unwilling servant.  
This is usually a parallel world or plane of existence, dominated by your power.
 
So fire summons creatures from a very fiery place, air summons from a very airy place and so on.
 
These places can be unique to each power, or one big place where different places are dominated by different powers.
 
It might also be from other places in your own world, exotic regions of your own world or distant planets like Pluto or starts like Aldebaran.
 
This is the usual explanation in the cosmic horror genre.
 
In a science-fiction setting with powers this is usually related to faster-than-light travel, so if ships travel through hyperspace, this is also where summons come from.
 
If travel is by gate, the medium the gate stretches through is where summons come from, and so on.
 
The Gate power of Attune is the usual way to get to these places.
 
  
Summoning can bring you allies to fight, but more commonly you summon a spirit to do some specific task related to your power. Summons can use most power effects and maintain power effects you have created.  
+
Dark creatures are devils, creatures of the night.
 +
They are more interested in corrupting people than in fighting them.
 +
Giving the single order you get from summoning a creature of darkness is rarely very useful.
 +
These subtle creatures need time to use their full powers of deception and coercion.
 +
This means you often have to bargain with them, which they use to corrupt you.
 +
 
 +
Darkness creatures, also known as devils, come from realms of Darkness known as Hells.
 +
In a science-fiction setting with powers this is usually related to faster-than-light travel, so if ships travel through hyperspace, this is where Dark summons come from.
 +
Learning who to summon may require study or be a score in itself.
 +
A devil will obey one command from you and this can be extended.
 +
Darkness creatures will often cooperate in plans that corrupt you or other people, avoiding the struggle to control them or at least turning it into an ethical rather than magical struggle.
 +
 
 +
Summoning can bring you allies to fight, but more commonly you summon a spirit to do some specific task related to Darkness. Summons can use most power effects and maintain power effects you have created.  
 
They can also give advice and information related to their power.
 
They can also give advice and information related to their power.
 
In general, you can summon generic creatures one tier lower than yourself without having to do a flashback.  
 
In general, you can summon generic creatures one tier lower than yourself without having to do a flashback.  
Such a creature is similar to a gang member.
+
Such a creature is similar to a cohort, either a skilled follower or a group of goons.
  
To summon a particular creature, similar to a cohort, you need its unique identity, often called true name in the mystical power traditions. For a technomancer this would be a  type id number, a blueprint, or a block of data.
+
To summon a particular creature, similar to an expert, you need its unique identity, called true name in the mystical power traditions. For a technomancer this would be something like an id number, genetic data, or holographic parameters.
 
Learning about the right creature to summon is a task in its own right, often requiring a flashback or downtime activity to use Command, Consort, Study, or Sway to gain information.  
 
Learning about the right creature to summon is a task in its own right, often requiring a flashback or downtime activity to use Command, Consort, Study, or Sway to gain information.  
Doin this kind of preparation also counts as a set-up action for your summoning, even if you are doing it in a flashback.
+
Devils are generous with the summoning details of other devils.  
 
 
It might be worth the extra effort to summon a creature of higher tier, but this is also much more demanding, using the usual rules for tiers.
 
  
Spirits generally come in three types, elementals, spirits, and creatures with powers.  
+
Summonable creatures come in three types, elementals, spirits, and creatures with powers.  
  
Elementals only exist for powers that have a direct physical manifestation, like the four classic elements of air, earth, fire, and water, but also the other forms that have a physical manifestation, electricity, ice, metal, and plant.
+
Darkness elementals are shades, blobs of solidified darkness.
An elemental is a simple creature totally dominated by its power.  
+
They embrace and drain the energy of enemies and cloak allies.
Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of animals as well, tough animated chunks of matter and humanoid forms are also common.
+
Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of a dog or simply a dark cloak, cover, or blob.
  
Spirits are similar to elementals in that they are made out of the stuff of their power, but the powers that create spirits are less material. This makes spirits ephemeral, less physically oriented, and usually more intelligent than elementals.
+
Darkness spirits are similar to elementals in that they are made out of darkness, but the powers that create spirits are less material. This makes spirits ephemeral, less physically oriented, and more intelligent than elementals.
 
They can use sophisticated power effects and usually have an agenda of their own.
 
They can use sophisticated power effects and usually have an agenda of their own.
Darkness, Death, Flux, Illusion, Order, and Space can summon spirits. 
 
  
 
Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, most having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional abilities related to their power.  
 
Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, most having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional abilities related to their power.  
A fire dragon is impossibly large, flies, and breathes fire.
+
A succubus is an attractive human female, but sports horns and a tail and may have hooves, wings, and an unusual skin color as well as Darkness powers.
An air turtle hovers and can grow to massive size, to the point where a city can be built on top of them.
+
As Darkness is the essence of deceit, Darkness creatures can often mask themselves to appear as if they have no powers.  
An undead creature is a corpse animated by the powers of Death.
 
And so on.
 
 
Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune power effects.
 
Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune power effects.
  
Depending on your degree of effect the creature is willing to do different things.
+
Depending on your degree of effect a summoned creature is willing to do different things.
Limited effect allows you to ask questions of an intelligent creature or demand a short period of physical labor from a simple creature. The creature will not fight for you. If forced into a fight due to circumstances, it will resent it afterwards.
+
Limited effect allows you to ask questions of an intelligent creature or demand a short period of physical labor from a simple creature. The creature will not fight for you. If forced into a fight due to circumstances, it will resent it.
  
Standard effect allows you to ask for any service appropriate to the type of creature. A devil will do evil, a fire elemental will burn stuff, and so on. This includes dangerous tasks such as combat.
+
Standard effect allows you to ask for any service appropriate to the type of creature. A devil will do evil, terrorize, tempt, and seduce.  
 +
This includes dangerous tasks such as combat if the devil has such abilities.
  
Great effect allows actions outside the creature's comfort zone, but not things it directly opposes. A devil will do most things except those associated with Light, a fire elemental will heat your forge or power your steam engine. Lengthy service also requires great effect, like summoning the creature to guard a treasure for as long as it can.
+
Great effect allows actions outside the creature's comfort zone, but not things it directly opposes. A devil will do most things except those associated with [[Light Powers (FiD)|Light]].  
 +
Lengthy service also requires great effect, such as summoning the creature to guard a treasure for as long as it can.
  
The position is usually risky. The creature is being forced to serve and might lash out.  
+
The position is usually risky.  
 
Typical consequences are:
 
Typical consequences are:
The creature strikes out at you once.
+
* Overly literal interpretations of your commands.
A tightwire struggle to keep the creature under control
+
* The creature deliberately does its tasks poorly.
The creature breaks things around you, demands concessions from you.
+
* The creature breaks things around you, demands concessions from you.
Overly literal interpretations of your commands.
+
* The creature needs to be forced to serve and might lash out.  
The creature deliberately does its tasks poorly.
+
* The creature strikes out at you once.
 +
* A tightwire struggle to keep the creature under control.
  
 
Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature can make the position controlled, with consequences like half-heated efforts, demanding not to be summoned again until some time or event has passed, or just general sulkiness.
 
Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature can make the position controlled, with consequences like half-heated efforts, demanding not to be summoned again until some time or event has passed, or just general sulkiness.
 +
For Dark creatures this includes human sacrifice, promises of future evil deeds, and things appropriate tot he role of a specific devil.
  
 
Desperate position usually comes from trading position for effect, but it might come from a difference in ethos.  
 
Desperate position usually comes from trading position for effect, but it might come from a difference in ethos.  
 
If you are a priest of light and summon a demon, or if the summon is three or more tiers above you the position will be desperate.
 
If you are a priest of light and summon a demon, or if the summon is three or more tiers above you the position will be desperate.
Consequences include the spirit demanding you sell your soul, become its agent in the world, that you come to its home plane to serve it there for a time (usually three scores), that you defeat the creature in a duel or similar dramatic story events.  
+
Desperate consequences include the spirit demanding you sell your soul, become its agent in the world, that you come to its home plane to serve it there for a time, that you defeat the creature in a duel, or similar dramatic story events.  
  
'''Gate:'''
+
'''Umbral Universe'''
''You can create a portal that allows travel to and from the plane of your power for a limited time.
+
Create a portal to a plane of darkness.
  
This is rarely useful, but can be under exceptional circumstances.
+
You can create a portal that allows travel to and from Hell.
As outlined under Summoning above most powers are linked to a different world where that power is dominant.  
+
This is situational, but highly useful under exceptional circumstances.  
There are also things that are possible to do on these planes that are not allowed in the regular world, most effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master.  
+
There are things that are possible to in Hell that are not allowed in the regular world, Darkness effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master.  
 
This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master.
 
This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master.
Such effects rarely reach outside the plane where you perform them, but if they affect creatures on that plane, the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.
+
Such effects rarely reach outside of Hell, but if they affect things in Hell, the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.
  
 
Gating can allow access to creatures too powerful to summon, so you instead ask for an audience.  
 
Gating can allow access to creatures too powerful to summon, so you instead ask for an audience.  
The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, or just communicate with you.
+
This includes archdevils and lords of Hell.
 +
The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, or just to communicate.
  
Using a gate is usually played out as a score, which means there is an engagement roll.  
+
Using a gate may be played out as a score, which means there is an engagement roll.  
 
Depending on how quickly the matter is resolved, the game master may require a separate game to return home again.
 
Depending on how quickly the matter is resolved, the game master may require a separate game to return home again.
However if you do this in a scene that is dangerous, such as asking for help against an enemy too powerful for you to defeat, the position is usually much worse.
+
However if you do this in a scene that is dangerous, such as asking for help against an enemy too powerful for you to defeat, the position is usually much worse.  
Once you have established a connection to a certain place or audience with a certain creature, you can usually do so again from a controlled position and without doing it as a score.
 
  
 
=== Command ===
 
=== Command ===
Command creatures based on your power with communication and authority.
+
Command and intimidate Dark creatures, projecting authority.
Position and effect is determined normally, depending ion the situation and your relation to listeners.
+
Position and effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.
If you know several powers and use a Command power but don't know what type of creature you are facing, it works as long as you have the appropriate power. You need not select a specific type of creature in advance.
+
 
If you try to Command a type of creature and don't the appropriate power, effect is at best limited—the game master may judge that Command skill can be used non-verbally, but often you will have no effect at all.
+
The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you—ordering a creature that sees itself as your superior is a desperate position.
This still has the normal stress cost.
+
A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior, usually just making retrying harder.
 +
A risky position is typical against a creature that sees itself as your equal and not your enemy, possibly leading to heat, misunderstood orders, or a small rebellion.
 +
 
 +
'''Dark Decree'''
 +
Command any creature of Darkness. You cannot understand them.
  
'''Communicate:'''
+
This is useful for intimidating creatures under your power and commanding foreign or alien subordinates.
''You can make creatures understand you, but you do not understand them.
+
Combined with Sway: Infernal Empathy, it allows two-way communication.
  
This is useful because it allows you to intimidate creatures of your power and to command foreign or alien subordinates.
+
'''Voice of the Void'''
Combined with the basic power of Sway allows two-way communication.
+
Communicate with creatures of Darkness over long distances.
  
'''Translate:'''
+
You can communicate with Dark creatures over any distance as long as you know the target, and a line-of-sight even if you do not. You can communicate with the most powerful creature related to your power in a vehicle or installation as long as you can see the exterior. The communication is simple and direct, suitable for the Command skill.
You and allies can communicate with creatures based on your power.
 
This allows full conversation with creatures of the power.  
 
It is still a Command ability, it is more forceful and less subtle than the Sway equivalent.
 
  
'''Authority:'''
+
You can send nightmares to any creature (not just Dark creatures) you know or see.
''You can give commands to creatures based on your power, as if you were their superior. This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts.
+
This allows you to send vague messages and receive vague answers from the subconscious of your target, who will remember the episode as a nightmare.
  
This is more powerful than a normal Command action, having about one additional level of effect, but it is not absolute.
+
'''Abyssal Authority'''
Creatures of the relevant type will understand your orders.
+
Command Darkness creatures as if you were their superior.
  
Targets will see you as an officer, professional superior, alpha, or other leader type outranking them.  
+
Targets will see you as a higher-ranking devil.
It is very helpful to have a grasp of the social order of your targets, as this allows you to avoid conflicting with their established loyalties.
+
This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts.
Ordering city guards to return to barracks and ignore a disturbance is much harder (lower effect) than to tell them to scatter the disturbance and move on, because their task is to protect the city.
+
Understanding the social order of your targets helps avoid conflicting with their established loyalties.
Limited effect can lead to a creature not doing what it is supposed to, such as reporting you or giving you a speeding ticket.
+
Ordering devil to investigate a disturbance is harder (needs more effect) than telling them to ignore it, as Dark creatures lack a sense of duty.
Standard effect makes the creature do what it is supposed to in a way you decide, such as a police escorting you to a safe location or do you a favor that is quick, such as letting you past a checkpoint even if they ought not to.
 
Great effect means targets will go out of their way to please you, such as warriors from a neutral faction fighting for you, enemies ignoring you or even fleeing.  
 
  
The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you—a creature that perceives itself as your superior will use a stronger rebuke.
+
Limited effect might result in a creature doing what it might have done anyway, like ignoring a situation.
A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior to it, and usually just means that trying again is harder.
+
Standard effect makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, like a guardian hell hound harrying rather than attacking.
A risky position is typical against a creature that perceives itself an equal to you, and not your enemy. This might lead to heat, misunderstood orders, or that targets rebel in small ways.
+
Great effect means targets will ignore their normal routine and go out of their way to please you, like a shade moving into the light or enemies ignoring or fleeing from you.
  
'''Enslave:'''
+
'''Twilight Tyranny'''
''You can permanently bind creatures to service. Unless affected by other powers, they will stay in one location and act according to your instructions, like very loyal and literal-minded goons.
+
Permanently bind creatures of Darkness to service.
  
Obviously a broken ability, and one that will have a low effect unless you are already in a position of power.
+
This won’t work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Authority but potentially permanent. Strong emotions can break your control, but otherwise, it lasts until dispelled.
The effect is similar to the authority, the difference is that this is a long-lasting and potentially permanent effect.  
 
A creature that is under the care of your enemies will likely break the effect after some time, and a creature confronted with something it used to feel very strongly about might break your control, but it otherwise lasts until removed by other effects.
 
  
 
=== Consort ===
 
=== Consort ===
Utilize the power of Consort to change forms and manipulate objects imbued with your power.
+
Consort powers changes your form and later that of other creatures. These powers might also be used as a set-up action for a later Consort roll. This will often give a bonus to effect or improved position or even allow an action that a human could not do.
You not only understand how to behave to conform to social norms, you change your own (and alter others') physical form.
+
 
 +
A common consequences is that you are mistaken for someone, or that your assumed form is somehow a hindrance. You might be obnoxiously attractive, trigger prejudices, or have unexpected handicaps.
 +
 
 +
'''Dark Mask'''
 +
Assume an appearance to provoke darkness and envy.
  
'''Mask:'''
+
Imbue your appearance with elements that cause envy, such as luxury clothes, jewelry, and personal beauty.
''You can change your clothes and accessories by imbuing them with your power. This can mask your identity or create fabulous outfits.
+
This is not a disguise, but such a makeover can be made extreme enough that people may not recognize you.
  
You do not physically change yourself, you accessorize and change your outfit.
+
'''Devil Form'''
The effect is usually limited and the position controlled, but some changes might be more extreme than this.
+
Assume the form of a creature of darkness. Devil Mask another.
  
'''Shapechange:'''
+
Devil Mask applied to another creature does just that.
''You assume the form of another creature that manifests your power. Add 1d to one action and subtract 1d from all actions covered by an attribute except if you just raised one of them.
+
Your Consort applies to the change itself, but otherwise they still use their own Consort action.
  
This is a true physical transmutation.
+
Assuming the form of a creature of darkness is a true physical transmutation. You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the gamemaster agrees your new form embodies Darkness.
You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the gamemaster agrees your new form matches the power you use.
 
This can give you new abilities, but these are things you could already do using the same power.
 
You may get away without having to use each specific power, at the cost of losing some of the abilities of your original form.
 
So if you turn into a fish you don't have to use powers to swim and breathe water, but you are close to helpless on land.
 
  
If desired your transmutation might benefit an action relevant to your new form, at the cost of lowering all the actions covered by a specific attribute.
+
Devil Form can work as a set-up action for a number of other actions but may penalize other things, as appropriate to your new form. When appropriate, your new form can use Basic and Advanced Darkness powers inherently without risking stress.
You rating in the improved action increases by one.
 
The actions covered by your weakened attribute are all reduced by one, except that if you chose the attribute that governs your improved action, this action gains the benefit and does not suffer the penalty.
 
  
''Example
+
With limited effect you can transform into yourself as a devil. Those familiar with you will recognize you. Standard effect can make you a generic creature, very hard to recognize as you. Great effect allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.
''Jillyan uses the Animal power to turn herself into a monkey. She gains a +1 bonus to the Prowl action, but suffers a -1 penalty to Finesse Skirmish and Wreck. She does not suffer the penalty on Prowl, as that is the action that was improved. If the penalty had instead been applied to Insight, Hunt, Study, Survey and Tinker would all have suffered the penalty.
 
  
'''Transform:'''
+
'''Devil Possession'''
''You can shapechange a willing or helpless creature into a form imbued by your power. This can be a curse, it can be broken but it is not easy. You can easily break the effect.
+
Devil Form a willing or helpless creature into a creature of Darkness.
  
This is the shapechange power applied to another creature.  
+
This is Devil Form applied to another creature. The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary. Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score. Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the the story. If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional effect, see Devil Form.
The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary, more of a warning.  
 
Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score.
 
Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the development of the story.
 
Other abilities can be used to reverse such a transformation.
 
  
You cannot use this on a powerful opponent that cannot be defeated by a single successful action.
+
'''Devil's Dance'''
You may have to confront them in several scenes to finally get them to the point where you can transform them.
+
Devil Form a number of willing or non-sentient creatures, give them a dark desire.
  
'''Wild Hunt:'''
+
This is where Consort becomes a combination of Devil Form and Attune: Umbral Urge.
''You can transform a large number of willing or non-sentient creatures and give them a simple instruction, typically someone for them to hunt.
+
You transform a number of existing creatures and give them a simple corrupt agenda, turning them into minions. Targets must be willing, non-sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, many tiers below you.
  
This is where Consort becomes a combination of the Shapechange and Summon power effects.
+
This is usually used to create a host of goons that will fight and chase for you. Such goons are more interested in chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat. Or they can be given bit parts, creating a mischief of imps to serve you.
Instead of summoning a host of allies, you transform a number of existing creatures and give them a task that they will perform with gusto.
 
Essentially you turn them into single-minded minions.
 
Targets must be willing, non-sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, likely several tiers below you.
 
This is usually used to create a host of goons that will fight and chase for you.  
 
Such goons are more interested in chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat.
 
Or they can be turned into lesser servants, like the scene with the fairy godmother from Disney's Cinderella.
 
  
 
=== Finesse ===
 
=== Finesse ===
Exercise finesse with your power, manipulating and attacking with precision.
+
Exercise finesse with Darkness, manipulating and attacking with precision.
  
'''Ride:'''
+
'''Ride the Dark'''
''If there is a mount or vehicle of the appropriate power, you can ride it as if it was domesticated and you have the keys. You can move and breathe in conditions manifesting your power without damage or hindrance.
+
Ride Darkness mounts as if they were trained and you had the key.
  
This allows you to use Finesse with mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with, allowing Finesse to substitute for Command and Tinker actions that could do the same thing.
+
This allows you to use Finesse with mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with as long as they include an element of darkness.
 +
This includes Dark creatures serving as mounts as well as space vessels.
 +
You can bypass simple locks on vehicles, but not more serious security.
 +
You can ride beasts even if they are not trained to carry a rider. They must still be physically able to carry you.
  
'''Duel:'''
+
'''Shadow Strike'''
''You can use the power as a fine and potent close-range attack, similar in effect to a fine potent dueling sword or pistol, or you can give your friends the Ride ability for the duration of a score.
+
Fine and potent close-range attack.
  
What this actually does depends on the power used.
+
Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
Fire burns, wind slices, ice pieces or freezes, and so on.
+
Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective.  
Certain targets may be more or less vulnerable to certain attacks, but this is the exception.
+
Using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.
Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective.
 
In a fight, using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon, no more, no less.
 
  
'''Manipulate:'''
+
'''Dance of the Dark'''
''You can do fine manipulation of the power, allowing you to do small and exact manipulations at range. This allows you to open doors, trigger or hinder mechanisms, or perform other minor manipulations, as long as the target is appropriate to your power.
+
Play with shadows to confuse or conceal.
  
This allows you to manipulate small amounts of matter governed by your power.  
+
Play with shadows in small and precise ways.
This is similar to what you could do by hand, but you can do so at a distance of ten meters or so, allowing you to push buttons, trigger devices, and perform legerdemain at short range. This can substitute for simple Tinker actions, but nothing complicated.
+
This can momentarily blind, alter a shadow to cause a misstep, or confuse sight by casting false shadows.  
  
'''Surge:'''
+
'''Shadow Stride'''
''Your power manifests like a storm of blades, suppressing the effect of multiple opponents and acting as a fine potent weapon. You can choose to affect multiple targets.
+
Create a great mount out of shadow.
  
You create ans use weapon like Duel above, and also create distractions.
+
This mount is usually shaped like a wolf or leopard made out of shadow, but it is not an independent creature and all it does is transport you and possibly passengers.
The effect is like having a number of trusty but entirely defensive allies in the fight.  
+
Functions much as any other vehicle from the setting and it can be varied correspondingly; a smaller vehicle is faster and more agile.
This negates the advantage an enemy gets for having allies of their own, but is otherwise the same as Duel.
+
 
 +
'''Shadow Speeders'''
 +
Travel as shadows.
 +
 
 +
You, your crew, your vehicles, and mounts are covered in shadow.  
 +
As long as you avoid direct sunlight and don't move too close to others your travel is unnoticed and leaves no trail.
  
 
=== Hunt ===
 
=== Hunt ===
Track, attack, and unleash devastating barrages with the power of Hunt.
+
'''Dark Scout'''
As you advance in power, the scope of your attacks becomes greater, allowing you to control significant areas and cause widespread destruction.
+
Track Darkness powers.
At short range, this is dangerous to you and yours.
 
  
'''Track:'''
+
Perceive which shadows are natural and which are the result of powers.
''You can track and pursue based on your power, even if the target does not leave any mundane trail or clues.
+
You can track Dark creatures of Darkness and the use of Dark powers.
  
Consequences here are mainly to lose the trail, but depending on the environment and targets, it might lead you to get lost, into traps, or even into an ambush.
+
'''Shadow Sniper'''
 +
Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent rifle.
  
'''Potent Snipe:'''
+
Make a fine and potent attack at range with the power of Darkness.
''You can use your power to attack, similar in effect to a fine and potent rifle.
+
This serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent ranged weapon would be equally effective in combat.
 +
Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burns, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
  
The effect of this action varies depending on the nature of your power.
+
'''Nightfall'''
For instance, fire will burn, wind can slice, ice might pierce or freeze, and so forth.
+
Darken an area, create shadows, and move them.
While some targets may exhibit more or less vulnerability to specific types of attacks, this is the exception rather than the rule.
 
Essentially, this ability serves as a versatile replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent finesse weapon would be equally effective in combat.
 
Moreover, using this action in a fight doesn't consume any additional time; activating your attack power is akin to drawing a weapon—neither faster nor slower.
 
  
'''Area Attack:'''
+
You can darken a large area and create shadows.
''You can use your power to attack similar to a fine and potent grenade. This allows you to fight many creatures in the same area very effectively, but there is a risk of collateral damage.
+
This does not inflict any direct damage.
 +
This is usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—compact darkness is likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out of the dark as the case may be.  
  
An escalation of Potent Snipe, this affects all enemies in a single location.
+
Nightfall is opposed by bright light, sunlight will boil it away in seconds and strong artificial light can do so in minutes.
The effect is more powerful but less precise.
 
This means it does more collateral damage, but no more effect on enemies.
 
Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct damage, but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.
 
  
'''Barrage:'''
+
'''Shadow Shockwave'''
''You call down the equivalent of a fine potent artillery barrage, attacking everything and everyone in a wide area. Depending on your power, this can raze buildings and create rubble. Usually enough to provide cover for any escape.
+
Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent grenade.
  
Continued escalation, this can create a crater or raze buildings, but creatures are no more or less likely to survive.
+
An escalation of Shadow Sniper. Less precise, this affects all creatures at a location, with a risk of collateral damage. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct danger but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.
It is no more likely to harm creatures than Potent Snipe or Area Attack, but does so over a wide area.
 
Enemies in bunkers and other cover are discomforted, but not damaged.
 
Creatures in this area need to keep their heads down, which is usually enough of a distraction that your side can do something else unopposed, such as prowling about or running away.
 
  
 
=== Prowl ===
 
=== Prowl ===
Sneak, move, and perhaps even fly or teleport with the stealth and agility granted by Prowl.
+
As the element of deception, Darkness is good at stealth ant tricksy travel.
Most powers use Prowl in ways that vary from the norm, so this is a more rough sketch than the power abilities of many other actions.
 
  
'''Reconnaissance:'''
+
'''Dark Cloak'''
''You can hide in environments linked to your power. This allows you to hide in impossible places as long as the environment manifests your power. You gain advantage when sneaking on creatures linked to your power.
+
Merge with shadow.
  
This provides you cover to hide in places you ordinarily could not.
+
You can make yourself appear as a shadow.
Where you can use this is explained in each specific power.
+
This allows you to hide in impossible places as long as the environment is dark.
It otherwise works just like any other attempt to use Prowl to avoid notice.
+
This works just like any other attempt to use Prowl to avoid notice, except that shadows and darkness provides more concealment than it ordinarily would.
Note that only you can use this ability, your friends and allies cannot unless you use Travel, below.
+
Note that only you can use this ability, your friends and allies cannot unless you use Dark Team, below.
  
'''Maneuver:'''
+
'''Dark Step'''
''You can move on and through environments composed of your environment. This allows you to climb on air, swim unhindered, walk through walls of the appropriate material and so on, depending on your exact power.
+
Teleport from one shadow to another.
  
Again, each power will explain how it can use this mobility.
+
You can move through darkness. This allows you to teleport from one shadow you can see to another, walk through walls as long as both sides are in the dark, and you know where to go. Survey powers can help with that.
Your friends and allies cannot use this unless you employ Travel, which is described later
+
 +
'''Dark Team'''
 +
Bring crew with Dark Cloak and Dark Step.
  
'''Travel:'''
+
Now you and your allies can Prowl in dark places.  
''You can bring allies along when you use Reconnaissance and Maneuver.
+
They still use their own Prowl action
  
Now you and your allies can Prowl in places where your power is at home.
+
'''Void Walk'''
They still use their own Prowl action.
+
Teleport from one location in darkness to another.
  
'''Transport:'''
+
You and allies can teleport from one location in darkness to another. This is regional travel, you stay within the same city or region, but it is generally sufficient to escape just about any situation or location.
''You and allies can teleport from one location where your power is present to another. This is regional travel, you stay within the same city or region, but it is generally sufficient to enter or escape just about any situation or location.
 
  
How and where you use this is explained in each power.
 
 
This takes you to places you are familiar with.
 
This takes you to places you are familiar with.
 
Both effect and position is worse unless you know where you are going, which means it is great for escapes but less so for intrusion into an enemy's territory that you are likely to be much less familiar with.
 
Both effect and position is worse unless you know where you are going, which means it is great for escapes but less so for intrusion into an enemy's territory that you are likely to be much less familiar with.
  
 
=== Skirmish ===
 
=== Skirmish ===
Engage in close combat and create chaos with the power to Skirmish.
+
'''Shadow Block:'''
 +
''Block Darkness Harm.
  
'''Skirmish Attack:'''
+
Absorb Harm from Darkness powers and enervating attacks.
''You can use the power as a close-range attack, similar in effect to a melee weapon or pistol.
+
Roll Skirmish when subject to harm from such energies.
 +
This is your inherent resistance, it does not require any activity on your part.
 +
Reduce the level of harm inflicted based on the level of success.
 +
1-3: Nothing. 4-5: Reduce level of harm by one. 6: Reduce level of harm by two. Crit: Negate all harm and recover 1 stress.
  
What this actually does depends on the power used. Fire burns, wind slices, ice pieces or freezes, and so on.
+
'''Shadow Strike'''
Certain targets may be more or less vulnerable to certain attacks, but this is the exception.
+
Fine and potent melee attack.
Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, mundane weapons are just as effective.
 
In a fight, using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon, no more, no less.
 
  
'''Fine Skirmish Attack:'''
+
This is used just like a dueling sword or pistol.
''Same as Skirmish Attack, except the weapon is fine and potent.
+
Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
  
'''Obstruction:'''
+
'''Eerie Evasion'''
''Your power creates distractions and obstructions that prevent the enemy from benefiting from numbers and otherwise works as a fine potent weapon.
+
Create shadowy distractions that prevent scale.
  
This creates some kind of hindrance, perhaps spectral allies, perhaps a maze or concealing mist.
+
Surround yourself with a whirling pattern of confusing shadows.
The effect is to deny your enemies the advantage of numbers.
+
The effect is to deny the advantage of scale.
You also gain the benefit of the Fine Skirmish Attack, giving you a fine, potent weapon.
 
  
'''Flurry:'''
+
'''Shadow Surge'''
''Your power strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.
+
Darkness strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.
  
This turns you into a one-man army. Not only do you negate the advantage your enemy may get from numbers, you also spread your effect to hurt all your enemies in the current skirmish, within 10 meters or so.
+
Not only can you ignore scale, you also attack multiple opponents at once.
 +
Otherwise as Shadow Strike.
  
 
=== Study ===
 
=== Study ===
Study and analyze objects and creatures imbued with your power to gain insight and knowledge.
+
Analyze objects and creatures imbued with Darkness to gain insight and knowledge. The effect required depends on range, limited effect for touch, standard effect for line-of-sight, and great effect to reach a target you know of or have some link to, but which is out of line-of-sight.
  
'''Analyze:'''
+
Position depends on the situation. Safely in your base the position is controlled. In the middle of a fight or when pinned down the position is desperate. Sometimes thing you are researching it dangerous in itself, worsening position.
''You can identify objects and creatures that manifest your power and see the use of the abilities of your power.
+
Consequences may give you knowledge that lacks crucial details or drop hints for opponents to use.
  
'''Research:'''
+
'''Dark Name'''
''You know the powers and abilities of something you analyze.
+
Identify physical or moral Darkness as well as Darkness powers.
  
'''Hindsight:'''
+
This identifies Dark creatures and powers by name but gives no further analysis.
''You can read the past events of something you analyze. This includes previous owners and how the object has been moved around as well as significant scenes.
+
In a creature dominated by sin, you can tell what their chief vice is.
  
'''Omniscience:'''
+
'''Dark Lore'''
''You research everything in a wide area. This is easy to do where you are, more difficult at range. You can then use hindsight on some of these targets.
+
Exactly analyze Darkness powers and abilities.
 +
 
 +
You learn of any powers or special abilities of Dark creatures, as well as the detailed abilities of a power or object.
 +
In a creature not aligned with Light, you can tell what sin they would potentially be most tempted by.
 +
In a creature dominated by sin, you can tell their worst vices and how they manifest, exactly what they want and what would tempt them.
 +
 
 +
'''Dark Past'''
 +
Read the past events of Darkness.
 +
 
 +
You can read the dark past of a Dark creature, place, or object.
 +
Normally this gives you a vision of the worst event the target has been involved in.
 +
If there are no or only minor sins, you notice nothing.
 +
On a creature, power, or item of Darkness, as well as a creature dominated by sin, you gain detailed visions of their sins and self-indulgence.
 +
 
 +
'''World of Darkness'''
 +
Dark Lore a wide area, then Dark Past some targets.
 +
 
 +
Dark Lore on everything as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like altars and murder sites. You can then use Dark Past to learn the history of up to three of the tings you analyzed.
  
 
=== Survey ===
 
=== Survey ===
Survey and perceive manifestations of your power to gain valuable information and insight.
+
Perceive and locate manifestations of Darkness.
 +
The effect you need depends on the target's concealment.
 +
Limited effect finds targets in concealment.
 +
Standard effect finds those hiding behind cover and in far places you can only barely see.
 +
Great effect can look behind walls and into hard cover.
  
'''Detect:'''
+
'''Eye of the Bat'''
''You can sense manifestations of your power at a distance and understand their general nature. This works even when you can't see the target, but both range and information suffer.
+
See in the dark.
  
'''Sensor:'''
+
Darkness no longer hinders your vision, but contrast between light and shadow still bothers you.
''Choose an object manifesting your power that you have detected; you can perceive as if you were at that spot. You cannot use your Survey action for anything else when doing so.
 
  
'''Scry:'''
+
'''Eye of the Rat'''
''Choose a location or creature. You gain a sensor at the nearest suitable object, which is often close enough to perceive the target.
+
Move your senses to a place of darkness.
  
'''Omnipresence:'''
+
You move your perception to a dark area you know of and sense as if you were at that spot as long as you maintain concentration. You still sense things at your actual location, but only very dimly.
''You perceive from all objects manifesting your power at once over a wide area. As long as you concentrate you retain this perception and can report what you see to others.
 
  
=== Sway ===
+
'''Eyes of the Dark'''
Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate creatures imbued with your power to achieve your goals.
+
Choose a location or creature. See them from nearest darkness.
Sway creatures based on your power with persuasion and cajoling.
 
Position and effect is determined normally, depending ion the situation and your relation to listeners.
 
If you know several powers and use a Sway effect but don't know what type of creature you are facing, it works as long as you have the appropriate power.
 
You need not select a specific type of creature in advance.
 
If you try to Sway a type of creature and don't the appropriate power, effect is at best limited—the game master may judge that the Sway action can be used non-verbally, but often you will have no effect at all. 
 
This still has the normal stress cost.
 
  
'''Communicate:'''
+
Similar to Eye of the Rat but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position. Automatically directs towards the best vantage point provided by a suitable area of darkness, typically close enough to observe the target. Fails if no suitable viewpoint is available
''You can understand creatures linked to your power even if normally couldn't, and gauge their mood and motivations.
 
  
This does not allow you to be understood by those whose intentions you read. Used together with the basic Command power, this allows full communication.
+
'''World of Darkness'''
 +
You perceive from every dark place at once over a wide area.
  
'''Translate:'''
+
Enhances your senses impossibly, like Eye of the Rat to every dark spot in wide area. Creates a comprehensive mental image, revealing numerous details simultaneously. It's challenging for targets to hide unless there are large lit areas.
''You and allies can communicate with creatures based on your power.
 
  
This allows you to use the Sway power to its full effect.  
+
=== Sway ===
You are still wheedling unless you also use Command the advanced Command effect.
+
Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate creatures of Darkness. Position and effect are determined normally, depending on the situation and your relation to listeners. 
 +
Limited effect works if it follows the target's existing impulses, just overcoming fragile self-restraint. Standard effect can convince a target with no particular stake in the matter. Great effect will convince a reluctant target, but not a passionate one.
  
In addition, many powers will have the power to inspire a mood or emotion specific to that power.
+
'''Infernal Empathy'''
 +
Understand Darkness creatures and motivations.
  
'''Mesmerize:'''
+
You can gauge the mood and motivations of Dark creatures and understand what they are saying. This does not allow you to be understood. Used together Command: Dark Decree, this allows full communication.
''You can post suggestions in the mind of a creature manifesting your power, which will be triggered under conditions you specify. Common suggestions are to steal something, attack someone, or ignore some event. This is a subtle power, but easier to spot once triggered.
 
  
Essentially this is an attempt to Sway with two advantages.
+
'''Infernal Influence'''
The target will not remember that you swayed them, and if you succeed, you can give them instructions that will activate later, in a situation you specify.
+
Crew can communicate with Darkness creatures. Tempt normal folk to commit evil deeds.
A typical use of this would be to sway a servant to leave a window open in a hallway or a guard to forget to load their weapon.
 
Besides the normal challenges of persuasion, suggestions fade depending on your effect. Limited effect lasts in the immediate situation.
 
Normal effect lasts for the duration of the score, and great effect can last past the end of the score, as makes sense in the story.
 
  
'''Inculcate:'''
+
This allows you and allies to use the Sway action with full effect, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers. Unless you also use Command: Voice of the Void, you are cajoling, not speaking with authority.  
''You change the personality and motivations of creatures that manifest your power. This power is permanent, but blatant. The target remembers their past but regards it as unimportant compared to their new motivations.
+
In addition you can inspire any creature to be selfish, deceptive, and to act covertly.
  
This changes the target on a deep level, changing their loyalties and priorities.
+
'''Temptation'''
There are limit to this, particularly for creatures linked to a power - you cannot make a fire creature love the sea or an angel of light do deeds of darkness.
+
Post suggestions in the mind of Darkness creatures and in the minds of folk to corrupt them.
Exceptional creatures and exceptional circumstances can break this change.
 
This depends more on role-playing than die rolls.
 
  
=== Tinker ===
+
This is essentially an enhanced Sway attempt against creatures of Darkness and those overwhelmed by sin, allowing you to implant suggestions that will trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion is activated. The target will not remember being swayed.
Manipulate, shape, and create objects imbued with your power to suit your needs.
 
When used with long-term projects, powers can often substitute for missing resources such as tools or raw materials, but that is all it does until you can start using Fabricate.
 
  
'''Handle:'''
+
Suggestions cannot be absurd to the target. A typical use would be to sway a servant to leave a window open or a guard to forget to load their weapon. Suggestions fade over time depending on the level of effect achieved: limited effect lasts for the immediate situation, normal effect lasts for the duration of the score, and great effect can extend beyond the score if it fits the story.
''You can handle materials that manifest your power as if you had the appropriate tools and protective devices.
 
  
This mainly substitutes for tools, up to a small workshop.
+
'''Infernal Indoctrination'''
You are also protected from any dangerous effects of working with the elements of your power.
+
Permanently change personality and motivations of a creature.
  
'''Shape:'''
+
Permanent and blatant change to a Dark creature's loyalty and motivations. Changes the target on a deep level, altering their priorities and loyalties. Target remember their past but considers it unimportant compared to their new motivations. There are limits to this power, especially for creatures linked to a power—you cannot make a Dark creature love Light powers and actions and vice verso.
''You can shape materials that manifest your power as if they were of clay, and they will retain their new shape for some time even if they would normally not, such as water, sand, or smoke.
 
  
You can now do more than normal craft could do.
+
=== Tinker ===
You can work elements of your power that  normally cannot be shaped, and it will remain in the shape you set it in.  
+
Manipulate, shape, and create objects of darkness.
This has the effect of pipes and containers suited to the materials at hand, without any material containers or conduits.
+
When used with long-term projects, powers can often substitute for missing resources such as tools or raw materials, but that is all it does until you learn Master Darkness.
This may allow you to set up traps or devices that would normally require extensive equipment.
 
  
 
The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with.
 
The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with.
 
The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last.
 
The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last.
 
Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long.  
 
Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long.  
Most shaping will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score.
+
Most creations will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score.
 +
Long-lasting and permanent creations require long-term projects.
 +
 
 +
'''Mold Darkness'''
 +
Shape darkness like soft black clay, keeps its form for a few minutes.
 +
 
 +
You can play with shadows and dim light. Both are ephemeral and only last as long as you keep at it. You can solidify small amounts of darkness to shape objects like you can shape clay. Such objects melt in strong light.
 +
 
 +
'''Shape Darkness'''
 +
Mold Darkness, and you can form simple solid objects of darkness.
 +
 
 +
Darkness can form simple useable objects that will retain its new shape and function for the duration.
 +
You can do more complex objects than Mold Darkness can, to the level of detail of basic mechanisms.
 +
This allows you to create devices and traps from the stuff of darkness.
  
'''Create:'''
+
'''Craft Darkness'''
''You can create objects manifesting your power out of nothing or transform an object from one material to another as long as you know the power required for both the starting and final form. This can create complex tools, such as fine and potent items appropriate to the power(s) used.
+
Create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.
  
This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create matter related to your power out of nothing. This is raw matter (or energy, depending on the power used) and needs to be shaped and refined to be of much use.
+
You can create darkness out of nothing, or transform an object from darkness into another material as long as you know the power required for both the starting and final form. You can create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.
  
The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute material connected to one of your powers into material connected to another power.  
+
This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create darkness out of nothing, even in direct light. 
The result will maintain its form as if affected by the Shape ability.
+
The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute darkness into material connected to another power.  
 +
The result will maintain its form as if affected by Shape Darkness.
 
The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows.  
 
The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows.  
This can transform something like a sword from metal to fire, and it would still be a functional sword.
+
This can transform something like a sword from metal to darkness, and it would still be a functional sword.
A door could be changed from wood to air, you then pass through ant the door reverts to wood.
+
A door could be changed from wood to ephemeral darkness, you then pass through and revert the door to wood.  
The transmutation usually
+
 
 +
'''Master Darkness'''
 +
Craft Darkness to mass produce or make something large, like a building.
  
'''Fabricate:'''
+
This is similar to Craft Darkness, above, but you mass produce objects, even a set of different objects. You can also make something large, such as a vehicle or building.
''This is similar to Create, above, but you mass-produce objects, even a set of different objects. You can also make something large, such as a vehicle or building.
 
  
Pretty self-explanatory, this is Create on a larger scale.
+
Pretty self-explanatory, this is Craft Darkness on a larger scale.
 
This is useful for equipping a large band or building something large out of nothing.
 
This is useful for equipping a large band or building something large out of nothing.
When doing long-term projects that involve building or crafting, you can use Fabricate to gain great effect, even under what normally be poor conditions, but this has the usual stress cost.
+
When doing long-term projects that involve building or crafting, you can use Master Darkness to gain great effect, even under what normally be poor conditions, but this has the usual stress cost.
  
 
=== Wreck ===
 
=== Wreck ===
Destroy, dismantle, and obliterate objects made of stuff related to your power.  
+
It is easy to destroy darkness, but this only creates murk unless Light powers are used. 
 +
Darkness withers and corrodes other materials, this is a powerful but slow process.
  
'''Jimmy:'''
+
'''Dark Corrosion'''
''You can jimmy objects manifesting your power much like a sledgehammer. Noisy and leaves a twisted object in place.
+
Withers and corrodes, a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains.
  
Just as crude as it sounds.  
+
Darkness withers and corrodes, this is a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains in place. Can attack like a dark torch in combat.
You destroy things related to your power, and strike with the force of a sledgehammer in combat.
 
 
As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation.
 
As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation.
 +
Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.
  
'''Smash:'''
+
'''Dark Smash'''
''Similar to jimmy. When smashing objects from your power, such as metallic objects for the metal power, you to affect hard objects as if they were wood. Works as a fine potent sledgehammer in combat.
+
Break most materials if they were wood.
  
 
This reduces the strength of strong materials, allowing you to break even the strongest barrier, as long as it of the proper material and not too thick.  
 
This reduces the strength of strong materials, allowing you to break even the strongest barrier, as long as it of the proper material and not too thick.  
You can also use this as a sledgehammer to smash other things, and ads a fine, potent sledgehammer in combat.
+
You can also use this as a fine, potent sledgehammer to smash stuff.
  
'''Disintegrate:'''
+
'''Dark Disintegrate'''
''Similar to smash, but destroyed targets silently disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
+
Dark Smash targets disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
  
The real difference here is that wrecking things is now silent when you have the right power.
+
Darkness is powerful when it comes to disintegration, and is able to disintegrate most other materials.
You also leave less traces, as what you wreck disappears.
 
This can also be used to get rid of evidence, as long as that evidence matches your power.
 
  
'''Obliterate:'''
+
'''Dark Obliteration'''
''Similar to smash, but over a large area. This can level a city block, empty a canal system of water, raze a city wall, and similar massive destruction.
+
Dark Disintegrate over a large area. Level a city block or wither a wood.
  
Rather straightforward, this just scales things up.
+
Similar to Dark Disintegrate, but over a large area. This can silently turn a city block to dust, darken a large city, ruin a city wall, and similar massive destruction.

Latest revision as of 12:03, 15 November 2024

Fox in the DarkFox in the Dark logo
Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page
Powers (FiD)Fox in the Dark logo

Darkness as a Form is about both physical and mental darkness. Darkness powers deal with moral and physical darkness, base carnality, indulgence, and deception. Darkness opposed to light. Darkness associated with our psychological shadow, base drives, primal instinct, evil, and the subconscious. In physics, darkness is merely the absence of light, and many claim that spiritual evil and darkness is the absence of enlightenment.

Dark attacks are made up of bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.

Darkness Power Effects Table

Action Basic
No minimum
4 Stress
Advanced
Minimum 2 Dice
5 Stress
Master
Minimum 4 Dice
6 Stress
Apex
Minimum 6 Dice
7 Stress
Attune Umbral Understanding
You can detect creatures and powers of Darkness.
Umbral Undoing
Dismiss any summoned creature. End the operation any power.
Umbral Urge
Summon a creature of Darkness.
Umbral Universe
Create a portal to a plane of darkness.
Command Dark Decree
Command any creature of Darkness. You cannot understand them.
Voice of the Void
Communicate with creatures of Darkness over long distances.
Abyssal Authority
Command Darkness creatures as if you were their superior.
Twilight Tyranny
Permanently bind creatures of Darkness to service.
Consort Dark Mask
Assume an appearance to provoke darkness and envy.
Devil Form
Assume the form of a creature of darkness. Devil Mask another.
Devil Possession
Devil Form a willing or helpless creature into a creature of Darkness.
Devil's Dance
Devil Form a number of willing or non-sentient creatures, give them a dark desire.
Finesse Ride the Dark
Ride Darkness mounts as if they were trained and you had the key.
Shadow Strike
Fine and potent close-range attack.
Shadow Stride
Create a great mount out of shadow.
Dance of the Dark
Play with shadows to confuse or conceal.
Hunt Dark Scout
Track Darkness powers.
Shadow Sniper
Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent rifle.
Nightfall
Darken an area, create shadows, and move them.
Shadow Shockwave
Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent grenade.
Prowl Dark Cloak
Merge with shadow.
Dark Step
Teleport from one shadow to another.
Dark Team
Bring crew with Dark Cloak and Dark Step.
Void Walk
Teleport from one location in darkness to another.
Skirmish Shadow Block
Block Darkness Harm.
Shadow Strike
Fine and potent melee attack..
Eerie Evasion
Create shadowy distractions that prevent scale.
Shadow Surge
Darkness strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.
Study Dark Name
Identify physical or moral Darkness as well as Darkness powers.
Dark Lore
Exactly analyze Darkness powers and abilities.
Dark Past
Read the past events of Darkness.
World of Darkness
Dark Lore a wide area, then Dark Pas some targets.
Survey Eye of the Bat
See in the dark.
Eye of the Rat
Move your senses to a place of darkness.
Eyes of the Dark
Choose a location or creature. See them from nearest darkness.
World of Darkness
You perceive from every dark place at once over a wide area.
Sway Infernal Empathy
Understand Darkness creatures and motivations.
Infernal Influence
Crew can communicate with Darkness creatures. Tempt normal folk to commit evil deeds.
Temptation
Post suggestions in the mind of Darkness creatures and in the minds of folk to corrupt them.
Infernal Indoctrination
Permanently change personality and motivations of a creature.
Tinker Mold Darkness
Shape darkness like soft black clay, keeps its form for a few minutes.
Shape Darkness
Mold Darkness, and you can form simple solid objects of darkness.
Craft Darkness
Create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.
Master Darkness
Craft Darkness to mass produce or make something large, like a building.
Wreck Dark Corrosion
Withers and corrodes, a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains.
Dark Smash
Break most materials if they were wood
Dark Disintegrate
Dark Smash targets disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.
Dark Obliteration
Dark Disintegrate over a large area. Level a city block or wither a wood.

Expanded Darkness Powers

Attune

Harness the power of Attune Darkness to perceive and manipulate supernatural energies, allowing you to detect and interact with beings and phenomena from planes of darkness. These places are often simply called Hell.

The position and consequences usually depends on what happens around you when you do it. Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences, and sometimes a creature wants to be dismissed and the consequence might be that it loses control of itself, or that other creatures appear to intervene. If a powerful creature resists being dispelled, its obviously dangerous. Having helpers and bodyguards reduces the consequences.

Umbral Understanding You can detect creatures and powers of Darkness.

This is usually done to see a Spirit or disguised creature. However, it can also help identify a creature's connection to powers, providing valuable insights into their nature. Limited effect suffices against a creature you can clearly see. You need greater effect against against a creature that is hidden (standard effect) or behind a wall (great effect).

Umbral Undoing Dismiss any summoned creature. End the operation any power.

You can force a creature based on this power that is native to another plane of existence to return to that plane, or to end the operation of an ability of the power you use.

Dismissing a creature is hard and usually requires great effect. A creature that has been wounded or otherwise weakened only needs standard effect. A creature that wants to be dismissed requires only limited effect.

Darkness is powerful in that it can dispel any power, not just Darkness powers. It can be used as a defense against others' use of power, or it can be used to break the continuing effects of powers. You can also force a spirit to materialize.

Dispelling is often used as a setup action to help another character in a situation when the opposition is using powers. Limited effect creates an opening that makes the supported action potent. Normal effect improves the position of the supported action. Great effect improves both position and effect of the supported power.

When used directly, the effect is usually limited unless the opponent is relying on powers for their safety. Against an opponent that uses power to fly or even breathe you may have a better effect.

When it is dramatically appropriate that a power is hard to dispel, often because it is the crux of the situation, this will simply not work, but will instead give you a clue to what you need to do to resolve the situation.

Umbral Urge Summon a creature of Darkness.

You can call a creature of darkness. This is generally an unwilling servant.

Dark creatures are devils, creatures of the night. They are more interested in corrupting people than in fighting them. Giving the single order you get from summoning a creature of darkness is rarely very useful. These subtle creatures need time to use their full powers of deception and coercion. This means you often have to bargain with them, which they use to corrupt you.

Darkness creatures, also known as devils, come from realms of Darkness known as Hells. In a science-fiction setting with powers this is usually related to faster-than-light travel, so if ships travel through hyperspace, this is where Dark summons come from. Learning who to summon may require study or be a score in itself. A devil will obey one command from you and this can be extended. Darkness creatures will often cooperate in plans that corrupt you or other people, avoiding the struggle to control them or at least turning it into an ethical rather than magical struggle.

Summoning can bring you allies to fight, but more commonly you summon a spirit to do some specific task related to Darkness. Summons can use most power effects and maintain power effects you have created. They can also give advice and information related to their power. In general, you can summon generic creatures one tier lower than yourself without having to do a flashback. Such a creature is similar to a cohort, either a skilled follower or a group of goons.

To summon a particular creature, similar to an expert, you need its unique identity, called true name in the mystical power traditions. For a technomancer this would be something like an id number, genetic data, or holographic parameters. Learning about the right creature to summon is a task in its own right, often requiring a flashback or downtime activity to use Command, Consort, Study, or Sway to gain information. Devils are generous with the summoning details of other devils.

Summonable creatures come in three types, elementals, spirits, and creatures with powers.

Darkness elementals are shades, blobs of solidified darkness. They embrace and drain the energy of enemies and cloak allies. Most elementals have animal intelligence, and often take the shape of a dog or simply a dark cloak, cover, or blob.

Darkness spirits are similar to elementals in that they are made out of darkness, but the powers that create spirits are less material. This makes spirits ephemeral, less physically oriented, and more intelligent than elementals. They can use sophisticated power effects and usually have an agenda of their own.

Creatures with powers resemble normal creatures, most having a biological body, metabolism, and functioning as ordinary living creatures but also some exceptional abilities related to their power. A succubus is an attractive human female, but sports horns and a tail and may have hooves, wings, and an unusual skin color as well as Darkness powers. As Darkness is the essence of deceit, Darkness creatures can often mask themselves to appear as if they have no powers. Not all creatures with powers are summonable or dismissible, many are native to this world and have no special vulnerability to Attune power effects.

Depending on your degree of effect a summoned creature is willing to do different things. Limited effect allows you to ask questions of an intelligent creature or demand a short period of physical labor from a simple creature. The creature will not fight for you. If forced into a fight due to circumstances, it will resent it.

Standard effect allows you to ask for any service appropriate to the type of creature. A devil will do evil, terrorize, tempt, and seduce. This includes dangerous tasks such as combat if the devil has such abilities.

Great effect allows actions outside the creature's comfort zone, but not things it directly opposes. A devil will do most things except those associated with Light. Lengthy service also requires great effect, such as summoning the creature to guard a treasure for as long as it can.

The position is usually risky. Typical consequences are:

  • Overly literal interpretations of your commands.
  • The creature deliberately does its tasks poorly.
  • The creature breaks things around you, demands concessions from you.
  • The creature needs to be forced to serve and might lash out.
  • The creature strikes out at you once.
  • A tightwire struggle to keep the creature under control.

Offering a creature gifts or services appropriate to its nature can make the position controlled, with consequences like half-heated efforts, demanding not to be summoned again until some time or event has passed, or just general sulkiness. For Dark creatures this includes human sacrifice, promises of future evil deeds, and things appropriate tot he role of a specific devil.

Desperate position usually comes from trading position for effect, but it might come from a difference in ethos. If you are a priest of light and summon a demon, or if the summon is three or more tiers above you the position will be desperate. Desperate consequences include the spirit demanding you sell your soul, become its agent in the world, that you come to its home plane to serve it there for a time, that you defeat the creature in a duel, or similar dramatic story events.

Umbral Universe Create a portal to a plane of darkness.

You can create a portal that allows travel to and from Hell. This is situational, but highly useful under exceptional circumstances. There are things that are possible to in Hell that are not allowed in the regular world, Darkness effects are reduced one step in difficulty, from advanced to basic, master to advanced, and apex to master. This opens the possibility of new super-apex powers that have to be negotiated with the game master. Such effects rarely reach outside of Hell, but if they affect things in Hell, the effect may remain when you return to the mundane world.

Gating can allow access to creatures too powerful to summon, so you instead ask for an audience. This includes archdevils and lords of Hell. The creature may then use the gate to come to you, call you into its presence, or just to communicate.

Using a gate may be played out as a score, which means there is an engagement roll. Depending on how quickly the matter is resolved, the game master may require a separate game to return home again. However if you do this in a scene that is dangerous, such as asking for help against an enemy too powerful for you to defeat, the position is usually much worse.

Command

Command and intimidate Dark creatures, projecting authority. Position and effect depend on the situation and your relationship with the listeners.

The position depends on the creatures' actual relationship to you—ordering a creature that sees itself as your superior is a desperate position. A controlled position comes from a creature that agrees you are superior, usually just making retrying harder. A risky position is typical against a creature that sees itself as your equal and not your enemy, possibly leading to heat, misunderstood orders, or a small rebellion.

Dark Decree Command any creature of Darkness. You cannot understand them.

This is useful for intimidating creatures under your power and commanding foreign or alien subordinates. Combined with Sway: Infernal Empathy, it allows two-way communication.

Voice of the Void Communicate with creatures of Darkness over long distances.

You can communicate with Dark creatures over any distance as long as you know the target, and a line-of-sight even if you do not. You can communicate with the most powerful creature related to your power in a vehicle or installation as long as you can see the exterior. The communication is simple and direct, suitable for the Command skill.

You can send nightmares to any creature (not just Dark creatures) you know or see. This allows you to send vague messages and receive vague answers from the subconscious of your target, who will remember the episode as a nightmare.

Abyssal Authority Command Darkness creatures as if you were their superior.

Targets will see you as a higher-ranking devil. This does not remove existing loyalties, which can lead to conflicts. Understanding the social order of your targets helps avoid conflicting with their established loyalties. Ordering devil to investigate a disturbance is harder (needs more effect) than telling them to ignore it, as Dark creatures lack a sense of duty.

Limited effect might result in a creature doing what it might have done anyway, like ignoring a situation. Standard effect makes the creature do what it should, but in a way you decide, like a guardian hell hound harrying rather than attacking. Great effect means targets will ignore their normal routine and go out of their way to please you, like a shade moving into the light or enemies ignoring or fleeing from you.

Twilight Tyranny Permanently bind creatures of Darkness to service.

This won’t work unless you are already in a position of power. The effect is similar to Authority but potentially permanent. Strong emotions can break your control, but otherwise, it lasts until dispelled.

Consort

Consort powers changes your form and later that of other creatures. These powers might also be used as a set-up action for a later Consort roll. This will often give a bonus to effect or improved position or even allow an action that a human could not do.

A common consequences is that you are mistaken for someone, or that your assumed form is somehow a hindrance. You might be obnoxiously attractive, trigger prejudices, or have unexpected handicaps.

Dark Mask Assume an appearance to provoke darkness and envy.

Imbue your appearance with elements that cause envy, such as luxury clothes, jewelry, and personal beauty. This is not a disguise, but such a makeover can be made extreme enough that people may not recognize you.

Devil Form Assume the form of a creature of darkness. Devil Mask another.

Devil Mask applied to another creature does just that. Your Consort applies to the change itself, but otherwise they still use their own Consort action.

Assuming the form of a creature of darkness is a true physical transmutation. You need not assume the form of an existing creature, as long as the gamemaster agrees your new form embodies Darkness.

Devil Form can work as a set-up action for a number of other actions but may penalize other things, as appropriate to your new form. When appropriate, your new form can use Basic and Advanced Darkness powers inherently without risking stress.

With limited effect you can transform into yourself as a devil. Those familiar with you will recognize you. Standard effect can make you a generic creature, very hard to recognize as you. Great effect allows you to assume the shape and some of the personality of a specific creature you have studied.

Devil Possession Devil Form a willing or helpless creature into a creature of Darkness.

This is Devil Form applied to another creature. The duration depends of the effect, limited effect is very temporary. Standard effect lasts for the duration of a score. Great effect lasts a long time and potentially become permanent, depending on the the story. If you also want to make the target unrecognizable, that requires additional effect, see Devil Form.

Devil's Dance Devil Form a number of willing or non-sentient creatures, give them a dark desire.

This is where Consort becomes a combination of Devil Form and Attune: Umbral Urge. You transform a number of existing creatures and give them a simple corrupt agenda, turning them into minions. Targets must be willing, non-sentient like animals, or just very minor figures in the plot, many tiers below you.

This is usually used to create a host of goons that will fight and chase for you. Such goons are more interested in chasing and cornering targets than in actual combat. Or they can be given bit parts, creating a mischief of imps to serve you.

Finesse

Exercise finesse with Darkness, manipulating and attacking with precision.

Ride the Dark Ride Darkness mounts as if they were trained and you had the key.

This allows you to use Finesse with mounts and vehicles you are not familiar with as long as they include an element of darkness. This includes Dark creatures serving as mounts as well as space vessels. You can bypass simple locks on vehicles, but not more serious security. You can ride beasts even if they are not trained to carry a rider. They must still be physically able to carry you.

Shadow Strike Fine and potent close-range attack.

Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy. Besides variety, this only substitutes for equipment, fine and potent finesse weapon is just as effective. Using this does not take any more time, activating your attack power is equivalent to drawing a weapon.

Dance of the Dark Play with shadows to confuse or conceal.

Play with shadows in small and precise ways. This can momentarily blind, alter a shadow to cause a misstep, or confuse sight by casting false shadows.

Shadow Stride Create a great mount out of shadow.

This mount is usually shaped like a wolf or leopard made out of shadow, but it is not an independent creature and all it does is transport you and possibly passengers. Functions much as any other vehicle from the setting and it can be varied correspondingly; a smaller vehicle is faster and more agile.

Shadow Speeders Travel as shadows.

You, your crew, your vehicles, and mounts are covered in shadow. As long as you avoid direct sunlight and don't move too close to others your travel is unnoticed and leaves no trail.

Hunt

Dark Scout Track Darkness powers.

Perceive which shadows are natural and which are the result of powers. You can track Dark creatures of Darkness and the use of Dark powers.

Shadow Sniper Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent rifle.

Make a fine and potent attack at range with the power of Darkness. This serves as a replacement for traditional equipment; a fine and potent ranged weapon would be equally effective in combat. Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burns, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.

Nightfall Darken an area, create shadows, and move them.

You can darken a large area and create shadows. This does not inflict any direct damage. This is usually used as a setup, but may also change how people act in reaction to the environment—compact darkness is likely to make people want to stay indoors or run out of the dark as the case may be.

Nightfall is opposed by bright light, sunlight will boil it away in seconds and strong artificial light can do so in minutes.

Shadow Shockwave Darkness attack similar to a fine and potent grenade.

An escalation of Shadow Sniper. Less precise, this affects all creatures at a location, with a risk of collateral damage. Targets in trenches, behind walls, or otherwise shielded are not in direct danger but tend to keep their heads down, which gives your side the initiative.

Prowl

As the element of deception, Darkness is good at stealth ant tricksy travel.

Dark Cloak Merge with shadow.

You can make yourself appear as a shadow. This allows you to hide in impossible places as long as the environment is dark. This works just like any other attempt to use Prowl to avoid notice, except that shadows and darkness provides more concealment than it ordinarily would. Note that only you can use this ability, your friends and allies cannot unless you use Dark Team, below.

Dark Step Teleport from one shadow to another.

You can move through darkness. This allows you to teleport from one shadow you can see to another, walk through walls as long as both sides are in the dark, and you know where to go. Survey powers can help with that.

Dark Team Bring crew with Dark Cloak and Dark Step.

Now you and your allies can Prowl in dark places. They still use their own Prowl action

Void Walk Teleport from one location in darkness to another.

You and allies can teleport from one location in darkness to another. This is regional travel, you stay within the same city or region, but it is generally sufficient to escape just about any situation or location.

This takes you to places you are familiar with. Both effect and position is worse unless you know where you are going, which means it is great for escapes but less so for intrusion into an enemy's territory that you are likely to be much less familiar with.

Skirmish

Shadow Block: Block Darkness Harm.

Absorb Harm from Darkness powers and enervating attacks. Roll Skirmish when subject to harm from such energies. This is your inherent resistance, it does not require any activity on your part. Reduce the level of harm inflicted based on the level of success. 1-3: Nothing. 4-5: Reduce level of harm by one. 6: Reduce level of harm by two. Crit: Negate all harm and recover 1 stress.

Shadow Strike Fine and potent melee attack.

This is used just like a dueling sword or pistol. Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.

Eerie Evasion Create shadowy distractions that prevent scale.

Surround yourself with a whirling pattern of confusing shadows. The effect is to deny the advantage of scale.

Shadow Surge Darkness strikes out in all directions, attacking all enemies in a wide area.

Not only can you ignore scale, you also attack multiple opponents at once. Otherwise as Shadow Strike.

Study

Analyze objects and creatures imbued with Darkness to gain insight and knowledge. The effect required depends on range, limited effect for touch, standard effect for line-of-sight, and great effect to reach a target you know of or have some link to, but which is out of line-of-sight.

Position depends on the situation. Safely in your base the position is controlled. In the middle of a fight or when pinned down the position is desperate. Sometimes thing you are researching it dangerous in itself, worsening position. Consequences may give you knowledge that lacks crucial details or drop hints for opponents to use.

Dark Name Identify physical or moral Darkness as well as Darkness powers.

This identifies Dark creatures and powers by name but gives no further analysis. In a creature dominated by sin, you can tell what their chief vice is.

Dark Lore Exactly analyze Darkness powers and abilities.

You learn of any powers or special abilities of Dark creatures, as well as the detailed abilities of a power or object. In a creature not aligned with Light, you can tell what sin they would potentially be most tempted by. In a creature dominated by sin, you can tell their worst vices and how they manifest, exactly what they want and what would tempt them.

Dark Past Read the past events of Darkness.

You can read the dark past of a Dark creature, place, or object. Normally this gives you a vision of the worst event the target has been involved in. If there are no or only minor sins, you notice nothing. On a creature, power, or item of Darkness, as well as a creature dominated by sin, you gain detailed visions of their sins and self-indulgence.

World of Darkness Dark Lore a wide area, then Dark Past some targets.

Dark Lore on everything as far as you can see, pinpointing locations of interest like altars and murder sites. You can then use Dark Past to learn the history of up to three of the tings you analyzed.

Survey

Perceive and locate manifestations of Darkness. The effect you need depends on the target's concealment. Limited effect finds targets in concealment. Standard effect finds those hiding behind cover and in far places you can only barely see. Great effect can look behind walls and into hard cover.

Eye of the Bat See in the dark.

Darkness no longer hinders your vision, but contrast between light and shadow still bothers you.

Eye of the Rat Move your senses to a place of darkness.

You move your perception to a dark area you know of and sense as if you were at that spot as long as you maintain concentration. You still sense things at your actual location, but only very dimly.

Eyes of the Dark Choose a location or creature. See them from nearest darkness.

Similar to Eye of the Rat but allows you to focus on a specific creature or position. Automatically directs towards the best vantage point provided by a suitable area of darkness, typically close enough to observe the target. Fails if no suitable viewpoint is available

World of Darkness You perceive from every dark place at once over a wide area.

Enhances your senses impossibly, like Eye of the Rat to every dark spot in wide area. Creates a comprehensive mental image, revealing numerous details simultaneously. It's challenging for targets to hide unless there are large lit areas.

Sway

Communicate, mesmerize, and manipulate creatures of Darkness. Position and effect are determined normally, depending on the situation and your relation to listeners. Limited effect works if it follows the target's existing impulses, just overcoming fragile self-restraint. Standard effect can convince a target with no particular stake in the matter. Great effect will convince a reluctant target, but not a passionate one.

Infernal Empathy Understand Darkness creatures and motivations.

You can gauge the mood and motivations of Dark creatures and understand what they are saying. This does not allow you to be understood. Used together Command: Dark Decree, this allows full communication.

Infernal Influence Crew can communicate with Darkness creatures. Tempt normal folk to commit evil deeds.

This allows you and allies to use the Sway action with full effect, overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers. Unless you also use Command: Voice of the Void, you are cajoling, not speaking with authority. In addition you can inspire any creature to be selfish, deceptive, and to act covertly.

Temptation Post suggestions in the mind of Darkness creatures and in the minds of folk to corrupt them.

This is essentially an enhanced Sway attempt against creatures of Darkness and those overwhelmed by sin, allowing you to implant suggestions that will trigger under conditions you set. The power remains subtle until the suggestion is activated. The target will not remember being swayed.

Suggestions cannot be absurd to the target. A typical use would be to sway a servant to leave a window open or a guard to forget to load their weapon. Suggestions fade over time depending on the level of effect achieved: limited effect lasts for the immediate situation, normal effect lasts for the duration of the score, and great effect can extend beyond the score if it fits the story.

Infernal Indoctrination Permanently change personality and motivations of a creature.

Permanent and blatant change to a Dark creature's loyalty and motivations. Changes the target on a deep level, altering their priorities and loyalties. Target remember their past but considers it unimportant compared to their new motivations. There are limits to this power, especially for creatures linked to a power—you cannot make a Dark creature love Light powers and actions and vice verso.

Tinker

Manipulate, shape, and create objects of darkness. When used with long-term projects, powers can often substitute for missing resources such as tools or raw materials, but that is all it does until you learn Master Darkness.

The position depends on how quiet your workplace is and how much time you have to work with. The effect determines the effectiveness of your construction, but also how long it will last. Devices that are more powerful are harder to contain, and thus wont last as long. Most creations will only be good for a single scene, but if your effect surpasses that required for the effect you want, you can stretch the effect until the end of the score. Long-lasting and permanent creations require long-term projects.

Mold Darkness Shape darkness like soft black clay, keeps its form for a few minutes.

You can play with shadows and dim light. Both are ephemeral and only last as long as you keep at it. You can solidify small amounts of darkness to shape objects like you can shape clay. Such objects melt in strong light.

Shape Darkness Mold Darkness, and you can form simple solid objects of darkness.

Darkness can form simple useable objects that will retain its new shape and function for the duration. You can do more complex objects than Mold Darkness can, to the level of detail of basic mechanisms. This allows you to create devices and traps from the stuff of darkness.

Craft Darkness Create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.

You can create darkness out of nothing, or transform an object from darkness into another material as long as you know the power required for both the starting and final form. You can create complex tools, such as fine and potent items of solid darkness.

This is two distinct effects. The first allows you to create darkness out of nothing, even in direct light. The second can only be used if you know multiple powers. You transmute darkness into material connected to another power. The result will maintain its form as if affected by Shape Darkness. The advantage of this is that you can transform a complex object and it will retain its form and function as far as its new material allows. This can transform something like a sword from metal to darkness, and it would still be a functional sword. A door could be changed from wood to ephemeral darkness, you then pass through and revert the door to wood.

Master Darkness Craft Darkness to mass produce or make something large, like a building.

This is similar to Craft Darkness, above, but you mass produce objects, even a set of different objects. You can also make something large, such as a vehicle or building.

Pretty self-explanatory, this is Craft Darkness on a larger scale. This is useful for equipping a large band or building something large out of nothing. When doing long-term projects that involve building or crafting, you can use Master Darkness to gain great effect, even under what normally be poor conditions, but this has the usual stress cost.

Wreck

It is easy to destroy darkness, but this only creates murk unless Light powers are used. Darkness withers and corrodes other materials, this is a powerful but slow process.

Dark Corrosion Withers and corrodes, a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains.

Darkness withers and corrodes, this is a powerful but slow process that leaves twisted remains in place. Can attack like a dark torch in combat. As usual, Wreck may be at an advantage or disadvantage compared to Finesse and Skirmish, depending on the situation. Dark attacks are made up of enervating bolts and weapons of dark energy that drain life and energy from targets to cause horrible wounds similar to burn, causing necrosis. This is less effective against nonliving targets but extra effective against creatures of spirit and energy.

Dark Smash Break most materials if they were wood.

This reduces the strength of strong materials, allowing you to break even the strongest barrier, as long as it of the proper material and not too thick. You can also use this as a fine, potent sledgehammer to smash stuff.

Dark Disintegrate Dark Smash targets disappear or are reduced to a fine dust.

Darkness is powerful when it comes to disintegration, and is able to disintegrate most other materials.

Dark Obliteration Dark Disintegrate over a large area. Level a city block or wither a wood.

Similar to Dark Disintegrate, but over a large area. This can silently turn a city block to dust, darken a large city, ruin a city wall, and similar massive destruction.